I'll Call It Like I See It

by sheila morris

For any who want more, complete list of all posts by month since 2011

  • time’s up according to Oprah, and I would never argue with her


    Pretty and I are awards show junkies, and the Golden Globes starts our official 2018 preoccupation with pop culture. To be honest, Pretty is somewhat of the Queen of Pop at our house because I just can’t keep up with the posts and tweets about the movies on Demand, on Netflix and on Amazon like Pretty does. Full disclosure for me is that Pop culture is my worst category in Trivia Crack with a score of 64% so any fool can see I shouldn’t even be playing against Pretty who pounds me regularly (at Trivia Crack). Heh, heh.

    The Golden Globes last night for the 2018 awards was, in my opinion, one of the best shows they’ve ever had. Seth Myers was an acceptable emcee who began the evening questioning what he was doing there since the clearly historic emphasis for the event was women speaking truth to power. And speak they did…loud and long.

    Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Frances McDormand, Allison Janney, Laura Dern, Octavia Spencer, Helen Mirren, and Kerry Washington were a few of the women stars who were eloquent in their remarks on the Red Carpet and during the show iteself  – obviously committed to the cause; but the house rose to its feet three times for one key speaker, Oprah Winfrey, who became the first African American woman to win the Cecil B. DeMille Award.

    “In a room full of master storytellers, Oprah showed them all how it was done. Oprah united the famous and the unknown, the powerful and the powerless, the farm worker and the film star.” – Maureen Ryan, Variety, today

    Oh, how I wish I had written those words because that’s exactly what I felt in Oprah’s ability to transform and transfix the atmosphere of the whole Golden Globes experience. If you haven’t heard her speech, please find it somewhere in cyberspace and treat yourself to 9 minutes of a woman freely and candidly speaking her truth to power.

    Knock, knock, who’s there? It’s Oprah with a warning to those who would abuse power against the powerless: your time is up.

    I would never argue with Oprah and oh my goodness, I would love to vote for her for President.

    Stay tuned. Onward.

     

  • hello, gorgeous – the memories, the music, the magic of Streisand


    When Ellen DeGeneres introduced Barbra Streisand on her show a week before Christmas, I was a member of her mesmerized TV viewing audience… but felt something was slightly off kilter from the moment Barbra made her entrance. What was wrong, I thought, as Barbra walked over from my right to greet Ellen in the center of the screen with the typical hug, smile and air kiss. Then Barbra sat down in Ellen’s chair while Ellen sat down across from her. I was gobsmacked – never in all my 15 years of watching Ellen’s show had anyone dared to sit in Ellen’s chair.

    I mean, this was like a cosmic shift. I felt my universe begin to rotate counterclockwise.

    But the interview confirmed Barbra has a preferred side to be filmed and unfortunately, it was the same side Ellen liked for herself. However, in the interest of fair play (and obtaining the exclusive interview), Ellen gave up her chair for the Streisand visit – and who wouldn’t? Good move, I agreed.

    The rare television appearance on the Ellen show was to promote Barbra’s new Netflix concert; and sisters and brothers, I was happy to answer her altar call for the holy church of Streisand music during the holiday season.

    Pretty made the mistake of sleeping in later on Christmas morning when I got up to see if Santa Claus had left me anything under the tree and lo and behold, he had. I started a fire in the den fireplace and turned on Netflix to find some Christmas music. The first image I saw was Barbra’s concert she had been talking about on the Ellen show, and I knew I must have been a very good girl to get this surprise from Santa.

    who needs chestnuts roasting on an open fire

    Pretty got up in time to see Jamie Foxx and Barbra sing Climb Every Mountain together after the intermission, and she was hooked, too. They made some majestic music together.

    I have to admit I’ve skipped quite a few football bowl games this year that I normally would never miss – in favor of listening several times to the Streisand concert on Netflix. But when a concert begins with The Way We Were, hang on to your misty water-colored memories and settle in for the musical magic that the incomparable Barbra Streisand has brought to us for six decades…that would be 60 years, but who’s counting.

    Thanks, Santa.

    Stay warm – and stay tuned.

     

     

  • in life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with


    in life, it’s not where you go, it’s who you travel with

    (Hallmark Shoebox greeting card – courtesy Lisa Martin)

    I’m not one for making New Year’s resolutions any more since I’ve realized I’ll never keep them. If you’re a person who makes promises to yourself and others and is somehow successful in making them a part of your life every year, my cyberspace hat is tipping toward you right this minute. I envy and admire your fortitude. My spirit is willing, but my flesh is definitely weak.

    What I lack in fortitude I make up in gratitude, and this new year I am grateful for the people I’ve been lucky enough to travel with during the past seven decades of my life. I hope you know who you are…and that you appreciate the journey with me as much as I appreciate the journey with you. Your friendships are the “memory makers” for me, as Granny Selma used to say when she was in her right mind, and I carry you with me wherever I roam.

    For my cyberspace followers, although our travels are in separate places in different parts of the globe, I feel we travel together and I am grateful for everything we share. I am amazed at the close relationships formed through our virtual reality. You guys rock.

    Our holiday season was a happy one at Casa de Cardinal, but we are a little worse for the wear. Pretty has had a bad case of the epizootie but is working on taking down the holiday decorations and putting them away for next year. As for Charly and Spike, my everyday traveling companions, this is how they feel about their new toys and life in general.

    stick a fork in us, we’re done

    Stay tuned in 2018. Onward.