tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post484708261869764368..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: CHEERS -- the Russian Poetry CornerBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7574698733356105262013-05-01T08:08:48.650-07:002013-05-01T08:08:48.650-07:00Yes, the dumbing down of America would not allow t...Yes, the dumbing down of America would not allow this.<br /><br />Intelligent shows or dialogue are only for blogs apparently.chuckcdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55898812565279318992013-04-30T18:36:28.035-07:002013-04-30T18:36:28.035-07:00Julia - hmmm? Would have been interesting to see h...<i>Julia - hmmm? Would have been interesting to see her as Diane. Did the powers think of her when it came time to replace Diane, or did she bear too much of a physical resemblance to D?</i><br /><br />By the time Shelley Long left <i>Cheers</i>, Julia Duffy was co-starring on <i>Newhart</i> as heiress turned chambermaid Stephanie.Joelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77285918290342105092013-04-30T07:53:33.243-07:002013-04-30T07:53:33.243-07:00And this got laughs? Where's the vagina joke?...And this got laughs? Where's the vagina joke?Matt Tauberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00336379337777188738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72293659672633802412013-04-30T06:30:19.993-07:002013-04-30T06:30:19.993-07:00Sam runner-up Fred Dryer also got a few consolatio...Sam runner-up Fred Dryer also got a few consolation guest spots and was hilarious.<br /><br />Casting Duffy would have also forced some adjustments or led to unintentional physical humor as Ted Danson towered over her.<br /><br />In the end, both actresses were funny for several years in roles that were suited for them. And Peter Scolari was a much better physical match with Duffy. <br /><br />chalmersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2301274920447097542013-04-29T17:38:59.499-07:002013-04-29T17:38:59.499-07:00Mischa the dog, lies dead in the bog,
The village ...Mischa the dog, lies dead in the bog,<br />The village used all of his carcass,<br />To the butcher the meat, to the tailor the hide,<br />Musicians took his balls for maracas.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06248182899977033579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2064205297771555522013-04-29T11:05:04.486-07:002013-04-29T11:05:04.486-07:00I never really thought about the scene indicator &...I never really thought about the scene indicator "INT. BAR – DAY". At my favorite bars, you really couldn't tell "INT. BAR – DAY" from "INT. BAR – NIGHT". The worst part was staggering out into "EXT. SIDEWALK - BLINDINGLY BRIGHT DAY".Charles H. Bryannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-29334859188646565802013-04-29T10:24:00.626-07:002013-04-29T10:24:00.626-07:00Sounds like Russian poetry and Irish folksongs hav...Sounds like Russian poetry and Irish folksongs have a lot in common.RockGolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40423549711113764172013-04-29T10:20:36.482-07:002013-04-29T10:20:36.482-07:00I still recite that poem as a prime example of Rus...I still recite that poem as a prime example of Russian literature.Charleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16980839541732980078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74409549305606401932013-04-29T09:09:14.538-07:002013-04-29T09:09:14.538-07:00Hilarious. Seems like you just finished watching &...Hilarious. Seems like you just finished watching "Love and Death" before writing this.Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17970641911241417692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46681409312562101722013-04-29T09:04:29.909-07:002013-04-29T09:04:29.909-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Keithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17970641911241417692noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35155983239277333952013-04-29T08:45:02.762-07:002013-04-29T08:45:02.762-07:00Just starting laughing out loud- "at least th...Just starting laughing out loud- "at least this year we eat"!<br />Uncle Bobbonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-46882085921507436072013-04-29T04:17:53.053-07:002013-04-29T04:17:53.053-07:00Lovely scene! Wonderful piece of writing and it ma...Lovely scene! Wonderful piece of writing and it makes want to seek that episode out again.Barry Traylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14134880916215990198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49864410559541815502013-04-29T03:17:16.460-07:002013-04-29T03:17:16.460-07:00You've got to start taking stock of your life ...You've got to start taking stock of your life when you out-nerd Diane. This is one of those scenes that will forever set Cheers apart from the rest of the pack. On another note, Julia Duffy's great, but the episode makes abundantly clear why Shelley Long was the only choice for Diane. An (is my actual name)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07960251996565752991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20024631321040500172013-04-29T01:29:23.300-07:002013-04-29T01:29:23.300-07:00"At least this year we eat."
That speci..."At least this year we eat."<br /><br />That specific line was a moment when I wondered why the studio audience wasn't laughing as loud as I was.Dbensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25854538327714180392013-04-28T21:44:24.807-07:002013-04-28T21:44:24.807-07:00To this day, I think Diane Chambers was one of the...To this day, I think Diane Chambers was one of the most well-written characters on television. She would have been so easy to hate in so many ways, but she was written in such a way that it was easy to find yourself loving her in spite of yourself. Which I guess is precisely what happened to Sam, too. "Cheers" will forever be a favorite!Katherine @ Grass Stainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01258123193553569060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38587279254407551612013-04-28T16:19:46.645-07:002013-04-28T16:19:46.645-07:00In a similar vein, there's a Cheers' episo...In a similar vein, there's a Cheers' episode where Sam wants to show Diane that he's capable of reading serious fiction... and borrows a first edition copy of "The Sun Also Rises" by Hemingway from Diane. The next day, he brings in the book --- which is swollen and destroyed. Sam explains he had been reading it in the bathtub when he realized what was wrong with Jake Barnes, the main character: he was impotent due to a war wound. And Sam was so stunned he dropped the book in the tub!Brendan D.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56771890022013760492013-04-28T14:51:39.317-07:002013-04-28T14:51:39.317-07:00Was that in any way inspired by Lubitsch's ope...Was that in any way inspired by Lubitsch's opening to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOoBn7XagSg" rel="nofollow"><b>Design For Living</b></a> where Gary Cooper, Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins start speaking to each other in French? And French that is pretty well comprehensible to the monoglot.Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22560285186231053352013-04-28T13:37:29.845-07:002013-04-28T13:37:29.845-07:00It would be on HBO. Network tv? Not a chance.
P...It would be on HBO. Network tv? Not a chance.<br /><br />Pam aka sisterzip7Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10675703432986107852013-04-28T12:56:46.421-07:002013-04-28T12:56:46.421-07:00One of the moments in the early days of CHEERS tha...One of the moments in the early days of CHEERS that kept me coming back and watching.<br /><br />Ken, a related question: Since Julia Duffy was considered at one point to play the role of Diane in the series, was this episode and/or part written for her in recognition of her talent and a sort of compensation for her not getting the part?Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-56155383912409640522013-04-28T12:53:04.328-07:002013-04-28T12:53:04.328-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Tom Quigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12959628996361620134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10450614960309980402013-04-28T10:59:14.650-07:002013-04-28T10:59:14.650-07:00Just got a note from CBS: Would be funnier with th...Just got a note from CBS: <i>Would be funnier with the word 'vagina' in there somewhere</i>Harold Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07803159453346537762noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23501409484191968412013-04-28T10:45:16.716-07:002013-04-28T10:45:16.716-07:00Julia - hmmm? Would have been interesting to see ...Julia - hmmm? Would have been interesting to see her as Diane. Did the powers think of her when it came time to replace Diane, or did she bear too much of a physical resemblance to D? <br /><br />That WAR & PEACE episode was so cool, I still recall Sam yelling, "There's a MOVIE??????" Dan Kareninanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-8376092053599516722013-04-28T10:20:39.013-07:002013-04-28T10:20:39.013-07:00One of my favorite moments from Cheers, I know the...One of my favorite moments from Cheers, I know the poem by heart. A couple of years ago in Berkeley, I met a restaurant employee named Mischa. I taught him that poem.<br /><br />One reason for the brilliance of Cheers, the writers didn't think their audience was dumb. They often made references to literature or philosophy. For example, the episode when Sumner returned, and Sam read War And Peace to appear smart at a dinner with Diane and Sumner. Even if the audience or viewers at home didn't know the references, they appreciated the context and delivery, and being included.Max Clarkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07706524941272103444noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-19664126036644528752013-04-28T06:52:38.851-07:002013-04-28T06:52:38.851-07:00I regularly call "Cheers" the last great...I regularly call "Cheers" the last great American sitcom. <br /><br />This is yet another example why...Jake Mabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01908036270824377919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34621720804474088702013-04-28T06:46:21.239-07:002013-04-28T06:46:21.239-07:00I do remember that exchange. Hilarious. Writing ...I do remember that exchange. Hilarious. Writing one can be proud of, and it is funny to boot.Mister Charliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02740971667961847200noreply@blogger.com