Marked This Day

On this day in 1977, Studio 54 opened on 254 West 54th in NYC. Over the next three years the club became ground zero for decadence and excess. And disco music. I always found it funny how crazy the disco era was, because the music hasn’t exactly endured. Don’t get me wrong, there were some great disco songs. The Bee Gees still get some airplay round these parts (I’m pointing to the general area around me), and Gloria Gaynor, and some others. But for the most part disco burned out. And I wonder if that is why stuff got so crazy, especially at Studio 54. It was like everybody kind of knew that disco wasn’t all that great, so they did a bunch of drugs and had orgies and stuff. I mean people got wild n’ crazy to rock n’ roll too, but the music always was the fuel in that scenario. It often was just a fuel for sex and drugs, but it was an important fuel. Disco music seemed to be incidental to the decadence. Background music. But what do I know? I wasn’t there. And you can certainly dance to...

This day in 1949 was opening night for the spring edition of the Moscow Circus. And the Soviet Clowns had America on their minds. The Cold War was in its early stages, and they threw numerous barbs in the direction of America. But of course I’m not going to focus on any of that. Clowns? Really? Who actually wants clowns doing their shit-talking? I’m not trying to disparage the profession--although a way-too-early viewing of It certainly tainted my impression of clowns. But I certainly didn’t/don’t think of clowns as being witty. Not that it doesn’t take a certain amount of ingenuity to fit 30 people in a car or throw a pie in someone’s face, I just didn’t think political comedy was really in the Clown’s wheelhouse. Of course most politicians are clowns, so I guess it makes sense. Come to think of it, perhaps politics should be discussed at the circus. Of course, the Cold War lasted for another 40 years, until Rocky Balboa knocked out Ivan Drago, so those clowns didn’t have much of an ...

On this day in 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes rode out on horseback to warn Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and the Minutemen that British troops were marching against them. Adams and Hancock were hiding out in Lexington, and Revere did make there before Dawes (barely). But it seems unfair that History basically excludes ole Willy D altogether. Especially since neither of them actually made it to Concord where the weapons were stashed--that was accomplished by young Samuel Prescott. Tis true ours is a culture obsessed with winning. Ask Charlie Sheen. Or Donald Trump. So perhaps it makes sense that Revere is revered and Dawes and Prescott are forgotten. Although, I have a suspicion that this particular development was probably due to one Thomas Jefferson. Took a lot to impress that TJ dude, and coming in second or joining the race late wasn’t a way to do it. TJ probably heard the tale, and was all, “Appreciate the heads up, but maybe next time ride the whole time and don’t get caught, ...

On this day in 1633, the Catholic Church began the inquisition of Galileo because of his belief that the Earth revolved around the Sun and was not the center of the universe. He was convicted of heresy later in June and lived the rest of his life under house arrest. That’s bad enough considering he was right. But how about the fact that it took the Church 300 years to admit homeboy was right and clear his name of heresy. Really? 300 years? So the Church finally came around to recognizing the Earth revolved around the Sun in 1933? This is basically the equivalent of those jackasses that tweet about the Earth still being flat. Looking at you B.o.B. The ignorance isn’t that big a deal. I’m ignorant of all kinds of things. Like for instance, I don’t particularly understand all of the intricacies in the thought experiment of Schrodinger’s Cat. I get that the cat is both dead and alive and that raises some questions of Copenhagen’s model quantum mechanics, but I couldn’t tell you much more t...

VIDEO NSFW On this day in 1992, Sam Kinison married for the third and final time. This time to Malika Souiri, a dancer he started seeing toward the end of his second marriage. For someone who spent much of professional life railing against the merits of marriage (quite humorously), Kinison certainly gave the institution numerous chances. Of course Kinison was a complicated dude. The transition from a preacher to a foul-mouthed comic isn’t one you hear of everyday. He got heavily involved with drugs and alcohol. He had some pretty ignorant and intolerant views towards women and homosexuals--though I get the feeling that time would have informed and softened them. But damn if he wasn’t a funny fucker. And if you are going to be crude and obnoxious the only way anyone will like you is if you are funny. Kinison was one of the first comics who made me completely lose it. He was crude. He was loud. But he was funny. His starving-children-in-Africa bit is still some of the funniest few minute...

On this day in 1975, Steve Miller was arrested for burning his girlfriend’s clothes. I’m not sure what she did to elicit this behavior from Miller, but is it really that surprising? I mean Steve Miller was a joker. And the fire certainly makes sense because he was a smoker. The idea possibly came to him late one night, as it was well-documented he was a midnight toker. I could continue referencing lyrics from “The Joker,” but I won’t do that. Because I’m pretty sure I know what Steve off that night. I’m guessing his girlfriend wouldn’t let him shake her trees even though he really loved her peaches. I lied. There is a moral here though. Just not exactly sure what it is. It’s either don’t date musicians, or hide your clothes from Steve Miller. You can’t trust a space cowboy around your clothes. That was the last one. Guess he was doing her wrong though. Okay. That was the last one. Wooo. Woooooo. This Day has been Marked.