Friday 17 August 2018

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 17-8-2018: Mae West

17th August, 2018.


What do you say when a musical legend dies?

Honestly … ?

I don’t think I’ve ever been able to come up with something, when the likes of Bowie or Prince, died.

Now … ?

Aretha’s joined them in passing.

All I can do … ?   Is post an Aretha Franklin playlist.

The fact she — from wherever she is now — can still make the hair on back of my arms stand on end?

Is all the memorial I can offer.


~≈§≈~

There’s legends: authentic giants who’ve had an impact on the world, emotionally, financially, militarily or otherwise.

Whatever: they’ve made genuine changes to the world.

Aretha was one of them.

The reason I mention it?

Is that I’ve just looked at the cast list for this year’s versions of Celebrity Big Brother, and Strictly Come Dancing.

Of the twenty or so ‘celebrities’ doing the shows?

I’ve only heard of three of them.

We marked the birthday of Madonna, yesterday: possibly one of the savviest people in the music business, and one who will — I believe — be the academic case study on how to be a successful musician.

I’ve been watching Westworld: which shows us acting giants, Anthony Hopkins and Thandie Newton, showing us exactly what they can do.

Today’s Teaser is about the Hollywood legend, Mae West.

We lost a queen, yesterday, in the shape of Aretha.


And all the BBC and Channel Five have to offer as a sop?

Wannabies … 

Please feel free to comment … 

~≈§≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Olga* and Debbi† putting in their answers: with both scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video … 

Q1) 17th August, 1893, saw the birth of actress, Mae West.   According to one famous quote, she believed in what: God, censorship or gun ownership?
Q2) Who starred in her film debut, Night After Night: Cary Grant, George Raft or Conrad Veidt?
Q3) 1940 saw Mae appear in My Little Chickadee.   Opposite which comedian?
Q4) Most of Mae’s film were made whilst she worked for which studio: Universal, Amblin or Paramount?
Q5) Finally … ?   Her last film, Sextette, was released in which year of the 1970s?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers … 

Q1) 16th August, 2003, saw the death of which former dictator?
A1) Idi Amin.
Q2) 16th August, 1819, saw seventeen people killed at Saint Peter’s Field in Manchester: at a protest against the government.   The incident has gone down as the what massacre?
A2) The Peterloo Massacre.
Q3) Which American magazine was first published on 16th August, 1954?
Q4) A British Army defeated a US one, on 16th August, 1780: at the Battle of Camden.   This particular Camden is where: North Carolina, South Carolina or West Virginia?
Q5) The inaugural British Empire Games opened on 16th August, 1930.   Those games are now called what?
Here’s a thought …
“When you got the personality, you don’t need the nudity.”
Mae West, August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980.
You might not need the nudity, you might need a Doors cover from Mae …


Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.





*        I think I must have missed the Tweet, Olga: I’ll try and have a look, later.   And you’re right, that’s exactly the place to see The Full Monty … !   I’m going the have to catch that again, it was one of the feel-good films!   Which reminds me, I think I might just have to sit down with West Side Story, again.   And with Fiddler on the Roof.   I’ve never seen it.

†        I have to admit, I hate the phrase, “I can’t wait!”, Debbi.   But … !   It’s very frustrating!   Oh, by the way: the speculation I’ve seen says it will start airing on 13th October, this year.   It can’t come soon enough!

2 comments:

Olga said...

Q1) Censorship
Q2) George Raft
Q3) W.C. Fields
Q4) Paramount
Q5) 1978
I agree with your comments about Aretha Franklin. And celebrities. I'd never been too bothered about it and since I started writing and reviewing books, I have even less time to check what's supposed to be going on. I didn't know the British celebrities and I don't know the Spanish ones either (my mother keeps more track than me, but I can't be bothered).
I love West Side Story and I've seen it onstage as well, although originally, the 'America' number was played only by women (on stage). I watched Fiddler on the Roof years back in Eastbourne but I can't recall if it was Topol or not (it was a touring production so, who knows, but it's a great play and it has fantastic songs).
The Full Monty's theatre production I think had had some issues. I guess it opened in the US in an Americanised version and it didn't do very well, but the version I saw was pretty close to the original (including a brass band marching...). It's funny to think the first time I saw it, I think I was living in Brighton, and I had no idea I'd end up spending quite a while in Sheffield...

Debbi said...

Ain't that the truth? :)

1. censorship
2. George Raft
3. W.C. Fields
4. Paramount
5. 1978