Grammy ratings tank...
It figures. I thought the Grammy Awards were better than I thought they would be, at least the first 90 minutes of the show. There were tributes to veteran acts started by The Police who reunited to open festivities with "Roxanne", the R&B Hall of Famers tribute, Smokey Robinson singing "Tracks of My Tears", Stevie Wonder and Tony Bennett accepting a collaboration Grammy but the night belonged to The Dixie Chicks, George W's favorite act - not and Mary J. Blige who summed up her entire life with her first acceptance speech. Blige won 3 and the Chicks went 5 for 5 in Grammy Awards. Now for the overnight ratings:
The show averaged 19.25 million total viewers (Nielsen), down 27% from last year's 26.4 million. If ratings hold when final numbers are released later today, it will be the second-lowest total since 1998. Among adults 18-49, the show averaged an 8.2 rating which was 30% lower than last year. CBS-TV managed to barely edge out "Extreme Makeover:Home Edition" but trailed "Desperate Housewives" from 9 to 10 in 18-49's. The Grammies did knock off "Boston Legal" and "Crossing Jordan" from 10 to 11...
Jim Farber of the New York Daily News was backstage and got some interesting comments from winners and losers alike. To read his comments and those of the Grammy Award winners click on: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/v-pfriendly/story/496791p-418719c.html ...
And today's video link is contained in our "Vote For Me" timeline from 1989...
Timeline Memories...
"Happy Trails": 1983] Ragtime piano playing great Eubie Blake dies 5 days after reaching 100...2000] Charles M. Schulz, creator of "Peanuts" dies of cancer at 77...2000] Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry who led the Dallas Cowboys to 5 Super Bowls, passes away at 75 from leukemia...
Lincoln's Birthday: 1892] Abraham Lincoln's birthday, which would have been his 83rd in 1892, is declared a national holiday...1915] The cornerstone for the Lincoln Memorial is laid in Washington, D.C...
NAACP founded: 1909] The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is organized...
"It keeps on going and going": 1924] "The Eveready Hour", sponsored by the National Carbon Company becomes the 1st sponsored network radio show. The variety show, broadcast in New York City is also heard in Washington, D.C. and Providence (RI)...
Don't change that dial: 1924] Calvin Coolidge makes the 1st presidential political speech on radio...
Recorded on this date: 1956] "I Put a Spell on You" - Screamin' Jay Hawkins...
Gold Standard: 1961] "Shop Around" - The Miracles (becomes Motown's 1st million selling gold record)...
Vote for Me: 1989] Tiny Tim declares himself a New York City mayoral candidate but changes his mind when he can't find any tulips to tiptoe through but we found some. Our video link flashes back to T.T. singing "Tip Toe Through The Tulips" on "Rowan & Martin's 'Laugh-In": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skU-jBFzX10 ...
"Attention Shopper's": 1971] James Cash (J.C.) Penney dies at 95. The company closes for only half a day as a memorial to the company's founder (they couldn't take the whole day off?)...
A botched robbery ends in murder: 1976] 37-year old actor Sal Mineo is found murdered in his apartment driveway, the victim of a botched robbery attempt...
"Freebird": 1999] Bill Clinton is acquitted of impeachment charges by the Senate...
"The Best Part of Breaking Up": 2004] Mattel announces that "Barbie" and "Ken" are breaking up. The pair met on the set of their 1st TV commercial in 1961. The pair has since reconciled...
[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...
"Happy Trails":
On Friday we lost 2 sports veterans. Hank Bauer who helped the Yankees win 7 World Series titles and 9 AL pennants in his 12 years with the team, passed away at 84. The tough ex-Marine played his last 2 seasons with Kansas City but he was also a successful manager winning a World Series as skipper of the Baltimore Orioles in 1966. He also managed in Kansas City...
Pitcher Eddie Feigner a.k.a. "The King" dominated the game of softball by playing and beating just about everyone he and his teammates played, with only 4 men: Eddie (with an unhitable fastball), a catcher, shortstop and first baseman. They were known as "The King and His Court" and they took on all comers starting in 1946. Eddie passed away from a respiratory ailment related to dementia. Eddie was 81...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Christina Ricci (27), Josh Brolin (39), Chynna Phillips (39), Arsenio Hall (52), Michael McDonald (55), Ray Manzarek (68), Bill Russell (73), Joe Garagiola (81), Franco Zeffirelli (84) and Dom DiMaggio (90)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until 'catchers and pitchers' voluntarily report (all teams) and 37 days until spring...
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