When Jimmy Fallon hosted Saturday Night Live in 2011, he got together his old gang of Horatio Sanz, Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan to reprise their classic funny performance of their song, “I Wish It Was Christmas Today.” They have made a few versions of the song through the years.
Here is the original, which I think is from December 2000. From Sanz’s travel guitar, to Fallon’s screw-ups on the organ, to the look on Morgan’s face, it captures four guys having fun and thinking, “I can’t believe we’re doing this on TV.” [December 2013 Update: The original video is no longer available for embedding, but you may watch it here on YouTube.]
The song has reappeared in several forms through the years since 2000. Sanz again performed the song on Saturday Night Live in 2004 with the Muppets. Another Fallon-Sanz version appeared December 2009 on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. The performance with the Roots featured a surprise guest appearance by Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas, who had covered the song. [December 2013 Update: That video is no longer available, so below is a video of Casablancas playing “I Wish It Was Christmas Today” live at one of his concerts.]
Finally, the new December 2011 version is below. This version is nostalgic instead of adding much new, but it is fun to see the four reprising their roles. The funniest part may be that Morgan and Kattan came back to visit the show for this performance where they do not say a word.
If you made it through all three versions, good luck in getting the song out of your head now. Happy holidays!
What’s the funniest part of the performances? Which is your favorite version? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Last night on The X Factor, 13-year-old Rachel Crow performed as her “save-me song” the classic “I’d Rather Go Blind,” originally recorded by Etta James. The judges, however, were not able to muster the votes to save her against the talented Marcus Canty, who also was in the bottom two. Because the judges could not decide, the total call-in votes made the ultimate decision. Somewhat surprisingly, Crow was sent packing. When the host announced the news, Crow collapsed in tears. Judge Nicole Scherzinger, who cast the final judge vote that sent the decision to the call-in votes, broke down in tears too.
It was a sad ending on the show for Crow, who was one of the most talented performers on the show and had one of the more interesting back stories, having started out as a neglected crack baby before being adopted into a loving home. Seeing her break down and call out “mommy!” made me wonder whether it was fair that the show had such a low age for contestants, which is lower than the limit on American Idol. Is it fair to put a 13-year-old through this kind of pressure on national television? But I suspect that Crow will be fine and that she will benefit greatly from her experience on the show (a new rumor claims she is already talking to Disney). This morning is another day, and now she can look back on her experience on the show and realize she may be able to follow her dream. How many 13-year-olds get that?
And in the long run, music lovers may benefit from the fact that her appearances may lead to a long career. Crow’s voice and performances often reflected a much older soul. If you have not been following the show, check out her final performance of “I’d Rather Go Blind” below. Note how she channels her own sorrow about being in danger of leaving the show into the emotional lyrics of the song.
What did you think of the show and of Crow’s performance? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Today, the actor Harry Morgan, who played Colonel Sherman T. Potter on the television series M*A*S*H from 1975-1983 passed away at the age of 96. He continued the Col. Potter role in the short-lived series After MASH in 1983-1984, and he also had appeared on earlier episodes of M*A*S*H as Maj. Gen. Bartford Hamilton Steele. Our older readers may remember Morgan as the partner of Joe Friday (Jack Webb) on Dragnet. He was an excellent character actor who appeared in many films, including some of my favorite Westerns such as The Ox-Bow Incident (1943), High Noon (1952), and Bend of the River (1952).
But he always will be Colonel Potter to me, as those M*A*S*H episodes were a constant in my family’s home. In the role, Morgan went from playing character actors to developing a deep role of a man with character. While he often was the straight man (not an easy acting role) to the shenanigans of Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and BJ (Mike Farrell), he also could be funny in his own right.
Before Morgan’s arrival on the show, many wondered how the show could continue without the departing McLean Stevenson as Lt. Colonel Henry Blake. Stevenson was wonderful on the show, but the M*A*S*H writers demonstrated how a show could thrive after replacing one popular character with a completely different character by exploring new directions (writers for The Office, take note). Where Stevenson played the bumbling uncle to the residents of the M*A*S*H 4077, as Col. Potter, Morgan became the sometimes cranky but always wise and loving father. Like real children, we viewers all loved and learned from Col. Potter.
RIP.
What’s your favorite memories of Harry Morgan? Leave your two cents in the comments.
If you have been too busy pepper spraying shoppers trying to grab that toy you want, here are some of the pop culture stories from the week that you might have missed.
——— Music ———
No Depression featured an interesting story about a recent encounter with Garth Hudson of The Band.
No Depression also featured a nice review of Glen Campbell on his final tour. Chimesfreedom sends our best wishes to The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb, who is fighting liver cancer.
The Rolling Stones are releasing an expanded reissue of Some Girls, including a song with John Fogerty.
“Does this mean I can play whatever I want?” — Ozzy Osbourne on getting his own music channel on SiriusXM Radio.
“What I do is more like a poke in the ribs than a kick in the face.” – Weird Al Yankovic in Chicago Tribune profile.
Influential jazz drummer and bandleader Paul Motian passed away last week. RIP.
“Cracklin’ Rosie, get on board!” Neil Diamond will tour this summer to support a greatest hits CD.
If you are a fan of The Swell Season, check out this interview with Marketa Irglova about The Swell Season, the new documentary on the band, and her new solo CD.
WhatCulture! has a review of William Shatner’s new CD, Seeking Major Tom. Below is Shatner’s version of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with his face in the sky of this crazy official video.
——— Movies ———-
“He’s an older Bruce Wayne; he’s not in a great state.” — Christopher Nolan revealing some information on the upcomingThe Dark Night Rises, which begins eight years after the last Batman film.
Scarlett Johansson will direct a film adaptation of a Truman Capote novella, Summer Crossing.
A new Woody Allen documentary prompted several stories. One article on the film quoted director Robert Weide on Woody Allen: “He doesn’t think of himself as a great artist.’’ Meanwhile, Salon ranked Woody Allen’s 10 Greatest Films. Personally, I think it is a crime that the list does not include Crimes and Misdemeanors.
“The Muppets are sweet and subversive.” — Los Angeles Times review. In another Muppets-related story, Slate discussed “Mahna Mahna” and how music from an Italian soft-core film became the Muppets’ catchiest song.
——— Television ———
Elizabeth Shue will become a regular on “CSI” starting in February, replacing Marg Helgenberger.
CBS signed up Survivorfor two more seasons with Jeff Probst as host and executive producer.
In case you were overwhelmed last week worrying about the NBA lockout or who is the sexiest man alive or the latest on Ashton Kutcher’s problems, below are some of the pop culture stories you might have missed.
———-Music———-
The heart-stopping, earth-shaking,…legendary E Street Band will tour with Bruce Springsteen in 2012 supporting a new album.
In a new interview, Michael Stipe explained why REM called it a day. “The horror was if somebody Twittered or leaked it.”
Brad Pitt plans to quit acting in three years. I guess they need to hurry up and film Oceans Fourteen.
Officials are investigating actress Natalie Wood’s drowning death from 30 years ago. Although initial reports claimed a yacht captain was blaming Woods’ then-husband actor Robert Wagner for the death, recent reports note that Wagner is not a suspect. But Christopher Walken, who was on the boat with the couple the night Woods died, has hired a lawyer.
Illumination Entertainment is planning a Woody Woodpecker film. (Thanks @VeryAw.) I grew up with the cartoons, so I’m excited that this overlooked character may be revived.
The Atlas Shrugged DVD was released with a back cover mistakenly saying the movie was from a novel of “self-sacrifice” instead of author Ayn Rand’s contrary philosophy of self-interest. Oops!
Andy Buckle’s Film Emporium blog wrote an interesting comparison between two epic World War II films, The Thin Red Line vs. Saving Private Ryan. (Thanks @buckle22.)
Johnny B. Goode! Last weekend, Michael J. Fox reenacted his guitar playing from Back to the Future at a charity event.
“Sticks Like Magic!” CNN reports on the interesting background of the toy Colorforms, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this month. I had forgot about Colorforms, which I had as a kid.
