Saturday 9

Saturday 9: When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right) 1953

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.





1) This is from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Have you seen it? A million times. Here's my favorite (and the most famous) scene.



2) The lyrics tell us that, when love goes wrong, "a match won't light." When did you most recently light a match? Probably some birthday candles, but I don't remember. I don't think I even have matches anymore.

3) The duet is performed at a French sidewalk cafe, where Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are (literally) sharing a cup of coffee. With whom did you most recently have coffee? I never drink coffee, but to be less literal, the last time I went on a coffee break was back in mid-March, when I still working at the office. I remember standing in the coffee room with Carla from production, as she sipped her coffee and I waited for my tea to brew.

4) The tune was written by prolific composer Hoagy Carmichael. He was influenced by his mother, who earned extra money for the family playing piano during silent movies. Who in your life influenced your career choices? When I was a secretary (back in the days when we were still called "secretaries"), I worked for an officious, rather silly man. One of the company's few women VPs had the office next to his, and she took a liking to me. "Doesn't it bother you that you're smarter than your boss?" she'd ask me. She gave me pep talks all the time, and when the opportunity arose to take the test to become a copywriter, she literally placed it in my hands (and into the hands of her own secretary). Her name was Celeste. I'm eternally gratefully to her. She really paid it forward.

5) Jane and Marilyn shared something beyond movie stardom. They were both married to Hall of Famers. Marilyn Monroe was married to Joe DiMaggio, who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. Jane was married to quarterback Bob Waterfield, inducted into the football Hall of Fame in 1965. Which sport would you rather watch: baseball or football? Cubs baseball.

I miss my guys

 6) Jane and Bob Waterfield were high school sweethearts at Van Nuys High. The Southern California school was used as a set for the 1982 movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Tell us something about your high school. Here's a cheer: We are the bulldogs, the mighty, mighty bulldogs. Everywhere we go, people wanna know, who we are. So we tell 'em: We are the bulldogs, the mighty, mighty bulldogs ...


7) Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio met on a blind date at a Hollywood restaurant called Villa Nova. Have you ever arranged a blind date? If so, did the couple hit it off and end up dating? Nope. I've never set anyone up.

8) In 1953, when Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released, a tornado did severe damage to Waco, TX. Tell us about a major weather event that you endured (tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, etc.). In 2011, we had the storm known as the SNOtorious BIG. More than 21" inches of snow fell. It was quite exciting. Of course, I'm on the fourth floor and don't have to shovel.

9) Random question: You see a filthy puddle. Floating on top are cigarette butts, a leaf, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar? Ew. Ick. No.