Popped Culture: Blackout!

Blackout!

So we're in the middle of a blackout here in the Big Smoke. Which blows cause the temperature is, like, -29C with the windchill. That's -20F for you Imperialists out there. Bloody cold. By the grace o god I didn't lose power, something that I lorded over Bucky this morning. Strangely, my declarations of "Do you know how lucky you are, cat?" fell on selfishly deaf ears. But that's likely cause he's all cushy and never experienced a temperature extreme in his life. Not like I have. I remember Leningrad 1944, man. Now that was cold. Anyhoo, power outages always make me think of the Lou Grant episode aptly titled "Blackout". I was all about Lou Grant in the late '70s. I wanted to be Lou Grant, which in retrospect is a bit odd. For 9 year old girl. But I also wanted to be either Roy Scheider or Richard Dreyfuss in Jaws, so whatev. Anyway, this particular episode was all about how the The Tribune struggled to produce a paper during a power outage. Compelling drama. Jack Bannon, played by Art Donovan, was all smug cause he'd kept his manual typewriter despite the mocking of his coworkers and was all "who's able to write now, bitches?" A sentiment I whole-heartedly echo. I'm all about the low-tech just so I don't get snookered in power outages and the like. Which is I guess why I've always held a torch for Jack as well. I think back to that episode and think "Dammit. You and your convictions are so sexy." I mean, how is your trusty IBM Selectric II going to save your ass when things go all Mad Max? Just saying. It's all because of and for Jack Bannon that I treasure my dynamo pig flashlight. You will forever be in my heart, Jack. For those within The Zone, I hope you get your juice back soon. Remember to drain your pipes and check on your elderly neighbours!

Interesting side note discovered in my morning travels: Terri Nunn, lead singer of Berlin, appeared as a 15 year old girl trying to get pregnant in the second season of Lou Grant.