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“I am a Swiftie,” my 30ish restaurant server was surprised to hear me say, after the meal had concluded and we were having a brief chat, which was joined by a couple of other young women standing nearby. “What’s not to like?” I asked. A couple of days later
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We’ve lost another of the South Philly stars of the late ‘50s, and later. This time it is James Darren, a friend, who died at 88, of heart problems, despite having a huge heart. Here’s a story about his life. Previously passing were Bobby Rydell, Joey Bishop, Al
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The Golden Boys will return, Frankie Avalon told me Wednesday during an interview session jointly sponsored by the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia and the Delaware County Press Club. The long-running touring act of Avalon, Fabian, and Bobby Rydell was suspended after the untimely death of Rydell on April 5, 2022.
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Someone from around these parts develops a taste for country music, moves to Nashville to follow a dream, and after doing the hard work, ultimately develops into a global superstar. That’s Taylor Swift. Following that same path? Dan Connors, who I have known (slightly) since childhood. Dan’s in
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This is a mini-controversy I did not plan commenting on, but, to paraphrase Michael Corleone, I feel like I am dragged into the Leonard Bernstein mess. Bradley Cooper (left) as Leonard Bernstein (right) Well, not exactly Leonard Bernstein, who is dead. More like the mess surrounding Bradley Cooper, who is
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It’s Massacre Day on cable news. Fox News thanked Tucker Carlson for his lies service as they escorted him to the door. Why? No one is saying yet, but the leaks will start soon. Was his head demanded in the Dominion Voting settlement? I doubt it, but Carlson seemed
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The words “icon” and “legend” are easily thrown around, applied as freely as suntan lotion in July. With Jerry Blavat, they were nearly an understatement. He was one of my first friends in Philadelphia, and here’s how that came about. In 1973, I was the features editor of the
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One thing I like about the days around and following Christmas are the proliferation of old hit movies. I just finished watching “The Wiz,” which was really enjoyable — I had seen it before — and realized it would have been bathed in woke controversy if released today. Why? Although the cast
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South Philadelphia’s Bobby Rydell, who would have turned 80 on April 26, died April 5 of noncovid pneumonia at Jefferson Abington, his wife Linda Hoffman tells me. Services were private and his ashes will be divided between his first wife’s grave — that would be his beloved Camille — and,
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Bobby Rydell was as sweet as a star could be, as genuine and comfortable as a scuffed shoe. His songs often were about love, and so was his life. One great love was his wife, Camille. Another was his love for his hometown, Philadelphia. He never left either, as was