amateurs

The Original Amateur Hour
$29.99
Before "American Idol" there was "The Original Amateur Hour," which in its glory days showcased talent the way it should be in this day and age...pure and simple - with no stupidity in sight. "Amateur Hour" did NOT have the glitz and glamour of today's talent shows - and (thank God) not even a Simon Cowell-esque personality.

Viewing this DVD brought back memories of watching the original series with the great Ted Mack (the revival with Willard Scott in 1992 did not even come close). What made it so enjoyable was seeing the first glimpses of stardom for the likes of Pat Boone, Ann-Margret, Connie Francis, Gladys Knight, Jose Feliciano, Raul Julia, and Irene Cara among others.

The only negative is that there should have been at least one or two more complete episodes (in this collection we get one from 1953 and one from 1970 - just before the series ended), and I hope that the next volume (more please) will be a little more extensive. Otherwise, this is a pleasant trip down TV's memory lane.

The Amateurs
$14.98
Okay, so this really isn't a movie about porn...
it's a movie about friends,
it's a movie about really big ideas,
it's a movie about Jello with little pieces of fruit in it,
it's a movie about success!!

Jeff Daniels stars as Andy Sargentee, a driven man with no direction, a kind-hearted man who doesn't always know what to do, resulting in the loss of numerous jobs and his marriage.
After long hours of hard thinking, he comes up with a brilliant idea- let's make a porno film and make a million bucks!! He enlists the help of his good buddies and some townfolk, they set out to find actors, write scenes, and get the movie made. Hilarity ensues...
There is a great cast in this movie playing great characters that you can't help but get attached to, despite their quirkiness.
Although it is a movie about people making a porno, it is refreshingly wholesome. And a happy ending to boot!!

I guess the moral of the story is: Sex sells, but having a big heart will bring you real success!!

This is a feel good movie with some awesomely entertaining scenes that I highly recommend!!

The Amateurs: The Story of Four Young Men and Their Quest for an Olympic Gold Medal
$14.00
I too found this book on a used book table some years back, and a quick glimpse inside, plus having read some of Halberstam's other work, made buying it a no-brainer. It was hard to put down until the end. I rowed competitively for four years in college in Philadelphia (with its Boat House Row and grand rowing tradition), and also did a little club sculling and ocean racing in beach patrol rescue boats. It's hard to overstate how perceptive and engaging this portrait of these men and their sport is. It brought it all back--the early mornings, rowing home after dark, running stairs indoors during winter--even the disappointment of coming up short when you've given it all you have and then some. It also conveys the satisfaction that comes of learning how far you can push and learn about yourself, even when winning's not involved. It's nice to see that Mr Halberstam succeeded so well in connecting with readers who didn't row themselves.

The Amateurs [Blu-ray]
$19.98
Okay, so this really isn't a movie about porn...
it's a movie about friends,
it's a movie about really big ideas,
it's a movie about Jello with little pieces of fruit in it,
it's a movie about success!!

Jeff Daniels stars as Andy Sargentee, a driven man with no direction, a kind-hearted man who doesn't always know what to do, resulting in the loss of numerous jobs and his marriage.
After long hours of hard thinking, he comes up with a brilliant idea- let's make a porno film and make a million bucks!! He enlists the help of his good buddies and some townfolk, they set out to find actors, write scenes, and get the movie made. Hilarity ensues...
There is a great cast in this movie playing great characters that you can't help but get attached to, despite their quirkiness.
Although it is a movie about people making a porno, it is refreshingly wholesome. And a happy ending to boot!!

I guess the moral of the story is: Sex sells, but having a big heart will bring you real success!!

This is a feel good movie with some awesomely entertaining scenes that I highly recommend!!