RIP: “The Grobber”

A Chicago sports radio icon passed away yesterday. Les Grobstein was a walking, talking sports almanac, or as was mentioned on the radio earlier today, he was the internet for sports fans before the internet was even invented. If something big happened in the world of sports, especially anything revolving around the Chicago sports teams. Les was probably there or was at the front of the line when it was time to discuss it. He could recall so many sports events, down to the date it occurred, without any effort at all.

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Swinging on a Star

Danny Aiello had some very memorable roles in his career. The Godfather Part II, Do the Right Thing and Moonstruck to name just a few. For me though, I’ll remember him best for three movies: Harlem Nights, 29th Street and Hudson Hawk. He had a way of playing a role, like he wasn’t playing one at all. He was funny and serious, and sympathetic. Sometimes all at once. Not only a big screen actor, he acted on TV and on stage as well. He even sang. Singing brings me to the title of this post, and more precisely, his role as Tommy Five-Tone, in Hudson Hawk. A somewhat universally panned movie starring Bruce Willis. It’s not Gone with the Wind, or Casablanca, for sure, but I’d classify it as a guilty pleasure, sufficiently campy. So silly and stupid that if you come across it, you almost have to watch. Some might say a cult classic, though I’m not sure I’d go that far. But, it has its merits, however few. Keep swinging on a star Danny, RIP.