Book review: Maybe We'll Have You Back

Actor and comedian Fred Stoller's Maybe We'll Have You Back: The Life of a Perennial TV Guest Star serves up an engaging glimpse into life as a performer who's always the bridesmaid but never the bride. Or, as he puts it in the subtitle, someone who's a "Perennial TV Guest Star."

He's gotten countless small gigs and guest spots, but never struck oil as a series regular in a hit show early in its run (or even a modestly successful show -- he did land regular spots on a few series, but probably nothing you've ever heard of because they were gone before you could say "New issue of TV Guide"). He got or nearly got regular spots on a few higher profile shows, but it always came just before the series ended. This is not the guy to blow on your dice for luck at Vegas, 'cause he's got none to spare.

Mad Men recap: A Satisfying Goodbye (Part III)

It's taken me awhile to get here, but let me finally wrap up my last Mad Men recap (even typing those words leaves a melancholy echo in my thoughts).

Joan, Roger and Pete -- I'm good with how all of those characters were left. It would've been nice if Joan and Roger had coupled up earlier in the series, but by this point I think it would've felt too artificial. They'd missed too many chances, and by "they" I mostly mean Roger. Remember after he had the heart attack and Joan realized how much she cared for him, and he seemed ready to tell her he loved her, but instead told her she was the best piece of ass he'd ever had? Yeah, that was the sound of him stomping into dust a lot of years of happiness he could've had with Joan. And they had a few other moments that just weren't grabbed. I see them as always being friends, and maybe if he's alone again as he gets old and frail, Joan may be the one taking care of him. Or rather, stroking his hand while she yells orders at the employee doing the actual caretaking.

Mad Men recap: A satisfying goodbye (Part II)

We know for sure Don created the Coke ad because Matthew Weiner confirmed it. That makes the ending so much better than if we were left with uncertainty on that point -- if we didn't know he returned to advertising, we'd wonder if he ever went back to work (and his kids), or if he kept the wandering nomad routine forever (or met some grim end). I already appreciated how well things were wrapped up for the other characters, but if you weren't sure if Don had created that ad or where his life was headed, it kinda blew as far as his storyline was concerned. But even before it was confirmed,  I felt sure he'd created the ad. Everything we'd seen in Don's retreat seemed like the inspiration that came out in the finished commercial (sort of like with Seinfeld in the early days, when the episode was about his inspiration for the stand-up set included in each show).

Book deals

A slew of good deals await Kindle users with Amazon's Gold Box Deal of the Day.

My top choice of the lot is the SNL oral history Live From New York: The Complete Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live as Told by its Stars, Writers, and Guests. It's been a few years since I read this, but if I recall, some highlights included Tina Fey telling exactly what she thought of working with Paris Hilton, descriptions of what it was like to work with the famously difficult Chevy Chase, and Dan Aykroyd recounting just about any of his stories. There are also some touching recollections of the late Gilda Radner. I have it in paperback but snagged an ebook anyway.

Other popular books at a bargain rate include Water for Elephants, The Namesake, How to be a Woman, and many more.

Thanks, Dave (nothing could ever be this good again)

Frickin' Foo Fighters, playing frickin' Everlong, one of the most beautiful, powerful songs possible to accompany the final rapid-fire clips of David Letterman's show before he signed off for good. I still haven't completely shaken the emotion of it. You should have to put a disclaimer before something like that. And it fit so well (of course, Everlong always seems to fit any mood and situation):

If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You gotta promise not to stop when I say when

But Wednesday night, Letterman did stop. He signed off for the final time to begin retirement. As much as I hate to see him go, I think he did the right thing at the right time for himself.

Mad Men recap: A satisfying goodbye, (Part I)

I'm still recovering from Mad Men's series finale (Person to Person) two nights ago. I was so wired I barely slept after watching the wonderfully satisfying episode. It was better than I could've hoped for and gave more closure and answers to fans than I expected.

First, let's deal with Peggy and Stan. For years fans have buzzed with the hope those two crazy kids would get together, and damned if Matthew Weiner didn't come through. Yes, it was a little schmaltzy, but so frickin' what?! It was awesome and I think appropriate. I clapped my hands and yelled "Yay!" at the screen, and watched the scene twice (still clapping and uncontrollably yelling, "Yay! Yaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!"). It was a joyous moment.