Read This!
Carson the Magnificent by Bill Zehme and Mike Thomas. Zehme started working on the ultimate Johnny Carson biography several years ago after becoming friends with the late-night host. It was unfinished when Zehme died in 2023 and completed by Thomas.
Carson was profiled by the Post’s Edward Linn in the December 22, 1962 issue of the Post.
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten. This is a memoir by the cook and Food Network host, and it reveals that she didn’t have the easiest childhood.
Here’s a recipe for Tri-Berry Crumbles that Garten provided for our May/June 2015 issue.
Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. This is a sequel to Gladwell’s popular 2000 book, with more stories featuring social epidemics, statistics, and tipping points.
Identity Unknown by Patricia Cornwell. This is the 28th entry in the Kay Scarpetta mystery series. This one (possibly) involves UFOs.
From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley and Riley Keough. This was started by Lisa Marie and completed by her daughter Riley after Lisa Marie’s death last year.
Dorothy Parker in Hollywood by Gail Crowther. Parker was known for her New Yorker work and her biting wit in short stories, poetry, and reviews (she wrote several pieces for the Post), but did you know she also worked on several Hollywood films, including the original A Star Is Born, The Little Foxes, and Hitchcock’s Saboteur?
Judi, Judi, Judi
I guess if they’re going to use famous people to voice AI, James Bond’s boss is a good choice.
Dame Judi Dench is one of the people hired by Meta (makers of Facebook and those dumb sunglasses normal people will never wear) to voice their AI chatbots. Other celebrities include John Cena, Awkwafina, Kristen Bell, and Keegan-Michael Key.
I assume they’re getting paid a lot of money.
I’m against the use of artificial intelligence, at least when it comes to the arts, but I want all AI companies to know that I’ll happily provide my voice for an Amazon gift card and a fancy dinner.
Nicholas Sparks Is a Writer, Not a Chef
“Why throw sugar in it if you can use Splenda?”
That’s the reason writer Nicholas Sparks gives for including 16 packets (!) of Splenda in his recipe for chicken salad dressing.
Indeed, why use sugar when you can use Splenda? While we’re at it, why use butter in your mashed potatoes when you can just add Crisco?
People on the web are outraged, naturally.
I’m not outraged (I reserve that emotion for other things), but I am confused. I don’t think sugar should be used in chicken salad. Does chicken salad really need any sort of dressing that includes dill pickle relish, jalapeño relish, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, and sugar/Splenda? Doesn’t he want to actually taste the chicken?
Headline of the Week
“California Is First State to Ban Froot Loops from School Cafeterias”
RIP Maggie Smith, Kris Kristofferson, Pete Rose, John Amos, Dikembe Mutombo, Thomas Rockwell, Frank Fritz, John Ashton, Drake Hogestyn, Gavin Creel, Ken Page, and Jack Limpert
Maggie Smith won Oscars for the films The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite and appeared in the Harry Potter films, Travels with My Aunt, Gosford Park, Death on the Nile, and A Room with a View. She won a Tony for Lettice and Lovage and starred on Downton Abbey. She died last week at the age of 89.
Not only was Kris Kristofferson an actor, appearing in such films as A Star Is Born, Semi-Tough, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, and the Blade series, he was a singer and songwriter. He wrote such songs as “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” and “Me and Bobby McGee.” He died Saturday at the age of 88.
Posted to YouTube by biggestkkfan
Pete Rose was the talented and controversial baseball star whose various awards and records (Rookie of the Year, MVP, 17-time All-Star, and the most hits in baseball history) still wasn’t enough to get him into the Hall of Fame because of his gambling. He died Monday at the age of 83.
John Amos was best known for his role as the father on Good Times. He also had regular roles on The Mary Tyler Moore Show (as Gordy the weatherman), Roots, The West Wing, The District, and Men in Trees, and appeared in films like Die Hard 2 and Coming to America. He died in August at the age of 84.
Dikembe Mutombo was a Hall of Fame basketball player who played for several teams from 1991 until 2009. He died Monday at the age of 58.
Thomas Rockwell was the son of Norman Rockwell and the author of the Mark Twain Award-winning children’s book How to Eat Fried Worms and other books. He also co-wrote his father’s autobiography My Life as an Illustrator. He died last week at the age of 91.
Frank Fritz was half of the duo on the hit History Channel antiques/collectibles show American Pickers. He died Monday at the age of 60.
John Ashton played Taggart in the Beverly Hills Cop films and also appeared in Some Kind of Wonderful, Midnight Run, Little Big League, and Breaking Away, as well as on TV shows like Columbo, M*A*S*H, and Hardball. He died last week at the age of 76.
Drake Hogestyn played John Black on Days of Our Lives for almost 40 years. He died last week at the age of 70.
Gavin Creel received a Tony nomination for Hello, Dolly! and appeared in Hair, Into the Woods, Waitress, and Thoroughly Modern Millie, among other musicals. He died Monday at the age of 48.
Ken Page was the original Lion in Broadway’s The Wiz, the original Old Deuteronomy in Cats (which he reprised in the film), and had roles in Ain’t Misbehavin’, Guys and Dolls, and other musicals. He was also in the Dreamgirls movie and was the voice of Oogie Boogie in The Nightmare Before Christmas. He died Monday at the age of 70.
Jack Limpert was editor of Washingtonian magazine for 40 years. He was one of the people who created the genre of city magazines that several newspapers now publish. He died last month at the age of 90.
This Week in History
Jimmy Carter Born (October 1, 1924)
Yup, he turned 100 this week, the first president to make it to that age. He appeared on our April 1977 cover.
The Twilight Zone Premieres (October 2, 1959)
The first episode was “Where Is Everybody?” starring Richard Long as a guy who finds himself alone in a small town and … well, I won’t spoil it for you.
This Week in Saturday Evening Post History: Willie Gillis’ Package from Home by Norman Rockwell (October 4, 1941)
This was the first of several Willie Gillis covers by Rockwell. The model was Robert Buck, who worked in a sawmill near Rockwell’s home. He died in 2011.
Here Are Some Normal Chicken Salad Recipes
Craving Home Cooked has an Easy Chicken Salad that keeps things simple with walnuts and onions. The Best Chicken Salad from Allrecipes has almonds, and this Classic Chicken Salad recipe from Spend with Pennies adds some Dijon mustard.
My brother was a restaurant cook for many years and he used to add grapes. If you must have some sweetness in your chicken salad, that’s the way to do it.
Next Week’s Holidays and Events
NHL Season Starts (October 8)
It actually starts on October 4 and 5, with games being played in Europe. The regular North America season will start on October 8 with several games, including a triple-header on ESPN starting at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Leif Erikson Day (October 9)
The explorer, not to be confused with the actor.
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Comments
Thanks for your reply comment, Mark. Good idea on the raisins for the chicken salad. Maple syrup or honey can also be good, or even a spoonful of sugar. On the voting I was referring to non-citizens, not here legally. I have to show/prove who I am, of course. All designed to tip things in favor of one party’s dominance over the other.
Our government is intentionally withholding basic help/money to those in the disaster stricken states claiming no money, when limitless billions of OUR taxpayer dollars are going anywhere and everywhere except here, and the catastrophic results speak for themselves.
Endless money for wars of profit of the government and military industrial complex they have no right doing. None. Our military is needed, all hands on deck, HERE, NOW, but no, nothing. Any attempts to help by outside sources are being thwarted. The government isn’t even trying hide their hatred of us now, at all, and can do whatever they like with no consequences or accountability.
Mark and Donna, did either of you attempt to put in comments on last week’s ‘News’, only to have them immediately disappear? I see it’s still completely blank, so I figured others did also. In my case it was 9/20 and 27.
Charles: You’re right! Not sure how I got that wrong.
Nice article as always. However, it was Earl Holliman who starred in the premiere episode of Rod Serling’s “Twilight Zone”, not Richard Long. Long did appear in a couple excellent Twilight Zone episodes, but not the first one.
Pure, plain, and simple is the fact that Pete Rose DESERVES to be enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. There are players in there less deserving and have done far worse more than Rose did. Apparently major league baseball only knows how to forget or forgive others yet they continue to punish Rose and his family even beyond his death. It is sickening.
Bob McGowen Jr. I certainly agree with your nixing the Splenda from any chicken salad recipe. When we are in the mood for a little sweetness in our chicken salad we add raisins. Hey Bob, how can you vote without I.D. in California? You have to be a citizen and have reached the age of majority (usually 18) where I come from. Strange things happening in CA. these days.
Totally agree with your views on chicken salad. And thanks for the YouTube clip of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson singing “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” one of my favorites. Brought the first tears since hearing of the latter’s passing. (I am becoming hardened to sad news in my old age.)
Definitely some good books to look into here. Using 16 packets of Splenda for a chicken salad dressing sounds terrible, Bob. And that’s not even getting into of all the unhealthy chemicals in it otherwise. California’s the first state to ban Froot Loops from school cafeterias and ban requiring i.d. for voting. No mystery or surprise there at all.