Merry Christmas!

Advertisement

RIP Esther Horgan

This time of year, there is talk of peace on Earth and goodwill to all.

The problem is that is merely talk.

On Sunday afternoon, Esther Horgan went for a run. She never returned home. Her body was found the next day.

Mrs. Horgan, aged 52, and a mother of six children, was murdered because she was an Israeli Jew. Thankfully, her accused killer has been caught.

If we really want peace, it starts with conversation. Not with guns, not with bombs, and not with threats of war. What those (whose names I shall not repeat) have repeatedly failed to understand is that the murder of ordinary citizens is a fruitless effort. The loss of numerable lives, the destruction of property, and the lack of trust does not create conditions in which peace flourishes.

Unfortunately, that truth is lost on them.

May her memory be a blessing. Z”l.

RIP Rebecca Luker

A wise man once said the following:

’Tis impossible to be sure of any thing but Death and Taxes.

To make it on Broadway (or in show business in general) requires grit, talent, and perhaps, just a little luck. But not every newbie who gets that first big break will have a career. The late Rebecca Luker was one of the lucky ones.

She passed away yesterday after a year long battle with ALS.

I saw her in a number of productions over the years. She was one of those performers whose abilities were so effortless, it made you believe that she was the character.

Earlier this year, Luker and her husband, fellow actor Danny Burstein, spoke to Fresh Air host Terry Gross. They spoke of their careers, Luker’s bout with ALS and Covid-19, which both Luker and Burstein caught.

My heart goes out to her now widower, their children, and everyone who loved her.

May her memory be a blessing. Z”l.

Throwback Thursday: Look Who’s Talking Too (1990)

For many of us, sibling rivalry is par for the course when we are not an only child. The question is, when push comes to shove, do we continue that rivalry or do we put our siblings first?

Look Who’s Talking Too (1990) is the sequel to the 1989 movie, Look Who’s Talking (1989). James (John Travolta) and Mollie (Kirstie Allie) are now married. Mollie is pregnant with Julie (voiced by Roseanne Barr). Big brother Mikey (voiced by Bruce Willis) is not exactly sure about the soon to be new addition to the family. As James and Mollie deal with the struggle of raising two little ones, Mikey and Julie learn to live with one another.

Thirty years ago (is it really thirty years?), the reviewers destroyed the movie. I disagree. It’s not the most original of movies (or sequels), but it is charming. The comedy comes from the everyday-ness of the narrative, the stress that comes with marriage and raising children.

Do I recommend it? Yes.