Throwback Thursday-The Voice (2011-Present)

For some, the opportunity to achieve success in the entertainment industry comes via reality television and a competition program.

Since 2011, The Voice has aired on NBC. The Voice is reality show/music competition program that follows the format of other programs of a similar nature.

The premise of the show is as follows: wannabe professional singers audition for the judges/coaches who have succeeded in the music industry. As the show goes along, the number of contestants are whittled down until the winner is announced.

Unlike that other music competition program, The Voice feels like a mentoring program. The judges/coaches genuinely want to see one of their men-tees win and want to work with them to get them to the finish line. It also helps that the judges/coaches love to tease each other while on set. It breaks the tension and makes both the audience the contestants laugh.

The Voice is currently on its 15th season. It airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 8pm on NBC.

I recommend it.

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Flashback Friday- Curly Sue (1991)

It can sometimes be said that charm, when used by a child is all the arsenal that is needed.

In the 1991 movie, Curly Sue, Bill Dancer (James Belushi) is a homeless man with a good heart who runs a con game with a most charming and adorable companion: Curly Sue (Alisan Porter).

Their latest target is Grey Ellison (Kelly Lynch). Bill convinces Grey that she has run over him with her car. Racked by guilt, Grey invites Bill and Curly Sue into her home for the night. Seeing the girl in a fatherly light, Bill decides to leave his young companion with Grey in hopes of securing Curly Sue’s future with a loving and supportive home. But Curly Sue is one smart little girl and has other plans in mind.

I have vague memories of this film as a child. There is a charm to this film that makes it stand out. The characters could have easily been written as one-dimensional stereotypes. But writer/director John Hughes, being one of the great writer/directors of the past forty years,  understands how to write a compelling plot and create entertaining characters.

And if writing this post was not enough to make me feel old, Alisan Porter auditioned for a spot on The Voice.  Who knew the little girl who played Curly Sue 25 years ago could sing like that?