Here’s Something Reeeally Controversial

Posted on 12/18/2008 at 12:40 pm by Bob Cesca

I have no interest in watching A Christmas Story this year. I’m extraordinarily sick of it. Seriously, just recalling some of the jokes in my head (“Frageeelay!”) makes me a little barfy.

And I love the holidays, by the way, so this isn’t some form of humbuggery. Just making a real effort to avoid that movie.

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  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis D

    I’ve taken a 5 to 10 year hiatus from both this and Christmas Vacation. TNT and (whichever pay cable channel ran Vacation a lot) ruined both for me as a young man.I think this year I might sit down with Vacation though. Mainly for the “Danny Fucking Kaye” rant.

  • LameDuckHunting

    Bob – for a change of pace, try “The Ref.” It has a great cast (Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis, J.K. Simmons, Christine Baransky) and it’s funny as hell. Not for the kiddies, though……But, regarding “A Christmas Story,” I still laugh every time I think of McGavin growling “….Not a finger………!”

  • josh

    You know what needs a revival? Is HBO’s Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas.Also, in a similar, but tangential note, my dad has these CDs of Jean Shepard’s old radio shows.Holy shit, you should check them out, as a fan of what the radio medium could be. He was a real visionary. The closest thing I can compare it to is certain aspects of the Stern show. Shepard just TALKS, weaves a kind of narrative– not really with punchlines, per se, but much of it seems extemporaneous… like, he maybe had an outline and points to hit, but he was confident in his ability to entertain by just talking about his own personal history and point of view that he didn’t NEED to script it all as punchline stuff.Like when Stern is at his best, describing his parents’ household or upbringing.What’s revolutionary is that Shepard was doing this way back when, even before Stern ‘invented’ the idea of just talking a lot about your day for radio.Some of it is dated, but it is all very interesting, especially given the context of the time in radio, nonetheless.

  • http://unrelatedcontent.com Travis D

    >>Emmett Otter’s Jugband Christmas.Oh man, THIS. Also, Muppet Christmas Carrol.

  • Bob_Cesca

    Just to clarify — a few years away from this movie, and I’ll be ready to enjoy it again.

  • ruthie

    Never have seen or will see that movie. Never saw or will see “It’s a Wonderful Life” either. In fact anything “must see” is no see for me.

  • LameDuckHunting

    “In fact anything “must see” is no see for me.”I felt that way about “Forrest Gump” and “Titanic.” I felt an obligation to not see them…..

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    Any Rankin & Bass does it for me. “The Year Without A Santa Claus” is my favorite. “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town” with the Burgermeister-Meisterburger. Or “Rudolph…”. The peripheral characters crack me up. “Nobody wants a Charlie in the Box!”

  • trustno1

    Broadway, you know Santa in Rudolph is a real SOB, don’t you? After he hears the elves sing – “Well, needs work, I have to go…SLAM!” Hysterical.I am not a fan of A Christmas Story, but in the spirit of the above, and as a Darrin McGavin fan, I have to state:”Sons of bitches! Bumpases!!!”Bill Murray’s Scrooged is a must-see in my household.

  • camel54

    Ruthie, It’s a shame you would skip any ‘must see’ movie just because it’s popular. That makes no sense. I avoided Titanic until it was at a dollar theatre and when I finally watched I enjoyed it. Brilliant? No, but it was worth seeing. Either way, what ever floats your boat so to speak.Bob, I’m glad you clarified that you would be ready to watch it again eventually. I was beginning to doubt all things Goddamn Awesome as a result of this one choice of yours.Travis, having lost my own Christmas bonus this year, I’m looking especially forward to the Danny Fucking Kaye rant.

  • Dan in DE

    Give this short movie a try, it’s a little bit off topic(not Xmas, but New Years) but… I think this movie will play on New Years Eve on every single channel in Germany… I guarantee you, any German you meet knows A Dinner for One. Even those who hardly understand any English.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtkDUlx4_-YIt's about a senile old blueblood woman who’s outlived all her friends. Her butler plays along and serves out the meal, drinks inclusive, to the entire round of ‘invisible friends’ and assumes each role in order to toast with her. Drunkeness ensues.It’s good for a laugh!

  • Redmond

    CONFESSION:I don’t know what this says about me as a person, but the 24 hours of “A Christmas Story” on TNT is actually one of my favorite things about Christmas. I’ve seen it a thousand times, yet I still laugh at the same goddamn parts EVERY SINGLE TIME.Fire away!

  • McWolcott

    Christmas must-sees for meChristmas VacationThe RefElfBad SantaHome for the Holidays

  • Kyle W.

    But I assume we will be watching Rich Warren pray to a space zombie on Inauguration Day?

  • http://obamaproject.windonwater.net QueenTiye

    Well, I can’t help. Every year I forget to watch the Christmas shows because I no longer celebrate Christmas. I WANT to catch the Charlie Brown Christmas special. And I’m angry at myself for missing It’s a Wonderful Life.BUT – since Bob isn’t watching A Christmas Story, maybe he could share some thoughts on something else he recommended that we DO watch – namely White House Week on C-SPAN? I caught the “Working White House” installment, and thought it was fascinating. :) QT

  • http://jennydemilo.blogspot.com JennyDemilo

    no leg lamp for you!

  • steve

    I’m with you, Bob. If I never see that movie or hear about it again, that’s okay with me. (I stopped attending a friend’s annual holiday party due to the obligatory “Christmas Story” viewing.)

  • jane

    Fave song: Snow Miser/Heat Miser from Year Without A Santa.And Bad Santa is pretty GDA.

  • ceu

    >>You know what needs a revival?Yeah. Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.I actually bought it on DVD a few years back & can’t find it. :(

  • ceu

    And the guy who play Bob on Sesame Street singing “Keep Christmas with you all through the year”. (I have no clue what the title of that song is, but I like it.)

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl
  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    @ Jane – That’s why “The Year Without a Santa Claus” is my favorite. Snow Miser & Heat Miser crack my shit up!

  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl
  • http://www.broadwaycarl.blogspot.com Broadway Carl

    Sorry Jane, didn’t realize you’d already linked the songs. ;)

  • ceu

    Thank you, Carl. My first Christmas present for 2008 – memories of my kids when they were little at Christmas. :)

  • incredulous72

    Odd woman out, again.A Christmas StoryThe RefA Charlie Brown ChristmasDr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!Mr. Magoo’s A Christmas Carol

  • morgannauk

    You know, I do get sick of A Christmas Story. But every time I run across it, I have to stop to hear the dad scream “Sons of Bitches! Bumpuses!!!” out the screen door after the dogs destroy the turkey. Still funny, no matter how many times I’ve watched.

  • Tanya

    The scene where the dad is plugging in Christmas tree lights, creates a shower of sparks and yells: ‘Jesus God!’ makes me laugh until my stomach hurts. Also the snowball fight scene in Elf. Hilarious.

  • tanya

    The scene where the dad is plugging in Christmas tree lights, creates a shower of sparks and yells: ‘Jesus God!’ makes me laugh until my stomach hurts. Also the snowball fight scene in Elf. Hilarious.