In recognition of Thanksgiving, Jay has gathered four worthies to discuss America, and what to be grateful for, where America is concerned.

The worthies are Mona Charen, Scott Immergut (aka Blue Yeti), Kevin Williamson, and Charlie Cooke. Jay has approximately 20 categories: “Name three of your favorite American . . .” movies, foods, novels, comedians, states, accents, singers, athletes, presidents, sites, etc. It is a regular festival of Americanness. Celebrate along with them. And of course, please tell us your favorites in the comments below.

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There are 15 comments.

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  1. EThompson Member
    EThompson
    @

    I’m not even taking the time to comment on the other nominees because my vote will always go to Scott – aka Blue Yeti.

    I consistently have questions and/or issues about everything; Scott is one of the few and the brave that conducts himself as a true entrepreneur because he responds in a NY minute.

    A fellow member asked for my advice on a particular issue and my response … verbatim … “Ask Yeti. He knows everything.”

    xxoo to Yeti and Happy Thanksgiving!

    • #1
  2. Rightfromthestart Coolidge
    Rightfromthestart
    @Rightfromthestart

    Amazed no one said Hawaii as a favorite state.

    • #2
  3. Leslie Watkins Inactive
    Leslie Watkins
    @LeslieWatkins

    I was surprised no one mentioned “I’ll Be Seeing You” for best song, but I totally agree with Jay’s love of “Desperado.” It feels incredible to sing that last refrain of “Let somebody love you” without your voice cracking. … Also, regarding best musical, no love for “The King and I”? (BTW, Mona, if you ever get a chance, check out “Zits,” a funny comic strip featuring a normally self-absorbed high school boy and his wonderfully long-suffering parents.) Great fun this podcast! What a nice—and welcome—bit of comic relief.

    • #3
  4. tabula rasa Inactive
    tabula rasa
    @tabularasa

    I’m a list lover. This may be the best single podcast in Ricochet history.

    • #4
  5. Stu In Tokyo Inactive
    Stu In Tokyo
    @StuInTokyo

    Sir Charlie Cooke, have you seen the film “Winning the Racing Life of Paul Newman”

    A really good look at him away from Hollywood.

    • #5
  6. Cat III Member
    Cat III
    @CatIII

    This conversation turned out more interesting expected. There’s so much to respond to, I’ll just toss it all out there. Didn’t expect Mona to reference Adam Sandler. Jay should be ashamed not knowing who The Ronettes are. They and other girl groups kicked ass with the best rock bands and their music is distinctly American. Tiger Woods was disgraced, but he’s not nearly as disgraceful as his violent lunatic ex-wife. Calvin and Hobbes was by no means the most literary comic strip. That title belongs to Zippy the Pinhead, a comic so highbrow the creator wrote a guide explaining how to understand its humor, but even so without five doctoral degrees you’re not qualified to so much as chuckle. Williamson mentions 3eanuts which is very similar to Garfield Minus Garfield (see examples below).

    The one thing I agreed with is that Steve Buscemi is one of our finest actors.

    g m g van gogh g m g tub

    • #6
  7. PJS Coolidge
    PJS
    @PJS

    Thomas Edison.  Steve Jobs.

    • #7
  8. Cat III Member
    Cat III
    @CatIII

    Now I remember, there were other picks I agreed with. Mitch Hedberg was great, though he died of a heroin overdose, not suicide as was implied.

    Of course, Thomas Sowell is a brilliant thinker. That won’t get any push-back from me or anyone on Ricochet.

    • #8
  9. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    Also glad to hear Mitch Hedberg’s name. And the list of comic strips should include Pickles and Pearls Before Swine.

    • #9
  10. Mr. Dart Inactive
    Mr. Dart
    @MrDart

    Cat III:Jay should be ashamed not knowing who The Ronettes are. They and other girl groups kicked ass with the best rock bands and their music is distinctly American.

    There is no better example of 60s era Rock ‘n’ Roll than “Be My Baby.”  Ronnie, her sister Estelle, and their cousin Nedra are at their incredible peak and the incomparable Darlene Love is in the mix as well.

    Hal Blaine’s drum part has a wing in the Hall of Fame on its own. Leon Russell, Carol Kaye, Tommy Tedesco and more– the greatest session guys in rock history are on that track.  If anybody wants to know what Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound was just play them 2 minutes and 41 seconds of girl group greatness, “Be My Baby”

    Just like Ronnie sez, Whoa-oh-oh-oh-OH!

    ronettes

    • #10
  11. PJS Coolidge
    PJS
    @PJS

    For those of you who have never heard Postmodern Jukebox (high five, Mona!),  check this out.

    • #11
  12. Wordcooper Inactive
    Wordcooper
    @Wordcooper

    This is an evergreen episode! I loved it. Rerun it every year, Blue Yeti. Jay could even do a new podcast called “A Few of my Favorite Things.” Kind of like the Ricochet version of Desert Island Disks.

    I am going to have to listen again, because I was driving or running while listening and didn’t get to take notes. Maybe Mona can share hers?

    • #12
  13. DR.GSPANGLOSS Inactive
    DR.GSPANGLOSS
    @DRGSPANGLOSS

    An ecclectic ensemble of minds on display

    so humble , not jumbled

    but do Richocet

    • #13
  14. Stu In Tokyo Inactive
    Stu In Tokyo
    @StuInTokyo

    PJS:For those of you who have never heard Postmodern Jukebox (high five, Mona!), check this out.

    PJS:For those of you who have never heard Postmodern Jukebox (high five, Mona!), check this out.

    For real, love these guys, they are one of my favorite groups, such talent, and so many different people contribute.

    Has to be one of my favorites as it is fun and the singers are great, tuned me on to Haley Reinhart (apparently she was on American Idol, but I never saw that show) and to Morgan James, both of these ladies are amazing!

    Haley’s version of Creep

    Morgan’s version of Take me to Church

    These gems I would have never found and enjoyed without the internet.

    Special thanks to Scott Bradlee the genius behind PMJ.

    Domo

    • #14
  15. Benjamin Glaser Inactive
    Benjamin Glaser
    @BenjaminGlaser

    This was a lot of fun and I’d love to hear more of this kind of thing.

    Thanks a bunch.

    Couple American locales I would recommend that many may not know about:

    Cranberry Glades and Dolly Sodds.

    • #15
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