Hey Mr Kinkade!

I'm not talking about the Partridge Family's manager Reuben either (although I wish I was). I'm speaking of the "painter of light" (that title cracks me up) who is now working a deal with Disney. (Ugh!) Seems he "created" a Cinderella painting which is getting a big hub-bub of a presentation down at WDW in the near future. Please people don't fall for his combo of religion and con-man-itis! There is nothing heartfelt here - all business. Something else that lately has turned my stomach ... Disney execs open your eyes. He is America's most-collected living artist because he has a good PR man! His company Media Arts Group Inc., has been accused of unfair dealings with owners of Thomas Kinkade Signature Gallery franchises. Right there ... "franchises" should tip you off. In my opinion he takes advantage of people. End of blog.

Word of Warning

stay away from this retailer:

POOLS ETC INC
25 Commercial Dr
Wrentham MA 02093

unscrupulous, dishonest, irresponsible ... those words pretty much sum up there business ethics.

An Opinion

And now Barry Michael's opinion on Davis Clyde's view of Epcot's Spaceship Earth:

Mr Clyde's denial of the sphere's crucial role in Epcot's history is immature, weak, and deliberately cruel! I know for a fact that no one shares his view! Everyone is on my side.

Wow that is something ... especially since I don't know Davis Clyde or his view. But if Barry Michael's feels better about what he wrote ... then this blog served a purpose (which doesn't happen too often). Can't we just go to the parks and all enjoy ourselves?

No Theme Park in Vermont

Disney is not - I repeat not - building a theme park in Acutney, Vermont. I don't know how these rumors start, but it must be put to bed. A Mickey Snow Village is not on the horizons for Imagineers anytime soon.

Today's News

Bears eat man at beer festival

A 23-year old Serb was found dead and half-eaten in the bear cage of Belgrade Zoo at the weekend during the annual beer festival.

The man was found naked, with his clothes lying intact inside the cage. Two adult bears, Masha and Misha, had dragged the body to their feeding corner and reacted angrily when keepers tried to recover it.

"There's a good chance he was drunk or drugged. Only an idiot would jump into the bear cage," zoo director Vuk Bojovic told Reuters.

Local media reported that police found several mobile phones inside the cage, as well as bricks, stones and beer cans!

Ugh!

Someone named Diane emailed me that she doesn't like theme parks & that they "clutter up our natural land."
She can be reached at: dianne3606@in.kpmg.com

News of the Day

This just in from Hilda Loyce -
I have feet!
Thanks for the heads up Hilda. She can be reached at bdf1bqza@interstaterelocation.net

MGM Comments

And now a few comments about yesterday's news:

Are they gonna go back and change all the MGM movies to read Hollywood? - Tom Atoe

I feel the structural integrity of the park has been compromised way beyond the natural slope of the original plan to surround the guests with a aura of longevity and latitude precision.
- Sal Lamby

Which park is that one? - Lindsay Richy

I don't go to that park because the animals scare me. - Gil Burt

Why would they move Disney-MGM all the way to Hollywood? Who's going to go there? - Anita Mantohug

Well I couldn't have said it any differently ... well maybe I could have, but I wouldn't have made any sense.

Oh No!

Here it comes - all the "I told you so" people are standing tall & grinning. Today it was announced that Disney-MGM Studios will be known as Disney's Hollywood Studios starting January of next year. There are a bunch of changes coming to the park too - but they are exciting only to a 5-year-old. Call the park what you will ... beyond Tower of Terror, Rock Coaster, and Star Wars ... the park can be a bit of a snoozer.
It was also announced that people over at Mission:SPACE saw the shuttle launch last Wednesday. Guess if you were standing over at Space Mountain it wasn't visible.

This Just In

This just in from Rich Roberts:

Last month I acquired a wonderful piece of Disney animation history at a garage sale in Ascutney, Vermont. A paintbrush once used by one of Walt's Nine Old Men to paint Dumbo! The bristles are missing and there are teeth marks on the handle of the brush, but nevertheless it's a beauty! The person who sold it to me was the grandson of a guy who delivered milk to the cousin of a woman who lived across the street from the Disney Studios - so its authenticity is irrefutable. However, it provokes some fascinating questions like - What color paint was the brush dipped in? Where was the brush manufactured and then sold? I don't have the answers to these questions just a moldy old stick that was once a paintbrush.

Hey Rich - what were you thinking?

I'm Pleased

I'm pleased that Walt passed on turning the 1964-65 World's Fair grounds into a Disney park. I'm pleased because the idea was suggested by Robert Moses (a NY icon?) - and eventually someone had to tell Mr Moses "No!" He couldn't have his way all the time - although he believed differently. (Yes, this was the same Moses that chased the Dodgers out of Brooklyn.)

Dining Changes at the Parks

Brown bag it - like the old days.

Interview

I don't know how many of you realize this - but I was suppose to do the Roz Chast interview for the New Yorker. Yes, it's true. But when it dawned on me that I had no idea who Roz Chast was, I called up Steve Martin and asked him to do the interview for me. He verbally scolded me for not knowing her work and hung up the phone (quite loudly I might add) but not before calling me a bunch of 3 letter words. I immediately researched the work of Miss Chast (if I may be so bold to call her Miss) and came to the conclusion that Mr Martin was indeed right. I'm afraid the New Yorker is beyond (and above me) right along with her fine work. I'll never be more than a Three Stooges/Morey Amsterdam kind of guy when it comes to comedy.

Podcast Idea

I woke up the other night with an incredible idea clanging in my head ... a podcast about Disney! There aren't many (if any) out there. I could host it and play kooky music in the background and have fans email and call in. It would be a riot. I could broadcast live from the Hall of Presidents and wake people up from their naps.
OK, I'm kidding - there are like a billion Disney podcasts out there and I certainly couldn't do anything as well as them. But the Hall of Presidents idea ...

Can U Imagine

Can you imagine if famous newscasters in history like Edward R Murrow or Walter Cronkite were still reporting today and were asked to cover stories during their broadcast about Paris, Britney, Nicole or Lindsay?