September '10 Entertainment—Little Anthony's This and That Column

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Here We Go Again—Remember November
T
he late great Vince Lombardi was a quintessential personality and like Yogi Berra, his quotes still hit the mark decades later. Lombardi once commented, “Grab, grab, grab—what I want to know does

anyone know how to tackle.” Now, where am I going with this? Well, I am comparing the game of football to the way our government loves to spend, spend, spend with no end in sight.

Former President Truman said, “The buck stops here” and back in his day, maybe that was the case. Today, our government continues to throw money at its problems and ultimately, that money then gets tied up in “red tape.” Look at the payments the people in the Gulf are supposed to be living off of or the 5-year aftermath of Katrina.

In all honesty, I don’t think our modern-day government knows how to cut their spending. Remember when the Pentagon was paying over $2 for a screw anyone of us could have purchased in a local hardware store for 25 cents? Why is it so difficult for our government to stop spending? You got me. All they do now is “pass the buck.”

Our government spending is ruining our country’s economic recovery. I keep hearing that we are in a double recession or could it be we are in a contemporary depression? I’m not an economist and don’t proclaim to be one. What I do though is I talk to people and from my loosely associated conversations I have come to see some profound conclusions. Maybe our dear President, Mr. Obama is working on a “disconnect” and if he hit the streets, he could hear the cold hard truth. Why go there? I say, why not go there.

President Clinton

I lease my house here in Las Vegas from a wonderful couple: The Antanefians. They are New Yorkers who own the house and about a week or so back, they paid my wife Linda and I a visit. They know who I am but our afternoon conversation was not about hit songs, life on the road, living in Las Vegas or anything like that. Instead we talked about the way things are going here in the US politically and economically. Better yet, it could have been summed up by former President Bill Clinton’s words—“It’s the economy stupid.”

Folks, I have never felt this kind of aguish in my adult life and I am not alone. I kind of saw it coming but rest assured, I do not see myself as “an Economics Nostradamus.” When President Obama said to “Joe The Plumber” (remember him?) that we as Americans have to share the wealth. Huh? I don’t know about you but that should have been viewed as a “red flag.” We’re becoming a country of “haves and have nots.”

I have never seen such discourse from my fellow Americans ranging from people who own homes to the guy living in a basement apartment. When you see pizza businesses going under and people can’t pay the bills they used to pay monthly, the handwriting is on the “IOU wall of debt.” The middle supports the whole system and without it, whew—not good, man. You can lose a nation for the sake of the an ideology.

There are so many bizarre happenings and our government seems to think everything is A-OK. I can hardly keep up with them. Like firing someone because of obviously an “edited video” painting her a racist or taking a vacation while the country’s crumbling in tainted economics. The economy is tanking big time and the pinnacle of America, the middle class, is becoming expendable and destroyed piece by piece.

America is in serious debt and where do we borrow the trillions we need to stay afloat—China. How ironic that the country who proclaims to be “Communist” is the one country with all the “capital.” How did that happen? Let’s shift our sights to Mexico next. We can’t (or wouldn’t) protect our borders and the cartels are “fighting the law” at every opportunity they have day-in-day-out. So, we build a wall and send in the National Guard to thwart their ambivalence toward law-abiding people. That is just a band-aid—no more and certainly, no less. We’re not solving the problem and in turn, prolonging it.

Now, there are rumblings of raising taxes and letting the Bush tax cuts pass into history. We need those tax cuts more than ever. Or how about the funding needed to support the Health Care Bill? Where is this money going to come from I ask you? Most Americans are not in favor of this bill yet it will be law soon none-the-less. How about how the government is now suing the State of Arizona regarding their controversial immigration policy? Isn’t our government supposedly the faction that should be administering and enforcing immigration? I could go on but I think you see what I am getting at.

Thank God for our “Founding Fathers” and although back in 1776 they were “winging it,” they made sure of one almighty important thing, we get to vote. Remember November my friends and those of you who read my column, please pass this on if you can. Remember November!

I have said this many times in previous columns but I have to say it again. This column and the others are just my opinion and being American, I have a right to do so. I get to speak my mind and if you agree with me, fine and if you don’t, that is fine too.

Tiger Roars Back
I did a column item about how Tiger “Is Not Out Of The Woods” yet and he isn’t. Sure his divorce is now finalized but the one thing that was still missing is his golf game. Well, if you are living in “Nowhere Alaska” or “Siberia” maybe you haven’t heard but Tiger scored a great opening at the Barclays. Tiger Woods is sharing the lead at 6-under 65.

There is a photo showing a glowing Tiger Woods basking in his “return to glory lead” taken at the Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey. Tiger, newly divorced, shares the lead with Vaughn Taylor and he only missed one fairway and three greens in shooting his best. The headline made me laugh. It said that Tiger shot his “Best Six Ever!”—funny huh?

Has Tiger regained his old form? No not quite but it does seem though he could topple the pillars that have been haunting him—like Samson. It remains to be seen and let’s face it this is just one round of golf. Is it a coincidence that his divorce was finalized only days ago? I think not.

I wish the best for Tiger but I still wonder has he learned anything from the mess he created? I don’t know the man but if I ever get the chance to talk to him, I can say, been there man and did that and did that, too. Tiger isn’t the first man to fall from grace in the daily headlines. Today, more so than ever, transgressions and sex dominate the headlines and if you’re single, they champion you and if you’re married, well “the ends justify the divorce.”

Above all, its Tiger’s fans who would love to witness his successful turnaround. Can it happen? Sure, it can and will, I believe. Tiger is a talented golfer and with his focus back on the links that made him famous, he probably will not be sand-trapped again. This is a champion who has won 14 major titles in his short career and judging from the reports, Tiger is even “friendly” to his fans. Has Tiger changed his stripes? Could it be his fall from grace is a blessing but, that too remains to be seen? Go get him Tiger.

Wildwood, New Jersey and Kiss The Summer Goodbye
I am so pleased to be back doing concerts. This 2010 summer has been a tough one for performing act after performing act. Let’s face it, money is too tight to mention (to coin the old song later recorded by Simply Red). It is a trickle-down

effect and without cash, who is going to buy a ticket to a concert. With things like rent, mortgage payments, car loan, school loans, food and on and on, people are squeezing every penny. I don’t blame them at all.

However, Little Anthony & The Imperials will be heading to Wildwood, NJ where we are in concert at the Convention Center on Sept. 4th—Saturday. I am so looking forward to this concert. I love to sing but with the summer dates so slow, I am biting at the bit. So, join us on Saturday, the 4th and kiss the summer of 2010 goodbye.

Is This Decade Over Yet?
Like the old expression implies, “it has to get worse before it gets better.” I think we are at “worse” which means hopefully, “the sooner the better” can’t be that far off. Is this decade over yet? I for one will not feel bad when this year bites the dust. 2011 has to be better than this year. Like I said, I talk to people all the time and they all are expressing basically the same thing.

Maybe we are in a double “recession” or a depression (in a modern day context) but what counts is “What do you do now?” Are you gonna roll over and die? Heck no, we’re Americans and that spirit goes back to our independence.