LET’S TALK AT HOME (2001-2003) – This cult program is often called “Mexico’s MST3K.” Its Spanish language title is A Platicar a su Casa, which has been translated into English as Let’s Talk at Home, Do Your Talking at Home and similar titles.
The premise of this Mexican Movie Host show borrows from Joel Hodgson’s 1988 creation Mystery Science Theater 3000, which took movie hosting to the logical next level by having the hosts make jokes about the bad film being shown even while it was playing, rather than limiting comments about the flick to before and after commercial breaks.
Balladeer’s Blog has written a great deal about earlier Movie Host shows, from 1950s efforts like Vampira, Mad Marvin and others on up through Moona Lisa and Ghoulardi in the 60s and 70s to 1980s programs like Elvira’s Movie Macabre, Texas 27 Film Vault, Laraine Newman’s Canned Film Festival, etc,
A Platicar a su Casa was shown on Mexico’s channel Ponchivision in the early 2000s. It’s been off the air for several years due to Ponchivision’s obscurity and budget issues, but the program has a devoted following to this very day with episodes popping up around the internet.
The wisecracking hosts were Andres Bustamente and Trino Camacho, two legends in Mexican comedy. The jokes were what you would expect – shots at the poor quality and/or low budget of the films, their odd storylines plus some social and political commentary about life in Mexico. Continue reading
TOPPLING NUMBER SIX – In NCAA Division 2 the 16th ranked INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN PENNSYLVANIA CRIMSON HAWKS welcomed the number 6 team in the nation – the SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY RAMS. The Crimson Hawks led 7-0 in the 1st Quarter and 10-7 come Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with IUP on top 24-7, but they had to hold on in the 4th against a furious Rams rally for a 24-21 win. 
CLOSE CALL FOR NUMBER TWO – Down in NCAA Division 3 the number 2 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AT WHITEWATER WARHAWKS paid a visit to the BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS. This odd game saw the Warhawks out in front 17-0 at the Half. After a scoreless 3rd Quarter the Yellow Jackets rallied for 21 points in the 4th but fell short. UW-Whitewater won out 23-21.
This weekend’s light-hearted, escapist superhero blog post deals with Marvel’s enigmatic mercenary Paladin, whose activities on behalf of his clients often put him on both sides of the law. 
DAREDEVIL Vol 1 #150 (January 1978)
THE NEW NORTHLAND (1915) – Written by Louis Pope Gratacap. The main character is explorer Alfred Erickson, who recruited a few associates of varied backgrounds to join him in a search to prove the existence of an isolated warm weather land mass in the far north. 
PART 65 – Some of the Fool Killer’s targets in the June of 1913 edition of James Larkin Pearson’s version of the figure: 
NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) 1. MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS ### 2. NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS ### 3. GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS ### 4. BETHEL (TN) UNIVERSITY WILDCATS ### 5. SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE MOUNDBUILDERS ### 
I GO POGO (1980) – A possum for president? This stop-motion animation rendition of Walt Kelly’s iconic comic strip Pogo is, sad to say, even more aimless and unentertaining than the 1969 conventional animation show The Pogo Special Birthday Special. That IS the actual title, by the way. The approach to that half-hour cartoon special was, as the title indicates, so cloyingly cutesy that even Walt Kelly himself disliked it. 
Kelly was a master of making his political allegories blend so seamlessly into the tales of his cartoon animals that the deeper meaning would go over children’s heads as they enjoyed the antics of the Okefenokee Swamp’s denizens. For a comparison, think of how Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels was a very biting satire but the story outline is so perfect it survived as a children’s tale long after the political and social topics that Swift was writing about faded into history. 
Blame the 1969 television special and this 1980 bomb for helping to consign these brilliant cartoon figures to oblivion, even though they once rivaled the Disney Empire in merchandising. Peanuts and Winnie the Pooh had nothing on Pogo and company. 
With Veterans Day coming up here are links to Balladeer’s Blog’s many World War One posts over the years. 
LINCOLN TOPPLES NCAA DIVISION TWO – The unaffiliated LINCOLN (CA) UNIVERSITY OAKLANDERS took it on the road against NCAA Division 2’s BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUES. In a blow to the pride of the upper divisions, the Oaklanders emerged with a 20-17 Upset win in this Instant Classic. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER SEVEN – In NCAA D2 the 24th ranked UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES traveled to face the number 7 team in the country – the DELTA STATE STATESMEN. The Statesmen led 14-7, 28-17 and 35-24 in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Quarters respectively. In the 4th, the Wolves exploded for 28 points and a 52-42 comeback victory. 
NUMBER TWO TAKES A FALL – Down in the NJCAA the number 8 COFFEYVILLE COLLEGE RED RAVENS welcomed the 2nd ranked IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS yesterday. Believe it or not the Red Ravens held the Reivers to just 7 points and those came in the opening Quarter. Coffeyville led 16-7 at Halftime before winning the game 23-7. 
MARVEL FEATURE Vol 1 #11 (September 1973) 
The villain whose champion wins the battle will win the prize – abducting BOTH monsters to serve them in their plans. In the Leader’s case, to take over the Earth, and in Kurrgo’s case, to conquer and once again subjugate his people. 
