ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 1-2, 2021 NEWS/FEATURES 13

People & Places

New Year

‘Get lost 2020’ Some things to leave behind, with caveats

By Leanne Italie

oom, Zoom and Zoom. Masks, masks and masks. ZSourdough starter and short-order cooking. In these “troubled times,” in our sweat pants and the iso- lation we endure “out of an abundance of caution,” there isn’t much not to be over as 2020 comes to a longed for halt. With the election behind us, along with its deluge of texts and cries of fake news, the year was a mess of common horrors and inconveniences driven by political divisions, racial injustice and the deadly and persistent pandemic, with chronic language to match. But not all things 2020 need to be left behind. More white people have realized racism is real and present. Quppies (as in quarantine pup- pies) and Quittens (the feline equivalent) have enriched mil- lions of lives. Family dinner is back on the table and corona- virus pods have turned friends into family. Here’s a few more things we’re over as we start 2021, and a few things we may just remember fondly: Distance Learning Redfi eld There’s no denying that some kids have done OK and others have suffered greatly from school at home, as have their parents. And when the pandemic sputters to an end, all kids will return to their classrooms. While we wait, let’s talk teacher heroes trying to make the most of their worst case scenarios. They’ve organized drive-by parades and made TikTok dance videos for gym class. They’ve delivered meals to students and written encouraging chalk messages on doorsteps. They’ve transformed kitchens into chemis- try labs and tutored kids through porch doors. Thank you. Renee Zellweger, winner of Best Actress for ‘Judy’, appears backstage at the Bafta Film Awards, in central London on Feb 2, 2020. Zellweger has earned her first Streaming Explosion Grammy nomination this year. The ‘Judy’ soundtrack, which features Zellweger covering songs like ‘Over the Rainbow’ and ‘The Trolley Song,’ is nominated for best Do those of us who can’t or won’t march back into traditional pop vocal album. (AP) movie theaters miss the big screen experience? Sure. But streaming exploded at just the right time, includ- ing fi rst-run fi lms available at home. That means a diz- zying array of choices, but also that parents don’t have to suffer in the dark through “Trolls World Tour.” It means more couples are cuddling up on the couch and Music more families are making their own popcorn to sit down together for movie night. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator and owner of NBCUniversal, reportedly passed a telling First Grammy nod a thrilling surprise: Zellweger milestone: It now has more streaming subscribers than cable-TV subscribers. What we’re over? Let’s work on decent, affordable Wi-Fi for all. After Oscar for ‘Judy’, is Grammy next? Oh The Bread We made bread. We made bread! WE MADE NEW YORK, Dec 31, (AP): Renée years. Nominees include Burt Bacha- Convincing Zellweger she’s a real BREAD. Yes, we did. And now we’re thinking it Zellweger is known for acting but you rach, James Taylor, Harry Connick Jr. singer is a tougher job. When she’s might be time to stop. As the pandemic brought on could easily write a thesis about her love and Rufus Wainwright, who performs asked when she knew she could sing, baking — and hoarding — madness in March, fl our for music. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christ- she replied: “I still don’t know.” was in short supply for a time, along with yeast. This cover image released by Colum- The entertainer won her second mas” with Zellweger on the “Judy” al- “I still don’t think of myself as a sing- Some companies reported the biggest spikes in sales bia Records shows ‘Letter To You’ by Academy Award for portraying Judy bum. er. I think of myself as someone who’s were for bread fl our. With nothing but time at home Bruce Springsteen. The album was named one of the top 10 of the year Garland in last year’s “Judy,” for which “It was scary to ask Rufus, ‘Hey, trying to sing. Or who works to. I still for plenty of proving and chilling of dough, many in by The Associated Press. (AP) Zellweger did her own singing in front what are you doing? Want to come sing don’t know what I sound like when I’m quarantine tried their hand at bread. And who’s the of live audiences. She was praised for a duet with me?,’” she recalled. “I know just being myself,” she explained. “So, queen? Sourdough, along with her mother. her performance in 2002’s “Chicago.” people say that all the time, but it’s the yeah, I don’t know.” Talk of sourdough starters spread like a loaf on fi re. And she’s an avid concertgoer and live- truth: I really have been singing with She trained heavily to get her voice Boasts of decades-old mothers proliferated. Then the music appreciator who jumped up and Rufus for 20 years-plus in my car.” strong enough to perform in “Judy,” COVID 19 (pounds, not virus) led some to reconsider down in her gown when Eminem sur- which chronicles the last years of Gar- all that baking. prised the audience at last year’s Oscars Remembers land’s life shortly before her death in But, the thing is, we did it! and despite being an A-list star, sneaks Zellweger remembers seeing Con- 1969 at age 47. The Great Outdoors out to concerts just to get her music fi x. nick Jr. live, describing the crooner as “Previously I didn’t know much We’ve hiked. We’ve walked. We’ve dined out- She’s also a proud card-carrying “an authentic person and performer.” about what goes into building a voice doors. As winter descends in cold-weather environs, member of the Beyhive. “What you see is what you get,” Zell- or that it was even possible. I just sort are we over it or merely bundling up to continue seek- “She raises the bar when it comes weger said. “Stomping his foot up there of did what I was told (and I) was very ing space free of walls? Add-on value of leaving one’s to work ethic. I admire with her that if onstage at the Hollywood Bowl and you happy to have things to try. I liked look- home in a pandemic: Being able to wave at the neigh- she’s going to do it, she’s knocking it feel like you’re in the living room with ing at the project and the goal from that bors without stopping to say hello, because coronavi- Wells Denver into the stratosphere or she’s not going him or something.” perspective. It seemed insurmountable rus, and because we’re all introverts now. to do it,” said Zellweger, who gushed “Speaking of the living room,” she otherwise.” The great outdoors has led some to rediscover over Beyoncé’s groundbreaking perfor- continued, “a friend of mine had won Zellweger impressed audiences and what’s right in front of them: their local parks, their mance at the 2005 Oscars. “She was the this lottery thing or bid on something. It critics around the world, winning at the backyards, their decks, their porches. And they’ve Variety north star on that one ... She’s the one was a private concert with Burt ... and Golden Globes, SAG Awards, BAFTAs spent some of their newfound time sprucing them up. carrying that gift we’re all so blessed to Carole Bayer Sager and they played in and Independent Spirit Awards. She had Work from home offi ce views are now trees and gar- experience in one way or another.” the living room. And he played ‘Alfi e’ to practice habits like touring musicians dens and birds for many. LOS ANGELES: Dawn Wells, who played So it should be no surprise - unless in the living room. Oh, believe me. I do to keep her voice together: “Dairy Outside isn’t entirely out of reach for those fac- the wholesome Mary Ann among a misfi t you’re Zellweger - that she’s earned was downloading every moment in my was out the door. No thanks.” ing down winter, and for all who are supremely over band of shipwrecked castaways on the her fi rst Grammy nomination this year. memory - just to savor it and to smile “I never really understood the whole working from home. 1960s sitcom “Gilligan’s Island,” died The “Judy” soundtrack, which features on it.” air conditioning problem, but I did in Wednesday of causes related to COV- Zellweger covering songs like “Over Getting Zellweger to go on and on this experience,” she continued. “I know Dump The Doomscrolling ID-19, her publicist said. She was 82. We bought new distractions and made long to-do the Rainbow” and “The Trolley Song,” about music is light work. The Texan that there are certain cycles where you Wells died peacefully at a residential is nominated for best traditional pop vo- has been going for concerts for years are stronger as a vocalist and less strong lists. We had big pandemic plans, darn it. Perhaps facility in Los Angeles, publicist Harlan we’ve done a thing or two, but the endless time suck Boll said. “There is so much more to cal album - an award Tony Bennett has and she even had tickets for a show that depending on where you are in terms of of consuming negative news has us prone and fretting Dawn Wells” than the “Gilligan’s Island” won a dozen times. was recently canceled because of the your sleeping and resting. All of these much of the time. character that brought her fame, Boll said “I don’t guess that’s something I coronavirus pandemic. things came into play in a really signifi - Let’s free ourselves, people! Halt the endless doom- in a statement. thought about to be honest,” Zellweger “I sneak off by myself all the time. I cant way.” scrolling, especially at night when sleep would be the Besides TV, fi lm and stage acting said in a phone interview about hearing love to go up to the Santa Barbara Bowl The 2021 Grammys will mark a full smarter choice. credits, her other real-life roles included the words “Grammy-nominated” be- whenever I get a chance. I’ll fl y to Texas circle moment for Garland and her im- Need something to do instead? Take up a collec- teacher, motivational speaker and conser- fore her name. “That’s not something I and I’ll sneak around Austin to see peo- pact on pop culture — Zellweger’s per- tion with neighbors of all that stuff we’ve hoarded and vationist, Boll said. walked around imagining. It sure was a ple play. I’ll go up to Dallas,” she said. formance of her songs is being honored donate it to a soup kitchen or food pantry. And guess Tina Louise, 86, who played Ginger thrilling surprise.” “One of the things I think I’ve missed nearly six decades after Garland made what, they’ll take our pile of Fresh Direct bags, too. the movie star, is the last surviving mem- She is competing in a category with the most is getting to congregate and lis- history at the 1962 show, becoming the Added incentive: Some of our doomsday cache ber of a cast that included Bob Denver musicians whose concerts she’s at- ten to music in that way. There’s noth- fi rst woman to win album of the year may be approaching expiration dates. Does anything as the title character; Alan Hale Jr as tended and songs she’s played for ing quite like it.” with “Judy at Carnegie Hall.” the Skipper; Jim Backus and Natalie last forever? Schafer as wealthy passengers Thurston That Spiky Sphere and Lovey Howell, and Russell John- We’re certainly over COVID-19, but are we also son, known as the Professor. TV movies spinoffs from the series fi lms including the 2002 vacuum cleaner LYNN, Mass: The man who died when over the coronavirus model? You know the one. It’s “I will always remember her kindness followed, including 1978’s “Rescue salesman comedy “Super Sucker” with six people were shot during the fi lming the round image with the germ’s notorious crown-like to me,” Louise said in a statement. “We from Gilligan’s Island,” but Wells also Jeff Daniels. (AP) of a music video near Boston last week- spikes. Sometimes it’s red, sometimes blue or purple, shared in creating a cultural landmark moved on to other TV guest roles and ❑ ❑ ❑ end was publicly identifi ed by authorities but always, always ominous. that has continued to bring comfort and on Monday. The prickly orb is on every news and medical site. smiles to people during this diffi cult Gustavo Santana, 31, died at the hos- It’s all over TV and on fl yers for COVID car cleaning. time. I hope that people will remember pital shortly after the shooting Saturday It’s a nasty little emoji guest that needs to go home. her the way that I do — always with a in Lynn, according to a statement from Graphic designers everywhere, please come up with smile on her face.” the offi ce of Essex District Attorney something else! It DID serve nicely as a vivid remind- “Oh, this so sad. Bon voyage, Mary Jonathan Blodgett. er of the murderous little devil. Now, over it. Ann,” Jane Lynch posted on Twitter. The names and conditions of the other “Two and a Half Men” star Jon Cryer fi ve people were not provided. Get Over Being Over It tweeted that it was a “thrill” to meet No other information was released and Are these unprecedented times? Wells when she visited the show, adding, no arrests have been announced. Well, when it comes to the pandemic, a little some- “She could not have been more lovely Police found the victims scattered thing called Black Death killed 25 to 30 million peo- and gracious.” along a dead-end street at about 5:30 pm, ple from 1347 to 1352. According to the US Centers Wells, a native of Reno, Nevada, Lynn police Lt Michael Kmiec said. for Disease Control and Prevention, whose Director is represented her state in the 1959 Miss Details on the nature of the music video, Robert R. Redfi eld, about 500 million people, or one- America pageant and quickly pivoted to including the artist, weren’t available. third of the world’s population, were infected in the an acting career. Her early TV roles were Jennifer Thompson, who lives on fl u pandemic of 1918-19. The number of deaths was on shows including “77 Sunset Strip,” the street, said she was walking her dog estimated to be at least 50 million worldwide. “Maverick” and “Bonanza.” when she saw a group of men, including How about getting over being Over It? Tired of Then came “Gilligan’s Island,” a one with a camera. wearing masks, following other protocols, being goofy, good-natured comedy that aired Shortly after she went into her apart- housebound, having to sacrifi ce? Consider that some from 1964-67 that became an unlikely ment, she heard gunfi re. of our grandfathers stormed the beaches of Normandy but indelible part of popular culture. “I’ve been around guns my whole life, and slogged through the jungles of Vietnam. Consider Wells’ comely but innocent Mary Ann and this was not a controlled spray,” that business owners have lost their livelihoods and complemented Louise’s worldly Ginger, Thompson told The Daily Item of Lynn. families are struggling to afford food. and both became innocuous ‘60s TV ver- “I could tell from the sound that this gun sions of sex symbols. This image released by CBS News shows ‘60 Minutes’ correspondent Lesley he had was either a semi-automatic or When it comes to the US election, the times, they Wells’ wardrobe included a gingham Stahl on the set. CBS’ pioneering newsmagazine is consistently one of the a full-automatic. Because literally the were unprecedented. But the caterwauling. We’re dress and shorts that modestly covered most-watched programs on television and its viewership is up 9 percent over spray of bullets was about 20 to 30 in over it. People are truly suffering. For those of us who her belly button, with both costumes on last year, the Nielsen company said. That’s not only more than any other prime- like three seconds.” have jobs and food and a roof, just breathe. (AP) display in Los Angeles at The Holly- time program on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox, it’s also one of only four on those Lynn is about 10 miles (16 kilometers) wood Museum. networks to show a year-to-year increase. (AP) — Details on Page 12 northeast of Boston. (AP)