I love lists. Lists of all kinds: favorite Weird Al Yankovic songs, favorite barbecue restaurants in Tennessee, favorite NFL quarterbacks. Lists I have absolutely no opinions on and will never use. Somehow they seep into my brain and get spit out at various times when they're needed.
Q: I wonder which Hollywood actress is the highest paid.
A. Reese Witherspoon.
See? I read that somewhere and it stuck in my head and now when someone casually asks at a holiday party, I'll have the answer. Lists are also good topic starters for when you're at that holiday party and the only person you know is the hostess and she's busy greeting guests or beating back the fire in the kitchen from the overcooked crab cakes and you're all by your lonesome. What do you do? Bring out a list!
You at party: Did you know that Caprera Island in Sardinia is considered the world's best beach?
Party guest you don't know: Really? I had no idea.
You: Yes, and South Beach in Miami is number 7.
Guest: Um, er, that's interesting.
You: I love Miami. Did you ever watch "Miami Vice"?
Guest: I, uh, have to leave you now.
What's the lesson we've learned here? Never mention old 80s cop shows at parties.
So now that it's December and the Christmas tree lots are up around the city, I've started to think about Christmas shows I like. Not movies like "A Christmas Story" or "It's a Wonderful Life" or perennial TV faves like Charlie Brown or Rudolph but episodes of my fave shows that revolved around Christmas. So I think I'm gonna compose my list - and check it twice - and then post sometime soon so I can get those episodes from Netflix if possible.
Your holiday Hollywood connection,
Leigh
