Revisionist History (5/23): Bad day for Bonnie & Clyde
Birthdays: Drew Carey, Franz Mesmer and Jewel
Today’s Birthdays:
Franz Mesmer (1734-1815): German physician considered a pioneer in hypnosis and hypnotherapy; though his reputation was tarnished by controversy, he did possess an uncanny ability to mesmerize people using only his last name.
Mitch Albom, 66: author, his 1997 book “Tuesdays with Morrie” is among the best-selling memoirs ever; it was part of his Tuesdays Trilogy, along with “Tuesday Night Fever,” “The Day After Monday” and “Same Shit, Different Tuesday.”
Drew Carey, 66: entertainer; has enjoyed success in standup comedy, sitcoms, improv; and, for the right price, he’ll host games shows like “The Price Is Right.”
(Video: sitcom sexual innuendo with Drew and Jenny McCarthy)
Jewel, 50: Grammy-nominated singer and humanitarian who has sold over 30 million albums; now picking up odd jobs singing the national anthem at last year’s NBA All-Star Game and the Indy 500.
Today’s History:
On this day in 1934, authorities killed Bonnie and Clyde in Louisiana, and the colorful Depression-era bank robbers and murderers have been starring in movies ever since. (Spoiler alert: They die at the end.)
On this day in 1895, the New York Public Library was dedicated in a grand ceremony presided over by President Taft. One of the most-read books that year was H.G. Wells’ novel “The Time Machine,” because people mistook it for a manual on how to build one.
On this day in 1785, Benjamin Franklin wrote to a friend about having invented bifocals. However, try as he might, he could never perfect his favorite invention – the H.G. Wells time machine.
Today is National Chardonnay Day, traditionally celebrated by getting buzzed or blasted on chardonnay.