Hey, kids, welcome to the Phile for a Saturday. How are you doing? Archeologists investigating an ancient shipwreck in Italy have discovered pills over 2,000 years old. I'll try them. To celebrate his birthday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent two pounds of candy to every child in the country. Which explains why Honey Boo Boo has applied for dual citizenship. Do you kids like baseball? I don't. Anyway, the Baseball Hall of Fame voting results are in, and for the first time since 1996, not one player was voted in. They turned down Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds. Here’s how bad it was: Lance Armstrong got more votes than any of those guys. The mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, was seen partying in Mexico with Charlie Sheen. I believe that celebration is called Cinco de Career-o. The mayor is denying it. He said he only saw Charlie for a minute, but Charlie said he and the mayor had a wild time in Mexico partying with a number of hot women. Who are you going to believe... a party boy who has never done anything in his life or Charlie Sheen? Here is a shocking statistic. You know who are the most frequent binge drinkers? Seniors! That explains Brent Musberger’s comments about Miss Alabama. In 2012 we had the hottest year on record, and we had 357 brand-new record highs. That's 358 if you count Lindsay Lohan. Earlier tthis week on Fox they aired a show called "Stars in Danger: The High Dive." I can hear you mumbling at your computer, "Reality TV stars in a diving competition? Who'd even watch crap like that?" I only watched the first half-hour. In my defense, I didn't know there'd be water in the pool. I think the only thing worse than being a celebrity contestant on a competitive diving show is being a celebrity judge on a competitive diving show. So, a lot of you readers emailed asking how our new dog Griffin is. Well, he has something called kennel cough. We took him to the emergency vets last night... I didn't know there was such a thing. And over two hundred dollars later they said he has something called kennel cough, or kennel kough. The vet said that is common from dogs that were in kennels. They didn't mention anything about that in the paperwork at the Humane Society. So, now he has to be on antibiotics for two weeks. God, I'm glad I'm going back to work on Tuesday. But now I'm sneezing like crazy, I hope I didn't catch anything from the dog. A few of you asked if I could show another picture of the dog. I thought no, I'm not gonna be like one of those dog people that show pictures all the time... oh, screw it.
There you go. Hasbro announced that they would be retiring one of the classic Monopoly game pieces and replacing it with a brand new one. Your days are numbered, Iron. Fans will get to vote on which piece gets the heave-ho, and on which new one should replace it... I thought it's odd on what pieces you could vote for. Check it out.
I vote for the Global Warming Bear. LOL. So, I was flicking through the channels this morning and stumbled on Sesame Street. The show has changed a bit since I last remember it when Logan was a kid.
One of my favorite things to do is play words With Friends... do you play? Anyway, the other day I scored real big and have to show you. I feel so smart.
Take that, Bob B. LOL. Alright, I have to show you this real quick. This is a real ad for anti rape from Germany I think. Somewhere in Europe. Check it out. It's 100% real.
Those crazy Europeans. Before we move on, as you know I am running a campaign to get Kelly Clarkson on the Phile. So, take this poster and spread it around.
And now from the home office in Port Jefferson, New York, here is this...
Top Phive Other Indicators That 2012 Was The Hottest Year On Record
5. Honey Boo Boo's mom smelled more like fried baloney than usual.
4. NRA Vice President Waybe LaPierre advocated that everyone be armed with water pistols.
3. In July, 22 New Jersey State Troopers were assigned to personally squeegee Chris Christie.
2. Down at Gitmo, prisoners were actually asking to be waterboarded.
And the number one other indicator that 2012 was the hottest year on record...
1. 46% of global warming deniers admitted they were wrong (but later recanted and said it was "just the heatstroke talking")
Alright, it's time to get serious for a minute. Our good friend Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who is the Chair for the Democratic National Committee wanted to come on and talk about women's health rights, and what the Republicans in Congress are doing. So, please welcome back to the Phile... Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Me: Hello, Debbie, happy new year.
Debbie: Happy new year, Jason.
Me: So, what have the Republicans in Congress done?
Debbie: They have already introduced several bills to limit a woman's ability to make her own health decisions.
Me: Already?
Debbie: All in the first 48 hours of the new session.
Me: So, they ignored a clear message from voters in the 2012 elections, right?
Debbie: Blantantly.
Me: So, what does these people hope to do, Debbie?
Debbie: They hope to block Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds for family planning. Ban all abortions even in cases of rape and incest, and possibly go as far as banning some forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization.
Me: I have a different view that you might disagree with, Debbie, but we won't go there. What else?
Debbie: Repeal Obamacare.
Me: So, what happens now?
Debbie: We need to fight back immediately.
Me: This is important to you, right, on a personal level?
Debbie: As a woman, cancer survivor, and mother... and as a Democrat who has fought tooth and nail on these issues... I'm absolutely incensed over these latest attacks on women's health. And I'm not going to sit back and watch while Republicans try to take away our rights.
We can stop these assaults on the health and lives of millions of women in this country by doing everything in our power to keep them from gaining support. But it won't work unless you step up alongside others who believe in a woman's right to control her own body.
Me: I thought our work was done now Obama was re-elected.
Debbie: It's easy to think that once we re-elected the President, our work was done. But the work we do now is critical to ensuring that damaging and offensive laws like these will never make it... and making sure Democrats are ready to beat these out-of-touch Republican candidates in the next election. That's why your support is so crucial today.
Me: Thanks, Debbie, for sharing this news. Come back again soon and tell Stephanie Cutter I said hello.
Debbie: Thank you, Jason, and I'm counting on you to spread the word.
Me: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Chair of the Democratic National Committee, kids.
Alright, the 22nd book to be put in the Phile's Book Club is...
Phile Alum and author of the book, Lynnette Porter, will be a guest on the Phile next Monday. The book is available at Barnes and Noble and on Amazon.
Today's pheatured guest is a Phile Alum and a rock 'n' roll and country-blues guitarist who is currently in Graham Parker & The Rumour whose new album, the first in 31 years, "Three Chords Good" is now available. And he could be currently seen in the movie This Is 40. Please welcome back to the Phile, the great... Martin Belmont.
Me: Hello, Martin, welcome back to the Phile. I am so excited to have you back here, sir. How have you been? Pretty busy, right?
Martin: Back to the UK tromorrow.
Me: Since you were here last I interviewed Sean Tyla. He said Ducks Deluxe is going to be recording a new album in this year. Have you guys started writing for it yet?
Martin: I haven't written anything but I think Sean has and maybe some of the others.
Me: You do so many shows between all the projects you are in, Martin, what do you prefer, recording or playing live?
Martin: Playing live.
Me: All right, let's talk about the Rumour! I have a great pic here of you guys in the studio.
Me: I LOVE the new album "Three Chords Good". How did that song get to be the album title?
Martin: The movie This Is 40 needed an album title quick for merchandise in the film so GP came up with that song title for the album.
Me: For the readers who don't know, tell them who is in the band.
Martin: GP, Brinsley Schwarz, Bob Andrews, Andrew Bodnar, myself and Steve Goulding.
Me: You said last time you were hear the album was recorded in a week. Did Graham already have the songs picked out or did you all have input?
Martin: GP already had the songs written.
Me: I have to talk about the tour. Sadly, you didn't come to Florida, but I had a broken shoulder so wouldn't be able to go anyway. A lot of friends of mine did get to see the shows, and I read dozen and dozens of interviews. Was the tour fun, Martin?
Martin: The whole tour has been brilliant. We play great ands the audiences are fantastic... sold out or close to almost everywhere.
Me: How many songs did you learn to play for it?
Martin: Around thirty.
Me: Out of all the reunion gigs, which one was your favorite?
Martin: NYC, Newton NJ, Philly, LA, San Francisco, Chicago and all the rest as well.
Me: The one at the Roxy in LA was kinda special, right?
Martin: Yep. great gig... standing audience... lots of old friends as well.
Me: If anybody asked you a few years ago if you would be playing with GP and the Rumour again, would you think it would happen? Did that question even make sense?
Martin: Never thought about it and if someone had asked I would have said no but never say never!
Me: While you were in California you got to go to the premier of the film This Is 40, right? How was that experience? You're a movie star, Martin.
Martin: It was surreal and great because the movie is really good and very funny. The people we met were all really friendly... Paul Rudd, Judd Apatow and Jonathan Karp the music coordinator were particularly nice.
Me: Do you know there's 3 Phile Alumni in that movie? Yourself, Graham and comedian Charlyne Yi who was on the Phile like five years ago. I saw you guys on "Conan" as well. Who picked the song "Long Emotional Ride" to perform on the show?
Martin: We did... it is the 'single'.
Me: The first thing I noticed, and I knew you were tall, like me, but you dwarf over GP. It's like Gandalf and Bilbo. How tall are you?
Martin: 6 feet 5 inches.
Me: I read The Figgs opened for you guys on the road. I interviewed Mike Gent as well, and Pete Donnelly and I know they are big Rumour fans. Did you get to watch their set?
Martin: Yes, they opened for us on around 4 of the East Coast shows. They are a great band. Loved them.
Me: Anybody else musician wise you know went to see you guys play? Phile Alum John Wesley Harding did, I know.
Martin: Yes, old friends like Pete Thomas who lives in LA.
Me: I have to mention Brinsley Schwarz who will be on the Phile himself in a few weeks. How would you compare both your playing?
Martin: We are both fantastic! Actually we always play good together. Almost without trying.
Me: You first met Brinsley when you were a roadie for him, am I right? Sean Tyla I believe started as a roadie as well. Is that when you all met for the first time?
Martin: Yes.
Me: When I was to interview him what is the one question I should ask him?
Martin: No idea.
Me: Okay... Martin, after the GP and the Rumour album "The Up Escalator" came out, GP went solo. Did you guys just all decide to leave at once? Bob Andrews left before hand I know.
Martin: There comes a time when you know it's over. It's not really worth talking too much about.
Me: I love the albums the Rumour did without GP as well. Brinsley did the singing on them, am I right?
Martin: Brinsley sang some. Bob sang most on the first two. I sang a couple and so did Steve.
Me: Where did the name of the Rumour album "Frogs, Sprouts, Clogs and Krauts" come from, Martin?
Martin: It's very bad English slang for French people, Belgians, Dutch and Germans.
Me: Hey, have you seen the DVD "Live At The Rockpalast", a concert of the GP in the 70's? I have to order it. Do you like looking back at the old footage?
Martin: Yes, I have a DVD. I watch it occasionally but I now like to see film clips from the tour we just finished.
Me: Martin, thanks for taking time out to answer my questions again. Tell Graham I said hello, and I hope to have him back when things calm down. I have to ask you, is this it for the Rumour, or is there talk about another tour and album? With the movie, it's gonna give you guys juice. And you guys need to be in the Roll and Roll Hall of Fame. Maybe you'll be in the Phile's R and R Hall of Phame.
Martin: You never know... another tour, album? Who can say.
Me: Thanks again, Martin, please come back soon. Is their a website you want to plug?
Martin: Martinbelmont.com.
Me: You rock! Take care, sir.
Martin: Bye.
There you go, kids, another Phile done. Thanks to my guests Debbie Wasserman Schultz and of course Martin Belmont. The Phile will be back tomorrow with another Phile Alum, the wonderful Tiffany Thompson. So, spread the word, not the turd. Don't let snakes and alligators bite you. Bye, love you, bye. Strawberry Blondes Forever!
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