Dick Martin of Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In" fame passes in May.

Dan Rowan (left) and Dick Martin (right)

You've all seen the lists at the end of the year of celebrities who have passed away that year. I was sad to see that Dick Martin of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In fame had died in May of this year. I worked with Mr. Martin on the film, The Trial of Old Drum, a few years ago. We spoke briefly on set and I told him how much I was entertained by Laugh-In and applauded him and partner Dan Rowan (who preceeded Martin in death in 1987) on that groundbreaking series. Very nice man.

Incidentally, Dick was married to former 1966 May Playmate of the Month, actress Dolly Read, best known for her lead in Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls. They were still married when he died. Here's Dolly in all her - well, part of her "glory".

Laugh-In was an American sketch comedy television program which ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968 to May 14, 1973. The title, Laugh-In, came out of events of the 1960s hippie culture, such as "love-ins" or "be-ins." These were terms that were, in turn, derived from "sit-ins," common in protests associated with civil rights and anti-war demonstrations of the time.

The show was characterized by a rapid-fire series of gags and sketches, many of which conveyed sexual innuendo or were politically charged. Rowan and Martin continued the exasperated straight man (Dan Rowan) and "dumb" guy (Dick Martin) act which they had established as nightclub comics.

Beside the regular "cast" on the weekly show, Laugh-In had celebrities drop by and do schtick, as well as musical groups. Check out this holiday clip.

Dan Rowan (left) and Dick Martin (right) on Laugh-In.

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NEWS AS IT HAPPENS! Vote NO on Prop 8 protest right in front of our offices.

Fucking liberals.

I can say that because I consider myself a liberal - with conservative tendencies. Or maybe I'm a conservative with liberal tendencies. Either way...I'm pissed.

A huge Vote NO on Prop 8 rally just marched west on Santa Monica Boulevard toward Sepulveda, creating a traffic jam at Sepulveda and Santa Monica - a very, VERY busy intersection in Los Angeles.

Hundreds of supporters of same-sex marriage rallied outside a Mormon temple in West Los Angeles on this afternoon to protest what organizers called "hefty financial contributions" by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to the campaign supporting a measure that bans same-sex unions in California. The Prop 8 initiative, which was on Tuesday's California ballot - a measure for which I was against (having those liberal tendencies that I do) - was a voter initiative amendment that defined marriage as "between a man and woman". It passed with 52.5 percent of the vote. The gay community and liberals are not happy people right now.

The rally began at 2 p.m. in front of the Los Angeles Mormon Temple then spilled onto Santa Monica Boulevard as sign-toting participants prepared to march to the nearby Federal Building in Westwood - west of our offices on Wilshire, which is just north of Santa Monica. Police, who began to surround the protesters, proceeded to shut down freeway ramps along the 405 Freeway in response to the march. Incidently, this is all a spill-over from the previous night's monster truck rally (kidding) in West Hollywood.

There must've been 50+ motorcycle cops and another 50+ cops on bikes surrounding the protesters, as well as numerous helicopters hovering overhead. I'm quite sure the police presence was there to provide escort to the protesters, as well as to protect them from traffic. I mean, they were marching right down the middle of Santa Monica Blvd. in the way of traffic. Even with a permit, isn't that illegal?

As the measure was defeated, one would think, "isn't what they're doing falling on deaf ears?". Maybe not. Apparently there are three separate suits against the initiative, claiming you can't introduce an amendment on a ballot that curtails people's civil rights.

And I agree with that. But an unlawful protest - blocking traffic - is against the law. Period. Was I effected? Yes. My boss couldn't get back to the office. FedEx cancelled pick-ups. One cop was hit by a car. Traffic was all fucked after work - cops all over the place. Yeh - people were affected. My advice to protesters: your political disruptions shouldn't cause traffic gridlock in a city with the worst traffic snags in the U.S. on a good day.

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