My Official Nomination by Brad Kester

Okay. Some serious changes have taken place recently with the disqualification of not one but two official nominations. Richard Dreyfuss and Dustin Hoffman. I would like to address two things that have offended me:

1) Daniel Radcliffe was not on the updated list of official nominations.
2) There was a biased comment made in the last clause of the last post regarding Arnold Schwarzenegger--a candidate which I have quite sincerely supported for the last year.

With that said, I would like to nominate, officially, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The thesis of my case lies within Schwarzenegger as a human being, not as an actor. A brief history:

1947 - Born Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (no phony actor stage name) in a small town in Austria

1960s - Arnold doesn't like his puny legs because they don't match his massive upper body. He cuts off the legs of all his pants and appears in public this way in order to humiliate himself. He uses the tauntings and ridiculing as motivation to work harder on leg development. He becomes addicted to working out.

1967 - After several European bodybuilding awards, wins his first of five Mr. Universe title.

1968 - Moves to U.S.

1972 - Appears as contestant on The Dating Game.

1974 - After becoming the world's poster child for bodybuilding, recalls in Rolling Stone magazine: "At that point, I didn't think about money. I thought about the fame..."

1976 - Poses nude.

1977 - Stars as himself in "Pumping Iron" with rival bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno.

1978 - Is considered too short to play The Incredible Hulk, and the part goes to Ferrigno.

1979 - Plays a gym instructor in "Scavenger Hunt" with Meat Loaf.

1982 - Gets big acting break in "Conan the Barbarian" alongside James Earl Jones.

1984 - The Terminator.

1988 - In a Playboy interview, he says: "I hate pants." Later that year, turns down lead role in "Die Hard"

1990 - Becomes primarily known as a comedic actor with "Kindergarten Cop." But not before...

1991 - Releasing "Terminator 2: Judgement Day"

2003 - Is sworn in as Governor of California.

Now I would like to address some of my opponents' criticisms that if Mr. Schwarzenneger is the star of this year's T-Giving, we will be stuck watching shoot-em-up actions for three days straight and, hey, that's no way to spend the holiday of holidays. I would agree. Yes, you are right, it is true that Schwarzenegger is known most for his bulging muscles and machismo on-screen attitude and not just as an action star, but the world's most quintessential action star of all time. But my friends, do you not know his reel, have you not typed in the letters of his name into Internet Movie Database?

Twins - comedy
Conan The Barbarian -action
Kindergarten Cop - comedy
Terminator - action
Batman & Robin - adventure
The Running Man - science fiction
Pumping Iron - documentary
Terminator 2 - best action movie of all time
Junior - comedy
Stay Hungry - drama (with Jeff Bridges)
Last Action Hero - action/comedy
True Lies - action (with Jamie Lee Curtis)
Total Recall - science fiction (Oscar nominated)
and...
Jingle All The Way - (with Sinbad) family/comedy/christmas send off


Arnold Schwartzenneger may not have the acting depth of say, Daniel Radcliffe. But my point, opponents, is that what he lacks in acting he makes up for in personality diversity--and this shows in his film collection. He has lived a three-fold life: International Bodybuilding Sensation--Actor--Politician, and a multi-fold film genre life. Any man whose personality ranges deeper than his acting ability, yet maintains a highly successful acting career sounds like the perfect candidate for a Thanksgiving Extravaganza.

A hero, a jokemeister, a governor. Make the right choice. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Setting the Record Straight

So here is the deal.

Currently in Pasadena the annual October Caucus is being held with the veteran T-giving members. There have been many screaming matches, arm wrestling, and even a crying session by the always over emotional Lowell Frank. We have come to a consensus concerning the recent nomination of high caliber nominations. Some ground rules must be made.

First: no Oscar winners. Lowell’s infatuation with, and desire to touch, Mister Holland’s Opus (of which Richard Dreyfuss won an Oscar) obviously blinded him to the reality of what he was doing.

Second: discussion of caliber must happen before future nominations.

Third: Brad is allowed the final nomination. After that nomination, no more nominations are allowed to be made. Both Richard Dreyfuss and Dustin Hoffmann will be dropped from the list. All previous nominations will be considered for this year’s festivities.

So, after much discussion, here is the list of nominees for the 2007 T-giving film festival:

1. Kurt Russell
2. Demi Moore
3. The Baldwin Brothers
4. Brad Kester’s Official Nomination (unless Kester’s nomination is Schwartenegger, in which case he will be immediately kicked off the committee and banned from all future T-giving Starbucks trips)

Nominees for Honorable Mention:
1. Charles Groden
2. Gary Busey
3. Christian Slater

America's Favorite "Little Big Man"

Over the years we have had a consistently strong group of candidates, but this year outshines them all. First, my wife did me proud by nominating Demi Moore. Then Lowell nomiated Richard Dryfus. And now I add a third...Let me introduce him. He is a family man. He understands the pain of the mentally hanicaped. He's versed in the the writings of Nietzsche and Kierkegaard. He knows the minority stuggle. He knows what it's like to be a woman. I'm proud to OFFICIALLY nominate "America's Favorite Little Big Man" - DUSTIN HOFFMAN!

Am I the only one who remembers the first Thanksgiving Miracle, when Lowell poured salmon dip into his pants, saying, "Who wants an appetizer?" ?

Can We Re-Nominate?

Another Order of Business

To the committee:

We have been invited to a dessert exchange with our fellow neighbors (the Dewitt-Goudelocks). 1) Are you interested? and 2) Any thoughts for dessert?

I'm not sure if I should even bring this up officially

This is a miniature post just to let everyone know that, even though there was a brief scare, I have been approved to have Thanksgiving off from work and will be joining the entire weekend event as scheduled. Thank you.

Moore female input than you bargained for...

That's right guys. Hillary is in the running for the democrats, and Demi is in the running for Thanksgiving. I knew that one day I would be inspired to nomimate a woman for this honored position, and so I will let my nominee's very best and very worst work make its own case...

St. Elmo's Fire - a cocaine addicted Moore gives us another excuse to watch an overrated 80's classic
The Butcher's Wife - "it's not about meat, it's about magic" - a tagline like this spells winner
Striptease - because when was the last time we deeply pondered the trials and tribulations of the exotic dancing single mom?
Ghost - the straight man's excuse to get the Swayze you crave

Think about it....

A rebutal to Johnathon Taylor

First of all…why am I carrying this on my back? where is b.kester? more importantly, where is the constantly absent female voice that we all crave? constantly do I crave. rarely am I satisfied. a brief Russell in the wind if you will?

secondly. t-giving is the complete absence of family. that is the point. I almost got teary eyed with j. t. sagawa’s over sentimentality, but quickly realized we are dealing with a mastermind of mind control. The psychologist almost won. he almost brought tears. that conniving sorcerer. but not this time. I checked my emotions at the door, and merely stated that the eighth ink blot did in fact look like a piece of poop. family! family! of all the outrageous claims. you want to talk family? here is what j. t. sagawa does to his family.



with family like j.t. sagawa, who needs family.

Thanksgiving may be about love and affection, memories of splendor, but the t-giving blog has but one purpose…to belittle each other to the point of disdain so we have something to spite each other about come holiday. for what is a holiday with people you unabashedly love? nothing. it is nothing.

For all his faults, I will give j.t. an approving nod, and say that this, the brothers Baldwin may just be the first serious nomination of the season. Not that Radcliff was the worst nomination of the year, but it was. With the Brothers B the possibilities are endless, and the idea, can I say original. Freudian to say the least, or at least Jung at heart.

I will not throw a candidate into the ring, still chewing, mulling over this dare I say brilliant nomination. If it does not garner a win, perhaps a Genius Grant from the McCrther Foundation for this bright young star, a pugilist of psyche to say the least.

And if not Bonzo, what about…

T-Giving is About Family

My dear San Diegans,

Please accept my sincerest apologies. My priorities have been severely out of shape lately and I have neglected the very event that has been so faithful to me over the years...t-giving. Yet, in honor of this great festivity, I refuse to submit myself to complaint and despair. Rather, I give thanks...thanks to the many years of laugher, tears, and inebriating drinks. Oh, the Pabini's were good to us. That necter and Pabst Blue Ribbon combination cannot be beat! I give thanks to the good years (MJ Fox), the dark years (Tim Allen), and to the years ahead (Grodin? Radcliff?). But most of all I give thanks for the FAMILY we have started. And isn't this what it is all about? My brothers, let us remember why we are here, and as brothers, let us move forward to our sixth year with pride. In reverence to this...I believe a nomination is due. But who could possibly represent us with the dignity and respect we deserve? Who would adequately represent the incredible bond we have created?



And don't forget Daniel and Billy!

And the silence Continues?

Here we are, a mere 46 days away from opening night, and the contingency from Pasadena remains silent. No rebuttal. No defense. Not even a timid comment. Well what is San Diego to do? Wait until the night before the festivities? What are we Procrastinating Pasadenites? No we are Straight Forward San Diegans. We know when to get busy. This is a challenge, to the two silent towers posted in the far away Pasadena. The only excuse is if every minute of every day is spent preparing the site for this years festivities. Pine cone wreaths, table top cornucopias, Pumpkin displays of sheer delight, etc. If this is not the case, woe to the neglectors of the t-giving blog.

On other fronts. I will highly commend B. Kester for breaking the all important nudity barrier on the blog. Seeing Radcliff’s naked bottom, oh boy, oh boy. But alas, other than the obvious delight of knowing that the nubile young man has been fully nude on stage, his screen credits stretch only as far as the small pair of briefs that would be needed to cover that aforementioned bottom. Once again, great joke Mr. Kester, good joke.

Pasadena, I implore you to write. This is a dialogue, not a San Diego Monologue. With all of my heart, I implore you.

Also, I am posting a film below for consideration for first night. but there are more to come.

- lowell