Today, Merv and the Scooter

Time to ketchup, er, catch up.

The "Today" show will expand to four hours, it was announced this week. Why does that sound excessive? And what will WVIT-30 do with their 10 a.m. news?

Yesterday I watched "The View" while waiting on car repairs. Kelly and Regis are almost unwatchable for me, but somehow "The View" doesn't make we want to run into traffic foaming at the mouth (like most daytime TV), even though it's so gal-friendly. Caroline Rhea was on the panel this day, and we like her.

Merv Griffin was a likable enough guy who made a ton of money. As an "SCTV" fan, I can't help but think of Rick Moranis' hilarious impression of Merv, cooing, "Oooh, we'll be right back."

I grew up with the voice of Phil Rizzuto, daily over the airwaves of radio and TV, punctuating Yankees highs and lows with "Holy Cow!" and "How do you like that?" I never remember him calling Frank Messer or Jerry Coleman by name, but he would always call Bill White by his last name instead of first. Same with Bobby Murcer, my childhood idol who continues on despite recent brain surgery. My old buddy Tommy C. and I laughed hysterically the day that New London's own John Ellis played his first game in the bigs for the Yankees. He hit a bomb to the monuments and, though he wasn't fast by any means, came around for an inside-the-park homer. As he came across home plate, Phil said, "Holy Cow! The people in Connecticut are throwing babies out the window!"
Phil, who died this week, was beloved and a genuine guy who didn't change with fame. Take a look at a picture of him and humble Yogi Berra together and try to image how these two guys hit such heights from such simple homes. And physically they make Jorge Posada look studly. But that makes them even more endearing.