RIP Timon and Pumbaa

Shakespeare, the great playwright of England and now renowned around the world, would be proud of how his plays have been adapted, or at the very least, amused. From West Side Story to 10 Things I Hate About You to the much loved classic, Gnomeo and Juliet, there are plenty modern adaptations or interpretations of Shakespeare's most well-known plays. This practice is not foreign to movie-makers and play-producers.

Scenography is the practice of changing scenic elements to put a play's original dialogue and characters in a new light. In many ways, what Disney and others have done with Shakespeare is this on a more extreme level, changing dialogue and scene, but still maintaining the story line and characters. One of the most fun and striking examples of this is the iconic Disney adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet, taking place on the African savanna and entitled The Lion King. Whether or not you have realized this before, I would like to highlight how uncanny the similarities are and share a few radical takeaways. First let's go through our cast list: 

    King Hamlet/Mufasa- The dead father of Hamlet is only seen as a ghost in the play, just as Simba has an interaction with the deceased Mufasa. We are able to see, in the movie, the living characteristics of Mufasa's wisdom that parallels how Hamlet describes his father in the play.

    Queen Gertrude/Sarabi- Sarabi leads alongside Scar as Gertrude did alongside Claudius. There is animosity or at the very least, she is unsettled. Hamlet/Simba does not feel as if he can talk to his mother about the death of the original King.

    King Claudius/Scar- Evil younger brother of King Hamlet/Mufasa. He is power hungry and enlists his enemies to get rid of Simba after he himself kills his brother. 

    Hamlet/Simba- His uncle kills his father and he is not sure he believes it until later in the story. He deals with depressing thoughts and fear over taking his rightful throne back. He loves Ophelia/Nala and trusts only her and close friends. He eventually realizes his anger at his uncle is justified and confronts him with revenge in his mind. 

    Ophelia/Nala- She is the girlfriend... or lioness-friend in the story. I believe her madness in the play is mirrored in the movie through her starvation while Hamlet/Simba is away. She goes after Hamlet/Simba and they realize their love again. She is also there when he confronts Claudius/Scar.

    Polonius/Zazu- He is servant to both kings and is an overprotective father figure of Ophelia/Nala. He does not trust Hamlet/Simba. 

    Horatio/Rafiki- Friend and confidant of Hamlet/Simba. He leads Hamlet/Simba to see the ghost of his father, the deceased king.

    Rosencrantz and Guildenstern/Timon and Pumbaa- They are the comedic duo and "college friends" of Hamlet/Simba. In Hakuna Matata, Timon sings "What's in a name?" clearly a reference to Shakespeare's famous quote.

    Laertes/Shenzi (hyena)- Prompted by Claudius/Scar to kill Hamlet/Simba. Eventually, Laertes/Shenzi sides with Hamlet and turns against Claudius/Scar. Laertes does not kill Hamlet and instead blames Claudius and Scar is thrown to the hyenas and flames to meet his death. 

    Voltemand and Cornelius/Banzai and Ed (hyenas)- They are convinced by Claudius/Scar that Hamlet/Simba is bad and Claudius/Scar is good. They don't do much. 

    Fortenbras/Stampede- Claudius/Scar uses them as the excuse for taking power and the death of his brother. He also tries to kill Simba using their power. Honestly, the Fortenbras could also be the general hyena population as the enemies of lions but Scar's utilitarian friends.

    Other soldiers or non essential servants/Other pride land animals, whether they be lions or not

Of course, The Lion King is a Disney movie, and so does not follow the ending of the Shakespearean tragedy. Simba does not kill Zazu (although his pouncing early in the movie might suggest he had considered it). Nala does not drown herself. Simba does not die from his wounds he received from Scar. But, if one were to replace the happy ending with Shakespearean darkness, the early parts of the movie may not need changing to fit the story line. Instead, Disney focused on expanding Hamlet's past by loosely outlining Simba's childhood and showing Scar's evil plotting. 

Having seen the similarities, there are two hidden truths about The Lion King you must know. First, Scar married Sarabi. Scar even says when Sarabi confronts her new king, "Long ago, you chose Mufasa over me," revealing his feelings for his brother's wife. 

The second realization is much more grave, as it involves the death of my two favorite characters in The Lion King, Timon and Pumbaa. When Hamlet is planning to make his move to kill Claudius, Claudius tries to kill him before he has the chance. Hamlet avoids this by baiting the enemies with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, just like Simba did to avoid the hyenas. Unfortunately Rosencrantz and Guildenstern did not survive. In the movie, Timon and Pumbaa are shown for a split second when Simba is recognized as the king, but clearly this is wishful thinking on behalf of Disney. They were sacrificed for the good of the hero and would not have been reasonably able to escape the hyenas. RIP Timon and Pumbaa.

Have fun watching The Lion King and/or a production of Hamlet with these things in mind!

Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot and days of auld lang syne?

The unstated answer of this opening question is no. Auld (old) acquaintances should never be forgotten and should be brought to mind. Auld acquaintances should never be forgotten nor days of auld lang syne. 

As we enter the calendar year that marks my high school graduation (Class of 2022), I have certainly spent a good share of time asking myself this question. No doubt as I part ways from my friends and classmates (some that I have known since second grade), I will be unable to keep in close contact with all of them. Some of them will become just memories, but let them ne'er fade away further lest auld acquaintance be forgot. Let me remember to bring them to mind as each year draws to a close.

This Scottish folk song that is so widely sung is a call to remember. If we sing it, let us follow the lyrical instructions and remember the auld for auld lang syne. "Auld lang syne" literally translates to "old long since," but is more commonly just used to mean "old time's sake."

For auld lang syne, my dear; for auld lang syne, we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet for days of auld lang syne.

Let us all gather with old friends, new friends, family, and loved ones to fondly remember for auld lang syne. Let us disregard our foul memories and actively choose to recall the good--to raise a glass to the triumphs, successes, and to cherish our old and new blessings. 

Happy New Year, everyone.

Generosity: An Encomium Speech

Christmastime is here! It is once again time to gather with our family, celebrate time together, and remember the birth of our Savior. Christmas is also a time of gift giving, a time of gratitude, and a time of great generosity. In my rhetoric class we were assigned to write a praise speech (aka an encomium) on someone who demonstrates great virtue. I chose to highlight the Giving Tree's generosity. As the 25th rapidly approaches, I would like to highlight her generosity again, not merely in what she gave, but her willingness to give anything. As we gather with our families this year, let us be willing to give our time, our love, and yes, maybe a few gifts too. Here is my encomium of the Giving Tree:

    “Once there was a tree and she loved a little boy.” So begins Shel Silverstein’s children’s book entitled The Giving Tree. This story, although illustrated in simple pen drawings, written in large text, and spanning only 52 pages, is hardly for children’s eyes alone. The Giving Tree—the tree herself—though merely a literary device and a plant, is the true example of human virtue. Her generosity exceeds her selfishness, her love eliminates her hate, and her simplicity eradicates her pretentiousness. 

    When the boy first returned to the tree after his youth, he needed money. The Giving Tree gave him apples to sell. Still the tree was happy, for she had thought she made the boy happy. She showed the boy her love and that he could return to her when he needed help. But, generosity can be a dangerous path to walk down.

    When the boy returned to the tree a second time, he needed a house. The Giving Tree gave him branches to build one. Still the tree was happy, for she thought the house would make the boy happy. She gave of her very own branches knowing that she could still simply survive without them and the boy’s need would be fulfilled. Generosity takes from the giver.

    After quite some time, when the boy returned to the tree, he needed to sail far away. The Giving Tree gave him her tree trunk for a boat. Still, the tree was happy… but not really. Her true sacrificial love for the boy was shown through her final generosity. Here she gave away the last thing she could to the boy she had missed so dearly. By giving him a boat, she ensured that she would most likely never see him again. In this way, generosity is a risk.

    The boy returned a fourth and final time. He had nothing to offer and only needed a place to sit. The Giving Tree offered the only thing she had left: a stump to sit and rest. The boy’s final needs were fulfilled and The Giving Tree’s dearest friend now sat with her once more and she also was truly happy. 

    Generosity is a dangerous path to take. Generosity takes from the giver. Generosity is a risk. The Giving Tree showed love in the face of the boy’s hateful abandonment. She showed simplicity in the face of the boy’s pretentious needs. She showed generosity even when it meant that the selfish boy she loved might never return. 

    The Giving Tree’s generosity is more human than our own cracked version of it. Fate smiled upon her perfect generosity and gave her back the boy’s company. Generosity may be dangerous and a risk, but love like that is never overlooked. The Giving Tree was rewarded as well she should be. 

Check out my YouTube Channel! My second annual installment of a BASS-ic Christmas will be available tomorrow (12/24) in my BASS-ic Christmas playlist! 

November's Here, Not Christmas Cheer

Every year, on November 4th at 7:30pm, Christmas music begins playing on 99.9 KEZ. The voice of Andy Williams reverberates through the homes and hearts of the most devout of the holiday vigilantes. He proclaims the start of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year."

In the year 1621, the colonists and the natives shared a meal to give thanks for the bountiful harvest brought forth by the cooperation of the two peoples. Later, in 1863, during the American Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Since then, in many turkey-lovers' homes, a meal is shared with friends and family to give thanks for our many blessings here.

If you haven't figured it out by my not-so-subtle title, I am not in favor of Christmas music in November. It seems that Christmas just gets earlier every year and somebody needs to keep the Santa-loving, wreath-hanging cheer in check. With the advent of plastic Christmas trees, there is an eternal life span to your living room evergreen and as long as people are willing to pay the electricity bills, why bother taking the lights down? Here's my thought, the longer Christmas commercialism lasts year to year, the less special the holiday actually becomes. The longer the season lasts, the less special the one day is. The longer we draw out the sights and sounds, the less we can appreciate the emotions of being with our family in peace and love. 

Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, and Christmas music is the peak of greatness. I can only think of one holiday where we can talk about listening to Wham!, Nat King Cole, and Ariana Grande in the same breath. Christmas music transcends genre boundaries. It makes us laugh, cry, and sing along, but at its heart, it is about one single season of the year, unless, of course, you're a musician, in which case, you must prepare for December concerts (the one exception to early Christmas music in my book). 

One of the many definitions of "season" is "a proper or suitable time" and I think America's commercial Christmas exceeds its season. It is my hope that the spirit of Christmas is more than walking into Costco on Halloween and seeing Christmas wreaths (true story). I hope that the love and care we share with one another at Christmas time doesn't stop when we empty our stockings. The peace and the joy we all feel when we make time for family has no season. That is what should be so special about Christmastime. That is what is so special about Thanksgiving as well. So, put up your tree and lights just for December and enjoy the festivities in their season, but don't limit the virtue of family on that one Thursday in November just for a little bit more of Bing Crosby.  

Check out my original Thanksgiving song entitled "Let Us Give Thanks" on my YouTube Channel! (other videos under the playlists tab)

Advertisements Want You To...

What if you did everything advertised to you in a 1 hour network television show? Well, I found out. Every Monday, give or take a few, I watch two CBS sitcoms with my mom - The Neighborhood and Bob Hearts Abishola. This Monday, I also payed attention to the commercials. 

A lot of commercials do not explicitly tell you to do something, but I kept track of the ones that did with interesting results. I broke the instructions into categories and gave some comments on what it would be like to actually follow all of the advertisement commands. 

Vague Instructions:

Discover More (Subaru) - "Can I do that without a Subaru?"

Get Ready For Our New Battery (Energizer Max) - "I am sooooo ready!!!"

Make Every Moment More (FanDuel) - "I am not 21 years of age."

Don't Worry (Reese's) - "Peanut butter cups are the least of my worries."

Be More Like Your Cat (Outstretch) - "Ummm, what?!"

Enjoy the Go with Charmin (Charmin) - "Ummm, what?!"

Personal Instructions:

Smile (Crest) - ✓

Say Thank You to the Sunshine and the Blue Skies (Dignity Health) - ✓

Choose Your Words Carefully (GAP) - "Well, I try my best..."

Call Your Doctor:

Medicine and treatment commercials ask a lot of us. Not only would I be fed up if I actually did everything the commercials told me, but my doctor would be too. Here's just a sampling of what I would have to do:

    Tell my doctor if I have new or worsening chest pain, cough, muscle aches, etc.

    Get tested for tuberculosis 

    Ask my doctor if Ibrance, Cologaurd, or Cosentyx are right for me

My doctor would be so confused...

The Most Time-Consuming Demand:

Watch every episode of The Neighborhood - approximately 1,400 minutes (around 23 hours)

Get Out Your Wallet:

Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar - $0.88

Try Swiffer WetJet - $25.97

Come in for a soccer ball (Target) - $7.99

Check out Febreze Air Freshener - $4.99

Watch TBS - $35 (subscription for a month)

Get a dozen double-crunch shrimp with any steak (Applebee's) - $14.99 (includes steak)

Download Slotomania - $0.00

Try any of our new dips with our not new bread twists (Domino's) - $7.99

Shop now (Home Goods) - $4.99 (Cheapest item: Dog toy)

Shop our app (Fry's) - $0.15 (Cheapest item: Single jalapeno pepper)

Shop at Olay.com - $2.99 (Cheapest item: Moisturizing hand mask) 

Grand Total for the Hour: $105.94

So, in conclusion, it would have been a money wasting, time consuming, and strange time if I had done all that the commercials wished. I also wonder if companies really want you to "discover more" or to "smile" or if all they really want is for you to use their product to complete those actions. It's curious how ads work sometimes.

 I wish you all the best in making every moment more, remember to say thank you to the sunshine and the blue skies, and try not to be swayed too much by the advertisements you see. 

Simplicity - A Fable

Once upon a time there was a crocodile and a fox. The fox used his crafty speech to catch his mutton and was praised by all the animals for his wily ways. While the crocodile often caught more to eat, he was frequently overlooked. 

“Fox, why do all the animals praise you when you starve more than you eat?” the crocodile asked the fox. “I eat every day and am ignored.”

“I am an entertainer—a master trickster,” the fox responded. “I convince sheep to come to me with sweet talk and eloquent language. You just sit there with your mouth agape waiting for your meals to come to you. Although it works, it bores the onlookers.”

The crocodile was left feeling despondent but determined to hunt the way the fox does. The crocodile went to the owl who taught him grandiose language and eloquence. Then, he went to the other animals and spoke to them.

“I am a changed beast,” the crocodile said. “From now on, I will hunt as the fox does with crafty speech and superb magniloquence.”

The other animals were excited to see the crocodile in action as the fox had not caught a meal for a long while. The crocodile approached a grazing calf and all the animals watched in suspense. The fox chuckled in anticipation of the failure.

“Greetings and salutations. If it at all obliges you, I would be most chuffed if you would peregrinate thither. I promise, I mean you no anguish nor damage,” the crocodile reasoned.

The young calf did not understand the crocodile’s vocabulary, but only saw the fierce form of a predator. So, the calf immediately turned and ran. The fox, already prepared for the calf’s sudden departure, pounced on the poor animal and killed it. The crowd of animals booed his lack of craftiness.

The fox simply responded, “At least I have something to eat,” and walked away.

Sometimes, it is better to achieve simply than fail with eloquence.

Progymnasmata, of which the fable is one, are writing exercises for speech writers and are often read aloud to practice delivering speeches. This year at school, I am taking rhetoric, so in addition to learning the history of speeches, we are practicing our own as we go through these exercises. The second progymnasmata is a narrative. You can check out my narrative here on my YouTube channel!  

Bless You!

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines "bless you" as an idiomatic phrase "said to someone who has just sneezed." I say, "Move over, Mr. Webster. That makes no sense."

We all sneeze. Most of us say "bless you" to the person who sneezes... even me. However, in recent consideration, it's kind of strange. Giving blessings to someone has sacred origins and now, any time someone spits and sprays snot into the air, we give them our sincerest blessings?! Now, I am all for doing what our culture considers polite; just read my blog about the importance of saying you're welcome. I do think it is equally important, though, to know why we are saying what we consider polite. 

The phrase "bless you" as a response to sneezing originated all the way back in the dark ages, when the plague ran rampant through Europe. As sneezing was a symptom of the plague, Pope Gregory I held the belief that blessing someone after they sneezed would protect them from further contracting the disease. Other accounts date the origins of the idiom back even further to ancient superstition. Whether it be one's own soul or an evil spirit exiting the body, pronouncing blessing was a way to protect the one who sneezed and everyone around him. No matter which origin story you think is more correct, I don't know anyone who says "bless you" with that much religious conviction.

If you look at other languages, some of their idiomatic phrases to the sneezing make a whole lot more sense. Here are a few ways other people respond to a sneeze along with their literal translations:

Gesundheit (Germany): "Health"

Salud (Chile): "Health"

Sănătate (Romania): "Good Health"

Viva (Portugal): "Live!"

Naz Drowie (Poland): "For health"

Afya (East Africa): "Health"

Obviously, there are some weirder idioms out there, similar to the ancient superstitions or based in cultural superstitions. "Health" makes sense, though. It seems like a casual "I hope you get better" if you are hoping they don't catch a cold or a "Stop sneezing on me when you might be sick" if you are addressing a person you don't know.  

All in all, its interesting to know the origins of such a common phrase and maybe to make fun of it a little bit, but such a common idiom is not likely to go away. If I said "Health!" to anyone that sneezed, I'd get a lot of funny looks and maybe a slap in the face if I kept doing it. Consider changing the normal up sometimes, though. Throw a "gesundheit" or a "salud" into the mix when someone is sneezing over and over again. It is important to be polite and give your well wishes to the nose-tickled, but still sometimes I will think about the strange ways superstition and religion still play a role in our everyday expressions. 

This week, I also published a performance video of True Colors over on my YouTube channel! It's great to be on Fall Break!