Ryan’s First Ever 2017 Celebrity Award List (CAL)

Over the past few months, I’ve been noting celebrities that move me in some way this year. It started with a list of 10 then it became 18 then 27 then 33 then 41 then I thought I should draw the line somewhere. What I’ve learned from putting this list together is that I tend to enjoy people who make me laugh, deliver political points, actresses in the age 30- 45 range, and bro-mances. I also like celebrities that kind of fly under the radar. 

Here are people who did not make the list, reality TV reality stars, sexual abusers, and surprisingly novelists, I say sorry Jeff Probst, Ben Affleck and Mitch Album. All are very talented people. With that being said, be ready to debate my choices of:

50. Oprah – There was a time that she was not only my secret cougar crush but could have also been in my Top 10 C.A.L.  Although I couldn’t name a single show on her hard to find television network, she still remains relevant because her network is suddenly realizing a viewership boom. Plus, Oprah is always redefining herself. She now pedals this incredibly delicious soup line called “O So Good!” Clever and delicious…both the soup and Oprah.

49. Michael Chicklis – Once again an odd choice for my list since he hasn’t been seen or heard from in over a year. The star of every failed network comedy between 2005-2010 did see his career resurgence in “Gotham.” He also starred a large stone-like creature in the Fantastic Four movies but his best roles were in the old FX show, “The Shield” and as the beloved Police Commissioner in “The Commish.” I have nominated him in my C.A.L  as a sentimental choice as I continually pine for a comeback for “The Commish."

48. Kayleigh McEnany- This is very painful to say but I find her to be very entertaining in the reality television network called “Fox News.” I cannot think of single political point that I agree with her upon but I admire the way she can constantly take a pile of poo and make it appear like roses. I am not being sarcastic; her constant spinning on the current presidential administration is captivating, spell-binding, and masterful. Once again, I do NOT agree with anything she says but there are a lot of Americans who do and that’s what matters. She is a brilliant communicator and as outlandish as her views may be, she expresses herself in a semi-charming endearing way that makes me wish she was on my side.

47. Angela Rye – She has the same job as Kayleigh but on a network with real journalists. Ryes delivery and positions are vastly different then the aforementioned Kayleigh.  Ryes style is very direct, strong and often earns her the angst from nit-wit twitter followers. She is is extremely poignant on matters of political fairness and race. She is also one of the best commentators on handling tough rebuttals. She puts people in their place. She is a truth-dealer.

46. Jose Altuve is the “Rudy” of baseball. He is short and overlooked. Yet he was one of the top 5 players in the league this year and led Houston to their 1^st ever World Series. It’s been a great year for Altuve, my new favorite baseball player (who is not a Phillie).

45. Katy Tur- She is a rising star at NBC News. That is her reward for her 2016 assignment of following The Donald around at his angry rallies and sometimes becoming his verbal punching bags. Her wit and insightful reporting undoubtedly landed her a chair hosting the mid-day news on MSNBC. She also wrote a highly-acclaimed book about her experiences on the road with The Donald. She also got married this year and it wasn’t to Keith Olbermann (who she dated back in the day).  I should mention one other thing. She hilariously delivers her news and sublimely drops in lines to Phish song lyrics and titles. Even though I don’t follow the band, I found the exchanges hilarious. Go Google Katy Tur/ Phish references.

44. Nicolle Wallace- This former aide to the McCain/ Palin campaign is extremely refreshing. She has somehow been able to maintain her conservative values but not let it compromise her American values. She is now anchoring mid-afternoon shifts on MSNBC. She comes across as informed, composed, and insightful. Also delivers stories of her time in the White House as the Com Director and how this role has greatly changed recently.

43. Kelly Clarkson- This American Idol alum has been able to take her 15 minutes of fame and turn it into 15 years of fame. The reason being is she is simply talented. She also presents herself in a very humble way and it makes it very easy to cheer on her career.

42. Kevin Hart – He and I went to high school together. We were the top 2 funniest guys at George Washington High School (GWHS). Technically one of us was the funniest guy at school the other was named Kevin Hart. The truth is we never knew each other. Actually, I didn’t even know he went to GWHS till he made it big in Hollywood. It’s actually the running joke with the alum of our high school. Other then the guys who played on the basketball team with him, no one knew him…Everyone knows him now. The man is flat out comedy gold and his career has been propelling the last 5-10 years. I do not see it slowing down anytime soon. He is the modern day Eddie Murphy.

41. Ben Simmons was thankfully drafted by the Philadelphia Sixers in 2016 by Bryan Colangelo. Although he missed last season with an injury, he is proving to be an incredible player to watch every night. As a Sixers fan I am extremely entertained by his play (even though there are obvious rookie flaws that need correcting). I’m excited that we have a new superstar in the city. Truthfully, Simmons spot of my list could have easily gone to Embiid, who is probably a bigger personality and better player but will have a far shorter career. I also could have chosen Carson Wentz of the Eagles or Rhys Hoskins of the Phillies. We are lucky to now have some young stars in this town and they are now becoming national stars.

40. Rosie O’Donnell – Yes I am out of my mind. I like comedians and as much of a ribbing Rosie O’Donnell gets, she is actually pretty talented. She is now getting older and redefining herself. Her latest project, “Smilf” shows a more serious acting side, which is pretty underrated.

39. Marvin Lee Aday (MEATLOAF). Meat is still out there putting on shows. They are no longer concerts because his voice is shot and he is getting old. I put him on my 2017 list because I’ve seen him in concert 4X and I’m pretty certain he will die on stage in 2018. I’m covering my CYA because I love this man and his songbook.

38. Marshall Mathers III (Eminem) – The man is in his mid-40’s and still rapping…and doing it well. Here is the thing, I do not care much for rap music but for some reason, I am always sucked into his music. I can’t explain why but his lyrics, style and passion gets my attention every time.

37. Sterling K. Brown - is perhaps my new favorite actor of 2017. There is no other way to say this but I find his performances on “This is Us” absolutely moving.  He has done other stuff in the past like the OJ Simpson Docu-Series but his character on “This is Us” is incredibly masterful in many ways.

36. Brie Larson, 35. Rachel McAdams, 34. Anna Kendrick- Ryan’s trifecta of female awesomeness. These women are all incredible actresses under the age of 40. Yes, they are all nice on the eyes but what I love most about each of them is that they are all award-worthy actresses and you never hear stories about them causing controversy. It seems like each of them keep a low public profile but explode with talent in each of the roles they play. Much respect.

33. Charles Barkley- He will always be on my list somewhere. I find him to be incredibly interesting and a culture icon. I think his stardom goes beyond being a former All-Star NBA player and a TV basketball analyst. Barkley is refreshingly blunt. He holds no apologies or punches. I would be lying if I didn’t mention his influence with the black community of Alabama in keeping Roy Moore from being a Senator. You can say that he didn’t influence the election if you want but Doug Jones won by 1.5% points and 95% of Black people for voted for Doug Jones. If 85% of the black community voted for Doug Jones, the result would be a lot different. What I like most about Barkley is he is very relevant without having a social media platform. Sometimes you just need to get yourself out there.

32. Erica Hill - She is one of my favorite national broadcasters and I can’t put my finger on why. She began at CNN on the Anderson Cooper show. She then moved around to the CBS Morning show then to the Today Show (Weekend) but has landed a new gig in 2017 with “On the Story” on HLN. There is a subtle yet charismatic way she delivers the news that I really appreciate.

31. Al Michaels – I will just come out and say that Al Michaels is one of the top 5 sports announcers of all-time and nobody calls football games better than him. He rarely makes mistakes in the game; he is very well-prepared and has very good chemistry with Chris Collinsworth. Let’s not forget the many years he did hockey games, baseball games and the Olympics too. I should mention that he had a few missteps this year that knocked him down on the list. He is aging, slowing down and cutting back on games. At age 73, I would not be surprised if he retired soon. He also got a DUI this year, which is not great for public image. He also made an off-color remark about Harvey Weinstein during a Sunday Night Football game. This did not go over well with many people.

30. Jason Alexander - He will always make my list because I think he is a super-talented guy who is often remembered for one signature role (George Costanza). Albeit he was amazing in Seinfeld, people don’t recognize the magnitude of his talent. He is Tony-Award winner, not to mention a director and of course and actor in over 40 films. I once saw him in LA in a production of “The Producers” which was off the charts amazing

29. Penatonix- I cheated and fully recognize the accapella group Penatonix consists of 5 tremendous vocalists. However when they sing, it’s as if they are one.  They are incredibly enjoyable to listen to and absolutely mesmerizing to watch. I feel like I’m hypnotically transfixed into their pitch perfect harmonies.

28. Jake Tapper –Jake Tapper calls people out on his show. It’s not that he is showing his liberal colors. I think it just comes out that way because the newsmakers think that negative press is liberalism. I truly believe that Jake Tapper is trying to be objective like many of his colleagues but his profession and objectivity has been called “fake” and it’s insulting. Somehow Jake tries to keep his journalistic integrity and keeps asking the tough questions. He realizes that an apple is just an apple…everything else is a distraction.

27. Jon Oliver- His show may only be 30 minutes but it packs a big punch. It’s not only clever but it is heavily researched and feels like a satirical capstone presentation. I feel like I’m learning, laughing but also depressed on the news and facts he unearths. What I love about his program “Last Week Tonight” is that his material is shared and clipped on a myriad of news sites the following morning.

26. Howard Stern- He is now a trailblazer now years into a revolutionary radio career that somehow has stayed fresh, relevant and entertaining without missing a beat.  Personally, I find it amazing that he has largely stayed away from politics in a volatile 2017 year. He does offer commentary on many current event stories, which are surprising thoughtful and insightful for a guy who is known to be a crude radio entertainer. Perhaps the hallmark of Howards radio show is his legendary interviews. Clearly he has an advantage over any late night host or TV personality as Stern has the time to dive deep into the celebrities he interviews often allowing them to let down their guards.

25. Larry David – One of the greatest comedy writers of our generation has made a comeback this year with another season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”  The season was absolutely brilliant. David also had another appearance as SNL host. The only thing that can keep his career going stronger is if Bernie Sanders does anything newsworthy.

24. Bruce Springsteen – I am a fraud. As many of you know, I never owned a Springsteen album nor have I attended a conference but I do know greatness when I see it. Springsteen has transcended generations. He is one of a handful of musicians that is admired by children, their parents and grandparents alike. Springsteen made his Broadway debut this year and the reviews have been amazing. It’s a unique and intimate story-telling of his music.

23. Lady Gaga- While on the subject of music, I must recognize the talents of Lady Gaga. She is still selling out stadiums and creating great evenings for fathers and their teenage daughters. Gaga has also had a great social and cultural awareness that makes her more compelling and worth paying attention too.

22. Jonah Hill- He is always a mainstay for my list. The only criticism I have for him is, dude put some weight back on. The charm of Jonah was his pudginess. Yes, he lost some weight for his more serious roles but he has taken it to new levels. The man is an unhealthy kind of thin but it does not ruin my admiration or bromance. One of the things about his talent is range. The man can go from “Sausage Party” to “War Dogs” in less than a year.

21. George Clooney – While I’m on the topic of bromances, Clooney to me is an older more handsome Jonah Hill. Allow me to clarify. He can act in any genre but has done it for a longer period of time as Hill. You must also give Clooney props. The man vows to never get married then it happens at age 53. Then this year at age 56, he becomes the father of twins. Suffice to say, he has his hands full for a while. I’m almost 40 expecting my 2^nd and I’m exhausted. I’m not sure how he pulls it off at his age.

20. David Gergen – I consider this man the godfather of American politics. No side can claim him as their go-to guy because he has served for presidents in both political parties. What’s great about Gergen is his forthright and matter-of-fact view through unfiltered political bias.

19. Marc Cuban- I’ve always be keen of the way Cuban has leveraged his personality as an unconventional business man. He is still like every-man, a huge sport fanatic but with the extra money to be an owner. I watch him behind the Mavs bench and I want to be him. Yes, I do appreciate some of his candor on the political front and yes, I believe he may take on Trump in a GOP primary in May, 2020. He is one to watch.

18. Andrew Lloyd Webber – I still love the modern day musical and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber is still the greatest that ever lived and he isn’t even 70 yet. His latest musical “School of Rock” is another Broadway hit. Of course I favor his first ever show “Joseph…” because I performed it 12 years ago and met my wife. As musicality goes, I think “Whistle Down the Wind” is one of his finest works. Whatever your choice is, Lloyd Webber is the greatest at his craft.

17. Neil Simon – The comedy legend has theaters named after him and he isn’t even dead yet. The fact that he is 90 and still alive is enough to make it on my list. He has written anything in over 25 years. However, with the Brighton Beach trilogy alone, he is still making a fortune in royalties. My favorites are “Laughter on the 23^rd Floor” and “The Odd Couple” they all bring me to tears of laughter.

16. Gabby Giffords- She is on my list because of what she stands for. She is a person who has spent her political career defending the 2^nd amendment and even when a bullet ripped through her head, she still defends that same right but WITH A STRONGER position on responsible/ secure gun ownership principles. Her courage and INSANE recovery over the last 7 years is something worth paying attention too. Maybe we should pay more attention to those who are most effected by bad policies.

15. Mike Emrick- I am NOT the biggest of hockey fans but it must be said, Mike Emrick is the greatest living SPORTS announcer of any kind. No debate, no wavering and no one else that’s even in his stratosphere. This is remarkable statement because there are a lot of great sports broadcasters working today.

14- Mark Zuckerberg – Without the evolution of Facebook, I would not have the forum to spew my angst, achievements, triumphs and tribulations of life. Facebook is literally one of the greatest inventions in life. Besides the utter non-sense it generates, we must also recognize how it galvanizes people, reunites old acquaintances and serves as a great way to get recommendations.

13 - 10. Whitney Cummings, Kate McKinnon, Amy Schumer, Tina Fey- It’s not intentional these women are lumped together but I am a huge fan of funny women. These four actresses are not only bracingly brilliant funny women but are also great performers, actresses and writers. They are in my opinion the epitome of female comedic gold. I do love my wife but I always thought in my next life, I would find an insanely funny, witty comic as my next wife.

9. Debra Messing – I may be slightly infatuated with this ginger genius but I truly do love her talents. I am not a huge “Will and Grace” fan but I am a huge Debra Messing in “Will and Grace” fan. She is just so entertaining to watch in everything she does even the Garfield movie. She was also terrific in “Dirty Dancing” this year. I support my fellow tribe members but I also support those celebrities who speak out on major American crises like the Donald. Brava Deb!! I can call her Deb because we are on that kind of level.

8. John McCain- He a true American Hero. Yes he made a big difference with the healthcare vote and it took courage but in reality, he would have still made my list either way. The reason is because he votes with conviction. Yes, he is a maverick who may vote most of the time with his conservative principles but he is also a guy who puts patriotism above politics. I saw his jumpsuit in the Hao Lo prison in North Vietnam when I visited in 2010. I was also particularly moved when I learned he would not accept his prisoner release until the American soldiers captured before him were let go. The man was beaten so hard that he can no longer lift his arms above his head. When politicians speak about war, he is the only one who can speak from experience. He is now stricken with brain cancer and will likely not live past 2018. I wanted to share that he is one of my top politicians of all time.

7. Joe Biden- Speaking of courage- Joe tragically lost his wife and daughter in a car accident 5 weeks after being the 5^th youngest elected Senator in the history of America (age 30) circa 1970’s. He took his oath and commuted from DC to Delaware every day so that he can be with his two sons, who were also injured in the wreck. Biden served in the Senate for 36 years until he became our VP. I admire the guy immensely because he is the closest thing to a relatable human in federal office we ever had. He is a man who remembers where he came from and was perhaps one of the least wealthy politicians we ever had. Mainly because he did not come from wealth or build wealth working in the private sector. Tragedy struck again in 2015 when his 46-year-old son, Beau, died of brain cancer. Do I feel bad that Joe never ran for president in 2016? He ran twice before and lost each time. Even if he ran again and beat Hillary in 2016, he would have got crushed by Trump, since the race was far less about substance and more about diversionary tactics. It does not change my view. I love this man. I just bought his book about his son and I’m proud of his service in politics. He was and still is highly regarded in each political party.

6. Barrack Obama – This is also a slam dunk. One may ask, "What has he done in 2017?" My retort would be, he stayed above the fray every-time Captain Cheetos told a lie. No, Obama did not wiretap anyone. No, Obama did not play golf as much as the current guy in office, No, Obama did not ruin our relations with foreign leaders, No, the economy got much better with Obama not worse. Despite the lies, he has remained on the sidelines, and will hopefully be  ready to toss some snowballs when the current administration comes falling down in 2018.

5. LeBron James- It still makes me laugh when people try to compare him to other players. In my generation there has been no player as dominate as him. Back in the 80’s and 90’s I revered guys like Bird, Dr. J, MJ, Magic, Malone, Drexler, Iverson, Duncan, Kobe, Shaq and many others. All are incredible players in their own right. LeBron has a solid 7-8 seasons left in his career and has already surpassed all of those guys in greatness. He, alone, adds at least 25 wins for any team.  He has appeared in 7 straight NBA Finals. Without LBJ, the Cavs are a 25-30 win team. What I like most about LeBron is his appreciation for the guys who played the game before him. In a day where we see players get in trouble for violence, drugs and generally be poor “locker-room” guys, he does everything the right way. Sure some people will rip him for announcing his free agency destination in June, 2010 but he did come back to the Cavs and win a championship for them and I can’t wait for him to do the same for the Sixers…one day.

4. Alec Baldwin- Nobody had a bigger year than Baldwin. Yea, he made a few vanity movies  and hosted hokey network game shows to support his growing family but the one thing he will always be remembered for in 2016 (and perhaps next year too) is his spot-on Trump impressions. They are not only savvy, witty and funny but it’s unfortunate at the same time as the content in his performances on SNL are almost realistic. Sometimes we still need to remember that he is a multi-award Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild winner plus an Academy Award nominee. The guy is super-talented and so maybe his spot-on Trump impression should not surprise us.

3. Billy Joel- Yes, I did see him in concert once…it wasn’t enough times. His songbook is so recognizable. He is the modern day version of the Beatles and he is not slowing down. At age 68, he is still having babies (hopefully future piano players) and he is still selling out stadiums across America.

2. Seth McFarlane- This man being at number 2 may surprise many of you but I think he is the most under-rated celebrity out there. Part of it is because most of his success is behind the scenes. He is the comedy genius behind many of the adult animated series (Ala “The Family Guy) but he is also a terrific director, actor, activist and singer. He has various musical albums and is a surprisingly master crooner.  He is a multi-talented and intriguing guy. I still think most people are still recognizing his talents.

1. Jimmy Kimmel- This was a slam dunk. He will always be my number 1 pick because I discovered him in 1997, when he was hosting “Win Ben Stein’s Money.” I was a college sophomore and I looked at him and knew he’d be a big star. I kick myself every time when I should have chosen a career as a talent agent.  I just knew Kimmel should have his own talk show. A few years later came the hugely popular “Man Show.” Then his career took off when he was offered his own show on ABC, “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” I went to a live taping in his first year and I find him to be absolutely hysterical.  The ratings indicate that others feel the same. The thing that sets him apart is that he uses his late night pulpit to offer poignant AMERICAN stances. Here is the important thing to know, he does it in a funny, witty and non-antagonistic approach. He simplifies things in a human way, “I had a baby, he is sick, why can’t we fix healthcare.” Or “Guns are dangerous. 60 people got shot down. Perhaps we can fix this problem.” It’s not about political sides but human-sides. Yes, he jokes about Trump but does it in a way where he just wants the Trump to do the right thing. The other thing I like about Kimmel is that he lets us into his world. He peels back the curtain. Joe Biden is to politics as Jimmy Kimmel is to late night TV. He is a guy you can just root for because you genuinely believe that his TV personality is the same as his not-on-tv personality. There is something genuine and joyful about Jimmy Kimmel.

20 honorable mentions in no particular order: Neil Patrick Harris, Ty Burrell, Michael Smerconish, Savanah Guthrie, Ariana Grande, Killer Mike, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Bob Costas, Ben Folds, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert, Pete Davidson, Pink, Bob Saget, Prince harry, Adam Sandler, Tom Hanks, Michael Moore, Seth Rogan,  Lin Manuel Miranda

I WAS WRONG ON EMBIID

Now the Sixers season is halfway over, I can now assess or reassess the many things that I have said about them over the last few years. I have not been shy about my opinions. As a lifelong fan and emotional stakeholder of this team, I felt it was important to express my views about their “process” or what I believed their lack thereof.  More specifically, I had very unfavorable feelings about the pick of Joel Embiid in 2014 and even stronger feelings about Sam Hinkie as the GM. So I wish to address both of these issues.

Regarding Joel Embiid. My unfavorable view of him stemmed from some actual and factual things that occurred in his basketball life. For starters, he did not pick up a basketball until he was 16-years-old. By the time he turned 21-years-old, he had three major surgeries one on his vascular bone and two others on his right foot. To compound these facts, the much-hyped Kansas Freshman played 20 games of competitive basketball, where he was just “ok.” I simply don’t know what other data I was supposed to see to make me feel like he was worth the third pick in the NBA draft. If we want to be honest with ourselves, he was not Hinkie’s ideal choice either but that’s a story for another time.

But here we are on January, 20^th and the only thing more miraculous then Embiids early season success is that on the same day I write this blog a moron with no political experience that once had a mediocre realty TV show is now our US President. Being a man of my word, I owe it to myself to Eibiid master scouts: Joshua Stein, Jarad Benn, Alan Cohen and the die-hards who somehow could see what I couldn’t. I was wrong about Joel Embiid. He has surprised me more than any other athlete of my generation. Besides his shear power and dominance, the man can also shoot clutch free throws and hit a three.  I admit that I still hold some trepidation with the fact he only plays in 2/3 of the games and is limited to 28-30 minutes on the bum foot. He is as fragile beast. However, if he never played another game for the rest of his career, he has still already surpassed my expectations 20-fold. I could be the contrarian and find a way to say ‘hey Its only been 20 some games for the young guy” but even a fool can see that Joel Embiid is a stud and has bought some basketball respectability back to this town.

I would also like to add that I am humored by his tweets, his funny post-game interviews, his love for Shirley Temples and even his self-proclaimed nickname “The Process.” The team really needs his talent but having a fun guy that keeps the mood light is a bonus.

Let me say this one more time. Joel Embiid has proven me wrong. He is good. e is very good. He is almost as good as Andrew Wiggins. Who by the way plays shooting guard and would have us further along in the process right now. He would have been available for us to pick at number at #1 but our team won too many games because our GM was terrible.

My feelings for Sam Hinkie remain unchanged. He was a subpar GM and continues to be jobless in the NBA. Unlike Embiid, there is nothing more to be seen that can lead me to believe that Hinkie “died for our sins.” There are few players and quality trades, which he can hang his hat on to but generally speaking, he was a terrible GM that was always pushing the “process” to the next year. We can say the process worked because no one can define what the process was anyway. Was it a 1-2 year program that most NBA teams take or was an endless program that Hinkie was hoping for?

He was run out of town by NBA executives embarrassed by his prolonged “process” and I do sincerely believe that what he did in almost three years +of GM work could have been accomplished more successfully and more quickly by a more qualified basketball executive. I am so grateful that Brian Coangelo has come to town to attempt to land this proverbial plane.  I will not go as far as to say that Coangelo is the messiah who will bring this team a championship but he is few notches about Sam Hinkie. Actually, many are.

I guess my biggest disappointment in the performance of Sam Hinkie is that “The Process” never had a conclusion. I truly believe that if he were still our GM today, the procurement of bad contracts for 2^nd round future picks would continually be happening, while the “Sons of Sam” salivate over the endless trail of draft picks that lead to nothing more then more traded draft picks. Sam Hinkie was hired in May, 2013. It has been almost 4 years and here is what we got to show for three losing seasons:

1.       One borderline all-star who plays in 66% of our games

2.       One POTENTIAL all-star in Simmons. For the record we shouldn’t consider him great until he actually plays but I do feel more comfortable in his ability since there is a track record of him.

Am I excited about the Sixers? Hell yeah. They just won 8 of their last 10 games. But I ask this question again? What was this all about anyway? Because right now we have a team that’s borderline playoffs and if we are being honest, we are at least 2 more years of being a championship caliber team. I can’t deny there is buzz and excitement about the team but where was this buzz in 2014 and 2015. My point is this took way too long and we are only partially there. There were too many missteps along the way and Hinkie-Christ had no concept of drafting a balanced team (See big man logjam).

To say “Die for our sins” is simply stupid. I just wanted to thank the NBA for pushing the Sixers to get rid of Sam Hinkie so that this “PROCESS” can finally begin.