Umbrella Video Goes Viral and Brolly Blog Had to Read It in the Newspaper

Finally, umbrellas make it into the gossip columns! After sneaking into movies, songs, literature, and luring the consumer dollar, umbrellas are in the big time--a viral video! According to a story "Fox host's umbrella factor" from The Reliable Source in the Washington Post on December 9, 2011, "On Wednesday night, Bill O’Reilly shoved a camera-wielding man with his umbrella while on his way to a White House holiday party." More importantly, this was caught on film and "Within hours, it was all on YouTube, fodder for his critics across the Web."



So, we have had stories about using umbrellas as weapons, but now we have it captured and reported:

“Leave me alone right now,” warned O’Reilly. [Brendan] Lane [a paid organizer for Wisconsin Jobs Now] asked, “Mr. O’Reilly, were you at Gingrich’s fundraiser?” He wasn’t, it turns out — but that’s when O’Reilly knocked Lane into the street with his umbrella and taunted, “Hey, sorry about that.”

Amusingly, while I don't believe 60,000 some hits is really "going viral" it is better than Brolly Blog ever does! Also, we read that O'Reilly did have to reach into the fictional character umbrella-holding bag afterwards on his show:

But on Thursday night's “The O'Reilly Factor,” he said that he felt threatened by Lane and wanted to call the police because “I thought the guy was out of control.” O’Reilly said he “felt like the Penguin in the ‘Batman’ show . . . shielding myself with an umbrella. And I'm lucky I had it — otherwise I would have punched the guy, and I would have been arrested.”

WOW BATMAN! POW!

[Aside: For those who followed the Washington Post link above, they might have noticed that the headline is the much more boring "Bill O’Reilly: Latest target of video activism." This is the result of search optimization dumbing down our language, so where amusing (or not) puns can still live in print, they die on the Internet!]

Papparazi on the Prowl: Umbrella Protects Suri Cruise from Snow

Many things are important in this world, but when East Coast is buried in snow and you check Google News for umbrella updates and find 50 links to stories and photos of Suri Cruise showing off her latest umbrella . . . well, things just don't jive. But, if you are a fan of cuteness, it is out there for you. So we have Hello Magazine: "The world's a more exciting place when it snows – especially when the weather gives you the chance to show off your new umbrella." and the Daily Mail tells us: "With a choice of two umbrellas to shelter her from the heavy flurry, Suri opted for her Walt Disney Princesses one, which she proudly showed off to the doorman."

So, what was her other choice? Maybe she still has her Lady Bug umbrella (thank you again,Daily Mail) from 2008?

In Memoriam: Michael Jackson and Umbrellas

There are lots of directions to go in presenting Michael Jackson's association with brollies, but what better than the Daily Mail's discussion of a Michael Jackson shopping trip: "Despite the obvious lack of rain or sunshine in the building, Jackson occasionally dipped under the shade of the umbrella, although what he was sheltering from exactly was anyone's guess."

On the other hand, another fan has married images of Michael and umbrellas with Rihanna's own Umbrella:

Umbrellas and the Fab Four

This image was posted on a weather blog with the caption that "The Liverpool lads knew a thing or two about rain…" and linking to a You Tube video that was part of a '60s promotional video for The Beatles, with nary an umbrella in sight. So, of course, the question becomes what else can you do linking the Fab Four with umbrellas. Well, here is a start--Ringo holding an umbrella while the rest sing "Help!"

A Reverse: Celebrity as Umbrella Holder

In an amusing reversal of the theme of umbrella holders for celebrities, a Japanese cell phone company has decided to use Brad Pitt as the umbrella holder. JustJared has more pictures for you and plenty of comments on Brad and his imaginary role as a sumo wrestler's bodyguard.

The Deductible Umbrella?: Umbrellas for Charity

According to an article in the East Valley Tribune, what started as a charity umbrella auction in conjunction with a local theater's production of "Singin' in the Rain" turned into a national fundraising effort on behalf of a set of conjoined twins. "Umbrellas dotted with signatures from the likes of Hugh Jackman, Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon lined the lobby of Mesa's Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre" in advance of an auction being held at the theater and online on eBay.

Woody Allen Redux: Having Someone Else Hold an Umbrella over You

Continuing on the random Woody Allen search brings us to an interesting issue about umbrellas: having someone else protect you with an umbrella. In this instance Woody Allen is just one of 16 celebrities captured in umbrella-assisted mode. While some folks consider this aspect of celebrity as absurd--see PerezHilton giving it to Hugh Jackman ("diva") when similarly captured--it is worth exploring broader issues about this practice.

Taking an inital stab at this, in random fashion, first it is good to know that under the laws of family purity, a husband CAN "hold an open umbrella over her to protect her from the rain." What about if you aren't married? One blogger of the dating ritual writes about "the umbrella problem": "I consider sharing my umbrella as an act of proximity. Only people who are close to me can come under it with me."

Then there are the etiquette issues: Melissa Kirsch's The Bumbershoot Manifesto says that, among other things: "It is good manners to shelter unfortunate fellow pedestrian" and that "Taller people must raise their umbrellas over those of shorter people."

More to mine!

Andy Rooney: That "Unimportant" Invention--The Umbrella

So today there is no new umbrella news, so it is time to hit the archives. What better way to do so than Google random combinations. Today, for me, that was ["Woody Allen" umbrella]. Looks like I can build several days on this one. For a start, however, let me go with an Andy Rooney commentary from last summer about that minor invention.

Interestingly, in addition to his Woody Allen citing/sighting, he brings up the Queen, too: "No one is so important that they don't get wet when it rains. Everyone resorts to an umbrella: George Bush, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Woody Allen, Michael Jackson, or even the Rev. Al Sharpton gets wet when it rains."

I also appreciate his mourning about the inventor: "...it seems wrong that we don't know the name of the person who came up with the idea for the umbrella."

Post-Oscars: Stars with Umbrellas

Having picked to go with Rihanna yesterday, I had to save for today Oddly Enough's plea for photos of stars under umbrellas. So, here are four of last night's best actress nominees:

Kate Winslet and Meryl Streep



Angelina Jolie



Anne Hathaway



***

And the winner is:

Thank you Daily Mail: