4th of July

Happy 4th of July This holiday always reminds me of the dog my family owned that hated the sound of fireworks. He got all nervous and jumpy; the only thing that calmed him down was turning on the TV. I identify with that long-gone pet. Tonight, around the time when fireworks are going off across America, TV Land will give us its holiday gift: a marathon of Roseanne episodes, beginning at 8 p.m. ET with the 1988 pilot episode. Like my old dog, I'm tempted to skip the fireworks and watch Roseanne.

At a time when the economy is tough, the tight-budget comedy of Roseanne -- love that moment when Roseanne tells Becky to bring home some of the food from her school's "food drive for poor people" -- is both timely and funny. (Also, trivia buffs note: the kid playing little DJ in this pilot episode is not Michael Fishman, but, for this ep only, Sal Barone.)

Hello and Happy Fourth of July, everybody. This weekend is a time to get together with family and friends, kick back, and enjoy a little time off. And I hope that's exactly what all of you do. But I also want to take a moment today to reflect on what I believe is the meaning of this distinctly American holiday. Today, we are called to remember not only the day our country was born - we are also called to remember the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible.