After seeing his interview on Oprah, I was excited to see Tony Danza's newest project, a documentary called Teach airing on A & E that premiered tonight. The show follows Danza as he lives out his former "dream" of working as a teacher. He's teaching 10th grade English at a huge, urban school in Philadelphia and walks in with no experience whatsoever. I've been teaching for a while now, and while I don't feel the anxiety and overwhelming inadequacy to the extent he did on tonight's episode, I will agree that it's a challenging job that many people think they can do but very few can do well. He's got enthusiasm and an earnest desire to connect with the kids, and I will look forward to watching how his year progresses.
I grew up watching Who's the Boss? with my sisters, and I always smile when I hear Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" and think of Lane and her best friend Wylie amending the line "Hold me closer, tiny dancer" to "Hold me closer, Tony Danza." Lane told me about a dream she had a couple of years ago where I was in a dressing room trying on crocheted, poncho style wedding gowns while she tried to piece together this dramatic turn of events, questioning me about leaving Ryan and going for wedding number two. She said I finally pulled the fitting room curtain away with a huff, peeked my head out and said, "Lane. I'm marrying Tony Danza," in such a way as to suggest no further explanation should be necessary.
The kids were pretty tough on him in the first episode of Teach. None of them really even knew who he was, and they were mostly kind and polite to him and interested, but in their interviews they expressed their doubt that he could teach them anything. I think they missed out on a classic sitcom all those years ago, and I nostalgically wish Mr. Danza luck at NEHS. 
3 comments:
Thanks for the sweet comments, I look forward to hearing from you. I passed by your house last week going to a yard sale and love your front porch. No wonder someone wants to buy it. It would be hard for you to duplicate that house but you are like me and love the challenge of redecorating. I love my little house and the quiet location, you need to come see it sometime.
hayley - very interesting - i hadn't heard about this show. and may i have an invitation to the wedding...i just have to see that poncho style dress?!?
I didn't know about this show either, but now I'll have to check it out. :) I loved (and still do) Who's the Boss and try to catch the reruns when I can. And you don't know how hard I laughed when I read your line about "Hold me closer Tony Danza" because I still sing that line when I hear that song. Too funny!!!
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