entertainment Archives

Tiger Woods and Billy Payne

Yesterday marked the opening of the famed Masters golf tournament at Augusta National and, more precisely, the official return of Tiger Woods to the PGA Tour.

Augusta National is a beautiful slice of the American South, but for lovers of the game, it’s more than just a picturesque course. In fact, it’s been called golf’s Garden of Eden. “If there’s a golf course in heaven,” Gary Player once remarked, “I hope it’s like Augusta National.” But then he added dryly, “I just don’t want an early tee time.”

How four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods will ultimately fare against the competition is anyone’s guess.

Topics: Current Events Tags: entertainment, events, marriage, news, pop culture April 9, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Let’s Continue the Dialogue

I never cease to be amazed how God works.

By now it’s likely you know about our Super Bowl ad with Pam and Tim Tebow. But what you may not know is the genesis of the idea. In a way it snuck up on us in God’s perfect timing. I was completing some work in our video studio at Focus on the Family when one of our film team members, Mark Waters, tossed out an idea which he had been kicking around for a year.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: entertainment, events, pop culture, pro-life March 17, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Hooray for Hollywood

Looking for some good news out of Hollywood?

I was encouraged to read the other day about the actor Chris O’Donnell of NCIS: Los Angeles fame.The thirty-nine-year-old actor has been married to his college sweetheart, Caroline, for the last twelve years. They have five children, ranging in age from two through ten.

Chris recently said something that I can genuinely relate to. He told a reporter: “Family is my number one priority. I can’t handle being away that long .

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, pop culture March 16, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Super Bowl Ad Scores Super Stats

The other day a friend asked me, “Jim, was the Super Bowl ad really worth it?” Without question, absolutely yes! Even USA TODAY described our ad with Pam and Tim Tebow a “Touchdown!” The pre- and post-game response has been beyond our wildest dreams.

Take the mountain of “free media” leading up to game day and the on-going post-life presence in YouTube Land and other news sites. Our YouTube channel has already garnered 756,423 views of the in-game spot!

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, news February 10, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Some Super Bowl Stimulus

As I recently shared with our team here at Focus on the Family, who could have imagined the amount of interest we’d receive over our Super Bowl ad with Tim and Pam Tebow?

I’ve watched in amazement as a simple expression of “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life” has turned some in the media world and a few special interest groups on their heads. It’s fascinating!

One thing that has been clear to us all along has been the guiding hand of the Lord—from the spark of the idea to the firestorm of reaction, His presence has been steady and strong.

Topics: Focus Events Tags: entertainment, family, news, pop culture February 2, 2010 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

A Presidential Christmas Trivia

Okay, I’ll admit it’s the weekend after Christmas and I’m not quite ready to let go of the season. These unhurried days spent with my family are priceless. Of course there’s the food, the caroling, and the romping around in the Colorado snow that typifies this holiday break. But I also enjoy a good trivia game.

With that in mind, here’s a White House oriented, Christmas-themed trivia game just for fun.

Special thanks to historian David Barton for assembling his comprehensive “Christmas With the Presidents” from which these questions are derived.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment December 27, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Name That Christmas Carol – #2

Here’s a fun activity a friend sent to me that I originally posted several years ago. Once again, I thought you might enjoy using this game with the family over the Christmas holiday. The goal is to see who can identify the real song title from this list of twenty-one hints.

You could divide the guests or family members into two teams or simply make it every person for him or her self. Maybe sweeten the pot with a White Elephant gift for the person or team who gets the most correct answers.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment December 24, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Say It Ain’t So, Mr. President!

President Obama’s prime-time address from West Point tonight is big news, and understandably so. After months of intense speculation, he’ll be officially rolling out his revised strategy for the ongoing war in Afghanistan. Reports indicate that as many as 30,000 additional brave and courageous troops will be deployed to the volatile area.

It’s a serious subject and our president will likely deliver the news in somber fashion. Our prayers will follow these good men and women across the globe.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, events, faith, news December 1, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Halloween: Trick or Treat or Abstain?

Fans of comedian Jerry Seinfeld might remember his humorous recollection of Halloween. Growing up in Massapequa, Long Island, he remembers being admonished to never accept candy from a stranger. Although contrary to the “Get candy! Get Candy!” mantra running through his little brain, the warnings made sense, he said, until he was suddenly introduced to the October 31st holiday.

“You mean everyone we know is just giving away candy?” he asked incredulously. “What’s wrong with them?”

Many Christians, maybe even some of my readers, might ask the same question.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, family, kids, parenting October 28, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura

Sharpening My Saw

Have you heard the story about Luther and Jerry?

As the story goes, these two good old boys had a major disagreement which they couldn’t resolve. They figured the best way to settle the dispute was with a chainsaw—the winner would be the guy who fell the greatest number of trees on Jerry’s farm in eight hours. Given the fact that the heavily treed piece of property needed to be thinned out, the contest was a win-win situation in their minds.

Topics: Family and Home Tags: entertainment, faith, friendship October 16, 2009 by Jim Daly with Paul Batura