We were flipping channels yesterday while cooking up our big annual yum fest. And there was the Philadelphia dog show. I don't know about you, but "Best in Show" has to be one of my top ten movies of all time.

The real dog show is infinitely deeper, darker comedy. I was riveted, and laughing to the point of tears. I started snapping pictures of the tv screen.

"Sadie" the "charismatic" black Scottish Terrier won this year. The only dog ever, apparently to sweep all four Philadelphia area shows in the "cluster." This little Sadie is now top dog, ranked #1 in AMERICA.

I just loved the one-armed judge whose tuxedo's right arm had been closed off and sewn shut.

And just like the movie, the lady judge was brutal with examining every crack and crevice of these pups' anatomies.

As the camera tracked past the dogs in each category, my eyes kept wandering to the outfits of the handlers. There were woefully outdated and scuffed and dried out men's shoes. Tacky gym socks with those beige ‘easy comfort' striders, panty hose and a tan suit. The dogs were primped shampooed and plucked pulled, mercilessly pinched into perfection, but their handlers got lost somewhere in an eighties thrift store.

(not sure what the inside scoop was here)

I imagine the wardrobe budget is pretty tight, after all, the dogs are the ones who are supposed to shine. And these people are probably not in it for the money.

Christopher Guest must have thought he died and went to heaven when he started mining this world for its riches.

(nice coke placement)

I kept wondering what the people were taking in and out of their mouths.

With all that training and handling, why did they have to keep bribing these prima donna dogs with treats? And really, with all this flu stuff going around, is it a good idea to be sharing raw hide chews with someone who is probably licking their own bum a fair amount?

Anyway. I, of course, because I may have BEEN a golden retriever in another life was partial to… the golden retriever. But also was pulling heavily for the chunky love black lab named Riley. (my dog "Rex" rest in peace, was a black lab/ husky mix.)

I thought maybe he'd had too many bacon snacks, but apparently the breed is supposed to be that burly. "Hooty" the Norfolk terrier was wicked cute, "Lola" the beagle had me at first yelp, and my heart really did skip a beat for "Luke" the Rhodesian Ridgeback. What a hunk.

I started looking into some of the specs of the contenders on the internet. It is a complicated and fascinating world. And the language is just stunning.

Some of these dogs have quite a pedigree:
"Cabincreek Camelot Kodiac at Bluemountain" is listed...
call name: Kodi
Sex: Dog

And my favorite:
"Brookberry's Wish Come True, by ch Ghoststone Nipntuck Dressed to Impress – ch Camelot's Je T'adore
Are those the dog's parents?? It just sounds so romantic.

Not sure if this is a breed yet in the manuals, but he looks about how we felt at the end of the day. Happy Thanksgiving.

seconds anyone?