Cold this morning and very still after a restless, windy night. That's the pier, of course, and some gulls milling about. And though the holidays already seem like a lifetime ago, it's actually the 12th day of Christmas, which makes this little snippet fair game.

It's Gary Owens, gamely doing a cold reading of a holiday commercial and slowly, completely, losing it. (If that doesn't work, try this link and scroll to the last item.) Steve Padilla, my editor and cherished colleague on LA Now (hello everyone -- I miss you!) says it's a holiday tradition at his house to play it.

Years later when Steve's wife, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, was interviewing Owens, she brought up this clip. She barely got her question out before Owens cracked up all over again. Steve shared this with me so now, in the spirit of the last day of Christmas, I'm sharing it with you.