THE TINKERIN' TENOR

Only Luv Can Make You A Player.

2012-02-03T13:02:00.002-05:00

Well a lot has happened in life since my last post.

But short of giving you all a lengthy update on life, for now I'll just post Madonna's new crazy music video and save the real blogging for later. This is a hilarious music video...the last thing I ever thought I'd say about one of her videos!

She'll be performing this at the Super Bowl on Sunday, along with three other "old" songs. Don't know if that means classic hits like "Like A Virgin" or more recent oldies like "4 Minutes." Chances are good she'll do "Vogue" though. Fascinating stuff, I know. Even more fascinating is her surprisingly fun repartee with all the folks at the NFL:

So yeah that's about it for now! In a few days I'm sure those last two links won't work anymore. Or maybe they will. Only time will tell.

Rosie is cute sometimes...

2011-10-28T13:44:00.000-04:00

This post was supposed to have been published like, i dunno, four years ago or something. The date on the original was December 11th, 2007. For some reason the post never got published, and stayed buried for years as a "draft." Now it will finally see the light of day. Too bad it isn't more interesting!

---

This is an embed from Rosie O'Donnell's blog. Usually she talks for like, extended periods of time and gets kinda political. If you're into her politics then it's cool, but if not then...it's not. Anyway, I thought this was a particularly tame and cute little nugget of Rosie-dom for you all to see and remember she exists and is not always the angry and/or misunderstood pundit she's recently appeared to be. We all have bad days and good days after all.

Remember That One Time On The Beach...

2011-07-18T20:31:00.003-04:00

Well here we are, enjoying nature's splendor in lovely Naples, Florida. I have such fond memories of us coming here nearly five years ago when we were working at the Naples Dinner Theatre, and even more fond memories of coming to the beach quite often when my family lived in Pensacola, land of the powder-fine, white sand beaches.

It must be said that nothing compares to being able to swing by the beach to watch the sunset. Not even going to the movies, apparently, which had been the plan for tonight until we realized it had been too long since we'd come here.

Thanks for the beauty, God!

Back At The Theatre For "42nd Street"; and Feeling Great!

2011-07-16T19:58:00.004-04:00

There are really no words to properly express what a gift being involved with Jake's show has been.

For the past few weeks, I have been lucky enough to not only watch Jake work his butt off as Billy Lawlor, but to be running one of the spotlights on the weekend. What that means is that in-between my FIVE DAYS off per week looking for work online and posting to my blogs, I have something much more invigorating to do with my time. I've never really run spot before aside from one rather unsuccessful stint (literally ONE, as in for one performance) doing it in college - for the touring production of "Steel Pier" - during which I was repeatedly reminded by the very bored SM that I was following the wrong girl. At $6 an hour they couldn't really have expected much more from me. Besides, for that one night a random chorus girl in the back row got to dance in a superbright spotlight while the lead basically danced in the dark. I'm sure she really enjoyed it. ;)

Aside from having the chance to hone my neglected talents as a spot op, however, being involved with "42nd Street" at The Naples Players this summer has been an enormous blessing. I've felt privileged to watch as many young kids who'd never tapped before - and some big kids, too - learned the original choreography and polished it continuously until opening night, when the roar of the amazed and appreciative crowd erupted the second the first tap hit he floor.

One upon a time (5 years ago), I started work on a documentary about summer stock. The primary lesson of that experience, and the main thrust of the finished film, was that when someone is truly passionate about something, there is almost no limit to how much work they can put in to make it really special. Doing a "job" that reaps its own rewards is an amazing way to live a life.

Most people would never think of suffering blisters, bruises and the multitude of other ailments that constant rehearsal in a tap-heavy show can bring, because they don't have a deep passion and a love for theatre. But pouring your heart and soul into something you believe in - or even spending time around other people who are - can do wonders for inspiring and lifting a person up.When the curtain came up on Preview night, I felt like I was the one making my debut. When the exultant faces of the cast beamed during bows, I'd be lying if I said I didn't shed just a few tears.

So although I'm not actually in "42nd Street" insofar that I'm not onstage, I feel endlessly grateful for having volunteered to be on crew, because the experience has been deeply gratifying. I feel refreshed, inspired, exhilarated, YOUNG!

It's been a great gift for the soul.

PS - The curtain goes up in just over ten minutes, so break a leg, Jake Hanson, and thank you SO much for allowing me to be a part of this experience! I love you. ;-)

Ruminations on Blog-World

2011-07-14T12:41:00.002-04:00

This morning I continue my attempt to reaffirm what the point of this blog really is for me. I feel as though there is an obvious confluence of ideas and talents which I have to offer, and that a good idea is staring me in the face, and yet I can't seem to get it out there.

I have been writing to this blog now for nearly 4 years, the same amount of time Jake and I have been together! Actually my first proper post to the Blogger page was on October 9th, 2007, three days before our first date (we went to see "Across the Universe"). So after FOUR YEARS of blogging about random topics that interest me like theatre, television, film, music and tech, what has it all been for? I feel fairly certain that my friends and family have enjoyed keeping tabs on me that way from time to time. I also get something out of it, which is that putting thoughts and opinions down into words and putting them out into the ether for mass consumption can be good for the mind...and certainly the ego. But now I suppose what I'm looking for is a more mature form that this can take - a thesis, if you will, to guide my future blogging.

I'm still not sure what that would be, although I have a few ideas. A blog I started two years ago and quickly abandoned, "The Big Gay Sci-Fi Blog," seemed to have promise. It was all about sci-fi and gayness...and unfortunately there is less to talk about there than one might initially think. So I'm back to the drawing boards and hoping for clarity in my digital life. One thing I AM clear about, however, is that re-branding my blog as simply "tinkerTenor" is a dumb idea. It's been "The Tinkerin' Tenor" for four years now, for crying out loud. So I'm putting the "the" and the "in'" back.

My not-so-lofty goals for today (in reference to this blog) are to firm up the aesthetics a bit with different colors and a slightly modified backdrop, and to re-christen it back to its original name. Apart from that, most of my day will probably be spent reading or sitting in a corner somewhere and thinking really hard about what else to do...to my blog.

Gee - is there an audition coming up soon or something? ;)

New Layout, New Ideas

2011-07-13T17:28:00.000-04:00

The Artist Formerly Known as TTT

Well, new blog posts about...about a million different things...is well overdue. Just don't expect them all at once. I'm pacing myself.

I started to realize a few days ago that this blog, "The Tinkerin' Tenor," covers a huge gamut of my interests, and that that may be both a good and a not-so-good thing. So I've decided to take some steps to better organize my thoughts here, and in service of that end I've decided to merge my Madonna blog and my Sci-Fi blog into this blog, creating one big blog of all my interests in one place. Eventually I hope to refine the sort of content I create here, and figure out the purpose of it all.

In honor of the new design and the new outlook, I took a long hard look at the screen name I've been using for the past few years. "The Tinkerin' Tenor" comes from a Star Trek: Voyager episode entitled, "Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy." And that episode title was really a take on a classic spy novel entitled "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," by John le Carré, which has apparently been adapted for both radio and television, and will soon be given the silver screen treatment yet again in the UK. I suppose the main thrust of the title is clear, and in a way I am not unlike Voyager's Doctor in my attempts to be a digital jack-of-all-trades. I have a passion for video editing, blogging, video manipulation of all kinds, music, theatre, TV and all sorts of other such nonsense.

So after a lot of thought on the title, I realized that it really does suit me quite well, and I'll be happily keeping it. But to streamline things a bit and to more clearly pay homage to its original source, I'm shortening my online moniker from "The Tinkerin' Tenor" to simply, "Tinker Tenor." In a way that verb followed by an apostrophe always sounded a tad silly in my head anyway, so now perhaps people will think of me more as a tenor who is also, at times, a tinker...and not some weird tenor that is always "tinkerin'" away on something.

Soon I hope to further integrate the ambitions of the beautifully-designed but quickly-abandoned "Big Gay Sci-Fi Blog" from 2009, and to refine the look of this site. I have a lot of material with regard to music and writing and some pieces of my own which have never seen the light of day, and I'm thinking it may just be time to put them out there for all to see. So stay tuned, and I promise to keep updating as often as possible.

Cheerio, then!

YouTube Just Upgraded Me!

2011-06-27T13:40:00.004-04:00

Today I got notice from YouTube that I can upload videos longer than 15 minutes in length! That means that full-length videos of documentaries and other works I've produced in the past may finally find their way onto YouTube.

It's certainly good news, but up till now I've been hosting videos like that on my Vimeo page, and if I were to host my major projects on YouTube, I feel like I'd want a different user name than my general-use "TinkerinTenor" ID...but doing that would most likely mean I'd have to start at the beginning and only upload short videos. I suppose all this just boils down to the fact that form now on my VLOGs will be a lot more long-winded than they were before...let's hope not, though.

Nook "Simple" Touch - Video Demo of Highlighting Fail

2011-06-27T13:11:00.004-04:00

I know I mentioned this in my first post about the new Nook, but I thought perhaps I would post a video of the actual phenomenon here.

When highlighting large blocks of text that start at the top of the page, the Nook Touch sometimes (not always) misinterprets my touch input and behaves strangely, making the process nearly impossible. You'll notice in the video below, the first time I attempted to highlight the top paragraph there were no problems with highlighting, but instead I encountered a different bug altogether - rather than highlight the first word of the top paragraph the device turned back the page instead. That was slightly irritating, but not the bug I had intended to demonstrate. (My overall view of the touch interface thus far is that these sorts of bugs are first-generation-software-related.) On my second attempt to recreate the highlighting bug, I was successful...if "successful" is really the proper word for getting a device to fail.

Check out the two bugs here:

The only way to fix this is to change the font size or something and thereby get your Nook to re-paginate the offending paragraph so that it's not at the top.

It's my assumption that these bugs will be addressed in forthcoming software updates, and I very much hope that they are! This is an annoying bug that I'll need them to fix soon if I'm ever going to switch back to B&N for my eBook reading.

Anyway, Guggenheim...YouTube's CC Not Ready For Primetime (or daytime for that matter)

2011-06-23T15:54:00.001-04:00

So...today I was taking a look at my recent Plaid On Tour upload, and noticed the little "CC" icon along the bottom bar. I'd never tried to use the "automated closed captioning" service before, so I gave it a go.

Now in Google's defense, the concept of a computer using speech-recognition to accurately transcribe audio into text, LIVE, from often poorly-articulated YouTube videos is....optimistic at best. Probably an exercise in futility, actually, but I give them kudos for trying. Needless to say the experiment, thus far, has failed. I will admit I was initially impressed with the words that were properly transcribed, and it's quite possible that with further development and more carefully-spoken and well-recorded sources, the feature might work much more reliably.

But for now, the "Transcribe Audio" feature is more useful as a means of easy entertainment. Check out the video below, my first ever VLOG of a VLOG, or VLOGVLOG, for an idea of how unsuccessful the transcription went.

Plaid Boys Get Some BBQ in Somerset, Kentucky

2011-06-23T13:57:00.001-04:00

My most recent addition to the slow-to-catch-up "Plaid On Tour" vlog series is here.

While performing in Somerset, Kentucky, I rolled my ankle a bit. It turned out alright, of course, but at the time I felt the need to VLOG about it. Well, that and my fascination with Sonny's BBQ...and Ben & Jerry's. So basically this one is about my unhealthy relationship with food, and eating after 10pm.

It's Because Of The Shin Splints

2011-06-20T17:28:00.007-04:00

The real meaning of "shin splints"

I have to sadly admit something that I'm not happy about: I haven't run in over two weeks.

Yes, shortly after posting about how wonderful I felt due to my re-emerging love of jogging, the shin splints I mentioned became so bad I had to stop altogether. I have been walking instead, and I'm happy at least that it's been a decent temporary replacement for the running thing. I have heard tell that walking burns just as many calories as jogging, although I still find it very hard to believe.

What I wanted to mention here was my frustration. I felt as though I finally took a strong step forward towards fitness again when I started running, and then I was rewarded with shin splints. Debilitating shin splints. From my research and from talking with others like me, I have heard of and read many differing views on what is the best course of action to take when one starts to suffer from shin splints after jogging. One website I found claims that you must simply stop running, and that will solve everything. Well, yeah, obviously! But what if you want to be physically active again someday?! One runner I talked to recently told me that he runs even when he does have shin splints, but simply ices his shins afterwards.

Then I found this site, which seems to tie all of what I've heard together nicely. A period of rest of at least a week is required at first, yes. Then, however, the injured athlete should be able to slowly increase his or her physical activity again, taking care to avoid increasing intensity too quickly. Avoiding worn-down shoes or extra hard surfaces like concrete is also important in treatment for shin splints. Most importantly, I learned what "shin splints" really are, and that the proper term for what most people are referring to when they say "shin splints" is actually MTSS (medial tibial stress syndrome).

For now I am still walking every other day, but I will probably up that to every day this week. The next step will be to ramp up my stretching of my shins, and to get some sort of ice packs or something so I'll be prepared to ice my shins after running; right now we only have ice cubes and it's a big pain to bag them and use them for therapy. My hope is to start jogging again sometime the following week, albeit on a different course that has a somewhat softer surface, and to continue stretching and icing from then on.

Lesson learned: it can be comforting to get the correct information about a problem before allowing the conflicting suggestions of friends get you confused and discouraged.

I think it's important not to lose hope or to get too negative, so I'm writing about my setback here in hopes that simply explaining and owning up to what I'm feeling guilty of - laziness - will help me to see past it. So there you have it; I haven't been running, but it's not because I'm lazy.

It's because of the shin splints.

Kindle vs. Nook Conclusion...for now...

2011-06-20T16:55:00.001-04:00

Click above to see MobileTechReview's comparison video.

It's no secret that I have a hard time making up my mind about things. I wrote last about the new Nook Touch, and that upon first try I didn't really take to it as I expected to. Well after much more "trying" and discussion, I've decided it's just not for me.

I could re-hash everything I wrote before about the Nook Touch (or the Simple Touch Nook E-Reader Deluxe Ultra Awesome Supreme or whatever they're calling it now), but you've already read that. I don't like the rendering of the screen, the fact that the bottom half of the home screen is adspace for B&N, the cheap, rubbery feel of the build, and the incredibly frustrating time I had trying to use that damned touch screen to highlight and share a specific paragraph of a book. Really, it ended up proving entirely impossible, and I gave up. I wanted to like the Nook Touch, but I just didn't, and that's that.

The idea is still a good one, but the precise execution that B&N came up with didn't work for me. It just felt weird and left me with a gnawing feeling of disappointment. So I'm sticking with my Kindle for now, and I'm probably going to have to wait for the KindleTouchExtreme4GUltraMaxDeluxe to come out if I want a touch-enabled E-ink e-reader. That's fine with me. As I've recently discovered, what feels right is what's needed in an e-reader, and the Nook Simple Touch just didn't.

What's interesting is that I recently had a very lengthy discussion with a friend of mine, someone who is just now thinking of jumping into the e-book world. I tried to convince him to buy a Nook Simple Touch over the Kindle 3, because I still believe that the less-restrictive ePub ecosystem used by B&N is a superior choice. But at the end of the day, I had to remind myself that I was still using a Kindle, and hadn't been swayed by the new Nook. So I awkwardly was at odds with myself regarding the choice. I went back to the reviews, and looked at a particularly detailed comparison made by Lisa at MobileTechReview.com. It seems I'm not the only one totally stuck on which is better.

By the way, if you're looking for really in-depth (and I mean REALLY in-depth) reviews of most mobile technology, MobileTechReview is by far my favorite place to go.

So since I have found no compelling reason to sell my Kindle and then buy the newest thing on a totally different platform, I have decided to remove the issue from my thoughts and therefore simplify my life. My Kindle is good, my Kindle is great, and I'm sticking with my Kindle until and if they come up with something better. It's just a shame that B&N, with a great new product out that in many ways is more open and friendly to books than the behemoth that is Kindle, just didn't manage to sway me.

I'm beginning to think e-readers are almost too personal to mass-produce. We should all be able to custom-order one to our own specifications.

The New Nook: To touch or not to touch?

2011-06-07T20:15:00.055-04:00

B&N's new Nook Touch. To touch or not to touch?

I'm a surprisingly fickle man when it comes to gadgetry, and today I learned that what I want out of a phone or a tablet is not necessarily what I want out of an e-reader. Like so many people have been discovering in the past couple of years, what works for a computer or for a smartphone does not necessarily work in the world of e-books. Even I didn't realize how different my expectations would be until they were underwhelmed.

I generally like to think of myself as being rather conservative when it comes to jumping on bandwagons. I have a hard time buying into new trends in pop culture, with an emphasis on music and television. If a movie is too hyped for comfort, I will (often to my own detriment) assume that its simply over-produced garbage for mass-consumption and not worth my considerably valuable time. That's what happened with "Avatar," and it took over a year for me to finally see the film and then discover that it was, in fact, awesome. So obviously I'm aware that my reluctance to go with the flow is silly and often unjustified, but it's always been a flaw of mine. I'm working on it. When it comes to technology, however, that reluctance is nowhere to be found. I usually spend a little while being opinionated before researching the latest device that has everything ooh-ing and ahh-ing, but afterwards I will almost always feel the desperate need to sell my kidney and get one for myself. Always, that is, unless after looking into it I realize that I'm just honestly not interested in having one (see iPad).

Case study: the Barnes & Noble Nook Touch e-reader.

A few days ago Barnes & Noble revealed their new e-reader, the Nook Touch, and it has received tons of acclaim. Just about every review sums things up by saying that in one way or another, it's The Best E-Ink E-Reader On The Market Today. Naturally I'm interested, but I have already owned TWO different e-readers in the last year, and I need to be sure of what I'm doing before I sell my current e-reader and buy the new gadget-of-the-moment.
My first e-reader was the original B&N Nook, which featured a separate touch-sensitive LCD screen along the bottom in addition to the traditional E-Ink screen atop for reading. At the time I bought it, I was preparing to go on tour for six months, and I spent a lot of time researching the differences between all the popular e-readers available. I preferred B&N's use of the ePub file standard over proprietary ebook formats like the one Amazon uses, and I liked the idea of taking it into a B&N store for free reading and special deals...something Amazon will never be able to offer. So I bought it. I quickly grew tired of the Nook's awkward, two-screen interface, however, and I began to hear about the higher contrast and faster page turns on the new Amazon Kindle 3G.

But what I really wanted was a happy medium: an elegantly-designed, simple e-reader that uses an E-ink screen with touchscreen capabilities, eliminating the need for either a keyboard or an LCD strip at the bottom. At the time no such reader existed apart from the Sony Reader Touch, and I knew I didn't want one of those for several reasons I won't go into now. So eventually I bought the Kindle 3G and returned the offending Nook while chiding it for being so slow and behind the times.

I have been very happy with my Kindle 3G. The text looks crisp and is excellent in the contrast department. The keyboard has a nice feel to it and I love how they have a certain roughness to them which provides extra traction. In this age of touch-screen craziness, the Kindle 3G had me really enjoying the use of a physical keyboard, which surprised me. Most importantly, the Kindle 3G lived up to its promise and really did "disappear in my hands." Its simplicity is its greatest asset, and definitely its best advantage over the Nook. But I've never forgotten about my dream for a touch-enabled E-ink reader, and have held out hope that someone may someday bring it to fruition. The NookColor only irritated me for trying to do too many things, and for being LCD-based. So I've been waiting.

Enter the Nook Touch.

The Nook Touch basically provides everything I originally wanted in an e-reader. It's small and lightweight, it's made in dark grey as opposed to white (ew), it utilizes the ePub standard and the high-contrast Pearl E-ink screen, AND it integrates infrared-based touch capabilities that don't detract from the quality of the screen. It's like a better-designed and more cost-effective Sony Reader Touch. So my immediate thought upon hearing about it was that I could sell my current Kindle 3G along with its overly-expensive "lighted case," and use those funds to cover the cost of buying the Nook Touch. Looking into my libraries, it appears that I spent more money on books from B&N when I had my Nook than I've spent on Amazon thus far, so by switching back now I'd still come out ahead. I could probably get around $150 for the combo since my Kindle is in great condition and sells for $189 new, plus the $60 lighted case, making the $150 a steal. That puts me at around $10 over the cost of a new Nook Touch at $139. Perfect.

But then today I went into a B&N and used one.

To my great surprise...I didn't love it. I mean, it's a very well-designed device, and it performs very well. It succeeded in providing precisely the user experience that B&N were promising, and I'm sure it will be a great hit for them (which will in turn be great for customers as it will further drive competition in the e-reader market). But it just didn't thrill me quite the way I expected it to.

I had a couple of small little gripes, like the fact that it felt sort of cheap in my hands due to the plastic used in its construction, and its awkward, nearly-square shape (I'm used to tall and skinny books or readers, and the Nook Touch is sort of squatty - and yes, that really bugged me). Those are silly complaints, I know, but I'm being honest. The shape really irked me and its lightness seemed to connote cheapness instead of portability. I wanted the bezel to be smaller on the sides than it was on the top. I wanted hard, textured plastic instead of rubbery plastic. Darn.

Mostly, however, I had a problem with two major things: the quality of the screen, and the user interface.

Not the fairest comparison, but it's all I could find.

The screen didn't seem to be of the quality I'm used to. The descriptions of the Nook Touch I have read in multiple online reviews say it uses the "Pearl E-Ink" screen, which is the same exact screen used in the Kindle 3G. But from my experience in the store today, I can say that text doesn't appear as dark against the background as it does on my Kindle 3G. This may have something to do with the typeface - Amazon's device uses a rather bold and rounded style in its default font, and it possibly enhances the apparent contrast of the screen. But regardless of why the Nook's screen looks inferior to the Kindle 3G's, the fact that I noticed it was enough of a downer for me. Then I looked at the actual crispness of the text. I read in a review from Laptop Magazine that the clarity on the Nook Touch was somehow lesser than that of the Kindle, but I didn't really expect to see the difference (possibly because I was hoping to be sold on the device and didn't need anyone ruining my fun). But unfortunately I did see what they were talking about and the screen, while very nice, was simply not up to par with what I'm used to on the Amazon Kindle 3G.

But without a doubt, I have to admit that the main problem I had with the Nook Touch was a very unexpected one: it was the "touch" part itself. While very (and I mean VERY) responsive and accurate, the touch screen on B&N's new baby ended up just freaking me out instead of wowing me. In fact, the whole concept of a touchscreen e-reader suddenly started feeling like a mistake as soon as I picked up the device.

There's something too delicate about it. Too soft. Too..unreal. Reading ought to be an organic, TACTILE experience. And ironically enough, the hyper-sensitive infrared touch technology used on the Nook Touch feels too discrete to me. Maybe it just works too well, I don't know. It's too indirect. IT'S TOO DAMN QUIET.

When you turn the pages of a *real* book, you can feel the grain and the rough texture of the paper as it slides underneath your fingertips. You can feel the sharp edge of the thin paper as you turn the page. The friction between your finger and the paper makes a raspy sort of scratching noise. You know you just turned that page, because you felt it and you heard it. On the Nook Touch you only see it. Unless you blink...then you may not even be sure.

So sue me, but I really like the clickity-clack of the hard, plastic buttons on the Kindle. They make a very satisfying noise when you press them, that lets you know they've been activated. Even the page turn buttons on the first-generation Nook provided some tactile feedback, and that's what I found was missing on the Nook Touch. The whole time I used it to browse, shop, and to turn pages, I felt as though I were only pretending to use the device. I didn't really feel like I was in control; like at any moment the Nook might have chosen to ignore my input and load some other page instead. I know this all sounds a little woo-woo, but while I've always been comfortable with the touchscreen on my iPhone, there was just an odd passivity about my interaction with the Nook Touch that rubbed me the wrong way. And I think it was because this device is supposed to be like a book. That makes tactile feedback even more important. And now I'm not so sure I want a touchscreen e-reader after all.

Now, in Barnes & Noble's defense, my about-face with regard to a touchscreen interface is certainly not their fault. The touch sensitivity on the device is excellent, and the accuracy is pretty good (although I must dutifully point out that highlighting certain passages of text with my skinny, little piano-fingers proved extremely frustrating and, in the end, impossible). There are physical page-turn buttons on the sides of the screen itself, which you can even customize to do different things should you so desire. All of which reinforces the point that the device is mostly well-designed, delivers on its promises, and my reticence to accept a touch-enabled e-reader is my own problem.

So I suppose after some more time I could learn to like the Nook Touch better, and certainly while actually reading a book I wouldn't even need to use the touch capabilities...I could press those physical page-turn buttons to my heart's content, and that could be enough to rid me of my concerns about using the device in the long term. We'll see. I'll probably go back in and play with one again soon, but I have to sadly report that my first impression of using the Nook Touch was one of extreme discomfort, and I'm gonna run with that for the time being. Even if it could save me $10.

Consider my gadgetitis in remission until further notice.

Rediscovering My "Runner's High"

2011-05-27T16:50:00.000-04:00

This is the very first post on this blog with the tag, "fitness" attached to it. That's not really a good sign. So recently I took up jogging again.

Mind you, I used to run quite a bit. In high school I was perpetually in training to compete in either track or cross-country, although I never did compete for a variety of reasons. I was too busy with theatre, not really devoted enough, and was also constantly battling the dreaded shin splints. But I really liked it - there was something about the silence and solitude of it that appealed to me. And it was so simple, especially in cross-country running. We had a coach (Mr Peebles you rock) who insisted that we converse out loud with him while running our 2 miles or whatever during practice, explaining that running was all about breathing and if you were in shape enough to run you were in shape enough to run and talk at the same time. I got it, but I really just liked staying silent while I ran. I still regret that I never gave my running its due amount of attention, although that whole theatre thing did amount to something. So maybe it wasn't a bad choice.

When I was in college I was probably in the best shape of my life, and between dance classes that had 1-hour Pilates-based "warmups" and the occasional jog through the nature preserve, I was earning that shape. During the summers I did summer stock in Montana, and during one summer in particular I remember really pushing myself to get fitter than ever; I went on an extreme diet based on Peter D'Adamo's "Eat Right 4 Your Type" blood-type-based diet system, and would regularly lock myself up in a vacant dorm room with the the doors and windows closed and the heater up full blast for a full hour of pilates and stretches. I lost quite a bit of weight that summer...its just a shame that I felt the need to constantly wear big, baggy button-down dress shirts paired with bandanas and flip-flops that summer. You could hardly tell I'd lost anything.

But nowadays, I'm nearing 30 years of age and I simply want to regain some of that feeling of physical fitness. For a few years now I've been eating poorly and not exercising at all, and while looking better is certainly a nice motivation, I'm also thinking that I'd like to FEEL better and know that I'm doing the right things to live a long and happy life filled with good health, too. So as of the day Jake and I started on our road trip from Sacramento to Naples, Florida, I haven't had a single can of soda. I may have had about two diet sodas in that time, but its been nearly a month so that's not too bad. I haven't had a single spoonful of ice cream, either, aside from a bit of nasty, "fat-free chocolate ice cream" from Wal-Mart (which we bought in desperation a couple weeks ago and then promptly dismissed as too mysterious to eat). Jake and I have been working very hard to fill our diets with raw vegetables, lean meats and as few processed carbohydrates as possible. I don't think I've had a slice of bread in over a month. We've been preparing all kinds of yummy salads, the occasional dish of pasta (with diced tomatoes and olive oil in lieu of sugary, mass-produced spaghetti sauce), and have been attempting to replace our coffee habit with tea whenever possible. Last night we actually indulged in a delicious steak, topped in pesto and paired with a mountain of crisp spinach in a light vinaigrette. It was heaven.

Along the way I discovered a fascinating documentary called "Food Matters," on Netflix. If you have a Netflix account you can stream it online, and its definitely worth a view (or two). You'll learn more than you ever thought possible about the wisdom of raw foods and choosing natural alternatives when you shop. Soon thereafter I discovered that aside from really finding certified organic and natural ingredients for everything in your cookbook, you really can find lots of healthy options for your kitchen at, of all place, Wal-Mart. So the end result is that, as of today, I have cut my daily caloric intake at least in half, and am most likely consuming something around 1500 per day versus the roughly 3000 or more I used to take in. And I feel just fine, thank you very much.

On top of the diet change, however, I knew I needed to get back into some form of exercise. I also knew that one of the simplest and most effective means of dropping weight and strengthening your heart was none other than my old pastime: running. For years I've been afraid that I simply couldn't run anymore, because of knee troubles. I once injured my left knee pretty dramatically in Montana and missed a performance of "It's A Grand Night For Singing." My right knee felt left out and then started flaring up just for the heck of it when I played The Emcee in "Cabaret" my senior year in college. I remember vividly icing my knees off and on for about two hours every night after rehearsals, and having ridiculous nightmares of someone attacking me in the street and bashing my knees in with a baseball bat - just to keep me out of the show. I really worried I wouldn't be able to do the role because of all the dancing and my knees. Luckily, my fears were unjustified and I managed to muddle through.

But ever since then I've been convinced that I simply could not run anymore, because my knees were old and worn out. I know, I'm really not that old yet. 25-30-year-old bodies are pretty resilient. You could've told me that any number of times and I would've ignored you. I think for the past few years I just haven't wanted to hear it - I've been lazy, and the knees were a very convenient means of avoiding getting off of my butt. Now, I won't say there was nothing to my worries but laziness. I still monitor my knees very carefully when I'm out jogging, and occasionally I cut my runs short because I start to feel unpleasant tightness or tugging in the tendons behind the knee on one or both sides. But the amazing thing is that my knees aren't nearly as bad as they once were, and they haven't stopped me from running for my fitness!

I am currently using jogging as the primary means of weight loss, and I also happen to think there is nothing quite like stretching your legs after a good, long run. You can do all the leg lifts and Pilates you want, your legs will never get quite so warm as they do after running two miles.

I find the act of jogging very therapeutic. Not only does it provide me with hard-to-come-by "me time," and solitude, but it also brings simplicity to the table. If you want to go for a run all you really need is a pair of shoes. That's it. You don't really need any special clothes, you don't need fancy pedometers or anything else. Just you and a pair of shoes, and a relatively flat route that's safe to run without the fear of being attacked by a pack of wolves.

(When I was in California, I tried to scout some routes to run in the massive area of woodlands along the road up into Foresthill, but all I could find were trails more suitable for bikes, replete with stones and twists and turns and sudden drops. They may have been fun routes for a mountain bike, but for a runner they would've meant little more than a knee injury waiting to happen. Or a wild animal attack.)

So this week, I began running again. I ran Monday, Tuesday, and finally Wednesday before taking one day off. I then ran again yesterday (in a somewhat terrifying thunderstorm...I won't do that again) and will run today and tomorrow. I'm researching techniques for improving endurance and avoiding injury, and I'm also remembering more and more of what I learned in high school regarding stretches to avoid the shin splints and how to space out your weekly runs for maximum effectiveness and to allow time for your muscles to rebuild. My goal for now is to try and run in three-day segments, with one or two days off in-between.

And I have begun to rediscover my own version of the "runner's high," which for me happens when I surpass my own record from the day before and find myself feeling exhilarated rather than exhausted, at a familiar landmark along my route. I was absolutely amazed on my second day of running at how much EASIER it was than the first! Granted, the first day I had gone out far too early in the day and the sun was beating down a bit too strongly. I got overheated very quickly. But I had also gotten exhausted very quickly as well, and had needed to stop two or three times before reaching the one-mile marker. On day two, though, I didn't feel anything close to exhausted until at least 3/4 of that mile. So it was with great pride and exhilaration that I reached my goal on day three, and jogged at a steady pace continuously for the entire mile without stopping to rest. When I got to the marker, I made a point to slightly pass it up just to be satisfied that I'd made it all the way. I stretched and caught my breath, then made my way back home, at a somewhat modified pace. It was okay for me to "cheat" a bit on the way back - I'd reached my goal and was feeling profoundly encouraged.

Running in the rain = gross.

So while I know I will eventually need to add some other options to my workout regime to keep from getting bored, I feel incredibly gratified by the "strides" I've made this week in returning to fitness by running. As of yesterday, I feel rather confident that a two-mile run is in my very near future. It may, in fact, have happened yesterday had I not been rudely interrupted along the way by a sudden thunderstorm that soaked me to the bone and got me concerned about shorting out my iPod and/or being struck down by lightning. Today I will go out again and perhaps I'll addend this entry to let you know how I did.

And perhaps one day this summer, my BIG running goal will become achievable as well. When I'm ready to reveal it you'll be the first to know, but suffice to say that if I'm successful I'll have a lovely reward waiting for me every time I finish a run. I mean besides that amazing, life-changing, HOT shower and cool glass of orange juice. ;)

Preparing For A Move! Florida Here We Come. ;)

2011-04-23T12:39:00.000-04:00

Well, sometimes life offers only the surprises you want, and leaves out the bad ones. I said sometimes. But a few days ago Jake and I got one of the best surprises we could've hoped for: after hoping for it for a long time, Jake's stay in Florida was just extended. Big time. He has just been cast as Billy Lawlor in "42nd Street," and I am so excited for him...he says it was just one of those special auditions where everything went right. Also exciting is that the production is being trailed by a journalist from the Naples Daily News, writing a multi-part piece called The Road To 42nd Street: An 87-Day Journey.

The casting announcement is available here! Fancy - my baby's a star!

So what this means for US is that our long-held dream of living in Florida together, which we've been pining for ever since I was there on tour in the new year and we took a week-long trip to Disney World together, will be coming true. We're staying with that crazy cooky girl Debi, who in case you don't know her is the bomb, and will actually be in Naples - the city where we met. Awww. I know. Gag me. But its true.

While we're there, I'll be hitting the auditions as often as possible, and I already have an invitation to callbacks for "Cabaret," at a LORT theater about 3 hours away from where we'll be staying. No biggie - I'll take anything! The mere thought of being in Florida, with Jake, AND even possibly doing a show...is overwhelmingly awesome. We've been apart for WAAAY too long this year, and it will be very refreshing to be back together on a daily basis in a place we love. So that's the news. I'm excited, feeling motivated for the first time in a very long time, and also have a lot of work to do. So bye for now, but don't be surprised if you find out I'm a working actor again soon! Yeah, I'm keeping a very positive attitude these days. ;)

AppleTV & A Brief History Of The Set-Top Box

2011-04-17T14:17:00.002-04:00

Years ago, I saw a row of Apple TV's sitting on a shelf in a Best Buy and I was instantly intrigued. How can you fit a TV in that little box? It looks more like a hard drive to me. Well, of course, it turns out that that's what it was: a fancy hard drive with an operating system. The concept of the set-top box, or the "nettop" as it has more recently been dubbed, is not a new one. Everyone's got a "cable box," as they used to be called. It was the thing that decoded the scrambled pictures out of the coaxial cable from the wall and turned them into the Disney Channel so you could watch the New Mickey Mouse Club and get a sneak preview of the new music video from "The Party!" Alright perhaps I'm the only one who did that. But I digress - the idea of having an extra piece of tech sitting on top of your TV has been around for quite some time. People are used to it. The idea of having the cable from the wall just cleanly plug right in to your fancy HDTV and serve up content seems like a luxury nowadays, as you pretty much can't get anything right out of the wall aside from standard-definition versions of the major networks.

In addition to the modern "cable box," or "set-top box," or "receiver" (I hate that one), we all have at least a DVD player or Blu-Ray player sitting on the shelf as well. Some have a fancy surround sound system that comes with a big, irritatingly heavy receiver unit, and many have a game system plugged in and taking up space as well. Don't forget the subwoofer, and all the speaker cables. So with all this stuff surrounding the TV, could the complexity of this mess get any worse? Well yes, actually it could, when you consider the software side of things.

Typically you can pay about $150/month for internet, phone and "basic" cable from Time Warner Cable in New York City. That number, in addition to the services provided along with it, is certainly different in different areas around the country. But almost every major service provider offers a "triple-play" of sorts, with which you are supposed to be saving money. If you want HBO or Showtime then you have to pay premiums on top of that. And don't forget about all the hundreds, yes literally HUNDREDS of music stations and other channels that you didn't ask for, don't want, will never watch, and are required to pay for with that "basic" cable package. When you consider the cost of getting what you want compared to how much you're currently paying for a whole mess of things you don't, the typical cable TV arrangement is a laughable waste of money. But what's the alternative? It used to be that there really wasn't one, aside from just picking up TV signals with an antenna. Now you can still sort of do this, and even pick up HD signals over the air too, but you're not gonna get to watch "Dexter" that way. Not the new episodes, anyway.

Its no surprise, then, that in the last few years certain tech companies have been trying to find a way to fix the TV problem. "What if we could pay for the channels we want," they'd ask. "We want access to our favorite shows when we're available to watch them, not the other way around," they'd say. When YouTube became popular in the early 2000s, people began to abuse the website for the purpose of watching movies and TV shows online. That quickly became difficult when the website reminded users that posting copyrighted material to YouTube's servers was illegal, and imposed the now-infamous 10-minute video time limit. But people had gotten a taste for REAL video-on-demand, and they wanted it in their living rooms.

In the last couple of years, TV networks began streaming their most recent episodes on their websites with the tradeoff of having to endure some ads that somehow always manage to play more smoothly than the actual content, and Netflix started operating its now ubiquitous online streaming option as well. It wasn't long before Netflix found its way into the living room through video game consoles, and on the computers of early media centers created by people with the balls to cut the cord from the cable companies and build a solution for themselves. Indeed, these cord-cutting PC's attached to a TV have been useful for quite some time now, and as soon as computers began to have DVD drives in them the idea became somewhat obvious. Many PC manufacturers sold computers billed as media centers, and Microsoft even created a graphically-elegant media center software designed for use in the living room way back in 2004.

But somewhere in-between full computers plugged in to a television, and expensive cable contracts attached to ridiculous charges and bulky black tuning boxes running hot enough to fry an egg for breakfast, there had to be an alternative.

Enter the Net-Top/HTPC/TV Tuner thing. One of the first was probably TIVO, then there were lots of media-centric software platforms like MythTV, XBMC, Plex, Boxee, to be followed by Roku and the Apple TV. Many used and still use the Mac Mini as an HTPC, and many more probably use XBMC on their Xbox. But Apple, certainly not operating in a vacuum, decided that it could do better by designing a piece of hardware and software together specifically designed for the living room solution. They designed and released their first-generation Apple TV in early 2007, and although it was considered well-designed and sleek, its only feature was to sync with an existing Apple iTunes library via a computer connection and to playback content stored locally. It would be months before Apple TV gained a YouTube application.

Then came the Roku DVP, designed specifically for streaming Netflix video to a television in either standard or high-definition formats. It quickly added more programming options, and the current model has a plethora of "channels" available, as the platform is open-source and anyone who wishes to make content available on the device can do so.

But for better or for worse, Apple has a visibility advantage over a lot of over companies, and when they released the Apple TV, that was what got lots of people talking about the concept who had previously not been interested. I was instantly interested, as the idea of leaving behind ads and the needless inclusion of ESPN was enticing. After doing the math, I realized that by purchasing the shows I actually wanted to watch on iTunes, and ignoring the rest of the TV universe, I was saving lots of money, and as an added bonus I would never have to buy the DVDs.

So for years I wanted to buy an Apple TV, but didn't. One of the main reasons was that you needed an HDTV to use it, which to this day seems like it was a huge misstep for Apple. I absolutely would have gotten one if it had supported old-school CRT televisions. But you know Apple, always "pushing the envelope," always forcing people to move on with new expensive tech. I read once a very complicated procedure for tricking the original Apple TV into displaying properly on a CRT, but that still wasn't much consolation for me. So I waited.

Then in September of 2010, a new version of the device was announced. The name was the same, but they replaced the word "Apple" with a picture of said apple instead. I hoped in earnest that it would support the use of an external hard drive, and that it would have a Netflix app installed. I got the Netflix, but not the external hard drive. In fact, I didn't even get the hard drive - the new version was completely streaming-based, and as a result it ran much cooler, used less electricity and was tiny and cute. Yuck. I was not happy, especially since I knew what this meant for the hard-drive based model - bye bye!

But with a price set low at $99 and the ability to stream your local library over a router or an ethernet cable, I wasn't dead-set against the device. I just wasn't thrilled with it either. While on tour this past year, somewhere in Florida as I recall, I bought one. We had an HDTV on our tour bus (fancy I know), and I decided I could afford to give it a shot and hook it up. Besides, it was only $99. ;) Who knew what a magical number that would be for Apple - probably the main reason they have been able to compete with Roku these days is that appealing price point.

So aside from some unrelated wireless issues that are certain to arise when one is using a 3G-powered modem on a bus traveling 70mph down the highway, and a temporary issue where the remote became unpaired and I began thinking the whole thing was busted (it wasn't), the device worked as advertised. I'm still not sure how the remote became unpaired from the device, but since I was sharing the device with about 9 other people there's no telling how this happened. It hasn't happened since.

So do I like it? Does it make me feel good about "cutting the cord" from TWC? The answer is complicated. AppleTV 2 is not perfect, but its getting better and for the most part I'm happy with it. It certainly encourages me that leaving behind normal cable service is the way to go, and those cable companies really ought to be more worried than they appear to be. Overall the customer experience on one of these things is leaps and bounds beyond what you get with a so-called, "triple play." I'm still curious about trying the Roku device, though. In part two of this post, I will actually go into some detail about what I do and don't like.

In case you're in suspense, you could always go out and get one at Best Buy. I mean its only $99...

Would you sell permanent ad space on your Kindle for a mere $25 discount? Me neither.

2011-04-17T12:55:00.002-04:00

So Amazon has just announced a soon-to-be-released version of their wildly popular Kindle e-reader that will be ad-supported, and cost $114, fully $25 cheaper than its ad-free counterpart.

The ads will be delivered wirelessly to the device as "screensavers," although on the Kindle what that means is wallpaper. Screensavers on the Kindle only appear when the device is turned off, and thus are analogous to the cover of the book that you see when it's closed. One argument to support this move would be that it helps to drive down the cost of the device in an age when tech-bloggers the world over have deemed $100 the "sweet spot" for an e-reader that would help to make the often misunderstood devices more popular. And since many people don't pay much attention to what shows up on their Kindle in-between reads this might be a healthy trade-off.

But I am unconvinced.

Users of Amazon's "Kindle" device are probably uninterested in their "screensavers" or wallpapers for one simple reason: the Kindle does not allow you to load your own images. Yes, it would seem that after all these years, the makers of the single most pervasive e-reader on the planet still don't respect our desires to customize all our little gadgets and bits of tech. Why this is remains a mystery to me, since you can and for decades have been able to select your own wallpapers for use on any PC, and most people customize the backdrops on their smartphones without giving it any thought. If you were to lose your iPhone, short of activating the aptly-named "Find My iPhone" feature you might describe said iPhone to the wary New Yorker who found it by describing what icons are on your home screen, the case you have it in (if any), and lastly the wallpaper. Choosing your own digital wallpaper has become an important way of distinguishing your device from someone else's, and not just for identification, but for personal expression.


Wanna do this on a Kindle? No can do.

When I pick up my e-reader of choice, I want to feel that I am about to enjoy the next chapter of my current book or the latest volume of a periodical subscription...not be barraged with advertisements that hail from somewhere far far away in cyberspace. I want to be coming home. I want to feel a comfort and familiarity with the device, and to relate to it in a manner similar to how one might have related to their day planner or address book back in the good 'ole days. Indeed, Amazon and other e-reader manufacturers have gone to great lengths to make us feel comfortable reading on an electronic device instead of an actual book: they have given us high-contrast E-Ink screens, elegant and simplified user interfaces, and weights and form factors that compare favorably to the ubiquitous mass-market paperback. Reading on a Kindle is currently a very pleasant and stress-free experience, due largely to this heightened sense of ergonomics. People often spend loads of cash on expensive accessories to further personalize their devices, such as leather-bound covers and lights, decals and hard plastic cases. Several websites now offer packages for popular e-readers like the Kindle or the Nook, that include both a decal for the device itself and a file to download for use as wallpaper that integrates seamlessly with the graphics on the decal, creating a very elaborate effect that fully transforms the device into a work of art. And aren't accessories a big money-maker? I'm somewhat surprised Amazon or B&N haven't yet tried selling wallpapers on their integrated store applications.

I personally have custom wallpapers on my Kindle, and it wasn't a simple thing to accomplish, although with a slight dose of patience its really not that difficult. Of course it irks me that such a hack was even required for what should have always been an obvious, built-in feature. Amazon's main competitor in the e-reader market, Barnes and Noble and its "Nook" device, does allow custom screensavers and makes the process of loading them dead simple. And why shouldn't they? Its just an easy, easy thing to offer, and its something people have grown to expect from all tech. Ask anyone who's picked up a Kindle for the first time in Best Buy what they think of the pre-loaded wallpapers (B&N-esque drawings of great literary figures that are often scary to look at), and they'll say something like this:

"Oh they're interesting I guess, but I'll probably replace them with a picture of my kids or something. Or David Bowie."

Sorry to say, but they will most likely wrongly assume that the screensavers can be replaced, only to find no mention of this option anywhere in the documentation. So Amazon has what could be termed an upper hand on its customers here: Kindle users aren't used to having custom screensavers, and therefore they aren't used to paying any attention to the screensavers they do have, and thus the ad-supported format might seem fine to some of them.

But that doesn't mean its ok. It just means that the Kindle's screensaver options already suck, so making them worse isn't that big of a deal. Perhaps Amazon should be aiming a little higher than that.

My personal view is that having regularly-updated ads and "special offers" appear on the outer display of a Kindle would be jarring, irritating and distracting. Aren't print ads already irritating? Having them magically appear without my knowledge only to attack the moment I open the cover of my e-reader is the last thing I want. And its sure not going to inspire me to purchase the Laptop Burka, or whatever they plan on advertising on it. I would probably avoid "clicking though" the ads just out of spite. All it would accomplish would be to take the Kindle out of my possession and to remind me that I have no control over its content. Purchasing e-books from Amazon is already a dicey proposition for many, given the custom DRM that Amazon includes with each of its titles, and a file format that is needlessly set apart from the industry standard that is ePub. Many users worry about having their selections suddenly "WhisperSync"-ed away in the night, as has been done in the past when Amazon decided it didn't want people to have certain books anymore (because of its own failure to properly vet its publishers). So Amazon already has a bad reputation for disregarding the sanctity of my digital realm, and the trust I place in them to supply me with digital content for a price is on thin ice. Why would they want to further instill the feeling in me that they have remote access to my device, and in doing so further deplete any chance I have of feeling connected to my Kindle?

If people are willing to shell out $60 for a nice, handmade cover that casts the aroma of real leather, then something tells me they'd be opposed to allowing the invasion of constantly-updating ads for a mere $25 off. A discounted, ad-supported Kindle would probably have to be at least 50% cheaper for me to even consider it. The disruption that ads would cause to my enjoyment of the device, yes EVEN though they only appear when you're not using it, would be too great.

Wirelessly distributing ads to e-readers is like the polar opposite of personalization, and effectively reverses all the hard work that has gone into making the e-reading public feel comfortable curling up with a blanket and an e-book. My hope is that no one will buy this needlessly handicapped device, and that its failure will prompt a shift in philosophy from the folks at Amazon, possibly leading to their finally supporting user-supplied, custom screensavers one day. So then we could have those pictures of our kids' smiling faces beaming at us when we went to pick up a book...sorry, I mean Kindle Electronic Reading Device...and yes, if we so desired, our favorite ad from LaptopBurka.com.

Plaid Boys Get Back Together...in FLORIDA!

2011-02-09T15:20:00.002-05:00

Ok yes, you may have noticed I just skipped ahead about 17 videos and 3 months...but unfortunately I don't have access to my videos from the first leg right now, and figured making a little headway while we're still out on the road might be better than just delaying everything. So...

It was kind of an amazing plan to start the second leg in Key West, don't you think? While our NYC friends were all dealing with the most ridiculous winter ever, we were enjoying such gorgeous weather that we almost felt guilty having a good time at the beach. Almost. This is how the first leg started, from brush-ups to opening day.

Plaid Boys Finally Vlog Again...From Ogdensburg, NY!

2011-02-01T15:12:00.002-05:00

After spending a great evening at the Greenes' home in the highly populated and culturally-diverse city of Rochester, the Plaids headed up north, WAY up north, to a little town on the Canadian border called Ogdensburg. There we were to do a show in a high school and then spend our "Golden Day," which also happened to be my 29th birthday, looking across the lake at Canada and wishing there were something interesting or fun to do with our day off.

Well you know what they say about the best-laid plans...they don't include Ogdensburg. ;)

Plaid Boys Get To Have A Home-Cooked Meal In Rochester, NY

2010-10-03T00:47:00.001-04:00

We had been looking forward to arriving in Rochester for some time, because Kevin had arranged ahead of time for us all to visit his parents for a home-cooked meal. Luckily for all of us it worked out wonderfully, and we were lucky enough to enjoy a delicious meal in the comforts of a real home with a dog and pleasant conversation was icing on the cake. An excellent time was had by all, and to top it all off we were put up this time in the Hyatt...fancy!

Thank you, Greene family for the great evening!

Plaid Boys Break Down, Do A Show, and Have a Meet-and-Greet

2010-10-02T15:17:00.001-04:00

So remember that one time when we were supposes to do a show but our bus sort of broke down, and we weren't sure if we'd make it in time? Oh yeah that's right you weren't there - that's my story. Well anyway, this one time, we were on our way to Springfield, Ohio when our bus--nevermind you get the idea.

The kicker was that we were scheduled to do a meet-and-greet before the show, but clearly that wasn't gonna happen due to our late arrival. So we moved the social hour to *after* the show, and everyone had a long, long day. Afterwards we got to our hotel and proceeded to enjoy a rare opportunity to hang with the crew, who usually are on a totally different travel schedule than the cast. There's no video of that, but it was a good time...you'll just have to take my word for it.

An Irish/Mexican Lunch and Perry Como's Cardigan

2010-10-01T15:09:00.001-04:00

Sometimes when you're on the road, you come across places where you just have to stop for the sheer novelty, where their mere existence is hilarious. When we came across Carlos O'Kelly's "Mexican Cafe," we knew we had found just such a place.

Later that day we had a performance at the Star Center, a venue which has housed all kinds of big names over the years. Someone told us they had seen an actual cardigan that had once belonged to Perry Como on display in the lobby, so afterwards we had to go find it, naturally.

(If you don't know the significance of his cardigan to the Plaids, just wait till you see the show and all will be made clear.) ;-)

I'd Rather Have Champaign

2010-09-29T15:00:00.001-04:00

Here's a short clip of our trip into Illinois, so you can get an inkling of the grandiose style in which we Plaids travel. Yeah that's right, we were rocking the History Channel.

Once we got to Champaign, we had the pleasure of enjoying the nicest hotel yet...for that one glorious night. It was actually so well-appointed that it seemed a shame to leave the following morning. But that's the life of a Plaid, you know? Seriously I miss that room.

Plaid Boys Are In Like Clint...wood, that is.

2010-09-28T14:32:00.001-04:00

Although for the duration of the clip I apparently had no idea the name of the town, here is a collection of clips from Clint*WOOD*, Virginia. It was not Clintville, nor was it in Tennessee.

But nonetheless, it was a cute little town and there was certainly no shortage of furry companions roaming the streets. Clintwood was our smallest venue on the tour, and as a result our stage wouldn't fit, so we did the show without levels - and with both prop tables in plain sight onstage. It was a good time, though! Also of note were our exploits at the hotel that night, which included hanging out with the front desk girl and watching her give free mani-pedi's to guests...not to mention our aquatic rendition of "Three Coins In the Fountain."

All in all, an action-packed Vlog not to be missed, hence the nearly 10 minute runtime. Enjoy!

Fried Greeneville Tomatoes

2010-09-27T17:49:00.001-04:00

Remember that movie "Fried Green Tomatoes?" I remember loving it but for years since I first saw it I've felt like a bit of a phony for having never actually eaten any. Fried Green Tomatoes, that is. So now, I can officially state that I have in fact had fried green tomatoes. The ones I ate, however, were so souped-up with other fanciness that I'm still not sure if I had a typical recipe for them. They were served over grits and there was a spicy sort of drizzle over the top. Considering that I ordered them at the restaurant next door to our hotel, which was named "FATZ," I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Plaids At 5 Minutes To Places In Tennessee

2010-09-27T05:16:00.001-04:00

This was my first iPhone 4 video...so there really isn't much to the video, but I was basically excited to be able to take one on the phone. And look - we're wearing cute 50's clothes! Yeah that's our look and we're sticking to it. Enjoy!

Three Shows, A Hotel and a Pizza Party

2010-09-26T22:39:00.001-04:00

Wha-what? Yet another vlog entry? Wow, Byron's on a roll now!

Plaid Boys Tech In Bristol, Tennessee...or was it Virginia?

2010-09-20T04:36:00.002-04:00

As I continue trying to catch up with real life and post all the vlogs I filmed a couple weeks ago, I'm realizing that the best way to accomplish that is to simply not edit anything. So what I'll be uploading from here on out will be unedited clips, along with the occasional set of clips tacked together with little to no transition. Don't judge! Theres just way too much going on right now for me to think I'm gonna put together fully-produced videos while on the road.

In the meantime, enjoy the "latest." This was from the day of our first tech rehearsal in Bristol, Virginia, literally *across the street* from Tennessee.

Plaid Boys Have Their First Stumble-Thru, Y'all!

2010-09-19T21:52:00.001-04:00

So as promised, here is the next installment in this very timeliness-challenged vlog of mine. This third bit is an unedited clip from right after our first stumble thru 10 days ago, taken moments after Kevin had an unfortunate accident with a wooden chair. Hard to believe we've come so far in such a short time! This feels like ancient history to me now...

Plaid Boys Take A Trip To the Fair!

2010-09-15T15:07:00.001-04:00

So after about a week of trying to figure out how, I've finally edited a short little segment on our trip to the fair while in Abingdon, Virginia. I think this was our first outing after beginning rehearsals, and I was already filming everything. Unfortunately dealing with 1080p video can be a pain, so the timing of everything in this isn't exactly as I'd like it. I used Windows Movie Maker for Windows 7, and it seems like a handy little program but using it on this little netbook isn't as pleasant as I would've liked. Probably churning out standard-def videos would be a smoother process.

Nonetheless, below is the video that makes VLOG #2...enjoy! Since the time of this video being filmed we had tech, and performed our first preview in Bristol. Today we got on the tour bus and are currently making our way down the road as I write this...there are more plaid adventures to come of course, so stay tuned!

Finally In Viriginia and "Plaid"-ing It Up

2010-09-12T14:25:00.001-04:00

Hey guys - so it's been over a year since my last posting but I'm back now and better than ever. Lol. Well to be honest I really haven't had much to blog about, but seeing as how I'm currently about to go out on tour playing Jinx in "Forever Plaid" I figured now was as good a time as any.

So now family and friends can keep tabs on me whilst I traverse the globe in four-part harmony. Well maybe not the entire globe, but certainly the country. We're going from Michigan to Kentucky to Florida to Illinois to California to Oregon - although not necessarily in that order. Below is my first video log entry - or vlog - and in the glory of 1080p high definition thanks to my new camera. So lemme know if this is even remotely entertaining cuz I'm thinking of staying on top of it and posting semi-regularly.

Just Another Ho-Hum Day, Saw Madonna, You Know.

2009-09-30T19:11:00.000-04:00

I saw Madonna today! She was in NYC filming an appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman to promote yesterday's release of her new greatest hits album. I was working in midtown, and got off around 5:30 - right around the time she was finished with the show. After taping the interview she caused a minor riot on Broadway when she walked out the front doors of the Ed Sullivan Theater to get a slice of pizza. Upon news of this random happening I literally RAN with the stampede of gays down Broadway to see her in person...

I wasn't able to get any really good pictures of her because all I had was my iPhone, and because I was trying to actually see her with my own eyes. But I did manage to capture one very small glimpse of her from like a million miles away (pictured above). If you click on the pic you might be able to find her on the left wearing some big sunglasses and a black coat.

So that's not really news but it was fun for me! Now just looking forward to seeing the interview tonight...;)

Consolidation & Redecoration

2009-09-29T16:30:00.004-04:00

Hello everybody...

Yes, the layout and design of this page has changed drastically. I sort of like it but I miss any shade of personality that used to exist on my blog. The banner at top with pictures from my life was fun. So I'm gonna eventually bring something like that back but for now I was just craving a change of scenery and instant gratification works well for me.

But the main change I've made here is that I'm no longer going to be blogging about Madonna on "The Tinkerin' Tenor." I moved all my posts about her to a separate blog entitled "MADONNAtherapy," which is sort of a multipurpose title. Blogging about Madonna is therapy for me (akin to retail therapy), and also sort of therapy for her in that I will be deconstructing her every move and probably making too much out of things. I found a very fancy pic of her sitting on a couch to use as the banner...so there's more visual creativity going on over there thus far but give me time.

Why all the redesigning? I'm in the midst of rethinking what this blog is really for, and I think that perhaps I would write more if I had a clearer topic or "mission statement." Don't expect one from me anytime soon, but know that somewhere in my brain there is a conversation going on much like the one in "Julie & Julia" at the kitchen table. I am an anal-retentive personality so I can't keep blogging if I don't have a thesis and a well-organized argument in support of it. I'm sure I'll think of something.

Meanwhile, today I am bored and tomorrow I go back to work. I've had two days off which has been a godsend (I think), because the Broadway Flea Market was complete hell. I mean it wasn't really - it was great - but also greatly exhausting. So I was incredibly grateful for two consecutive days off but now I'm bored.

I will probably eat pizza today.

Hardcore Polish Christians Oppose Madonna Concert

2009-06-11T15:57:00.000-04:00

Well, there's another leg of another Madonna concert kicking off soon and therefore another angry religious group is trying to get a show canceled.

Aaaaah, the 90s.

Oh wait, this is happening today in 2009. Hmmm. What are they so upset about? Well in Poland today, CATHOLIC people are upset that she is planning to perform her "Sticky & Sweet Tour" on August 15th, the day before her 51st birthday. Most likely she would rather not perform ON her birthday, though the fans will certainly sing Happy Birthday to her anyway (this is not the reason for the Catholics' anger, shockingly).

No, the Polish Catholics are incensed because August 15th, apparently, is home to a watershed date for any good Catholic girl or boy. A world-famous holiday with an unbelievably long name, known as "The Day of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary." No, really.

"It harms our religious sentiment. Besides that, Madonna’s performances are anti-Christian," states Krzysztof Zagozda from the Unum Principum Catholic Society, who initiated the protest. Zagozda added that the fact that the concert is organized on the Catholic feast day is a distinct attempt to stir controversy. (MadgeTribe)

Come on. "The Day of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary?!" Sounds like something they made up to rip on Madonna if you ask me.

I mean, really? Judging by the name, it doesn't sound like anything of much importance. It's not the day when the "Blessed Virgin Mary" gave birth to Christ. It's not even the day where we assume the "Blessed Virginity" of said Mary. By all external evidence, it appears to simply be the day where we celebrate the solemnity of the ASSUMPTION of the "Blessed Virgin Mary." This title is just WAY too long to keep typing, so we'll call her BVM, and we'll call the "holiday" itself the DSABVM.

So, one "D" some Catholic people decided - no, "assumed," sorry, "A"'d - that for several valid reasons, "M" was in fact a "BV." Later, some other Catholic people looked back on that decision and looked it up on the calendar, designating that "D" as "S." Still later, some other Catholic people looked back on that designation (of "M" being a "BV" as having been a "S" occasion), as the "D" of the "S" of the "A" of the "BVM." This sounds like the most confusing holiday ever. Now I know why Catholic people cry when they pray - they're just so confused they don't know where to start. Kind of like when I realized that Dick Van Dyke was my second-cousin's first uncle's, grandfather twice removed," otherwise referred to in my family as the Day of the Excitement of the Discovery of the Second Cousin's First Uncle's Grandfather Twice Removed's Celebrity, or the DEDSCFUGTRC.

If Madonna ever expects me to attend one of her pagan concerts on March 11th, she is SOL. In fact, I think I've made a very valid point. So today is hereby being declared the Day of the Validity of the Declination of Patronage to the Pagan Beast Madonna. AKA: DVDPPBM.

Seriously, the Catholic people have too many holidays. And as many have already pointed out, if it is so unholy to hold a concert on a Catholic holiday, then maybe so many Catholics shouldn't have bought tickets...what do you know? Looks like the Church might be a bit out of step with the public. I personally think that requiring all people to adhere to the solemnity of a separate religion's holy days is unlawful. You can't expect Madonna to care about the DSABVM any more than you can expect George W. Bush to celebrate ramadan. Not only is she no longer Catholic, she is not exactly their biggest fan. A "demonstration" by a few hundred (a generous estimate to be sure) Polish Catholics is not going to stop her show, which brings a lot of commerce to the country, and which is also NOT anti-Christian.

The 2009 Annual Tony Awards Telethon

2009-06-08T18:50:00.000-04:00

I hope you all enjoyed the 63rd Annual Tony Awards Telethon last night. Surely we'll all be buying up our own adspace for next year, in between buying tickets for "Mamma Mia!" in Scranton, PA and "Jersey Boys" in Toronto. All they need now is Vince from the ShamWow commercials and the Tonys will be officially lame. But I digress...

For better or for worse, the Tonys are done for this year, and while I only saw a few of the nominated shows (as per usual), I thoroughly enjoyed seeing most of the performances and some famous Broadway folk on primetime where they belong. My great personal thrills for the evening came from seeing Angela Lansbury win her 5th Tony award and give an elegant and modest acceptance speech, and Jerry Herman receive his Lifetime Achievement Award. I had the ridiculous honor of working with Jerry in Texas for a recent production of "Hello Dolly" starring Leslie Uggams. He spent our tech week with us, shared sweet stories documenting his experience with the show and his love for Leslie, complimented us every which way possible on what he called his "favorite production" of the show, and even serenaded us on the piano during one of our breaks in the theater. I can tell you first-hand that this is one sweet, gentle, wonderful man. Seeing him recognized for his enormous contributions to theatre was an ecstatic thrill for me, sitting in the living room and watching with my parents.

But about that telecast...

For the entire evening there were sound problems, such as an annoying room noise that came up to an unbelievable volume during presenters' speeches, whenever they weren't speaking. There were plenty of incidents of mics being accidentally switched on late or off late, and then of course there was the travesty of unfair proportions when Tituss Burgess' body mic began producing nothing but that horrifying mic-on-fabric (though it could have been something else) noise right as he was beginning to sing "Sit Down You're Rockin' the Boat" from "Guys & Dolls." I worked at the Nederlander a few times before moving out here in CA and I can tell you this guy didn't need any more reasons to be ready to leave the show behind him. I felt awful for him, but of course the show went on and I sat in amusement as my parents tried to make sense of Mary Testa's outburst towards the end of the number.

Yeah, I was impressed by the little trio of boys who play Billy in "Billy Elliott" (this year's recipient of the "you deserve to sell more tickets so here's an embarassment of high-profile awards" award), but I haven't seen the show and therefore can't honestly speak as to how "good" it looks to me. My initial response was that the kid in the movie was....better. But I'm not really qualified to review shows based on 60-second televised performances and I'd rather just keep complaining about the awards themselves.

WHY is it so important to promote the ticket sales for the National Tours of "Mamma Mia!," "Legally Blonde," and "Jersey Boys" that giving them time for yet another televised performance somehow justifies NOT televising the ACTUAL TONY AWARDS?! It was my understanding that I was watching an awards show, not an infomercial about how many 17th companies of the National Tour of (insert title of 5-year old musical here) aren't selling enough tickets. I wanted to actually see the awards for say, Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, etc. Those awards actually happened yesterday and are a part of the 2009 Annual Tony Awards. The other trash belongs on a website somewhere, or in actual AD SPACE during the commercial break. If this crap keeps up, then eventually the only televised award will be for Best Musical, and the other 3+ hours will be filled with performances by Beyonce and the latest television star to step on a stage for a limited engagement. I am frankly sick and tired of the gradual decline of the Tony's for commercial benefit.

That said, there was less of the obvious pandering to celebrities this year. I can remember recently seeing some old movie star come on stage and start off by saying, "You're probably wondering what I'm doing here at the Tonys." And I was. Thankfully (or maybe not so thankfully depending on who we're discussing), most of the screen stars on the awards last night are actually involved with a Broadway production this year and have an excuse for being in attendance. Certainly David Hyde Pierce, Neil Patrick Harris, and Anne Hathaway have a reason for showing up onscreen, and Anne didn't even present anything which was a bold move on the producers' part towards self-control. Neither did Kate Winslet, who is an enormous star married to Sam Mendes with plenty of reasons to show up. I appreciated the attention to good taste shown in not slapping all the TV stars possible up onstage to grab ratings. But if I have to watch the f***ing Jersey Boys perform on television one more time - I will throw myself off the Foresthill bridge into the waiting canyon 756 feet below. Seriously guys. ENOUGH.

Wanna have a special night to celebrate all the great shows that are currently running or on tour? Fine! Do that! But leave the Tony Awards telecast to the people who are actually nominated for Tonys.

Why I Heart "Murder She Wrote"

2009-05-18T14:59:00.006-04:00

There are some TV shows, songs, or movies that we associate with childhood. For instance, "The Wizard of Oz" and the first three "Star Wars" films do that for me (first meaning last). I can remember vividly sitting on the floor of my parents' bedroom watching "Star Wars, Episode Four: A New Hope" over and over off our BETAMAX machine. I would start and re-start the movie so many times that once when I actually kept it going, I saw a new scene. George Lucas had gone into our VCR and changed the movie! He really did! A storm trooper was looking all over the desert for something, then he picked up a small metal ring and said, "Look sir, droids!" I didn't remember seeing it before because I had never sat still long enough.

Then there are the shows that are always around, and remind you of the last time you saw them. In the most significant cases, it was probably not long ago. One one my favorites is "Murder She Wrote." On some level I believe most people in the world have seen at least one episode and enjoyed it - the world is united in a shared experience with Jessica Fletcher.

I always liked the show but my obsession is a re-birth of sorts. I suddenly remembered "Murder She Wrote" about a year ago when I noticed it was on every weeknight on Hallmark, and my love for the show has only grown since then.

The wonderful thing about the show is that, much like another time-honored TV classic - "MacGyver" - the plot of each episode is so totally formulaic that you know what you're getting yourself into when one starts. With "MacGyver," we know that at some point Richard Dean Anderson will be locked in a room, tied up, and staring at a bomb with no hope for escape. Oh but escape he SHALL, with the help of some freshly-permed hair from the damsel of the week, a paperclip, some chewing gum and a fire extinguisher. Similarly with "Murder," we know the following can be safely assumed:

1) About 20 minutes into the episode, someone will be found murdered!

2) We'll have several possible suspects, and sometimes even multiple possible targets.

3) We'll meet a host of simply-drawn characters plaid by out-of-work actors from "Star Trek" or the golden age of Broadway, and at least two of them will seem like the killer at one point or another.

4) After misdirection and some ill-advised late-night snooping by our favorite "Signora in Giallo," we'll think we know who did it.

5) We'll be dead wrong, and our surprise will be shared by Amos, the nice-guy sheriff from Cabot Cove who enjoys muffins, pie and donuts from "Miss Fletcher's" kitchen but ain't so great when it comes to investigating murder.

Another guarantee is that the episode will start with Jessica Fletcher being greeted at the airport, bus stop, train station, dock or spaceport by another of her "good friends" from way back. Jessica has as many good old friends as there are episodes. The years may have changed this person in one way or another that makes Jessica sadly suspicious of them, but when it comes time for doling out the truth as only she can do it, we would be woefully misguided to assume that it was her friend that was the killer. No, as dramatic as it often is for Angela Lansbury to play the simultaneous grief over the burden of the truth, and her yearning to expose them, there are no catch-all formulas for solving the riddle each week.

Truthfully, I still think that most of the stories are rather clever, and do a good job of fooling me. I will admit, however, that once you get used to the writers' style of misdirection and the camera's penchant for zooming in on seemingly unimportant but telling details, it gets easier to keep up with Jessica. But she's still light years ahead of us most of the time, and really that's not the point anyway. If we were really looking for an airtight episodic formula that included not only excitement but realism, we would start to wonder why no one has ever put Jessica Fletcher behind bars due to her unfortunate similarity to Deloris Claiborne. People die around her like, every day. Kind of strange, don't you think?

No, the point of "Murder She Wrote" is that it's fun. The image of the sweet, old lady from Cabot Cove, Maine who is constantly being nosy and solving murders before the investigators can is a foolproof device for non-stop entertainment. Watching the smug, usually sexist investigator brush her aside with disdain, telling her to go knit a sweater and leave the dangerous police work to them is always made outrageously satisfying by the end, when Jessica totally p'owns them in the end.

But, of course, there is one more thing to love about this show. The guest list. Like I mentioned before, Jessica Fletcher has literally hundreds of friends. THOUSANDS, even. A few of them return from time to time, like Len Cariou as her spy friend Michael, Jerry Orbach as the rough-and-tumble private investigator Harry, and of course cute little Michael Horton as her nephew Grady - who is featured in the pilot episode. Countless other recognizable actors from stage and screen have done episodes, including Kate Mulgrew, Jeri Ryan, George Clooney, Courtney Cox, Gary Lockwood, Dean Stockwell, Barbara Babcock, Fionnula Flanagan, Carol Lawrence, George Hearn, John Rhys-Davies, David Ogden Stiers, Vera Miles, Florence Henderson, Rene Auberjonois, Shirley Jones, Roddy McDowall, Bill Maher, Jean Simmons, Leslie Nielsen, Jay Underwood, Cesar Romero, Elizabeth Ashley, June Havoc, Shirley Knight, Ethan Embry, Robert Beltran, Robert Duncan McNeil, and Doris Roberts.

Don't get me started on less-famous but notable Broadway actors. And DON'T get me started on all the Star Trek actors involved. Suffice it to say, in 12 years you can solve alot of murders, and feed alot of hungry actors.

Long live "Murder She Wrote!"

PS - Enjoy this interview if you feel like it. I would have posted my favorite YouTube clips from the show, but all you have to do is type "Murder She Wrote" in and watch for hours.

First Official Preview For Madonna's Concert DVD

2009-05-06T18:23:00.000-04:00

Well here it is. The firs official preview clip from Madonna's upcoming DVD. I'm not sure, but I think the DVD for her "Sticky and Sweet Tour" was filmed in Buenos Aires. It took me a long time to find a version of this on YouTube that was correctly encoded in widescreen. Most of the videos had her looking a bit skinnier than is natural...

I Heart Flo

2009-04-21T19:03:00.004-04:00

You've seen her on TV almost every day. You've marveled at her insanely bright lipstick, and even brighter personality, even though she's just there to sell you insurance. You don't care, because "Flo" is the happiest person on TV, and she's got a really cool tricked-out name tag.

I decided to find out more about her after my most recent meeting with "Flo," and to my not-so-surprise discovered that she has fan clubs all over the world. People think she's the lone, bright, shining beacon of optimism in this new world of negativity about the current global economy. Others think she's hott. But I just think she's fun to be around, and I'm always wondering what she'll say next. She reminds me of a lot of people in theatre, actually, and therefore I feel like we must've gone to school together.

In reality, her name is Stephanie Courtney, who is of course an improv comedienne from the Groundling comedy troupe (launchpad of Lisa Kudrow). Another funny and weird actress from the Groundlings who may just get to do more stand-up in the future because of insurance....wait that would make her the first one.

At the end of the day, however, I think it's safe to say that Courtney's comedic gifts are a much more happy discovery than all of the ways Progressive Insurance wants you to think they save you money. Insurance companies suck - period. But the commercials are cute.

A New Earth

2009-04-21T18:57:00.003-04:00

So, I saw an interesting featured article on Yahoo today, interesting for the shock factor. Sometimes I see an article with a headline so unbelievably world-changing and fantastic that it's funny. It could be something like, "End of the World Near," "Free Money For Everyone," or

"Earth-like Planet Found."

And as always, the article dissappoints you when you discover that, in fact, the planet isn't quite Earth-like in the ways that matter (ie: has life). But it might! It probably isn't rocky, which is apparently important, but it could have water! And then, since it's not too close to its star, it could conceivably have life swimming around in the water! So, there's a small chance that this planet which is WAY to far away for us to ever see in our lifetimes has microbes on it! Therefore....

Earth-like Planet Found.

Mmm-hmmm.

Updates to TTT

2009-04-14T17:51:00.006-04:00

Thought I'd mention a few of the obvious changes around here, and point them out one by one so no one would be lost.

First of all, the blog has a decidedly "green" look to it now, as my new abode is situated in the middle of the forest, on a hill. I then ingeniously integrated the concept of my techno-geekiness by pixelating the image towards the center, which also allows for easier-to-read text.

I also recently widened the main wrapper for the blog, so my blog titles (which tend to be a bit long when I'm feeling creative) will fit more comfortably on no more than two lines. Now aren't you all impressed by my use of the words "blog," "abode," "pixelating," and "wrapper?"

If not you so should be.

Obama will have to take some time off to bond with "Bo."

2009-04-14T17:26:00.010-04:00

That's the recommendation of Cesar Milan, who in case you are living under one of those big bags of dog food and don't know, is "The Dog Whisperer" on NatGEO. Which is short for "The National Geographic Channel." Obviously.

Milan is quoted as advising our president to do as much of the walking and disciplining of The First Dog himself during the first few days of living in the White House. This is to help facilitate the process by which "Bo" learns to think of our nation's leader as his leader. Kind of funny to think of Barack having to convince a dog that he's in charge...after already kind of clinching that title for himself a few months ago on a somewhat larger scale.

"Bo" comes from Ted Kennedy, who fostered the animal for a brief time after someone else in Washington DC gave him up. The White House is his fourth home in six months, and many are making claims that the Obamas' dog-raising abilities will say much about their-uh, oh I don't know, EVERYTHING. They are the first family after all, so it can't just be their dog - it must rather serve as a barometer for Barack's leadership abilities. Well, so be it then.

Animal people are already crying foul and accuse the President of flip-flopping for not going with a shelter dog, since he announced his intention to months ago. The counter is that "Bo" IS a shelter dog, since he has been in a constant state of transition since birth. Kind of like Barack's administration...

My advice to The Man would be to make sure no one else ends up adopting the dog anytime soon. That would probably not go over very well, and one of his former dance partners learned the hard way that those dog people don't play around.

The point is - wait there is no friggin' point. I just remembered. It's a DOG.

The opening clip of "the MACumentary"

2009-04-14T16:55:00.005-04:00

I started a YouTube channel late last night, and posted some clips from "the [mac]umentary." I will keep adding clips from some of my other mini-mentaries in the next few days.

Sorry, GM & Chrysler, You're Not Entitled To My Money Anymore

2009-03-30T17:48:00.005-04:00

I am really tired of the same old stupid decisions being repeated over and over.

I was reading today about the auto industry smarting from Obama's decision not to continue pouring taxpayers' money into their failing pockets. He rejected the recovery plans submitted by the two large companies, and signaled that - perhaps - it was time for them to actually take this crisis seriously and adopt new strategies.

In a decision that surprised lawmakers and analysts with its toughness, Obama said at the White House today “we cannot continue to excuse poor decisions” and “cannot make the survival of our auto industry dependent on an unending flow of taxpayer dollars.” The administration may use bankruptcy to “help them restructure quickly and emerge stronger,” he said.

The companies were hoping to avoid bankruptcy, and are obviously unhappy that their plans, whatever they were, weren't accepted. In order to continue receiving our money their plans had to be accepted. The quote which enraged me was this:

“The president’s decision to not move forward with bridge loans was unexpected,” said Representative Mike Rogers, a Michigan Republican. “We need decisive and immediate help, not being told to go sit in the corner and wait quietly until the president decides what he is going to do.” (Bloomberg.com)

So call me crazy, but there are a couple of known truths which I thought were universally accepted, now being called into question by this statement.

One, I thought that republicans were against big government and its involvement with the private sector, so why would this man be acting so snarky and pouty about not getting another undeserved loan from taxpayers? Shouldn't the auto industry "pull itself up by the bootstraps of American commercialism" and fix their woes on their own? Shouldn't their ability to adjust to new demands (more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient cars, INNOVATION) be the hallmark of their brand's staying power? I didn't realize that it required my money for them to keep in business.

Two, how can the automakers possibly expect that they will be repeatedly rewarded for failure by being given said funds, in addition to retaining their right to specifiy how and when the underserved dollars should be provided? To say that they "need decisive and immediate help," and then to complain about being told to "sit in a corner" suggests to me that the auto industry (if this Michigan congressman's viewpoint is any indicator of theirs) feels ENTITLED to government funds, and is somehow insulted that they should actually have to bend over backwards to get it!

Well damn right they have to sit in the corner. They should be treated like the babies they are and sit in the corner until they've thought about what they've done and how to best apologize to ME, the American taxpayer, for taking my money like it was their birthright. We've given out how much money? "$17.4 billion in aid since December?" Well then maybe money isn't going to solve the problem. Maybe subsidizing the auto makers isn't going to help - maybe they should be CLEVER and/or INNOVATIVE and figure out an ingenious way to stay alive in a new economy where buying as many fancy new cars isn't the focus of anyone's life anymore.

To take a quote from GM's own website I will ask this question:

Q: "When does the promise of change become more than just a promise?"

A: When GM learns how to cut costs effectively, provide fuel-efficient cars and do it with an unflinching eye towards America's energy independence and the betterment of our economy without projecting an arrogant sense of entitlement to taxpayers' dollars simply to stay in business.

Here's the link to the Bloomberg.com article I read this morning.

"Wish" is pretty spectacular, y'all.

2009-02-07T06:28:00.003-05:00

I got to hear parts of this early and at first I was put off, because it wasn't exactly what I was expecting. I guess I was anticipating a parade of Broadway showstoppers with crazy belting. But the whispered, almost ethereal quality to Sutton's voice when she's not playing *SUTTON FOSTER* is delicate, emotive and super-soothing. I noticed about half of the songs have to do with either sunshine, sunrise, or sunlight. I won't psycho-analyze someone I don't know but there's positive energy all over this album and it's infectious.

When it's officially launched in a little over a week from now, be sure to get yourself a copy - and pay for it.

I promise I will. :)

Jennifer Hudson won the super bowl.

2009-02-02T15:31:00.007-05:00

Yes, it was pre-recorded, but I mean DAMN!

Despite all her pain Jennifer Hudson brang it. Sure she may have actually brought it a day or two earlier in a studio, but she BROUGHT IT. Gorgeous. A vocal performance right up there with Whitney Houston's, and actually probably better.

PS - In some parts of Arizona there was a 10-second clip of hardcore porn "accidentally" played right at the end of the game, for which the CEO of Comcast has basically freaked out and apologized for. I know it's tempting to say that the folks who love football probably love porn too, but there were families watching and I'm certainly glad it didn't show up at my neice's birthday party....crazy.

Jake and Byron's Christmas 2008

2008-12-29T10:47:00.002-05:00

It took a couple of days, but here finally is a little taste of our Christmas this year. The pictures and video were all taken on Jake's new camera (the bright green one I bought him...), and because of how HUGE they are, which is generally a good thing, my video program was freaking out and running really show in processing them. That's why it took three days to finish it.

This features "The Christmas Waltz" from Kristin Chenoweth's recent album, and Robert makes his first appearance on my blog as well. Enjoy!

Jake and Byron's Christmas 2008 from Byron DeMent on Vimeo.

Sarah Jessica Parker loves Madonna.

2008-12-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

Interviewer: Is there anybody you admire?

SJP: Mmmm...Madonna, she is a strong woman, I met her before her show in New York in 2004, she was amazing, very friendly and super cool, that show was awesome, she is a true icon, had to hold myself back from really stalking her (laughs).

Interviewer: She isn't known for her amazing acting, do you think you could have ever cast her in Sex and The City?

SJP: (laughs) ...oh man, I so wish we could have got her on the show, she would have been amazing, as for her acting ability, her presence on screen is just mesmerizing, check out her Vogue, Rain and Bad Girl video's, these are some of my favourite M songs and the videos are amazing and she's acting in those so I don't think its fair to slate her as an actress and certainly not my place either after all I have myself made some bad movies!!

Thanks to alanuk from Madonna Fanzine!
Source: Daily Record

Somebody lift that boy back up on the wagon! He's fallin' off! Grab him, Harold!

2008-12-08T08:11:00.007-05:00

Oh, 'bama.

President-elect Barack Obama was grilled on his smoking status by Tom Brokaw on "Meet the Press" Sunday. Apparently he's always been a smoker, and coped during his long campaign for the highest office in the land by chewing Nicorette gum. Wow, I didn't realize that stuff worked.

I have to say I have a lot of sympathy for Barack on this one. Giving up cigarettes is by all accounts ridiculously hard, and only a philistine like Tom Brokaw would suggest that his inability to fully quit during the campaign amounted to his being dishonest about the situation.

During the program Brokaw accused Obama of being too ambiguous on the issue in his interview with Barbara Walters, and asked him point-blank if he'd quit. Obama then happily reported that he had quit, but that he'd "fallen off the wagon" time and again. He also pledged to obey the no-smoking rule in the White House at all times. But Brokaw seized the moment and retorted, "Wait a minute, that means you haven't stopped!"

Aha! I got you! You lied! Impeach!!!!!

Oh lay off him, Brokaw. Give Obama a break - he just finished the longest non-stop Presidential campaign in US history and won't have a chance to stop now for four years. He's a little stressed out, dude. Stressed people usually turn to something chemical to help. For some its cigarettes, for others it's illegal drugs, still others turn to alcohol, and I personally choose nachos. Nachos and Pepsi...and coffee. It's perfectly normal for a person to have increased difficulty staying off a nasty habit when they're under particularly intense stress.

I think being elected President during a nasty recession, two wars and an energy crisis counts.

So be patient, Tom Brokaw. If you really want a big scandal to talk about and ruin Obama's pristine legacy (so far) with, just cool your heels because there's always something. Let the rest of us enjoy the pristinity for awhile first. Should he quit? Yes. Will he? No one knows - not even Barack. I am sure he will try. Let's leave it at that, shall we?

Now, you get back on up there, 'Bama, you here?

PS - I did however find it highly ironic that the aforementioned no-smoking rule in the White House was instilled by noneother than soon-to-be Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Ahhh, sweet revenge. You gotta take what you can get - and I'd be surprised if she wasn't secretly somewhat amused....;)

Hillary accepts nomination to Secretary of State

2008-12-01T16:25:00.002-05:00

Does she look skinny to you? To me she seems skinny here. Of course you can only see her face so that may be a moot point...she also looks cutting edge and stylish in a black blazer.

I look forward to seeing her more in the future. ;)

Curious artifacts from the not-so-distant TV past....

2008-11-25T08:16:00.003-05:00

I stumbled upon this, the original trailer for my favorite Star Trek series, "Voyager."

This is some other trailer that seems to be legit as well, but is abnormally long. It kind of seems like the promo they'd send out to syndicate the show or something, but the show wasn't syndicated. So I don't know what this is - It's kind of hilarious to hear the announcer mispronounce the names of most of the major characters.

Ummm...

2008-11-20T13:32:00.000-05:00

"Yeah, I wore it. I wore the green thing. What are you gonna do about it?"

On what was otherwise a perfectly normal day, while regular people went about their lives, working, eating, sleeping and reading their daily newspapers, something strange was happening inside Madonna's head. She was trying to convince herself that she actually looked good in one of the pieces from Louis Viutton's new line, for which she is the new "face." She must have been saying, "it's just part of the business, Madge. Yes it's green and there are strings hanging off of it...it's a metaphor for renewable energy. I'm like a walking beacon of hope for the ozone layer. I don't look ridiculous in the least. I look like an endangered marshland. I am fabulous."

Ross meets Madonna for Jay Leno.

2008-11-13T13:42:00.000-05:00

Ross Mathews: Mission Madonna
by hughpine89

Madonna's film, "Filth and Wisdom," premieres: ET

2008-11-12T14:22:00.000-05:00

"Mutts like me" - Read An Interesting AP Column

2008-11-08T04:47:00.004-05:00

President-Elect Barack Obama has already begun to discuss in detail how he will go about resolving one of the forefront issues he is to face during his upcoming transition to the White House: which kind of puppy to adopt for his daughters.

In discussing the issue he made a relaxed remark about his own racial identity and one particular AP writer is making quite a big deal about it. Actually, it already signals to me that hearing occasionally from this President will be much more pleasant and entertaining than it has been hearing from the current one. Once upon a time I commented that in choosing a President I didn't care whether or not I'd feel comfortable having them over for dinner in my home.

And it's still not really important, but I'm starting to think Barack and I would get along just fine - assuming he wouldn't have a problem with microwaved nachos and Dr Pepper. ;)

Read the full article here.

JT and Miss Spears join Madonna onstage in LA!

2008-11-07T02:57:00.000-05:00

There was a lot of speculation about this today: someone told Ryan Seacrest that Britney Spears AND Justin Timberlake were due to be performing with Madonna Thursday night in Los Angeles. As far as I know JT was a no-show, but the proof is in the pudding as far as Britney is concerned. She came on stage and sang along/grooved along while Madonna played "Human Nature," the song to which Britney filmed an artsy backdrop video at the start of the summer.

There have also been rumors that she was set to come back onstage again later and perform "Gimme More" with Madonna, and if JT were in fact to be in the show then one would assume that he'd be performing "4 Minutes," since he did so before this tour began in NYC in April. But for some reason, what with it being time for the show to be done in LA, and all these Britney pictures but none of JT, I am opining that he did not actually make the show after all, and never had any plans to.

But of course if tomorrow it turns out that he did, and I just simply did not stay up late enough to know, then I'll look stupid. We'll see....

---

UPDATE 3:40am EST: Justin DID in fact show up for "4 Minutes,"
and accompanied her Madgesty in performing what the directors from the video called "the 4 minutes to save the world dance." And don't ask me, I have no idea what she's wearing. This is the super weird, future-rave part of the show where she dresses like a robot Joan of Arc while singing oldies. I don't really dig it. But at least this time she had a dance partner that wasn't just on tv...

Byron was typed out, even with his new hairdo.

2008-11-07T00:33:00.002-05:00

About two weeks ago I dyed my hair dark brown, because in the past when I've let my hair grow out I have found that I prefer it dark. This time it didn't really turn out because I didn't leave it in long enough. So a couple days ago I tried again, and BOY DID IT WORK THIS TIME.

My hair turned BLACK.

Not chestnut, not espresso, not even roasted chestnuts on an open fire. Just black. So with this somewhat embarrassing mop of Sarah Brightman/Goth/Elphaba hair I went to work and got some suggestions on how to get it to lighten fast. I know that it will eventually lighten on its own, but with an audition coming up for Wicked I didn't want to look like a complete freak.

I went and bought some Suave shampoo, having been told that repeated washings with really cheap shampoo might just do the trick. After shampoo, bar soap, DISH SOAP, and then more shampoo, I gave up. I had to leave some conditioner in my poor, abused hair. I actually think that the color has finally drained a bit and it looks almost human in the light, so I'm gonna leave it alone now and hope my hair doesn't fall out. I did find some stuff called "Color Oops," but I don't want the color to come out entirely (since I did dye it for a reason), and I figured my hair would be better off without another harsh chemical treatment.

Now I'm actually sort of enjoying the darkness, and have decided to spread the word: Natural Instincts hair dye is some strong stuff. That Feria that I used at first didn't do the trick so I left the NI in for over an hour...and apparently that wasn't necessary. So if you're planning on dyeing your hair anytime soon and leaving the dye in longer than the box recommends, you may want to actually listen to the instructions and dye a test strand first...

In somewhat-related news, I was typed out from the Wicked call today anyway. We were told that they were typing out the folks who they'd just seen two weeks ago for the other tour, regardless of their type becuase there were so many guys present today. I don't know, I think my hair looks pretty wicked.

Madonna celebrates Obama victory.

2008-11-06T23:58:00.000-05:00

Madonna has always been pretty political, so of course she was following the election on Tuesday night. According to the nerdy Madonna fansites I read, the show started just minutes after Obama was declared the winner, due to the fact that she had been waiting for a result to take to the stage. Once she did, it was an all-smiles Madonna that seemed to be giggling like a school girl through the entire show.

The first black President of the United States

2008-11-04T23:26:00.003-05:00

It happened. It was amazing. First, my roommate and I were giggling about the huge man's voice we heard booming through our windows from outside screaming, "OBAMA!" Then, we heard John Stewart saying, "...Obama is our next President," followed by the screaming of the television audience from his late-night special with Stephen Colbert. THEN, my phone rang.

Now at first, I did not think that hearing someone screaming Barack's name through the window meant that he had won. Even when Jon Stewart said he had I did not necessarily think I had heard him correctly. It was only when my phone rang, marking three unexpected events in a very rapid succession, that I knew something was up.

So we screamed a lot (I partly because of a sense of relief that it was all over), and then headed outside with the video camera. Tempest told me that it was crazy outside, and we kept hearing people screaming "OBAMA" through the windows, along with the sounds of screams and car horns honking. We headed down the street and walked into the corner deli and I kept my camera on. We watched John McCain concede the election to Barack Obama with a bunch of strangers in a deli in Washington Heights, and some old drunk guy asked me if I was from Reuters. There will be video soon...;)

It was such a great night - I'll never forget where I was when Barack Obama became The United States of America's First Black President.

Holograms talk about the election....wtf?!

2008-11-04T22:51:00.003-05:00

Every time there is an election or an Olympics, the news networks covering them invent weird new technology and showcase it during the event. This year, MSNBC used some elaborate green-screen sets to place their commentators in the midst of really exciting, animated graphs and voting information "columns." On CNN they have an ENORMOUS touch screen LCD TV, and on Fox News they seem to have nothing better to talk about than the HDTV-shaped cookies that Karl Rove brought for the panel.

But the real standout of tonight's coverage has to be another of CNN's new showbiz tools - the Star Wars style hologram. I am not completely sure who Will.I.Am is, but he apparently produced a song out of one of Barack's speeches and made a video that ended up on the internet, helping to boost Obama's campaign. He also appeared "via hologram" with a mystical, glowing blue light surrounding him while talking to Anderson Cooper about the song and the mood in Bryant Park in Chicago.

PS - Anderson tried to liken the effece to Star Trek, and I disagreed. The talking-over-holograms thing is pretty much a Star Wars thing, not Star Trek. To his credit, the interviewee seemed to disagree as well, saying "yeah but........."

Obama has taken Pennsylvania and 5 others.

2008-11-04T20:50:00.005-05:00

I'm watching CNN and I have now heard two analysts say it "seems pretty impossible" for John McCain to win tonight, given the success that Barack has already enjoyed tonight. Okay, make that three. Anderson Cooper just asked another dude (don't know who he is but he's bald) if he could see a "path forward" for McCain, and his abrupt answer was "No."

A major point was made that in comparison to the presidential election four years ago, the differences are simple: Barack Obama is doing much better in the battleground states than Kerry did, and McCain is not doing as well as Bush did.

Another projection just came through that Kay Hagen just won a North Carolina senate seat from Elizabeth Dole, which is a seat that the Republicans have held for decades. I heard someone say that if Dole were to lose this year, it would be the first time in like 20 years that there was not a Bush or a Dole in the Senate. Similarly important, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner won a seat in that state's senate, another seat which has traditionally been held by Reps.

Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Wisconsin have now all been called for Obama.

CNN has just now brought out some exit polls which yield an interesting statistic. Roughly half of the people asked said that RACE was NOT an important in issue when choosing their President, and the other half said it WAS. On top of that, it turns out that both groups voted in a very similar way - both groups came out in support for Obama. This suggests that race cannot be considered an important factor in Obama's election to President.

Captain Janeway or "Captain Jane Wayne?"

2008-11-04T18:53:00.005-05:00

I think this is brilliance. I was just listening to MSNBC talking about battleground states and stuff while obsessing over the election, and one of them mentioned a quote I'd never heard before about California. "Its not a Jane Fonda state, its a John Wayne state." One of the pundits suggested it may be a "Jane Wayne" state this year.

So my nerdy little ears perked up, and I thought, "Jane....Wayne." Jane....way. Janeway!" The idea behind Star Trek had always been some variation upon the cowboy motif. "Space, the final frontier." It was all about the crazy stuff that happens in unexplored territory, and how in the future the last frontier would have to be somewhere far out in deep space. So the show took on a pretty campy tradition of being written, acted, and advertised in a very good-ole-western kind of way.

So its not totally crazy to suggest that Our Lady of Captainly Divaness earned her name from the feminization of the world's most famous cowboy's name. Maybe the producers of "Star Trek: Voyager" named their captain "Janeway" after John Wayne. And maybe, just maybe, Captain Kathryn Janeway is the female John Wayne in space!

Or maybe not.

I personally choose to believe that's exactly what happened. I needed something to think about besides the election. ;)

Cast of "Ugly Betty" weigh in on Prop 8.

2008-11-04T14:51:00.002-05:00

Check out the other videos that pop up afterwards - a couple of them are pretty clever.

Byron voted today, and enjoyed a free cup of coffee.

2008-11-04T14:23:00.004-05:00

I voted today at around 10am. Being up at 10am would usually be a special thing for me, although I've been doing a little better with getting up before noon lately.

Now, at first I had to pay my standard $1.25 at the corner deli for my caffeine-boost before voting. But after voting I headed up to Target in the Bronx and stopped at Starbucks for a free cup of coffee. It was actually supposed to be a "tall" coffee, but because the store I visited was anxious to get rid of all their non-holiday cups, I got a grande. If for no other reason, this was a good enough reason to vote today. ;)

I would like to complain for a moment, however, that I did NOT receive the usual "I Voted Today" sticker. I actually got halfway home before turning around and going all the way back to PS 128 for my sticker. You see, I didn't vote four years ago and I've been looking forward to today for quite some time. Really. I had a BLAST waiting in line, waiting for the nice lady to find my name and barcode in the other binder (for the last-minute registrants), and pushing and pulling those levers. It was FUN! But after all my civic duties had been executed, I really wanted a free sticker to put on the outside of my jacket. I wanted to flaunt my having voted to everyone who passed me.

But NO! Upon my returning to the polling place, I was told that they did not have any stickers. People had been using them as false excuses for missing work, so all they could provide me with was a certificate by mail to present to my boss explaining why I had been late to work.

LAME.

Happy WICKED Day 2008!

2008-10-30T11:30:00.005-04:00

Five years ago today was the opening night of "Wicked" on Broadway. So it's "Wicked Day." Thought you might like to know.

Kerry Ellis (current Elphaba on b'way-amazing) was so excited about the anniversary that she went with Stephen Schwartz to the Empire State Building and turned on the green lights Monday night. Kudos to her for getting green like, 4 hours early. Who lugs that 30 pound, $10,000 dress up to the top of the Empire State Building just to flip a lightswitch, anyway?

That's one happy witch.

POLITICO article: McCain Camp Trying to Scapegoat Palin

2008-10-30T11:18:00.004-04:00

I found this article to be pretty un-biased and it covers an interesting topic in a rather bi-partisan way. It's short enough and deserves a read:

from POLITICO (nice site btw):
to view the article on the Politico website click here

John McCain's campaign is looking for a scapegoat. It is looking for someone to blame if McCain loses on Tuesday.

And it has decided on Sarah Palin.

In recent days, a McCain “adviser” told Dana Bash of CNN: “She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone.”

Imagine not taking advice from the geniuses at the McCain campaign. What could Palin be thinking?

Also, a “top McCain adviser” told Mike Allen of Politico that Palin is “a whack job.”

Maybe she is. But who chose to put this “whack job” on the ticket? Wasn’t it John McCain? And wasn’t it his first presidential-level decision?

And if you are a 72-year-old presidential candidate, wouldn’t you expect that your running mate’s fitness for high office would come under a little extra scrutiny? And, therefore, wouldn’t you make your selection with care? (To say nothing about caring about the future of the nation?)

McCain didn’t seem to care that much. McCain admitted recently on national TV that he “didn’t know her well at all” before he chose Palin.

But why not? Why didn’t he get to know her better before he made his choice?

It’s not like he was rushed. McCain wrapped up the Republican nomination in early March. He didn’t announce his choice for a running mate until late August.

Wasn’t that enough time for McCain to get to know Palin? Wasn’t that enough time for his crackerjack “vetters” to investigate Palin’s strengths and weaknesses, check through records and published accounts, talk to a few people, and learn that she was not only a diva but a whack job diva?

But McCain picked her anyway. He wanted to close the “enthusiasm gap” between himself and Barack Obama. He wanted to inject a little adrenaline into the Republican National Convention. He wanted to goose up the Republican base.

And so he chose Palin. Is she really a diva and a whack job? Could be. There are quite a few in politics. (And a few in journalism, too, though in journalism they are called “columnists.”)

As proof that she is, McCain aides now say Palin is “going rogue” and straying from their script. Wow. What a condemnation. McCain sticks to the script. How well is he doing?

In truth, Palin’s real problem is not her personality or whether she takes orders well. Her real problem is that neither she nor McCain can make a credible case that Palin is ready to assume the presidency should she need to.

And that undercuts McCain’s entire campaign.

This was the deal McCain made with the devil. In exchange for energizing his base by picking Palin, he surrendered his chief selling point: that he was better prepared to run the nation in time of crisis, whether it be economic, an attack by terrorists or, as he has been talking about in recent days, fending off a nuclear war.

“The next president won’t have time to get used to the office,” McCain told a crowd in Miami on Wednesday. “I’ve been tested, my friends, I’ve been tested.”

But has Sarah Palin?

I don’t believe running mates win or lose elections, though some believe they can be a drag on the ticket. Lee Atwater, who was George H.W. Bush’s campaign manager in 1988, told me that Dan Quayle cost the ticket 2 to 3 percentage points. But Bush won the election by 7.8 percentage points.

So, in Atwater’s opinion, Bush survived his bad choice by winning the election on his own.

McCain could do the same thing. But his campaign’s bad decisions have not stopped with Sarah Palin. It has made a series of questionable calls, including making Joe the Plumber the embodiment of the campaign.

Are voters really expected to warmly embrace an (unlicensed) plumber who owes back taxes and complains about the possibility of making a quarter million dollars a year?

And did McCain’s aides really believe so little in John McCain’s own likability that they thought Joe the Plumber would be more likable?

Apparently so. Which is sad.

We in the press make too much of running mates and staff and talking points and all the rest of the hubbub that accompanies a campaign.

In the end, it comes down to two candidates slugging it out.

Either McCain pulls off a victory in the last round or he doesn’t.

And if he doesn’t, he has nobody to blame but himself.

- Roger Simon, POLITICO

Wicked Concert: "The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken"

2008-10-29T02:47:00.009-04:00

You may or may not be aware of the fact that the Broadway musical, "Wicked," celebrates its 5th year in production this week. Specifically, the show opened on October 30th, 2003, and in tribute the Playbill for this Thursday's show will feature the first-ever green background behind the title. But that is far from all that the good folks at Wicked had planned to conmemorate the occasion this year.

Monday evening (usually a dark-day at the Gershwin), most of the current Broadway company and a host of famous Wicked alumni took the stage for a concert performance entitled, "The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken." The concert featured songs and scenes which were cut from the original draft of the first act of Wicked. The whole shebang benefitted the New York Restoration Project (founded by Bette Midler to clean up neglected areas of NYC and turn them into parks), and also featured Mario Cantone (Sex and the City), Marc Indelicato (Ugly Betty), and Ashanti....for some reason.

It was all summed up quite well by the evening's host, Buck Henry, who said, "A lot of them are current cast members in the show, some of them used to be in the show, and then some of them have never actually seen the show and I'm not quite sure why they're here." (Cue the knowing laughter and applause. We all knew why they were there - to sell tickets. But nevermind...)

So since I work at the Gershwin, I figured Jake and I may as well take advantage of my discount and go. So we did, and I'm glad we did. Not only did we get to see a drastically different version of this ridiculously successful show, but we also ended up sitting right behind Stephen Schwartz (composer) and Winnie Holzman (bookwriter) in the flesh. Mr. Schwartz was kind enough to sign Jake's program, and after signing her signature, Winnie took my program as a keepsake because she forgot to take one of her own. It was kind of charmed how we ended up chatting it up with those two in particular at their own show!

Anyway, the concert itself was really....quite something. We got to see and hear the good and the not-so-good reject scenes and songs, and some of the totally awesome-est stars to ever be in Wicked.

The absolute stand-out of the evening had to be Stephanie J. Block, who can just basically sing anything in any key for as long as you'd like without breaking a sweat. She also seemed to be the most prepared and relaxed by far, though she was lucky not to be playing Fiyero. (It must be said with all due respect that while "Dancing Through Life" is probably my least-favorite Schwartz song like, ever, it is immeasurably superior to the two cut songs we heard two different actors sing last night.) Michele Federer did a nice job with what was apparently the discarded early version of the ansty "Wicked Witch of the East," called "Step By Step" in last night's show.

On the whole the performance shouldn't have given His Schwartzness much reason to feel embarassed (as he claimed once it was all over), but to make him feel proud of surviving it. I'm sure there aren't alot of composers confident enough in their work to have done it.

Musically speaking, it was interesting to see and hear how many different directions the show could have gone in in terms of tone. Some of the cut songs sound a bit more "musical-theatre-y" than what eventually ended up in the show, and though I kinda liked some of them, I think the songs that replaced them are all much catchier and, well, poppier. Case in point: "The Emerald City Stomp" makes it seem as though Galinda and Elphaba are students at Rydell High, not Shiz University. My opinion is that this earlier draft of Wicked probably wouldn't have been quite as big a sensation with middle school-aged girls - because its score sounds more dated.

Overall it was a totally fascinating show that I'm thrilled to have been able to witness - especially within view of the composer himself (I spent about as much time watching him watch the show as I did watching it myself). Equally enjoyable (albeit for totally different reasons), was the experience of watching comparatively talent-free pop personalities pretend to have an excuse to be on a Broadway stage.

In the final analysis, they didn't.

However I think it bears mentioning that a pop star like Ashanti - completely out of her element on a Broadway stage and surrounded by virtuosic talent - might be expected to have a bit of an....attitude. Now, I am NOT claiming to know for a fact that she behaved like a diva, but based on the concert I saw Monday night, I will say this:

If talent and attitude went hand in hand, Ashanti could afford to be sweet as pie but Stephanie J. Block would have to be one roaring BITCH. ;)

The would-be big deal about Harvey Milk

2008-10-28T14:56:00.003-04:00

When Jake and I were in California together last year we spent a good deal of time in San Francisco. While we were there we repeatedly ran into parts of town that had been transformed to the way they had looked decades before, for a film about the first openly-gay politician Harvey Milk. There were all kinds of extras walking around in 80's clothing, and though I'd never heard of him before, I got the impression that "Milk" was gonna be kind of a big deal due to it's star, Sean Penn, and the subject matter.

So I found this article interesting....

Studio Keeps Sean Penn's Gay Drama 'Milk' Out of Spotlight

Madonna a lightning rod for sexism, ageism, and contempt.

2008-10-26T19:22:00.000-04:00

Okay, I'm sorry. I know I post about this woman alot, and we all know I'm a fan of hers. But I happen to be of the opinion that in the last few weeks, the whole Madonna thing has taken a very ugly turn. Madonna is successful, and now that something negative has taken place in her personal life, the media is seizing an opportunity to bring her down a peg.

So if you were to concoct a hideous mixture of some of the most disgusting elements of our modern culture, throw it on television and aim it at Madonna, you would get this:

THE WORKING OUT:

Madonna has repeatedly had to dispel the rumors that she works out for so long each day, claiming that she doesn't even work out every day. Sometimes she works out for as long as 2 hours, but that's it. She's a busy woman and couldn't possibly exercise for "half the day."

THE SKIN CREAMS:

One of Madonna's assets is her skin. She famously stays out of the sun to reduce aging. If she's going to extremes to protect her skin then I suppose it could be a bit of a roadblock to sex, but then, there are lots of reasons that married couples' love lives suffer after a long time. I'm sure that if Madonna or Guy were that interested in being intimate, she'd be fully capable of taking off the "plastic suits." Just another unsubstantiated and irrelevant bit of trivia about Madonna's habits masquerading as a cause for divorce in this ridiculous conversation.

THE DIET:

Considering the fact that Madonna is a lover of all kinds of candy and the occasional pint of ale, it's rather ridiculous to suggest she wouldn't allow her 8-year-old son to have a birthday cake. And once again, completely impossible for anyone not in the family to know anything about. Furthermore, these women spend half of their episodes talking to experts about how to lose weight and be healthy, so criticizing Madonna for being too healthy simply highlights their jealousy and pettiness.

If Joy Behar wants to lose weight then maybe she could follow the same diet Madonna does. If she doesn't and is happy being the size and shape that she is (which is perfectly becoming for her as she's a reasonably attractive woman), then she really ought to afford other women the same freedom. Eating healthy has been a trait of Madonna's for nearly 30 years - it's nothing new and certainly not to do with looking pretty, not to mention AGAIN, that it is utterly and completely irrelevant to a discussion of her divorce from her husband.

TELEVISION BAN:

Ummmm this one is self-explanatory. I tried to watch normal, not-on-demand television for one afternoon and ended up feeling disgusted, irritated, insulted and disturbed in less than an hour. Most television is narrow-minded, elitist, stereotype-enforcing, revolting garbage of which this show is a great example.

And what if Madonna's children turned on theirs to hear Whoopi Goldberg (of all people) criticizing their mother and father's sex lives? Of course they don't watch television....

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"She's insisting on the Kaballah which he may not agree with. You know, what's attractive in a woman when she's young and kind of funny and cooky - becomes eccentric when you hit 50." - Joy Behar on Madonna's adherence to Kaballah

Well done, Joy. You have now completely outed yourself as a sexist, ageist, predjudiced woman.

Calling Madonna's involvement in Kaballah "funny and cooky" is both insulting and ignorant. Simply because her spiritual beliefs differ from Madonna's does not entitle Behar to diminish it or condescend. If you believe in the right of religious freedom for all Americans, which most people claim to, then you have to be willing to extend that right to those who do not fit in with what you consider normal. That includes Kaballah (and Scientology by the way).

Ms. Behar undoubtedly believes that women should become quiet, submissive and conformist when they reach 50. Meanwhile in the real world, Joy is 66. You do the math. Joy Behar should have become "quiet" 16 years ago....what happened?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In short (too late), I found the majority of discussion on the show highlighted just how un-enlightened, judgmental and sexist the mainstream media really is. And this is a show mostly about women, by women and supposedly for them. In the end, however, "The View" is a television show - and television is notoriously sexist - so this panel's inability to carry on a sensitive, mature conversation about a successful and powerful woman should not be surprising.

But it's a pity that Barbara Walters wasn't there that day, because she's older and seems more level-headed than many of her underlings. I opine that had she been there, Babs would've made some attempt to steer the conversation to the topic of the couples' children and their welfare, perhaps mentioning the strain that fame and career would put on any marriage. But there are not enough Barbara Walters' in the world to counteract the extremely ugly reactions most of the media has had to this family's unfortunate news.

So I call on women everywhere to support one another - rather than consistently treating themselves the same way they wish men wouldn't. I think that if women want to be treated fairly without constantly being evaluated based on their looks and ability to keep men happy, then they ought to follow their own advice. Unfortunately during the segment in question, the "ladies" of "The View" all showed poor taste and ultimately made themselves look like enormous hypocrites.

Who knows? Some of them could find themselves in a divorce one day, and maybe if that happens they will wish they hadn't placed so much importance on physical appearance - blaming divorce on women.

Madonna's Divorce: Guy "emotionally retarded."

2008-10-17T12:27:00.000-04:00

I was happily sifting through my usual daily route of websites on my phone during the virtually interminable first act of "Wicked" a couple nights ago, and was admittedly shocked to read that Madonna was getting divorced.

For some reason I figured I was an expert on her personal life from being a big fan. I assumed all the rumors about the divorce were just that, and had just decided to take her at her word that everything was fine. Nonetheless, they are getting divorced, and while that has no impact on my life, I was still surprised. I had thought she was sort of impervious to real-life problems. And as we know, superwoman doesn't get divorced. Or maybe she does.

It's a new Madonna, I guess. After being married for 7.5 years, things are bound to change in both her personality and her work after becoming single again. And now that she's on her way to being a "lone star," as some silly celebrity disher put it, she seems to be becoming a bit less mild-mannered and actually addressed the situation on stage a few nights ago. Voluntarily talking about her personal life while performing is not exactly par for the course with this woman.

After publicly announcing her divorce from Guy on Wednesday through her publicist, the long-suffering Liz Rosenberg, Madonna took the stage without missing a beat on her tour schedule the next day. Towards the start of the show she sings "Human Nature," and felt the need to reiterate that she was, indeed, "not sorry." Later in the evening she dedicated her song, "Miles Away," to the emotionally retarded, saying "you may know a few people who fall into that category...God knows I do."

Watch the video here.

I personally was disappointed to hear of the divorce because I always thought her successful marriage made her more of a role model. I'm sure they have reasons, and like Hayden said, it's "none of our business." At least she can stop living in London now, lose her traces of a British accent, CUT HER HAIR, and maybe free more freedom to express herself how she sees fit. In some ways, this is a good thing for her fans.

Alot of people have expressed over the years that Guy was a bit too old-school gentry for Madonna. It was his old-world chivalry thing that made him seem exotic to her I suppose, what with all the gays and "moderns" living in LA surrounding people in pop music. But according to her brother's book (of which I only read an excerpt cuz I'm not about to pay $30 for a book that may or may not be true and is most definitely not important), Guy was rather homophobic and tried to keep her on a leash of sorts.

Apparently he has never seen "Express Yourself."

RE: MADONNA - I Kinda love Hayden Panetierre.

2008-10-17T12:08:00.000-04:00

"He's a Republican...he's branded."

2008-10-07T15:03:00.000-04:00

from THE NEW YORK TIMES:

Who You Callin’ a Maverick?
By JOHN SCHWARTZ
Published: October 4, 2008

There’s that word again: maverick. In Thursday’s vice-presidential debate, Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, the Republican candidate, used it to describe herself and her running mate, Senator John McCain, no fewer than six times, at one point calling him “the consummate maverick.”
Skip to next paragraph

BRAND Samuel Augustus Maverick

But to those who know the history of the word, applying it to Mr. McCain is a bit of a stretch — and to one Texas family in particular it is even a bit offensive.

“I’m just enraged that McCain calls himself a maverick,” said Terrellita Maverick, 82, a San Antonio native who proudly carries the name of a family that has been known for its progressive politics since the 1600s, when an early ancestor in Boston got into trouble with the law over his agitation for the rights of indentured servants.

In the 1800s, Samuel Augustus Maverick went to Texas and became known for not branding his cattle. He was more interested in keeping track of the land he owned than the livestock on it, Ms. Maverick said; unbranded cattle, then, were called “Maverick’s.” The name came to mean anyone who didn’t bear another’s brand.

Sam Maverick’s grandson, Fontaine Maury Maverick, was a two-term congressman and a mayor of San Antonio who lost his mayoral re-election bid when conservatives labeled him a Communist. He served in the Roosevelt administration on the Smaller War Plants Corporation and is best known for another coinage. He came up with the term “gobbledygook” in frustration at the convoluted language of bureaucrats.

This Maverick’s son, Maury Jr., was a firebrand civil libertarian and lawyer who defended draft resisters, atheists and others scorned by society. He served in the Texas Legislature during the McCarthy era and wrote fiery columns for The San Antonio Express-News. His final column, published on Feb. 2, 2003, just after he died at 82, was an attack on the coming war in Iraq.

Terrellita Maverick, sister of Maury Jr., is a member emeritus of the board of the San Antonio chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas.

Considering the family’s long history of association with liberalism and progressive ideals, it should come as no surprise that Ms. Maverick insists that John McCain, who has voted so often with his party, “is in no way a maverick, in uppercase or lowercase.”

“It’s just incredible — the nerve! — to suggest that he’s not part of that Republican herd. Every time we hear it, all my children and I and all my family shrink a little and say, ‘Oh, my God, he said it again.’ ”

“He’s a Republican,” she said. “He’s branded.”

Another amazing Tina Fey performance.

2008-09-28T23:40:00.001-04:00

Thandie Newton rates Madonna's acting

2008-09-23T15:33:00.000-04:00

Thandie Newton has defended Madonna's ill-received movie career - insisting the pop superstar is a talented actress.

The Crash star says many critics underestimate Madonna's acting skills - and that she will be remembered as a talented thespian. The Holiday hitmaker won critical acclaim for 1985's Desperately Seeking Susan and in 1997 landed a Golden Globe award for her role in Evita. But her acting career has also been plagued with a string of box office flops including 2002's Swept Away.

But Newton says, 'Actually I think Madonna is a great actress and it's only in years to come will people see that. But for me, she is truly gifted.'

From contactmusic.com

"9 to 5: The Musical" rehearsal preview!

2008-09-22T17:51:00.000-04:00

I stumbled upon this preview of "9 to 5: The Musical," today and just love what I see, especially the new lyrics for Judy (Stephanie J. Block). Who's surprised that Dolly Parton is a brilliant songwriter? Not me. Can't wait!

Five things to be happy about today...

2008-09-21T23:22:00.000-04:00

1) Glenn Close just won a well-deserved Emmy for "Damages," one of my favorite shows.

2) When you go to www.glennclose.com, something hilarious happens.

3) Jake is making my roommate and I a delicious pasta-filled dinner.

4) There are pretty flowers on our dinner table.

5) Somebody gave "9 to 5: the Musical" a good review.

PS - yes that's a real picture of my dinner table. I don't know why the lighting looks so perfect and beautiful, but I really just took that on my phone. That makes number six. :)

Get stupid and buy Republican bull****! On sale now!

2008-09-16T13:44:00.001-04:00

Get stupid and buy Republican bull****! On sale now!

2008-09-16T13:44:00.000-04:00

The. Greatest. Thing. Ever.

2008-09-16T13:17:00.000-04:00

Tina Fey glasses. Hehe. I'm so happy, and for your information, the humor in this sketch actually does not ever get old. Watch it again later and try not to laugh. I triple-dog-dare you.

Madonna wears the clothes.

2008-08-21T01:18:00.000-04:00

More even than the leather-look Rolling Stones or the still sprightly Tina Turner, Madonna's age attracts comment. Her position is robust. "I'm not going to be defined by my age," she says. "Why should any woman?"

Lorraine Candy agrees. "The age thing is irrelevant," she says. "As someone who has just turned 40, I'm really bored by being told what's right for a certain age. We should wear what we want to wear. Madonna's body may be unique, but we can all learn something from her spirit of transformation - her attitude."

In effect, Madonna's chameleon quality makes her the embodiment of fashion. "No one else is able to do that reinvention, and that's what fashion is," says Candy. "Someone like Posh Spice looks like the puppet of designers. The clothes wear her. Madonna wears the clothes."

-from the London Telegraph

Byron has given up soda and, ahem.....caffeine.

2008-08-18T00:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, that's right. I may not be 100% successful with the caffeine thing right away, because we're talking some major caffeine withdrawal here, y'all. I made the decision after noticing how much my teeth have reverted to their old shade from when I bleached them back in California.

Then of course there's the fact of soda being very fattening and a waste of money. And high-fructose corn syrup being evil. All those factors combined mean it's time for a change.

Madonna is 50, preparing for tour.

2008-08-18T00:16:00.000-04:00

You thought I was gonna continue to stay away, and miss her 50th? You're crazy. Okay, well I am a day late. But nevertheless, Madonna turned 50 on Saturday and the world is surprisingly still intact.

Apparently she had quite a slew of gifts from Guy - including $500,000 in a matching specially-designed set of Bulgari diamond necklace and earrings, a newly-planted vegetable garden, a new rose *named after her*, and a 20-minute film tribute which he cut together using his considerable editing skills featuring photos and home footage from the past 50-ish years of her life.

Then they went out to a nightclub and danced the night away with Stella McCartney and Gwyneth Paltrow, like you do. Maybe that means her ankle has healed and she'll be okay when it comes time to dance like a maniac in her new "Sticky and Sweet Tour," for which I still do NOT have tickets to.

Meanwhile, I found a very well-stated segment of an article from the New York Daily News, in which the recent (last 5-10 years) change in the music industry is explained very well and especially in regards to it's affect on icons/superstars like Madonna:

The culprit behind this is the same force that determines everything good and evil in the world today: the Internet. The gargantuan range of musical information and access the Web provides has fractured attention spans and interrupted any attempt at a mass pop conversation. Listeners now have such vast choice, it's virtually impossible to corral everyone's attention around just a few icons, as in ye olden days.

What was once a focused conversation, controlled by a limited range of media, has turned into a Tower of Babble, open to everyone. Only the most garish gossip magnets, like Lindsay and Paris, can command the old brand of wall-to-wall attention - and that's a fleeting and shallow version of it, inviting derision or giggles, not loyalty or identification. The result leaves grandfathered-in pop stars like Madonna and Prince - even Jackson - as the equivalent of stars in the old Hollywood Studio system. They're antique in one sense, enduring in another.

-Jim Farber, New York Daily News

"Ugly Betty" has begun filming in NYC!

2008-07-21T02:28:00.001-04:00

I am so excited for this show to return on September 25th! The city and ABC threw a "block party" for the cast and crew to celebrate their setting up camp in NYC. According to Vanessa Williams, they are filming 4 out of 9 days outside on location, and that must mean ALOT of NYC on the show! The day that I come across the cast of "Betty" filming here I will probably pee my pants.

Surprise Oral Surgery: 10 Things You Probably Never Knew

2008-07-13T23:57:00.000-04:00

10) Sometimes when a dentist (or periodontist) believes he can finish your oral surgical procedure quickly and save the time of making an additional appointment, he or she will suggest going ahead with an operation on the spot. This practice is referred to as surprise oral surgery.

9) When the dentist is scheduled to examine you and provide a consultation as to whether or not surgery is required, but then suddenly grabs a needle and anesthetizes your mouth, this is a good sign that you may be in store for surprise oral surgery.

8) Generally speaking, the term surprise oral surgery brings about feelings of uneasiness in people.

7) When faced with the possibility of surprise oral surgery, it is a good idea to at least attempt and take control of the situation and ask what is happening.

6) Surprise oral surgery can be problematic when it takes place only hours and minutes before you have to go to work.

5) It is possible for surprise oral surgery to occur when a particular dentist's office is disorganized or employs lackadaisical clerical staff.

4) It is normal to experience feelings of shock, disorientation and/or nausea, vomiting and profuse sweating when enduring surprise oral surgical procedures.

3) Surprise oral surgery is usually the result of a surgeon's impatience and not the fault of the original dentist whom referred you to them for a consultation.

2) Surprise oral surgery can be surprisingly expensive.

1) Surprise oral surgery is not the sort of surprise most people would enjoy, like birthday parties or visits from friends.

Madonna denies BS, and earns quote of the day.

2008-07-06T20:15:00.000-04:00

Madonna has finally broken her silence and announced that she is not, in fact, having an extramarital affair with a baseball player named Alex Rodriguez. She also denied trying to convince him to study Kabbalah, and took a well-deserved shot at the press:

"My husband and I are not planning on getting a divorce. I brought my kids to a Yankee game. I am not romantically involved in any way with Alex Rodriguez. I have nothing to do with the state of his marriage or what spiritual path he may choose to study. I have learned over the years not to take accusations and the many false reports about me very seriously...I also appreciate how fiction and fact seem to be perceived as one and the same by people who read both newspapers and the Internet."

Classic Madonna backhanded comment, and my favorite quote of July thus far.

So apparently...

2008-07-04T23:41:00.001-04:00

Apparently anyone who's anyone knows that the place to go for watching the fireworks WAS Liberty Island. Since they aren't shooting them off from the island anymore, actually being there is a lovely place to sit, relax on the grass and watch them from afar. This is what I wanted. This is what I thought would happen at Battery Park.

This is what I will do - next year. Arg.......

"Put the umbrellas down!!!"

2008-07-04T22:00:00.000-04:00

So today was the fourth of July, and in years past I have had a wonderful time watching the fireworks from my favorite spot in Battery Park City. One can lay on the grass with a blanket and a picnic of food, stretch out and enjoy the show later when it gets dark. One would think this was a wonderful New York tradition to be carried on for ages - and one would be right. One would then have expected to do this today, seeing as how today was the 4th of July.

One would plan on which blankets to bring, which sandwiches to pack, and the whole nine yards. One would get oh so excited about the upcoming holiday, and make sure to request off from work on that holiday, in order to facilitate the carrying out of the aforementioned, lovely holiday festivities. One wouldn't feel the express need to double check the details of the event beforehand, but would do so anyway just to be sure - blissfully confident that all would be arranged as usual, and that the 4th of July festivites would be carried out in the same thoughtful manner as had been done before.

But one would be so, woefully wrong.

Because THIS year, the genius in charge decided to move the two fireworks barges (which used to float on either side of lower Manhattan-one right by Liberty Island). The two shows are now BOTH on the East River, and as a result there is no way to see the fireworks from any park, Battery or otherwise. So now, in the newly-upgraded Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular version 2.0, the only official viewing area is the FDR. Yes, that's right. Someone thought that being herded by gun-wielding police officers down an onramp and standing all night on the hard concrete of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Freeway was preferable to laying on the grass and watching the fireworks remind us of that fateful victory - with the graceful Statue of Liberty in the background. To me, that's some faulty logic.

The shot you see above represents the very best view Jake and I had of the uptown show from the FDR. Yes, it was raining and I had to pee. But my only legitimate complaint about the evening is the choice of locations, and the abrupt change in operating procedures from years past, during which (to the best of my knowledge), things were much more pleasant for all concerned.

Needless to say, after slowly making our way down an onramp to the FDR in the rain for 45 minutes, we left again the very minute the show started. That's when it became evident that there would be no enjoying the show this year - unless listening to people angrily chide those with umbrellas while staring at the back of their heads and hearing the sounds of exploding gunpowder somewhere off in the distance is your idea of entertainment.

So here's to a more successful interpretation of the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" rule in the future.

Oh and I almost forgot - Happy Birthday, America.

Drink too much caffeine? Here's a list to keep you honest.

2008-06-30T18:48:00.000-04:00

When I was in college, one of my favorite professors - named Ellen - gave us a short xerox containing the caffeine content of most popular beverages. She suggested we keep our intake down to, and I may be remembering incorrectly, no more than 400mg. Though it might have been less than that. Clearly her lesson didn't hit close enough to home for me since I continue to drink soda today although I do also drink more water than I did before.

(Right now I am accompanyied by my oft-reused ETHOS water bottle filled with Brita-filtered water...my 20oz Dr Pepper is cooling in the refrigerator waiting to be finished when we take a trip to the lovely Fort Tryon Park later...;)

So since I am currently obsessed with list-making, I am including a link to a website that lists every conceivable soft drink and/or brand of coffee you might ever wish to partake.

Center For Science In the Public Interest - Caffeine Content

Take a gander and find out how many milligrams you've been drinking on a daily basis. Look at your peril!

From Screen to Stage?: An Unabridged-ish List

2008-06-27T01:53:00.000-04:00

A movie based on a musical based on a movie? It's ridiculous! And yet it seems like all we ever see these days on Broadway are "new" stage musicals that were adapted from films.

It occurred to me recently, however, that this trend isn't really that new. I mean, yes, there are now more than ever. But there have been lots of them over the years and some of them may surprise you. Look them up on www.IMDB.com and you'll see - I've begun to notice that more and more of the shows I thought were stage musicals first actually were derived from films.

So, to add to my blogging experience and to my poor sleep habits, I've arranged a list in chronological order of every staged musical adaptation of a film that ever existed. Yeah, I'm up late and for a stupid reason. But in all honesty this was a fun list to put together. I'm sure this is incomplete, but it's pretty detailed thanks to the internet's vast resources.

I arranged them in decades by the date of their first productions (not necessarily Broadway debuts), and you can definitely see a trend building in the last ten years or so.

STAGED ADAPTATIONS OF FILMS, MUSICAL OR OTHERWISE

1945 - *The Wizard of Oz

1958 - Cinderella (originally an R&H TV production)
1958 - Oh, Captain! (based on "The Captain's Paradise")

1966 - Sweet Charity (based on the Fellini film "Nights of Cabiria")

1972 - Sugar (Based on the film, "Some Like It Hot")
1973 - Gigi
1975 - Shenandoah

1980 - 42nd Street
1982 - Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
1983 - Singin' In The Rain
1986 - Smile
1987 - *The Wizard of Oz
1988 - **Carrie
1988 - Fame: The Musical
1989 - Meet Me In St Louis
1989 - Metropolis

1993 - Beauty and the Beast
1993 - The Goodbye Girl
1993 - Sunset Boulevard
1995 - State Fair (Originally an R&H film)
1995 - Victor/Victoria
1996 - Big
1996 - Whistle Down the Wind
1997 - The Lion King
1998 - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas
1998 - Footloose: the Musical

2000 - The Full Monty
2001 - The Producers
2001 - The Spitfire Grill
2002 - Debbie Does Dallas: the Musical
2002 - Evil Dead: The Musical
2002 - Hairspray
2002 - Sweet Smell of Success
2002 - Thoroughly Modern Millie
2003 - Urban Cowboy
2003 - Never Gonna Dance (based on "Swing Time")
2004 - Billy Elliot
2004 - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
2004 - **Mary Poppins
2004 - The Toxic Avenger: The Musical
2004 - The Toxic Avenger: The Musikill
2005 - **The Color Purple
2005 - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
2005 - Spamalot
2006 - Grey Gardens
2006 - Tarzan
2006 - The Wedding Singer
2007 - Cry Baby
2007 - Legally Blonde
2007 - The Little Mermaid
2007 - The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein
2007 - Xanadu
2008 - Shrek
2008 - The Toxic Avenger
2009 - 9 to 5

*yes, there have been THREE separate musical adaptations of "The Toxic Avenger," and two separate adaptations of "The Wizard of Oz," which differ in their closeness to the film musical

**also based on the book, series of books, or novel

Kate Mulgrew on the Broadway in "Equus"

2008-06-27T01:40:00.000-04:00

One of my faves, Kate Mulgrew, has been officially announced as the third cast member of the upcoming Broadway revival of "Equus." She'll join Daniel Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths when the show enters previews September 5th.

Mulgrew is recent recipient of the Obie award for her performance in "Iphiginia 2.0." She was amazing in "Tea At Five," in which she played Katharine Hepburn in a one-woman show at the Promenade Theater. Meeting her afterward, she seemed to be a genuinely sweet lady. Just after "Star Trek: Voyager" stopped production in 2001 she lost her mother to Alzheimer's disease and has since devoted much time helping to raise money for the cause.

Bottom line is I love this lady and I'm so happy she's breaking through to the Broadway stage, finally. No doubt she'll be fantastic.

Byron has more dental problems...with the same tooth.

2008-06-23T03:10:00.000-04:00

I had many visions in my head of what my first new blog entry would be about after such a long absence, and going to the dentist again was not one of them. Nonetheless, it is true. I went to an emergency dentist today...and I know what you're thinking if you've read my blog before. The answer is yes.

Same damned tooth.

I have an entire mouth full of healthy teeth. I haven't counted them recently, but most people have about 20, right? Anyway all the others are fine. Its just that same stupid front tooth that's causing me more problems now. Okay I just counted. I have 26 teeth. That means that 25 of them are fine - they're not loose, they don't hurt, they're not discolored, I brush them, floss them (most of the time) and like them. They are my friends. But this number 10 guy really has it out for me. He was infected like, two years ago, and now he's infecting my gums. I have an infection...gross I know...but it's all I can think of lately so I'm sharing the news with you.

I don't know what I did to make him so angry.

Anyway I am back into toothache mode again now:

I'm taking some crazy-expensive antibiotic thrice a day which cost me $73
I'm also on Tylenol-3 for pain (in case you didn't know that's the fun one that makes you dizzy with Codeine)
I almost never drink anything other than water because I'm so paranoid that everything else will make matters worse and thus make the recovery take longer
I gargle with warm salt-water three times (at least) a day

There are further steps I must continually take to get over this latest debacle - but I will not describe them here because they're just too gross. Suffice it to say that mouthwash is going to be my best friend once this is all over. To commemorate this day in my life I have composed a short poem for you to peruse and perhaps learn from:

Brush your teeth, they always say,
and if you do then shout hurray!
But this alone will not dissuade
or keep the dental demon at bay.

Flossing helps as well you know,
to clean the spots between and so
we do it with a smile of sorts
into the mirror in boxer shorts.

Though maybe you're into wearing briefs,
or nudity or maple leafs -
but either way it matters not.
What matters is the insurance you've bought!

For despite your efforts to avoid it,
prevent, ignore, put off or foil it,
eventually you'll have to go
to the freaking
fracking
DENTIST

Madonna's adoption FINALLY approved.

2008-06-03T22:47:00.000-04:00

Okay, this happened a few days ago, but who's counting?

After spending about 18 months as a temporary foster parent with a preliminary adoption agreement, Madonna and her husband are now officially the parents to their adopted son, David. That was a long time coming. I'm glad that the press can stop calling her a "baby snatcher," and owe up to the fact that she's probably just a maternal woman with feelings and a good mother.

The controversy, as I understand it, has come from the fact that up until now there were no laws governing international adoptions in Malawi. There are customs and traditions (which were honored as a symbolic show of good faith at the initial hearings), but no actual laws. As soon as it was announced that this rich American woman was adopting David, some "human rights groups" immediately descended upon the case. They argued that the emotional trauma and confusion of being removed from Malawi as a child make the adoption unsound and inadvisable. Somehow I think suffering from dysentery, malnutrition, drinking filthy water and being constantly exposed to untreated illness and disease would be more traumatic. In fact, based on his state of health 1.5 years ago, David Banda would likely not be alive at all today if he hadn't been adopted.

So its a good thing that the adoption is final in my mind, and in the end - just as Madonna intended when the controversy first began to swirl around her - its a good thing it became such a scandal in the press. Because now there are millions more people who know about the problem in Malawi and will consider donating, adopting or otherwise contributing to the cause of its 1 million orphans. I guess if I knew everything I did would somehow end up being on the news and deemed "controversial," I would want to use that attention for good, too.

She's clever, that one. ;)

In honor of today's opening...

2008-05-30T13:27:00.002-04:00

Just watch this and smile for ten minutes. Trust me.

Ugly Betty wants MADONNA bad.

2008-05-25T14:58:00.001-04:00

So while watching the "Ugly Betty" finale last night (which actually aired Thursday), I couldn't help but notice that fully FOUR songs fresh off of "Hard Candy." The episode was titled "Jump," and therefore concluded with a very lengthy section of the same-titled song from Madonna's last CD "Confessions On A Dancefloor." Also noteworthy was the appearance of Naomi Campbell as herself in an ELLE vs MODE charity softball game...when she opened up her cell phone at home plate everyone ducked. It was silly.

I ALSO couldn't help but notice that Madonna was mentioned by name in the episode by Papa Suarez, Betty's dad, in explaining why little baby Betty had lace gloves and pearls on for Halloween. She was supposed to be "Baby Madonna." Cute.

Now as if the courting of Her-M-Esty hadn't already gotten obvious enough (PLEASE COME ON THE SHOW NEXT SEASON, PLEASE!!! IT'D BE FUN!!! WE'LL BRING KABBALAH WATER!!!), the UB crew has now uploaded this cute little YouTube video of Betty (America Ferrera) asking Madonna to sign a CD for her nephew Justin:

If that isn't a beg, I don't know what is. "Betty" is moving production to NYC starting next season, and although the Governator isn't happy about the trend, I'm thrilled because it means they'll be filming on location in NYC as opposed to faking it all with green-screens. And Madonna does prefer New York over LA, so who knows? Maybe we'll see a diva-fight between Madonna and Vaness---er, Wilhemina next season. Now THAT'S something that would most definitely be worth watching.

Consider my fingers officially crossed. ;)

Ugly Betty wants MADONNA bad.

2008-05-25T14:58:00.000-04:00

Finally back in NYC, first week is AOK.

2008-05-25T14:30:00.000-04:00

So on Tuesday morning (aka: 5:30am Pacific Time), Jake and I got up from our hotel in San Francisco and went to the airport on the free shuttle. We got some snacks and then settled in for our 5.5 hour flight on Jet Blue. Ummm...first of all, I had never flown Jet Blue before...and now I'm never flying anything else. We had DirectTV for EACH SEAT, a live GPS map of our location at all times, and TONS of legroom. But anyway, that was just the flight here. We landed at JFK, and after an abnormally long wait in the line outside we caught a $45 taxi to our new apartment in Inwood.

So the thing is, we never actually met our roommate before getting the room, since we were in California and she was here. Well, we lucked out. Our roommate just turned 30, and is a published author who writes Science Fiction and also random product reviews and things like that. So she's got a real job (more than I can say for either of us), she's very thoughtful, polite, educated, fun to talk to, etc. On Thursday she left town on business (so professional) and she's been gone ever since, although she'll be back in a couple days.

Ummmm...the apartment?! I LOVE IT. We have a rather large kitchen, a very large and very nice living room with no TV (which is always refreshing), a lovely showerhead in the bathroom that I just broke (shit), and then there's the best part - our bedroom. I can't describe it. Well, actually I can. It's HUGE. Around 12' x 15' or thereabouts. I'm not sure if that seems like a lot, or if that's even accurate. But suffice it to say that we now have a queen-sized bed and there is PLENTY of room left. We could have a couple more beds if we wanted. There is a real closet with a door. Beautiful medium-brown wood floors. Two large windows that overlook the back courtyard and several very healthy, green-leafy trees. Every morning we wake up to the sound of birds chirping. All night long, it's practically silent. Amazing find in every possible way.

We also love our neighborhood, as we just found two very nice grocery stores - one of which is a bit farther away but open 24/7! The other day we got haircuts for $15, and the dude did a surprisingly great job. They used a straight-razor all the way around at the end, and then used aftershave and lotion before powdering us up and sending us on our merry way. It was good.

We found a lot of amazing deals on bedding, rugs, pillows, etc at Marshall's by Target in the Bronx at 225 St. We got some curtains. Things are looking really nice in the Chateau de J&B these days.

I almost left out the funnest part - we went to see "Young Frankenstein," because we weren't in the mood for anything old or anything too serious, and because of the cast. The unfortunate thing was that because neither of us knew much about the story, we didn't know that Elizabeth was the role Megan Mullaly is supposed to play, or that Roger Bart played Frederick Frankenstein. I sort of thought that was the monster, and I had no idea who Elizabeth was. Anyway, as you may have guessed, they were BOTH out the night we went. But what really matters is of course, Sutton. We got to see my favorite soprano-belter as Inga, and met her afterwards. Luckily I just worked with her Marius from when she was on tour in Les Miz, and we were able to chat for a few minutes before she happily trotted off to what I can only assume is her fabulously cute little midtown apartment. Then we snuck inside the Gershwin Theatre and saw our friend Robert selling concessions as the throng left. Later we had some Coldstone. It was a good night.

Long story short (too late), its been wonderful being back in NYC this week. Now reality will set in and the work will start - but I'm optimistic. Jake and I are both babysitting for a very sweet couple that lives literally one block away and have a 14-month-old and a 3-year-old. We just met them and I'm sure they will be adorable little angels tonight. If all goes well we may have a regular gig doing this...could be fun.

Two TV Stars Announce the Tony Nominations

2008-05-13T18:12:00.000-04:00

For some reason it always bugs me when the powers that be decide to find any excuse to choose a famous TV or film personality to announce or introduce the Tonys. I mean, yes, both of these sparkling individuals have spent time on Broadway. But the ulterior motives are just so obvious that it always gets on my nerves. Sara Ramirez! From "Spamalot!" ......uh, what? You mean from Grey's Anatomy? I'm pretty sure that if she hadn't ever done that little TV show she wouldn't be here right now. Same goes for "Curtains"' David Hyde Pierce. But whatever. I will relent.

The nominations are out, and there are not many surprises. "The Little Mermaid" has thankfully been left off the Best Musical category, and Sutton Foster is not nominated for the first time. But for that matter neither is the show, or Megan Mullaly.

Go read 'em.

PS - I am glad that Whoopi is hosting, but I'm still not exactly sure why except for the fact that she executive produced "...Millie" a few years back.

Madonna approached to direct "Nip/Tuck"

2008-05-07T19:37:00.000-04:00

After officially announcing her intentions as a film director earlier this year with the release of "Filth and Wisdom," Madonna is starting to receive offers to direct some high-profile projects. Rosie O'Donnell apparently wants her on the set of "Nip/Tuck," although that seems unlikely just as long as she's busy promoting "Hard Candy."

Show regular Kelly Carlson says, "Madonna's been approached because Rosie is on our show and they're very good friends. I've begged the producers to get her on the show. "She has such a great mind for stuff like this that I think she'd be a great director for an episode. I would also love to have Madonna on as a character."

Madonna #1, ILNY continues on...

2008-05-07T19:20:00.002-04:00

Madonna's new album debuted at #1 today with 280,000 units sold in it's first week. It's her 7th number one debut, putting her just behind Barbra Streisand with 8 tippy-top debuts. In my opinion that number - 280,000 - is sort of disappointing. Confessions On A Dancefloor debuted with 350,000 units sold, although apparently having been launched just before Christmas helped.

The most significant statistic, though, was the revelation that fully 26 PERCENT of her album sales were in the form of digital downloads. If that doesn't signal the incessant march towards a primarily-digital market then I don't know what would. I, personally, have the actual CD in my car because I wanted to have the pretty little jewel case with the booklet to actually hold. That said, I don't think I would really miss it that much to be honest.

In unrelated personal news, I have been thoroughly enjoying my three days off at home in Sacramento, and as a result I have been eating way too much food and sleeping too much as an act of celebration. :) Late last night I began to redouble my efforts to finish that documentary and hope I'll have it completed sometime this summer.

I guess two years is better than three...?

Madonna #1, ILNY continues on...

2008-05-07T19:20:00.001-04:00

Star Trek, Rent, Theatre and Madonna

2008-05-03T19:52:00.000-04:00

I'm sitting here watching "Star Trek: Voyager" episodes which I just rented from the coolest little video store ever in Sebastopol, CA. I'm drinking a diet Coke. My knee is aching from having an untimely collision with a piano bench in the dark backstage a few nights ago. Just a few minor observations.

Jake and I have paid our first month's rent (for May), and are now officially paying for the apartment that we're not living in yet. On the 20th we'll arrive and hopefully we'll keep on enjoying the same serendipitous good luck we've had for the last few months.

We opened "They're Playing Our Song" last night and I think it went well based on our initial audience reaction. I must confess that I am actually beginning to enjoy myself, which is an improvement. I haven't heard of a review yet, but if it's good I'll be sure to let you know.

I have been enjoying Madonna's new album lately too, in addition to her 38-minute concert from NYC's Roseland Ballroom that took place on the 30th. Yes, she did get dry-humped by Justin Timberlake, and I think the world is a better place for it. The show was very Blond Ambition-esque, complete with jazz sneakers and workout-inspired costumes. I'm feelin it. I'm confident that you will too. So go buy "Hard Candy."