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June 5, 2003:

THOROUGHLY MODERN BK

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, I have finally caught up on my sleep and am feeling a bit better. First of all, just what was “up” doing on my sleep, that’s what I’d like to know? I’ve been a bit under the weather since coming home (due solely to not getting enough sleep), but now I’m feeling my oats again or, at the very least, feeling my bran.

Last night I watched a motion picture entitled The Guru. I gather this was in the theaters for about ten seconds and then disappeared. You wouldn’t know that by reading the imdb and amazon reader reviews, which make this film sound like an all-time classic. It is not an all-time classic, although it certainly means well. The script borrows liberally from any number of other movies (including mine own), but it does come to life whenever they do one of the loopy Bollywood musical numbers. The film is about an Indian (as in India) who wants to come to the USA to be a star. Adventures ensue. The cast is game, but the script is lame. It’s very colorful, and New York looks lovely. If the whole movie had the fun of those Bollywood excerpts then it would have been faboo.

I then watched the first forty minutes of the brand spanking new DVD of Thoroughly Modern Millie. It does have its fun aspects, but it never quite achieves the charm it wants to achieve. I thought that when I saw it on opening day, and I think it now, even though it’s very enjoyable. The fact that this has become something of a classic is very interesting. Still, Julie is terrific, Mary Tyler Moore less so, James Fox is so goofy you want to shoot him, and John Gavin is, well, John Gavin. The film really belongs to Bea Lillie, who is brilliant as Mrs. Meers. Still to come is Miss Carol Channing. The transfer, however, is everything you could hope for – it looks as good as the day it was made and is, in fact, breathtakingly clear at times, so much so that you can see the freckles underneath Miss Andrews’ makeup. Also newly released, Fritz Lang’s marvelous thriller, Cloak and Dagger, which I haven’t looked at yet, and a new transfer of Midnight Run, which I like. Next week is the biggie for me – Once Upon a Time in America.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because don’t I have excellent questions to answer? Don’t I have impromptu chats to discuss? I do, and I shall, not necessarily in that order.

Tonight at six o’clock Pacific Mean Daylight Savings Time, we shall have an impromptu Unseemly Live Chat. We’ll talk about our New York sojourn, the recording sessions, and anything else we feel like. So, be there or be round. And now, your excellent questions.

George asks if I like karaoke. Have I ever sung in a karaoke bar? Have I ever sung karaoke in another setting, someone’s home perhaps? What, in general, do I think of karaoke? I want to make sure I really understand – this is a question about karaoke, yes? I just want to be sure. I have never sung in a karaoke bar, but I have been in a karaoke bar. I don’t have anything against karaoke except for the fact that the daughter of people I really dislike liked to sing karaoke. In general, I think karaoke is a really stupid-looking word. I think it should be spelled Carry Okie.

Allan asks just what are we all? We are all Hainsies/Kimlets and all Hainsies/Kimlets are gay, gay and carefree and fancy-free and free as the wind and gone with the wind and carefree and light as a feather floating on air. That is what are we all.

Jrand asks if I own the DVDs of The Judy Garland Show or if I’ve seen them. I have the first couple. Do I have a favorite episode? Not really – I like them all just fine. Which performer do I think made the most glorious guest appearance on a variety show from the 60s. Barbra Streisand was always electrifying.

Jennifer wants to know more about the CD we just recorded because, apparently, Jennifer doesn’t read these here notes every day. It is an album of great songs from horror films, and it is a lot of fun – it has novelty songs, some beautiful standards and some just plain weird stuff, all sung by some of the best singers around.

Laura asks what is the best thing before sliced bread? I believe the best thing before sliced bread was sliced cheese and an occasional ham chunk. Also, Laura is about to take her first trip to New York, New York, and would like suggestions as to what they should see? Well, you can’t go wrong with Hairspray. And normally I’d say you can’t go wrong with Gypsy, but apparently with this production you can.

William E. Lurie asks if I ever dine anywhere other than Joe Allen whilst in New York. I have dined in many of the finest restaurants, usually with my friend Harvey Schmidt, who knows from fine restaurants. The problem is, I rarely remember the names of the fine restaurants – I do recall Bice, and I adore the Manhattan Ocean Club and I went to a wonderful Chinese restaurant with Brent Barrett and Miss Lauren Bacall near the Empire Hotel. Oh, and I used to eat at the Union Square CafĂ© quite often.
MBarnum asks when I was acting on television and film in the seventies, who was my favorite performer to work with and my least favorite performer. Least favorite is easy: John Pleshette (you can read why at www.brucekimmel.com by searching for Doctor’s Hospital under my bio section). Most favorite – well, I loved working with Jean Simmons and Patricia Neal, and I adored Shirley Jones and the Partridge gang, and I also liked Ron Howard and the Happy Days gang a lot, too, and of course, my beloved Cindy Williams.

Matt H. asks if I could pick one currently living personality whom I’ve never worked with to be on a CD of mine, who would it be? Well, even though I know it would be trouble, I’d love to work with Barbra Streisand, and I know this will sound crazy, but I’d love to record Liza Minnelli, but they’d both have to put themselves in my hands. That’s the deal, and they don’t need to call if they’re not willing to.

Td asks if and when a follow-up recording of more songs from horror films is done, will The Piper Dreams be on it? Who would I have sing it? If I’d thought of it, I’d probably have put it on this album. It’s the song from The Omen, and I might have someone like Liz Callaway do it.

Matthew mentions that on the first Unsung Musicals CD there is a song called The Vamp – what show is it from and where can one look for sheet music? The show is actually called The Vamp and the song is actually called Ragtime Romeo (sung by the delicious Liz Larsen). I don’t really know if the sheet music was ever published or not, and I can’t remember where we got it from. You might try Colony in New York – they seem to have quite a large selection of rare sheet music.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must go hither and thither and I might go yon if I’m so inclined. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Guilty Pleasures day – name some of your favorite film and theater guilty pleasures. Now, just for clarification – a guilty pleasure is something that really doesn’t work for most people, that really wasn’t a hit. For example, a guilty pleasure might be the Village People’s Can’t Stop the Music film. We all know it’s awful, but we watch it anyway, and enjoy it to boot. Post away, my pretties, and I’ll see you at tonight’s impromptu chat.

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