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January 2, 2013:

ON A WONDERFUL DAY LIKE YESTERDAY

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, January is flying by, like a gazelle in a girdle. Does anyone still wear a girdle? They were ever so popular in the 1950s, and those who’ve read Benjamin Kritzer know I used to get wonderful amusement out of wearing my mother’s girdle when I was about seven. Until I lose my twenty pounds, I was kind of thinking it might be amusing to wear one now. I have to say, and therefore I will say, that the first day of the New Year, 2013, was splendidly splendid in every way. It took me a while to fall asleep because my mind was a big jumble of thoughts about new projects and the book and other things. So, I slept a little later than I’d planned and got up at 10:45. By eleven, I’d written the first sentence of the new book and I continued to write and finished about seven pages. I then did a two-mile jog, which actually felt great to do, and then I got ready to attend the Barry Pearl and his ever-lovin’ Cindy annual New Year’s Day partay. It was in full swing by the time I arrived and it was the usual array of fun guests. I got some food and a beverage and then hung out with our very own Kay Cole, her hubby Michael Lamont, and director Joel Zwick, with whom I worked on a couple of Laverne and Shirley episodes. We had a great time – really fun conversation and Joel and I are absolutely alike in terms of our verbal humor. The food was yummilicious but I was VERY good – I had just a tiny bit of ham, a bit of salmon, some potato salad, one small corn muffin thing (bite-sized, really), and a cookie for dessert. That’s the least I’ve ever eaten at one of these soirees. I stayed about two hours and yakked with several more people, including one of the original dancing dildos, Jeff Harlin. Then I came back home.

Once home, I felt industrious, so I wrote more pages, completing a grand total of twelve, which is the most I’ve ever written on the first day of a new book, I think. I’m having a blast with it so far, just because I love the setting of its first chapter and I’m putting so many things in motion in what will be a fairly long first chapter for one of my books. After that, I had a couple of slices of the Eyetalian salami and a matzo, a small bit of the Darling Daughter’s cherry loaf cake thing and then I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Beloved Infidel, which sounds like some movie about Genghis Khan or Kubla Khan or the Wrath of Khan. But no, it’s about the affair between F. Scott Fitzgerald and gossip columnist Sheila Graham and is based on the book she wrote about it. I’ve only see the film once before, on DVD, and I rather enjoyed it. I know it’s a film that’s not especially well thought of, but seeing it again on this new Twilight Time Blu and Ray I found myself enjoying it even more. That’s because, as the old adage goes, they don’t make ’em like that anymore, just like they don’t make girdles like they used to and you know what – I’m quite certain that Miss Deborah Kerr wore a girdle as gossip columnist Sheila Graham. The big problem for people with this film seems to be what they perceive as the bad casting of Mr. Gregory Peck as F. Scott Fitzgerald. Well, it didn’t bother me at all because I can watch Mr. Peck in anything and enjoy him. Miss Kerr is superb, as always, and it’s nice to see character actors like Philip Ober get a nice role to play. The other thing I like is that these Fox films of that era look like no other films from any other studio – they have a unique look and feel and I really like that. It’s impossible to watch this film and not know you’re watching a Fox film. It’s really not that well written, but the actors make it fine and there are some wonderful location shots, including the back lot of Fox, Miller Drive (by La Cienega and Sunset Blvd.), and Malibu. The film has a lovely score by Franz Waxman, gorgeous photography, and I just enjoyed it and I don’t care who knows about it. Best of all, the transfer is absolutely great – perfect color (THIS is what color of that era looks like), great detail, and really nice sound. If you like this sort of film, I really recommend the disc highly.

I then watched the PBS Great Performances documentary about Jews and the American Musical Theater. It started off a little shaky, but after about ten minutes it found its pace and from then on it was very interesting and had a good variety of people expounding on the subject, and some nice clips. It all moved along very quickly for its ninety-minute duration. If you didn’t catch it, I’m sure it will be repeated a few times.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I must get a good night’s beauty sleep.

Today, I’ll be up by nine-thirty or so, I’ll write, I’ll try to get in a jog, and then we have our first Kritzerland rehearsal of 2013. The entire company, including Hal Linden, will be here, save for one singer who has to come tomorrow at noon. So, rehearsal will last about two-and-a-half hours, and then I’ll be able to hopefully pick up some packages, and eat something light but amusing. Then I’ll probably write a little more (I’d like to at least do between five and eight pages), and then I’ll relax.

Tomorrow is more writing, our one small rehearsal at noon, Friday is our second rehearsal, Saturday is our stumble-through, and Sunday is sound and video check and then show. We should have a nice crowd and there will be some first-time attendees, which is always fun.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, maybe jog, rehearse, hopefully pick up packages, hopefully have an important e-mail, eat, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, happy to have had a wonderful first day of 2013, and more than happy to have begun a new book.

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