Well, dear readers, the intention was to reveal the new book’s title and also the first of two blurbs. That was the intention. But now I’m thinking I’ll wait for the other blurb and do it all at once. I don’t know why I’m being resistant to revealing anything about the book, but I’m sure part of it has to do with the fact that certain things I’ve revealed here have suddenly turned up elsewhere, not that I think that will happen with this, since the book will be out in the next eight or so weeks. So, be patient just a little longer – I’m hoping the second blurb will be here today or tomorrow and then I’ll be resistant no more. I was very happy with the first blurb and am equally looking forward to the second.
Of course, now I have nothing to talk about. Oh, yes I do – I can talk about combs. I was watching a motion picture last night, made in 1969, and at one point the leading character pulled out a comb and combed his hair. And that got me to thinking – does anyone still use a comb? I mean, guys – do guys actually carry combs anymore? I never did, not even as a kid, but my brother wouldn’t have been caught dead without a comb and most of my acquaintances carried combs. So, when did combs lose their allure, guy-wise? And the other thing I noticed whilst watching this motion picture was how much gunk the leading man had in his hair. I never used gunk either, unless I was just playing with the Brylcreem that was always around – I hated gunk in my hair but my brother wouldn’t have been caught dead without some kind of gunk in his hair, whether it be Brylcreem or pomade or butch wax. At what point did those things fall out of favor? But, of course, they seem to have made a comeback, with guys putting gunk in their hair again to look like a porcupine. The other thing we never hear about is dandruff. Has dandruff just gone the way of the dodo bird and if so why? Dandruff was an epidemic when I was growing up. I even think I had it in my early teens, although not for long. Before I go any further, could some nice soul please explain to me what the HELL I’m talking about? Why am I talking about combs and hair products and dandruff?
Speaking of combs, yesterday was a weird little day. I was up at eight-thirty and out of bed at nine. I was informed of some stuff having to do with our show and I had to send an e-mail about it, since someone thought it was a good idea not to have me in the loop about what was being discussed. I would just have to say that it’s NEVER a good idea not to have the creator and director of the show in the loop. After that, little Hadley Belle Miller came with her folks and we had a piano player here. They had an idea for a put-together for her for an important audition for a Broadway musical. I had her sing through both songs but for my money they didn’t fit together at all and just seemed peculiar. I then asked her to tell me about the character she’s auditioning for, which she did. I then suggested she do the first and last verse of the song she did at our Kritzerland show, and then do about a minute of a song from the show she’s auditioning for which fits perfectly with the other song. I showed them how that would work and I think that’s what they’ll do.
After the little session, we all went and had lunch. Jerry’s Deli was jammed – thanks to the holiday. It was quite disgusting, actually. Thankfully, we did get a table right away, but within ten minutes there was a line out the door. People in the City of Studio are, to put it politely, out of their cotton pickin’ minds. I had a ham and Swiss on rye, a small thing of onion rings (really small, actually) and then some tap tap tapioca pudding, which I only ate half of. Then I came back home. I then began entering the third proofer’s fixes – she found some stuff that the other two proofers hadn’t, and then I had to run about twelve things by Muse Margaret and we agreed which of those we’d do and not do. Once I entered those, I locked the book and sent it to Grant Geissman, who I’m hoping will be able to just jump on it and get it done.
Then we had some back and forth about the cover, with the fellow who’s doing that art – it’s still not quite what I want and it mostly has to do with the feel and how to present the most important part of the image. The idea is working for me, so it’s just getting the particulars exactly right. After that, I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled The April Fools, another Jack Lemmon film, this one from 1969. Unlike The War Between Men and Women, which was kind of mean-spirited and weird, this one is just light and fluffy. I saw it when I was living in New York and I really liked it, but then again I was completely smitten with Catherine Deneuve. I haven’t seen it since then, and boy what a time capsule it is. It probably needed a director like Blake Edwards rather than Stuart Rosenberg, but it still has its moments of charm and there are a few laughs along the way, mostly coming from Jack Weston and Harvey Korman. It’s a handsome film, and the Bacharach and David title song is lovely – the film score is by Marvin Hamlisch, who also did The War Between Men and Women. That score’s main vamp took me aback, since Mr. Hamlisch, three years later, “borrowed” it for Dance: Ten, Looks: Three. The April Fools does become tiresome in its last third, with contrived stuff to keep the wannabe lovers apart until the film’s finale.
After that, I got my blurb, which I was thrilled with, then I did some work on the computer and that was about it.
Today, I shall be up by nine-thirty, I’ll submit a package for approval, then I’ll go eat. Then I have a one-hour or so work session with the musical director of the upcoming Kritzerland show, then my pal David Wechter is coming over to show me something he wants my opinion on, and then I’ll relax.
The rest of the week is meetings and meals and doing and going and going and doing and perhaps looking for a comb, which, of course, I won’t buy.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, submit a package for approval, eat, hopefully pick up packages, have a work session, have a visit, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your hair products when you were growing up – the good, the bad, and the ugly? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which I shall scour the streets of the City of Studio for signs of a comb.