Well, dear readers, first things first because what idiot would do second things first? Frist things firts – I really MUST have my eye exam soon or heaven knows WHAT I’ll type. Firs thigns fstri – see what I mean? I’m not doing this for effect, you know, I eyes have become a mere shadow of what they once were. For example, once you could actually see my eyes, now they’re like little slits that barely open. That sounds wrong, doesn’t it. I used to have very big Eddie Cantor-type eyeballs and now I rather look like Miyoshi Umeki without being as cute and wonderful as she is. My close personal friend, Mr. Stephen Sondheim, had the same issues – his left eye was like a little slit that was barely open. Well, his right eye if you were looking at him. Anyway, I really must have my eye exam soos beacuse my right eye is doing the hokey pokey these days. Anyway, I’m sitting here like so much fish after laughing my ASS off for most of the evening. Of course, now I have no ASS, which is he danger of laughing your ASS off. Where was I? I know I had a point when I began this. Ah, first things first. The new book, Directed by, is now up for pre-order at the Kritzerland site, personally signed by me and of course will come with a little something fun. I still have to get the fun thing from Kritzer World out via e-mail. It’s all together, I just have to assemble it. As those who follow these here notes know, I had a great deal of fun writing this non-fiction tome that occasionally is stranger than fiction. So, here is the direct link to order, so order already.
http://kritzerland.com/directed_by.htm
On that page, you’ll see the Bruce Vilanch blurb that just came in on Sunday evening, but for those who don’t go to the page, here it is:
If you have snobby friends who say there is no theatre in LA, this book will turn them around. Bruce Kimmel IS theatre in LA as he tells you in a “lean in, you won’t believe how we pulled it off” tone that will keep you fascinated. He’s also directed movies and TV and cabaret and recordings and all sorts of things spread over a decades-long career. Places, please!
Bruce Vilanch
Emmy-winning writer and blonde Hollywood Square
Isn’t that a blurbilicious blurby blurb? I think it is. Now we can get to second things second. Let me put it this was: There is nothing like a Dame. And I’m afraid last night I went down a Dame rabbit hole, said Dame being Dame Edna. I went to see the Dame’s one-woman show on Broadway at the Booth Theater. I went on a whim, and it was one of the best whims I ever had. I was prepping the first of the Fynsworth Alley albums, The Stephen Sondheim Album and I had an afternoon free on a Saturday and snagged a sixth-row center single. Well, I had no idea who Dame Edna, had never seen her before. It was one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. The sharp wit, the dialogue, the audience bits – all of it was gold. And as I sat there, tears rolling down my face from laughing so hard and barely able to catch my breath, I thought to myself, “Myself, how do I get this glorious Dame on the Sondheim album. As I was walking out of the theater it came to me – have the Dame sing Losing My Mind. It was a crazy idea, but I went to the stage door and wrote the Dame a nice note and pitched the idea. I then immediately called my close personal friend, Mr. Stephen Sondheim and told him what I was thinking, and he loved the idea, saying it had been recorded so many times that this would be a fun thing to do. I heard back from the Dame’s manager, Barry Humphries, who said he’d be absolutely delighted to do it. I think I’m remembering all this correctly, although now I’m thinking that maybe I’d met the piano player Phil Reno and he got me my seat and I got to the Dame that way. This was before these here notes began, so I have no way of knowing. No, I was right the first time and The Real A’s second to last column came to the rescue. I did see it on a whim, but not from the fifth row – tenth row center. I did write a note. Whew! Anyway, came the day of the recording and the Dame showed up disguised as her manager, Barry Humphries. He went in the booth. Phil Reno was playing the song live as we recorded. I had the Dame do a take, which of course, I recorded. Well, we in the control room were on the floor. Engineer Vinnie was howling. The second take wasn’t quite as good and I went and talked to the Dame and told her what was missing that she’d done spontaneously in the first take. We did two more – all were hilarious, but in the end, I used a few bits from that first take and I think the majority came from take three. When the album came out, many people were up in arms about Losing My Mind, especially in the Sondheim Review. I told Sondheim about that reaction and his reply was basically a word that began with “F” and followed by “‘em if they don’t have a sense of humor.” The Dame did the song in concert many times after that. I know Barry and I spoke on the phone several times, but then that record label went to HELL and that was that. Watching these YouTube clips had me weeping with laughter once again. Sadly, the Dame and her manager Barry have left us – she was a master of comedy and especially timing and especially in knowing how to double and triple a laugh. I’m thrilled to have worked with her.
I got about seven hours of sleep, I think – who remembers? Not I. I answered e-mails, had telephonic conversations, and we finally got the book page live, and I posted about it just moments before my haircut appointment. I then had my haircut and it feels sooooo much better now being kempt. I’d actually look human if my eyes were functioning properly. After that, I had a lunch at BJ’s with a friend. I had a small Caesar to start and then that fried chicken breast and mashed potatoes – excellent again. After that, I came right home. I was happy to see a few book orders, but not nearly enough. But earlier, I’d posted on all the Sondheim groups that we’d finally gotten the remix of Follies back in after being out of it for a year. Well, amazingly, we must have gotten over thirty orders and I think more will be coming in – this thing came out eleven YEARS ago and it always shocks me when I find that there are people who still don’t know about it. Anyway, I hope for more Follies orders and hopefully more book orders. I’d love if someone would query the Drama Book Shop in New York about carrying the book – I’d definitely come do a signing if they did and I know we could fill the room to capacity. Perhaps that’s something our own elmore could do? I sent out a big eBlast about the book and the recipients included a LOT of people who are talked about. I should think they’d order it but that has not proven to be the case at this point.
Today, I have to be up at eight because Tuesday is the day when she of the Evil Eye comes and I’ll have to leave as soon as she gets here. I have to figure out the breakfast place – several ideas have crossed the windmills of my mind, so we’ll see what I decide on. I don’t really want to go too far away. After the breakfast, I’ll do some errands and whatnot, including making a bank deposit. After that, I’ll come home, hopefully I’ll have the designed book back and we can do the final proofing and get whatever fixes we find to them and then when those are made, we can lock that. Doug still has to finish the dust jacket – doing the front and rear jacket flaps and then the blurbs on the back cover. Then all that can go into the publisher and we’ll be on our merry way. I’ll also write, then watch, listen, and relax.
The rest of the week is more of the same and then I may see a show on the weekend.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up at eight, have a breakfast somewhere, do errands and whatnot including making a deposit, hopefully get the book back for the final proofing, write, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: Were you a fan of Dame Edna and did you ever see her in person? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where I shall lull myself to sleep singing There Is Nothing Like a Dame.