Replies: 47 Unseemly Comments
I just wanted to be the first.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/14/2002 07:29 AM PST
Okay. I do have something to say.
CBS Sunday Morning finally aired their delayed piece on Stephen Sondheim. Basically said that there is Sondheim and then there is everyone else. And they an MTV tribute to his entire career from West Side Story to The Kennedy Center and they did it all in less than 13 minutes. I say why bother! PBS really needs to pay tribute to him. Something along the lines of Ken Burns history of Jazz.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/14/2002 07:35 AM PST
Speaking of donuts, not doughnuts, on the brain and fried-ring obsession, there is a new trend. Random psychosocial phenomenon, or successful marketing ploy? Krispy Kreme in place of wedding cake. Of course it began on Long Island—where else?—but apparently it has spread elsewhere, so beware. Now one must inquire whether or not actual cake will be served before one can respond to a wedding invitation. Such trying modern times. It used to be as easy as cake.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 08:13 AM PST
this week's new radio show, which will be loaded later today is a celebration of Richard Rodgers 100th birthday....I picked my 10 favorite Rodgers & Hart and 10 favorite Rodgers & Hammerstein showtunes to play....I hope you all enjoy!
Posted by Donald @ 07/14/2002 08:38 AM PST
I am really sorry to hear about Krispy Kremes instead of wedding cake. I love Krispy Kremes. No, actually I LOVE Krispy Kremes, but they do not, I repeat DO NOT, replace cake--- no matter what the event. This trend alarms me. Like BK, I did not get doughnuts (or even donuts) yesterday, and I am still in need of them.
Off the subject, but would one put catsup on a doughnut while reading through a catalogue tonight OR put ketsup on a donut while reading thru a catalog tonite?
Posted by Kerry @ 07/14/2002 09:15 AM PST
We must have MORE TFNM reviews on the internet. Right now I just saw that AMAZON'S ranking is #287. Damn good pump up after being over 1000 this past week..
There.. as official recording secretary (apparently I am the man who must maintain all website stats on HHW) that is my latest contribution.. go forth and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!
Posted by Craig @ 07/14/2002 09:20 AM PST
Well Bruce outfoxed us all by getting up so early and bleary-eyed in the morning. I and others were still posting on yesterday's notes. So now you must all hit your Unseemly Archives Button and go back and read our wit and wisdom.
Donald. I am looking forward to listening to your Rogers Tribute. So far, the Richard Rogers birthday celebrations have been a bit lackluster, considering the man's range. On July 4th, we saw one on the TV which gave the impression that he wrote nothing but ballads.
Eager to hear what you picked.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/14/2002 09:23 AM PST
I was flabbergasted, simply flabbergasted by the amazon sales rank on this fine Sunday morning. We'd slipped to 1200, which I still felt was decent almost two weeks after its release - but I think that the dvdlaunch and dvdfile reviews helped, and it's been zipping up since Friday. It's fine to post reviews wherever you like, but only if you genuinely like it - please don't review just to review.
I'd finally managed to fall back asleep, and then the phone rang at nine and woke me up - and just who was on the other end of the line? Well, you won't believe it, but on the other end of the line was our very own Mr. Donald Feltham. I didn't keep a record of our conversation, but in the interest of full disclosure, I think he told me what the radio show was going to be.
Posted by bk @ 07/14/2002 09:50 AM PST
Rodgers & Hart and Rodgers & Hammerstein makes for a great mix. I will have to give the show a listen.
Kerry, keep up that catsup-ketchup thing and my head will spin! How can I eat cake with a spinning head? Someone will have to bitch-slap me just to stop it.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 10:50 AM PST
Hello, Kimlets and Hainsies,
Hainsies and Kimlets !!!
This is Bastille Day.... so, let
us not all loose our heads, but
let's put on our blue, white and
red tights--- French étiquette
!!--- and pantaloons and do the
Apache dance , and let's can
can.....
BK, hope you satisfied your
donut fix today.
Vive la différence, as we hardly
say!
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 11:17 AM PST
Wow!
I haven't been bitch-slapped yet for misspelling Richard Rodgers' name? Oly oly in free!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/14/2002 11:18 AM PST
Hello, Kimlets and Hainsies,
Hainsies and Kimlets !!!
This is Bastille Day.... so, let
us not all loose our heads, but
let's put on our blue, white and
red tights--- French étiquette
!!--- and pantaloons and do the
Apache dance , and let's can
can.....
BK, hope you satisfied your
donut fix today.
Vive la différence, as we hardly
say!
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 11:18 AM PST
Freedunit: Going back to yesterday, I'm telling you (yea, verily) that Spacey and Hunt "reportedly" had a hot-and-heavy affair off set during the shooting of "Pay It Forward" -- according to many news sources. I even saw Hunt on some talk show talking about how the incredible chemistry between them carried them away into a passionate fling. Of course, if you know of someone else on that shoot with whom Spacey had a hot and heavy fling, then color me agape, aghast and agog! And then tell me the sordid details!
Would I ever put catsup/ketchup on a doughnut -- only if it were a deep-fried potato donut!
If BK had gotten up at three instead of five this morning, he could have driven up here to Oakland and arrived at "La Farine's" just as they opened -- the aromas of the morning buns and chocolatines would have been overwhelming and he'd have bought dozens and dozens of each.
By the time he'd have arrived home (and as of this moment, he'd still be two hours away from home), he'd be in the throes of pants-loosening and requiring more, more, more morning buns and chocolatines. He'd be addicted, and from henceforth, all his days would be filled with the roundtrip from his home to Oakland and back.
Or, instead of sitting down at his laptop drooling over the thought of donuts while writing his column, he could have simply driven somewhere and gotten those said same donuts and then he could have been dropping crumbs in between the keys of his laptop while describing the deliciousness of same said donuts.
Now all I have is a craving for some fershluganah donuts and I don't even eat donuts!!
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/14/2002 11:21 AM PST
WFO: If you were not bitch-slapped for misspelling Entenmann’s and Minnellian—at least, I think you meant Vincente Minnelli—why would you be bitch-slapped over Rodgers?
Ron Pulliam: Going back to yesterday, I cannot believe anyone would believe such public-relations fiction as “they” or “many news sources” report—especially in the Bay Area—nor can I believe anyone would believe or read anything into what Kevin Spacey’s Pay It Forward co-star might have said. Either you entirely misunderstood or she was lying.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 12:08 PM PST
Good Sun Day all Hainsies & Kimlets!
FIRST: I must weigh in on the donut brigade. I have been known to crave chocolate-iced chocolate donuts after midnight. I usually give in to this urge by getting in my untrustworthy automobile and driving to JAX DONUTS, where I dutifully get only ONE donut and a cup of decaf coffee with cream and sugar. While indulging, I read the current newspaper someone has considerately bought and left on the table (which just goes to show you there are others like myself who get the same midnight cravings). When I finish, I go home and sleep like a baby.
SONDHEIM PIECE ON SUNDAY MORNING: I tuned in this morning just as the piece started. Mr. Shayne, I agree. It was just a tease really. I think one of the best tributes (on PBS natch!) would be the shows themselves interspersed with comments from Mr. Sondheim. One thing he said that struck me was how surprised he was that at this stage of his career the work was harder to keep fresh because of the expectations of his audience. Do any of you remember Andre Previn's one-on-one TV interviews he did way back in ??? There was a two-parter he did with Mr. Sondheim that included song performances too. It was the first time I heard the song "Uptown, Downtown" that I subsequently wrote him about and got in the mail from him. What also struck me about the piece was what a wonderful teacher he is and HAS BEEN for a very long time - something his legacy should also include.
KEVIN SPACEY: I just got around to seeing THE SHIPPING NEWS. I knew that Kevin Spacey could play duplicitous characters very well but I had no idea the depth of his talent. Generally, when actors play "weak" they don't come across as real, the "strongness" of their personality still comes through. It took real surrender on his part to find the crux of his character's vulnerability. Bravo, Mr. Spacey! (Of course, it helped to have wonderful writing, terrific co-actors and a director that isn't afraid to let a story unfold slowly and lovingly!)
250 NOTES: It boggles the mind! Congratulations, Mr. BK! May we have many more notes and may you have many more singing birds!
Posted by Donna - Cabaret West @ 07/14/2002 01:35 PM PST
I heard a rumor that Meltz and Ernest once wrote a Gilbert and Sullivan type tune called "The Major 254 notes and his staff"
But you can't believe everything you read or hear..now can you?
Posted by Craig @ 07/14/2002 01:48 PM PST
or it could have been called "Major 254 notes with a half staff" something like that...
Posted by Craig @ 07/14/2002 01:50 PM PST
Donna: Chocolate with chocolate is an all-around excellent choice in donut. You write of remarkable will-power. Quite impressive to have just one. I do not know from Jax Donuts, but I do know that any donut consumed after midnight has no calories—and to have just one! The mind boggles. Interesting observation of Spacey. I have always found him to excel in portraying duplicity.
Craig: Half a staff is better than no staff, I should suppose.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 02:52 PM PST
this conversation can quickly visit the gutter by commenting on half staffs, masts, etc... I am taking the circuitous route :)
Posted by Craig @ 07/14/2002 03:10 PM PST
Freedunit: I am nonplussed. You offer nothing except your own disdain for countering the stories that proliferated at the time the film came out? Perhaps it was just PR spin...the thought of it truly churned my cookies...but neither Spacey nor Hunt disavowed it to my knowledge.
To suggest I misunderstood comments made by Hunt about Spacey on television earned you a bitch-slap.
: )
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/14/2002 03:40 PM PST
Well, as long as Free-for-All Sunday has degenerated into celebrity gossip, I might mention that word has it... during the filming of The First Nudie Musical, Cindy Williams was carrying on a torrid affair with the actor who played the director--or was it the director who played the actor? I scooped Liz Smithee on this one!
As I recall, rumor also had Spacey involved with Sam Mendes during American Beauty. The fact is, rumors of romances on the set serve primarily to increase grosses. Amazing how Beatty and Madonna cooled off as soon as Dick Tracy ended its initial run.
freedunit: Since you have been tallying all of my gross misspellings, I applaud your self-control in not mentioning them earlier. Are all your bitch slaps reserved for Craig?
François: I had a French friend who used to say, "'Vive la diférence!' as the American say."
In any case,
Bonne Quattorze Juillet!
[or is it bon?]
Liberté! Égalité! Bétise!
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/14/2002 04:14 PM PST
In any case, let us put on our pointy party hats, break out the ham chunks and brie slices, dance the flan dance, and sing a chorus of
"Alonzo, fondle up a tree! Ah!"
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/14/2002 04:21 PM PST
Ron Pulliam: Be nonplussed if you must—perhaps Scientologists will empathize—but you may not bitch-slap me. That privilege must be earned. My point has been always an obvious one with regard to Spacey.
WFO: The story of Sam Mendes and American Beauty is not correct, and I am not limited to bitch-slapping only Craig.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 05:26 PM PST
William: your friend used to
say "Vive la différence"
because he was your friend !!
No bitch-slapping please !...
He was ze exception which
confirms ze rule, right ?
Is he the one who tried to kill
our President today ? I admit,
that's not a smart joke, sorry!
Yes, it's "bon quatorze juillet",
but who cares (about spelling,
I mean...) Thanks for the wish.
Why "bétise" ? Which can also
be a sweet by the way, here in
France....
Stupidity is not a French
specialty, I'm afraid, but, then,
I'm too close to the subject to
know....
How does one dance the
FLAN dance ?? With a Mexican
hat ? Vive la FLANCE and la
difféflance !!! You'll have to
excuse me, but it's 2:55 am in
Chiracland right now.
Let them it cake: a French
donut -- whatever that is -- to
all Kimlets and Hainsies.
Should have revealed this on
the 4th of July; the hotel where
i work and am presently, here
in Paris, is next to the place
where Benjamin Franklin lived
and signed the final
agreements of the peace
treaty between England and
the USA, September 3, 1783.
Vivent les Etats Unis
d'Amérique, and its wonderful
DONUTS !!!
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 06:00 PM PST
Freedunit: I'm sorry. I simply must remain obtuse. You haven't MADE any point regarding Spacey.
To what POINT are you referring?
Surely not the innuendo that he's "how-you-say"?
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/14/2002 06:37 PM PST
William,
Sorry, i just realized I didn't
understand properly your "Vive
la différence" comment !!
you might be right about bétise
then....
Oh, vell, nobody's perfect, like
Mr Spacey would say......
I don't know what his sexual
orientation(s) is/are, but he's
quite a fine actor, in my book....
Why is Miss Hunt getting such
a bashing ? This is quite
....unseemly to me.
I know, I know : she's a terrible
singer.....
Bonne nuit, les amis !
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 06:40 PM PST
Freedunit: JAX DONUTS is a California chain of shops in the Orange County area. I found (much to my regret) that if I ate MORE THAN ONE chocolate-chocolate donut with a cream and sugar decaf that I suffered from an unnatural sugar high. Not pretty!
Posted by Donna @ 07/14/2002 07:13 PM PST
I went to listen today's radio show and what a coincidence as I just finished watching American Master's documentary on Richard Rodgers.
It was good until the last ten minutes when they glanced over Do I Hear a Waltz?, Two By Two, Rex and I Remember Mama. The writer called Sondheim (just) a lyricist and called it a miserable experience for Rodgers. What about the experience for Sondheim? There was no interview with Sondheim or Laurents or any connected with the show. I think they also maybe dwelled on it for two minutes.
They also did not mention writer-director Martin Charnin by name as the lyricist for Two By Two or I Remember Mama. They said that after he did No Strings he would work with three additional lyricists on four different shows. Also forgetting the fact that Raymond Jessell also wrote lyrics for I Remember after Charnin was fired. With Two by Two just skirted the fact that there was problems with Danny Kaye, but did not go into it all.
They did interview Sheldon Harnick the lyricist of Rex and managed to squeeze in Andrew Lloyd Webber talking about the song Away From You and playing a brief bit of it on the piano. He called it "Rodgers' swan song" ignoring the fact that he had I Remember Mama to come.
It was also mentioned that after he wrote No Strings that he would never write music and lyrics again and in doing so forgetting that he wrote additional songs for the remake of State Fair in 1962 (which opened before No Strings) and The Sound of Music in 1964. The songs for The Sound of Music had uncredited help from associate Producer Saul Chaplin. They also totally omitted Androcles and the Lion a TV musical that was produced in 1967 and the 1965 remake of Cinderella.
They also seemed to omit the time he was president and producing director at Lincoln Center.
What they seemed to say was that despite his cancer and stroke and his drinking and his rages he still was able to compose despite “difficult” composers. The fact was that his last musical were not on the same level as the collaboration with Hart and Hammerstein. They seemed almost to white wash the 15 years of his life and practically omit it.
Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/14/2002 07:24 PM PST
François:
Oh no, no, no, my friend! I did not mean to insult the French or your country! I am in fact a bit of a francophile, and only wish my mastery of the language were better.
I meant bétise in the sense of follies, frivolity, silliness, as a quality devoutly to be pursued.
And my wishes were for the Hainesies and Kimlets and Lurkers and Merry Searchers on this site where frivolity is a general rule.
No rudeness intended.
Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/14/2002 08:37 PM PST
Did I miss the insult? Was someone insulted? Someone French? We must never insult the French because then there will undoubtedly be a duel at dawn with pistols and one dear reader will end up with hole in his or her person. Seriously, mon amis, I don't think Francois took anything as an insult - did he? Did you, Francois? Everyone knows that no rudeness is ever intended here at haineshisway.com. Well, perhaps occasional rudeness if an uncouth interloper were to show up, or say something nasty. I am currently watching Amelie and will have my little report tomorrow.
Posted by bk @ 07/14/2002 08:54 PM PST
Donna: Thank you for the information. Whatever the reason, you have great will-power. I wish you only natural sugar highs…
Michael Shayne: The American Masters biography sounds terribly incomplete, particularly if it lays blame for the failure of Rodgers’ latter-day work relationships on his collaborators.
Ron Pulliam: I know you must. You are incorrect that I made no point about Spacey. Innuendo? Never mere innuendo. That concludes our programming for tonight.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 08:57 PM PST
Ron and Freedunit - don't make me have to turn this message board around! Play nice or we are going home and you'll have to get out of the sandbox :)
Posted by Craig @ 07/14/2002 09:01 PM PST
Up the Sandbox! Look at me when I’m bitch-slapping you.
François: I would be glad to trade U.S. donuts and Kevin Spacey’s Pay It Forward co-star for pâtisseries et beignets français. D’accord?
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 09:04 PM PST
William,
As Bruce just wrote, I haven't
been insulted AT ALL. I just
found odd you used bétise in
lieu of the traditional
fraternity/tée, which only
seems to be a word
nowadays...
Not insulted, no need to
worry...
I must dash off; it now is 6:00
am and coffee for the hotel
guests has to be prepared,
amonsgt other things....
French croissants anyone ?
Hasta la vista, you all !.... I
mean, au revoir !
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 09:05 PM PST
Great. Taunting us with real French croissants. I may have to swim over to wrestle you for one.
Is there anything better than pain au chocolat in the morning? Non. Of course not.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 09:27 PM PST
Craig: We're not fighting. I'm not quite sure what we're doing. I've somehow missed a posting by the Freedunit along the way, and he seems to believe I should have read it and remembered it.
It is of no importance. Certainly not worth upsetting other readers over.
Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/14/2002 09:48 PM PST
No.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/14/2002 09:51 PM PST
I like doughnuts. A lot.
Posted by jc @ 07/14/2002 10:21 PM PST
They're not fighting, they're dancing. That is what we do here at haineshisway.com, we dance. Sometimes it's a slow dance, sometimes a rumba, and sometimes a slam dance. As to the rumor of liason between Mr. Spacey and Miss Hunt - didn't happen, and I know from whence I speak. Ah, liasons. Not merely figs - raisins - ah, liasons.
Posted by bk @ 07/14/2002 10:23 PM PST
Two pains au chocolat are
better than one !!!!!!
Buttery croissants dunk in hot
café au lait ain't bad either....
Posted by francois @ 07/14/2002 10:26 PM PST
All of you:
It's none of your fershluganah business!
Posted by Kevin Spacey @ 07/15/2002 03:29 AM PST
Pain au chocolat et du cafe au lait sur la balcony dans l'appartement en Paris (19th arrondissement), ahh, c'est magnifique! I don't know if it's completely grammatically correct, I haven't spoken any French for about 10 years, Francois, any corrections you would care to make would be eagerly accepted. Vive la France (even though technically it's Juillet 15th)
Posted by Ben @ 07/15/2002 05:11 AM PST
Forgot to mention. Saw Barbara Cook last night in Mostly Sondheim. Sublime. We spoke to her afterwards and she was generous and kind and honestly pleased that we so enjoyed the evening. After all these years in the "business" she is still concerned that her audience enjoys and appreciates what she does. What a treasure!
Posted by Ben @ 07/15/2002 05:57 AM PST
Of course nothing suggested happened between Kevin Spacey and his Pay It Forward co-star. Are there people who believe Rock Hudson had a torrid affair with Doris Day?
Kevin Spacey: You know damn well it is my fershluganah business. Go back to your American Beauty shower before I bitch-slap you.
François: Of course, you are correct. Two pains au chocolat are better than one, and four would be even better than two. What torture! There are none here! I head out in search of some…
Ben: It is nice to learn that both you and she enjoyed Barbara Cook Mostly Sondheim. Sublime is a most apt description.
Posted by freedunit @ 07/15/2002 06:54 AM PST
freedunit and Ben:
Quit torturing me with the donuts and Barbara Cook. I'm in the desert (literally and culturally). AAAAUUUGGGHHH!!!!
Posted by Kerry @ 07/15/2002 08:42 AM PST
Incidently... why is the word "nut" in Donut? I can't remember when I even SAW a donut with an actual nut on it. Pastry, yes - buns, yes.. but a donut.. can't think of one..
Posted by Craig @ 07/15/2002 08:59 AM PST
Kerry: Really? I thought you were in the dessert… ;-)
Craig: As mentioned previously, Doughnut Plant makes a wonderful banana-pecan doughnut with real dough, real fresh bananas, and real toasted pecan pieces that you can actually see. If I hold it up like this, can you get a good look?
Posted by freedunit @ 07/15/2002 11:29 AM PST
