Posted by Sarah @ 07/30/2003 07:52 AM PST

Yep, I have a brother who's three years younger, and at times I wanted to strangle him. But other times we got along fine and in another 10+ years you'll find that it's wonderful to have someone who shares your memories of growing up, the "old neighborhood," etc. I can't think of anyone else in the world with whom I would rather watch reruns of "Matt Houston" or certain goofy films from our past like, say, "Midnight Madness." So hang in there! It's worthwhile to have siblings...eventually. ;)

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 07:56 AM PST

Sarah: I have a younger brother by seven (!!) years. Talk about an age difference. I really couldn't stand the little bugger when he was a kid, but I've warmed up to him, and vice-versa, though I wouldn't say we're close. He's 19 now and has started going through a strange late rebellion stage that's driving my mom and dad crazy. In fact, he moved out about three weeks ago and they still don't know where he's living because he won't tell them... God, I'm glad I'm not a teenager anymore! What a sucky time for both the teen and the parent(s).

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 08:06 AM PST

I have a sister five years younger. When we were kids we got along fine. As an adult I cannot tolerate her because of her attitude that I moved away to live my own life but she stayed near our parents and when she and her husband bought a house it was five minutes away from our parents and therefore I am the no good sibling while she is the martyr.

Question for other DRs... did you read HARRY POTTER 5 and what did you think? I felt that there was a very good 400 page book hiding in the 870 pages, but that much of the book was repetitious and too similar to things in the first 4 books. I'm sure Ms. Rowling and/or her publishers could afford a good editor.

By the way, regarding spam from the New York Times (see late posts from yesterday) I will say that my experience was about five years ago, but at that time I was getting spam directly from the Times on a regular basis. Maybe they have stopped, but as DR Lulu pointed out that hasn't stopped them from selling their e-mail list to other spammers.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 08:10 AM PST

I come from a large family. There are 7 of us with a 16 year age span. We go from 1950-1966. I am the third in that bunch. I was the only boy for a long time (2 sisters, me and then 2 more sisters and then 2 brothers). When my first brother finally came along I thought GREAT! Then I realized I was 10 years old and he was a baby and you can't do much with a baby brother. My excitement quickly disappeared. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate him, in spite of the rather harsh tone of that last sentence.

There were times when I wished certain of my siblings would decide to run away or just disappear, but as Lulu said, now I'm very glad to have my siblings. I speak to and get along with all 6 of my siblings but I am very close to one sister. We share a very special bond. It wasn't always that way. She and I did not get along during her teen and late teen years and it took some work to get past the memories of past "injustices" as it were but as we have grown up we have realized the special connection we share. Don't want to sound too much like a Hallmark Card, but that's my story.

Posted by Ben @ 07/30/2003 08:29 AM PST

WEL: You ought to drag your sister onto "Dr. Phil" -- and she'd probably go because she sounds self-righteous enough to believe he'll side with her.

I have a cousin who now lives in her mother's house with her husband (as caretakers) after having lived next door to her mother and (now-deceased) father for 10 years. My cousin, Vivian, was the "favored" child, and a late child -- Ellen -- was born into Vivian's shadow. My aunt and Vivian did everything together. Ellen was excluded because she was too young. She was also in a wholly different generation. Vivian was grown and married before Ellen got into high school, at which point my aunt alienated Ellen for life by forever holding her up to Vivian's standards. Vivian is not to blame and does not criticize Ellen. Ellen's visits with her mother are of the several-hours duration. If her mother visits her, it's for two days or so and no more, half of which time Ellen is not with her mother.

There are some children who simply NEED to be near their parents. You don't make it sound as though your parents require the geographical nearness of their offspring to survive.

Your sister has issues -- but SHE made her choices and only SHE is to blame for them. It's probably closer to the truth that she is jealous of your greater independence and your freedom from the "need" to be so close to mom and dad.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 08:41 AM PST

Here's my question for everyone: If you're currently listening to any music, what is it and what is your favorite song from that disc? I am now listening to Ms. Olivia Newton-John's greatest hits, and far and away, "Xanadu" is my favorite track. Earlier I listened to Donna Summer (I love "Hot Stuff") and Barry Manilow. Its difficult for me to pick a Barry favorite, but if I had to choose, I guess I'd say "I Write the Songs." Your turn (Oh! A PACIFIC OVERTURES reference...)

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 08:42 AM PST

Popsicle Psychology, anyone????

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 08:43 AM PST

Ron - My parents didn't need her... she needed to play martyr. My father is now 91 (my mom died about 15 years ago from a lifetome of smoking) and still living alone. While my sister takes care of a few things for him, he has a cleaning lady and as he put it "if I kept my front door open I'd have my choice of about two dozen widows". She plays martyr by choice... she gave up her career to raise her kids who are now grown and one of them has moved half way across the country and the other is away at school. When I visit Chicago the only reason I see her is because my father invites her over when I am there.

As for Barry Manilow, I liked him at first and even saw him in concert (once as Bette's piano player and once his own concert) but more and more everything he sang (and he didn't write them all by the way) started to sound alike. I have a friend who is a big fan. And it's just a coincidence but she shares Mr. Manilow's birthday and also has the initials BM.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 09:13 AM PST

Jason, I'm not currently listening to any music, but I think my fave cut from Xanadu is "The Fall" (on the blue ELO side, not the pink Olivia/John Farrar side). Yes, OK, clearly I'm thinking of the record album here, not the CD. :)

I myself would like to know how many Dear Readers are going to run - not walk - to their neighborhood movie theater this Friday to see the opening of the Bennifer (J. Lo and Ben Affleck) bomb-to-be, "Gigli." C'mon, 'fess up! Apparently this one will make "Swept Away" and "Glitter" look like moderate successes. Surely *somebody* here won't be able to resist the challenge...?

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 09:14 AM PST

WEL is right; for instance, Barry Manilow was not the man who wrote "I Write the Songs."

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 09:16 AM PST

Lulu: I may just have to bring in my ELO's Greatest Hits tomorrow in honor of your last post.

Oh, and did you come up with "Bennifer" yourself? I think its "Gigli-ant!"

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 09:17 AM PST

Jason, I wish I could cop to that honor, but Bennifer is what the publicity hounds are referred to on a gossip newsgroup I occasionally frequent. I think it's fitting to refer to the PR juggernaut as a single entity.

And I've always liked ELO too, no matter what anyone else says! ;)

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 09:23 AM PST

I don't have any younger siblings. I have one sister, two years older, who has turned out to be quite evil, continually trying to drive wedges between my father and myself. Evil has nothing to do with age order, sad to say.

I cannot agree with DR WEL about Harry Potter Cinque being that overlong. I thought Rowling told the story she set out to tell quite well, with one of her best/worst villians yet. As part of a seven-volume story, she paced this particular part of the story correctly, with many the frustrations a young man of Harry's age captured on the page as well as his resulting anger. This part of her story was, after all, about repercussions, both the repercussions of Harry's actions in the previous books and the repercussions of the Minister's denial of the truth. Repercussions aren't the sort of thing to occur as quickly as a New York minute. Plus, I found the satirical sections of the book darkly funny, something usually lacking in young adult literature.

Today der Brucer and I are off to pick up our new glasses. Two pairs for me, and I forget how many pairs for him. Whether or not I look better (as opposed to unseemly, pun intended), I'll be happy if the world looks better to me. As long as the cops don't pull der Brucer over on our way home ("I swear, Officer, we've been framed!")...

Posted by S. Woody White @ 07/30/2003 09:24 AM PST

Wow, I'm posting a lot today!

I was unaware that Mr. Manilow did not pen "I Write the Songs..." Its still my favorite song on this particular disc, though. They have some kind of crazy dance remix of "Copacabana." Did it really need to be much longer? I think it was great the way it was originally.

Here's another question for those of you who are old enough to remember: What sort of popularity did Ms. Newton-John have pre-"Grease?" I would assume that her fame intensified greatly after the movie came out, but she had to have had some modicum of popularity before that just to get the role, right?

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 09:27 AM PST

Right now I'm listening to James Taylor's "The Lonesome Road". I LOVE this song!

I've read the 5th Harry Potter book, and while I thought she did a great job with the story, I think it was much too long. There were chapters that I just skimmed through, because nothing at all was happening. But it was a good book, overlooking the length. I have to admit to getting a little emotional in the "office scene". Very sad.

Posted by Sarah @ 07/30/2003 09:29 AM PST

A little addition: JK Rowling made the best villian yet in this book. Every time something new happened because of this person, I had to close the book and walk away because I actually felt hatred. If I hadn't paid good money to buy the book I would have ripped the pages out because of frustration!

Posted by Sarah @ 07/30/2003 09:32 AM PST

Olivia Newton-John, to the best of my recollection, had a thriving music career before her dive into films.

It was comparable to, if not as long-lived, Petula Clark's was in the 1960s before she began making musicals films.

In some ways, their careers have been quite similar, except that Petula's movies are much better than they've been given credit for and her acting is far superior to O N-J's.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 09:35 AM PST

Jason, Olivia Newton-John toiled away for around 13 years before she became an international success with "Grease." (I remember at the time being shocked to discover that ONJ was "old"...in her 30s! Oy vey.) I think she had a couple of minor music hits before 1978, like "Have You Never Been Mellow?" and I believe she was well-known in Australia, but nothing like the international superstar she was for awhile at the tail end of the '70s and the early '80s.

Then, of course, she starred in Xanadu and Two of a Kind, two films that got BIG pushes and tanked bigtime, and her career was never quite the same again. (Though in between the two movie flops she did have a resurgence of sorts with the hit song "(Let's Get) Physical.")

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 09:38 AM PST

Oops...I just looked up a bit of info on ONJ, and she was actually better known here than I thought. Her songs "I Honestly Love You" (in addition to the aforementioned "Have You Never...") actually went to #1 here in the states, in 1974 and '75, respectively. So she was actually fairly famous in the US a few years before she was in Grease.

How 'bout that?

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 09:43 AM PST

Wow! What a plethora of information is to be had here at HHW.com! Thanks for the ON-J info. I remember seeing an Intimate Portrait about her some time ago, but I couldn't remember many of the details. I do know she spent a lot of time in England, where she began her career in music. I also remember how terribly sad I was when I heard that she had cancer.

My mom used to make fun of me when I was a kid (7 and 8 years old) because I was OBSESSED with Olivia and Barry. Forget Michael Jackson (this was when THRILLER had just been released)...I wanted to hear "(Let's Get) Physical" and I wanted to hear Barry on LP. I can still remember the album cover. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but..."Copacabana" used to scare me because of the whole gunshot/Lola screaming thing. It really freaked me out, but not as much as listening to Vincent Price's voiceover at the end of "Thriller." I remember the first time I heard it, I was sitting upstairs in my room, by myself, and I had to turn the cassette player off and find my parents. I was a weird kid, OK?

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 09:49 AM PST

Just a quickie post for now.. more later...

Siblings: Three younger brothers. Yes, a family of four boys. And all in a row - come this August we will be 35, 34, 33 and 32! Needless to say, we had our share of fights growing up, but we seem to get along very well now.

And I'm with Ben in regard to NYTimes.com. I've been registered for about four years so far, and have never had any extra spam as a result from registering with them. *However, I will say that I've had PLENTY of spam from setting up my Hotmail account - I literally set it up just to use on the road between me and my partner at the time. About two weeks later, the spam started coming in like crazy! And I truly never used it for any commercial sites. And I specifically remember checking all the proper boxes so that I would not get "partner offers", "special deals", etc. Of course, that hasn't stopped those damn stealth "grabber" programs - which is more likely the source of most of the spam out there.

Well, time for the matinee.. See you tonight!

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/30/2003 09:50 AM PST

I remember Let's Get Physical so well. I was doing Sesame Street Live at the time and we did a parody of the song at one of our cast dinners. Sesame Street Live, like those other full body costume childrens arena shows features well-hidden actors cavorting around in hot felt and fake fur. I was Oscar the Grouch and a pseudo-Keystone Kop. I can't remember it all but it went something like this:

Let's Get Misrable, Misrable
I wanna get Misrable,
Let's all get Misrable,
Get into your body pod,
Your body pod
Get into your body pod-Unh (that's a grunt/groan in case you are wondering)

It went on like that. It was hysterical, at least to Bert and Ernie and Cookie and Grover and Big Bird and Prairie Dawn and the others!

I am currently listening to Barbara Cook Close as Pages in a Book (featuring the lyrics of Dorothy Fields) and then Miss Linda Rondstadt and For Sentimental Reasons (the last of her three albums of standards with Nelson Riddle)

Posted by Ben @ 07/30/2003 09:55 AM PST

I am getting positively Gigli with all these posts. The best month ever! Rec.arts.theatre.musicals has far fewer.

I have a sister three years younger than me. She has two daughters, three years apart. To nip sibling rivalry in the bud, I wrote my older neice the following song:

I had a baby sister
Just like you
Oh, so many years ago
I had a baby sister
So I know a thing or two
About what it's like to have a baby sister
As you do

Sometimes, she's enjoyable
Other times, she's annoying
She may steal a toy or two
For that's what baby sisters do
And she'll wear all the clothes you used to wear
When you were small

I remember:
I got a baby sister
And, you know, it wasn't half bad
If you love your baby sister
Thank mom; thank dad

And do whatever you can do
To show her you love her
Remember, she'll always be the baby
You'll always be the big one
The one she
Looks up to

So don't mind if your baby sister
Breaks your toys
Or takes your boys
For one day
Your baby sister may give you something, too
Something to cuddle and coo
Just like my baby sister
Gave me you

Posted by Noel @ 07/30/2003 09:57 AM PST

I've moved on to Manhattan Transfer: The Offbeat of Avenues. The title song is FANTASTIC, and I really love "Gentleman With a Family," as well.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 09:58 AM PST

Love Olivia - so cute. Her
vocal stylings did become a bit
labored after awhile, but I
always liked her music.

I'm sitting in an editing bay - if
you need to know anything
about tooth whitening do let
me know.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 09:59 AM PST

I have one older sister, and my sis lives across the country while I live a couple blocks from mom. Mom is 84 and very frail, so I am the one who takes care of her when she needs something. I hope that doesn't make me a martyr.

Posted by Laura @ 07/30/2003 09:59 AM PST

Click on my name for info on a possible Broadway revisal of THE PAJAMA GAME. I don't know why they need a revised book and what scares me is the sentence: "Reportedly the show will be much shorter in its new incarnation".

Nothing about casting is mentioned, but they can't go wrong with Karen Ziemba and Brent Barrett who did it at Encores last year (although much of their supporting cast could be improved on).

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 10:06 AM PST

Fun little tidbit: I'm working in the "Artist's Space" at MTI...where the composers can play through their things and where we have readings and things. Well, the son of Charles Strouse (ANNIE, RAGS) is playing through some new stuff as I type. Kinda fun, right?

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 10:12 AM PST

LOVE the song, Noel! Especially the ending. :)

Laura, I don't think it makes you a martyr; just a good daughter. I have a friend who also takes care of her mom (who's only in her 60s, but a few years ago she had a stroke that put her in a wheelchair) while her semi-famous younger brother lives thousands of miles away and makes headlines (well, subheads) with his multiple arrests for doing really idiotic things in public. I don't think she's a martyr, either.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 10:32 AM PST

According to a review of Gigli that I read, the title is pronounced as Gee Lee or Jee Lee. It's the name of Affleck's character. Until I read that I thought it was Giggly (as in giggle). I like Giggly better because it seems, from everything that I read about this one, that's what most people will be doing, when they are not outright guffawing and screaming with laughter. Oh, well, I guess all stars need a Glitter or a Drowning Mona or Water World or that movie w/Robin Williams in a Barney-like costume (I can't remember the title) in their career.

Posted by Ben @ 07/30/2003 10:37 AM PST

Death to Smoochy, or as Mr. Williams refers to it, Death to My Career.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 10:43 AM PST

But Mr. Afflick and Ms. Lopez have no career. They are famous for being famous. The last thing I know of that Mr. Afflick did as an actor was the under-rated television series "Against the Grain" in the mid-90s (although I know he and his "friend" Mr. Damon did some screenwriting), and the only thing I know of that Miss Lopez did was some movie where she played a maid.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 11:05 AM PST

WEL: Affleck was in the huge bomb "Pearl Harbor" a couple of years ago, and a couple of years before that he had a supporting role in the hit "Shakespeare in Love." He's done other stuff, as well. And Lopez initially became well-known when she played the title role in "Selena." She's also had some hit songs.

Neither are my cup of tea, however, and I agree that they are far more talented at public relations than they are at anything else.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 11:08 AM PST

I am the oldest of 4. Sister is 22, Brother #2 will be 25 on Sunday and Brother #1 is 30, I'm 34. We all sort of grew up separatley seeing as thought brother #2 and sis had the same father and Brother #1 and I had the same father... it's really stupid, long, boring, not-so-nice story, nevermind... anyway... We've all gotten closer as we got older, it's a very nice thing.

I love "Xanadu", I love the title song the most, it's on my list of "Songs to listen to when feeling blah". And of course I do like Barry Manillow, but never was a huge fan of Bette Middler. Insidently, there's a book written by Freddie Gershon (MTI's current CEO, actually) called "Sweetie Baby Cookie Honey" which is a story about several people trying to make it in the music business, and it has elements of the Bette Middler/Barry Manillow story/relationship. I've read it several times, and the last time I read it, being older than the first time, I found it very touching. (I told the author that and he was very generous with his response)

Woah, that was long... read the book, it's awesome.

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 11:09 AM PST

Ben, I still don't know what they were thinking to title the movie "Gigli." Most people are going to think, as you did, that it is pronounced "giggly" or maybe "jiggly." Both words are ones that your average adult would be embarrassed to have to say out loud in order to buy a ticket to the damn thing. And when they insist that it's pronounced "jee lee," that is actually incorrect - "gigli" is Italian and would be pronounced more like "zhee-lyee." "Jee-lee" winds up being neither fish nor fowl.

However, from the reviews of the film that are already rolling in, "Gigli" is apparently proving to be not fish, but FOUL.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 11:12 AM PST

More "Gigli" news: Ben and JLo were the *only* celebrities at the premiere. And there were apparently several walk-outs before the phlegm...er, film...had unspooled.

That is all.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 11:23 AM PST

Soap operas are so awful. One great thing about summer is that I can watch television (I have too much work to watch even the news during the school year). But today, I turn on NBC, and theres some soap opera about these people in hell and theyre like, "Oh, well...could I leave, I have a hair appointment!" And gee, those costume people really outdid themselves when dressing up The Devil. SO realistic. I think soap operas should be banned from television.

Question for DR's- What do you think of American Idol?

Posted by Sarah @ 07/30/2003 11:26 AM PST

Lots to catch up and make comment on here this morning:

I am the eldest of three boys in my family, two and half years older than my middle brother and seven and a half years older than my youngest one.

My youngest brother and I did not have the greatest relationship for a long time, but that tide has turned and we are rather close now, even though he is Rochester and I am in L.A. E-mail helps a lot in that regard. My middle brother has essentially divorced himself from my family. No feuds, no dramatics, just no contact. When we are together at family events (he does show up at those), it's all very cordial, but then no contact until the next event. I'll spare you the tsuris this has created for my parents (he has a daughter, my niece, the only grandchild in the family.)

Someone mentioned that Ben and JLo are famous for being famous. Hey, good, bad or indifferent, at least they work regularly and whether you like their films or not, they do work to achieve some of their fame. You want the quintessence of famous for being famous? Check out the Hilton sisters. In twenty years they'll be just like Zsa Zsa Gabor, only times two.

My question for Dear Readers: Do you think that Richard Rodgers hooked up with Oscar Hammerstein so he wouldn't have to change the monogram on the towels in the bathroom at his studio?

And two questions for BK:

1. WEHT to the Saturday trivia contests? They were way over my head, but I always enjoyed seeing the answers on Monday morning.

2. Can we do a round of "Worst Cast Scenario" soon? That game is always so much fun and we haven't done one in a long, long, long (that's three longs) while.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 11:30 AM PST

He's IN Rochester. Did not mean to insinuate that he played a supporting role on Jack Benny's show. I may not be a spring chicken anymore but I'm not that old.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 11:32 AM PST

Matthew: Freddie gave me a copy of "Sweet, Baby..." and I've yet to read it. Some of the folks who work here read some excerpts and, quite frankly, it frightened me. Haha! I need to read it, though...I work for the man who wrote it!

And FYI: I just sent out several WAY overdue copies of MOBY DICK to Dear Readers all over the country...la! all over the world, even. I think there are a couple of you that I still haven't gotten around to making copies for--yet--but I'm still working on it. Just didn't want you to think I'd forgotten. Thanks for being patient. :-)

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 11:40 AM PST

"Sweetie, Baby, Cookie, Honey." Oops.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 11:42 AM PST

Is it just me, or does the thought of a theatre company with the words "Children's Musical Theatre" in it's name prodcuing "The Who's Tommy" just leave you a bit uneasy? (even with a few cuts) I'll never understand who the heck makes these decisions. Sorry, had to vent.

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 11:50 AM PST

They're working on TOMMY, JR. for the Broadway Junior program. Scary!

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 11:51 AM PST

Jason - that's just WRONG!

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 11:52 AM PST

Maybe the artistic director saw CAMP and figured that if teens can do WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF, then TOMMY is suitable material for kids' theatre.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 11:53 AM PST

I can't help thinking that American Idol was/is bad for the whole world of singing. One gets a lot of fame from being on TV, and so some of these people will have careers, even if it's singing at a lounge in Sparks, NV.

But here's what's worse: Bad advice and criticism were given to the aspirants. And then, due to the voting, better singers were cut. Democracy... a great form of government but no way to pick a new singer.

I saw very little of it, but a little was enough.

Posted by Noel @ 07/30/2003 12:00 PM PST

I know. I don't know if it'll happen or not.

They're also working on a new project for YOUNGER kids, and you really won't believe what they're truncating for the little tykes. I'm not at liberty to say what they are, but let's just say that in one of them, a fifth grader will be digging up a baby (that is no older than she is) out of a flowerbed. And that baby has his daddy's hands. But, since I'm not at liberty to say...I'll just keep my mouth gagged with a rag. Time to get back to work.

;-)

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 12:00 PM PST

The Children's Musical Theater presents Oh! Calcutta

The Children's Musical Theater's production of Lesbian Vampires of Sodom

Medea, the Musical featuring the Children's Musical Theater

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 12:04 PM PST

Oh, you're a coy one, Dear Reader Jason, a coy one indeed.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 12:05 PM PST

Sometimes I shock even myself. Hehehe...

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 12:05 PM PST

Jason, at least that story has content and history. I can actually see that show working with kids.

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 12:07 PM PST

You know, they're working on other ones, too, but if I said anything they might sue. Sickle-cell anemia is bad news, especially since I was once on this island where they had a major dilemma with it. I've heard it comes from frogs and toads, but I don't know for sure. They told me how to succeed in avoided the disease, but I didn't feel like sitting there, listening to them in the schoolhouse. Rocks were all over the place and my friend, Annie, were too interested in examining them. I don't know how I got off on that tangent, when I was originally talking about shows that MTI is adapting for the really young kids. Forgive me.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 12:11 PM PST

Matthew...you can see four and fifth graders dealing with smearing human excrement on cars and burying babies alive and half-naked girls on swings and beating black girls to death, but you can't see them going deaf, dumb and blind due to witnessing a murder while his slutty mother stands by, only to be taken to a crack-whore in order to cure his illness? Haha! The joys of children's theatre.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 12:16 PM PST

Did you know that Stagedoor Manor (the Camp CAMP was filmed at and is based on) was the only place in the United States other than Broadway for a brief time that produced CARRIE THE MUSICAL? Can DOTV be far behind?

Sarah - AMERICAN IDOL was discussed on the board before you became a DR. BK didn't like it and many of us agreed while others liked it. My opinion is that is a modern day version of the Major Bowers Amateur Hour and if they have audience call ins to vote they don't need "judges" insulting the contestants as well. I finally heard Clay sing on a radio show that was being played over the PA while I was grocery shopping, and while he was not bad, he certainly wasn't as good as all the hype tried to lead me to believe. I have still never heard Rueben, although from the way he dresses I would imagine he is a rapper which is not my type of music. I have never heard Kelly or Justin either, and judging from the reception their movie got, I have a feeling that not much more will be heard from them.

Do an unseemly search for "American Idol" and you should find the dates it was discussed here.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 12:17 PM PST

WEL: Kelly is a very talented singer, but neither she nor Justin should have ever been considered to be movie stars--they're singers, not actors. I think you'll hear plenty out of Kelly. Her new single pretty much kicks butt. Clay is very talented, as well, but I think his place will be Broadway by the time all of it is said and done. Rueben is an R&B singer, not hip-hop or rap, but I didn't think he had near the talent that Clay does, and I'm not even a fan of the show!

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 12:21 PM PST

I have a sister, 3-1/2 years
younger than myself. Our
house was often something of
a war zone growing up. She
was the quintessential
irritating brat of a younger
sister, and I must admit that I
was far from the kindest of
older brothers. We now get
along just swell, and really
have since I moved out of the
house. I think the key for us
was just not having to co-exist
in one house.

Haven't read any Harry Potter,
so I really can't comment on
the editing of the most recent.

TOMMY, JR.?!?!? *shudder*

Question for DR Jay - I believe
it was you who mentioned the
word "farblonjet" (or
something like that) a week or
two ago. What does this word
mean?

Posted by Jed @ 07/30/2003 12:21 PM PST

I know that some Dear Readers here are teachers - pray tell, are any of you English teachers, or teachers or reading? I'm doing some private tutoring and have a few questions I'd like to ask someone with more experience than myself.

If there's anyone here who fits that bill, let me know and I'll e-mail you so as not to subject the whole board to off-topic stuff. (Unlike that whole Gigli thread earlier, which was so TOTALLY on-topic...)

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 12:27 PM PST

teachers or reading = teachers OF reading. Duh.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 12:27 PM PST

Personal opinions NOT to be construed as arguments against positions anyone else put forward...just MY opinions:

American Idol proports to put forth "equally" qualified candidates, but in truth, they only pick the top however-many-they-need to do a show based on weekly elimination.

In both American Idols, the best singers made it to the top four -- Kelly Clarkson was the winner of the first one and has a good voice, although she's been given crap to sing since winning. Tamyra left too early and has far more talent that Justin Guarini and the bluesy chick who finished third.

In the second, Clay Aiken was hands down the best singer, even if "Ruben" did win (and there are contentions about that to this day). Aiken has a better shot at a career than any of them, IMO, "vocally."

Had Simon Cowell had his way, Clay would have been outta there earlier on because Simon thinks Clay is "ugly." This is "Simon Cowell" who looks like a reject from a Tony Orlando lookalike contest. He's even clueless that audiences can see that he's wearing a girdle when he makes apperances on Leno, et.al. It's had to miss when Simon insists upon wearing a form-fitting shirt. You gotta love the British, though.

At any rate, audiences love seeing the show and will watch as long as there's conflict and drama and reasonably good singing.

Next topic: It's truly irrelevant how hard anyone works to achieve fame. They're either worthy of the attention or unworthy. I've yet to see Affleck in a role worthy of the performance he gave in "Good Will Hunting." As for "J.Lo" -- she's media hype and little else. I don't get it, I don't want it, and nobody can make me give them credit for anything.

: )

Andre the Giant was famous for being tall and wrestling professionally (WWF). He was actually funny in "Princess Bride." But his "fame" was due to his height and his cro-magnon features...and that's the kind of "fame" I liken "Bennifer" to...they're nowhere NEAR the quality of the Gabors, IMO.

Also, : )

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 12:31 PM PST

WEL says:

"Mr. Afflick and Ms. Lopez have no career. They are famous for being famous."

and also...

"I have never heard Kelly or Justin either, and judging from the reception their movie got, I have a feeling that not much more will be heard from them."

Seriously, WEL, you should consider getting out more. ;-)

Jennifer Lopez has released five major films in the past two years, while maintaining a highly successful recording (I didn't say singing) career.

Since co-writing and performing in "Good Will Hunting", Ben Affleck has appeared in "Armageddon", "Shakespeare in Love", "Dogma", "Pearl Harbour", "Changing Lanes", and "Sum of All Fears", to name only a few.

Kelly Clarkson's debut album, "Thankful" has been in the top 20 for weeks now, and her single "Miss Independent" is currently in the top 10.

I'm not making any pronouncements about the talent that any of these performers possess, but they are obviously creating a product that the public has paid their money to see. *That* is why they are famous.

The funny thing about the new Bennifer movie is that the title is also the name of the famous opera singer, Beniamino Gigli. Did the producers expect that their target audience would be familiar with his work, and thus would know how to pronounce the name?

Posted by Dave @ 07/30/2003 12:37 PM PST

Jason, I recall Olivia Newton-John as being quite popular in the early 70s when I was a little kid. Whenever we would go to Abby's Pizza parlor in Medford, Oregon (every Friday night after my dad's baseball game) I would plunk a coin in the jukebox machine and 8 out of 10 times I would choose a song by dear Olivia. I don't know that GREASE made her any more well known then she had been before, but I think it has kept her popular for all these many years later.

As my parents were married 3 different times each I have a plethora of real, half, and step siblings...some I have no idea whatever became of them...there are only certain ones that I consider my "real" siblings and that would be those from my mothers first marriage (1948 to 1963) which produced 3 brothers and one sister, and those from my father and mothers marriage (c. 1963/64 to 1978...the second marriage for each) which produced me and my younger brother. And I love them all I was born in 1963 so if you think long and hard you can figure out the scenerio of how that marriage came about! LOL!

Posted by MBarnum @ 07/30/2003 12:45 PM PST

By the way, where has Jane been lately? I hope she isn't melting in that 108 degree weather in Southern Oregon!

PS: I like Ben Affleck, actually...but I do not care at all for Jennifer Lopez....no class!

Posted by MBarnum @ 07/30/2003 12:46 PM PST

Ron writes:

"In both American Idols, the best singers made it to the top four..."

Two words: Nikki McKibbin.

I didn't watch much of American Idol this season, but I have heard the singles by the two finalists, and Clay is far and away the better singer. I have yet to hear anybody contend otherwise. Which does beg the question, who voted for Ruben?

Back to the Harry Potter topic, I only read the first novel, and found it quite poorly written. Do they improve as the series continues?

Jason, I have a friend who is a junior high school teacher, looking for a show to produce with his kids. I'm sure he'd love to know what other projects MTI has in the wings. If only there were some way you could give us a hint...

Posted by Dave @ 07/30/2003 12:57 PM PST

Farblonjet = Lost, bewildered, confused. Can be used in a physical or psychological sense.

Moishe became farblonjet trying to find his hotel after making a wrong turn on the narrow, winding streets.

Ethel became so farblonjet after her lousy audition that she took the uptown subway when she needed to go downtown to meet a friend for lunch.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 01:06 PM PST

Sorry, Dave...I wish I could help you more. Just let your friend know that every one of them will have plenty of music. Man, I wish I could tell you, but my hands are tied. ;-)

Just spoke with Mr. Craig Brockman on the phone. He didn't tell me to do this, but I'm going to anyway, since he has absolutely no free time from his new job (in fact, I'm afraid he may have phoned me while he was using the facilities... KIDDING!)--Craig says hi! Like I said, he doesn't REALLY say hi, but, its a nice thought, isn't it?

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 01:10 PM PST

I am reading this board and writing this message when I should be working. What kind of rebel am I!

My office is moving tomorrow and at the SAME /?%&i(&?$*(-ing time we are also doing a mass mailing to MPs, media and our members to take advantage of free postage from our current hosts.

Over the past three days I have single handedly made 63000+ photocopies. That is not an estimate. That is the number the photocopy machine spat out at me.

Excuse me while I faint from all this ranting.

Plus - Clay was robbed!

Posted by Emily @ 07/30/2003 01:26 PM PST

Dave---
I get out plenty... to the theatre, the opera, the ballet. I cannot sit through 95% of what passes as movies these days... where the script is ignored to show off special effects, crude humor, sex and nudity with no purpose other than being sex and nudity, etc.

Maybe if there were a talent contest where a former professional cheerleader and a cynic from England weren't constantly putting the contestants down I might watch it, but I have never been a fan of insult humor from Jackie Leonard and Don Rickles to the present, and I feel sorry for these aspiring talents who have to be made fun of by a hasbeen and a neverwas in order to compete.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 01:50 PM PST

Jay - the trivia contest will be
back soon - I'm trying to bank
some questions so we can
do it several weeks in a row. If
anyone has a guest quiz they'd
like to submit to me, please do
so.

Yes, we can do another
casting session, perhaps
tomorrow.

As to Mr. Ben Affleck - count
me as not a fan. In my opinion
(IMO, in Internet lingo) he is a
humorless and uninteresting
actor - never more so than in
the awful Daredevil. How
these people keep working is
the real question.

As to JLo - well, count me as
someone who doesn't even
find her attractive - her talent is
mediocre in every field that
she has chosen.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 02:01 PM PST

I'm sitting here enjoying FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD, produced by our very own BK, and I have to ask...does anyone have this show on video? I would LOVE to see Christine Pedi doing "Mein Film Career." She's brilliant! I mean, I've known that for a long time, but I've just been reminded of her genius.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 02:02 PM PST

BK, ever since you mentioned watching DAY OF THE DOLPHIN yesterday I cannot get it out of my mind. I think I will have to buy that DVD...is it worth it in your opinion? I have heard good and bad about the movie, but honestly it sounds like something I would enjoy...after all I am a HUGE fan of the TV show FLIPPER!!

Posted by MBarnum @ 07/30/2003 02:12 PM PST

Dear lord, I don't want to put myself up as a defender of Ben Affleck who was a dreadful Jack Ryan in THE SUM OF ALL FEARS (which was a big hit), but, DR Lulu, PEARL HARBOR was not a big bomb, at least not at the box-office. It made almost $200 million in the US/Canada. It was also a very big seller on DVD. It was pure dreck, and perhaps you meant it was an artistic bomb, which it definitely was, but he has been in quite a few hit pictures and in the right role (CHANGING LANES, for example), he can act. But the entire Affleck/JLo business is one big yawn for me. I don't care what they do together or apart. They're no Taylor/Burton.

I have no younger siblings. I have one older brother, 22 months older than I.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/30/2003 02:13 PM PST

I'm feeling like we could break
100 posts today, oh, yes, I'm
feeling like we could break
100 posts today. Have you
ever broken 100 posts? Have
you ever broken 1 post? If so,
how was it? I am awaiting the
return of my editor from his
luncheon - I got a bacon
cheeseburger, brought it back
to my office and wrote during
lunch. The bacon
cheeseburger was excellent.
Tonight I shall try and be a
good boy and not eat very
much. I shall try to watch
Umberto D or its sequel
Umberto E. I shall try to leave
work by five-thirty although I
believe I will not achieve that
goal.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 02:14 PM PST

It's all subjective, of course,
but I think you simply must get
Day of the Dolphin - I find it a
wonderful film in every way -
the photography alone makes
it worth a purchase, and the
transfer is really top-notch.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 02:16 PM PST

WEL, sorry if you missed the smiley at the end of the line. That is supposed to indicate that it was a joke. ;-)

I happen to share your feelings about contemporary movies, and I choose not to frequent them. For the few films that come out each year that I feel worthy of my time, I prefer to rent the DVD. It's cheaper, and I can choose the company I spend my two hours with.

My point was not that Jennifer Lopez or Ben Affleck have talent, nor that they appear in quality films. I was merely disputing the notion that they are "famous for being famous", in the way that so many "stars" build a career from their appearance in the tabloids. J-Lo and B-Lo are ubiquitous not only because of their tabloid-friendly romance, but because they are constantly putting out new material.

(Now, for those who claim I always disagree with BK, I am going to agree with him in his estimations of both Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. I personally don't find either of them appealling, and think they are marginally talented at best.)

But if you believe that Paula Abdul was constantly criticizing the contestants of American Idol, you obviously have never watched the show. She is not only a *former* cheerleader. (She is also a talented choreographer, and a former top-selling recording artist, but that's beside the point...)

Simon Cowell is not supposed to be a celebrity giving advice to up-and-comers. He is the producer of the show, and he offers incisive critiques of those who have no talent, and those whose image could use a work-over. Is he blunt? Of course he is. Brutal, even. But that is what those aspiring talents have to look forward to in the world of celebrity, where everyone is a critic.

Posted by Dave @ 07/30/2003 02:26 PM PST

I have never seen a Ben Affleck or a J Lo movie. Go ahead. Make fun of me.

Posted by Laura @ 07/30/2003 02:40 PM PST

We would never make fun of
you for never having seen a
Ben Affleck or J Lo movie.
Gregory Peck is another
matter altogether.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 02:44 PM PST

Re: Family question

I'm an only twin.

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/30/2003 02:59 PM PST

Dave: Please note that I claimed the best singers in American Idol one made it to the top four -- not that all four singers in the top four were the BEST singers....I happen to think it should have been a showdown between Tamyra and Kelly...but Tamyra's fans were somehow outvoted by Nikki's fans. Nikki seemed to be a sweet girl with a limited gift in a specific genre. But I did not mean for anyone to infer I considered her one of the best singers in the first Idol show. Justin, either. Justin keeps making appearances on the Juniors show...and seems to get worse instead of better.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 03:00 PM PST

Meaning there's someone out there from whom you were separated at birth?

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 03:00 PM PST

Hello, Canada! I see in today's news that President Bush has made comments that should generate a groundswell of immigration from the U.S. to your fair--and open-minded--country.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 03:04 PM PST

To see what I'm talking about, click on my name.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 03:07 PM PST

My open questions

I am looking into buying a widescreen TV. My top 3 choices are Hitachi, Toshiba, Mitsubishi. Anyone have any of these models and how many inches is it? Are you happy with it?

If you don't have any of the above models which one do you have and how big is it?

Did you buy your tv based on the brand name, and/or size and/or price?

I have been to Circuit City and Best Buy. I trusted the salesman at Best Buy more than I did at CC as Best Buy they don't work on commission. Can you trust a salesman more who doesn't work on commission?

Posted by Michael Shayne @ 07/30/2003 03:10 PM PST

Michael, this is a family site and asking the inches question is really most inappropriate and unseemly.

Besides which, size isn't everything, you know.

Posted by The Thought Police @ 07/30/2003 03:13 PM PST

LOL, Michael Shayne!

First off, let me say that I have never watched any of American Idol. In fact, I have not watched any of the reality television programs of the past few years. Does this make me un-American? Should this make me an outcast? No, it just means that I prefer different forms of “mindless entertainment” on the tube, which I guess is the reason that we have almost two hundred different channels available on cable. Anyway, all I can say about Kelly, Justin, Ruben, or Clay is that I don’t own any of their CDs, and probably never will.

Personally, I loved Harry Potter V. I didn’t feel it was too long, nor did I skim any of the chapters. It was like sitting down and catching up with friends, albeit younger friends, and meeting several new people, not all of them very nice.

I am not a big fan of Ben or Jlo, although I would take him over her any day. I do know that they both sell a lot of movie tickets between them. I think Ms Lopez needs someone close to her that can give her a little good advice on what films to do. As for Mr. Afflick, I guess I will refrain from commenting on his talent until I, too, can say that I have won an Oscar, in any category.

My question of the day is how many movies has our delightful Susan Gordon made altogether? What was the first movie? What was the most recent? And was she truly in Carousel and Harold and Maude, or does Amazon.com not differentiate between Susan Gordon, Ruth Gordon, and Gordon MacRae? Oh, sorry, I guess that was more than one question.

And no dammit Jay, I will not sign up for the NY Times, no matter how hard you try.

Posted by TCB @ 07/30/2003 03:14 PM PST

ONJ was according to Whitburn, one of the top chart singers of both the 70's and the 80's. She had the #1 selling single of the 80's with "Physical". She is loved in Australia but would certainly have had more chart success in America - nearly 40 chart entries.
Petula Clark was acting in movies in the 1940's and 1950's. - An actress who sang on radio & TV. She acted along side fellow child actor Anthony Newley.
Olivia was in films because she was successsful as a pop singer - not because she was an actress.

Reality Shows etc: I prefer to have a real life myself rather than to watch lifestyle programs and "reality" shows. Others would not bother to go the musical theatre or listen to show music. To each his own.
Australian Idol has (I think) started here. I won't be watching. We have already had "Pop Stars" or whatever it was called and those manufactured groups had a very short career indeed - as did the "Big Brother" people.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/30/2003 03:18 PM PST

No coercion intended, dear TCB. I am sure the story is featured on the website of any news source of your choosing.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 03:18 PM PST

Re. Bennifer: As Mssrs. Laurents and Sondheim put it oh, so many years ago, "To have no talent isn't enough. What you need to have is an idea that makes your [act] special."

Ms. Lopez's gimmick is that she's a big-bootied girl from the Bronx who has made it big in both film and music and fashion and has landed an Oscar-winning husband, AND she's able to mingle in both the high society group but still be able to get down with her homies.

Ben's gimmick? Well, a lot of women (and several men, too) think he's incredibly handsome. His other gimmick used to be Matt Damon. Now its J-Lo.

You gotta get a gimmick if you want to get ahead.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 03:22 PM PST

DR Tom from Oz:

Petula Clark was first known to U.S. audiences as a singer in the 1960s. Her move into films in the late 1960s was "our" first exposure to her as an actress.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 03:24 PM PST

Dr Jason writes:

"Ms. Lopez's gimmick is that she's a big-bootied girl from the Bronx who has made it big in both film and music and fashion and has landed an Oscar-winning husband, AND she's able to mingle in both the high society group but still be able to get down with her homies"

Stop, please, oh! Please stop! The sandwich I had for lunch 3 1/2 hours ago is threatening to put in an appearance!

Big bootied? That's just genetics. Get down with her homies? You mean she still runs with the hoods and drug dealers...right??!

What Oscar-winning husband? She and Ben get married? I must have missed the announcement somewhere.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 03:28 PM PST

I didn't say I liked her gimmick, but that's the gimmick. Take it or leave it...and a LOT of people are taking it. And lets not forget that she's Latin. I don't know if you guys have taken notice of the Latin population in New York lately, but with her record and movie and clothing sales alone in NYC, she's a hit.

I don't know if they're married yet or not, but they are engaged.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 03:33 PM PST

I wonder how Matt feels about that engagement?

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 03:35 PM PST

Bruce Johnston wrote music and lyrics to "I Write the Songs".

Barry Manilow did, however, write "The Toilet Bowl Blues".

Posted by William F. Orr @ 07/30/2003 03:35 PM PST

Susan made 7 movies:
Attack of the Puppet People (1958)
The Man in the Net (1959)
The Five Pennies (1959)
Miracle on 34th Street (Made for TV - 1959)
The Boy and the Pirates (1960)
Tormented (1960)
Picture Mommy Dead (1966)

She is not in those other movies.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 07/30/2003 03:40 PM PST

Okay...okay, just to be spiteful. I have now put Ulitmate Manilow on the stereo. And, dammit, i am singing along. ....Oh Mandy well you came and you gave without takin......

Posted by TCB @ 07/30/2003 03:43 PM PST

Thank you, Bill.

Posted by TCB @ 07/30/2003 03:44 PM PST

Don't laugh, TCB...I sang that at a piano bar in Bucks County. I followed it up with Bring Him Home. THAT wasn't my choice...the pianist made me do it, and then he had the nerve to make fun of me for doing two cheesy ballads back to back. Bitter queen.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 03:48 PM PST

I have this sneaking suspicion
that we will break 100 posts
today. Does anyone else have
that sneaking suspicion?

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 03:49 PM PST

Here's my contribution to 100 posts...

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 03:50 PM PST

TAH-DAH!!

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 03:50 PM PST

There some connection between the "Mandy" lyric and "Bring Him Home" that I dare not make here because of our young Dear Readers. I guess once you break 100, things get wacki!

Posted by Matthew @ 07/30/2003 03:58 PM PST

And now for something completely different...Did anyone read Ken Mandelbaum today?

It's great that the Broadway production numbers tape has been turned into a DVD, but it's too bad that all the Sullivan theater pieces haven't been issue, as well.

And why hasn't the Mary Martin "Peter Pan" been issued on DVD (or has it?)?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 04:14 PM PST

Matt H.: Pearl Habor did indeed gross nearly $200 million in the US. However, the production budget was over $135 million, and the advertising has to have cost another $30-40 million (conservative estimate). Considering a movie needs to gross approximately 2 1/2 times what it cost to make and advertise, Pearl Harbor hemorrhaged quite a bit of money. Now, quite possibly by now the film has broken even or even pulled ahead a bit due to overseas box office and DVD sales. But it was a huge financial disappointment.

The Sum of All Fears was similar - mucho hype but disappointing figures at the box office. It cost $93 million for the production and advertising, and grossed a paltry $118 million in the US. Again, it lost money (though overseas and DVD and cable sales may have allowed it to come close to breaking even by now).

Films cost such an extraordinary amount of money to make now (especially when studios rush to secure "big name stars" and pay them $15 - $20 million apiece) that hearing a movie has made $200 million typically means very little now (unlike 14 years ago, when Tim Burton's "Batman" was considered quite the blockbuster for bringing in that much money).

So don't worry, you weren't really put into the aesthetic quagmire of defending Ben Affleck after all! ;)

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 04:15 PM PST

Jay, do you mean when Dubya referred to Condoleeza Rice as "an honest, fabulous person"? Because I would think that all of us here at HHW would love to have a president who feels comfortable with using the word fabulous!

;)

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 04:27 PM PST

A-ha! I think I found the article about Dubya to which you referred, Jay.

For those interested, click on my name - you don't have to register with the Times to read the article.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 04:31 PM PST

That would be the article, dear reader Lulu. And I agree, I'd much prefer a president who has more occasion to say "fabulous!" than "nucular" [sic].

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 04:37 PM PST

"Mandy" was a "cover" of the Scott English song "Brandy" which had already been a hit in other parts of the world in 1972. I guess the name change was to avoid confusion with "Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)".
Ron: I forgot the USA didn't discover Pet for so long. She already had been in the charts for a few years here with "Romeo", "My Friend The Sea" etc. According to one source, her first disc (78rpm) was a cover of Teresa Brewer's "Music Music Music" and only released in Australia! Why? I have never heard it but she did cover lots of USA hits in the 50's like "Little Blue Man', "Suddenly there's A Valley" etc. These were released here in OZ but we were are more familiar with the originals. What happened to Betty Johnson?

Is the Sullivan show DVD just a transfer of the video with Julie Andrews and Burton doing the Camelot bit etc.?

Mary Martin's Peter Pan. I didn't think the video stood up that well - dance sequences look so dated. I much prefer the Rigby version. If only Rigby's company would film "Seussical".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/30/2003 04:44 PM PST

I'm beginning to have the
feeling that we're going to
break 100 posts, aren't you? I
have that feeling STRONGLY.

The Mary Martin color version
of Peter Pan is indeed on DVD
- although I have no idea if it's
in print.

Posted by bk @ 07/30/2003 04:55 PM PST

Not only did we BREAK 100 posts.. and not only did Jason send everyone a message I never sent (but thank you Jason...) - But to top it off - we have a BRAND SPANKIN NEW ENTRY in JULIANA'S JOURNAL up now for your reading pleasure....

Posted by Craig @ 07/30/2003 05:05 PM PST

I'd much rather have a president who said "nucular" but knew its meaning, than to have a president who can pronounce it properly but can't spell it and doesn't grasp the basic science of what it means.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 05:34 PM PST

I go out to dinner in Baltimore for 5 hours and I come back, and we've broken 100 posts! This HAS to be the most popular site on the Internet.

I have just had the first crab cake of my life at Philips in Baltimore, and they were DELICIOUS! Makes me mad that I had never been brave enough to try them before.

Question: Who was the first person to discover that you could drink a cow's milk? Kind of gross if you think about it...

Posted by Sarah @ 07/30/2003 06:03 PM PST

Of all Liza's husbands, were any of them "allegedly" straight?

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 06:10 PM PST

Does anyone remember when Lucille Ball had to tell Lucie Arnaz that she was decidedly NOT going to date, much less marry, Jim Bailey?

Made entertainment headlines where I lived!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 07/30/2003 06:11 PM PST

Come home, Jim Bailey!

Posted by Lucie Arnaz @ 07/30/2003 06:26 PM PST

Sarah: I've often wondered the exact same thing! What on earth possessed someone to drink that stuff leaking out of a cow's udders??

I've an idea imminent starvation had a lot to do with it.

Posted by Lulu @ 07/30/2003 06:27 PM PST

BK - The trivia contest sounds like fun. What's involved in a "guest quiz"? (I still consider myself a newcomer.) This site just gets better and better. It's the one I'd been looking for, and - thanks to Maya (who's on vacation) - finally found.

Posted by Dan-in-Toronto @ 07/30/2003 06:45 PM PST

What a lot of posts!

Trying to learn my lines for GYPSY and can't do it while I am on the internet.

Too many brothers and sisters to talk about....but we all get along.

Names: Michael, Jack (me), Paula, Myrna, Dane, Kent, David, and Molly!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/30/2003 06:46 PM PST

OH!!! I hope one of the MOBY DICK cd's is coming to me. DR Kurt opens in the show on August 15!!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 07/30/2003 06:47 PM PST

Only child here.
Well, I am adopted, and I do have all the specifics on THAT.

Ben Affleck. Does one really have to MARRY the fat-bottomed girl (Oh! A Freddie Mercury reference!) to squelch the gay rumors?!?!?!

ONJ. following the debacle that was TWO OF A KIND (great soundtrack, though), ONJ did some very fine work in telepics. She also made another film for GREASE director, Randal Kleiser, and contributed a haunting closing theme song: IT'S MY PARTY, which I like to call "Gay Men - Get Out Your Handkerchiefs!" It's a three to four hanky picture, to be sure, and ONJ's "Don't Cut Me Down" makes a nice coda for the film. IIRC, didn't Varese release the soundtrack? I don't have it, I have ONJ's cut on her two disc greatest hits package, which also contains "It's Always Australia for Me."

Posted by td @ 07/30/2003 06:49 PM PST

Michael Shayne - I'd suggest you peruse the Home Theater Hardware forums over at Home Theater Forum. Click "td" and you will be transported there magically. . .i hope.

Posted by td @ 07/30/2003 06:54 PM PST

I really love IT'S MY PARTY. I have watched my laserdisc of it many times. I haven't broken down and gotten the DVD yet, but I will as it has special features not on the laser.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/30/2003 07:24 PM PST

Lulu, dear, I'm well aware of all the figures you quoted. I objected only to your expression "huge bomb" which PEARL HARBOR most assuredly was not. May have been a disappointment, but not a huge bomb. And THE SUM OF ALL FEARS made much more overseas than it did here.

There was an interesting article in last week's VARIETY about the figures studios quote as production costs for films. In many cases, studios underquote what the films actually cost, but there have been occasions when they exaggerated costs upwards rather than downward. The bottom line is, we plebians never actually know what a film costs. We have only what the studios tell us which is almost never the truth.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/30/2003 07:35 PM PST

I am, thankfully an only child.
My favorite dig at Ms. Lopez was at
the Oscars, when Steve Martin said:
"Or as the kids these days call her, J-
Pez." That struck me as hilarious.
But I do find them both a bit
repellent.
American Idol: I don't watch it,
because it isn't a kind of music that
interests me. It is so artificial and
greedy. I like my artifice to be
knowing, and done with flair, not
entirely cheesy.

Why weren't they doing these really
serious musicals for little kids when I
was young? I could have done it
well!

My question: Since I turned 18
yesterday, where were you in life
when you turned 18? Where did
you expect to go in the future? How
much has it measured up? (I think
that Sarah is the only one who can't
answer that.)

Posted by Hapgood @ 07/30/2003 08:05 PM PST

Dear Reader Matt H. - You simply must get the dvd of IT'S MY PARTY! Kleiser's commentary track is one of the most heart-felt, beautifully done tracks of its kind. You owe it to yourself if you're a fan of the film.

Posted by td @ 07/30/2003 08:39 PM PST

Must investigate "It's My Party" td.
Siblings: One adoptive sister (older by two years).
2 Brothers - met them about 10 years ago
1 half brother - my favourite of my birth relatives (His wife, children and grandchildren all accept me as an absolute family member)
1 half sister - we have only met twice.

Other topic: Potter. I enjoyed the latest book - it had been quite a while since the last. the length didn't bother me at all. I did find book 4 more of a chore but I read the first four in a relatively short period of time. Had to read the most recent one quickly as my half brother's grandchildren (the three sons of his youngest son) were waiting. I had passed on the last three to them. The middle son is named Thomas John so he is of course special. (anyone would think my second given name was John too).

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/30/2003 08:49 PM PST

Forgive my ignorance, but I always thought "It's My Party" was a particularly obnoxious song that was a bit hit for Leslie Gore.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 09:30 PM PST

Dear reader Sarah:

Please tell us more about your dinner. A five hour repast sounds like my kind of meal!

Also, there's a quotation I've heard that goes something along the lines of "'Twas a brave man who first ate an oyster."

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 09:33 PM PST

Plebians? Does that mean that Matt H. is into women?

Posted by TCB @ 07/30/2003 09:35 PM PST

Could be. There sure are a lot of thespians who hang out at this site.

Posted by Jay @ 07/30/2003 09:37 PM PST

Well, it might have been MY party, but. . .
now it's
judy's turn to cry
judy's turn to cry
judy's turn to cry
'cause johnny's come back (johnny's come back, come back)
to me

oh, when judy left with johnny at my party (my party)
and came back wearing his ring
i sat down and cried my eyes out
now that was a foolish thing
well it hurt me so to see them dance together (together)
i felt like making a scene
then my tears just fell like raindrops
'cause judy's smile was so mean

one night i saw them kissin' at a party (a party)
so i kissed some other guy
johnny jumped up and he hit him
'cause he still loves me, that's why

Posted by The Girl with the Smiling Eyes @ 07/30/2003 09:40 PM PST

cry if i want to, cry if i want to
cry if i want to, cry if i want to.
you would cry too, if it happened to you.

nobody knows where my johnny has gone,
but judy left the same time.
why was he holding her hand,
when he's supposed to be mine

it's my party, and i'll cry if i want to,
cry if i want to, cry if i want to.
you would cry too, if it happened to you.

play all my records, keep dancing all night,
but leave me alone for a while.
'til johnny's dancing with me,
i've got no reason to smile.

it's my party, and i'll cry if i want to, ...

judy and johnny just walked thru the door
but like a queen with her king.
oh, what a birthday surprise,
judy's wearing his ring.

it's my party, and i'll cry if i want to,

Posted by Lesley Gore @ 07/30/2003 09:44 PM PST

This really is a jiggy number of posts today. -As a result of playing catch up, it is now officially past my bed time! -More Camelot auditions in the morning... Hmm... The casting director was supposed to call me with the start time, but didn't... hmm... I guess I should check my other service so I know what time to set my alarm.

-And it was nice hearing about Juliana's opening night - I was wondering what happened to the skipped date.

Goodnight.

Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 07/30/2003 10:15 PM PST

Sarah, I have one sister who's 20 months older (I'm 37 and she'll be 39 in September).

WEL, I haven't read any of the Harry Potter books. I've only seen the movies.

Jason, The only thing that I listened to today was the L.A. Theatre Works live production of WORKING. I bought the original release where each disc is only one track (I hate that--the library that I work for has the 2nd version where they broke up the tracks). I broke it up myself into the different tracks and made a one-disc "songs only" version. My favorite songs (I can't pick just one) from this show are "Just a Housewife," "Millworker," "If I Could've Been," "Cleanin' Women" and "Something To Point To." Did anyone notice that both Patti LuPone and Bob Gunton were in the original cast of WORKING before they both went into EVITA? Interesting.

Lulu, I, unfortunately, was talked into taking my niece to "Gigli" (well, bribed, actually), although we haven't gone yet. I've never seen "Good Will Hunting," "Pearl Harbor" bored me and I hated "Armageddon." I don't particularly like Ben's acting, but he seems like a nice enough guy in person. And will admit (don't hate me) that he's nice to look at. However, I have no interest in ever seeing a J-Lo picture (so far) or listen (by choice) to any of her songs. It's just not the style of music that I care for. Otherwise, it seems to me that it's going to be just another hyped Hollywood "wedding" and it's probably not going to be much of a "marriage" I never predict how long these last, but I'm never surprised when they don't last very long...can you believe that Bette Midler's marriage has lasted as long as it has? They knew each other only 5 weeks before they got married and were married in Vegas by an Elvis impersonator! That must be the secret!!

Hapgood, where was I when I turned 18? I was still in high school, probably babysitting my then 2 or 3 week old niece. I don't remember doing anything special. We probably went out for pizza.

Posted by George @ 07/30/2003 10:28 PM PST

FYI: Playbill.com announces that the upcoming PBS Tony retrospective will be available on DVD/VHS and will feature five pieces that will not be seen on the PBS telecast.

The five additional numbers include Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney performing a song from Sugar Babies; Patti LuPone belting out Evita's "Buenos Aires"; the original company of A Chorus Line singing "I Hope I Get It"; and two numbers from Annie: Dorothy Loudon's "Easy Street" and the company on a reprise of the show's anthem, "Tomorrow."

The DVD will be available for pre-order on Playbill.com, and should be available in stores around Sept. 16. The cost should be around $24-$30.

Posted by Jason @ 07/30/2003 11:06 PM PST

"That's The Way Boys Are" Judy. "Maybe I Know" that life isn't always "Sunshine Lollipops and Roses".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/30/2003 11:42 PM PST

Thanks, DR Jason, for that additional information about the Tony-DVD. Those additions are pretty good. (At least A CHORUS LINE's opening number is there.)

If they were going to include Lupone's "Buenos Aires," why not include that entire medley, done for the 1981 show, where each Tony winning show back to A CHORUS LINE had one of its performers sing a song from the show. Thus we got Pricilla Lopez doing "What I Did for Love," Andrea McArdle doing "Tomorrow," Nell Carter doing "Honeysuckle Rose," Angela Lansbury doing "By the Sea," and then Lupone's number. Patti's in great voice, but so are all the other ladies. Ah well.

Thanks, td, for the recommendation of the DVD of IT'S MY PARTY. That might make a nice birthday present to myself.

DR TCB, er....um.... no.

Posted by Matt H. @ 07/31/2003 04:44 AM PST

Someone's still awake out there.
I just watched a delightful Oz film "Crackerjack". Hope the DVD is available in the States. Other films of that ilk worth seeing if you like laconic Oz humour are "The Castle", "The Dish" and "The Road To Nhil".

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 07/31/2003 04:56 AM PST

DR - Sorry to inform you that the meal itself was not 5 hours long, but the trip was. The Beltway was jam-packed all the way up to Baltimore, so the trip up took 2 and a half hours. We walked for about 25 minutes until we found the restaurant. Dinner itself was only a little over an hour. But it was goooooooood! Crab cakes= new favorite! And then we returned home, but did stop to watch a large group of steel drum players, which was awesome to listen and dance to.

Off to babysit...I need a real job...

Posted by Sarah @ 07/31/2003 06:15 AM PST