Posted by Jose C. Simbulan @ 08/16/2003 08:24 AM PST

Power 100% back in NYC and the subways are running although I'm not tryinmg them until Monday.

Even though there are a lot of great museums in NYC my two favorites are in my hometown of Chicago. First of all there is the Art Institute. Since it is the only major art museum in Chicago it doesn't specalize in one period and has a big collection from all periods. There are a lot of famous paintingsaa, among them the Sondheim/Lapine (with help from Mandy, Bernadette and Seraut) "Sunday on le grande jette" or however you spell it. There's also "American Gothic" and many more plus special exhibits like the minature rooms. The other is the Museum of Science and Industry which has a coal mine, a Nazi sub, various communications exhibits and a farm among others. I think it's the only museum of its kind in the world.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/16/2003 08:26 AM PST

My favorite beside The Metropolitan Musuem of Art in New York is a small museum in size but a BIG Museum in content.It has a large collection of Renoirs and Impressionists.It is tucked away in the hills of Williamstown Massachussetts and is THE CLARK MUSEUM.Beside that and Williams College you have the wonderful WIlliamstown Theatre in the Summer.
Museum I would love to visit is The Hermitage in St.Petersburg(Russia not Florida-ha!)

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 08:42 AM PST

Sad news: I won't be doing the radio show this morning - Donald called and said he'd finally had to put one of his two dogs, Jack, to sleep. Jack has been very ill of late. Donald also asked me to mention that this week's new radio show may go up a bit late, and I told him not to worry about it. So, let's all send him our heartfelt wishes.

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 08:49 AM PST

Our sympathies to Donald.

Posted by Laura @ 08/16/2003 08:53 AM PST

So sorry to hear about your loss Donald.

Museums:

Museum of TV & Radio in NYC
Museum of Natural History in NYC

The one in LA on the hill that you have to take a tram up to and whose name I have blanked out on.

The Louevre (sp?) in Paris

I also have a special place in my heart for the Montreal Museum of Fine Art.

Posted by Michael @ 08/16/2003 08:59 AM PST

Donald, I'm so sorry to hear about Jack. Take care.

Favorite museums:

Victoria and Albert in London

Chicago Museum of Natural History

I was unfortunate enough to visit Paris during a strike by the museum employees, but I imagine if all the state-run museums hadn't been closed, the Louvre would've been right up there.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/16/2003 09:03 AM PST

Almost forgot...in Nashville, Indiana is The John Dillinger Museum. Surely one of a kind.

The Elvis Museum in Orlando had some interesting revolving exhibits (before they were all sold off at auction several years ago), among them Elvis's velour track suit and his doctor's patient record with the notation that the doctor made on the day Elvis was born.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/16/2003 09:06 AM PST

Dear Reader Michael: You are thinking of the Getty Museum.

I love museums! I am very lucky that two out of my three all time favorites are right in my backyard: The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, The Huntington Museum, Library and Gardens in San Marino, and the Frick Collection in New York.

I also enjoy the big encyclopedic museums, such as the Metropolitan in New York and the Art Institute in Chicago.

I also like offbeat museums, like the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 09:25 AM PST

I'm a dork. I love museums. I even love that slightly enbalmed smell of museums.

My favorites that I've been to are:

National Gallery in DC
The Met
The Corcoran
That museum they have in the NY Library of Performing Arts (hey it's theatre history!)

BK--I envy you picking up all those great DVD's. BTW, what movies are included in the Bergman collection?

Donald--I'm so sorry to hear about Jack. I know what it's like to lose a pet..it's just heart-breaking, but your heart will heal without its losing a place for your dog.

Posted by Maya @ 08/16/2003 09:31 AM PST

Sympathies to Donald.

Art museum - Jeu de Pommes in Paris. To see so much astonishingly gorgeous Impressionism in a relatively small space is thrilling beyond words.
Museum - The ROM (Royal Ontario Museum) in Toronto. I have such great memories of going there as a child on days when the place was not crowded (early weekdays, etc.) and daring myself to enter the dreaded dinosaur exhibit. The HUGE skeletons of these ferocious creatures would cast ominous shadows on this little kid. I'd make myself imagine that if I went deeply enough into the massive hall, they'd come alive and surround me. It was a test of my courage to see how far into the hall I could go without running out in terror. (Okay, I was a weird kid.)

Posted by Panni @ 08/16/2003 09:33 AM PST

A moment's more thought and I remember that the kind of museum I plan vacations around are house museums. That is, homes that are historically or architecturally significant, especially the mansions of the gilded age. There are quite a few beauties in the Hudson Valley of New York, and a great concentration of summer "cottages" in Newport, Rhode Island, all of which I have enjoyed visiting. One Craftsman gem is in my neighborhood, the Gamble House, by Greene and Greene. One home that I have not yet visited but fully intend to is Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, which is near Pittsburgh.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 09:37 AM PST

And sympathies to Dear Reader Donald. As the guardian of two cocker spaniels, I know what role these precious beings can play in our lives.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 09:38 AM PST

I'm so sorry about Jack.

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 09:59 AM PST

Good Morning All..... A few museums...hmmmm. Okay, here goes:

Large -- the Art Institute of Chicago. Lots of Wonderful art and artifacts, and neat stuff like a re-assembled room from one of F.L.W.'s houses.

Small -- the Jeu de Paume in Paris(kerry and I are both Impressionist fans). And for something really unusual, the "Wolfsonian Collection" in Miami Beach. It is a mix of decorative arts including both Art Deco and also some Nazi stuff. Most unusual mix.

DR Jay -- If you want to get to Fallingwater, did you know that one of F.L.W.'s other gems is right there in your backyard...La Miniatura. It was restored several years ago, and is still privately owned. It is just a few blocks from the Greene & Greene house.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/16/2003 10:09 AM PST

Dear Donald, Please accept my heartfelt sympathy and my very best wishes in tis time of loss. I can deal with a person's loss better than I can with the loss of one of those wonderful little 4-legged angels that come into our lives. Just keep all those wonderful memories of Jack in your heart.

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/16/2003 10:13 AM PST

Is is the Jeu de Pomme or Jeu de Paulme? A museum named Game of Apple would be kinda cool though.

Posted by Maya @ 08/16/2003 10:13 AM PST

Donald - The Seaclifr clan (including Taco, our Chihuahua/Terrier mix) send our condolences on the loss of Jack.

Posted by Phil @ 08/16/2003 10:16 AM PST

For Donald:

THE HOUSE-DOG'S GRAVE
(Haig, an English Bull-dog)

I've changed my ways a little; I cannot now
Run with you in the evenings along the shore,
Except in a kind of dream: and you, if you dream a moment,
You see me there.

So leave awhile the paw-marks on the front door
Where I used to scratch to go out or in,
And you'd soon open; leave on the kitchen floor
The marks of my drinking-pan.

I cannot lie by your fire as I used to do
On the warm stone,
Nor at the foot of your bed: no, all the nights through
I lie alone.

But your kind thought has laid me less than six feet
Outside your window where firelight so often plays,
And where you sit to read - and I fear often grieving for me-
Every night your lamplight lies on my place.

You man and woman, live so long it is hard
To think of you ever dying.
A little dog would get tired living so long.
I hope that when you are lying

Under the ground like me your lives will appear
As good and joyful as mine.
No, dears, that's too much hope: you are not so well cared for
As I have been,

And never have known the passionate undivided
Fidelities that I knew.
Your minds are perhaps too active, too many-sided...
But to me you were true.

You were never masters, but friends. I was your friend.
I loved you well, and was loved. Deep love endures
To the end and far past the end. If this is my end,
I am not lonely. I am not afraid. I am still yours.

Robinson Jeffers

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 10:18 AM PST

Hmmm.....the 18th post today (the Hebrew letters that make up the number 18 also make up the word "Chai" - life, also for good luck -if you don't believe me, ask Susan!)

.....and the last post yesterday - Yippee!

Any more blackout stories???

Posted by Phil @ 08/16/2003 10:20 AM PST

Thanks for the tip, Dear Reader Music Guy. Strangely, for all the times I've been to Phoenix (I used to go there with some frequency for business), I never made it to Taliesin West. Some day. I have been to the Biltmore Hotel, however, and much enjoyed the public spaces there.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 10:21 AM PST

In typical teenager form, art museums kind of bore me. Yes, it's all beautiful and unique, but I'd much rather be doing something else. So, I haven't got a favorite art museum.

But I do love all of the Smithsonain museums I've been to, minus Air and Space, which is incredibly boring. American History is entertaining, lots of fun stuff to look at, and Natural History is fascinating.

Donald, I'm so sorry about your dog. My thoughts are with you.

On a lighter and slightly more frightening note, I just went outside to move the sprinkler hose for my da,d and when I grabbed the hose, there must have been some sort of evil bug on it, because it bit me, and don't you know it hurt like all holy hell. I yelled and ran in the house, panicking, trying to make the pain stop, and then I looked down. There's a HUGE white splotch where I think I got bit, and now my finger has swelled up to the size of a balloon and I can't move it. So I think I'm going to the doctor. I can't stand doctors...

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:37 AM PST

Favourite Museums:

I'm quite fond of the Gene Autry Western Museum right here in LA. Has a great section on movie/Tv cowboys.

My favourite of all time: Is probably The British Library...fairly new, they moved all the literary stuff from the British Museum over to the library. You can actually see copies of the Magna Carta, Scott's Anartctic Diary, pages of Alice In Wonderland, and tons of other literary treasures.

Also in London: The National Portrait Gallery, the Vicky and Al , and the Theate Museum in Covent Garden. Of course, all of London is like one big museum, with hundreds, if not thousands, of years of history in every step you take in the place.

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 10:38 AM PST

Greetings from Detroit.
The power came back on here late last night. I missed the Internet more than anything else.
I've got to get me one of those babies that runs on gas.

Posted by Mark Rothman @ 08/16/2003 10:46 AM PST

My favorite museums have been so expanded, I no longer loved them like I once did. I'm thinking of The Museum of Modern Art before the last expansion (it's happening again) and the Guggenheim when it was little more than Frank Lloyd Wright's ramp. Smallness is a good quality in a museum. I still like the Frick. And, in Washington, The Freer and the National Gallery. In London, I think it's John Soane's house. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Role call: Lifelong New Yorker, with the exception of ten years as a kid in L.A. The utter hell that was would take a book (or two, or three) to describe. I've been writing musical comedies since I was 14, and have been lucky enough to see ten produced. There was one in Britain that was produced but I didn't get to see it, and there's currently one there that I'm not seeing. Wish somebody would see it and report. (Click my name for details.)

For the next few weeks I'll be devoting myself to nothing but writing and producing the musical in which I'll become a husband. Everything in it will be sung, and everyone (parents, bridesmaids, officiant) will sing on the stage of a New York Theatre. My age? I used to say "too young to get married." Now I'm just the right age.

I also do a lot of improv, and teach people to improvise songs at Second City's New York school. Sometimes (like twice this week), I musical direct. The show we were supposed to do Thursday night we did Friday night, and the singers kept changing lyrics to refer to the blackout.

Posted by Noel @ 08/16/2003 11:02 AM PST

Dear Donald, my sincerest sympathies on loss of your beloved Jack. There is no greater love in the world than the unconditional love given to us by our four-legged children. They are a gift from God here on earth.

Posted by TCB @ 08/16/2003 11:13 AM PST

Dear Donald,
Don't despair. Jack, I know, will come visit you...and often.

My dog, a rough and tumble poodle, named Maurice, has visited me on two occasions since he passed on. One time, I awoke to feel a heaviness next to my lower leg and knew instantly it was Maurice sleeping next to me. Another time, when I was recovering from major surgery, I had a vivid and all-too-real dream where he and I were happily exploring a beautiful forest with waterfalls.

They are our angels indeed.

Posted by Donna @ 08/16/2003 11:54 AM PST

Charles Pogue: Thank you for posting that poem by Robinson Jeffers.

Posted by Donna @ 08/16/2003 11:58 AM PST

My sympathies to Donald and his Jack. As a dog lover with three sharing my life right now, I fully understand the loss.

Here's another vote for the Art Institute of Chicago. The weekend we were in town (for my sister's wedding), they had a special show focusing on the works of Caillebotte; his huge painting of Parisians and their umbrellas in the rain had been moved specially for the exhibition. And the giant blue stained glass windows by Chagall were mindblowing.

The peripateic der Brucer and I have a fondness for museums when we travel. The Science Museum in Munich was fascinating, even if we couldn't read the explanitory signs. There's a museum focusing on travel and history in Cincinnati that we enjoyed, and also a museum about propaganda in Miami. Entering the main hall of the Museum of London, with all the Egyptian statuary, was like suddenly walking amongst the ancient gods.

I must disagree with DR Noel about the expansion on the Guggenheim in NYC: the added space in no way detracts from Wright's original spiral, and the restoration of the skylight refocuses the central core of the museum to it's original glory. (My only complaint about our visit to the Guggenheim isn't about the museum itself, but rather about der Brucer's instistance that we start at the top and work our way down, which was as backwards as any production of Merrily We Roll Along.)

The greatest collection of museums we've encountered is, of course, that of the Smithsonian along the Mall in Washington D.C. I look forward to exploring them more after our move, particularly the trips when we can take the grandlads. What I do not look forward to is taking the grandlads' mother along. Museums are not good environments for fussbudgets, and that indeed describes der Brucer's daughter. When we went to the Museum of Natural History, she was so busy fussing over the grandlads, trying to "keep them under control", that I don't think she glanced up even once as she passed by the Hope Diamond. Her loss.

Her husband, on the other hand, understands that museums are made for putzing. He wants to go back to the Museum of Archetecture in DC with us, because we were pressed for time and his wife wouldn't let him putz properly to enjoy the place. Just let us guys on a trip, the five of us, and we'll have a grand time. Fussbudget Moms can stay at home.

Posted by S. Woody White @ 08/16/2003 12:00 PM PST

Um, interesting use of the word putz, Dear Reader S. Woody White.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 12:14 PM PST

Sympathies to Donald.

I think that I have the best blackout
stories. On Thursday, you may
remember, I was supposed to have
the dress rehearsal for my Antigone.
This did not occur, as I was in the
dark, dark city of Cleveland. So we
had just a line-through in my
darkening living room, by
candlelight.
But Friday morning, the power came
on. Hooray! But (And isn't there
always a but?) at 7:06 PM on Friday,
there was a brownout in the
neighborhood where our theatre
was. Some surrounding residential
areas got power back in 1/2 hour,
but we had no such like. So what did
we do? We moved the whole
production to the athletic field of the
nearby school, which formed a
natural amphiteatre, with the actors
at the bottom and the audience at
the top. And we had our opening
night! It was greek tragedy, as
Sophocles intended it. (It did get
pretty dark by the last few scenes.)
It will be nice to do the last two
shows with sets and lights, though.
They are very nice.
This was definitely an unforgettable
opening night!

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/16/2003 12:19 PM PST

2 members of the theatre-going public have posted their thoughts on Murder at the Savoy. After going to http://www.edinburgh-festivals.com/fringe/
click on reviews and it should be in the list of shows.

My complaint about the Guggenheim's expansion has to do with size. There's now more to see than can comfortably fit into one afternoon, which didn't used to be the case. Good though, that somebody left them "the Bracques and Chagalls and all that"

Posted by Noel @ 08/16/2003 12:26 PM PST

Thank you, Dear Reader Jay, for your interest. I live in a suburb of Buffalo, which was only mildly affected by the blackout. I had no problems at work. On the drive home only 2 traffic lights were out, and power was restored to my home at 7:00pm. TV news readers asked us to use as little electricity as possible while power was being restored elsewhere, so I dutifully stayed off the computer!

I am 51. I eke out my living as a word processor in a cancer research institute. In the good old days I was a professional stage manager. I'm trying to get back into the biz. To exercise my artistic muscles, I've directed community theater productions, and I design lighting for high school plays, musicals and concerts.

After seeing ads in the late, lamented Show Music magazine, I bought Unsung Musicals and became a BK fan. I found this here site by doing a Google search for BK. I've been reading for several months and finally worked up the courage to post. And this one is long enough!

Posted by Gunther @ 08/16/2003 12:43 PM PST

Excuse me, but WHERE IS EVERYBODY?!

It's SATURDAY! This can't happen on a Saturday! Sunday, maybe, but even then, NO. I'm even here, and I have a finger the size of a balloon!

No slackers here at HHW.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 01:11 PM PST

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your dog. I honestly think that the loss of a pet is more painful than losing a human friend.

MUSEUMS: Lots of them. Besides the Met, my favorites are the Clark in Williamstown (the best Renoirs anywhere and a perfect selection of Old Masters, Winslow Homers & Salon pictures, including the best Bouguereau in America), the Frick, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Wallace Collection in London, the Louvre, and the Dresden Museums - the porcelain gallery and the picture gallery. A few summers ago, I was one of a handful of visitors there and was the ONLY person in the gallery with Raphael's Sistine Madonna (the one with the over-reproduced cupids looking up). Even though it's a familiar picture, it's overwhelming in person. You understand why it's one of the most famous and greatest paintings of all time.

I used to like the Cloisters more than I do now. It's too gimmicky an environment for the treasures it contains.

Posted by MasterLcZ @ 08/16/2003 01:20 PM PST

Welcome Gunther. Now that you've posted once please do so often and come to chat. I lived in Buffalo for about ten years when I worked at Studio Arena Theatre. In those days it was a professional theatre with stars, pre-Broadway shows, etc., but from what I understand it has become more of a community theatre with Equity actors.

I'm happy that no DR has yet mentioned the two newest museums in NYC: Madame Tussand's Wax Museum and The Museum of Sex.

Do I have to play "cheerleader" again this weekend to keep the number of posts up? Let's hear from some other former lurkers.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/16/2003 01:22 PM PST

OK DR WEL....I'll add a little comment. Actually I guess more of a request.

I haven't seen a "role call" listing yet by DR MasterLcZ . And Thanks to DR Noel for his little bio and update.

It's a very hot and muggy saturday out here in the wild, wild, west....Now if Robert Conrad would just come a-ridin' into my front corral....Whooppee!

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/16/2003 01:42 PM PST

Maya: The Bergman's are Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light and The Silence. I will have reports on the Hello, Dolly, All That Jazz, and Chicago transfers in tomorrow's notes.

Sarah: You have a finger the size of a balloon - the trick is to have a balloon the size of a finger.

Everyone else: Where in tarnation ARE you?

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 01:43 PM PST

Oh, and I forgot....I'm sure that the very mannerly and upfront "OM Time" will want to post a nice honest bio here, including name, age, location, address, work experience, etc.

Yea, sure..........

Posted by MusicGuy @ 08/16/2003 01:44 PM PST

So sorry about your loss, Donald. My heart goes out to you.

Welcome, DR Gunther, to our joyous little group.

Favorite museums: both in NYC:

Museum of Television and Radio (I swear I think I could live there.)

MMOA.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/16/2003 01:57 PM PST

My thoughts also to Donald.

Museums: My favourite is the British Museum which I got to know very well in 1973 as I spent many Sundays there. (It was free!). Also like the MET but did not really have the time to appreciate it enough and the V & A in London. Seeing the Rosetta stone in the British Museum was a joy as I had been teacing 13 year olds about its significance for the two years prior to my visit. I loved all the Egpytology and Middle Eastern and Greek collections. (Wish the Brits would return the Elgin Marbles).

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 01:59 PM PST

So sorry to hear about your loss, Donald. My heart goes out to you.

Welcome, DR Gunther, to our joyous (not so) little family.

Favorite museums, both in NYC:

Museum of Television and Radio (I swear I think I could live there)

MMOA.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/16/2003 01:59 PM PST

I know that it isn't ask BK day today, but I have two questions.

1) Is there still a working studio where Columbia Pictures was on Gower Street and if so what's its name?

2)If you are writing a fictional story (like Kritzerland) and you use real people and places like Leslie Parish and Three Stooges and the various movie houses are they considered "fictional" characters/places or are they "real" as opposed to "reel"?

In other words do you have to be careful what you say about them in a fictional context or do you have free reign?

Posted by Michael @ 08/16/2003 02:18 PM PST

I also forgot to mention that another reason I like going to museums especiallu on Sunday afternoons was it was priming cruising time.

Posted by Michael @ 08/16/2003 02:22 PM PST

WEL--Catch! *tosses him a pair of pom poms*

BK--of those 3 Bergman movies, the only one I have even heard of is Through a Glass Darkly. I guess I've only seen some of the more famous ones, but delving into the lesser known works of a great director is always oodles of fun!

Why don't we have a clothes call! I'm wearing a grey shirt with little sprigs of black flowers on it with my usual jean shorts.

Posted by Maya @ 08/16/2003 02:26 PM PST

I'm wearing a black tanktop with a pink shirt over it, and black jazz pants that are oh-so-comfy and sort of swishy, along with pink flip-flops (THONG flip-flops, mwahaha).

Maya, I can't email you the clips because hotmail inboxes aren't big enough to recieve .wav files. Sorry!

WEL, Phil, and Noel, I'm pretty sure you've gotten yours. WEL, I only sent you the first one, tell me when you get it and I'll bring on #2.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 02:40 PM PST

I meant WFO, not WEL, whoops!

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 02:43 PM PST

Sarah of the Swishy Black Jazz Pants--I noticed that I hadn't gotten the file in my in-box and figured you were having trouble. Are you going to post them online sometime soon?

Posted by Maya @ 08/16/2003 02:44 PM PST

There's still a studio on Gower, but I'm not sure what it's called.

Walked past the Madame Tussaud Wax Museum yesterday...

Never my favorite, but it was most sad: all those pedestals with clothes and puddles around 'em.

Posted by Noel @ 08/16/2003 03:00 PM PST

Let me say that, listening to Sarah's voice in Part 1, I cannot think why anyone would want to watch Britney act like a slut when they can listen to such beautiful tones from our very own very own swishy shorts girl. I eagerly anticipate part two.

To Donald: All dogs go to heaven. And one hopes we will see them there, or it wouldn't be heaven, now would it?

To Gunther: We have a Gunther in our family. He is a gargoyle fountain that looks like a dog and sits on our front porch spouting water into a shell all the livelong day. The birds think it is a swimming pool.

As to Frank Lloyd Wright houses: When I lived in Madison WI, FLW country, my bestest friend went on an FLW kick and tried to visit every one of his buildings in the area. There are not too many. A prophet in his own country, and all that.

We went to see the "First Usonian House" (so named after the Esperanto for U.S.A., Usono, I kid you not). We were taking pictures of the exterior from across the street so as not to be obtrusive, when a lady came out of the house and asked, "Would you like to see the inside?"

She was renting it for the summer, and she gave us the grand tour. Pity we were both leaving Madison that year, as the house was up for sale. I don't remember the price, but it was originally built for $ 6,000 in 1936.

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/16/2003 03:10 PM PST

...When I have the odd meeting there, I just hear the old Columbia Studios referred to as "Go to the old Gower Sunset Studios". I know there are productions offices there, I don't know whether there's any actual shooting still done there.

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 03:15 PM PST

Half way to 100 (Pom pom shaking).

Tom - According to Ira Gershwin the British Museum has lost its charm.

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/16/2003 03:17 PM PST

My favorite museum is the Elvis-A-Rama Museum in Las Vegas: "Experience the King as if he never left the building."

There's also the Museum of Pawn here in Scottsdale. I haven't been in there, but it appears to be a pawn shop/museum.

Posted by Sandra @ 08/16/2003 03:21 PM PST

I have a fondness for the Cleveland
Museum of Art-area bias, yes, but it
is a hell of a museum.
Chicago's Museum of Science and
Industry is not a favorite of mine: all
of the exhibits are sponsored by
corporations, so they all have a
strongly pro-corporate slant. It has a
whole exhibit on oil with no mention
of the environmental dangers!

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/16/2003 03:21 PM PST

Yes, the Columbia Studios are still there, now called Sunset-Gower. I don't know about features, but several TV shows are still shot there. The only time I worked on that lot was when I shot a TV show called Ghost Story (aka Circle of Fear), with Patricia Neal and Craig Stevens. Although, now that I think of it, I may have shot a United Airlines commercial there, too.

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 03:29 PM PST

Oh, Hapgood. Your timing was off. Sophocles would stage it at sunrise. Can you imagine modern theatre-goers getting up for that?

Posted by William F. Orr @ 08/16/2003 03:30 PM PST

Although I said it earlier - my sympathies to Donald on the loss of his beloved dog.
I just got back from the hospital because MY sweet dog, Abie, almost accidentally killed me (I exaggerate, but not much.) My daughter and I took Abie to the Humane Society today to give him a post-birthday treat. They were having some kind of charity function with fun things for dogs to do. In the rush to leave the house, I forgot to bring Abie's gentle-leader (a special harness that keeps dogs from pulling). We parked outside the Humane Society and all sorts of wonderful dogs were playing on the grass. I put on Abie's regular leash and he jumped out of the car, overcome with excitement at the prospect of all this fun. Unfortunately, because I had no way to control his pulling, as he bolted forward, he took me with him. (I weigh about 105 and he ways around 50 - so that's quite a pull.) Next thing I knew, I was lying on the concrete. Ouch. I felt foolish and my wrist hurt where I'd scraped it, but other than that, I felt fine. I got up and told my daughter that we had to buy a replacement gentle-leader pronto. We went into the Humane Society Store, found the right gentle-leader, I put it on Abie and went to pay -- when suddenly I couldn't breathe. The clerk brought me a chair and I tried to pull myself together, sweat suddenly drenching my T-shirt (and I hardly ever sweat, DR's). Next thing I knew I was being carried into the back room by some burly H.S. technician. I've never passed out before in my entire life! And when I came to I said the cliché phrase, "Where am I?" Now THAT'S embarrassing.
Next thing I know I'm surrounded by paramedics who are checking vital functions I didn't know I had. I told them I was fine now and just wanted to go home, but once they found out that my father died at 46 from heart problems, etc. they strongly suggested I go to the hospital.
So - that's where I've been for the last two hours. I've been poked, X-rayed, IV'd and they didn't find anything. So that's my story. And now I'm going to lie down and read. I'm exhausted by this whole farshugoneh (I don't know how to spell it) experience.

Posted by Panni @ 08/16/2003 03:47 PM PST

Before I lie down, I have to mention that other than the elegant museums I listed earlier, I also loved the now closed Roy Rogers Museum in Victorville.

Posted by Panni @ 08/16/2003 03:51 PM PST

A question appropos of none of today's topics: Why is not the wonderful movie, THOSE LIPS, THOSE EYES, out on either video or DVD?

Okay, BK, Sunset-Gower, not Gower-Sunset...Stupid me...You say eether, I say eyether...

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 03:53 PM PST

I have been most E and T yesterday and today, trying to catch up on some DVD watching! Just finished watching a most disturbing movie called THE SADIST which stars one Arch Hall Jr.. Yes the same Arch Hall Jr. who stars in EEGAH! Well this movie is much different then EEGAH!, I can tell you that. It is actually quite suspensful and gave me goose-bumps more then a couple of times. The acting isn't all that hot sometimes, but the cinematography is quite good and the story line quite riveting. And the DVD is well under $10.00!

I wanted to add my sentiments regarding Donald's dog. I was very sorry and saddened to hear of news of having to put him to sleep. It is such a heartwrenching experience and my thoughts are with Don.

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/16/2003 03:58 PM PST

Panni, I kept swearing I was going to go to the Roy Rogers Museum for years...as he was my favourite cowboy when I were a wee twig of a thing, knee-high to a grasshopper, but alas...never got there. I even passed it a couple of times on my way to other places and never took the time to stop...always thinking, "I live in Southern Cal, I'll get around to it." I now deeply regret it. They say that Roy, when alive, would often saunter around the place and greet folks personally.

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 03:58 PM PST

Panni (!): What a harrowing story! I wish you a speedy recovery.

WEL: Please don't shake your pom-poms. It is most distracting. ;)

Clothing Call: Jeans and a plum-colored pima cotton T-shirt. It's so-o-o-o-oft.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/16/2003 03:59 PM PST

And Panni...my golly, what an experience! I am glad that you are feeling fine and in one piece!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/16/2003 03:59 PM PST

And to make up for my previous lack of postings here is another one!

Bollywood or Bust
...I know that DRs BK and JRand52 had discussed Bollywood DVDs in the recent past and I have suddenly gone Bollywood crazy! I recently picked up a DVD of musical scenes from recent Indian (as in the country of India) films and it is a lot of fun! There is one musical scene that I have now watched about 20 times in the last 3 days! Anyhow, now I want to move onto getting some DVDs of whole movies. Does anyone have any suggestions for some must see Bollywoods? Gumnaam has been discussed here and it sounds quite like fun. I found a webstite that sells all sorts of Indian films and that one is there at a very good price. They also have numerous musical scene compilation DVDs from both current films and films going all the way back to the 40s and 50s. I just don't know what to get! I would love to get some sort of 1950s Indian "B" sci-fi or horror film if any exist. They seem to be fond of remaking American films so I wonder if there is an Indian version of ATTACK OF THE PUPPET PEOPLE? Imagine their version of "Your a Dolly"?!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/16/2003 04:05 PM PST

Matt H: Re the post yesterday. So far you are the closest! MaybeI should have offered the soundtrack as a prize. Thanks.

WEL: Ira and I had decidedly different interests. I found more than just charm at the Brit Museum - and often! Enough to get your pom-poms shaking indeed.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 04:17 PM PST

Dear Reader Michael: you clever devil!

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 04:33 PM PST

Well I don't know where everyone else is. But I was at the circus! The funniest thing was my sister's 3 year old nephew. He didn't like the smell the horses were leaving. So he started crying and holding his nose.

My gosh I forgot that 3 year old boys were monsters. When we came back to my place, he and his sister and their friend made their way to my waterbed and they played "boat" :)

Jennifer

Posted by Jennifer @ 08/16/2003 04:33 PM PST

For Jack: Save us all a good spot, Jack.

For Donald: We're both comforted that Jack had a high-quality life and much love.

Posted by Ron and Miss Vickie @ 08/16/2003 04:39 PM PST

My pet, td, and I send our heartfelt condolences to Don.

Posted by minx anastasia @ 08/16/2003 04:40 PM PST

I am trying -- with varying degrees of success -- to get a grip/handle and some control over the "things" I've accumulated in my lifetime.

Today, I caught myself throwing out publications from my high school years -- nothing of mine was in them and they mean nothing to me. Yet, I pulled them back and thought someone from those years might love to have them...if I would only contact them and offer them up.

Sigh.

That said, I'm wondering who here is an incurable collector of objets d'whatever.

I've been throwing out stuff that I had put together in envelopes, etc., back in the mid-60s...interesting stuff to me then, but just chaff to me now.

Then there are the few magazines I've retained...Screen Stories featuring both "To Kill A Mockingbird" and "War and Peace" (1956); another Screen Stories I kept because it did "Ziegfeld Girl" and was generous with photos; A third featuring "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes" with one page of "color" photos, a rarity for Screen Stories; a Movies Illustrated with a gorgeous color shot of Loren on the cover from "Fall of the Roman Empire" as the featured film. Time and Newsweek covers of Liza from "Cabaret"; similar covers for the original "Star Wars" films.

And there's music -- not much, but I do have an unusual Miklos Rozsa object -- a book of his music from "Quo Vadis" -- covers separated, spine missing, but all the inside pages clean and intact. It's for piano.

Any Rozsa fanatics on these pages?????

I hate to throw out sheet music, too, but I don't want the little I've found -- "You're Gonna Hear From Me" from "Inside Daisy Clover," songs from "Unsinkable Molly Brown" (three or four individual pieces with movie artwork); and it goes on.

If anyone is interested in the music, you may contact me. It won't cost you anything.

I'd love to read about what folks collect. Now, I am into autographs, special souvenir programs (films and Broadway), window cards (same), and the unusual.

Two unusual objets found on eBay: A bronze lion paperweight manufactured for MGM in, I would think, the early 50s. On both sides of the lion's base has inscribed, "Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Lion", and under it, "Your Lucky Star".

Most recently, from Germany, I obtained a beautiful glass version of the 20th Century-Fox logo...it's cut in the shape of the actual "20th Century-Fox" portion of the log...and is also a paperweight. The seller said it was from the 30s, but there's no way to tell. Fox and 20th Century began merging in 1935 or thereabouts. I don't know if this could be from that time or not. What's important is that I've never seen another like it, and I love 20th Century-Fox films, so it's a perfect item for my collection.

Like all of you, to one degree or another, I collect original cast recordings, cast recordings, etc., etc., but I have a vast film soundtrack collection, too. Have been collecting since the early 1960s. Every LP album I found that filled in a missing piece on my "I want" list has, ultimately, found its way onto CD, almost always in better sound, but nothing can replace the LP jacket -- when they were done well, they were often more interesting than the music they contained.

I'm sorry for the ramble. Hope to hear about some of your collecting interests, though. We could get well past 200 posts tonight with some responses from everyone.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 04:59 PM PST

Hey, Ron, I think that JRand52 collects sheet music. You might mention to him that you are getting rid of items.

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/16/2003 05:18 PM PST

Received my tickets in the mail today for the Reprise! (oh, that exclamation point frosts me so) series in Los Angeles. First up is Babes in Arms with Rachel York and Neil Patrick Harris. Later on will be Kismet and Company.

With the Reprise! tickets came a flyer announcing a one-night only (oh, a Krieger/Eyen reference) staged reading of Sondheim's Assassins, but it conflicts with my Musical Theatre Guild series in Pasadena, as that very same evening MTG will be doing a one-night only performance of the Jason Robert Brown/Alfred Uhry Parade.

So many shows, such little time.

Also, the L.A. PBS station is running the "Lost Broadway Treasures" show tonight during its begathon, so I guess I have a date with my TV this evening.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 05:32 PM PST

Thaks Jay for that unseemly choice post.To have the luxury of choosing between "Assassins ans "Parade" I wish! I get to watch football!
Ron: So you you have the soundtrack of "Caravans"? I am listening to it at the moment.
Collection: As mentioned a week or so ago I have collected all the top 40 songs (and more) that ever charted in OZ between about 1955 and 1970. These days I have to be content with the hope that I will find a treasure (a non hit) of which I have not heard.

Barbara Dickson is now singing the song from "Caravans".

I still have so many old school reports and photographs etc and am reluctant to throw them out.I even have kept a few old textbooks (probably pre Adam Smith) and I don't really know why? Hoarding is a pain when you shift house. No wonder I have stayed put for over 20 years.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 05:50 PM PST

Have I just broken into today's Scheduled lull?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 05:51 PM PST

And they say there's no theatre in Los Angeles. Gimme a break.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 05:55 PM PST

Rah Rah Rah
Sis Boom Bah
Three Quarters There Now
Rah Rah Rah

Yayeee........ HHW

Posted by William E. Lurie @ 08/16/2003 06:11 PM PST

About to head out the door to see Anthony's Fringe show. Spent most of today doing odds & ends after the blackout, like finishing the laundry I mentioned yesterday. It was right where I left in at the laundromat in a washing machine with soap and water. It all came out OK. Then I cleaned out the fridge & freezer then Ant and I went out for lunch, since there is very little food in the house. Tomorrow we will go shopping.

Love the Chicago Institute of Art. The Minneapolis Institute of Art is also very nice.

I love the small display room in Dublin which holds the Book of Kells.

The Museum of Natural History in London is another favorite.

I also like the Forbes Museum in lower Manhattan. Not only is it free, it has a great exhibit of games and tin soldiers.

Our thoughts and good wishes go out to Donald.

The Robinson Jeffers poem is lovely. I think he was a magnificent writer. I did a production of Medea which used his script. Great stuff.

Out the door. Bye

Posted by Ben @ 08/16/2003 06:11 PM PST

DR Ron Pulliam...Are there any Rozsa fanatics on these pages? You have obviously not read my Unseemly Interview about my best day in Hollywood...

And collect? If I have anything longer than five minutes, I become sentimentally attached to it...6,000 books, comics, records, sheet music, every draft/outline/note to everything I ever wrote, magazines, old school notebooks, drawers of junk and knicknacks from my entire life, artwork I did when I was 12, etc ad nauseam. My life is awash with paper. Fire is my greatest fear.

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 06:12 PM PST

If it's the weekend, it MUST be time for a DOUBLE DOSE of Juliana's Journal!!

Check out the latest entry (#18) right now!

...well.. what are you waiting for?

Posted by Craig @ 08/16/2003 06:14 PM PST

Juliana is so cute :)

I'm SO glda she mentioned LIzzy, who is one of my very very good friends, through Millie-related stuff. She was so excited to meet Juliana, so I'm sure she's having a heart attack right now. SO many people check that Journal, it's kind of neat to see people saying "Juliana updated the journal! I love it!" and talking about it. So GO BK for the idea and GO CRAIG for doing it all!

Update: Balloon has gone down thank the Lord. Still incredibly sore, but it's all good.

Just had dinner with my family and my brothers girlfriend and almost died. She is SO AWFUL!! Every time I speak, she just looks at me and does a little "Honey, do I look like I care?" glance/roll of the eyes. And my brother is head over heels for her. It's nauseating. I'm praying they break up soon, but with my luck, they'll get married.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 06:26 PM PST

Sarah: Do you know this man-troll from anywhere before your brother started dating her?

How old is she anyway?? 12?

Maybe she's one of those "individuals" who thinks that, because she's present, everything has to be about "her."

Know what I mean? The type I mean?

R

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 07:03 PM PST

Art museum: The Met for the Avedon exhibit, and...

History museum: The U.S.S. Intrepid.

Posted by Kit Lo @ 08/16/2003 07:11 PM PST

I know exactly what you mean. I think she thinks that I should like, look up to her, because she's 18 (as is my brother). Only issue with that is that she's a moron, and I can't literally look up to her, because I'm 5'8, and she's 5'2.

But I'm not alone in my loathing, oh no. My parents can't stand her, and my little sisters aren't her biggest fans either, but they suck up because she owns horses and she lets my sisters ride them sometimes.

Yesterday was their one year anniversary and he was being all sickly sweet, he took her on a dinner cruise on the Potomac, and he had my parents take pictures of them before they went, and he was all cuddly and gross.

Not that a couple being cuddly is gross, but THEM being cuddly. It's like kissing a fish. When they weren't looking, my mom was making "Gag me" faces. Tres funny.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 07:13 PM PST

What a lovely number of sparkling posts. I'm thinkin' we WILL get to 100 posts, because I'm thinkin' there will be a bitch-slapping if we don't.

Poor Panni - We must try not to fall down in public. That is simply unseemly. Hope you are feeling more "with it". It reminds me of the time a year-and-a-half ago when I got up at about eight in the morning to go to the bathroom. I remember going out my door, walking down the hall and looking to my right where the bathroom is. The next thing I knew my head was going through the wall in the hall because I had somehow passed out (which had never happened before and hasn't happened since) and crashed to the floor. I wasn't hurt at all, but totally shocked by it. I didn't even go to the doctor because I was lucid and on my feet within seconds, but it was quite frightening.

Sarah, if you had read Benjamin Kritzer already you would know EXACTLY what to say to your brother's girlfriend, and you would say it over and over again until she would run from the room screaming. In the book it is said repeatedly by Grandpa Gelfinbaum. Then, when you've read Kritzerland, you will know how Benjamin "gets" to people he doesn't like. He gives them the "Halb" treatment, and it never fails. You could give your brother's girlfriend the "Halb" treatment if only you'd read the book. They're available right here at haineshisway.com, signed by yours truly.

Is the Wall in the Hall by Dr. Seuss?

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 07:21 PM PST

Please don't feed the animals.

Posted by The Zookeeper @ 08/16/2003 07:24 PM PST

What animals might those be? I haven't seen any posts from any Uncouth Interlopers today. Whatever are you speaking of?

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 07:32 PM PST

A few more favorite museums that have come to mind over the course of the day: the Barnes Foundation, outside of Philadelphia, the Kimbell Museum, in Fort Worth, and Copia, the newish museum devoted to food and wine, in Napa, California.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 07:45 PM PST

I didn't see the movie but is it true that Billy Joe McAllister jumped because he was gay? Bobbie Gentry has just been telling me all about the incident. Just wondering.
Hey! At least I am here posting.

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 07:57 PM PST

Hello Everyone!

Donald: I am very sorry to here about Jack. I just went through the same difficult experience a couple of months ago. It was truly the most difficult thing I have ever gone through. So, my thoughts are with you :)

Well, if you all recall in my post from a few days ago, I told you all that I was going to be in a commercial for my work. All in all it went very well for a bunch of amateurs - they didn't even say "action" or "cut". It is going to be pretty funny - super cornball!! I am in 3 different scenes :) It was fun!

Clothes call: Long flowy tank summer dress - it almost feels like you aren't wearing anything. Right now it is 92 degrees with 90% humidity - UGH!

Posted by JB aka JK @ 08/16/2003 08:00 PM PST

I have a question that I've always meant to ask but never remembered.

Why are these BK's notes 2? Was there ever a BK's notes 1?

And I was just randomly clicking on notes from before I arrived here, and I found the cutest topic: First celebrity crushes. There were 231 posts that day! And answers were very creative. Donny Osmond...haha

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 08:04 PM PST

I read something a little depressing on the internet today. I read that the next installment of BROADWAY'S LOST TREASURES will be from shows of more recent vintage; i.e. the ones NOT produced by Alex Cohen and Hildy Parks. Seems they made life miserable in negotiations with the League and Wing for using the material, so the next one won't involve them and the first 21 years of Tony telecasts.
The League and Wing own the rights to those later broadcasts outright.

Problem is, the early ones are where so much interesting stuff is located. I suspect many of us have been taping since the mid-80s or so and more than likely have that material already. Ah well, for those who don't tape the Topnys, I guess they would find them valuable, but for someone who would rather see the older shows, it's a GREAT loss.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/16/2003 08:25 PM PST

Sarah.. it is unseemly to post about a great day of posting about celebrity crushes and not tell us which entry it was so we can check it out!

Posted by Craig @ 08/16/2003 08:30 PM PST

Pardon my unseemly-ness!

It was May first, 2003 :)

I just heard the most gorgeous song, "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me. Wow...that was gorgeous!

Nobody answered my Bk's Notes 2 question...

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 08:36 PM PST

There is a reason for everything in the world, I tell ya. I now know that the reason I had my unseemly fall was so I would be taking it easy on an early Saturday evening and watching THE BLOB on AMC. I haven't seen said blob for many years and I'd forgotten what a hoot it was. It was almost worth the ride in the ambulance and the trip to the hospital to see THE BLOB do its gelatinous thing.
bk: Sorry to hear you crash through walls. On the other hand, it's a very Superman-like thing to do.

Posted by Panni @ 08/16/2003 08:43 PM PST

Panni -

Just WAIT until you hear Alison Fraser sing THE BLOB... hopefully it will be one of the tracks Bruce has Donald play when he does his Jeepers show... it is HIGH-LARIOUS!

Posted by Craig @ 08/16/2003 08:51 PM PST

I can see it-Something's Coming(Schmidt and Jones and Bernstein-Sondheim references) One Hundred is on its way.Coming to the Best site on the Internet.Watch for it!!!

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 08:59 PM PST

It is now after midnight on the East Coast so I want to say Happy Birthday to my Grandson and his Mother(my daughter in law). Both born on this date August 17. Happy Birthday to Noah Charlie and to Jessica.

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 09:10 PM PST

Sarah: The original BK's Notes were written for the record label I created and ran until I was rather unceremoniously dumped by my, uh, well, business partners. This site was begun soon thereafter to combat some rather, uh, untruthful things that were being said about me by my, uh, former business partners.
And that is why these here notes are called BK's Notes II. Little did anyone imagine that a little upstart site like this would become one of the most popular sites on all the Internet. If that bugs certain people well, uh, then I shall dance the Hora and even the Hully Gully.

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 09:10 PM PST

Who wants to go out and get some Du-Par's pancakes right now? I have a hankerin' for some Du-Par's pancakes and damn it all I want them NOW.

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 09:11 PM PST

Oh, one other thing - I'm thinkin' we might just get to 100 posts today. Anyone else think so?

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 09:12 PM PST

Bruce, you posted the 100th post today!

Posted by George @ 08/16/2003 09:13 PM PST

And go figure Noah Charlie is Craig's Nephew and that makes Craig Noah Charlie's Uncle. Have we reached One Hundres yet?

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 09:13 PM PST

I'll go with you to Du-Par's but I might not make it till tomorrow .BK-please give me a rain check...pretty please!!

Posted by Arnold M. Brockman @ 08/16/2003 09:18 PM PST

All right, I remember how to do the twist and the mashed potatoes, I even sort of remember how to do the pony, but just how does one dance the hully-gully? For that matter what about the Wa-Wa-Watusi?

BK, we'd go out and get pancakes with you at Du-Pars, if you didn't lose our damned number. Which Du-Pars by the way?

Posted by Charles Pogue @ 08/16/2003 09:29 PM PST

It's halfway through "Broadway's Lost Treasures" and they're taking a beg break. It's delightful to see these artists in these excerpts from these wonderful shows. It's disappointing to see such bad lip synching. It's downright unacceptable that the soloists beside the "star" in each excerpt are not identified, with the Anna in the The King and I clip being the most egregious example. It's risible that they should have misspelled Meredith Willson's name in the screen graphic introducing the The Music Man excerpt.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 09:30 PM PST

Ok, does no one have any Bollywood ideas for me (re: my earlier post)?? BK, surely you do! Where is JRand52 when you need him! Alright I am just going to order something and hope for the best!

Posted by MBarnum @ 08/16/2003 09:34 PM PST

Clothing Call:
A pair of lacy purple boyshorts and a pink pj tank w/white clouds (it's time for bed).

Sarah: I heard your song and you have a gorgeous voice! Rock on, my sista.

So tonight we had some friends over for singing and wedding planning purposes, and we ended up riffling through our sheet music collection, picking out audition songs for them. They aren't very familiar with the musical theatre repertoire, but they want to be, so I told them about the many wonderful BK albums and suggested they check out a bunch of them. I figured it would be a good way to familiarize themselves with a lot of great songs and, of course, great singers. Kind of a crash course in the best of the best. So there.

I have visited Fallingwater and it is stunning. Although, it is living up to its name and beginning to fall down into the water, but they seem to know how to fix that. Let's hope they know what they're doing. It really is an amazing piece of architecture; it blends so harmoniously with its surroundings.

Sarah, I, like you, was never really into art museums...until my fiancee took me to the Met. He stood behind me as I was looking at the paintings and whispered into my ear, telling me about the painters and the style and all the interesting facts surrounding each work. It was so hot and romantic, I became an art lover.

On that note, I am taking myself to bed. Good night, all.

Posted by Joy @ 08/16/2003 09:40 PM PST

Well, tonight's performance had a
set and lights, and was even better. I
got a lot of praise from people for my
performance, and one person who is
going with me to Northwestern said
"I am really looking forward to
working with you for the next four
years!"
Oh, and tthis coming year,
Northwestern is doing "Six
Characters in Search of an Author"!
That is one of my favorite plays ever!
I wrote my college essay for
Washington University about that
play! (And I got in, too.) I really want
the chance to do it. Among the other
great plays that they are doing: "The
Real Thing", "The Birds"
(Aristophanes) and Tony Kushner's
adaptation of "The Dybbuk".
I love my school!

Posted by Hapgood @ 08/16/2003 09:43 PM PST

Okay, here it is. The unvarnished truth. About the only two museums that I can say I actually enjoy, and would go back to again, are the Smithsonian in Washington DC and the Movieland Wax Museum in California. I know that shows a distinct lack of taste on my part, but I can’t help it. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the exhibits themselves, it’s just that I can tour in entire museum in twenty minutes and be back on the street ready to go on to something else. I will always be grateful that I saw the king Tut exhibit, but for goodness sake, how long does a person have to stare at that damn gold mask before they are ready to move on to the next exhibit? And art museums? Forget it.

Posted by TCB @ 08/16/2003 09:44 PM PST

Tom From Oz: Billy Joe jumped off the Tallahatchee Bridge 'cause a dude put some moves on him. He got away, but he couldn't LIVE with the humiliation and confusion he suffered because a drunk guy found him attractive and thought he might be interested.

Given that it was Robby Benson playing Billy Joe, you'll forgive me if I chortled out loud while others were sobbing.

BK: Interesting story about falling into the wall. One April morning several years ago...about 3 a.m., I'd imagine, I got out of bed to go to the bathroom. I remember reaching the bathroom door, because I saw a movement to my right that was my cat, who had been "watching me sleep" -- at any rate, the next thing I knew, I was face down on my bathroom floor and having stomach spasms. I had to ride them out because I couldn't control them. When they stopped, I gingerly helped myself up and tried to figure out what had happened. My chest was firing pain bullets nonstop. I think I fell asleep on my feet and just fell down on my stomach. I didn't hit my head, my arms and legs functioned, my hands weren't hurting...just my ribs.

I cracked a couple of ribs. My doctor just said, "Huh!" when I told him about it. Never concerned him that it might have been caused by something correctible. It's never happened again, either. I got some really great pills to help me along...I got them the same day I received my expanded edition of "Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind" in the mail. I had pills for nighttime, and pills for daytime. I took a nighttime pill right after getting home, and within 15 minutes, I was singing my doctor's praises. I sat crosslegged on a chair and listened to the entire soundtrack of CE3K without moving. Twice.

It was most excellent pain medication.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 09:45 PM PST

Thanks for let me know about the Bridge. I shall now be able to sleep tonight. Would I have preferred the Drunk? It wasn't Mr Harper returning form Kelly's bar again was it?

Posted by Tom from Oz @ 08/16/2003 09:59 PM PST

I one time took pain medication when I was in school and living in one of the dorms (I can't remember what the precipitating malady was) and counted the holes in one of the accoustic tiles in the ceiling over my bed.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 10:01 PM PST

Jay, even with all the problems that you've described, at least you get to see "Broadway's Lost Treasures." It isn't on Seattle's PBS station schedule (...yet, he added hopefully) and it's not going to be on Tacoma's PBS station until the 24th!

As for museums, I haven't been to too many. I have been to the Art Institute of Chicago (once in 1989, and all I did was stare at the Seurat painting...I didn't really look at anything else). When I went to London, my sister, niece and I went to the British Museum (we got a couple of pictures of the Rosetta stone for our dad) and the National Portrait Gallery. That's about it.

Unless you count the Seattle Underground Tour. It's not really a museum but walking tour and history story of how Seattle's streets were raised as much as 32 feet after a fire burned down 33 blocks of the city. However, the sidewalks weren't raised up at the same time and people had to climb ladders up to the streets, cross the streets, then climb back down to go into a building. Eventually, the underground was covered over and the Seattle that we all know and love is sitting right on top of the old city. It's a pretty cool tour.

Posted by George @ 08/16/2003 10:01 PM PST

Thank you Joy :)

Does anybody have a good joke? I really need to laugh right now.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:05 PM PST

Tom from Oz: No, you would NOT have preferred the drunk. The moviemakers made certain that he was disgusting and vomitous to look at. Thus, Billy Joe felt that, despite his sweet, pretty girl friend, he had a lifetime of only trolls to look forward to and he couldn't face that.

I mean, surely he had heard about New York City! (That's what I thought about when Robert Sean Leonard's character offed himself in "Dead Poet's Society" -- why the hell didn't he just run away?)

Sarah: I wish I had a joke for you but the image of "lacy purple boyshorts" has chased everything else remotely funny out of my head. "Boyshorts"? Lacy, purple ones?

What kind of boy, Joy, wore those shorts before you took them????

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:24 PM PST

It was ME. I'm the one who loved Donny Osmond. And I still think he is groovy.

Posted by Laura @ 08/16/2003 10:25 PM PST

You GO, girl!

LOL

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:28 PM PST

Sarah, did you see my answers to your questions, yes or no?

Here is Benjamin Kritzer's favorite joke.

A guy is walking down the street and sees someone walking towards him. He can't believe what he sees. He goes up to the guy and says, "Hey, you got a banana in your ear." The other guy says, "What?"

"You got a banana in your ear," he says louder. The other guy says, "What?"

"YOU GOT A BANANA IN YOUR EAR!" he says, even louder.

The other guy says, "I can't hear you, I have a banana in my ear."

hahahahahahahahahaha

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 10:29 PM PST

Well, I do have a Knock-Knock joke that's kind of cute.

But you'll have to start it off:

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:31 PM PST

bk: I did indeed see your comments, and I would order a book this very second, if only I weren't lacking a credit card. I'll s make my dad buy it for me one of these days, being the darling daughter that I am. And your joke was fabulous, thanks.

Knock, knock.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:34 PM PST

Sarah wrote: "Knock, knock"

Who's there?

!!!!

Hahahahahahahaha...ooh, that slays me every time...bwahahaha...snort....whew!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:37 PM PST

You fell for it, Sarah girl.

Posted by Jay @ 08/16/2003 10:37 PM PST

I only hope it made her laugh.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:38 PM PST

Sarah, did you find out what was wrong with your finger?

Posted by Laura @ 08/16/2003 10:40 PM PST

I did indeed, Jay boy.

It did make me laugh, although I don't know why :)

Poll: Is Conan O'Brien funny, or not?

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:41 PM PST

Conan O'Brien: NOT

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 10:42 PM PST

Sarah, I got this in an e-mail. I hope that it's not too risqué:

Dad's Nickname:

The day care teacher holds up a picture and asks, "What's this?"

"A horsey," one child answers.

"And this?" the teacher asks.

"A piggy." replies another youngster.

"And now this one?" asks the teacher, holding up a picture of a male deer with a beautiful rack of antlers. There was no answer, only total silence.

"Come now, children," she coaxes, "I'll give you a little hint. What does your Mommy call your Daddy when he hugs and kisses her a lot?"

"I know! I know!!" exclaims one little girl. "It's a horny bastard!

Posted by George @ 08/16/2003 10:44 PM PST

Sarah has a swishy finger.

Knock, knock

Who's there

Locksmith

Locksmith who?

Locksmith bagels.

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 10:44 PM PST

Laura, I think I got stung by a rather mean wasp. And that makes me shiver, because I had a rather awful experience with bees when I was little, and it left me terrified. I stepped on an underground beehive, and got swarmed. It was like 'My Girl', only I lived. I was swollen beyond belief for a week, and I'm scarred for life.

But the sweeling has gone down enough to be slightly more comfortable, so I think I'll live, :)

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:44 PM PST

DR George, that was hilarious, and never think anything is too risque for me. I have an older brother, I've heard a million sick jokes and stories.

BK, I don't get it. :) Pardon me for being stupid if it's obvious.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 10:47 PM PST

I'll stick to the topic of museums. In addition to the ones MusicGuy mentioned, i would add the Musee D'Orsay, the Museum of Science and Industry (For Colleen Moore's Fairy Castle alone), the Art Institute and Phoenix Art Museum for the Thorne Miniature Rooms (which I have lived in in my imagination since I was a child). Frankly, I can find something enchanting in every art museum I have visited. I look forward to discovering new treasures in the museums i have yet to visit.

From yesterday, in my CD players (at work and in the car) the revival of "Babes in Arms" (with Judy Kaye and Jason Graae), The Best of Cabaret (from our own bk), the soundtrack to "Some Like It Hot" and Peggy Lee's "The Man I Love" (with some wonderful Nelson Riddle arrangements and the orchestra supposedly conducted by Frank Sinatra).

My heart goes out to Donald. Makes things like the blackout and humidity and everyday crud seem minor.

Posted by Kerry @ 08/16/2003 10:53 PM PST

You have to say it with a Jewish accent. Lox mith bagels.

hahahahahahahaha

Posted by bk @ 08/16/2003 10:53 PM PST

Here is something else that I got through e-mail:

Finally a Barbie I can relate to! At long last, here are some NEW Barbie dolls to coincide with her and OUR aging gracefully. These are a bit more realistic...

1. Bifocals Barbie. Comes with her own set of blended-lens fashion frames in six wild colors (half-frames too!), neck chain and large-print editions of Vogue and Martha Stewart Living.

2. Hot Flash Barbie. Press Barbie's bellybutton and watch her face turn beet red while tiny drops of perspiration appear on her forehead. Comes with hand-held fan and tiny tissues.

3. Facial Hair Barbie. As Barbie's hormone levels shift, see her whiskers grow. Available with teensy tweezers and magnifying mirror.

4. Flabby Arms Barbie. Hide Barbie's droopy triceps with these new, roomier-sleeved gowns. Good news on the tummy front, too - muumuus with tummy-support panels are included.

5. Bunion Barbie. Years of disco dancing in stiletto heels have definitely taken their toll on Barbie's dainty arched feet. Soothe her sores with the pumice stone and plasters, then slip on soft terry mules.

6. No-More-Wrinkles Barbie. Erase those pesky crow's-feet and lip lines with a tube of Skin Sparkle-Spackle, from Barbie's own line of exclusive age-blasting cosmetics.

7. Soccer Mom Barbie. All that experience as a cheer-leader is really paying off as Barbie dusts off her old high school megaphone to root for Babs and Ken, Jr. Comes with minivan in robin-egg blue or white, and cooler filled with doughnut holes and fruit punch.

8. Mid-life Crisis Barbie. It's time to ditch Ken. Barbie needs a change, and Fred (her personal trainer) is just what the doctor ordered, along with Prozac. They're hopping in her new red Miata and heading for the Napa Valley to open a B&B. Includes a real tape of "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do."

9. Divorced Barbie. Sells for $199.99. Comes with Ken's house, Ken's car, and Ken's boat.

10. Recovery Barbie. Too many parties have finally caught up with the ultimate party girl. Now she does Twelve Steps instead of dance steps. Clean and sober, she's going to meetings religiously. Comes with a little copy of The Big Book and a six-pack of Diet Coke.

11. Post-Menopausal Barbie. This Barbie wets her pants when she sneezes, forgets where she puts things, and cries a lot. She is sick and tired of Ken sitting on the couch watching the tube, clicking through the channels. Comes with Depends and Kleenex. As a bonus this year, the book "Getting In Touch with Your Inner Self" is included.

Posted by George @ 08/16/2003 11:00 PM PST

HOW TO KEEP A HEALTHY LEVEL OF INSANITY

1) At lunch time, sit in your parked car and point a
hair dryer at
passing
cars to see if they slow down.

2) Page yourself over the intercom. (Don't disguise
your voice.)

3) Insist that your e mail address
is:Xena-goddess-of-fire@companyname.com
or Elvis-the-King@companyname.com.

4) Every time someone asks you to do something, ask if
they want fries
with
that.

5) Encourage your colleagues to join you in a little
synchronized chair
dancing.

6) Put your garbage can on your desk and label it
"IN."

7) Develop an unnatural fear of staplers.

8) Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once
everyone has gotten
over
their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

9) Reply to everything someone says with,"That's what
you think."

10) Adjust the tint on your monitor so that the
brightness level lights
up
the entire work area. Insist to others that you like
it that way.

11) Don't use any punctuation

12) As often as possible, skip rather than walk.

13) Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."

14) Sing Along at the opera.

15) Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't
rhyme

16) Find out where your boss shops and buy exactly the
same outfits.
Wear
them one day after your boss does. (This is especially
effective if
your
boss is the opposite gender.)

17) Send e-mail to the rest of the company to tell
them what you're
doing.
For example: If anyone needs me, I'll be in the
bathroom.

18) Put mosquito netting around your cubicle.

19) Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't
attend their
party
because you're not in the mood.

20) Call 911 and ask if 911 is for emergencies

21) Call the psychic hotline and just say, "Guess"

22) Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling
name, Rock Hard.

23) When the money comes out of the ATM, scream "I
Won!", "I Won!" "3rd
time
this week!!!"

24) When leaving the Zoo, start running towards the
parking lot,
yelling
"Run for your lives, they're loose!"

25) Tell your boss, "It's not the voices in my head
that bother me, its
the
voices in your head that do"

26) Tell your children over dinner. "Due to the
economy, we are going
to
have to let one of you go.

27) Everytime you see a broom yell "Honey, your mother
is here

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 11:03 PM PST

I hope you are well on the way to recovery by now, DR Sarah.

Posted by Laura @ 08/16/2003 11:08 PM PST

Thanks :)

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 11:08 PM PST

Sarah: LOL

That last one seems appropriate for your brother's girlfriend.

Next time she gives you one of those "looks," just say to her, "I knew you were here before I came in the room. I saw your broom parked by the door."

Then smile sweetly, curtsy, and remove yourself from the room!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 11:09 PM PST

FANTASTIC idea!!

Don't you know I'll do it too. It'll be worth getting in trouble to see the look on her face. And my brothers face...mwahaha

Posted by Sarah @ 08/16/2003 11:14 PM PST

Any "Lost Horizon" (Capra) fans out there? There is an i-n-c-r-e-d-i-b-l-e piece of advertising artwork on eBay right now.

You should all look just for the sheer pleasure of seeing this wonderful work.

Just click on my name!

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 08/16/2003 11:33 PM PST

The best Barbie story was reported in the Times some years ago. During one Xmas season a group of pranksters calling themselves the "Barbie Liberation Society" aquired batches of talking Barbies and Talking GI Joes - and switched the voice microchips. The altered Barbie uttered such perky comments as "VENGANCE IS MINE!" "ATTACK!" "EAT LEAD, Cobra!" While G.I. Joe squealed "Let's go SHOPPING!" "We we EVER have enough clothes?" and "Let's plan our dream weddings!"

I really, really wanted them for Xmas.

Posted by MasterLcZ @ 08/17/2003 03:40 AM PST

I agree that it was detestable for Patricia Morison not to be noted on-screen in THE KING AND I excerpt. She had a Hollywood career of no great distinction, but she was the original Lili/Kate in KISS ME KATE and deserved recognition. I also noticed the misspelling of Meredith Willson's name in that tag. Very embarrassing when proofers don't catch these things.

Posted by Matt H. @ 08/17/2003 05:49 AM PST

Whew........

GYPSY is no more....wonderful closing night audience and some really terrific performances ... again!

MBarnum...don't know any Bollywood sci fi, but my favorite movie right now is PAKEEZAH.

Ron - that LOST HORIZON poster is beautiful. I don't have $1500, but I use it as my wallpaper now!

Favorite museums:

The National Gallery in D.C. where I saw all the impressionists AND a DaVinci!
The Guggenheim for the art and the architecture!

The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago...you can go on a submarine!

And the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto!

Posted by Jrand52 @ 08/17/2003 05:57 AM PST

Congrats on Gypsy, Jrand!

Sarah, I know it's many hours since you posted that you needed to hear a joke, but I wasn't around then; so here's my contribution:

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Sam and Janet.

Sam and Janet who?

Sam and Janet Evening!

Posted by Lulu @ 08/17/2003 06:12 AM PST

I know morning notes will be up soon, but I'm going crazy.

FOr the 5th time this week, I've left my computer on HHW while I go off to do something else, and when I come back, theres this HUGE popup ad that you cant get rid of. IT takes up the whole screen and doesn't have any X-Box or "Click to Close" button. I'm not sure if it's through HHW or just my computer, but its never happened without the HHW screen up. In order to get rid of it, I have to restart my computer.

Is anyone else getting this?

Posted by Sarah @ 08/17/2003 07:47 AM PST

I guess Sarah didn't like my joke...darn.

I don't think BK has pop-ups on the site, Sarah. Possibly you visited a site that at some point implanted a file that makes pop-ups come up? That happened to me once, and my husband had to clean up my computer to make it stop.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/17/2003 07:55 AM PST

Sarah, is there a button for that nasty pop-up in the bar on the bottom of your screen? If there is, place your cursor over it, right click, and you should be able to close it without having to reboot.

Posted by Jay @ 08/17/2003 08:00 AM PST

Lulu, I loved your joke, forgive me for forgetting to tell you :)

Jay, the popup covers the screen completely. I can't even see my start-bar.

Posted by Sarah @ 08/17/2003 08:08 AM PST

I see the same pop-up a lot on this screen and ALT-CTRL-DEL-ing it just closes all of Internet Explorer.

My secret if I'm in the middle of reading something interesting is to press ALT-TAB, relegating the offensive pop-up to the background.

Posted by Emily @ 08/17/2003 08:10 AM PST

Sarah you won't have to reboot:

just hold down the ALT-CTRL-DEL buttons, select the pop-up, and press END TASK. It'll probably also close any other Internet Explorer windows at the same time though. :(

Posted by Emily @ 08/17/2003 08:12 AM PST

I'll try it, thanks :)

Posted by Sarah @ 08/17/2003 08:29 AM PST

Sarah, no problema. I realize that the problem of the pop-up is more important than acknowledging a joke. Also, the punchline really has to be sung; hard to do when writing.

I think you should also be able to right-click on the pop-up window itself, which will bring up a menu. Choose "close" and it should close the offending window.

Posted by Lulu @ 08/17/2003 09:04 AM PST