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[TCB]

I really think that Liza's sucess or failure in Sunset Blvd. would depend on who was directing the production.  Personally, I didn't care for Miss Minelli's Oscar-winning turn in Cabaret, but I was very impressed with some of her early film performances.  With a strong enough director, and one that she would trust, I think she is still capable of creating a powerful Norma Desmond.  Unfortunately, if it is a director who allows her to slide into her Lizaisms then we had all better run for cover.

[DERBRUCER]

Some amusing (or, maybe not,  tibits for the day):

Excerpts from Tongue Tied :

Nixed Neckwear
A teacher in Norway has been asked not to wear a half-inch Star of David around his neck so as not to offend some students, especially those from the Palestinian territories, reports Norwegian Broadcasting.
The teacher, Inge Telhaug, works at an adult education center in Kristiansand. The principal of the school told him the star could be interpreted as a political symbol and provoke Muslim students.

Telhaug is not happy. "I can't accept this. It is a small star, 16 millimeters [0.6 inches] that I have around my neck, usually under a T-shirt. I see it as my right to wear it," he said.

Berzerkley
Activists in Berkeley, Calif., are angling to change the name of Jefferson Elementary School because the signer of the Declaration of Independence owned slaves during his lifetime, reports the Berkeley Daily Planet.

Instigators of the change have garnered the signatures of 40 percent of the staff and 32 percent of the parents in their effort. Now, students must vote on the change.
Should Jefferson go, he would be the latest in a stream of dead white males scrubbed from school buildings in Berkeley. Abraham Lincoln Elementary was renamed Malcolm X following community pressure some years ago, and just four years ago Christopher Columbus Elementary was rebuilt and renamed after Rosa Parks .

So Were We
An NBA announcer who came under fire for referring to basketball star Yao Ming as a "Chinaman" has apologized and said he was unaware it was an insult, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Steve Kerr was pilloried after he used the term during a nationally televised game a couple weeks ago. The Organization of Chinese Americans described its members as incensed by the phrase.

"I'd like to offer a heartfelt apology to all viewers, and to Chinese Americans in particular, for referring to Yao Ming as a 'Chinaman' on TNT's broadcast of the Houston Rockets game this past Monday night," Kerr said in a statement. "I made the comment very innocently, as I incorrectly believed that referring to Yao in that way was the same as calling someone a 'Frenchman', an 'Englishman' or a 'Dutchman.'"

A New Slur?
A Canadian hockey player has been suspended for referring to an opposing player as a "Euro" during a match, reports The Associated Press.

The Ontario Hockey League suspended Plymouth Whalers defenseman James Wisniewski for five games for telling Stefan Ruzicka that he did not fight "Euros" when challenged. Ruzicka is from Slovakia.

Ted Baker, the OHL's director of hockey operations, said the league does not tolerate comments directed at players based on their origin, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

der Brucer (hoping Jennifer or Emily will post something nice about The Ontario Hockey League)

[William E. Lurie]

Sorry... the Liza was not a send-up.  However it was a rumor and not a done deal, and I hpe it remains that way.  As for done deals that were rumors, it is now official that Michael McKean is Broadway's next Edna Turnblad.

If someone could control Mandy more, he would be a wonderful performer.  His Emmy-winning stint on "Chicago Hope" was wonderful and he was great in "The Princes Bride", but he totally ruined the Broadway WILD PARTY with his over-the-top performance.  He comes off much better on recordings than in person.

[TCB]

Did anyone else see the blurb about Barbra Streisand possibly playing opposite Dustin Hoffman in Ben Stiller;s sequel to Meet the Parents?  Apparently, Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Streisand would play Stiller's parents.  Filming is to begin this spring.

[Jennifer]

Did anyone else see the blurb about Barbra Streisand possibly playing opposite Dustin Hoffman in Ben Stiller;s sequel to Meet the Parents?  Apparently, Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Streisand would play Stiller's parents.  Filming is to begin this spring.

I remember seeing her hubby interviewed a few weeks ago (was it at the Golden Globes?). He mentioned this movie. But I cannot remember if he said she was in talks or it was a done deal.

[Jane]

Thank you Kerry and I think the massage suggestion to Bruce was excellent.

CharlePogue thank you for the update on Johnny Crawford.  Recently we watched the “The Rifleman”, beginning with the first episode, in its entirety.  I found I appreciated the show much more as an adult than as a child.  The father, son relationship in the show was way ahead of its time and I thought Johnny Crawford was just great, something I don’t believe I noticed the first time around.

SWW your story of the grandlads made me laugh.  I do think the daughter & grandlad need to be tested to see if they are actually allergic to the dogs.  It is possible they are allergic to something that is on the dogs, something from the yard or even the soap you are bathing them in.  In a household with a normal number of pets, my suggestion would be to do the following prior to their next visit: bathe the dogs in a mild, unscented shampoo then rinse with distilled water followed by a thorough dusting & vacuuming of the house.  Of course at that point you just might sleep through their visit.  LOL.

Echo is also a popcorn lover.  She gets it from Keith.

Panni I hope your meeting went well.  I am not a fan of Mandy Patinkin.  Keith’s mother was given a CD of him singing Yiddish songs.  The blurb with the CD mentioned how he studied Yiddish.  Mom wanted to know what Yiddish he was speaking as it was different from what she speaks.  Needless to say, she didn’t care for it.  Now I know that had nothing to do with his singing ability, your question just made me think of the story.

[Jane]

Here is the view from SWW's new perch:

That is absolutely beautiful!!

[bk]

Maya has been stolen away to another message board.  Perhaps someday she'll come by and say "bye" or something (or "hi" or something).  As long as she is happy that is all that matters.

Finally had my phone call which went fine and I'm resting easier now.  They have made my galley the top priority, and they are putting someone who knows what they are doing on it.  They also pulled out each and every incorrect page of this galley to show them just how stupid they are/were.  One of the things she said to me is that the idiot in production was whining that Kristin ITC, the font for the chapter headings and titles, couldn't be ITALICS in that font.  I simply asked if they'd actually bothered to look at the BOOK, Kritzerland, that was provided as a sample where Kristin ITC IS printed in italics whenever we want it to be.  How can it suddenly NOT be?  That's the kind of stupidity we're dealing with, but I think some heads rolled today.

Tonight I'm doing the Disney/ASCAP workshop thing I do every year.

[Matt H.]

And Mario Cantone is an OUT gay man, not like some of Liza's other dates/husbands.

The very idea of Liza as Norma Desmond is enough to give me a stomach ache. I can't see Barbra as Norma either. I didn't have much use for the show either. I think Lloyd Webber had better wait to see what the reception is for PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on film before he starts doing much planning on this. I'm not convinced it's going to be a hit.

[S. Woody White]

I have said for some time that Miss Babs would make a fine musical Norma Desmond if, and only if, she did not direct the film herself.  Anybody here for Mike Nichols at the helm?  Rob Marshall?

Penny Marshall?

[Donna]

SONDHEIM FAVS (will post rest later):
Lyric: These are the first that came to mind (talk about your inner rhymes) and it matches DR Noel's choice. Singing the bridge from "Uptown Downtown" is so much fun and I think it's a good song to warmup with. These lyrics are from memory. Hope I got them right...

She sits in the Ritz with her spritz of Mums
And starts to pine for a stein with her Village chums
But with a Schlitz in her mitts down in Firtzroy's Bar
She thinks of the Ritz
Oh it's so schizo

[Emily]

[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]GOOD AFTERNOON ALL![/move]

Today is especially good because I walked into my Sociolinguistics class and was told by the TA that it was cancelled because the prof had food poisoning.  Now, I don't wish sickness upon anyone... but that announcement may have resulted in a teeny tiny sheepish grin of joy

Last night I helped my younger sister apply to McGill's Faculties of Science and Education.  She is a very confused little girl and has no idea what she wants to do with her life.  It doesn't help that on one hand she has my father telling her that unless she becomes an engineer she will be homeless and poor and on the other hand she has me telling her that 70% of Fortune 500 companies' CEO's have degrees from Liberal Arts Colleges.  

DR Jed - I want your job.  Really.  

DR Sandra - you need to collect your classroom observances and publish them.  They are absolutely hilarious!

DER BRUCER - I know nothing about the Ontario Junior Hockey League.  Funny story though - my dad (who arrived back from Jackson, Mississippi on Friday night) was laughing about truly being "home" when he glanced at Saturday's Montreal Gazette and saw the following as the top headline:

http://www.canada.com/search/story.html?id=8a439848-e620-4961-b61d-8d80ec8f1868

OY.  That's all I say about that.

[Jrand73]

Oy - I didn't git nuttin'

[Charles Pogue]

DERBRUCER, Re: scrubbing Jefferson's name off the school because he owned slaves.  He also gave us the declaration of independence, for Christ's sake!

I'm so tired of the great men of yesterday being judged by the narrow prism of today's morals and standards.  They were creatures of their time.  And it is so wrong to judge a man only by his flaws (and especially flaws that were not necessarily considered flaws in his day).  You have to judge the whole man.   What was their problem with Abraham Lincoln?  And why from Lincoln to Malcolm X?  As for Columbus, boy, has he taken his shots the past few years.  Everyone thinks Columbus came over here and destroyed some idyllic paradise.  The fact was Conquest was the nature of the day. Columbus did a remarkable feat.  And the Indians long before he came were warring with each other, conquering each other, torturing each other.  They weren't innocent babes living in peace with each other.

I've just seen this sort of character assasination going on at the Writer's Guild, where many people are up in arms because our new president may have padded his resume, despite the fact that his guild service has been exemplary.  Whether he padded his resume, in a town where people constantly reinvent themselves, is utterly irrelevant to me.  They're his life lies and, despite some angry guild members declaring they have a right to know, they don't.  It's none of their business. All they have a right to question is his behaviour and work for the guild.  But some malcontents, always the guild's worst enemies, will try to stir up controversry where none exist. They always crawl out of the woodwork at election and negotiation time.   As my pal Harlan Ellison said when one of these malcontents called him and tried to enlist him in their efforts to smear the prez,  "As long as his guild service is impeccable, he can screw chickens in Macy's front window, for all I care."

I am really bored with this tabloid culture of ours that rabidly roots through everyone's closet in a gleeful search for skeletons and dirty linen.  It's time some public figure stood up and just told all these busybodies, "It's none of your damned business!"

End of rant.

[Ben]

But you will, JR, in just a couple of days. You will get sumthin' Patience is a virture, young man (also the title of a G&S piece).

[Jrand73]

Liza as Norma....Barbra as Norma.....

Either one would be interesting to me...both would need a good strong director....but the whole movie would...after all it's already been a GREAT movie - that's why I liked it onstage....a successful transfer from one medium to another....but would it transfer back again?  Whew....I don't know.

[Emily]

oops - the link is now fixed

[Jrand73]

Thanks DR BEN - I am all agog!

I guess I should clarify to say...I didn't get nuttin' when I clicked DR Emily's link....or at least not a real headline.

EEEPS!  Now I get it!  

[Jane]

From clever detective to tough granny
Angela Lansbury returns to TV

In my opinion she really made the movie.

[Charles Pogue]

BK, what precisely is the Disney/ASCAP thing you do?

[Jane]

Did anyone else see the blurb about Barbra Streisand possibly playing opposite Dustin Hoffman in Ben Stiller;s sequel to Meet the Parents?  Apparently, Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Streisand would play Stiller's parents.  Filming is to begin this spring.

No, but I think they would be very funny.   Sure hope the script is good.

[td]

I'm shocked to hear BK doesn't consider Vittorio Starraro a good lensman:
Bulworth, Little Buddha, The Sheltering Sky, Dick Tracy, New York Stories, Tucker, The Last Emperor, Reds, Luna, Apocalypse Now, 1900, Last Tango in Paris, The Conformist   ....leads me to wonder if there's a living lensman who's done better work.

Well, with the exception of TUCKER, Noel's list would lead me to believe that he's NOT a great lensman.  Not at all.  Having seen all of those on the big screen, it would seem that Mr. S. is quite fond of dark, dingy dirty-looking pictures.  

All went well this A.M.; there is no blockage in dad's heart - - - BUT (and this would be a big but) his heart is in a very weakened state, which his doctor is going to attempt to strengthen with new meds as well as a healthier diet and regimen.
Tomorrow, Dad gets the stress test (hopefully NOT involving the complete film works of Vitttorio Storaro)!

Back to the hospital now that I've had a power nap and answered all my emails.

[Panni]

Back from my meeting. The first victory was that I actually found the place -- somewhere in the bowels of Santa Monica - despite Mapquest's ridiculous directions. It was a very pleasant meeting. Turned out that the person I was meeting with - whom I hoped to impress and was a little nervous in that regard - was actually nervous about meeting me, hoping that I would take the job. I was thinking that I was auditioning for her and she was thinking that she was auditioning for me.  Ain't life full of surprises?

[S. Woody White]

Did anyone else see the blurb about Barbra Streisand possibly playing opposite Dustin Hoffman in Ben Stiller;s sequel to Meet the Parents?  Apparently, Mr. Hoffman and Ms. Streisand would play Stiller's parents.  Filming is to begin this spring.

Like his real parents are people to be ashamed of?

[Jane]

Sandra I hope you are saving these classroom stories.  You just might have a sitcom in your future.

William F. Orr you are so clever.

Jennifer-GOOD VIBES!

Bruce, glad you are feeling better about the book now.   At least they are now taking the necessary steps to correct the problems

Charles Pogue I do enjoy your rants.  

TD I’m pleased it went well today.  Many people have lived a long time with heart problems-wishing your Dad the best success with treatment.

[Panni]

Good news, td. Hope all continues to go well.

FS Pogue - Excellent rant.

Gorgeous mountain view, DerBrucer. I can taste the air just looking at it. Here in LA I can taste the air too. Blechhh!

[td]

That is an awesome view!  Is it the view from Pompey's head, or the view from the bridge, or is it the view from the room with a view?  Whatever it is, it is breathtakingly beautiful!  (especially the shot with the beard).  (OH!  a Liza Minnelli reference)!

[bk]

The Disney/ASCAP workshop does three or four new musical workshops every year.  The panel is run by Stephen Schwartz, and I've been sitting on the panel (for one of the new musicals) for the last eight years.  We critique the work in progress.  It's fun.

[S. Woody White]

In alpha order, today's list:

Agony

Anyone Can Whistle

Could I Leave You?

Every Day a Little Death

Everybody Ought to Have a Maid

Finishing the Hat

Free

The Gun Song

Happily Ever After

I Guess This is Goodbye

I Never Do Anything Twice

I Remember

I'm Still Here

The Ladies Who Lunch

Last Midnight

A Little Priest

Loving You

The Miller's Son

Move On

Not a Day Goes By

Not While I'm Around

Our Time

Please, Hello

Rose's Turn

Simple

Someone in a Tree

Something's Coming

Sooner or Later

Sorry/Grateful

Sunday

There's Always a Woman

Waiting for the Girls Upstairs

Who's That Woman?

(And speaking of inner rhymes:
I feel rotten
Oh so rotten
Like some cotton has caught in my ear
And my poor throat
Is a sore throat at this time of year.)

[Matt H.]

Good news, DR td, and continued good vibes for your dad as he works through the problems.