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[bk]

Well, you've read the notes, you're better for having read the notes, you're on top of Old Smokey for having read the notes and now you can post until Old Smokey comes home, and yes, you'll be the better for it.

[Noel]

It's been a long time since I've been first post.

Don't know why I'm up.  Way too much rehearsal for the 4/22 revue.  And two Comden & Green/Styne songs keep going through my head: Good To Be Back Home and Is It a Crime?

Separately, the director and I suggested to the performer of the latter that, at one point, she be like Al Jolson.  Sadly, she admitted she'd never seen or heard Jolson.

But she's got 8 days; she'll be good; I swear.

BK question: Is it a crime to start each day with a laugh and a smile and a song?

[Tomovoz]

For Dear Reader Laura:

[S. Woody White]

Filling in the gaps from yesterday:

The MAC-'N-CHEESE Recipe der Brucer Found in the Newspaper

Preheat oven to 350.  Cook a half-pound of elbow macaroni in boiling water until tender, but not fully cooked.  Drain, and stir in a large bowl with 2 T. butter until butter is melted.  Stir in 2 packed C. grated sharp cheddar cheese, and pour into a buttered 9X9X2 baking dish.

In a separate bowl, whisk 3 large eggs with 2 5 oz. cans evaporated milk.  Blend in a dash of Worcestershire, 1 T. prepared mustard, 2 T. dill, and 1/8 t. cayenne pepper.  Pour over macaroni and cheese mixture.  Top with another 1/2 cup cheddar.

Bake in oven for 1 hour, or until crispy and golden on top and set in the middle.  Prepare to say "Yum!"

[S. Woody White]

For the more kid-friendly version of above, add appropriate amounts of yellow and red food coloring.

[S. Woody White]

There will be war in our household tonight, fallout from yesternight's speech.  Der Brucer will want to watch American Yodel.  I, on the other hand, have much better taste and will be watching Alton Brown's new episode of Good Eats, in which he will discuss the making of French Toast, Bruchetta, and Welsh Rarebit.

I mean, I ask you, doesn't that sound tasty?

[S. Woody White]

A question for our most esteemed BK:

In writing your new book, since as you've already told us is a mystery, were you working from an outline this time, with a solid idea of where you wanted to go?

And (second question): Do you have any idea when the new book will be ready for other trusted readers (such as our DR Charles Pogue and Panni) to point out the plot loopholes to you, so that you can hone your new tome to perfection?

[Jenny]

Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's back to school I go.

Spring break is over.

The hell begins.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

And two Comden & Green/Styne songs keep going through my head: Good To Be Back Home and Is It a Crime?


BK question: Is it a crime to start each day with a laugh and a smile and a song?

And DR Noel: Now this one is going through my head: Happy Hunting's "Gee, But It's Good To Be Here."

(That's quite an idiom: going through my head.)

[Dan (the Man)]

Don't know why I'm up.  Way too much rehearsal for the 4/22 revue.  And two Comden & Green/Styne songs keep going through my head: Good To Be Back Home and Is It a Crime?

Maybe you should have been thinking:

"I say good night to the sun,
Good night to the hills,
Good night to the chickies and the hen.
Good night to the rooster,
Good night to the cow,
Good night piggies in the pen.
I say, "Good night, good night,"
To everything in sight.
And when I am finished
It's time to say..."

BK, I was completely fascinated that you had something like the recording record player when you were a kid.  I would have killed to have something like that.  Were the recordable disks themselves relatively expensive back then or were they bought in quantity and tossable like recordable CDs today?  Were your "recording sessions" carefully rehearsed or free-wheeling?  What happened first:  did the recorder break or did the they stop making the recordable disks?  And most importantly, do these disks still exist today and are they playable?

[William E. Lurie]

For Ask BK Day ---
According to THE RICHARD RODGERS READER, there were many problems with Act II of CAROUSEL on the road and songs were cut.  In doing your research for the LOST IN BOSTON series did you ever come across any of these songs and if so (1) what were they and (2) why didn't you use any of them in the series?

I watched a very strange documentary (actually the first part of a multi-part documentary) on Bravo last night about real life Mama Roses (and one Papa Rose)... stage parents.  This follows five families with kids in some form of show business.  There is a 5 or 6 year old girl who appears on sitcoms.  She seems to enjoy it except that her mother is an agent so who knows how much is the kid and who knows how much is the mother.  Then there is the teenaged boy who wants to become a "pop idol".  Although he is like a cute William Hung the mother (a former teacher of "dancing and twirling") is determined to make him a star.  Next we have a high school girl who says she wants to be a star so she can make a lot of money, but refuses to work on it and treats her mother like a personal slave.  But in those cases the kid wants to --- or says he/she --- wants to be doing this.  We also have a 4-year-old girl whose mother is forcing her to be in beauty pagents.  She is dressed up and made up to look like a cross between a hooker and Dolly Parton (think Jon-Benet) and is obviously not happy about this. Although she said it many times in the documentary,  her mother is oblivious to this and says she's doing it for her daughter.  She may be spending a lot now to keep her daughter a pagent contestent, but she better save up for the psychiatrist bills she will have in the future for her.

The most bizarre story is about a man named Duncan Nutter.  This man has decided that his family will all be big stars so he moved from a big house in Vermont to a tiny apartment in Queens and spends most of his time going to auditions with his wife and seven children, none of whom have any talent or interest.  His wife is a teacher and he tears tickets at THE PRODUCERS.  He also comes off as gay as any of the Queer Eye stars.

I think that all the parents involved should be forced to watch GYPSY until it finally sinks in.

[DearReaderLaura]

Thanks, Tomovoz. Your birds are so COLORFUL!

[Jennifer]

Drama Book Shop Announces Talk with Arthur Laurents and Other May Events

http://www.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm?int_news_id=4602

(has anybody contacted them yet re: BK?)

[Panni]

Good morning. That's about all I have to say for now. But I didn't want to be a lurker.

[Dan (the Man)]

I think that all the parents involved should be forced to watch GYPSY until it finally sinks in.

Unfortunately, I think Gypsy would just act as inspiration to these kind of people.  "Oh, look!  With a few years of hard work and pushing your way through the ups and downs, your daughter can become a star!"

Thanks, Tomovoz. Your birds are so COLORFUL!

I agree!  I don't know about your neck of the woods, DearReaderLaura, but here in Philly the birds come in just three colors:  black, grey and brown.  My mom at least has bluejays and cardinals at her house and my sisters have the occaisional hummingbird, but here in down the boids are drab.

There was a report on NBC news a few weeks ago about wild budgies nesting around and about Brooklyn, NY.  These bright yellow-green budgies have taken over neighborhoods, chasing away pigeons and attacking barking dogs.  

[Ben]

I actually have a question for Mr. BK. I don't think it's been answered in the interview from last week.

Is Soon It's Gonna Rain still your favorite song from The Fantastiks?

[Ben]

Dan-the-Man said:

There was a report on NBC news a few weeks ago about wild budgies nesting around and about Brooklyn, NY.  These bright yellow-green budgies have taken over neighborhoods, chasing away pigeons and attacking barking dogs

I'm going to have to look for those budgies. I would love one or two in my Manhattan neighborhood to get rid of the pigeons. Out on LI Ant's mom and dad have a couple of bird feeders and get a wonderful mix of birds including beautiful Blue Jays and deep red Cardinals and some Robins who look like they have worked out at the gym they have such developed pecs/breasts/chests (take your pick)

[Matt H.]

I am looking forward to AMERICAN IDOL tonight even with Quentin Tarentino as guest judge.

However, my real thrill tonight is the return of ANGEL for its few remaining episodes. Can't wait to see those.

[Emily]

Good morning all from an e-and-t-er.

Oh well... I've been lurking at least

I have an exam tomorrow so I guess I really should be studying for it.  Darn... somehow I was hoping I had managed to skip exams and go full into summer.

DR Andrea (who DOES still lurk) and I will be going to Toronto to see "The Last Five Years" on May 8th.  CYGOPP is driving us down... which could prove... um... interesting.

I am also trying to convince her to go see T.O.'s Hairspray now that I have heard such great reviews of it on another certain site.

As for new Canadian Content in the show... that can be summed up in one line during the prison scene (from chenowithfan's review from ATC):

"You just had three burgers, poutine and a mouse"  

[MBarnum]

DR Emily, glad to see you non-lurk!

I don't have a question for today just yet as the coffee has not made it's way through my system yet and my alertness level is not at full attention.

I wonder what Jason is doing? Hope whatever it is it is going well.

How ya feeling today Jose!

[MBarnum]

OH, I just thought of a question and it is for BK and all DRs who care to answer:

With all of the TV series that are being released on DVD what series would you most like to see released,on DVD, and of the ones that already have come out on DVD what has been your favorite series DVD release so far?

I would love to have ADAM-12 released on DVD. I would also like to see  a readily available release of PERRY MASON (you can get it through one of those mail order club things but I want to be able to walk into the store and buy a set of episodes). I would also enjoy seeing the FLIPPER  TV series realeased on DVD.

Of those that have already been released I have most enjoyed the YOU BET YOUR LIFE DVD set and the STINGRAY dvd set...both have really nice extras. I have also enjoyed the THAT GIRL dvd set, but wish they would continue and release some more episodes!

[Jennifer]

DR Emily: Do let us know if you see Toronto's Hairspray. I may go see it.  And please tell me about L5Y!!!

I'm curious if you got tix to the french production of Rent.  I really need to get off my butt.  The only problem for me is that it's only playing for such a short time.  And my sis is moving then (and she wants to see it with me).

Also, I see that more tix to Don Juan go on sale this Saturday. I REALLY REALLY want to see this. So I'll see what I can do about getting tix for the extension.

[Jrand73]

WEL I watched it and came away with the same impressions.  The Nutters are completely untalented, the teenage girl can't act, the little girl on the sitcom is like a robot, the boy can't really sing, and I hate pageants which are a money-making scam and the "titles" which mean absolutely nothing and usually won by kids whose parents run the damn things.  

[Jrand73]

I will have to consider a bit for my Ask BK question.

[Matt H.]

Good question, DR MBarnum. Of course, ELLERY QUEEN, as some of you know, is my top pick. Would love to have those in pristine DVD condition. There is only one season available. Same with KOLCHAK: THE NIGHT STALKER, though I do have those on videotape.

I DO hope Fox continues with THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW as its best seasons for me were the later ones (though all are first rate).

My favorite? Hard choice. For comedy, I'd say THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW. The shows look great, the extras are nice, and the packaging very space conscious.

For dramas, it's a tie between CSI (seasons 2 and 3 since they're anamorphic; why CBS didn't present the first season in anamorphic since the show has always been filmed widescreen, I don't know) and ANGEL. The shows look spectacular, as close to HDTV as can be, and the extras just right.

[Joy]

Good afternoon, East Coasters, and good morning to the rest of you!  I'm at a strange new law firm today as an anonymous temp, and I have absolutely nothing to do.  The instructions that I've been given to read are completely inaccurate, so I've already hung up on at least three people today.  Since I'm a temp, they don't trust that I have any skills at all, so what little work I was given this morning was taken away from me.  So I have absolutely nothing to do, and I suppose I am technically violating the firm's internet personal use policy....but then, everything I've read so far has been a lie, so I can only assume that is, too.  

The nice thing about this place is the location:  the building is 1 Broadway, right across from Battery Park, and all the windows in the offices on the south wall have a stunning view of the Statue of Liberty and all the other neighboring sites.  Of course, I can't see any windows from where I'm sitting, but I am looking forward to my lunch break!  I'm gonna go rub the bull's balls first thing, and then maybe head over to the park.

For ask BK day:  Can you tell us what you've been writing about so industriously?  A cryptic answer will be acceptable.

BK, the samurai and anime genres are about as far down on my list of favorites as you can get.  However, I LOVED Kill Bill Vol. 1 and I cannot wait to see Vol. 2!  I'm not real big on explicit violence (I agree with pretty much everything that was said on Passion of the Christ here on this site), but the violence in Kill Bill is so over the top and absurd (is blood really that pink?) that not only did it not bother me but it actually amused me in several instances.  Plus, I think the plot is thrilling in a very visceral way -- having been a Bride very recently myself, I was drawn to this character within the very first words I read about the film.  I can't deny that the hot-chicks-kicking-ass factor appeals to me as well.  Those girls are off the hook.

[Joy]

Oh, I wanted to see that Showbiz Moms and Dads thing!  Is it gonna be on again?

[William F. Orr]

I watched a very strange documentary (actually the first part of a multi-part documentary) on Bravo last night about real life Mama Roses (and one Papa Rose)... stage parents.

There was a similar show some years ago on either Discovery (before it became The Motorcycle Channel) or The Learning Channel (before it became TLC: The Makeover Channel) about child beauty pageants, called "Pretty Babies" I believe.  The best part was a real harridan of a mother who was pushing her child to perfect her off-key rendition of... "Everything's Coming Up Roses".  Needless to say, the irony of the choice of song seemed to be lost on all concerned.

For BK:  I recently acquired the CD of Sherry--with the video extras.  I am fascinated by the story of how the score was lost for thirty years until (Sondheim scholar and LoC Curator) Mark Eden Horowitz mentioned off-handedly that it was all sitting in a trunk in the Library of Congress.  Presumably next to the Ark of the Covenant and the arms of Venus de Milo.

Oh, my question.  When you recorded the title song to the show, was it before or after the reappearance of the missing trunk?  How did you acquire it?  And what about the lyric, "You could see the lights of lower Broadway" on your version, which is, "You could see the Promised Land quite clearly" on the new CD?

Confidential to DR Panni:  (Oh, an Ann Landers reference.)  Oh my, yes.  "Où es-tu?"  I so embarrassed.

Not Confidential to DR Noel:   Glad you enjoyed my Jesus lyrics.  Now if Mel Gibson had only contacted me, I could have provided his movie with some much-needed chuckles.  And it really was in need of a boffo production number, don't you think?  As Hieronymus Merkin said, "You talk about Birth of a Nation, but can you name one song from it?"

[bk]

BK question: Is it a crime to start each day with a laugh and a smile and a song?

No, it is not a crime and it is, of course, what we strive for each and every day right here at haineshisway.com.  Damn them, damn them all to hell.

[William F. Orr]

And Welcome Back, DR Joy!  Nothing against your DH DR Noel, but your face is much prettier to look at.  When will you know about 42nd Street?  If you get it, will you travel with DH in tow?  Vibes, of course.  Many vibes.