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[DERBRUCER]

I thought Channing looked terrible.

She barely seemed able to support the weight of the dress (her "Jazz Baby" dress, no less); her legs looked very frail and skinny, and I thought the wig looked awful.

That she was funny, to me, made it sadder.

I saw her in one of her rare appearances in "Hello Dolly" in LA some 20 odd years ago - and she looked the same then!

der Brucer (Like Orsons fine aged wine, Channing shows no leg before it's time)

[MBarnum]

Our Governor still has not decided whether Oregon state workers, like Federal workers, will have this Friday off as an official day of mourning.

[Jrand73]

I thought Friday was your short day anyway!

No mail on Friday??  

[TCB]

This Donna Summer fan respectfully disagrees.

I love both versions of the song....... Sorry, Ben.

[Dan-in-Toronto]

While I've never been able to take any version of that song seriously.

[Stuart]

I saw her in one of her rare appearances in "Hello Dolly" in LA some 20 odd years ago

As rare as a mosquito in the summer.

[MBarnum]

I thought Friday was your short day anyway!

It is, but I am greedy! LOL!

[bk]

My package from Candy you Ate as a Kid arrived.  I got me some wax lips, baby.  I got me some wax liquid bottles.  I got me some Cherry Mash and Cherry Mountain.  I got me some Chocolate Babies. I got me some Cherry Buds.  I got me some coconut stacks.  I got me some red licorice rolls.

[Jed]

You got you a dentist's dream!

[Jrand73]

Wax Liquid Bottles!!!!!

MBARNUM = MR GreedyGuts....living off the Oregon Tax Payers!!!  LOL

Today's column is listed in my Windows tray as:  "THE ELUSIVE BUTT...."

[Stuart]

Our Governor still has not decided whether Oregon state workers, like Federal workers, will have this Friday off as an official day of mourning.

Apparently the state of NY has also granted state employees the day, in recognition of the national day of mourning.  (I just got a cockamamie "campus broadcast message" indicating that all non-essential employees are able to take the day without consequence.  Followed by a load of parameters as to what essential employees are entitled to in recompense if they have to work that day.  You can't imagine the lovely feeling that being deemed "non-essential" imparts.  I also have to say that even though I work for the State University of New York, I often forget that I am a state employee.)

So anyway, you know what they say, DR Barnum:  As NY goes, so goes the nation.  (Isn't that what they say?)

[JoseSPiano]

Good Afternoon!

Well, I slept in until 3:00pm....  -At least I'm caught up on my sleep.  *I'm also just remembering that my system usually goes into this weird "transition" period after a long run, so...

I meant to answer DR Pogue's AVENUE Q query yesterday, but due to my computer issues and my sleep issues I never got to it, so...  As other DRs have already stated it's like Sesame Street for adults.  There's even a nod to Bert and Ernie, but with the whole homosexual overtone right up front.  There are also "video transitions" shown on two tv screens on the side of the stage reminscent of some of the animated sequences from Sesame Street and The Electric Company that demonstrate other concepts.  My favorite one is the variation on the "putting the word together" routine:

"ch-" "-op" - "chop"
"s-" "-oft" - "soft"

POSSIBLE SPOILER AHEAD

Instead they use:

"co-" "mmitment"  "commitment"
*It would take me a couple of paragraphs to truly describe this sequence, so I hope you'll get to see it in person.

-Who knew words could be so funny?  

END OF POSSIBLE SPOILER

And I did find it fascinating watching all the "mechanics" of the puppets with the puppeteers standing right behind them.  Additionally, most of the puppeteers handle and voice more than one of the characters, and there are some moments where all of them are on stage, and watching them - and their mouths - juggle all those various voices is amazing.  And there are three actors on stage who do not handle puppets.  And they are also the ones who are not wearing black or dark gray "costumes".

*If you can find any of the various articles on Jon Tartaglia that have been appearing on various theatre sites, it would be worth the read.  His love and passion for the art is inspiring - and he truly is living his dream.  -And his father is one helluva a piano player too!

Topic of the Day:

The first thing that comes to mind - well, thingS - are any song by "O-Town" - remember "Making of the Band"??!?!?  -Whatever happened to them anyway?    They had such classics "hits" like "Girl", "Sexiest Woman Alive", "Love Should Be a Crime", "Shy Girl", and "Baby I Would".  -Yes, I have their debut CD, but it was given to me as a gag gift.

"Ribbons Down My Back" - As I mentioned before, this song drives me crazy at auditions - especially when a singer/actress comes in singing it like it was in the movie.  AAGGHHHH!!!

Many other non-favorites have already been mentioned...

OK- I'm off to the post office before it closes...  *And I'm not looking forward to having no mail service on Friday.

*And as a friend of mine pointed out to me in an e-mail this morning... It's sort of a strange coincidence that the D.C. Gay Pride Festival takes place at the same time that Reagan's casket will be on view at the Capitol.

Laters...

[S. Woody White]

Dear BK: My problem with reading fiction these days is that I rarely get the chance to read it, or at least the chance to read and enjoy it.  I'm in the habit of reading while traveling, which used to mean while traveling to and from work.  

That's no longer the case, as most of my traveling is with der Brucer when we drive down to DC or up to NYC or wherever.  The problem is, when der Brucer is driving, he likes to talk.  I don't mind this, as he's an interesting conversationalist, even after eightteen years together.  But his wanting to talk does get in the way when I pick up a book and get through a paragraph, maybe two, and he finds a new topic to start on.

And, no, reading to him doesn't always work.  For one thing, after a point my voice gets tired.  For another, I can never tell when he's going to interrupt, because what I've been reading to him will have sparked a new topic for discussion for him.  This makes for getting through a book slowly.

Reading at home?  I'm more likely to do that late at night, when I'm in bed.  I've found non-fiction is better reading material at these times, because I never can tell when I'll drop off to sleep, which is usually within a page or two.  (At least I'm now in the habit of taking off my glasses before nodding off.  I used to take them off after the nod point, and have had trouble finding them again in the morning.)

All of which is a long way of saying, be patient.  It may take me a while to get through KT, no fault of your own.

[S. Woody White]

[Since seeing/hearing CAROLINE, OR CHANGE, I've been hooked again on hearing Ms. Tesori's VIOLET. Such a great score. I want to be in that show someday...but not as Violet, of course.

Not in your vocal range?

 

[MBarnum]

Rex Reason is on tonights 77SUNSET STRIP and Kathleen Crowley is on Surfside 6!

DR JRand53 I have another tape full for you!

[Matt H.]

No, I didn't find the LL Cool J/Carol Channing exchange funny or endearing. I felt embarrassed, that she was trying to be fun and hip and instead was being a fool and not aware of it. That's just my perception. If others were entertained, so be it.

[Matt H.]

I spent this afternoon watching the TARZAN documentary and TARZAN'S SECRET TREASURE. As others commented, the documentary deals mainly with the MGM Tarzan pictures after covering the genesis of the character and his silent and other early screen adaptations. Since Warners also owns the RKO TARZAN features that Weismuller and others made, I'm expecting another boxed set of these at a later date, particularly if this boxed set sells well.

SECRET TREASURE looks nice, but there's been no restoration, of course. There are flaws in the print used, but the mastering for DVD still makes it look nice, However, the sharpness of the picture does make the frequent rear projection and painted backdrops even more obvious now. Still, a cracking adventure tale. I'm sure I'll enjoy the others in the set as I eventually watch them.

[S. Woody White]

The song I like the very least is "Meadowlark," from The Baker's Wife.  I do not like it when Patti LuPone sings it.  I do not like it when Betty Buckley sings it.  I do not like it when Susan Egan sings it, and I'm partial to Susan Egan.  I do not like it, period.

Bleh.

(Buster has just drunk half my glass of ginger ale.  Silly dog.)

[George]

Am I the only one who thought that Carol Channing / LL Cool J bit was funny?  It wasn't the best thing I've ever seen.  But it was amusing.

I liked it.  

[MBarnum]

Thanks for the comments on the Tarzan DVDs. I know that I have seen all of the Weismuller Tarzan films but SECRET TREASURE just doesn't ring a bell with me...of course it has been at least 25 years since I have seen most of these films.

[S. Woody White]

One of the most damnably addictive -- and maddening -- songs to ever enter my head is "Teddy Bears Picnic."

...If you go down in the woods today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely down in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain because
Today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic....

And if the melody eludes you, turn on your speakers and visit this URL:

http://www.northern-pine.com/songs/tbpicnic.html

Which, as it happens, is the significant song quoted at the start of Armistead Maupin's Significant Others.

[Jason]

Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
................................................. ............

[MBarnum]

Someone left the cake out in the rain
I don't think that I can take it
'Cause it took so long to bake it
And I'll never have that recipe again
Oh, no!
................................................. ............

You know what, I love that song! But I have never found out the name or singer of it!

[JMK]

Well for MBarnum and Tomofoz and any other latent Sergio Mendes fans, here he is with moi:

[Jason]

DR MBarnum: That is "MacArthur Park" and the artists are Donna Summer or Richard Harris.

[JMK]

Help me, I'm MELLLLLTTTTTTIIIIIINNNNGGGG.  LOL.

[JMK]

First it was in Todd-AO, then it was something from a Bert I. Gordon film, let's try it again, shall we?

[Matt H.]

My glasses are pretty powerful, but even *I* can't make that picture out.


Ah, ha. Much better. Now it's easily seen and just the right size.

[William E. Lurie]

M Barnum - What channel shows 77 SUNSET STRIP and SURFSIDE 6?

Regarding Carol Channing - When she first did Dolly in the 60s she was wonderful.  When she last did Dolly she was like a bad drag queen doing a Channing imitation.

[MBarnum]

M Barnum - What channel shows 77 SUNSET STRIP and SURFSIDE 6?

Goodlife Network, which seems to only be available from select cable companies. Hawaiian Eye, Cheyenne, Bronco, Sugarfoot, The FBI, Combat, The Gallant Men, and Maverick are all shown weekly as well!