DESIGNING THE BOOK

[Matthew]

It will, I believe, continue to decline.  Why?  Because soap opera or not, they miscalculated in thinking they'd get the Glee audience.  Glee appeals to a much wider group because it's not specifically about one musical being prepped for Broadway, it's about school.

I have to disagree that Glee is about school. At least no school I've ever experienced.  That's one of the reasons why I don't watch it.  It's unrealistic and it makes people believe that music just "happens".  And it's so stereotypical of what does NOT happen in high school. 

[Matthew]

Page 4 - you can dance if you want to.

[Matthew]

Thank you for the bday wishes, DR's George, Ron and Jane.

[Jrand62]

The "kids" in GLEE look about as much like teenagers as the High School Hellcats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AFHTES88D0

[Jrand62]

I want to be there when the High School Hellcats and the High School Hot Shots get together for an anything goes party!!!

I don't think they're planning on putting on a production of the Cole Porter musical!

[FJL]

I have made acauldron of chili. Because I like beans, It's full of dark and red kidney beans and smells quite deelish.

On the SMASH front, seeing it again last night after missing last week made me realize that I would continue to watch it. I'm enjoying it. Last night was full of soap opera twists: stolen notebooks, eavesdropping on confessions, the beginning of a blackmail subplot. I wanted to yell at the composer, just as I did at BK, I told you to fire that assistant! I like the cast, so far it reflects for me a usual backbiting backstager - and my worst experience of that was the Houston Grand Opera in 1991 - and I'm having a good time.

but if he fires the assistant, who really (as we saw in episode 1) brought them the idea of doing the Marilyn musical,  couldn't the assistant sue them (whether he'd win or not is not the point, but it could causae a plot twist where the assistant could hold up production just by the lawsuit being filed while the issue is resolved, right?)

[FJL]

One of my Adele variations, this one about Jeremy Lin stealing Adele's thunder in the news last week, (that had been in the comments section) got put in an actual official  New York Times Artsbeat blog article by their reporter Jennifer Schuessler.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/readers-deliver-more-lin-ericks/?pagemode=print


(You have to scroll just a little at the link. it's the fifth item down.)

[George]

Congrats to DR CILLA LIZ on her sparkling new flute!!

It sounds as if the book is moving along quite well.....I like the title very much.

Ditto, Ditto and Ditto!!

[Ron Pulliam]

It will, I believe, continue to decline.  Why?  Because soap opera or not, they miscalculated in thinking they'd get the Glee audience.  Glee appeals to a much wider group because it's not specifically about one musical being prepped for Broadway, it's about school.

I have to disagree that Glee is about school. At least no school I've ever experienced.  That's one of the reasons why I don't watch it.  It's unrealistic and it makes people believe that music just "happens".  And it's so stereotypical of what does NOT happen in high school. 

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one....it's an "exaggerated" version of high school...featuring the "songbirds" who get no respect (for various reasons, including homophobia)...the ugliness with which certain elite groups treat others not "worthy" of being in their groups...and also spoofing the politics of getting funding for various programs.  Stir in an amazing group of talented students, each of whom comes from a seemingly different walk of life, and watch them make music when most high school students in their situations would be hiding in a restroom stall, crying.

[Ron Pulliam]

I won't dance.


Don't ask me.

[Ron Pulliam]

One of my Adele variations, this one about Jeremy Lin stealing Adele's thunder in the news last week, (that had been in the comments section) got put in an actual official  New York Times Artsbeat blog article by their reporter Jennifer Schuessler.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/readers-deliver-more-lin-ericks/?pagemode=print


(You have to scroll just a little at the link. it's the fifth item down.)

"But the most impressive three-point shot came courtesy of Freddie from New York..."

Way to go, Fred!!!

[FJL]

Thanks, Ron P!

[George]

One of my Adele variations, this one about Jeremy Lin stealing Adele's thunder in the news last week, (that had been in the comments section) got put in an actual official  New York Times Artsbeat blog article by their reporter Jennifer Schuessler.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/readers-deliver-more-lin-ericks/?pagemode=print


(You have to scroll just a little at the link. it's the fifth item down.)

Congrats, Fred!

[George]

Those are lovely knitting projects, Ginny!

[bk]

It doesn't matter if Glee is bad or good, or accurate or true.  It's about school.  Therefore, wider audience.  Smash is about something no one really cares about - creatives creating a musical.  They've tried it onstage (A Broadway Musical) and it didn't work, and Smash is clearly not getting the audience it needs, despite NBC shoving this show down everyone's throats in a way I can never recall being done - I also believe that extreme hype and promotion backfired.

[bk]

Had some lunch and am now awaiting the arrival of the Handyman - he's going to swap out the batteries in all three devices.

[John G.]

Here's a fun feature. Pix of the "Downtown Abbey" cast in costume and in real life:

http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php/

I think O'Brien and Mrs. Hughes were the big surprises for me.

[Doug R]

I got rid of my smoke detector because it went off every time I started cooking!

[Jennifer]

IMO I do not think that GLEE has a wider audience just because it is about school.  GLEE is aimed at all ages. Kids can watch it. Adults can watch it. It is on at 8pm. SMASH is not aimed at kids. It is on at 10pm.

[Doug R]

TOD:

Seven Days in May.

[Doug R]

Met Steve for drinks and a meal. I had lasagne with salad and garlic bread. I've cut down the amount I drink because I can't cope with feeling ill the next morning!

[JMK]

Here's a fun feature. Pix of the "Downtown Abbey" cast in costume and in real life:

http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php/

I think O'Brien and Mrs. Hughes were the big surprises for me.

Ethel had a couple of big surprises for me.   

[JMK]

Started watching a documentary on Jack Kerouac I have to review and it had the most outre opening segment from a 1959 Steve Allen Show, where Steve is interviewing him, whilst playing odd, altered dominant seventh chords at a grand piano.

[John G.]

Here's a fun feature. Pix of the "Downtown Abbey" cast in costume and in real life:

http://www.papermag.com/2012/02/downton_abbey_stars_out_of_cos.php/

I think O'Brien and Mrs. Hughes were the big surprises for me.

Ethel had a couple of big surprises for me.   

A few of them had.

[FJL]

One of my Adele variations, this one about Jeremy Lin stealing Adele's thunder in the news last week, (that had been in the comments section) got put in an actual official  New York Times Artsbeat blog article by their reporter Jennifer Schuessler.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/readers-deliver-more-lin-ericks/?pagemode=print


(You have to scroll just a little at the link. it's the fifth item down.)

Congrats, Fred!

Thanks, George!

[John G.]

One of my Adele variations, this one about Jeremy Lin stealing Adele's thunder in the news last week, (that had been in the comments section) got put in an actual official  New York Times Artsbeat blog article by their reporter Jennifer Schuessler.

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/readers-deliver-more-lin-ericks/?pagemode=print


(You have to scroll just a little at the link. it's the fifth item down.)

Congrats, Fred!

Thanks, George!

That was fun.

[bk]

Beeping has ceased.  He actually replaced the entire unit in the book room, then changed the batteries on the other two.

[bk]

I picked up but one small package when there should have been many - perhaps those will show up later.

[George]

I got rid of my smoke detector because it went off every time I started cooking!

Mine does that but I just take it down and take out the battery.  I've pretty much had to do that at every place I've lived...I'm used to it now.

[TCB]

Good morning, all! I want to finish up these taxes this morning and spend part of the afternoon cooking. I haven't decided what I want to cook yet, but my initial thoughts are chili or a huge amount of vegetable beef soup.

The only dream I remember from last night is one that could be about either the Appalachian Christmas show or the brilliant new musical ONCE, which I am eagerly wanting to see again. My whole memory of the dream is a rehearsal in whch everyone is playing an instrument.

Does this mean you will be asking John Doyle to direct the APPALACHIAN CHRISTMAS?