Well, dear readers. I must write these here notes in a hurry for she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon and I must get as much sleep as possible before arising at eight in the damn morning. But first, let me just say that today’s notes are brought to you by Alberto VO 5 Shampoo, for that extra lustrous hair. Why, we used to have that shampoo in my very own home when I was a tad of a lad of a twig of a youth. And I had the most lustrous hair of them all. What the HELL am I talking about. Let’s cut to the damn chase, shall we? I got eleven count them eleven hours of very needed sleep, got up at noon o’clock. I felt much better than the day before, with not nearly the gunk-fest that was Sunday. Once up, I answered e-mails and had to resend the book files, which was very annoying, but apparently my gal, to whom I sent them, was out Friday AND today so they never went anywhere. Anyway, they have them now. Then I got the eBook version, so that’s actually ready to go whenever I decide to make it available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. I decided on fried catfish again – unlike the other day, this batch wasn’t quite as good and it was one huge piece rather than the two you usually get. I had baked beans and mac and cheese as sides, but only ate half the beans and just one bite of the mac and cheese, which was not to my liking. Once that was done, I had some very brief telephonic calls, I did a quick run to the mail place and picked up some packages – two from a gal I’ve been helping with her memoir – she was in The First Nudie Musical both in the Honey, What’cha Doin’ Tonight number and the Let ‘Em Eat Cake number. She’s grateful for the help so she sent me two things – a big book on The Brady Bunch Variety Hour – she was on all the shows and was interviewed for the book – and she sent me the infamous LP by Al Kooper, on which she adorns the cover – it’s a very famous album cover and here it is. Well, here it isn’t because I cannot find a single image online. They were boyfriend and girlfriend at the time. She signed both items and wrote me very nice cards. After that, I came home and did a few things, had to pay my yearly DGA dues, and stuff like that. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched no motion pictures, but did watch some irritating YouTube videos and an episode of a one-hour 1964 TV show I’d never really heard of called Mr. Broadway, starring Craig Stevens as a publicist. It’s one of the oddest shows I’ve ever seen. Apparently, the public thought so, too, since it lasted from its premiere in September to December – only thirteen episodes. There are only two that survive at this point in time – the premiere/pilot episode, which guest stars Tuesday Weld and was written and directed by Garson Kanin, who created the show and directed two episodes and who removed his name from the credits as creator after that. I have that premiere episode saved to watch. The one I watched guest starred Miss Sandy Dennis, who, at that point, had appeared in two Broadway hits – A Thousand Clowns and Any Wednesday – one film (Splendor in the Grass), and two or three other episodes of other shows. She’s as quirky as ever in Mr. Broadway. The plot was so convoluted and beyond ridiculous – I really didn’t know WHAT I was watching. There’s some BIG overacting in a couple of scenes, Robert Webber is in it as is Joan Bennett (one scene) and Chester Morris. Horace McMahon is a regular, the year before he did the first Hello, Dolly! tour with Channing, playing Horace Vandegelder. All kinds of fun people did very early appearances on the show, including theater people like John McMartin. One episode guest stars Liza Minnelli as an opera singer, and another guest stars Lauren Bacall. It would really be fun to see all of them. There’s not much PR stuff going on in the Sandy Dennis episode – which is about blackmail. Anyway, file it in the totally weird department and yes, it was brought to you by Alberto VO 5 shampoo (oopmahs, spelled backwards). And here we are.
Today, I’ll be up at eight and out the door by eight-thirty, I’ll have something light for breakfast somewhere, I’ll get more Claritin-D, I’ll do a quick Gelson’s run, as I’m out of ketchup and a few other necessaries. I’ll come home at eleven thirty and get everything set up for the stumble-through, then shave and shower. Two people are coming at two to run their stuff, then we do the stumble-through at three and that should be done by four and then I’ll give whatever notes I have, and we’ll run anything we need to. Then I’ll eat a sandwich or something, then rest my voice and watch, listen, and relax.
Tomorrow, I’ll sleep in until eleven-thirty, at least that’s the hope, then I rest until around four, at which time I’ll mosey on over to the club for our five o’clock sound check. Then I’ll have a little Caesar salad, and then we do our show. The rest of the week is just relaxing, Friday I see the eye doctor at Cedars again, I’ll maybe attend an opening night, then the weekend is mine all mine.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, be up at eight and out the door by eight-thirty, I’ll breakfast, get some Claritin-D, do a quick Gelson’s run, come home and get everything ready for the stumble-through, shave and shower, have a stumble-through, eat a sandwich, and then watch, listen, and relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What shampoo did you use as youngsters? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, where my dreams will be brought to you by Alberto VO 5 Shampoo, for lustrous hair.