"No Day Like Today," Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Now, girls, tell me, how do I write about Anthony Rapp's book, without being judgemental????????

                                       I mean, I love Anthony.  I loved him onstage in "Six Degrees Of Separation" and "Rent" (even if I did not love the shows themselves), and I just love him as Matt Spevak on the 'SVU' episode, "Bound," where Jane Krakowski shows him that little sister don't miss when she aims her gun....or in this case, syringe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         So, I was all set to embrace Anthony, when I began reading his book, "Without You."  But I just couldn't.

                                          To be sure, the book is well written, and painfully candid. While recounting his mother's battle with cancer, I had to put the book down at times; it brought me back to that horrible period of Winter 1978-Spring 1979, when my mother battled cancer.   Which is another story, for another time. Reading Anthony's experience brought mine back painfully to the fore.

                                            And I did have more than a modicum of sympathy for Anthony. He gets the break most of us who perform only dream of, in the show of his lifetime, one that has stood the test of musical theater history, and made him a Legend Of The Musical Stage.  Imagine having to balance this with a parent's terminal illness.  I know I would have cracked.

                                              So, why can't I be more embracing of Anthony?????????

                                               Well, for starters, he has a rotten temper.  It sounds like his grandmother's abusive personality skipped a generation, and filtered down into him, which accounts for (which he candidly reports) his tendency to get into vituperative fights, and his difficulties in maintaining his relationships.  Then there was the whole matter of his coming out, which I could not respect, because Anthony was one of those gays who could not admit it, claiming he was "bisexual."  He even made it with girls, which does not suggest gay to me at all. That is me being judgemental, darling, but the gays I know who really are have stuck to guys their whole life.  Anthony's setting himself up as some sort of mentor for the gay community, via his allegedly caring nature, and his sexuality, is one big diatribe of hypocrisy.

                                                   At one point, his straight brother, celebrated playwright and author Adam Rapp, confronts him head on--"You think you're so special?" he asks.  Well, Anthony is special, because of his talent, but unfortunately I have to wonder how much of that personality gets in his way.  When I recently saw Anthony on the 'SVU' episode "Lessons Learned," I was, like, "Where has he been?"  Maybe he doesn't work as much as he should because he is difficult.  Maybe he and Jane Adams should team up!!!!!!!!!

                                                   I have to applaud Anthony for writing the least flattering aspects about himself into the book.  And yet, to know him is not necessarily to love him. After reading this book, I can tell you I would not want to hang out with him.  Even if I had adored "Rent," which I did not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                     Hey, Anthony!  If you want to meet a REAL diva, come on!  I'll take you on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                       But that's just me, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!