Girls, Can You Believe We Are Three Quarters Of The Way Through 2024??????????????????

                         That is right, darlings, nine months has gone by, and here we are one day away from October.

                        It wasn't a "hot September," but it was certainly a fast one.  Things have calmed down somewhat for David, and may they stay that way.  We saw some shows.  We even went to the movies, which, these days, is a big deal for us.  And the last movie we saw, which was yesterday, was new.  More on that later.

                        So, farewell, September; you were a balm, after July and August.

                        Can't wait for the ghosties and ghoulies in October!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who Gives A ___T About QR Codes??????????????

                                       Who cares anyway?  I don't even know how to use one, and I don't want to be forced to learn.  Screw it!  I want to see a printed menu!  I want to buy tickets at the box office.  To hell with this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                         Really, darlings, with this scam, isn't technology moving to the dehumanizing aspect of things?  And with this AI stuff, what are humans of working age going to do for work?

                                           I would love to put my fist through the computer screen, just to destroy the QR code.  I will NOT be scanned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                              Here's my code to all you technonuts--FU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, Is Sister Camille All Right?????????????????

                                  This household gets up every Sunday morning--and I am not an early riser- at 8AM-for one reason only, and that is to hear Sister Camille D'Arienzo on 1010 WINS.  Her commentary, airing at 8:35AM, sets the tone for our forthcoming week, and is inspiring to us, as well, I am sure, to other listeners.

                                  So, it came as a shock when not only was she not on this morning, but no one mentioned it.  No excuse or reason was given for the omission, and if the people at the station simply forgot, it is on them.

                                    But Sister Camille is up there, with a birthday coming next month.  So, all of us on here hope she is well, and if not, wish her a speedy recovery. 

                                     This woman is a living saint, to whom we look for guidance.

                                      Get well, (or whatever) Sister Camille!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, Girls, Here Are Two Items To Add Elegance To The Home--A Cream Colored Carpet, And A Pink Refrigerator!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Yes, darlings, but remember they have to be the correct shade of cream and pink!

                               Aren't these fabulous, darlings?  Where does one see such elegance these days?  So, bring it into your own home!

                               Personally, I would like a little more cream in my carpet, but the pink is just perfect for the refrigerator.

                                Now, what color does one paint the kitchen?  I say Yellow Brick Road yellow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just Paint Jail Bars Over This Picture, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                I so wish I could, darlings, but really I am not at all surprised at Mayor Adams' indictment.

                                This slick hustler, like a crawling lizard, has no class, and, like many undedicated Americans, cannot speak the English language properly.  Oh, yeah, he just tallkin' to his buds from the nabe, right?  Wrong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                The last mayoral election was a farce, as New Yorkers had to choose between two losers.  Eric Adams should never have been elevated beyond rookie cop status.  He should have stayed where he belongs.

                                    And what about his personal life.  I am telling you, he is a big closet case, and they are the most dangerous.  I bet he is on the down low!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Let this be a lesson to those who don't know their place.  See what happens when you move beyond where one belongs?????????????

                                     I do hope Adams resigns.  But no one will agree with my choice of mayor--ANNA WINTOUR!   After all, she practically runs the city already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      Out with Eric, and in with ANNA, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, Join Us Tonight At 8PM, As "Svengoolie" Presents The 1977 Anthology Film, "Dead Of Night!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                             Darlings, I am so sorry it is not the British 1946 film, with Michael Redgrave as the deranged ventriloquist, controlled by his dummy, and a juvenile Sally Ann Howes in the murdered child sequence. This is an attempt on Dan Curtis' part to replicate his earlier "Trilogy Of Terror," which all my girls on here just love!

                                              Tonight, we get three stories--one about time travel, featuring Ed Begley, Jr., one dealing with vampirism, featuring Anjanette Comer, and Horst Bucholz.  Whatever happened to some of these people???????????????

                                                Just as the voodoo doll story in the first was the best (though I just loved "Julie") last is best here.  In "Bobby," the great Joan Hackett plays a grieving mother--and Joan, as always, gives it her all! --mourning for her drowned child, Bobby.  She tries to bring him back, and gets her wish, but does not get the loving Bobby she remembers, or wants to.  In a rip-off of "The Monkey's Paw," and a foreshadowing of Stephen King's "Pet Sematary," Bobby does not turn out to be what Mommy wants.  Maybe he never was.  But this is the best of the three, and I urge you to watch and savor it, especially with Joan.  Seventies child star Lee Harcourt Montogomery plays the devil child.

                                                All in all, we seem to be in for a fun evening.  A nice way for "Svengoolie" to end September, which just flew by, didn't it, darlings???????????

                                                 See you all, tonight at 8.  Baby Gojira and Little Pippin are so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two Very Different Gems!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Last Saturday, as David and I settled down to watch "Svengoolie," who was showing "The Incredible Shrinking Man," which we last saw minus sound, due to station problems, I discovered Channel 13 was showing "Moonstruck" that evening, and the decision was made.

                                        If you have seen it, darlings, you know it is the perfect comforting, cheer up movie.  If you haven't, then as Cher's Loretta says, "Snap out of it!"

                                         When I saw this film in 1987--and I saw it many times--I wanted to be just like Cher on the poster.  I even once kicked a can down the street, like Cher, in my camel haired coat.

                                            For those who want love, and even more for those who have it and appreciate it, "Moonstruck" celebrates everything romantic, including the kind of New York City that is no more.  That stunning shot of daybreak, with the twin towers showing now brings tears to my eyes, even though the shot of daybreak is incredibly beautiful.

                                              The opening shots of Lincoln Center made me feel so proud, as that was where I was working back then.  It was my home away from home.

                                            And, girls, the scene where Cher gets her hair done and a new outfit, and drinks wine as she gets ready for the evening?  It is what we all want, isn't it?

                                             Add to this delicious food shots in a restaurant or at home, plus a cast that could not be equaled, let alone paid substantially if tried to assemble today.  How sad some of those--including Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis--are gone.

                                                 David and I felt so good after "Moonstruck."

                                                  Now, when do we go to the Italian restaurant, and have wine?

                                                                                     

                                    For a very different kind of gem, David and I rushed to the Film Forum the very next day to catch an early screening--11am--of John Ford's drama of social realism, "How Green Was My Valley."  If you need a tearjerker, darlings, this is it.  The above shot of Roddy McDowall being hauled up from the mine holding his dead father (Oscar winner Donald Crisp) in his arms is heartbreaking to watch, and in some ways says all there is to say about this film.

                                      Based on Richard Llewlyn's novel, which I read in eighth grade, the film tells the story of the Morgans, a coal mining family in Wales.  It is a story of love and loss and is filled with any number of gripping and moving moments.  The Welsh Singers add a lyricism to the story, but it is the performances of the cast--Roddy McDowall, in what might have been his first performance as the young Huw Morgan, from whose viewpoint the story is told, Maureen O'Hara, looking stunning at only 19, as Angharad, Anna Lee as Bronwyn, and Sara Allgood and Donald Crisp, as the parents.  Patrick Knowles is outstanding as one of the brothers, and this may be the only film featuring both siblings, Barry Fitzgerald and Aruthur Shields.  

                                         Of course, Arhtur Miller's cinematography shows the promise he would later expand upon two years later, in "The Song Of Bernadette."  The set design, the actual village and mine reconstructed with authenticity, is a major set piece in this stand out film of beauty and spirit.

                                          But love, and loss, are at the heart of "How Green Was My Valley."  

                                         Different as it is from "Moonstruck," it is a gem, and offers a kind of comfort and hope one might not expect.

                                            I went through several tissues, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       

After 47 Years, "Close Encounters Of The Third Kind" Still Holds Up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        To think I first saw this just months after graduating from college.  My father and I went to see it at the then Loew's on Route 18, in East Brunswick, on December 31, 1977--New Year's Eve.  Over the years, I had thought of it many times, but was afraid to see a revival thinking it would not stand the test of time.

                           I was wrong.  'Close Encounters' not only holds up, but it is also better than anything made today.  As my movie friend Chris, who accompanied me, explained, this was one of the last sci-fi films to be made without any computerized effects, so everything seen is real.  And one can tell.  The computerized junk that pollutes our screens today is so obviously artificial I lose interest.  In some ways, the Fifties giant monster movies were better than what is churned out today.

                           But back to 'Close Encounters'.  The heart of this film are Jillian and Barry Guiler, played by Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey.  Melinda received an Oscar nomination for her work here, and so should have Cary.  I forgot Terri Garr is in the film, wonderful as Richard Dreyfuss' wife, and as for Dreyfuss himself, I think this is his most restrained performance.  Spielberg really and wisely reigned him in.

                          It still has my favorite opening--a haze of sand dust, revealing the lost planes of Flight 19 from 1945.  On my first viewing I had never heard of this, but my father explained it to me, and I was fascinated ever since.  What could have happened?  The Bermuda Triangle?  Or did, as in this film, something happen, that the government kept from us?  It would not be the first time, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           The visuals are stunning--the Midwestern sky, the stars, Melinda running after Cary as the ship caries him away--all the sequences in this film, leading up to the big reveal are visually arresting, outdoing anything done today.

                             With such a lapse between viewings, it was almost like seeing it for the first time.  It made me long for the days when movies were something to go to, instead of the dreck being turned out today.

                                  Still, I don't think I would have gone on that ship.

                                  For me it's flying away in a house, like Dorothy, or down the rabbit hole, like Alice!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Entertainment NOT Guaranteed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Recently, at BAM, I looked in on the musical "Safety Not Guaranteed," the musical adaptation of an indie film I never had of.  Let me say that my beloved David, who was with me, loved it.  He said it made him feel good and was entertaining.  I could not be happier for David, who is in need of likable distractions these days.  So, I am glad he found the show enriching.  No one is required to agree with what I say.  Even you, dear readers.  I just put it out there and stand by my words.

                                         The show is about time travel, which is something I do not particularly care for, so, right away, it has a strike against it.  But the real problem is that this is a musical desperately wanting to find its way, that has aspirations of moving to Manhattan, and if what I saw is frozen, then it has not got a chance.  True, I saw the very first performance, but that is no excuse for non-musical spots that lag, due to a lack of pacing, and a staging that recalls such shows as "HAIR," "Runaways," and "Illinoise," only lacking the compelling music of these aforementioned classics.

                                          "Safety Not Guaranteed" is not anywhere near a classic.  The vocals and dancing of the obviously talented young cast are wasted; it is my hope, while doing their best here, these actors will go on to other and better gigs.

                                             Hey, the ushers should have alerted the audience that this show is performed without an intermission.  The spine is strong, but the bladder weak.  And it is a full two and a half hours with no intermission!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Maybe so no one can walk out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                I am so happy my beloved David liked this show.  But I can only recall one of Bert Lahr's classic lines from my favorite, "The Wizard Of Oz--"

                                                "Trapped!  Trapped like mice!  Rats!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                            

These 'Hills' Are NOT Alive, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Whenever I see a play I dislike, I sit back and try to analyze why I am so disengaged.  Let me say first that "The Hills Of California" has a terrific acting ensemble.  Laura Donnelly as Veronica/Joan, and Leanne Best, as Gloria are outstanding.  Sam Mendes' direction is excellent, but the problem is this play is like a puzzle that has not been assembled.  All the potential pieces for greatens are there, but the work does not gel.  Part of the reason is Jez Butterworth never met a word he did not like--and he is NOT Charles Dickens!  This play does not need to be three hours long, but neither did any of Butterworth's other plays.  The author just does not know when to quit.  This play needed a dramaturg badly to work on it, so it could be the potentially great play I see amid all the mess.

                                     With a bevy of sisters gathered for their mother's passing, and the chronicling of what their mother did to her daughters, especially Gloria and Joan, makes what Mama Rose in the upcoming "Gypsy" does to her offspring seem tame by comparison.  Her daughters at least got somewhere; no one in this play really does.  Maybe that is the point.  The mother, Veronica is so bent on her daughters achieving success she did not, that Joan becomes a version of mother, Jill becomes a reclusive spinster, Gloria an embittered woman, and Ruby, well let's just say she is the least damaged.

                                          But, really, three hours of this????????????  Jez, honey you have got to learn to trim the dramatic fat and get to the meat of things.  Even if cut by a quarter, with the performances, "The Hills Of California" might have soared.  It still would not be great, but it would have been better than what was dished out to me the night I saw it.

                                              I should note--at intermission, as I made my way to the men's room, I saw hordes of people walking out.  I did not blame them, but, with me, a Theater Queen, hope springs eternal.  Maybe things would come to life in the second act.

                                               Revelations came a' plenty in Act Two, but the action still went on far too long.

                                               I cannot in good conscience recommend this play.  For those who want quality California stories, stay home and read John Steinbeck's Great American Novels--"The Grapes Of Wrath," and the even better "East Of Eden."

                                               "California, here we come!"  But not at this play, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Briefly, Here Is What Has Been Happening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        I must apologize to all my girls and readers for not being on as much as I should have been.  That is because my David works remotely from home on Monday and Tuesday, and between that, and shepherding both of us to our respective doctors, I have not had a substantial amount of time to sit here and pound out things that are long overdue.

                                        Speaking of overdue, I am so far behind in my reading.  You know I set the bar every year at 100 books, and in many cases I go over that.  This year, because of events, I am only on my 66th book, which is --

                                               And while it is a very satisfying read (and I am intrigued by "Cleopatra And Frankenstein;" I mean, the title alone!) it is not going to be one of my top five contenders.  I feel like I should have found my Book Of The Year by now, and I just haven't.  Maybe at the last minute? The point is I am behind, and I need to do more writing.  Which is why I am writing a post attempting to explain what is going on.

                                                  Wish me luck, girls, because it has been a challenging year, for both David and I, for reasons which must remain private.  But I cannot stop us from joy!

                                                      So, keep reading, dears!  You have not been abandoned!!!!!!!!!!!      

Stop Blaming The Baby Boomers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Every day I turn on my computer, and see the home page, I see some article or other blaming the Baby Boomer generation, which happens to be mine.  Ever since we popped out of our mothers' wombs, we have been blamed for just about everything--TV watching leading to a decline in reading, being unable to adapt to the New Math (because the New Math really did not make any sense), music in our teens, Woodstock, the Viet Nam War, turning (well some of us) into Yuppies, leaving our children and grandchildren jobless or unable to get a job.

                                  Well, you know what, darlings, enough is enough!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 We are also blamed for not being the techno savvy members of our younger peers.  Hey, we did not grow up with this stuff, and now society wants to create illiteracy by banning books and eliminating cursive writing.

                                      And as for being unable to get jobs, we had the same problem once we graduated from school.  Only, being Boomers, we had a larger population we were competing with.

                                     Well, who is to blame for that, chickens, huh?

                                      And how about cancel culture?  Who is to blame for that?

                                     Stop blaming whatever mistakes we made on what you, my future darlings, are going to make, or are making right now.  Let's see how younger generations tally when they begin aging out, like we are now.

                                        Each generation thinks it is the best, and all knowing.  Well, it is not.  What sets these groups apart are the times each lived in or are living now, how they adapt or don't adapt, and whether or not they show enough respect to learn from those older.  I would like to see more of this last.

                                        No generation knows it all or deserves to be blamed.  But don't feel bad, dolls. There will be plenty of blame to go around for future generations to come.

                                         Because the inevitability of changing times is one thing that can be counted on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    

                                      
 

Girls, Join Us Tonight At 8PM, As "Svengoolie" Presents 1972's "The Night Stalker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                           Like Betsy Palmer with "Friday The 13th," I am sure that when all was said and done that Darren McGavin had no idea this would be his signature role!

                                            But--

                                            Girls, I urge you, if you have never seen it, then, by all means tune in.  However, if you have already seen this, and aren't a fan, there is no reason to tune in.  We are going to watch something else, and I will report on that in posts to come.

                                               McGavin is really good in this role, and it is a pleasure to watch his performance.  But the story is slow moving, and the film really did nothing for me.

                                                 So, those who wish to tune in, I urge you to.  If you want to watch something else, then do so, and let me know.

                                                  Happy first Autumn Saturday, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Welcome To Autumn, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!! Proserpina Goes Back To Hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              And today we commence the six-month slump, where Ceres' tears cause leaves to wither and die, and Winter snows to fall.  That time when it turns dark at 4:30PM, which I never looked forward to, even as a child.  Of course, I am a Fall baby, so that brings my birthday, and it is a big one this year!  I can hardly believe it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!  Thank God for facial foundation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               While Proserpina roasts in Hell, we get cooler on Earth, which for me is a blessing.  No tropical climates for me, darlings. And creepy crawly creatures?  Only on "Svengoolie," loves.

                                 So, welcome one and all to the autumnal season.

                                I can't wait to see the Fall fashions.

                                Some think tomorrow is the first day.  I was taught the 21st.

                                 Happy Autumn, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another Classic Image To Share With My Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Theater queens will know instantly, but for novices and newbies, it may be necessary for me to explain the above photo.   Standing down front is Kelly Bishiop in her TONY-winning life-inspired portrayal of the wonderfully acerbic Sheila Bryant in the original cast of "A Chorus Line," which turns 50--can you believe it? --next year!!!!!!!!!!  And if someone does not do anything about it, I will.

                                Behind Kelly, left to right, are Wayne Cilento as Mike Costa, Baayork Lee as Connie Wong, Michel Stuart as Gregory Gardner, and the great Donna McKechnie in the cap of her career as Cassie Fergusson, also based on her life.

                                   One could never assemble a cast like this again.  Is the talent even out there?

                                    Which is why I think it would be a great idea to gather the surviving originals and have them perform the show for a limited run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   People would flock to it, and I would be first in line!

                                        October 25, 1975, when I first saw "A Chorus Line," with my father!

                                         It was a life changer, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    

Now, Here Is Someone Who Knows All About Color!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Imagine, darlings!  Iris Apfel resembles Rollerina!!!!!!!!!!!  Who would have thought?  When I saw the cover of this book, which espouses something I do--color! --I knew I had to share it with all my girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Doesn't it just make one want to go out and buy this book???????????

                                        Iris paved the way for Diana, ANNA, and others!  Why were it not for her, there might not be a Charles DeVilmoron!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          It's all about color, girls!  And this book can help us look our best!  As well as our interiors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                            Oh, that Iris!!!!!!!!!!!!  No wonder I love iconoclasts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Darlings, You Would Scream Too If You Saw THIS Coming Home From A Date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Imagine, the perfect romantic Saturday night evening out, you come home in your jewelry and black gown, and then you spot THIS!  Some poor creature with no make-up or fashion sense!  Could anything be more terrifying??????????????????

                             Well, if one were that girl, I would be very afraid.  Either the makeup ran, or she simply did not know how to apply it!  And that hair!!!!!!!!!!!!   She must have had hers clipped beside some truck side dumpster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Really, I would be ashamed to go out looking like that.  She looks worse than before I have my morning coffee.  And that is not a pretty sight to see, let me tell you, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Fashion counts every day, but especially on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Remember, Friday night is for the wives!  Saturday is for the girl friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Dearies, you will never bag a man looking like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Farewell To The Summer Of '24!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Yes, darlings, that sad time has arrived--the last day of Summer, 2024.  Proserpina is all packed and ready to go.  Tomorrow, she goes back to Hell to spend the next six months with Pluto, and her mother, Ceres, sheds tears, hence the falling leaves and snow.

                                 And so, the seasons go, girls.  For us this summer brought unexpected gifts in the form of more theater than we have seen in many a moon.  There were struggles and still some to come, but so far, we got through this Summer.  Let us see what the next seasons bring.

                                  I shall always remember this Summer at its brightest, even at some of the darker times.  And having David to share it, for whom I will do anything to protect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    Tomorrow, girls, Summer 2024 is history!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     See you next Fall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Great Horizontal Of The Twentieth Century!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         It is inconceivable to me, given the times, that Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman did not become one of Truman Capote's swans.  I bet she and Capote crossed paths over the years, but maybe her history reminded Capote too much of his mother.

                          Because, darlings, Pamela elevated and defined the art of sleeping her way to the top.  No one did it better than she.  Hence, the titular designation in the headline.  I first came across Pamela in 1977, when I read Brooke Hayward's classic memoir, "Haywire." She spoke for all children, whose mothers are gone, but whose fathers either remarry or keep company with another woman--as my father did with that Mary Daly; oh, don't get me started on her! --when she said, "All I can say about Pamela is that she made my father comfortable and happy."  Ditto, Mary Daly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Unlike Mary, Pamela had a skill that Hayward singled her out for, when he called her "La Bouche."  Apparently, long before Linda Lovelace, Pamela was especially skilled at fellatio.  I wonder how and where she learned that?  That, to Heyward, was the highlight of his marriage to Pamela.  Ah, those heterosexuals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Don't try to sleep your way to the top, girls; it never works.  Pamela came from money, had class, and that special skill.  And she became an Ambassador To France.  I am telling you,, this gal got places!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      What's the takeaway from Pamela's story?  Darlings,

 don't sell yourselves short!  Don't go for the Weinsteins of the world!  Aim higher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          And swallow your pride!  Who knows how much Pamela swallowed??????????

                            

Now, This Is Sensible Casting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Girls, you are hearing it here, first!  Danny Burstein is going to be Herbie to Audra Mc Donald's Rose in the forthcoming revival of "GYPSY!"  I am ashamed I did not think of this, because Burstein is just perfect for the role!

                              Unfortunately, the show does not rest on his shoulders.

                              It rests on Audra's, and I hope to God she is doing voice work, because if she thinks she can just march in there and wing it as Rose, as Bernadette Peters did, back in 2003, which was a disaster, then she is sadly mistaken.   It might be career suicide.  I know because I saw Peters.  By the time Bernadette got to "Rose's Turn" I worried her vocal cords might give out.

                               Same with Audra, who is not a belter, so I hope she is doing something about this.  The show has one of the greatest scores, but with an ineffectual Rose, it falls flat, no matter how good the supporting players are. And if they are going for Burstein as Herbie, I am sure the rest of the cast will be stellar, in its own way.

                              Alas, I am not so sure about Audra.  But I hope I am proven wrong.  I was about Tyne Daly.  This "GYPSY" begins previews November 21, with a December 19 opening night. That is the very same evening, and theater, that the original production of "The Music Man" opened, back in 1957.  So, maybe this will bring it good luck.  It will need it.

                               But I am not worried about Burstein!  

                               Welcome to the show, Danny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mia Is Out Of "The Roommate" With Covid! But For How Long??????????????????????

                                        That, girls, is the question along the Great White Way, with Marsha Mason, the show's associate director, filling in for her.  But is this temporary or permanent?

                                        If the latter, it will change the entire run of the show.  Mia got even better reviews than Patti for her performance.  We have tickets to it on November 20--the matinee--and I want to see Mia. I want to see Patti, too, but I have seen her many times, so I know what she can do.  But I have never seen Mia on a stage.  And don't forget, she is Maureen O' Sullivan's daughter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Good an actress as she is, I just cannot see Marsha Mason doing this role.  She is not the Mia type.  The understudy they have, Carol Halstead, looks like she could handle both types, and it is unfair that she is not given the chance.  Since Mason is a name, of course the producers wanted her, but forget character and physical type--throw it out the window--because Marsha is as far from Mia as Patti.  Now, it will be like having two Pattis on stage, and where is the contrast?

                                               It makes me question the future of this show.  Should we end up not seeing it on November 20 , I will not be surprised.  But que sera sera.

                                                Keep your fingers crossed for Mia, girls.  As a sage said, it is "Rosemary living with Evita."  This is what audiences want to see.

                                                  Mamma Mia, indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tonight, Darlings, Is The 102nd Anniversary Of The Hall-Mills Murder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             This was the central mystery of my childhood.  The road you see is DeRuse's Lane back in 1922, when the murder took place.  It is now Franklin Blvd. and borders both Middlesex and Somerset counties in New Jersey.

                              Off to the side was a famous crabapple tree.  It is said the Rev. Hall and Mrs. Mills, a choir singer he was having a liaison with, were found next to one another, their throats cut, and a penis stuffed in Mrs. Mills mouth.

                                 It was the scandal of this small-town area, and still is.  Mrs. Hall was a member of the family owning Johnson and Johnson, which still controls New Brunswick.  It was just too sexual for people to take, especially with the people involved.  In William Kunstler's book, "The Minister And The Choir Singer," he mentions on an early page, that as word of the murder spread, a little girl, living in inner New Brunswick, raced to spread the word to her mother and neighbors.  That little girl was my Aunt Mary, my father's oldest sister, and the eldest of the Hearn children.  Six degrees, darlings.

                                  And then there was the Pig Woman, who lived on a farm with pigs, thought she saw or heard something, and was ill by the time of trial, so she had to be brought in on a gurney!

                                  It remains unsolved.  Kunstler claimed it was the KKK.

                                  My paternal grandmother, who would talk to me about the murder, said she always believed Willie Stevens, Mrs. Halls' special needs brother, was responsible and I agree.  They probably confronted the couple in their tryst on this night in '22, things got out of hand, or maybe Mrs. Hall ordered Willie to do the dastardly deed.

                                    However, I always will believe it was Willie.  

                                   But each night, on this date, it is said you can hear the voices of the adulterous lovers, crying out for justice!

                                    Happy Anniversary, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If We Watch The FIlm Only On Audio This Time, We Will Know That The Film Is Cursed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    The last time "Svengoolie" showed 1957's "The Incredible Shrinking Man," something was wrong with the channel, and we had to watch the picture soundless, like a silent movie.

                                      If we get sound, and no picture, we will know that the film is cursed.

                                     This is not one of my favorite films, but the sequence with the spider, who looks pretty artificial here, is a highlight, and will be fun to see and hear.  Believe me, on film it looks more realistic.

                                       Grant Williams has the title role, and William Schallert, forever known as Patty Duke's father, plays one of his character roles.  There is really not much to expect; ironically, it is "The Amazing Colossal Man" in reverse.  The studios really wanted to torture humans, back in 1957. when both films were released.

                                         So, join us at 8PM, to see if this repeat succeeds.

                                         If it does not, dears, simply watch something else!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     

"Kill Her, Mommy!!!!!!!!!!!! Kill Her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Yes, girls, it is that time again.  Friday The 13th when we acknowledge it with Betsy Palmer in her signature performance as Pamela Voorhees, which we will watch tonight.  Baby Gojira and Little Pippin are so excited.

                           And we cannot wait to see Jeannine Taylor (now a top NYC real estate agent) in her dramatic turn as Marcie Cunningham.  The scene where she imitates Katherine Hepburn in the mirror is priceless.  Admit it; we've all done it, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Everyone has their own way of celebrating--or ignoring--this day, so do as you please.  But think of us at 8PM, and, if so inclined, turn on your DVD and join us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Now, she couldn't let them open this place again, could she?

                                 Here is some footage of Betsy transitioning.  What an excellent job she does!

                                 And what good dental coverage she must have had during this shoot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

       

...."On September Twelfth, Right Here In Front Of The Waverly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                                   It is here again, darlings!  Today is Frank Mill Day.  I plan to march into the city, and sing the song--where else--in front of the Waverly.

                                    Would that I was as young as Shelley Plimpton, above.  But even Shelley--hard to believe--is 77 and looks great for that age.  Today is as much Shelley's day, as "Frank Mills."

                                      So, a happy Frank Mills Day to one and all.

                                      You know what song to listen to today, dolls!

                                                    Enjoy!

This Day Will Never Be Forgotten!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              I knew where I was that day.  And so, I bet, do most of you readers.  And wasn't this the day that G.W. Bush uttered that famous line, "Is our children learning?"

                                Too many, because of what happened that day, failed to live long enough to see if those children did learn, or maybe to have any children at all..  The 9/11 attack was the second benchmark in the lives of the much-maligned Baby Boomer Generation--mine.  The first one was 11/22/63, the assassination of JFK, and March 13, 2020--what for us was the start of the Covid pandemic.

                                  How much more do we have to suffer?  And how many times is my peer group going to be blamed for the ills of this society?  While it may be natural to blame the previous generation for ills, let us not do it minus clarity, which is the case here.

                                      As you can see, this day makes me both sad and angry.  Of course, I will watch and mourn on the news tonight.

                                        But I wish I could get over the fear that something else is waiting for us in the wings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What Was Needed Last Night Was A Good Dose Of Jennifer Jones!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Really, darlings, I am not kidding.  A dose of Jennifer Jones, or even Gladys Cooper, was desperately needed last night at the return of the Saturday 5PM mass at St. Andrew The Apostle.

                              You see, girls, this church is on summer hiatus, from post Memorial Day to post Labor Day.  Last night was the first mass of the Fall season, and it should have been a warm and welcoming reunion.

                                  Instead, it was like actors in a long running show walking through the performance.  There was no jubilation, no enthusiastic welcoming of the congregation--just perfunctory greetings.  Worst of all, there was no singing or no music, not even a cappella. 

                                  Under the direction of former music director Anthony Aiella , I have sung in several programs, usually around Christmas or Easter.  As long as my voice holds out, which is pretty much a given, I could sing some hymns a cappella, as long as I know the selections.  I know it may be difficult to find a musical director, but come on, folks, you had the whole summer to prepare for what should have been a momentous event, and I came out of church not feeling uplifted.

                                     Get your act together, St. Andrew!  I would do the direction, but I can't read music that well or hit a keyboard.  I can sing, and if that is needed, I would be glad to offer my services.

                                       But to serve congregants a cold, unyielding service does them a disservice.

                                        I chose to do to this church because I thought it was more forward thinking.

                                        Maybe some fresh ideas are needed.

                                 

"Bop! Bop! Bop The Beetle! Hit! Hit! Hit It Right!"

                               .... Because, darlings, "When you feed the frog/Its mouth shuts tight!"

                               I never owned this Ideal game from 1962, but it was advertised enough that I can still remember its jingle.  My goodness, the tendency to interaction in children's games--this was a foreshadowing of Ideal's wildly successful "Mouse Trap," and Matel's equally popular "Bats In The Belfry."  The latter two I owned, and with plastic sticks and claws there was so much potential for players to go outside the boundaries of the game, and resort to violence, which they did.  Which I can attest to. Milton Bradley did the same thing with "BASH!"

                              Today's games, which I have no use for, are more interactive, and technologically challenging.  The violence is inflicted on the screen, not at each other, but I have to wonder--is this any better?  My peer group might have fooled around with game equipment, but it did not lead us into becoming mass school shooters, like the kids today.  The constant emphasis on violence thanks to video games, I am telling you, has something to do with the youthful upsurge of violence in our nation.

                                  Are there any peaceful video games out there?  Those in the know, feel free to tell me.

                                As for me, I will stick to games of yore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Girls, It Is Time To Think About Fall Fashions! How Abot A Gibson Girl Hair Style???????????????

                                              Girls, I have always wanted to be a Gibson girl, and this Fall, if I can grow my hair out, I am thinking of it.  With the perfect gown, wouldn't this look just fabulous?

                                               I lean toward the lower two, from left to right.  They seem so stylish and organized, compared to the abundance of froth in the others.  I have to look my most elegant, darlings!

                                                  Fall will be here before we know it.  Now is not too early to plan your seasonal fashion look.

                                                    Baby Gojjra says, "Get to it!"

 

Yes. Girls The Cult Classic "Killer Klowns From Outer Space" Is Back On "Svengoolie" Tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                          Anyone who has never seen this gem, by the Chiodo brothers is in for a treat.  Don't let the poster scare you off, darlings; this film has the most imaginative use of color costume design, and art direction I have seen in many a long time.  It is almost on a par with "The Wizard Of Oz," though, believe me, for artistry, the film is hardly on a par with that.  But the visuals are dazzling.

                                            Those having seen it know what I mean.  Those who have not need to, in order to appreciate what all the fuss is about.

                                             Little Pippin cannot wait to see it, and I don't blame him.  So, join us at 8PM tonight for this camp lark.

                                              First timers will never view the circus the same way again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did Vivien Leigh's Scarlett Green Curtain Dress Inspire Julie Andrews/Maria Curtained Children's Clothes????????????????????

                                                                                 

                           Or to be more specific, darlings, did screenwriter Ernest Lehman borrow this idea from "Gone With The Wind," into the movie version of "The Sound Of Music?"   Lehman did write the script for the 1965 film--would you believe his next project was "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf ?" Imagine going from one to the other!--but he did add the curtain component for 'Music', which was not in the original stage production.  Thinking about GWTW recently, I could not help recalling Julie and the curtains, and wondering if the biggest box-office winner of its day borrowed from the biggest box-office winner of an earlier day?

                            Could it be coincidence?  Somehow, I don't think so.  If coincidence is questioned, then it is not.

                              Plagiarism?  No.      Artistic license?  Yes.       

                               And what a wonderful idea.   I still want to be Heather Menzies and Angela Cartwright!