What Do Theater Queens Do, On Super Bowl Sunday?????????????????????????

                          I think it is very telling--showing that someone at WNET reads this blog--that Channel 13, on its 9PM movie last night, ran the 1962 "Gypsy," with Rosalind Russell, and Natalie Wood.  The night before the Super Bowl, and what better film to show than a musical, considered one of the Gold Standards among Theater Queens!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          I have been thinking, singing, and writing about "Gypsy" a lot, lately, so  it is interesting that it turned up last night.  We had Auntie Alvin over for dinner, last night, and the plan was for all of us to watch it together, and, when the musical numbers came on, I would sing them the way they SHOULD be sung!  But Auntie Alvin had to go home to feed his birds, and settle in for the night--he almost had a little snooze, here, darlings; just think if we had given him a drink, we might have had him here all night!

                          I watched the intro to "Gypsy," where the host was talking about the film, and showing clips.  When  it got to the train station scene, with "Everything's Coming Up Roses," I realized I could not watch this film!  The set looked too stagy, Russell was too stiff, and, while she made a valiant effort, she just wasn't right!  And, having been raised on Merman, and being able to see Patti Lu Pone do the big moments on "You Tube," there was really no need for me to see "Gypsy."  But I hope this did not stop the rest of you, for, especially those with less exposure than I, it is a rather enjoyable film!

                          And it is almost my story!  I LIVED it, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         Like I said, someone at the network must have shown this, in response to Theater Queens and the Super Bowl.

                          So, what does a Theater Queen do on the actual day????????????????

                          Well, Monsieur and I, like good TQ's, are actually off to the theater.  We are seeing the latest Charles Busch play, "The Tribute Artist," over one East 59th Street, mercifully away from the manic wildness of the Theater District, crawling with Super Bowlers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Now, for those who are not going to the theater today, here are some alternatives.

                             1. Put on the cast album of "Gypsy."  Listen to it, and act it out!

                             2.Ditto "Funny Girl!"

                             3.Practice your Baby June Split, in the living room!

                             4.Work on those Donna McKechnie moves, with "The Music And The Mirror!"

                             5. Make yourselves a High Tea, and sip and munch, while listening to the MGM
                                  soundtrack of "Gigi!"

                             6. Recite Neely O'Hara's dialogue from "Valley Of The Dolls" full blast, to
                                   provoke your Super Bowl neighbors!!!!!!!!!!!

                             7. Ditto "What Ever Happened To Baby Jane?' and "The Bad Seed!!!!!!!!!"

                             8. Phone your local straight bar, and when the bartender answers, blast the
                                    Overture to "Mame" into the phone!

                              9. Visit your resident gay bar, and drink yourself into senselessness, while
                                    listening to "Judy Garland At Carnegie Hall!:"

                             10.  Watch John Waters' "Hairspray," and do all the dances!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                   Now, aren't those lovely alternatives, darlings??????????

Life does not have to end for us, just because it is Super Bowl Sunday!  Go on, now, and make your own fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                   And, keep in mind, in just four weeks we get even, with what is considered the Gay Super
Bowl--the Oscars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                   Cheers, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           

       

Six More Weeks Of Winter, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                Wouldn't you just know it?  With the horrible weather that has been hitting us in NYC this season, you'd think we would get a break.  But we don't. Punxsutawney Phil, the official word ion all things Ground Hog, in that Pennsylvania community, saw his shadow, so we are stuck with six more weeks of this!

                                   Which is interesting, considering that, during the night, between midnight and four AM, there is going be a deluge of rain and snow, guaranteed to make going to work tomorrow, at the very least, challenging.  Then, Tuesday night, into Wednesday, we are supposed to get several inches more of the white stuff.  What the hell is going on?  Give me "Doctor Zhivago," and Julie Christie, not this!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      But Phil was right on the mark, dolls!  Groundhog Day 2014 scores, delivering more of Winter's woe!

                                       Just make sure you are nice and cozy inside, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Girls, I Have Such Exciting Theatrical News!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             You know, darlings, I simply adore those Keenan-Bolgers.  I just can't recall their order. I know Celia ( currently still wowing them as Laura in "The Glass Menagerie) is the eldest, but who is the baby--Andrew or Maggie???? I never can quite remember.

                                Let me tell you something, girls! The older one gets, the more time blurs together.  What I thought was several years ago, the Public Theater mounted a production of a musical called "Radiant Baby," which was the life of artist Keith Haring.  It was obviously done with the hope that it would move beyond the Public, and I never got to see it, because seeing something at the Public--I mean, getting tickets--these days has become as tough to go after as tickets at BAM.  And, unfortunately, it never went anywhere, back when it was first done, in 2003!  That was eleven years ago! Can you believe it has been that long?????

                                 But all that may change.  Last month, Ann Morrison's stint at 54 Below was the most exciting theatrical feat in town!!!!!!!  But now, on the 24th of this month, at Joe's Pub, down at the Public, a concertized version of "Radiant Baby"  is being done, and guess who is singing the role of Keith Haring?
None other than Andrew Keenan-Bolger, who I not only think is perfect for this part, and will do it brilliantly, but if this could go somewhere, it could do for him what Laura has done for Celia and Carole King for Jessie Mueller. It is time Andrew got his due. He may one of the prettiest faces out there, but, girls, there is more to Andrew than just his pretty face!  And no lewd comments, please!  I am talking about this young man's talent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  The performance begins at 9:30 PM.  How I want to be there, but, generally by that time, my hair is in curlers!!!!!!!!!  Nevertheless, I will do my best! And how nice that it just happens to be on the 24th, the first night Celia has off from "The Glass Menagerie," because the day before, she ends the run!!!!!!!  Nice timing, there!  I have no doubt Celia and Maggie will be there to cheer Andrew on!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Not only do I want to wish Andrew the best, I want to discuss his kale recipe with him!  So, hopefully, I can get down there, or maybe this will be such a success, Andrew and Company will take it further!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       Hope to see you there! You do not want to miss this evening of preciousness, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                               

Home Decorating Tips From Pauline de Rothschild!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              No, darlings, she was not exactly one of Truman Capote's Swans, but she might as well have been! Hell, she could have been one of mine!  Look at that decor!  I would kill to have a room like that!  The only thing I would change is the green deor!  I would still keep the look and pattern, but in my trademark pink!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   Born Pauline Potter, on December 31, 1908, she always maintained one should grow up in Baltimore, marry in New York, and be married in Europe. And that is what she set about doing. I always refer to her as the Baroness Pauline de Rothschild, because, if she wasn't, she ought to have been.  She was a stylist, a writer, and a designer.  I love her design her, but the sense of color is not me, at all.

                                     She was exceptionally tall, with lanky legs, and defined the art of wearing pants for women. Her death, a heart attack, took place in the lobby of the Biltmore Hotel, in Santa Barbara, California. I guess you should go out in style, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Though I would prefer some of Manhattan's more esteemed hotels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        But I am planning no such. Though I would like to decorate one the rooms--either the bedroom or living room--in this style, albeit in pink!

                                           I simply adore Pauline, darlings; it is high time you did, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Murder Of David Wellington Reed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       What a sweet child David seemed. Today, he would be in his early 40's, and he should be.  Who would have thought such tragedy, one I found extremely disturbing,  could befall such a young man, and over such a superficial motive?  And in a Podunk place like Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania.

                                          David was the All-American paper boy, known throughout town for riding his bike delivering, and friendly to all.  He was reliable to the max, so when David failed to return home, after a bike ride, on August 21, 1985, it was not the sort of thing he would do, and family members became concerned.

                                           It would turn out that David was murdered that day by a fellow named Joseph Geiger, who was 20 years old at the time, and, at the time of his arrest, was 43.  Isn't he some sick looking
thing, girls?  He should be, because he spent his entire life as a trashy drug dealer.  Joseph grew marijuana plants in his backyard--essential for his income--and someone had been stealing them. With David on his bicycle a familiar sight about town, Joseph, with no discernible proof, zeroed in on David, as the culprit.

                                             On the day in question, Geiger and his friend, Michael Kaplan, confronted David, luring him into the woods, and into an abandoned boxcar, where the plan was to just scare him. But Geiger's psychopathic rage got the better of him, and he punched this sweet kid in the face so hard, he fell against a metal beam, which cracked his skull, ending his short life.

                                                This piece of scum removed the body to a deserted area nearby, where it decomposed for years. When it was found, the remains were skeletal, but enough to show it was David. By the time Geiger was apprehended, David's mother and sister had passed on. His older brother and cousin are still alive, and must be appalled by the sentence he received--one to two years in prison, for involuntary manslaughter. By now, Geiger must be out, and I hope I or Reed's relations do not cross paths with him. He deserves no less than what he dished out to David.

                                                  Geiger called David a pot smoker.  What proof does he have?  And, while sweet, innocent looking youth may be pot smokers, nothing about David's short life suggested he was going down that path!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    I want to see Geiger go down the path Straight To Hell!  He may be free, but things have a way of coming around!  If I were Geiger, I would watch my step!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                                    Justice was served for David! But not enough!  But there is a Higher Power, darlings, and who knows what plans it holds for Geiger????????????????????????????

                                                     Enjoy your miserable freedom while you can, Joe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We Made It To Another Candlemass Eve, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                To think we have come to another Candlemass Eve, darlings!  For those not yet familiar with such goings on, this is the night the witches mock the rituals of the Church, and, at midnight, sacrifice a virgin!!!!!!!!!! Which gets more difficult each year!

                                  Each year I usually include a shot from the film that explains it all--"Horror Hotel," with the fabulous Patricia Jessel as Elizabeth Selwyn, burned as a witch on the third of March 1692, but reincarnated as Mrs. Newless, runs the Raven Inn in Whitewood, which is some vacation spot in Massachusetts, let me tell you.

                                    This year I wanted a change. So, I pulled up this fabulous shot of Allison Hayes--the Femme Fatale Of Fifties Fright Films, best known for her role as Nancy Archer in the classic "Attack Of The Fifty Foot Woman."  Allison should have received an Academy Award for this, and so should have Yvette Vickers, as slut Honey Parker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      In "The Undead," made in 1957, Allison plays Livia, a witch condemned to die in medieval times, but who manages to come back and wreak havoc with those in the present. That is she, with her guest Satan Imp, played by Billy Barty. He looks appropriately impish, but there is nothing virginal looking about Allison here, so I don't think she has to worry too much about being a sacrifice!

                                       It seems witches have declined over the years!  They used to be eye catching, like Allison, and Barbara Steele in "Black Sunday." Now, they seem to be bohemian harridans, like Ruth Gordon, as Minnie Castevet, in "Rosemary's Baby."  Even Elizabeth Montgomery, as Serena, was more fun!!!!!!!!!!

                                        I don't know if any of my readers are virgins or not, but if you happen to be, or even think of yourselves as being such, make sure you lock your doors by midnight!  You don't want some ugly old witches coming after you!

                                           On the other hand, if Allison Hayes knocks on the door, ask her in for a cup of tea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           Cheers on Candlemass, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A New Month Already, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                We have now come through one twelfth of 2014!  And while it seemed, going through it, January would never end, today it seems as though it whizzed by.

                                   It was certainly the coldest one I can recall!!!!  Brrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   But now comes the February thaw--Valentine's Day, which means kisses, chocolates,  and lots of warmth, a group of birthdays to celebrate, and, as the shortest month of the year, Spring will be here before we know it.

                                    Soon, my tax matters will be in the hands of my accountant, which relieves me no end!  And tomorrow, we are already going to the theater, seeing the new Charles Busch play, "The Tribute Artist."  It should be fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      But, with my beloved Monsieur, how could February, or any month, not be fun???????

                                        Love to Baby Gojira, Ramsey, and Cujo, too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!