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.