Liza And I Are The Last Of The Belters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          If this does not quite seem like Liza to you, girls, you are right.  This is Christine Pedi as Liza.  I am using her because these days she is more Liza than Liza herself.

                          But, yes, darlings, she and I are the last of the belters.  This was made crystal clear by BARBRA's disappointing rendition of her classic, "The Way We Were," during The Robert Redford Tribute on The Academy Awards.

                             I never thought I would say this because BARBRA would go on forever, but that night it was clear she would not.  So, if she can no longer belt, then who is left?  Just Liza and I!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              Now, girls, BARBRA will be 84 on the 24th of this month.  I am now 71--I will be 72 in November--but my voice right now holds up pretty well.  Will I be able to say the same when I approach 84?  I cannot say, which is why I am telling everyone to be fair to BARBRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                              I mean, what would Linda Richman say?  And her friend, Liz Rosenberg???????????

                              One thing we can all agree on, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 Lea Michele is a KORVA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Is Good Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           You want to talk about suffering, girls?  I woke up in the middle of the night and was sick to my stomach.  I thought I would vomit, but I did not.  I slept till past noon, so tired, and woke slightly exhausted.  So, my Good Friday is going nowhere.  Maybe that is doing my part for Jesus.  Who know?

                            But, yes, it is the holiest day in the Christian calendar--although shouldn't Easter be that? --and we must remember how Jesus suffered for us all.

                             This day, girls, is a lot more than John Wayne, as The Centurion, saying "Clearly, this man was the Son of God" in "The Greatest Story Ever Told."

                               Of course, we all remember that, but Good Friday is so much more.

                                If you go out today, darlings, visit a church.  And display kindness to people and the little boo boo boos (dogs) that need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                  Good Friday wishes to all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 

                               

                              

Girls, Can You Believe This THING Wants To Play Sally Bowles In "Cabaret??????????????" And Fantine In "Les Miz!????????????" Fantine?????????????????????????????

                            You have got to be kidding me.  Is this some sort of belated April Fool's joke?  Because that is what it sounds like.

                             I will say one thing in favor of Miss Lea I-Am-Better-Than-Everyone-Else Michele--she has the hair for Fantine.  But that is about it.

                            The role requires an emotional voice, beauty, warmth and vulnerability.  Fantine is the show's emotional center; there would be no story without her.  And she is supposed to break audiences" hearts.   After seeing Michele braying her way through "CHESS," though she can carry a tune and hold notes, she has no emotionality, no sense of characterization, making the notion of her playing Fantine, let alone Sally Bowles, who, though a survivor, still has a vulnerable quality ridiculous!  And aren't we a bit too, shall we say mature, Miss Michele, for these roles?????????

                                 She scored lucky in "Funny Girl," but never fully erased the memory of BARBRA, though I am sure she thought she did.

                               Quit while you are ahead, Lea.  Don't dare ruin any of these classic shows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                You are simply playing an older, more haggard and arrogant version of Rachel Mayberry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                   That is where you will stay, and where you belong!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This Day Just Happens To Fall This Year On Maundy Thursday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    After 47 years, it remains the saddest, most life changing day of my life thus far.

                                  My mother had been hospitalized for 6 weeks with inoperable lung cancer. We knew what the result would be.  But even if anyone thinks they are prepared, are they really?

                                    My father and I said good night on April 1, expecting to see her the next day.  Around 7:30AM, the phone rang.  It was the doctor, telling us that mother had passed.  I recall waking up in bed, and that the radio downstairs was playing a song I hated, and came to hate even more--"Honey," by Bobby Goldsboro!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                      And just a week after we put down our beloved, but ailing, 14-year-old French poodle, Baby Mouse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        What happens now?  What does the future hold for me.  I felt like Scarlett looking out on her life after seeing how the war had ravaged Tara!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                           I could never imagine then I would be where I am now.  The next three-and-a-half years were difficult ones for me.  

                                            Still, I never forget this day and what it did for me.  And how, like small starting engines, it ignited my life.

                                              But the loss is still felt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laudy, Laudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's Maundy Thurssday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         Now, things really speed up as Holy Week closes in, girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        This is the night of The Last Supper, Judas betraying Jesus, Peter denying Jesus, and Jesus himself arrested and taken away.  What a rough 24 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Today, we reflect on this day, and why things happened the way they did.  Jesus did this for us, and we should remember him for it.  However you reflect on this day, do it any way you choose.

                          And remember, according to legend, the words Jesus said to the Apostles at The Last Supper--

                            "Everyone get behind the table, for the picture!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Today Is Spy Wenesday, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         Holy Week really kicks into play here on this day.  Hardly happy, this is the day when Judas began his betrayal of Jesus.  He told them where he could be found and that the man they will see Judas kiss is actually Jesus.

                              No, girls, it is not a day to play spy or James Bond.  It sets in motion the path for the joy of the Resurrection, which will occur that coming Sunday.  And which we know as Easter.

                                Oh, sure, bunnies and baskets are there, but the real deal is Jesus rising from the dead to save all us sinners.  Know what I mean, darlings????????  I include myself in this category.

                                  Take some time to reflect on this day.

                                   And the suffering Jesus endured for us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here We Are In April!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                        Girls, we have completed one fourth of 2026.  But alas T.S. Eliot called April "the cruelest month," and I have to agree.  This is a hard one for me, as it has so many death anniversaries in it--six, I believe, including the most life changing, my mother, which happened 47 years ago tomorrow.

                                          So, I don't think I can be blamed for being a little apprehensive.  Nevertheless, there is Passover tonight, Easter on Sunday, and with it the annual screening of "The Song Of Bernadette," in a remastered edition!  We also have tickets to "Becky Shaw," and "The Lost Boys" musical, our taxes are done

                                             It could be April may not be that bad a month after all.  We can only hope.

                                            I just have to keep thinking of Judy Garland and Fred Astaire doing "When The Midnight Train Leaves For Alabam," in 1948's "Easter Parade."