This Commercial Is An Insult To New Yorkers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             I would like to know what the hell kind of advertising staff Geico has!  They have never created any ads that I liked.  Many may think that lizard cute, but I always found him damned annoying.  Then there is that disgusting Peter Pan commercial, which should be banned from the airwaves.

                              But their latest lizard commercial, which pokes fun at New Yorkers, most of whom live in small apartments, is insulting.  At first, the place looks kind of cute--well decorated, a Manhattan view; hey the lizard has gone New York.  Then the door knocks, and we find ourselves in a miniaturized world, straight out of "Alice In Wonderland," where the apartment is lizard sized, and the deliveryman puts the human sized packages of a Chinese food order, in the living room, filling up the entire space.  Only his hands and face are seen, as he, by comparison, is a giant.

                              The ad then ends with the lizard making some pithy comment about New Yorkers living in small apartments.

                                Where the hell are you living, Geico staff?????????  In Hollywood mansions??????  At Tara????????  I doubt it!  And if this is the best you can come up with, no wonder the commercials change so much, because your product does not sell, because nothing you can come up with works!!!!!!!!!!

                                  The problem is, you are clueless when it comes to grasping this!

                                   I have no wishes for any company to go under; however I do think a new staff is in order.  Hell, I am sure I could come up with something better; I do, each day, just by writing this blog!

                                   This is my birthday, and I want to relax, not get to worked up, so here is a final message to Geico, on behalf of those living in New York, and  myself--

                                    FUCK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here Is Where I Want To Spend My Day......In Loveland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                               "Loveland...where everybody loves to live"
                                                   --Stephen Sondheim, "Follies"

                            With all this pink, isn't it just so me, darlings????????  Let me tell you something about turning 61; with 60, you can fudge it if you want to, kid yourself, saying "I'm not in my Sixties--yet!!!!!!!!!!!
But, once you get into the numbers, there is just no denying.  Now, I never played this game with myself; whenever I reached a zero year, I accepted the newness of that decade.  But, now that I turn 61 today, I cannot play that game, even if I wanted to.

                             The scary thing is how closer I am getting to the age when my mother passed away--64.  Of course, she had lung cancer--big time!!!!!!!--and, hopefully, that will elude me.  That number figures in a John Lennon song, so I hope I am around three years later, to post that song on here.

                              As for today, once I finish writing, it is a day of relaxation--reading, visiting the dogs in the neighborhood, opening cards, (Birthday Party Barbie is once again out, for the next 30 days!!!!!!!!) and, later, meeting my beloved David, and having a birthday dinner, at our favorite place--Chadwick's.

                              All of which is my version of Loveland.  Now, I want to leave you all with a song, for all of us on this day, but not "Loveland from "Follies."   Here is the one and only Jessie Mueller, singing "Beautiful," from the show that won her that much deserved TON Y Award.  Go, Jessie, and everyone today, think about what this song says!

                               Another year, yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today Is A Special Anniversary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        Yes, darlings, today is my natal day, but before we get into that, it is important to acknowledge the 10th Anniversary of Ramsey, seated center.

                          The story goes like this.  For twenty two years, my good friend , Betty, a children's librarian, and her sister, Mary Jane, who worked in the tickets office at the New York Philharmonic, were famous for their Annual Christmas Cookie Party, held the last Saturday of every year.  The food was luscious, and so was the company.  Both sisters loved to entertain; on Thanksgiving they would host a dinner for those of us on our own, and I recall watching several TONY Awards and other programs in attendance at Betty's.

                          Her place was as comfortable and homey, as a Manhattan apartment could be.  Not right wing, like Cracker Barrel, but comfy.  She had plenty of books, knick knacks, and stuffed animals.  Ramsey,  a stuffed ram, was my favorite,.  He and I would just take to each other; he was plush, soft, cuddly and loving, and I would caress him, and hold him whenever I would visit Betty's.  It was a given I was visiting Ramsey (my name for him) too.

                         The year of 2004, Betty was not feeling well.  She thought of cancelling the party, but did not want to disappoint everyone.  So, she had it, but I could tell she was not up to her usual self.  I recall saying goodbye; my last glimpse of her was hanging out the door, smiling and waving, as a group of us got onto the elevator.

                            It was my last glimpse of Betty.  Because, on January 19, 2005, she died.  Of what is not certain, though heart failure was the favored diagnosis.  What was strange was Betty awoke that morning, not feeling well.  Mary Jane was sleeping in the living room, and  Betty told her, she thought she should go to the hospital..  Betty sat down in the living room chair, and when Mary Jane was finally ready to go, she discovered that Betty had...gone.  In the same chair, years before, that their father, visiting from Ohio, had passed away.

                           We were all saddened by Betty's death.  There was even a memorial service in our auditorium at work, where I spoke.  Did I sing?  I cannot recall,.

                            Months went by, and around early November, I got a call from Mary Jane, saying she wanted to have lunch with me, as she had something to give me.  As it turned out the day that best worked out was November 18, ten years ago today, which was my 51st birthday.  I met Mary Jane, and her husband, Byron, at Old John's Luncheonette.  We ate and talked, and then Mary Jane handed me a bag, with something in it.  This is what she wanted to give me.  I pulled the wrappings out of the bag, and there was Ramsey.  I was shocked; I did not expect this.  I looked at Mary Jane, and asked, "Are you sure?"  She replied, "Betty would have wanted you to have him."  I hugged Ramsey, and cried, just as I am now doing, writing this today.

                            Ramsey became an important part of my house, and life, and when I met David, and our homes blended, he became an important part of ours.  And he still is.  We had a celebration for him in October, because the group we would invite had planned on a luncheon with us out in our neighborhood, back then, so we just made it a party, with everyone coming back to the apartment for cake and coffee, in honor of Ramsey.

                             And, as it turned out, in honor of Betty and Mary Jane.  Because, earlier this year, in April, Mary Jane left us.  She lived slightly more than ten years than her sister, Betty, and now, I am convinced, the sisters are together, chatting, going to cultural events, doing what they did in this life.

                             May they rest in peace.  I miss them both.

                             But thanks to them, we have Ramsey to love.  So, today is his tenth anniversary with me--and with us!

                              Happy Anniversary, Ramsey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another Musical Theater Legend Celebrates A Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                    See the girl on the bottom?  That is Neva Small.  The girl above her is Robin Wilson, and the show was "Henry, Sweet Henry," a musical version of "The World Of Henry Orient."  The show was supposed to make Robin a Legend Of The Musical Stage, but those roles went to Alice Playten and Neva.  When composer-lyricist Bob Merrill heard her sing, he went crazy over her.  I did, too, the first time I heard her sing "I Wonder How It Is," on the cast album of this show.

                                    Merrill kept writing stuff for Neva that never got to Broadway.  But some of it is on record, and just fantastic.  Then there was her role in "Fiddler On The Roof," for which she is still mostly known, even though that was forty four years ago!

                                      She also appeared in "Leonard Bernstein's Mass," being his goddaughter,

                                       Today, Neva turns 63, is married, has raised children, and still turns up on the performance circuit.  I keep my eyes open for her at 54 Below; if any of you girls spot she is appearing there, let me know!

                                        So, Happy Birthday, Neva Small!  It is an honor to have your birthday be the day before mine!

Happy Birthday To Another Special Musical Theater Week Figure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Martha Plimpton, who turn 45 today, but does not look it, is more known as a comedic and dramatic actress, judging from the body of work. She did make her New York stage debut,  in a musical, Elizabeth Swados' "The Haggadah," while still a child.  And she is the daughter of two performers, who immortalized songs on their own--Keith Carradine, with "I'm Easy," from "Nashville," and, of course, Shelley Plimpton, with "Frank Mills, " from "HAIR."

                           Still, every time I have seen Martha do something musical, she just walks away with the whole thing.  Like her turn in the "Pal Joey" revival, or in the New York Philharmonic's "COMPANY."  So, I am telling you, right now, girls, those genes are just gestating, until they find a vehicle for Martha to explode in, on her own!

                            And, rest assured, darlings, it will happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Nevertheless, congratulations to Martha on her natal day!  She does not look her age, and I cannot wait for her next project.  It is so great to be aligned with her, during Musical Theater Week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Celebrate, Martha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Once Again, To The Greatest Show Stopper In Broadway History!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           Yes, darlings, in keeping with Musical Theater Week, today we honor the Greatest Of The Great--Donna McKechnie.  It has been the highlight of my year to cross paths earlier, with Donna, and Baayork, too, when Donna did her show at 54 below. Which, needless to say, was fabulous.

                            I have no idea what Donna is doing today, but I wish her all the best. And I have no doubt, that if called for, she could don that red leotard and skirt, hit the floor, and do "The Music And The Mirror," just like back in 1975.

                             Which I was there, for, darlings!  So Donna and I have come a long way!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Except I still cannot do that back bend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Happy Birthday, Donna, and many more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               Here she is, doing said number during the 1983 gala!  Note the audience gasps when she is joined by the other Cassies. Once that settles down, who is the only Cassie still focused upon???????  Donna, that's who!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why Wasn't The Last Episode Of "American Horror Story--Hotel" As Good As This Singular Image??????????????

                       Where the hell was Sarah Paulson?  And why give Finn Wittrock to Denis O'Hare's Liz Taylor, only to kill him off?  After all, he is the one who   looks best in white underwear.  Finn, I mean!!!!!!!

                         I have to say, at this point. darlings, I am sick of Lady Gag Reflex on this show.  That's right; that's what I am going to call her.  All the blood, sexualizing, and posturing has reduced a once promising franchise to a great big bore!  Like "Scream Queens," I have now to force myself to watch!

                           My only hope is that there may be something up with Chloe, Angela and the Countess.  I hope there is a showdown between she and one of these ladies.  Whenever Angela is on screen, she looks ready for a fight--and I hope she gives us one!  And poor Chloe seems to look regretful about what she did, so whom will she take that out on?  You better believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            I am still holding out for a surprise appearance from Jessica.  And I anxiously await the return of Lily!!!!!!!!  But this show better get on the ball if they want it to keep having an audience.  Hell, even if Holden killed the Countess, it would be an improvement!

                              The only horror here is what has been done to this show! And that truly scares me, dolls!!!!!!!!!!