tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53627332523718655422024-03-05T01:56:46.967-05:00Jerry CurlJerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.comBlogger7827125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-74915651889269981642018-07-27T17:41:00.001-04:002018-07-27T17:52:38.539-04:00Make Jerry Curl Great Again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You can't consider yourself a writer if you don't write.<br />
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In recent years, I have probably said those words to myself so often that they could be considered a mantra; a mantra that I don't want to embody but one that is nonetheless true.<br />
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I don't write anymore. I don't write to faraway friends. I don't write to remember. I don't write for pleasure. I don't write for release. I don't even Tweet.<br />
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At a recent job interview (for another job I didn't really want), I was asked what I would do for a living if I could do anything. Without even thinking about it, I said I would be a writer. But that was a stock answer. It's the answer I've always given to that question. But this time the answer felt phony. It felt forced. It didn't feel like me anymore.<br />
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The real, ugly, scary truth is that I don't know if I still got the right stuff to be the writer I wanted to be. While I have <i>always</i> questioned the validity of my own voice (my place in the world of opinions), I have never before questioned my abilities to provide that voice. Am I even a good writer? While some may argue that I never had the ability in the first place, this feeling is brand-spankin' new to me.<br />
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This is not to say that I'm now devoid of thoughts and opinions-- because those have only strengthened with age. But self-doubt has made me more introspective than I used to be. Because I can't articulate my feelings in written form, I turn inward and don't share my feelings at all. Which then obviously reinforces the self-doubt. It's a vicious cycle to be sure, but a drug-free one I'm happy to report.<br />
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Reasons for this writer's self-doubt abound. It could very well be that I don't fit into this age of rapid fire, <strike>140</strike> 280-character Tweet-wisdom. I can't (and never could) articulate myself so concisely. As an English major once upon a time, long-form self-expression is my jam.<br />
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Another issue I face these days is social media burnout. Like so many, I am connected to everything and nothing all at once. I follow all sorts of people who are interested in my interests; plants, books, toys, and boys. There are no holes in our digital landscape. So many people are doing and saying things about every single THING on the internet (and some even doing it exceptionally well), that I wonder how and where I can possibly plug in.<br />
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And that's to say nothing of our increased focus on the visual vs. written forms of expression. How can I write about anything that hasn't already been Snapped or Instagrammed? Creating content in six seconds or less goes back to my first point: I AM NOT CONCISE.<br />
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It's for these reasons (and so many more that remain unspoken or inarticulated) that I can no longer consider myself a writer. You can't be writer if you are so crippled by fear and doubt that you don't write. And I don't write anymore.<br />
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But this felt like a great release. And maybe a new start.Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-16727859561055838342017-05-16T22:02:00.000-04:002017-05-16T22:07:06.071-04:00Make Subscription Boxes Great Again: An open letter to Funko<div class="m_9158069483154571006p1" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Dear Funko,</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I hope you read the following in the spirit of constructive criticism with which it is intended.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I've been collecting Funko POPs! since 2011. At that time, my meager little collection included only Disney villains. Since then, things have gotten progressively more diversified.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kVNbcO3EtknBGs77GzcGS5hbh3r9ntzgjyvKSUWPoDGEKowuEo9Pk30xDRxj7WP6oJvO_EDtvFR8-mhaqiWQzI1yo6cupIoGIalJ6I-q5-wtmxO_oH7qwGbyNqo8vbx5xSEQ09juFXY/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3kVNbcO3EtknBGs77GzcGS5hbh3r9ntzgjyvKSUWPoDGEKowuEo9Pk30xDRxj7WP6oJvO_EDtvFR8-mhaqiWQzI1yo6cupIoGIalJ6I-q5-wtmxO_oH7qwGbyNqo8vbx5xSEQ09juFXY/s400/unnamed-1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNPZWEGidEsdPgIH3AuRkYrJ2Yo_WUrKyBuPs_S0jr-slKtbgx1orLo06HN7U_N9Xz_QyuVMv22kGvq8Ufhd7kl_TOAAni9q0s8IYl0B4O6O2b5rT7bXOVOT-tMlkfkv73EHE3Rr06sU/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMNPZWEGidEsdPgIH3AuRkYrJ2Yo_WUrKyBuPs_S0jr-slKtbgx1orLo06HN7U_N9Xz_QyuVMv22kGvq8Ufhd7kl_TOAAni9q0s8IYl0B4O6O2b5rT7bXOVOT-tMlkfkv73EHE3Rr06sU/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="213" /></span></a><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Last year, I jumped on the subscription box bandwagon for the first time. My first box was the Women of DC | Legion of Collectors box. It was a blind buy but I was sure that, with so many amazing heroines to pick from, the selection would be phenomenal. I was not disappointed: The Wonder Woman Invisible Jet, the un-Funkoed heroines tee, the artisty Batgirl patch. I didn't even mind the Harley Quinn pin. And that Hawkgirl POP! remains one of the crowning jewels of my collection.<span class="m_9158069483154571006Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The next Legion box was to be the Villains of Batman so I stuck around. That too was a terrific box.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">Euphoric with excitement and never being party to legendary comic rivalries, I quickly subscribed to the Marvel Collector Corps. box. And that's when things began to take a turn. </span>The Marvel theme then was X-Men. "How could you miss with such a rich tapestry of characters?", I thought This is how:</span></div>
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<ul class="m_9158069483154571006ul1" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">Another Wolverine POP! (FYI there are more mutants in that world than just him, despite Hugh Jackman's heroic tenure in the films)</span></span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">An admittedly cool tee shirt (which turned out to be of such poor quality that it's now a belly shirt)</span></span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">A Mystique bobble head <img alt="š“" class="CToWUd" data-goomoji="1f634" goomoji="1f634" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/e/1f634" style="margin: 0px 0.2ex; max-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle;" /></span></span></li>
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<span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">You get the flow of my drift. There was absolutely nothing exciting there. I ended up re-gifting a lot of this to unsuspecting nerd friends. I decided to continue with Collector Corps. for the Showdowns box and canceled soon thereafter.</span></div>
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<span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Next came your DC Legacy | Legion box. I remember <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkrZaC6h5u4">the teaser trailer for this</a> and was so excited! Who would they dig up from the vault? A classic Green Arrow surely. Nope. It was <strike>Elongated Man</strike> Plastic Man; a character so obscure and irrelevant that one would be hard pressed to even call him a Legacy figure. The rest of the box was just as pointless. I believe this was also when I got my first Funko salt and pepper shakers (Batman and Robin respectively). Green Arrow was in the box by way of the patch and the Batdog was my tee shirt. This time around, even the aforementioned nerd friends didn't want what I was giving them.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">The Superman-themed box taught me how literal you are with your themes. A Superman box means All Superman, All the Time. No Lois. No Jimmy. Not even Lex Luther made it to that box. </span>A little diversification wouldāve helped this one a lot. While the POP! figure was awesome and the ReAction figure was very appreciated, no one is subscribed to these boxes for Funko key chains.<span class="m_9158069483154571006Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">Like many of your fans, I learn about the contents of these boxes on your YouTube channel (Hi Cameron!). A</span>s I was watching the reveal video of the Superman box, I vowed then and there to end my subscription to all boxes. But just before the end, it was revealed that Wonder Woman would be the theme of the next Legion box. Alas, there was no way I could pass up on Diana.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">While I was very happy that this box contained two POP! figures, I was less happy with another version of the same Roman-styled Diana. </span>By my count, there are now four. (Someone fact-check me here). The term overkill leaps to mind. This box also had the worst patch I've received. It was probably a good idea in theory, right? Perhaps the most insulting thing about this box were the socks. They were so small that I almost got a hernia trying to put them on. Getting them off required scissors. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Fast forward (or is it rewind?) to last week, when I heard the deafening buzz over the bigger-than-usual Smugglerās Bounty box commemorating the 40th Anniversary of <i>A New Hope. </i>The already-revealed POP! figure of Luke Skywalker on his Tatooine speeder was a promising lead into things to come. I promptly subscribed to the Star Wars box. In my mind and surely in the minds of countless others, this bigger box (with Princess Leia on it no less!) also meant more awesome stuff. How wrong I was.</span></div>
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<span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Let's review the contents from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltUgwP1g_hI">todayās reveal</a>:</span></div>
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<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">No other POP! figure besides Luke</span></span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">The patch repeats a character (Luke)</span></span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">The pin is Chewy, which is fine but a Ben Kenobi wouldāve made more sense</span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span class="m_9158069483154571006s2"></span><span class="m_9158069483154571006s1">The wearable items are wrist bands (canāt tell if this was cost saving-related or not... but even I'm embarrassed by these)</span></span></li>
<li class="m_9158069483154571006li1" style="margin-left: 15px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Adding insult to injury, another set of salt and pepper shakers comes in this box. This time, the seasoning-filled characters are Han Solo and Greedo (two characters that already conjure up bad feelings in Star Wars fans the world over)</span></li>
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<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">How many Funko-shaped salt and pepper shakers do you think we need? The answer is zero.</span><br />
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<span class="m_9158069483154571006s1" style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">We didn't even get a Princess Leia item in the box, and sheās ON the box! Even the most cursory review of the New Hope theme of the #FunkoPhotoADay challenge shows how special we all consider her to be. As your comments section on YouTube confirms, this was a resounding fail. I will not be continuing with the Droids š </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;">Still, all this said and done, I havenāt given up hope on you yet. What youāre doing for the Disney Treasures boxes is pretty terrific. And Iām currently anticipating the Batman Animated Series | Legion box with great anticipation.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: black;">I donāt think Iām alone in saying that most of us still love collecting your figures. We love your marketing. We love hunting down exclusives (btw that SDCC Megazord is amazing!) We love sharing all this with our friends and family. But weāre tired of feeling disappointed in your subscription boxes. Especially when we know you can do so much better.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: black;">Sincerely,</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">A Funko Fan</span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-24132152293744033222016-06-13T12:08:00.000-04:002016-06-13T12:08:45.349-04:00A note on Orlando<ul>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Edward Sotomayor Jr., 34 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Stanley Almodovar III, 23 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo, 20 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Juan Ramon Guerrero, 22 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera, 36 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz, 22 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luis S. Vielma, 22 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Kimberly Morris, 37 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eddie Jamoldroy Justice, 30 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Darryl Roman Burt II, 29 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Deonka Deidra Drayton, 32 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Alejandro Barrios Martinez, 21 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Anthony Luis Laureanodisla, 25 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jean Carlos Mendez Perez, 35 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Franky Jimmy Dejesus Velazquez, 50 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Amanda Alvear, 25 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Martin Benitez Torres, 33 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon, 37 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Mercedez Marisol Flores, 26 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado, 35 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Gilberto Ramon Silva Menendez, 25 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Simon Adrian Carrillo Fernandez, 31 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Oscar A Aracena-Montero, 26 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Enrique L. Rios, Jr., 25 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Miguel Angel Honorato, 30 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Javier Jorge-Reyes, 40 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Joel Rayon Paniagua, 32 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jason Benjamin Josaphat, 19 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Cory James Connell, 21 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Juan P. Rivera Velazquez, 37 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Luis Daniel Conde, 39 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Shane Evan Tomlinson, 33 years old</span></li>
<li><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Juan Chevez-Martinez, 25 years old</span></li>
</ul>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">These are the dead so far; our dead. </span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Although
I have been walking around in a daze of disbelief since Sunday morning,
I keep having one clear and persistent thought: I couldāve easily been
one of them.</span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">Without
knowing anything else but their names and ages, itās clear that the
majority of the victims were young, Hispanic, and gay. They were out on a
Saturday night, likely celebrating birthdays, or promotions, or Pride.
They were doing what our community has always doneā commune in the safe
space of a dance floor.</span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">As
I think about the similarities between us, the countless times I have
been in Orlando with my friends doing exactly what they were doing, I am
gobsmacked by the proximity and the savagery of what happened. Iām
haunted by the pain and suffering that has struck a community so close
to my own. </span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">I couldāve been one of them.</span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">By nature, Iām not an overtly emotional person. I am not a crier (except of course when the final episode of the <em>Golden Girls</em>
comes on). But the events of this weekend have rocked me to the core. I
feel like Iāve lost something in all thisā¦ I feel like Iāve lost my
confidence.</span></div>
<div style="min-height: 8pt; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;">I couldāve been one of them.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Courier New'; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-11207216373026581752015-09-14T21:40:00.002-04:002015-09-15T10:39:45.732-04:00The Golden Girls & Me: 30 Years of Laughs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91QWk3cGzYdtivujoMM5mji7uZ3-oGQPoSfCamNKlgTY6rDZkwSOXZPa6xipUhoRsQXiixezfK4Ez_iknkTkh-VqaVEIJVpiiNHC8UkMgBKgz78awX0cRWiI2hiejUGBix57O84wMFWA/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh91QWk3cGzYdtivujoMM5mji7uZ3-oGQPoSfCamNKlgTY6rDZkwSOXZPa6xipUhoRsQXiixezfK4Ez_iknkTkh-VqaVEIJVpiiNHC8UkMgBKgz78awX0cRWiI2hiejUGBix57O84wMFWA/s400/1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">My favorite show of all time
and I both turn 30 this year, a fact that neither of our vanities take pleasure in commemorating publicly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">But a milestone is a
milestone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088526/">The Golden Girls</a></i><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> premiered 30
years ago tonight on NBC, forever changing the television landscape for the better. In fact,
itās a show often and rightfully credited with creating a premise all its own.
Itās a premise that has been duplicated over and over again (see: </span><i style="font-size: 13pt;">Designing
Women</i><span style="font-size: 13pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 13pt;">Living Single</i><span style="font-size: 13pt;">, </span><i style="font-size: 13pt;">Sex and the City</i><span style="font-size: 13pt;">, even HBO</span><span style="font-size: 17px;">ās </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><i>Girls</i>).<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Much has been said and written
about how āground-breakingā and ārevolutionaryā of a show it was to display
four women living and loving (perhaps over-loving) well into their golden
years. And that is all true and inspiring in and of it self. But very little
has been written about its massive influence on the gay community both then and
now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Back in the mid-80s, <i>The
Golden Girls</i> were shedding light on a community beleaguered by stigma and hate.
In the context of Reagan's America, their thematic influence from atop of the
ratings charts is both puzzling and remarkable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">How did four senior citizen
ladies get away with having sex, buying condoms, and saying things like ā</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Gerkonanakenā on national TV? (Shout out to all the true fans
that know what that last one means). All kidding aside, this show was breaking
ground in tackling real issues with humor and wit.</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Long before the Supreme Court
OKed gay marriage nationwide (hear that Kim Davis, NATIONWIDE!), Blanche
Devereauxās brother Clayton was coming out and getting married his partner
Doug. Long before <i>Transparent</i> and Caitlyn Jenner, we had Dorothy Zbornakās
beloved but misunderstood, cross-dressing brother Phil. Long before the real
world met <i>The Real World</i>ās Pedro Zamora, Rose Nylund was dealing with an AIDS
scare. Long before Jack McFarland made it OK to be gay, <i>The Golden Girls</i> had
Coco the gay cook, and Lazlo the Artist, and Jean the lesbian (not Lebanese,
Blanche. Lesbian.) My point here is not to show off how much Golden Girls
trivia I can throw out, although I know youāre pretty impressed right now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">My real point is that these
were not mere sitcom plots to entertain; they informed, they taught, they
inspired. They may have even opened a few hearts and minds at a time when we most
needed them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Their socially progressive
themes, masked by the forgivenessās of old age, often struck a chord with
people who felt marginalized and disenfranchised by the rest of the world. For a
lot of people dealing with those very issues, these stories were anchors in the
storm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Of course thatās not to say
that <i>The Golden Girls</i> didnāt also go beyond gay issues. Their show also tackled
a broken education system, homelessness, drug addiction, poverty, and the
injustices of the immigration system. All still hot button issues in America today.
Itās perhaps this that keeps their show relevant.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">Personally speaking, I came
to 6151 Richmond Street for the first time sometime in Middle School and I never really left. (In high school, my friends and I were so cool that we started a fan
appreciation club called the Golden Cheesecake Society, which involved singing
the theme song and "Mr. Sandman" repeatedly)ā¦ Still an out and proud card-carrying member.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Over the years, weāve lost many of the showās central characters. Estelle Getty (my personal favorite)
died in 2008. </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Bea Arthur died in 2009 and Rue
McClanahan died in 2010. Several of the supporting cast has also passed, including Herb </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">Edelman</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;"> who played </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">Stan</span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">. Betty White is still around and with the help of the
Siempre Viva serum we send her, Iām sure sheāll outlive us all.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">On our 30</span><sup style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;">th</sup><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;"> birthday, I had to pause and reflect on its immense influence on my life. My sense of humor, what
little wit I have left, and my take-no-prisoners attitude can all be traced
back to this show. A case can also be made for this being the birthplace of my </span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 17px;">burgeoning</span><span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13pt;"> feminism.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #eeeeee; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">They have taught me so much about life and death and approaching both with unyielding humor that </span><span style="font-size: 17px;">I simply canāt think of a more important show in my upbringing than </span><i style="font-size: 17px;">The Golden Girls</i><span style="font-size: 17px;">. </span><span style="font-size: 13pt;">Above all else, they taught me how to be a
friend.</span></span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-51162708198997765132015-03-21T00:41:00.000-04:002015-03-21T00:49:27.576-04:00A Gleeful Goodbye<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBOW_s7z9aY7d3UPv0BKDaGlbhalkxvxBg0zUoQvK0PsVSSLeLiIGmx-Ruuwun-HlEObYjKQotQ3T_JrrrTzSR9LTxkahklVVU5AEP2dmNHinchZ0HK8RYvpi_Lr1aBBDNvQLdMNs46E/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBOW_s7z9aY7d3UPv0BKDaGlbhalkxvxBg0zUoQvK0PsVSSLeLiIGmx-Ruuwun-HlEObYjKQotQ3T_JrrrTzSR9LTxkahklVVU5AEP2dmNHinchZ0HK8RYvpi_Lr1aBBDNvQLdMNs46E/s1600/1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think one of the
most important things to master in life is how to say goodbye. Saying it at the
right time, in the right place, and sometimes to the right person is a true mark of maturity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tonight we said
goodbye of another sort. After six seasons and 121 episodes, <i>Glee</i> brought the curtain down for the final time. The following is a reflection on the show, its
legacy, and what it taught us about music and ultimately about ourselves.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Glee</i> debuted in 2009
after some big football game. It was then that my unrelenting fandom for all
things <i>Glee</i>-related began. I watched every episode religiously. I bought the
CDs (yes kids, actual CDs) every time they were released. And for a while
there, no Christmas was complete without <i>Glee</i>ās holiday album. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In so doing, I kinda
felt as though I was an honorary member of their club. I was a Gleek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, in recent
years the show strayed from its original premise of following our high school
students. Or rather, it split between its original cast now graduated and a new
class of New Directioners. Ultimately, the show started to feel like two shows:
one at McKinley with only half-interesting characters and one in New York City
with characters that never got enough airtime. I tuned out right around this timeā¦<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">But tonight, the
original cast and I walked through those hallowed halls again for the last
time. In a near-perfect 2-hour finale, we got to remember the glory days,
celebrate the present, and glimpse at a bright and prosperous future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I wonāt ruin the
episode for those who havenāt seen it yet by divulging details. Suffice it to
say that everyone ends up doing, being, and having everything they ever wanted.
Thatās not to say that there werenāt a few flaws. I wouldāve liked a resolution
of sorts with Rachelās mom (ahem, Idina Menzel). I wouldāve liked more Quinn, and Puck, and Santana,
and Asian #2. And frankly, where the hell was John Stamos?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All kidding aside, I
think <i>Glee</i> has done for pop culture what very few shows have been able to do: it taught us something. Whether it was a new song, or an old song revisited, or
the rare and wonderful gifts of acceptance and understandingā <i>Glee</i> helped our
hearts soar. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Never being terribly
cool myself, I often watched to see what music was hip. The rap, pop, and
R&B of today was wonderfully captured by these kids. Merging plots with
playlists helped me understand both better. I mean, who would I be today without
knowing all the words to āBust Your Windowsā? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I think where the
show succeeded best was in making old music relevant to this generation.
Although I often joked that Ryan Murphy basically stole all the music in my
iTunes library for his profit, I certainly must credit him with bringing the sounds of
Fleetwood Mac, Journey, Queen, Barbra Streisand, and Broadway to the masses. I knew
this show was transforming people when I heard my then 11-year old goddaughter
singing āDonāt Rain On My Paradeā. That was a good day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">What Iām saying here
is that the magic of <i>Glee</i> was that it bridged the musical gap between
generations. It repackaged good music and sold it to kids who, in my opinion,
were starved for it. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNWUXy578mYp_jOuGrktFIsvyIkDLMWZbf8LLcUfQiO90gk_dK0fhqw7-5BxUXSxta11dFx_PCZlocesEnDnwZwpqYhULqssEPhbvU4PzVMiTOQEf7xyrG7a33MnSBfW8B5SfRlIXsCg/s1600/2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqNWUXy578mYp_jOuGrktFIsvyIkDLMWZbf8LLcUfQiO90gk_dK0fhqw7-5BxUXSxta11dFx_PCZlocesEnDnwZwpqYhULqssEPhbvU4PzVMiTOQEf7xyrG7a33MnSBfW8B5SfRlIXsCg/s1600/2.png" height="145" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps more
important than the music was their message. From the pilot episode to its
finale tonight, <i>Glee</i> exalted the values of acceptance and understanding. How
could you not when your entire cast was a bunch of misfits? More than just the
āgay thingā or the āblack thingā, <i>Glee</i> showed us that almost everyone feels
like an outsiderā¦ even the captain of the football team. <i>Glee</i> was
never better than when it tackled those differences head on. (To that point, I
would be remiss not to highlight Mike OāMalleyās performance as Kurtās father.
That is the father we all wish we had). <i>Glee</i> showed us that our differences
make us stronger, make us originals, and for some, it makes them a star.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I cried a couple of
times tonight watching this finale. Saying goodbye to shows is always difficult
for meā no matter how timely the goodbye. And to be clear, I completely agree
that this was the right time to end <i>Glee</i>. However that didnāt make the goodbye any easier. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tonight I saw genuine sadness in the eyes of everyone in that
cast, especially when talking about Cory Monteithās character. Itās a sadness
that a nation of Gleeks shared. Personally speaking, I know that I will carry
these characters and their music with me for decades to come. But when you
think about it like that, this wasnāt a goodbye at all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">#GleeGoodbye</span><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-36669590818474752002014-12-31T16:02:00.000-05:002014-12-31T18:05:34.067-05:002014: A Year in Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In many ways, itās
been a fun and transformative year for me. </span>I think 2014 will go down in the Jerry Book of Life as the year that I grew up. <span style="font-family: inherit;">Here</span>ās how...<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Firstly, I took a
big bite out of the bucket list of shows this year. After many years of
waiting, I finally saw Billy Joel and Tony Bennett (not together). They were
both exactly as excellent as I hoped theyād be. As is the case with so many of
the acts I watch, the years have only made them better performers. Tony also
released an album with Lady Gaga that, in many ways, I feel I contributed to.
(See my Tweets about Gagaās jazzy voice last Christmas). <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/07/lady-gaga-and-tony-bennett-to-release.html">āCheek to Cheekā</a> is
the album Gaga was born to make. Hands down, without question, this was the
best album of the year. Theyāre coming to Chicago in the summer and I am ANXIOUSLY
awaiting the day that tickets go on sale. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY_o0tb4Ao8CB764snnengZX1IDFc8JZVh1LzF25XEWbe2wgO0e0pj_pY2Q21GC_tSUMK1ENTFC_GY4n7KrJXYjVTFI0IFbVyXGWuskXGWAbjp19YcmDXrRHJM588dGpc1zdxbmqduRA/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaY_o0tb4Ao8CB764snnengZX1IDFc8JZVh1LzF25XEWbe2wgO0e0pj_pY2Q21GC_tSUMK1ENTFC_GY4n7KrJXYjVTFI0IFbVyXGWuskXGWAbjp19YcmDXrRHJM588dGpc1zdxbmqduRA/s1600/14.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjNFExIRG9Rx2m4J3Amg7GPlk0OmCFNQv3YlQku2BoMki9vD6jugY50sjcKJnnimW468KSdCm7IElbogtTdi6wQ3Ep9xQT-D_4EqGjn1TAfCQwX1ptChHzCs4DlJvBLpOo648EVmuNPo/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjNFExIRG9Rx2m4J3Amg7GPlk0OmCFNQv3YlQku2BoMki9vD6jugY50sjcKJnnimW468KSdCm7IElbogtTdi6wQ3Ep9xQT-D_4EqGjn1TAfCQwX1ptChHzCs4DlJvBLpOo648EVmuNPo/s1600/12.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF2uiQ7idXRTzwQYt3kjjqYl8gFvrpgBMwXV1SuwGuu29NtqeXJvkPwk-hbgTaC3ZT0-NG2Qb9lMixdzNK2y4XssK8hVpTbu9D2wVSnPkIy535oCfk2Gmhsqgs68Ynbbp29oNtwCdQiE/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUF2uiQ7idXRTzwQYt3kjjqYl8gFvrpgBMwXV1SuwGuu29NtqeXJvkPwk-hbgTaC3ZT0-NG2Qb9lMixdzNK2y4XssK8hVpTbu9D2wVSnPkIy535oCfk2Gmhsqgs68Ynbbp29oNtwCdQiE/s1600/6.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73cO5LET1IYmCpsXINAsledCjvOXukdbQJJ-_piun8oYUxlHdACkbdekuY5a4c1sLoCJhfNgq-XsNriR4Jq-rx2o7clXRcdTQch2nkIf19TZ2VJ6bsqtVtaj8RmU5NySE9yzrBmnNMQQ/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73cO5LET1IYmCpsXINAsledCjvOXukdbQJJ-_piun8oYUxlHdACkbdekuY5a4c1sLoCJhfNgq-XsNriR4Jq-rx2o7clXRcdTQch2nkIf19TZ2VJ6bsqtVtaj8RmU5NySE9yzrBmnNMQQ/s1600/10.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">As second comings
go, I saw Cher and <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/02/regarding-liza-minnelli-show-in.html">Liza Minnelli</a> again! Also not together. Cherās D2K Tour was
absolutely, jaw-droppingly amazing. The material on the new album lent itself nicely
to the kind of grand theatrical numbers that the tour provided. Itās
unfortunate that the second leg was cancelled because I had every intention of
seeing it again. Liza, on the other hand, has slowed a little bit but the
effort to keep going is worth admiring. I will see her every time sheās in a
town near me and so should you. </span></div>
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</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrGTfmMOD26yneX5TqMGlk3ZoauZpBjKVMTVYaIH8zhXlK5JerhPOML8FfBh403EqT-8fiwlCc6rM17XI9p7wdzLiAYja5goU_OQgIBwPUqK3sgUlc4pr7KNrpeZfM7TxrK9JfLeN2J8/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrGTfmMOD26yneX5TqMGlk3ZoauZpBjKVMTVYaIH8zhXlK5JerhPOML8FfBh403EqT-8fiwlCc6rM17XI9p7wdzLiAYja5goU_OQgIBwPUqK3sgUlc4pr7KNrpeZfM7TxrK9JfLeN2J8/s1600/8.jpg" height="196" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps the best/most
important/mind-blowing show <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/10/regarding-fleetwood-mac-show-in-chicago.html">I saw this year was Fleetwood Macās āOn With theShowā</a>. FINALLY reunited with Christine McVie, the quintet set Chicago ablaze
with their still hard-rockinā sound. It was incredible to see Stevie Nicks and
Lindsay Buckingham do what we love them to do. And who can hold a candle to
Mick Fleetwood, I ask you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It wasnāt all old acts
though. In August <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/08/regarding-steve-grand-at-market-days.html">I managed to see one of my favorite āup and comingā artists,Steve Grand</a> (pictured left). If you donāt know about him, you should. In brush-with-fame news,
super exciting thing happening with him in 2015 that I will surely pass along
when it happens.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiuDkpCB3ml4bnfPyjwNwmDTE0kQsYLFXzQrEgGKsPdRhwascHH8oSIUHAmlz25ftCAiOrECO8KCp5Ru-AstLmeZ7fWu0J3bhkzDUh7kjIvq_6oqcB4ZtPAbW1B3tutvo_5YDEWl6HjM/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZiuDkpCB3ml4bnfPyjwNwmDTE0kQsYLFXzQrEgGKsPdRhwascHH8oSIUHAmlz25ftCAiOrECO8KCp5Ru-AstLmeZ7fWu0J3bhkzDUh7kjIvq_6oqcB4ZtPAbW1B3tutvo_5YDEWl6HjM/s1600/4.jpg" height="179" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In more
direct-contact news: I got to see Pink Martini for a third time this year and
meet the band after! Glad to report that I didnāt disgrace myself with my
fanboydom like I did the first time. Thomas Lauderdale also follows me on
Instagram now so I think weāre on our way to becoming best friends (if only in
my head). Also and it must be said: No one fronts that band like China Forbes.
Sheās exquisite. They unfortunately suffered a major loss this year that we all
grieved with them on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of losses
now seems an appropriate moment to pause and reflect on some of the deaths that
impacted me the most this year.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHQKp9bAEZ7lhr_8_AVPLIZYZo8R8Ua8evwNVfqXXZyAU0iLJuXmUQa9tuaTCjvEopSmCMYzWi98TyrpIrTgnLBzK1JsRGYBwobKxYr5NXTCUGYyRPyvurV5291-Jqlg8Pl6rVIGdoPc/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYHQKp9bAEZ7lhr_8_AVPLIZYZo8R8Ua8evwNVfqXXZyAU0iLJuXmUQa9tuaTCjvEopSmCMYzWi98TyrpIrTgnLBzK1JsRGYBwobKxYr5NXTCUGYyRPyvurV5291-Jqlg8Pl6rVIGdoPc/s1600/9.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgPQBrRlZPZjGGMx0ultHJI1FK5rSLi00MT0pXdMqqRuWYAdUyINSE0C49LlRICcaAxa1K1q3anT4Lws7Mq8TlKuZ_-R-yTxbleRSGc9UTQ92QpYfathgLDatKHMYgSOLVwvD__IFuds/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgPQBrRlZPZjGGMx0ultHJI1FK5rSLi00MT0pXdMqqRuWYAdUyINSE0C49LlRICcaAxa1K1q3anT4Lws7Mq8TlKuZ_-R-yTxbleRSGc9UTQ92QpYfathgLDatKHMYgSOLVwvD__IFuds/s1600/11.jpg" height="197" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In happier news, a
lot of fun and exciting things happened this year, too. Firstly, my best friend
had her first baby! His name is Mikey and he was born at a very respectable 6.6lbs.
Since February, I have been completely obsessed with him. I mean, look at him.
Who wouldnāt be obsessed?! So much so that I have pictures of his first poop.
Let me love the way I wanna love, dammit!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBAaKtuY4_1KBZC9n8OgSPwo9460lUEHnDyIAmy3HBsNzhCTYPLBHEpbHQ-_yjQL6JqO-IwuiIYhjuL5LCkzUjNPfIbkCmORjjz6knZJ79FHh53RBI0wyrUPvXoGKXnFOZWe-Fl3og4M/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBAaKtuY4_1KBZC9n8OgSPwo9460lUEHnDyIAmy3HBsNzhCTYPLBHEpbHQ-_yjQL6JqO-IwuiIYhjuL5LCkzUjNPfIbkCmORjjz6knZJ79FHh53RBI0wyrUPvXoGKXnFOZWe-Fl3og4M/s1600/1.jpg" height="173" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Baby aside, the most
significant thing that happened to me this year happened in July <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/08/one-month-in-progress-report.html">when Javierand I moved to Chicago</a>. Loving him the way that I do (which is a lot and then
some), I knew that moving here with him was the only option when he was
accepted to medical school. In truth, itās probably the single best decision Iāve
ever made. Weāre having a ball in the city and making our house a home. He even
let me make a movie room! Itās wonderful to be in love, to share a home, and to
make that home really, really cool-looking.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnagmeVqjIQTptq8lcQ4xx1rlSnEbjj2uD-R3i3qhm36rWeIBTl7o548oQz-zFHoy7IBRrrjjpJ1310jbk1ZXWd1nGv6cxyYg5L8XDu1qBLu-BaKHeKo8MJ5laAdku3zEDhohNTTl58gw/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnagmeVqjIQTptq8lcQ4xx1rlSnEbjj2uD-R3i3qhm36rWeIBTl7o548oQz-zFHoy7IBRrrjjpJ1310jbk1ZXWd1nGv6cxyYg5L8XDu1qBLu-BaKHeKo8MJ5laAdku3zEDhohNTTl58gw/s1600/2.jpg" height="178" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8NrjyYH3OUdBQNt1wZRf5LjTM5AB6Arqq0b2CuhUA3XpRmXGA8FfORjWgE50Yte5oq99y-ga8t3qEzsCsIZ9hmZ2ulWPvgzCxjswQl4JCMXlwVjr52mpdNWpxIngXqxjWTueT_2FE7M/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY8NrjyYH3OUdBQNt1wZRf5LjTM5AB6Arqq0b2CuhUA3XpRmXGA8FfORjWgE50Yte5oq99y-ga8t3qEzsCsIZ9hmZ2ulWPvgzCxjswQl4JCMXlwVjr52mpdNWpxIngXqxjWTueT_2FE7M/s1600/3.jpg" height="170" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In November, Javi
and I had our first official guests visit. My girlfriend Cindy and her beau
came to stay with us for a fun weekend. We had a hoot showing them around and
doing touristy stuff. Of note, we also got to see the Second City folks do
their thing. My mom came to stay with us the week of Thanksgiving and that was
also wonderful. It was important for me to have my mom see and understand my
life now. For so long I think we denied the obvious flaws in our relationship
because it was just easier. Now, with the benefit of time and distance, I think
we understand each other better. Weāve both chosen our paths and we are
learning to respect them. Also worth noting: Javier made one of the best
Thanksgiving dinnerās Iāve ever had the pleasure of enjoying. It was his first
try, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It wasnāt all great,
though. I spent a couple of months in the throes of unemployment. Suffice it to
say that it involved a lot of cleaning and <a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2014/09/regarding-new-view.html">watching The View</a>. Spending endless
days looking for jobs, alone with a dog really does a number on your sanity. There
were days when all I could do is hope to run into a neighbor so I could talk to
another human. Thankfully, that agony ended earlier this month when I accepted
a sweet gig in Downtown Chicago with an office full of colorful coworkers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aqWzLH0POQm5BuQvY33Rwf6G7Z2aJAHMjHlLxLL4gVnnz0rnMVZz_O9kLYEAUqlyXtFw-WBMOAgnz59p7Dioz45e6ZD4yress9hF2kN6hcdzELdl2tBZiqm8ZaqsD77SlEtTF7Fzi9I/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4aqWzLH0POQm5BuQvY33Rwf6G7Z2aJAHMjHlLxLL4gVnnz0rnMVZz_O9kLYEAUqlyXtFw-WBMOAgnz59p7Dioz45e6ZD4yress9hF2kN6hcdzELdl2tBZiqm8ZaqsD77SlEtTF7Fzi9I/s1600/15.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Speaking of
coworkers, leaving FIU for Chicago proved to be harder than I imagined. In
fact, saying goodbye to everyone in Miami was harder than I imagined. Although
I worked for the FIU office remotely from here, saying goodbye to all the folks
there that became my friends was difficult. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfnYxKVilnWJAu4nY0W5Kk7s2G12bcrGIaAq9ot-2oIgTtWhuQR60N2GsN01KMweJ05FTY7hPrUt5HM6L5rdu3XiN3tJEDFtIP-NU3IJqpwvakrbgeXe9kwZ-XIw-ozOPeAbS3uszQto/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfnYxKVilnWJAu4nY0W5Kk7s2G12bcrGIaAq9ot-2oIgTtWhuQR60N2GsN01KMweJ05FTY7hPrUt5HM6L5rdu3XiN3tJEDFtIP-NU3IJqpwvakrbgeXe9kwZ-XIw-ozOPeAbS3uszQto/s1600/7.jpg" height="193" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Saying goodbye to my friend and
piano guru Roberta was also very difficult. In the years Iāve known her, sheās
been a constant source of light and fun. The last night I went to Magnum, I got
up the nerve to sing āMidnight Train to Georgiaā and it was as pitiful as you
can imagine. Still, it was essential for me to say goodbye the only way I knew
how to. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The hardest goodbye was undoubtedly the one I had to say to my dog.
More than friends or family (who understand because, you know, theyāre human),
saying goodbye to the Mooms (who Iāve known and loved since she was a puppy)
was the most excruciating part of my move. Although I was excited to move and
start a new life, I was very sad to do so without the best part of my old life.
If saying goodbye was hard, the months of missing her proved to be even harder.
Reports of her not eating, then getting fat and developing a limp only made
everything worse for me. However, Iām thrilled to report that I pried her from
my momās grasp this holiday to bring her up with me! The Mooms is the now the newest
and heftiest resident of Chicago. Let my mom miss her for a while!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimO6VJqQg8EmuFfFKOsXP4zR7gmY5qIxSvhx2lGQ05O7E3Q9HNnlC8MGDssXRY9CfnYXTHAjTS7jqp-L8mCtAtIcsfroMPDDuKEeUsK7xtMpfPMsBv6n8-CWjQuVsDRxoZzxiF05wfsg8/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimO6VJqQg8EmuFfFKOsXP4zR7gmY5qIxSvhx2lGQ05O7E3Q9HNnlC8MGDssXRY9CfnYXTHAjTS7jqp-L8mCtAtIcsfroMPDDuKEeUsK7xtMpfPMsBv6n8-CWjQuVsDRxoZzxiF05wfsg8/s1600/13.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">I closed off the
year as I have done so for the past 10 years: surrounded by friends at my house
for a holiday pachanga. Although many of us live in faraway places these days,
I try to reunite everyone for one night of boozy fun. And boozy fun it was! The
truth of the matter is that no one knows you better than the friends youāve
known since you were kids. There is an innate kinship there that I think is
important to nurture.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">When all is said and
done (and Iāve said and did a lot this year!), I am happier today than I have
ever been. I am grateful to love and be loved. I am thankful to live somewhere
than inspires me to be my best self. And I am eager to continue to live a life
that I am instrumental in shaping.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many well wishes to
you all. Let</span>ā<span style="font-family: inherit;">s kick ass.</span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-4962295511208242552014-10-29T15:34:00.000-04:002014-10-29T15:34:15.741-04:00Vintage Bette Midler interview with Oprah<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VG5-BoP3vzM" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rJbMhSFHNuI" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br />
Stumbled upon this gem on YouTube today. Bette talks about <i>Beaches</i>, being a new mom, marriage, talent, her stage work, and working with Shelley Long.<br />
<br />Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-35375262410818508852014-10-09T14:02:00.001-04:002015-11-10T00:13:30.788-05:00Regarding the Fleetwood Mac show in Chicago<div class="MsoNormal">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugAxaeSGr8RMQ3OK3f8krFRhDZCQsDKaGmt6cYyUN_7of2RfdOYmjV0dayBkH66BG93xXi5Zu1rfrGMVMN05DFckS0KkFGHOEjwm2xjXVVsI2iJ8pkCU5Hg1PjrSQ3-0bQC1gm3mOtn8/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiugAxaeSGr8RMQ3OK3f8krFRhDZCQsDKaGmt6cYyUN_7of2RfdOYmjV0dayBkH66BG93xXi5Zu1rfrGMVMN05DFckS0KkFGHOEjwm2xjXVVsI2iJ8pkCU5Hg1PjrSQ3-0bQC1gm3mOtn8/s1600/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">There are certain
dreams that we have as kids that we know will never come true. Par exemple, I
will never be a pirate or a Power Ranger or Captain of the Starship Voyager. Trust
me, Iāve tried. But then there are other dreams that we <i>think</i> are impossible to realize until they are. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week I had the
distinct and long-awaited pleasure of seeing my favorite rock band of all time
live, reunited, and in person. Fleetwood Mac came to Chicago 1 week ago today
and I was there. I WAS THERE.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">First some
background: When I was 13 years old, my cousin Lily gave me a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fleetwood-Mac-Greatest-Hits/dp/B000002LFZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1412877151&sr=8-1&keywords=fleetwood+mac+greatest">Fleetwood Macās Greatest Hits</a>. I think she had an extra copy or something and thought Iād like
to have it. Was a simple mindless that profoundly influenced my musical life. Without the slightest bit of exaggeration, I listened to
that CD for the next 6 years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Iād never heard
music like theirs before. I found Stevie Nicksā vocals to be haunting and
magical. Lindsay Buckingham sang hard and played even harder. Christine McVieās
songs were like lyrical poetry. She knew so much about me, I thought. So often
I wished I could write things as good as this: āAnd I wish you all the love in
the world, but most of all, I wish it from m<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">yself.ā Their music, their words,
the way they explored and explained feelings spoke to me in deep and meaningful
ways.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-XFX9agWnxgcHxmTPZz3ij-TQoXFZJcYVlu8hJ13kT3ugmLPg46K3eyM0DzbHIO9d-17YlbXb-letRbSv6yKBEA85V6HA_fSHm7msnJWMTkPk75OHUWMcCj6sCyJ2qd9ng49F8Zh-Sw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW-XFX9agWnxgcHxmTPZz3ij-TQoXFZJcYVlu8hJ13kT3ugmLPg46K3eyM0DzbHIO9d-17YlbXb-letRbSv6yKBEA85V6HA_fSHm7msnJWMTkPk75OHUWMcCj6sCyJ2qd9ng49F8Zh-Sw/s1600/1.jpg" width="140" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">They were the
definitive sound track of my youth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Flash-forward to
the night of October 2<sup>nd</sup> 2014ā I was sitting at the United Center,
ironically watching a band that had not reunited in 16 years. This tour is
called <a href="http://www.fleetwoodmac.com/events">On With the Show</a> and it is especially significant because Christine
McVie rejoined the band again after a painfully long time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Aged only in
years, it was quickly apparent that this band has not lost any of its
hard-rockinā potency. They started the show with āThe Chainā and the sold out
crowd erupted. The sight of these 5 gifted people sharing the same stage
at the same time was worthy of nothing less than a thundering ovation. The
feeling was electric.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Christine jumped right into the spot light with āYou Make Loving Funā and proved that her
voice and keyboard prowess remain as effortless as ever. Her other stupendous
numbers included āEverywhereā, āSay You Love Meā, and one of my personal
favorites āLittle Liesā. At one point, Mick Fleetwood proudly proclaimed that,
āour songbird has returned!ā and the crowd let it be known how much we missed
her. Without question and rightfully so, this tour belongs to Christine.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Truth be told
though, I was most excited to see Stevie Nicks. Not only was this blond,
beautiful witch songstress the stuff of my confused teenage dreams, but I also
worshipped her āTrouble in Shangri-Laā solo album. (I know every word, of every
song). To see her live and with the band that started it all was a feeling I
cannot forget. She did not disappoint: Stevie remains a quintessential rock
queen. Songs like āDreamsā, āGypsyā, āLandslideā and my favorite āRhiannonā
prove that sheās still as silky as ever. Her stand out number however was āGold
Dust Womanā. Clad in her iconic gold shawl and bathed in a gold spotlight, she
sang and stomped her way through that song like she was possessed. Maybe she
wasāand it made for an amazing spectacle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Itās quite
wonderful to have your divas live up to the legend youāve created in your head.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I adore
Christine and Stevie for the righteous rock icons there are, for me, that night
belonged to one man: Lindsay Buckingham. Although I am not a great fan of his
FM songs (as theyāre a little too aggressive for me), that aggression manifests
so exquisitely when played live. Songs like āNever Going Back Againā and āIām
So Afraidā take on a life of their own when he plays that guitar. The guitar
solo in āBig Loveā was nothing short of a master class in rock guitardom. He
makes it talk, and moan, and wail in all sorts of ways. By nightās end, his
playing left me a sweaty, pile of spent euphoria. Not to over-sell this but
Buckingham is the greatest steward of the rock guitar on the planet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The show over all
is neither big nor flashy. It is basically 5 people doing what they were put on
this good Earth to do: rock the house. And rock they did with 3 encores! They
came back with their rock anthem āDonāt Stopā which you can imagine sounds and
feels incredible in an arena. They followed that up with āSilver Springsā and
closed with Christine solo at the piano singing āSongbirdā. I donāt know about
anyone else, but I was waiting to hear āSongbirdā all night long! The wait was
worth itāChristine delivered a tender and poignant rendition of her song that
truthfully brought me to tears. How we missed that songbird.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Iāve been to a lot
of shows and Iāve seen a lot of giants of the industry. But none have meant as
much to me as seeing Fleetwood Mac. Growing up listening to their songs and
wishing theyād get back together was hard. Knowing their tumultuous history
made the wishing even harder. But as Lindsay so eloquently put it at one point,
this is a āprofound and poetic chapter for this band.ā Itās a chapter that I was
thrilled to witness and all too eager to read.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">As a bonus: You can watch their performance on the Today Show this morning <a href="http://www.today.com/toyotaconcertseries/dreams-come-true-fleetwood-mac-take-over-today-plaza-2D80205381">here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(Photos </span>courtesy<span style="font-family: inherit;"> of <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/chi-fleetwood-mac-united-center-review-20141002-column.html">Chicago Tribune</a>)</span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-71218663160413512182014-09-23T00:04:00.001-04:002014-09-23T00:09:13.220-04:00Regarding The āNewā View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARi-PHbf-KPObZsNppxm_yN3aPmKizoUq96_c-J2Z6JkLIdCqOMNjj02xBpNgejQFcys4bbh3jWtLmjiZJpuLsfktTPKbxRA-RFr1rtJxV92S8K6Bmp1F5LhVUD_KAeexlwfFfr_WgAw/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiARi-PHbf-KPObZsNppxm_yN3aPmKizoUq96_c-J2Z6JkLIdCqOMNjj02xBpNgejQFcys4bbh3jWtLmjiZJpuLsfktTPKbxRA-RFr1rtJxV92S8K6Bmp1F5LhVUD_KAeexlwfFfr_WgAw/s1600/1.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today marks a week
since the new and retooled version of <i>The View</i> started and I have a few things
to say about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">This is an
especially important moment for the long-standing program because itās the
first season without its creator at the helm, Barbara Walters. While her send
off last season was tearful and rightfully grandiose, she left big heels to
fill. After all, who can replace BabaWaba? The short answer is: no one. And
thankfully no one at The āNewā View is trying to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The cast of
characters this year is diminished to four, but thatās about as diminished as
these ladies get. The incomparable Whoopi Goldberg returns to the show as its
moderator and resident pragmatic voice. Seated to her left is perhaps the least
known of the bunch, Nicolle Wallace. More on Ms. Wallace in a minute. Actress
Rosie Perez is the first Latina panelist on the show and quite the firecracker.
(Iām Hispanic too; I can call her a firecracker if I want to!) And finally,
Rosie OāDonnell returns to the program after a contentious exit a few years
ago. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Going into this
season, I really believed that Rosie O. was going to be the only panelist I
would gravitate toward. Iāve loved and followed her career as closely as any
non-stalker can. I mean, I was a card-carrying member of the Chub Club. While I
remain loyal to and loving of Rosie O., the truth is that the dynamic between <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all</i> four women is very entertaining. Having
two icons of comedy, a Puerto Rican, and a smarty-pants Republican is turning
out to be a recipe for really good TV. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In many ways, Nicolle
Wallace has turned out to be their trump card. (I hope I used that expression
correctly). What I mean to say is that Ms. Wallace is the surprise success
story of the season. As the tableās lone Republican and former advisor to Sarah
</span>Palin<span style="font-family: inherit;">, youād think that the jokes would write themselves. And they do, only
sheās usually the first one pulling the punch line. Sheās not only an
articulate and respected figure in the Republican establishment, but sheās
genuinely thrilled to be around celebrities. In this way, and despite being a conservative, sheās really </span>relatable<span style="font-family: inherit;">; a characteristic that her former boss
canāt begin to understand. Partisan jabs aside, Ms. Wallace is a welcomed
breath of fresh air on the show. Although her interviewing skills could use a little
work, Iām eager to follow her journey from cable news talking head to
well-rounded talk show host. Keep it up!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">All that said, I
have to confess that I am a little disappointed with the topics they call āhotā
lately. Although issues of domestic violence and child abuse are very important
and topical, they are not all that there is to talk about. Coming back from an
especially contentious summer, I wouldāve liked to hear their thoughts on
Ferguson, the continued unrest in the Middle East, or the troubling situation
in Ukraine. I think I was especially disappointed today that no one brought up
the Climate Marches that happened across the world this past weekendāthe
biggest being in their very own city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Still theyāve done
several wonderful things, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ms. Goldbergās segment with friend and </span>colleague <span style="font-family: inherit;">Billy Crystal
about the recently departed Robin Williams literally made me cry into my pile
of folded laundry. I have always found it incredibly gut-wrenching when funny people are sad. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Perhaps more than even Mr. Crystalās tribute at the Emmyās,
this moment with Ms. Goldberg on </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">The View</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> gave me the closure I needed. You too can watch it <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-view/video/VDKA0_kb13mg0m">here</a>.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4OsIe3NSfV1TYhZlG9qZigtforVYLKEVvEHLgh-Wk2UOOuv1ccURI-zNiNcbTGzY5NCPEAoqkTKmmSHnqgp9GZ5-yWREdY8h7-QzKHHx3GXoAv-OyEvdXK4vvjS1-Zzxz38LAc_1ZI8/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW4OsIe3NSfV1TYhZlG9qZigtforVYLKEVvEHLgh-Wk2UOOuv1ccURI-zNiNcbTGzY5NCPEAoqkTKmmSHnqgp9GZ5-yWREdY8h7-QzKHHx3GXoAv-OyEvdXK4vvjS1-Zzxz38LAc_1ZI8/s1600/3.jpg" height="200" width="149" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Rosie O.ās interview
with her idol Barbra Streisand was also a winning moment for the show. Any time
you get those two women together, you know youāre gonna see something magical.
As both a friend and a fan, Rosie interviews Barbra the way I think many of us
would if we got the chance to interview our idols. Itās raw and genuine. Also
and unrelated, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Partners-Barbra-Streisand/dp/B00MIA0KGY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411444634&sr=8-1&keywords=partners">Barbraās new album <i>Partners</i></a> is really fantastic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Long story short:
The new View is actually a lot like the old View. Itās still a bunch of interesting and
successful women, sitting around a table, talking about things we all should.</span><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-40520411265268275242014-09-04T21:46:00.000-04:002014-09-05T12:58:17.004-04:00RIP Joan Rivers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0HRAzr8UFk2irPULZ0sSDMGgiF53cwyX8l1j2BfYjWC1Bsc-ItZBIAYdbcnr6SeFVqs7lATt2H9Cbgya__EcHtnNUUTI1n9p2msuY0kRmVJ6e0LsNK5BLPzZNMYeGOqvYJ-pkhVc5XY/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0HRAzr8UFk2irPULZ0sSDMGgiF53cwyX8l1j2BfYjWC1Bsc-ItZBIAYdbcnr6SeFVqs7lATt2H9Cbgya__EcHtnNUUTI1n9p2msuY0kRmVJ6e0LsNK5BLPzZNMYeGOqvYJ-pkhVc5XY/s1600/1.jpg" height="257" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Joan
Rivers died today and Iām not entirely sure how weāre all still going. I mean, it feel</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">s like we all just had a collective stroke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">She
was a mean, funny, and truthful voice in a world where those traits rarely
intersect. </span><a href="http://jerrycurl.blogspot.com/2009/11/regarding-joan-rivers-standup-in-miami.html" style="font-family: inherit;">I had the great big pleasure of being insulted by her</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> in 2009 and I</span>ā<span style="font-family: inherit;">ve never forgotten it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">In truth, the best tribute that I can give this Queen of Comedy can only come from her own lips:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/0_9N_z6Wmkc" width="420"></iframe></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/N7wjkv735eU" width="420"></iframe></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>Can we talk...</i></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-61691496213785677132014-08-13T22:00:00.000-04:002014-08-13T22:08:04.622-04:00New Power Rangers movie set for 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9xc4h7oHHbyrkrnW5qVDXJ8D2Qs8C2SBF4XckddD3mvk_kJda0zmekcEUSwfGBSw9tebK1_tKrPlWfRUjEUgcyd84io1g6m_w_54iX2tJCK5CatFAW5yfmsdX04o1IK13Ei_rvRTh2Y/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9xc4h7oHHbyrkrnW5qVDXJ8D2Qs8C2SBF4XckddD3mvk_kJda0zmekcEUSwfGBSw9tebK1_tKrPlWfRUjEUgcyd84io1g6m_w_54iX2tJCK5CatFAW5yfmsdX04o1IK13Ei_rvRTh2Y/s1600/1.jpg" height="247" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">Lionsgate has announced today that it will release a new Mighty Morphin <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3717490/" style="text-decoration: none;">Power Rangers</a> movie on July 22, 2016. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0826714/" style="text-decoration: none;">Zack Stentz</a> and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1005420/" style="text-decoration: none;">Ashley Miller</a> (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800369/" style="text-decoration: none;">Thor</a>) wrote the script based on a story by Robert Orci (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0796366/" style="text-decoration: none;">Star Trek</a>) that reinvents the tale of ordinary high school kids who possess the power to save the world. No word of yet on casting or directing.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: inherit;">As many of you will undoubtedly remember, the color-coordinated crime fighters first jump-kicked into our national consciousness in 1993 with TV series, and just two years later <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106064/" style="text-decoration: none;">Mighty Morphin Power Rangers</a>: The Movie hit screens. That film made close to $38 million.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">If youāll excuse me, I have a morpher to dig up and Power suit to slip back into.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black; color: white;">(Via <a href="http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/08/13/mighty-morphin-power-rangers-reboot-to-go-go-in-2016/">EW</a>)</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: black;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 0.75em; margin-top: 0.5em; padding: 0px;">
<br /></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-75583192249182798312014-08-12T23:43:00.000-04:002014-08-12T23:43:16.672-04:00RIP Lauren Bacall<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVOMRAZbTp3njRADtZKYGPHEAZDRlEuxOO2XPbQES_YDuPkSelgzPmQnHxPqsDemJ3vxA4oa9S0zuCk-povLqLIEx1b6B22kvwymEMEpOFm5mmsCrkz4Svt-KkeY9E-HuEuzL9uC4hoA/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJVOMRAZbTp3njRADtZKYGPHEAZDRlEuxOO2XPbQES_YDuPkSelgzPmQnHxPqsDemJ3vxA4oa9S0zuCk-povLqLIEx1b6B22kvwymEMEpOFm5mmsCrkz4Svt-KkeY9E-HuEuzL9uC4hoA/s1600/12.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Another day, another sad death to report. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/13/movies/lauren-bacall-sultry-movie-star-dies-at-89.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LargeMediaHeadlineSumCentered&module=photo-spot-region&region=photo-spot&WT.nav=photo-spot">Lauren Bacall has passed away</a> at the age of 80.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbpzDG1tO553U-Bxoc8tosTy6tQnOFReYx_0rwwXnW-emD3Pvy6P721VNfYaNkO7ZIiYd8AeRQNq0415y_KNPKZOUcoTPzgbc8gE1-z94JlwNkpZM0JK7ATNcS2QZMUOa0MEdvwdCtd8/s1600/1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkbpzDG1tO553U-Bxoc8tosTy6tQnOFReYx_0rwwXnW-emD3Pvy6P721VNfYaNkO7ZIiYd8AeRQNq0415y_KNPKZOUcoTPzgbc8gE1-z94JlwNkpZM0JK7ATNcS2QZMUOa0MEdvwdCtd8/s1600/1.png" height="113" width="200" /></a>Although much as been said about her sultry beauty now and over the years, I always valued and enjoyed her sultry on-screen personas. She always seemed to play the kind of woman that was smarter than every other person in the room. Not an easy feat when her onscreen partners included Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Barbra Streisand, and Humphrey Bogart.<br />
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More than Marilyn and better than Rita Hayworth or Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall showed us how to be sexy <i>and</i> classy. I mean, who doesnāt remember this scene when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30DSfAA0brs">she taught America how to whistle</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmr9cK5hwiWTnehdA9PnwD8X3GwKm7z2gFxnZluSZXarnVkTOZ7uz3TDry9EfdqvX4_BXAH2mCO8tnlMbVgp7Tm2RrQxBAM_faqZKj3dvKc2T8RTLXkTEUBkkp0YOMJqniB6aAQ3tYrU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTmr9cK5hwiWTnehdA9PnwD8X3GwKm7z2gFxnZluSZXarnVkTOZ7uz3TDry9EfdqvX4_BXAH2mCO8tnlMbVgp7Tm2RrQxBAM_faqZKj3dvKc2T8RTLXkTEUBkkp0YOMJqniB6aAQ3tYrU/s1600/1.jpg" height="200" title="" width="200" /></a>Her passing away today also marks a sad personal moment in my life. Years ago I was going through a Golden Age of Hollywood phase. Thanks in part to Madonnaās rap in āVogueā, this phase involved extensive research on classic actors and the films they made. I read autobiographies, bought and watched the films and documentaries-- I even made a reference guide of pictures. still have that, too. Anyway, part of the obsession included buying a set of 8x10 photos of these wonderful actors. They included Bogey and Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant & Grace Kelly, and Katharine Hepburn. Over the years, Iāve said goodbye to Katherine and Elizabeth. Today, I have to say it to the last one.<br />
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I have no doubt that Lauren Bacall will remain firmly planted in our collective consciousness for ever. Smoking a cigarette and giving us THAT look.<br />
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<br />Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-10425896390620506722014-08-11T23:50:00.002-04:002014-08-12T18:14:14.005-04:00RIP Robin Williams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I scarcely know how to convey the tremendous sadness I feel in my heart over Robin Williamsā passing.<br />
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The first word and the one I keep coming back to is obliterated. I am completely and utterly obliterated by the untimely passing of someone who taught me so much about being a funny grown up.<br />
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As Mork, he taught me to see things differently. As an aging Peter Pan, he taught me how to keep believing. He taught me all about being a friend as the Genie. He taught me compassion as Patch Adams and he taught me about boundless and unconditional love as Mrs. Doubtfire. Then there were the less obvious, but supremely important lessons in <i>Flubber</i>, <i>Ferngully</i>, and <i>Jumanji</i>. Perhaps most important of all though, he taught me how to love myself no matter what anyone may think in <i>The Birdcage</i>.</div>
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I am sad that the joy he brought me and countless others was not something that he could find for himself. Whether he was a good man, or a drunk man, or a sad man in his personal life-- Robin Williams was and will remain a bedrock of my childhood. </div>
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I hope heās making the angels laugh as much as he made us laugh down here. Two Jews walk into a bar...</div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-371205549435123142014-08-10T00:31:00.001-04:002014-08-10T00:36:03.075-04:00Regarding Steve Grand at Market Days<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h0AHLFa0L2Z_vZlE2i4TEjb_pRMDf1zEZ6ptcpR42vjh4uW0_-LXKVATp4TZxtx0QG-edQMfr_sqh47nJF4sAn-Yez7dUYQ9UYh4A8C0npWKRV7Uq9OuGdJAcQSDW9OWE_9BfieQ998/s1600/IMG_8912.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4h0AHLFa0L2Z_vZlE2i4TEjb_pRMDf1zEZ6ptcpR42vjh4uW0_-LXKVATp4TZxtx0QG-edQMfr_sqh47nJF4sAn-Yez7dUYQ9UYh4A8C0npWKRV7Uq9OuGdJAcQSDW9OWE_9BfieQ998/s1600/IMG_8912.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today, in the unlikeliest
place imaginable, a musician restored my faith in music. His name is Steve Grand
and believe me when I say that he lives up to his name.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I first heard about
Steve a year ago when <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjiyjYCwNyY">his video for āAll-American Boyā</a> spread across the
Internet like a wildfire. Being an ardent supporter of talented people (because
there are so few of them left!) I downloaded the song, donated a little money
to his Kickstarter campaign for an album, and followed him on the Twitter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Then last week I found
out that heād be at Market Days this weekend and quickly made arrangements to be
there, too. Given the venue and nature of the audience, I was not expecting
much. Steve is handsome and built like a truck, so I thought heād come out
shirtless, the audience of boys would fawn over him for the duration of three
songs, and that would be that. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">How wonderfully
wrong I was.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdYqfaUDZ1x3HHXF4V95izK_LfdGZDhSSR1_kRBAe4hJS5-_ziXEUl9Mjv0r-rqFn205lvhAIt4KKRDVYSDrc9MqRfIZQiX6pK_-OSDVD95TMhZQdmeEoqKyLS3qHG-dlaeAbP9XPXvU/s1600/IMG_8926.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdYqfaUDZ1x3HHXF4V95izK_LfdGZDhSSR1_kRBAe4hJS5-_ziXEUl9Mjv0r-rqFn205lvhAIt4KKRDVYSDrc9MqRfIZQiX6pK_-OSDVD95TMhZQdmeEoqKyLS3qHG-dlaeAbP9XPXvU/s1600/IMG_8926.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Steve came out fully
clothed-- wearing a plain white V-neck tee shirt, skinny black Levis, and
boots. The audience did its fair share of fawning, but we quickly gathered our
wits about us to pay attention. And pay attention we did: no one around me
moved or left for the entire hour he was on. I couldnāt tell if they were
long-time fans or if they were just discovering him for the first time, but we
were all firmly in his musical grasp.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The show itself was
an eclectic mix of some new songs, some old songs, and some borrowed songs. He
performed versions of Springsteenās āDancing in the Darkā and Eltonās āBenny
and the Jetsā that wouldāve made them both proud. He did his song āStayā (my
personal favorite) and āBack to Californiaā which he assured us is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> about him going straight ::phew:: He
also sang a lot of catchy new material that will be on the new album and closed
with āAll-American Boyā. By the time he finished his set, I was a sweaty pile
of musical delirium. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">There were just so
many things to enjoy about this show. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Steve himself came across endearingly
sweet and funny. He seems like a regular dude, who loves music, and is humbled
by all the attention heās received. He also can</span>āt pronounce the word anonymity so bless his heart. <span style="font-family: inherit;">He's cute but heās talented, tooā and for once
the latter outweighs the former! Not only does he sing and write(?) his songs,
but he plays the guitar and the keyboard. Can Britney do that, </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">any</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> of that? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My point here is that Steve
Grand is a terrific throwback to when artists were really artists. You can tell by the way he performs that he is personally and profoundly invested in his music. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">His is the
broken heart in his songs. He is the one writing his āsongs of love, and life,
and loss, and just a few about youā. He is the All-American boy that we will root
for now and forever.</span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-82427029191149968682014-08-01T18:20:00.001-04:002014-08-01T18:20:36.698-04:00āChainsā by Nick Jonas<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="242" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/U8UX2bbCHJw" width="430"></iframe></div>
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The littlest JoBro is proving that heās every bit the man of our girlish dreams. Biceps, chains, and biceps in chains basically sum up this video. But Iām not complaining. The song is also incredibly catchy and already on my summer playlist. Enjoy the sites and sounds.Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-3817638213777845022014-08-01T16:02:00.005-04:002014-08-01T16:15:21.503-04:00One Month In: A Progress Report<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Kids,
weāve been living in Chicago for a solid 31-day calendar month now. I knowā¦ weāre
impressed, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YfiVNcSW8jrVw4Z39uQ__BeNYHp2TLEzkygmdHAo6v28-hQrMC1Ffd8fcjfA1Xvs59GBOYJogN5HMyazf_D8OUJQhKiqfmaO86Isq-lUPFRiil37UDKiDSWqRGgP8_e9NAPOH-UhH8/s1600/IMG_8617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6YfiVNcSW8jrVw4Z39uQ__BeNYHp2TLEzkygmdHAo6v28-hQrMC1Ffd8fcjfA1Xvs59GBOYJogN5HMyazf_D8OUJQhKiqfmaO86Isq-lUPFRiil37UDKiDSWqRGgP8_e9NAPOH-UhH8/s1600/IMG_8617.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">Let
me begin by saying this to all the concerned mothers and mother figures
reading: We are alive. Weāre eating regularly. Our dishes and clothes are
washed. And no one has gone to jail or the hospital. We are surviving quite
nicely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Actually,
weāre more than surviving Iād say. Weāre thriving in our new city. Our little
corner of the world is quaint and quiet. We have a kidās park next door and our
entire building is pet friendly. Our landlords are Russian so thatās been a
wonderful learning experience to say the least.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<!--StartFragment-->
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our day-to-day days are a
nice mix of home building and house cleaningā Emphasis on the cleaning. Weāre
getting our couch, coffee tables, and dresser in a few days, but weāre making
the most of what we do have. <!--EndFragment--></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHheCDc3-DzKLDQX22SBFz-D6BeyiHWMpbE5_5kzq34Ht9UkLvAuGwknMAXaYRGM4xK0WmEM7FLAXDUY0avoo5zl_KEae8TT-oDNavglqANnWNCwnCjq5fRdj7e0SiNl8pdF5N0LNkOdU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHheCDc3-DzKLDQX22SBFz-D6BeyiHWMpbE5_5kzq34Ht9UkLvAuGwknMAXaYRGM4xK0WmEM7FLAXDUY0avoo5zl_KEae8TT-oDNavglqANnWNCwnCjq5fRdj7e0SiNl8pdF5N0LNkOdU/s1600/1.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We
spent the first week and half at various retail stores buying all sorts of
kitchenware and furniture essentials. For anyone keeping track, oven mittens
made it to the essential list.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Javi
has given me clearance to turn our living room into the movie room Iāv</span><span id="goog_1135540157" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span id="goog_1135540158" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">e always
wantedāwhich basically means Iām going to make it dark and cozy and hang movie
posters all over the walls. Iāve got most of the posters framed already (Cher
and Bette are in 2 of them!) but Iām waiting on the couches to arrive before I
hang them up. This room is still a work in progress but hereās a small preview --></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCgnx-12kgKmecHgTjhypkjCfZI8aJztZYVtvjYoUTeUtMPWA-K2rdTwB2EKseuReIR1Hp_sRxcZvYirWjdr5rkSSyE5MQPkrs0XKjazW_5yntcBLZYBCiLntBF2nImKNI4772giMEew/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuCgnx-12kgKmecHgTjhypkjCfZI8aJztZYVtvjYoUTeUtMPWA-K2rdTwB2EKseuReIR1Hp_sRxcZvYirWjdr5rkSSyE5MQPkrs0XKjazW_5yntcBLZYBCiLntBF2nImKNI4772giMEew/s1600/2.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
Vinylmation-related news: Unable to bring my entire collection with me up here,
I brought some of my choice favorites and bought this gorgeous case from
Michaels to keep them in. Itās got a glass door to keep them from getting
dusty. However, because itās heavy Iām undecided one whether to hang it on the wall
or rest it on a shelf.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggb0lKzaq2FhtNeXsCcpoOKQiJrSEk6ewz8kwWubRM41miEQ7blg3o7XFfaSAhx4eaJKbdGyimEN87FwPHgu8n7WAWFbMjOyTLmdAT0roAmhKv1Qjl74I4dPYHL1FQXc3GNfo61TlD_GM/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggb0lKzaq2FhtNeXsCcpoOKQiJrSEk6ewz8kwWubRM41miEQ7blg3o7XFfaSAhx4eaJKbdGyimEN87FwPHgu8n7WAWFbMjOyTLmdAT0roAmhKv1Qjl74I4dPYHL1FQXc3GNfo61TlD_GM/s1600/3.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>Since I get the movie room, Javi gets the office. A doctor-in-training needs a workspace after all. We bought this nice desk from IKEA and put up some of my old Hollywood 8x10s to give it a classy feel. Of course, heās already looking into changing Liz & the gang out for some art. Iām about it since heās chosen to get some Van Goghās (poster prints because we canāt afford the real ones on college loans).</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Si_pyCJtRF5REXBJJXZv9FNwk0uYFPnlMXuxS9C7S6QXhkct1dQeuJQvweIYlkaFLnqk0EGb6aUE32ViDn_o3_ZqPhybz6umM9YU2kGbS1cNiW1T2ftoILbBXbyuwrm8kFdbKqBIK4/s1600/IMG_8648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR-Si_pyCJtRF5REXBJJXZv9FNwk0uYFPnlMXuxS9C7S6QXhkct1dQeuJQvweIYlkaFLnqk0EGb6aUE32ViDn_o3_ZqPhybz6umM9YU2kGbS1cNiW1T2ftoILbBXbyuwrm8kFdbKqBIK4/s1600/IMG_8648.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
think weāre most proud of our dining nook. Because weāre using the traditional
dining room of the apartment for my movie room, we turned the splendid bay
window area into our dining room. Itās a bit of a hike from the kitchen
(especially when youāre carrying hot plates), but you canāt beat the openness
and airiness of the area. We try to keep fresh flowers on deck at all times
because the flowers here are gorgeous (and a steal at only $3.99).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Thatās
our crib at a glanceā a work in progress to be sure. But itās ours and we love
it. Stay tuned for pictures of the soon-to-be-completed movie room!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It
goes without saying that our home is your home whenever you find yourself in
Chicago.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Courier New;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-76250474027803502412014-07-29T12:04:00.001-04:002014-07-29T12:08:19.861-04:00Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett to release joint jazz album<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="background: transparent; color: #999999; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-top: 5px; text-align: center; width: 420px;">
Visit NBCNews.com for <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">breaking news</a>, <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032507" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">world news</a>, and <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3032072" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; color: #5799DB !important; font-weight: normal !important; height: 13px; text-decoration: none !important;">news about the economy</a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcd-Ubi2UlzwqvBk3V6rgeA08Ud5IrIa7NV0KFqkqk2_GX66HeuD_CqmtW-NglUQTQdDZLZdpQ0httYmHT2CvXCMUZj0lwbtfNp-IS2MPev22FIpQsKNSwr5Z0WorCHgpz5RJGVGZa-0/s1600/tumblr_n9hbjqpQBC1qieaseo1_500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimcd-Ubi2UlzwqvBk3V6rgeA08Ud5IrIa7NV0KFqkqk2_GX66HeuD_CqmtW-NglUQTQdDZLZdpQ0httYmHT2CvXCMUZj0lwbtfNp-IS2MPev22FIpQsKNSwr5Z0WorCHgpz5RJGVGZa-0/s1600/tumblr_n9hbjqpQBC1qieaseo1_500.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>I have been clamoring for a Gaga jazz album since <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wHNySlNyuM">she did āOrange Colored Skyā</a>. Iām glad that the great Tony Bennett has taken her under his wing and given her the chance to do this in style. Gaga is a lot of pomp and glitter, but when it comes right down to it sheās a versatile songstress. The lead single from the <i>Cheek to Check</i> is āAnything Goesā. You can <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg1meK-IgOM">watch it here</a>.<br />
<br />
The publicity photo for this whole thing is Diana Ross-in-scope epic. It was shot by Steven Klein<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Helvetica Neue, HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">.</span></span><br />
<br />
Still, a small part of me is sad to think that all this couldāve been with Amy Winehouse instead.<br />
<br />
Oh well, hereās to September 23rd!Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-9836862898621313882014-07-26T19:35:00.001-04:002014-08-01T18:21:38.926-04:00The Walking Dead season 5 trailer debuts at SDCC<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="242" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/j4GAs9TJVjM" width="430"></iframe></div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-71575023391626400972014-02-17T10:56:00.003-05:002014-07-26T19:38:58.224-04:00Regarding the Liza Minnelli show in Hollywood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3r9NDb1LROb5PVwk4LLIREmtmTLgS9iOEitvl079MQcUFsKs4E289eJ8zbVL919Wcta-Mv4HxWYWR5OOFkuXZQb9c_UtU0VwqsnlwYJIEwF57OnF74UZ9hZYfZUkPSKzGVw_fyfN5Zg/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3r9NDb1LROb5PVwk4LLIREmtmTLgS9iOEitvl079MQcUFsKs4E289eJ8zbVL919Wcta-Mv4HxWYWR5OOFkuXZQb9c_UtU0VwqsnlwYJIEwF57OnF74UZ9hZYfZUkPSKzGVw_fyfN5Zg/s1600/1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
There was once a time in my life when I believed that Liza Minnelli would die before I got to see her in concert.<br />
<br />
That time was basically all of the 90's and early 00's. It was during that time that she suffered through hip replacements, brain encephalitis, and a marriage to David Gest-- all of which were pretty equally traumatic. The point is, she and I were a bit touch-and-go there for a while. She eventually sailed through her surgeries, conquered the viral encephalitis which most doctor's thought was going to be her undoing, and beat/divorced David Gest.<br />
<br />
None of which, of course, was surprising to those who love Liza because she's made a career out of being the comeback kid. She is, after all, Judy's daughter.<br />
<br />
So it is with great pride and a little boasting that I admit to having seen Liza Minnelli in concert twice now.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2BdYYhrRh2b9U90shdMTsp4Mdb-PQoO63B5JKyUT5NmHTOtlkHn4J0UhtuvdvANnfrUFnzV8h_jcToqdMhiUwnZKhHjr0RN-2OfxBeeMEAggnDpigl_0YFr7Nx-E44NsqCWNVtMH07A/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2BdYYhrRh2b9U90shdMTsp4Mdb-PQoO63B5JKyUT5NmHTOtlkHn4J0UhtuvdvANnfrUFnzV8h_jcToqdMhiUwnZKhHjr0RN-2OfxBeeMEAggnDpigl_0YFr7Nx-E44NsqCWNVtMH07A/s1600/2.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
During last night's show at the Broward Center for Performing Arts in Hollywood, Liza absolutely dazzled her audience. Having hurt her ankle earlier, she held court over everyone from the comfort of a director's chair. In many ways, having her seated added an intimate feel to the show-- like we were sitting in her living room, listening to her casually sing songs of love and loss. Proving once more that she can rise above anything, she did the entire set with more guts and gusto than I have ever seen.<br />
<br />
At 67, Liza remains a consummate entertainer. She is funny, fearless, and enthusiastically humble about her shortcomings (of which there are <i>very</i> few). Backed by the incomparable Billy Stritch and her six-piece band, Liza's shows span an almost 60-year career in the music business. From the stages of Broadway and "Cabaret" to the heights of Hollywood, Liza does it all and does it oh-so well. Sure, her voice is not what it once was, but she leaves her heart and soul on that stage.<br />
<br />
That said, I can put Liza's songs in one of two categories: jazzy songs that she can sing and powerhouse show-stoppers that she tries to sing. Although most people want to hear the show-stoppers, she is at her absolute best during the softer, jazzier numbers from her album <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Confessions-Liza-Minnelli/dp/B003GH6M2O/ref=sr_1_7?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1392646924&sr=1-7&keywords=liza+minnelli">Confessions</a>. Songs like "You Fascinate Me So", "On Such a Night as This", and "I Hadn't Anyone 'til You" showcase a careworn voice that adds truth and melancholy to the words it sings. Like her mother before her, Liza excels at selling sadness.<br />
<br />
This is not to discount the other songs; the songs that made her a legend in her own right. Although she has lost the ability to belt out the big notes, Liza can still wail. She just needs a couple of sips of water(?) in between those big notes. She continually tries to reach for the moon in big songs like "Maybe This Time", "But the World Goes Round", and "New York, New York" but falls short. Still, the effort leaves us all floating among the stars.<br />
<br />
My favorite moment of the show was also the most surprising. Perched atop the director's chair, Liza told us this truly terrific, absolutely true story! Yes ladies and germs, she did "Ring Them Bells"! She remembered all the words and hit all the marks of the song like it was 1972. She even wore Shirley Devore's sunglasses. It was a magical moment for anyone who knows and loves that song.<br />
<br />
It's moments like those that will keep me coming back to Liza anytime she's in town. As a grand dame of stage and screen, sitting or standing, she remains as ever a beacon of star power.<br />
<br />
<br />Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-12451332877309968322014-02-07T12:58:00.002-05:002014-02-07T13:04:23.469-05:00"Into the Blue" by Kylie Minogue<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/fL6FaI-wJxs" width="420"></iframe><br /></div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
This is the new single from Kylie's forthcoming album, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kiss-Once-Special-Edition-DVD/dp/B00I0O9SLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1391795968&sr=8-2&keywords=kylie+minogue">"Kiss Me Once"</a>. The album will be released on March 18th, 2014. </div>
Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-53098865720728895242014-02-06T22:19:00.002-05:002014-02-07T13:04:33.744-05:00A letter of reintroductionDear reader,<br />
<br />
They say that old habits die hard. They also say that "Die Hard" was a great movie. I don't know who <i>they</i> are exactly so I can't confirm either statement, but I do know a thing or two about loving what you do. Unfortunately, I happen to know a little bit more about not-doing what you love and hating that.<br />
<br />
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I love to write but it's hard to consider yourself a writer if you don't actually write anything. (I hope you read the bit about being a writer in a deeply exaggerated whisper like I did.)<br />
<br />
It's not for lack of valid and important opinions on things. Ask anyone I know or date, I have an opinion on almost everything. Some of them are thoughtful and informed opinions on matters of the day. A few others are just speculations or a regurgitation of whatever Cokie Roberts taught me on NPR that Monday morning. The majority though are downright unreasonable rants against whatever I'm annoyed by that particular week.<br />
<br />
Whatever the case may be, writing is like a habit with me-- a habit that ebbs and flows but never really goes away. Writing, like most great passions, burns bright and hot. The more you write, the easier is gets. The easier it gets, the more your write. So eventually you love it so much that you start to hate it. I think that's what happened to me. I stopped writing because I stopped caring about my own opinions. More to the point, I stopped trying to defend my opinions. Although they were always dripping with righteous indignation, I just kept asking myself what a writer should never ask: who the hell cares?<br />
<br />
While I don't particularly like writing about myself, I find that writing helps me sort out my world in countless and cathartic ways. So what I've come to realize is that no one has to care but me. And that's what you'll get here from now on-- personally important opinions about everything.<br />
<br />
Hoping we all stick around for the ride,<br />
Jerry<br />
<br />Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-29669889664311363142013-04-08T14:08:00.001-04:002013-04-08T14:09:44.395-04:00Annette Funicello dies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Some truely sad news to report today. Former child star Annette Funicello has died at the age of 70.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The actress, who is best remembered for her time as a Mouseketeer on <i>The Mickey Mouse Club</i> from 1955 to 1957, died from complications related to multiple sclerosis, which she was diagnosed with more than 20 years ago.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Funicello first lost the ability to walk in 2004, and later lost the ability to speak in 2009. Family members say that they were by her side when she was taken off life support, after being in a MS coma for years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The former actress was the original Disney star, getting her start as a Mouseketeer and staring in Disney films including, <i>The Shaggy Dog</i> and <i>Babes in Toyland</i>, before transitioning into a teen idol. In the early 1960s Funicello starred in a series of <i>Beach Party</i> movies co-starring Frankie Avalon, that included <i>Beach Party</i>, <i>Muscle Beach Party</i>, <i>Pajama Beach Party</i>, <i>Beach Blanket Bing</i> and <i>How to Stuff a Wild Bikini</i>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Funicello was married to her first husband, Jack Gilardi, from 1965 to 1981, with whom she had three children. In 1986, she married horse breeder/trainer Glen Holt, who took care of her until the very end.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">(Via </span><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/annette-funicello-dead_n_3038406.html"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">HuffPo</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">)</span>Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-23473563090250452452013-04-02T22:12:00.002-04:002013-04-02T22:14:34.321-04:00Disney and Pixar (finally!) announce Finding Nemo sequel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/02/finding-dory-finding-nemo-sequel_n_2999649.html?utm_hp_ref=entertainment">The HuffPo</a> reports that Dory is swimming her way back to the box office. Disney and Pixar announced today that <i>Finding Nemo</i> is getting a sequel with the upcoming release of <i>Finding Dory</i>.<br />
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In a statement, Ellen DeGeneres (who voices Dory) said: āI have waited for this day for a long, long, long, long, long, long time. Iām not mad it took this long. I know the people at Pixar were busy creating āToy Story 16.ā But the time they took was worth it. The script is fantastic. And it has everything I loved about the first one: Itās got a lot of heart, itās really funny, and the best part isāitās got a lot more Dory.ā<br />
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<i>Finding Dory</i> is reportedly set on the California coastline, one year after its predecessor. The animated flick will include many of the characters from the first film, including Marlin, the gang from the tank, and of course, Nemo.<br />
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Andrew Stanton will direct <i>Finding Dory,</i> with Albert Brooks, who voiced Marlin in the first film, returning as well.<br />
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<i>Finding Nemo</i> was a major success for Disney and Pixar. Released in 2003, it reached a total worldwide gross of $921.7 million and took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-9091414465050989282013-04-02T22:03:00.002-04:002013-04-02T22:14:49.552-04:00Rare Tony Bennett concert recording to be released <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/04/01/tony-bennett-concert-recording-to-be-released/">ArtsBeat reports</a>: A Tony Bennett concert recording long presumed to be lost will be released on May 28th. The album, <i>Bennett & Brubeck: The White House Sessions, Live 1962</i>, documents a performance by Mr. Bennett and the pianist Dave Brubeck at the Sylvan Theater, on the grounds of the Washington Monument.<br />
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Organized by the Kennedy administration as a token of gratitude for the corps of college students who had taken summer internships in the capital, the concert took place on Aug. 28, 1962. It featured separate sets by Mr. Bennett, who had just landed a hit with āI Left My Heart in San Francisco,ā and the Brubeck quartet, one of the most popular jazz groups in the country. As an impromptu finale Mr. Bennett joined members of the quartet for four songs. One of those, a bossa nova version of āThat Old Black Magic,ā has appeared on some compilation albums. But the full concert, which lasted roughly an hour, languished unheard in the Sony vaults until its discovery in December, not long after Brubeckās death at 91.<br />
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During his 60-year recording career, Mr. Bennett, 86, has collaborated with leading jazz musicians including the pianist Bill Evans and the Count Basie Orchestra. But after the concert in Washington, he and Brubeck didnāt perform together until the 2009 Newport Jazz Festival. Mr. Bennett is scheduled to make his next New York City appearance on Oct. 11 at Radio City Music Hall.Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5362733252371865542.post-10111413668201035962013-04-02T21:49:00.003-04:002013-04-02T22:15:00.556-04:00Muppets co-creator Jane Henson dies[<i>Editor's note</i>] Some sad news to report from the Muppet world.
Jane Henson, who with her future husband and fellow puppeteer Jim Henson was instrumental in bringing the Muppets to life in the 1950s on a TV station in Washington, D.C., died today at her home in Greenwich, CO after a long battle with cancer. She was 78.<br />
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<a href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/muppets-jane-henson-dies-432527">The Hollywood Reporter</a> reports: Jane met Jim in a puppetry class in 1954 when she was a fine arts education major at the University of Maryland. While still an undergraduate, Jim was offered a job on NBC affiliate WRC-TV in Washington, and he asked Jane to join him as a co-performer and creator.
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Their television show, the five-minute <i>Sam and Friends</i>, aired before the national news program The Huntley-Brinkley Report and then again before <i>The Tonight Show Starring Steve Allen</i> on the D.C. station. Their characters were forerunners of the Muppets, and the show included a prototype of the Hensons' most famous puppet, Kermit the Frog.<br />
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The puppets' first national television guest appearance would come on Allenās <i>Tonight Show</i>, and soon they were making guest appearances on the top variety shows of the day on their way to eventual international acclaim.
The couple married in May 1959 and legally separated in 1986. Jim died in 1990.<br />
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Two years later, Jane funded and founded the Jim Henson Legacy to conserve, preserve and present the artistic contribution of her late husband. In 2001, she created the Jane Henson Foundation for philanthropic work.<br />
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After the couple split, she continued her association with the Jim Henson Co. and actively participated in the company as it became a global family entertainment organization, collaborating with Jim on projects that included the traveling museum exhibit "The Art of the Muppets" as well as "The Muppet Show on Tour" and "Sesame Street Live" arena shows.<br />
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Known for her keen eye for spotting puppeteer talent, Jane also became the point of entry to the company for many top puppeteers.<br />
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A native of Queens, N.Y., Jane also served on the board of the Jim Henson Foundation, founded in 1982 to promote and develop the art of puppetry (now headed by their daughter, Cheryl). Each year, the foundation introduces thousands of adults and families to puppetry through grant-making and public awareness efforts. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than 675 grants to more than 300 American puppet artists for the creation and development of new work.<br />
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During her career, Jane also served as an assistant art teacher at the Mead School for Human Development in Greenwich and co-founded the National Puppetry Conference at the Eugene OāNeill Theater Center in Waterford, Conn.<br />
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In addition to Cheryl, survivors include daughters Lisa and Heather and sons Brian and John. A memorial mass is planned for next week.Jerryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04948275234068830465noreply@blogger.com0