My Summer Guilty Pleasure

Howard Stern, Heidi Klum, Nick Cannon, Howie Mandel & Mel B

Wow. All month, I had noting to say? Well, I did, but said most of it on Facebook. Still, I missed posting here and am glad to do so again.

You all know by know how much I love AGT. And it's mostly because, unlike "American Idol" or "The Voice," anyone can audition with any sort of talent. It's a throw-back variety show with singers; dancers; musicians; acrobats; magicians and and any other number of performance artists. I love it. 

Last night saw the first 6 of the 12 finalists for this season and I was very pleased by the winners. In no particular order, they are:

SONS OF SERENDIP:



DAVID AND LEEMAN:



(BTW - Leeman is a friend of a friend)

MIGUEL DAKOTA:



(A cutie who MUST lose the knit cap)

MIKE SUPER:



MARA JUSTINE:



(A Broadway Belter in the making)

And last,but hardly least, my current favorite, EMILY WEST:

Next week's shows will determine the last six of the final 12. While there are several acts I hope go through, I'm really hoping to see the adorable and hot CHRISTIAN STOINEV and his equally adorable Chihuahua Scooby, move onto the finals:

Of course, as usual, I am torn. There so many great acts this season. Next week's Semi-Finalists include magician MAT FRANCO; singer JAYCOB CURLEE; dancers BLUE JOURNEY and cellists EMIL & DARIEL (who stole their act from by beloved Serbs, 2CELLOS) and all of them have their merits. But if it was up to me, the winner would probably be chosen from among this week's 6. Only one of my personal favorite acts have won (last season's Konichi Ebina), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed this year. I'll let you know who I would have picked after it's all over.

And while my all-time favorite AGT contestant dd not win, I do hope that the gorgeous, funny and very talented Prince Poppycock is doing well.

If you've never seen him, it's well worth the 15 minutes.

More, anon.
Prospero

What's the Deal with Eurovision?

Austria's Conchita Wurst

My dear ex-pat; entrepreneur; adventurer friend Adam (a handsome, towering gentle giant I first met in 94 when he played Theseus in my production of Midsummer...) is currently living in London with his equally awesome wife. After wishing him a happy birthday on Facebook, he asked if I was watching the annual Eurovision song contest. I admitted that I was not (I'm not even sure FiOS carries a channel that would air it), but had caught snippets online. He then posted a several clips, including one of Austria's entrant Conchita Wurst and her song "Rise Like a Phoenix." And while I knew who Conchita was (and that she riled up the homophobes running Russia these days), I don't know that I had actually seen her perform. Turns out, "Rise Like a Phoenix" (which - SPOILER ALERT - won today) is a pretty good song. The fact that the contest was won by a sexually ambiguous* performer, makes it all the sweeter.

*Conchita has described herself as "...a gorgeous woman with a beard." I am not one to argue with her. Of course, Conchita is not the first of her kind. Long before anyone had ever heard of Conchita, Bulgari's goateed Azis was making headlines and waves with his gender-bending music videos. 

Adam also suggested I check out Finland's entry, the Finnish Boy Band Softengine and their entry, "Something Better."

He found them a cross between A-HA and Erasure and while I mostly agree, I think we should add a dash of Pet Shop Boys.

Now, I understand talent contests. But a song contest? Each country competing only gets one song? Does it get performed over and over? How do they whittle it down to a winner? I just don't get it. 

More, anon.
Prospero

Both the Gayest & Most Exciting New Music You'll See this Week

Collabro

No blogger is 100% origial in their content (though I can't say I don't like when I post about something before the big bloggers do). Both items tonight come via Towleroad, but I thought they were both worth re-sharing and commenting. 

Uncle P is always happy to share new music, especially when it's good and has something to say. Which I is why I love singer/DJ Ray Isaac's beautiful and powerful anti-bullying song WHO I AM. 

As you must know by now, this is a topic near and dear to Uncle P's heart (even though said heart sits in a jar on a kitchen shelf next to another containing by baby fangs). But seriously, the world continues to lose so many kids with so much potential, all because of ignorance, fear and hate. 

On the other side of the music spectrum is the stuff that gives you goosebumps and brings you tears simply because of how beautiful it is. I remember seeing Canadian songstress Loreena McKennitt at Town Hall in NYC and being brought to tears by how beautiful her voice and the music was. I suppose this is what comes of growing up with a Classical Music father and a Rock 'N' Roll mother. Is it any wonder I was drawn to Musical Theatre? What you are about to see both gave me goose bumps and brought me to tears. The adorable 'Boy Band' Collabro (I hate the name, BTW) is not at all what you might expect. Nor did the judges on "Britain's Got Talent." When I first saw this clip last night, it only had 20 views. I Facebooked and Tweeted it, but it still only has just under 2,000 views. These very talented and adorable boys deserve to go viral. As Simon Cowell says at the end of the clip, "There's a hit record!"

I've a feeling this is hardly the last we've heard of Collabro (UGH! That NAME!)

More anon.
Prospero

The Hottest Cellists You'll See This Week

Stepjan Hauser and Luka Sulic, AKA: "2Cellos"

Yes, I went a little AWOL this week. So many things had me down... the horrific weather; the diagnosis of gout in my knee (and the pain that went along with it); the never-ending mess that is my mother's estate... Of course, you don't really care about any of that. I will say though, that three things picked up quite a bit today (well technically yesterday, but I'm still up). 

The first was the completion of the professional painting of my kitchen, living room and front hall, which were all in very desperate need of it. I hired a friend and fellow actor, who did the entire job alone; in one day; without using an inch of tape or spilling a drop of paint. I managed to hang my new drapes and put up a number of family photos before calling it on the redecorating of what is finally starting to feel like my house. 

While Pat was hard at work, I ran a few errands where I found my second pick-me-up in the warm, sunny weather, something that's been sorely missing around here of late. It also helped that what I was looking for in my travels was both easily available and on sale, in both of the stores I needed to visit. 

When I returned, I found myself confined to the office while Pat wove his magic with a brush, turning to the Internet for distraction (not that I didn't and still don't have enough real-life things to distract me for quite a while), where I came across the third thing that brightened my day - the video posted below.

I first posted about the gorgeous, Croatian cellists Stepjan Hauser and Luka Sulic back in 2011 when they released their cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal." They've gone on to cover some outrageous stuff, but none quite as well as this version of AC/DC's "Thunderstruck:"

Damn! And since the link the "Smooth Criminal" vid no longer works on my old post, here is again:



And here's a few more of the hotties' amazing covers:

I would love to see these two in concert. Hopefully, they'll tour the US, soon. 

I'm so pleased to be sharing a good day, for a change! Tomorrow (well, later today, I suppose), I'll be talking about some movies I'm looking forward to seeing. The world is slowly starting to seem right again.

More, anon.
Prospero

Missing My Real Life 'Big Chill' Reunion

Last February, I learned of the passing of a friend and college classmate with whom I and a group of other Theatre friends had shared some rather ridiculous, outrageous and very fun adventures in the 1980's. Of course, as many college friends do, we drifted apart after graduation. Some of us stayed in touch through an annual Christmas card or the occasional meeting. Then along came Facebook and we started finding each other again. And then Chris passed and we vowed to get together in Florida over this holiday weekend. 

Then a whole bunch of other crappy stuff happened and my mother passed, causing a major shift in my personal paradigm. I didn't want to be home alone for the holidays, so I opted to spend Christmas in Florida with my sister, making a second trip so soon after financially infeasible, much to my disappointment. These 12 or so folks and I spent a whole lot of time together doing theatre, camping and traveling and just hanging out. There was a particular rental house nearby where we tended to gather and inevitably, we'd end up around the piano, belting out show tunes, out-of-season Christmas carols and always, this song:

Of course the other song I so closely associate with this particular Band of Brothers and Sisters wasn't in our repertoire at 'The House,' but was often the last song of the night at special events:

Cheery, eh? But we were a cheery group of misfits and artists trying to figure crap out and having a hell of a time doing it! I have several very close friends from the same era, whom I see regularly. These folks I don't get to see nearly enough. These are the people with whom I shared 'escapades.' I was lucky enough to visit with the weekend's hostess at her farm while down in December. We tried Skyping earlier tonight, but I can't seem to make it work, also much to my disappointment. I shall try again, tomorrow. Honestly, I'm lucky I figured how to post this blog...

So this post is dedicated to my (mostly, slightly younger) TSC 80's Theatre Friends! I miss you guys and wish I was there with you. And while it's really apropos of nothing other than the 80's, here's a silly video that made me laugh. I hope they see it and laugh, too.

Love you guys! Missing you all so very much!

More, anon.
Prospero

The Most Powerful Gay Thing You'll See This Week

Anthony Starble

The Internet is both a wonderful and terrible tool which has changed the lives of everyone born before the 1990's. A virtual Wild, Wild West of information; entertainment; knowledge; pornography; science; music; art; film and almost anything else you can think of, it can bring people together and drive others into total isolation. 

I like the Internet best when it teaches, entertains and introduces me to new artists; musicians; performers and cool science. Today, it introduced me to a young gay musician by the name of Anthony Starble. His latest single,"Oh Father" (via) is a gorgeous ballad about the very complicated relationship between so many straight fathers and gay sons. While I won't get into my theories about my own father and our rather complicated relationship, I will admit that Starble's song and video hit home on so many levels. And I'm guessing it does the same with many of my readers. See for yourselves:

My father always seemed on the verge of violence, especially once he realized I was never going to be the person he wanted me to be. I have long since forgiven him for how he treated my mother and I and actually feel sorry that he couldn't find the happiness he so desperately seemed to be seeking. I lost my father long before he actually passed, and did not mourn his passing in the 'traditional' way. Instead, I mourned the missed the opportunities we could have shared. Starble's song and video capture how I felt about him in an oddly personal way. As I am sure it will for many others. 

More, anon.

Prospero

Grand New Music

Steve Grand

Gorgeous singer/songwriter, former model and porn actor Steve Grand had a massive hit this July with his debut single "All American Boy," a song and video that hit home with Uncle P in more ways than I care to admit (if my personal All American Boy is reading this, you know you who you are - as do several of my closest friends).

Grand is back with his follow-up, "Stay." Deliberately (at least I hope it's deliberate) referencing the video for "All American Boy," it's obvious that Steve has a thing for standing up and singing in moving vehicles. This time, however, it's with another, equally hot gay boy who has no problem with PDAs. Still, a catchy tune, hot guys and the beach along Lake Michigan make for some good times in his latest (via Grand's Facebook page):

Seriously, where were these kinds of Pop-Stars when Uncle P was their age? Oh, yeah. In the closet, just like I was. It truly makes me happy that artists like Grand no longer to feel the need to hide.  

There's also a new video from a rather more established Pop-Star, today. Katy Perry debuted the video for her latest single "Roar," which features lyrics that are rather obvious digs at her creepy ex-husband, Russell Brand (or possibly her current non-fiance, well-known D-Bag John Mayer). Either way, Perry makes it clear she's not afraid to face the fiercest jungle cat (via):

While I still think most modern Pop Music is derivative and boring, both Grand and Perry have managed to create songs which have me dancing in my chair. Maybe I'm not quite as old as I think I am. 

Nah... I'm old enough to be the father of both of them. And while I'd be very proud of both of them, the likelihood of my being anyone's father is very low. 

More, anon.

Prospero

From X-Men to X-Factor, AGT and Other Nonsense

Kenichi Ebina

Regular readers know that I have two "Reality Show" vices: NBC's "America's Got Talent" and SyFy's "Face-Off" (BTW - had "Face-Off" existed in the late 80's/early 90's, I totally would have been a contestant). The new season of "Face-Off" has just started, though AGT is about to go into their semi-finals.

And to be perfectly honest, I'm not digging AGT so much this year. First off, Heidi and Mel are great, but they are no Sharon Osbourne. Say what you will about Mrs. O, but she sure knows how to command an audience and I must admit that I love her brassy style. Heidi and Mel together serve as the Voices of Reason and seem to work well as both comedic 'straight men' to and buffers between Howard and Howie, though I often doubt their judgement (especially Heidi's) when it comes to talent. Klum comes from modelling (and has had her own successful contest show for years), though I have to ask what makes her qualified to judge dancers, singers, acrobats, musicians and variety acts? Former Spice Girl Mel B at least has some experience in the industry, as sketchy as it may be.

Still, it's not the judges that are the problem (at least not their chemistry). It's the acts the judges have put through this season. AGT is quickly becoming a 'Been There; Done That; Bought the T-Shirt and Returned It' show. If I see one more "Shadow Dancing" act, I'm going to throw up. Stop giving standing ovations to acts ripped off from other acts, please. They're boring. And stop giving guys who build Rube Goldberg machines spots instead of far more interesting and talented acts.

I am a fan of Forte, the operatic trio who met online (especially their gorgeous new member) and charismatic & adorable young magician Collins Key. And I would honestly be very pleased if either of them won. But now that they're about to start the Semi-Finals, I have a clear favorite: Japanese stunt dancer Kenichi Ebina. His audition was pretty astounding and he was pushed right through to New York without having to endure the Vegas call-backs. His first New York performance was truly brilliant. Combining prerecorded digital images with an astoundingly precise live performance, Ebina flawlessly immersed himself in a video game. Live. Onstage. Amazing. Watch. Watch Full Screen:

I must agree with all four judges. The man is astounding.

In other reality show news, a sweet and dear friend (K's older sister, actually) shared a clip from "X-Factor Australia" on Facebook today that just took my breath away. Remember the first time you saw Susan Boyle? 14 year old Jai Waetford puts that moment to shame:

I've never seen all the judges on any talent competition show lose their minds like Danni Minogue, Ronan Keating and LMFAO's Redfoo do there. I'm betting the actually talented (and graciously humble) Waetford has young girls all over the world asking "Justin who?" within the next year.

More, anon.

Prospero

The Gayest New Music You'll Hear This Week

Pet Shop Boys

As obsessed with film scores as I am, I am very surprised by my recent rash of new music posts. 

Uncle P came of musical age in the 80's when I discovered so many musicians; bands; performance artists and singers from every era and genre. For the most part, the music with I most connect the beginning of my musical awakening is the often bizarre dance music to which my college friends and I spent many a Thursdays (with Jon Stewart tending bar) dancing at 90 Cent Dance Night Thursday at the notorious City Gardens in Trenton, NJ.  90 Cents to get in and 90 Cents for a watered down well drink. We'd get a pitcher of Kamikazes to start the night and then move on to the cheap stuff, dancing so much that we never really got all that drunk. One of the era's few surviving groups, Pet Shop Boys have a new single out called "Vocal." The song and the video (via) are everything I have always loved about the eccentric gay (not a couple) duo. Enjoy:

Then there's the heavily 80's influenced George Alley and his latest single, "Smoke." Alley channels The Smiths, The Cure and Pet Shop Boys, while infusing his own sense of weirdness (via). Alley is entertaining, but an acquired taste:

Next, Autoheart takes a stab at Russian homophobia with their single, "Moscow" (also via):

And finally, a dance track from self-described "small town Wisconsin boy" Garek, coming out (in every sense) with his debut single "Save the Queen"(also via):

While none of the videos posted tonight are NSFW, the "(via)" links to their source sites may be very NSFW.

There seems to be a wonderful musical explosion among openly gay singer/songwriters and LGBT-Friendly bands. I'm so excited to live in a time when no one needs to hide anymore.

More, anon.
Prospero

The Newest Gayest Music Videos You'll See This Week

Eli Lieb

There seems to have been an absolute explosion of gay recording artists releasing new songs and videos this month. 

On the heels of Steve Grand's viral hit "All-American Boy" (already touted earlier this month) comes Tom Goss' "Bears" and now (via) comes the adorable Eli Lieb with "Young Love." 

At Uncle P's age, it amazes me that so many young artists are producing fearless and truthful works about who they are. While these days I'm out to just about everybody (with the exception of a few very elderly and very Catholic aunts and uncles who just don't need to know, though I'm sure they must suspect by now), when I was Grand, Goss and Lieb's age, I was still very much closeted to all but my closest friends.

Openly gay artists like the three gentlemen cited above (along with folks like Chely Wright; Adam Lambert and Drake Jensen) give me hope that future generations of LGBT people will eventually be fully recognized as equals and celebrated for their talents and not just their sexuality. 

"If music be the food of love, play on." 

More, anon.
Prospero

The Weirdest, Gayest Things You'll See & Hear This Week

Another quickie music post. The Pixies have a new album out and a new video for their single 'Bagboy.' Both are exceptionally weird and wonderful. Alt music fans have been loving these guys since the mid-80's and there's a reason they're still around. Yes, the song is very weird, but it's still oddly compelling.

And while Industrial Rockers Nine Inch Nails may well have an Oscar-winning frontman, the video for their new single, 'Came Back Haunted' is directed by none other than David Lynch and comes with a warning for photosensitive epileptics. Lynch's films range from absurdist philosophy (Eraserhead; Lost Highway) to haunting drama (The Elephant Man). I'd want him to direct my music video, too.

And finally, proof that most Str8 boys are just a six-pack* away from being gay. These drunken frat boys aren't afraid to do let their disco shine.

Bagboy:



Come Back Haunted:



Str8 Boys' Gay Catwalk:



*I bet you were expecting this.

More, anon.
Prospero

New Music Quickie: Father Tiger

Greg Delson and John Russell are Father Tiger

MUST get to bed early (or at least earlier), so I hadn't planned on posting at all tonight.

That was of course, until I came across the video I am about to share. I'd only encountered Father Tiger one other time* before coming across this clip on Towleroad tonight. And I was very pleasantly surprised.

'First Love' is an instantly infectious song with a decidedly danceable 80's vibe and an absolutely charming video featuring the adorable Father Tiger frontmen: Greg Delson and John Russell. Please don't ask me which is which - I don't know but I'm sure everyone will know soon. Especially if they keep putting out stuff this fun and timely:

*The first time I saw/heard them was in their homoerotic competition video for their Rockabilly single "Head Hung Low" (embedded below) and thought "Hmmm." Of course, after hearing/seeing 'First Love,' I revisited the former and am now officially declaring myself a fan:

I think I may have been too distracted to appreciate the music, the first time I saw that... Watch it again, but listen to the song, this time.

But it was their cover of Adele's 'Set Fire to the Rain' that sealed the deal for Uncle P:

Reminiscent of Pet Shop Boys; Yaz; The Psychedelic Furs and any other number of 80's groups and singers, Father Tiger is the essence of pop music, with some decidedly timely messages thrown in for measure. I adore these guys and wish (and predict) only good things for them!

Love, love, LOVE these boys! I am adding Father Tiger to my Amazon Wishlist as soon as I finish this post. Which is now.

More, anon.
Prospero

Daddy Issues

If you met my father or worked with him, you would have thought he was a pretty great guy. Often funny; fairly intelligent; somewhat handy and occasionally a good cook, my dad presented himself as a perfectly decent human being. 

Those of us who lived with him, knew better. A racist, anti-Semitic homophobe who was fascinated by Alexander the Great; Napoleon and Hitler, my father was actually quite a jerk. He cheated on my mother (who foolishly took him back after the first time he left her for the woman who gave birth to my half-brother) at least twice that I can confirm. His vacations were spent painting the house or doing other things that excluded the rest of the family and never took us anywhere for more than a day (and even then, only when he had free passes to wherever it was we went). Of course, I didn't realize what a jerk was when I was younger.

Truth be told, as a child, I idolized my dad. As most kids do. I have tons of happy memories spent with my father at the movies; at family cook-outs; on day trips to the Jersey Shore; learning to cook my grandmother's recipes... He instilled in me a love of classical music and certainly informed my sense of humor. He taught me about classic movies and introduced me to the Universal Monsters. He showed me how to build a perfect wood grill fire and attempted to teach me how to drive. He told lots of jokes and taught me accents which I use to this day.

As I got older and reached adolescence, it became clear that my father resented my mother, my sister and I. And although I never officially came out to him, once he realized I was gay, he shut me out completely. He often quoted Thoreau to me: "Most men lead lives of quiet desperation." He complained, "There are men exploring uncharted regions of the world while I am stuck here, paying bills and painting walls." And whose fault was that? As a young adolescent, he repeatedly reminded me that I had an acne problem (his face was heavily scarred from his own, much worse bought with it) and complained because I didn't participate in sports. He absolutely HATED the fact that I discovered Theatre and constantly berated me for not wanting to become a doctor, lawyer or some sort of executive at a boring, soul-crushing corporation.

Don't get me wrong. I loved my Dad. I loved him right up until the day he died from a neuroblastoma at the age of 59 in 1998, less than ten years after he left my mother for the second time and married a trashy, wealthy widow who dragged him to Las Vegas for the last five years of his life. That wedding was one of the unintentionally funniest events I have ever attended, though it's a story for another time. I loved him, but didn't like him very much at all.

Dad died alone, with no one from his real family nearby. Six months before he passed, we had a phone conversation in which he said "I love you" to me for the first time in my memory.

I was camping with my then boyfriend in Provincetown when he passed-away on July 5th, just three weeks shy of his 60th birthday. When Ric and I got home that afternoon, Mom told me he had passed and honestly, I felt nothing. Just like the gal in that number from A Chorus Line. And for the longest time, I felt guilty for feeling nothing. I mean, this was huge. My father had died. I should feel something, shouldn't I? 

After several weeks of legal wrangling (impeded by the meddlings of the aforementioned second wife), Dad's ashes were finally sent back East and we buried them along with his father mother in St. Stephan's Cemetery in Trenton, NJ. The ceremony was attended by myself, his sister and exactly five other people (one of whom was the funeral director). It was then that I finally realized that everyone else who had known my father knew what a jerk he was and that they had stayed away in droves. And while I have long ago forgiven him for being such a creep, every Fathers' Day I resent the fact that I don't get to share with everyone else who has or had a really great Dad. And then I realize that given the chance, I would have made a pretty great Dad, having learned so much from having such a jerk for a father.

I know I'm not alone in this. Plenty of folks have absolute monsters for fathers. He never beat us, or stole money to support a drug habit or killed anyone. He worked hard to support, feed and clothe his family. He just wasn't all that into it, I guess. 

I hope you have or had a better Dad, than mine. I'd like to imagine that given the opportunity, I would have been a better father than mine was. And I do have to thank my mother, whose kindness, compassion and love of Rock 'N Roll counterbalanced all of his negativity. I have no idea how or why she put up with him as long as she did. Without him, my sister and I wouldn't exist, so I have to give him credit for that, too. Still... I wish I had a Dad I would want to wish a Happy Fathers' Day. 

To all of the fathers reading this, please know how much you mean to your children. Love them no matter what. Don't give them reasons to hate or resent you. Make them want to be at your side on your deathbed and give them reasons to mourn your passing. They'll be all the better for it.

More, anon.
Prospero

A Quickie Update: Playing for Change

It's been a while since I've talked about Playing for Change. I still strongly believe in what they do and why they do it and I hope you'll join me in supporting their cause. What could possibly be better than Peace through music? Art can unite us and save the world, even if it's just one person at a time. Visit them at PlayingForChange.org Here's their latest 'around the world' recording,  a truly International cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" Enjoy:

More, very anon.
Prospero

Sorry - Monsters Are Still Real, Kids.

Faneuil Hall - Boston, Massachusetts.

So... Yesterday, another insane person (or persons) perpetrated another horrific crime against innocent people, this time against those who were attending and/or participating in the Boston Marathon.  I needed a day to process yet another horrific event before I could comment on it. And here's what I think.

The first time I ever went to Boston, I was working for a facility which housed mentally and physically disabled people. It was what I thought I wanted to do with my life right out of school. The 'school' really turned out to be a place where rich people dumped off the children of whom they were ashamed, but that's another story for another time. 

Anyway, a client was going home for the Holidays and I and another 'Houseparent' were asked to accompany him on the short flight to Boston. We flew in in the early morning morning, dropped the client off with his family and had nine hours to explore and play before flying home again. We shopped at Faneuil Hall; we walked all around downtown and ended up in a seafood place because the young lady I was with (i have no memory of her name) wanted chowder. I hate clam chowder and I have no idea what I ate - probably a fried platter. But I liked the city's vibe and wanted to go back.

In college, my friends Terry and Marly and I drove up to visit our friend Brian at his grandparents' once state-of-the-art mid-century home in Amherst. The next day we went into Boston and I am proud to say that my 20-something self did pretty good navigating the insanity that is Boston traffic. There was also an infamous 'research' trip to Salem (we were doing The Crucible and we left on Thursday, the 12th, after Mary called my new job, weeping and saying she was my sister and that Grandmom had died, so I could leave early*) which is very close to Boston. Of course, my dear K has family ties to the area, and I've been there on more than one occasion with her. It's a good town, filled with college students; teachers and professors and businesses of every kind, just like any major city. There are good neighborhoods and bad ones; fun things to do and lame things to do; history, art, theatre; shopping; great bars - Boston has always meant a very good time, every time I've been there.

So please bear with me when I say that I can't imagine the horror, the pain and the suffering inflicted on people who were, up until that moment, also experiencing Boston as a very good time. The fear and confusion must have been so intense. And so much pain (both physical and emotional). Horrible!

And for what? As of this writing, we still don't know who or why. Of course, the why almost doesn't matter. Did 'God' tell someone to do this to advance a political agenda? Or did a dog claiming to be God tell someone to do this so someone will finally acknowledge his pathetic existence? Was a spurned lover out to kill an ex who was running in the marathon or in the crowd? Maybe an angry, disqualified runner from the past wanted to exact his revenge. It doesn't matter.

What matters are the people killed and maimed; people whose lives have been irrevocably and horribly changed. And whether this was the act of an organized group of religious fanatics or of a loner writing a manifesto in a woodshed, it was ultimately an act of madness. When we were children, our parents did their best to convince us that there are no monsters under the bed or in the closet or hiding behind the coats on the coat-rack. "Monsters aren't real," they told us. But they lied. While there may be no green-skinned bogey-men with fangs and claws waiting to rend us to pieces, there are other monsters who never fail to prove their existence. In schools, malls, movie theaters and major sporting events; on trains and in office buildings; in the air and on the the ground; the monsters keep shouting "I am here! I am to be feared! I am a Monster!" 

Here's the thing: Don't fear the monster. He doesn't deserve your fear. Find the monster and punish him, so other monsters may think twice. I know there are far more good people in the world than bad, just as there are more beautiful things than ugly things. There's great art and literature and philanthropists and scientists who are working to sure disease and end suffering. There are dew-covered spiderwebs spilling prismatic rainbows in the morning sun and exotically plumed birds wading in warm swamps; romantic sunsets; sparkling beaches; fields of wildflowers... you get the idea. And we all should be able to take time to revel in the good things about life, without worrying if a bomb is sitting in that trashcan on the corner or if the guy sitting next to me at the AMC24 has gun under his unseasonal coat. 

I'm offering no solutions - that's for smarter folks than I to sort out. Of course, without bad things; without pain and suffering; we wouldn't be able to appreciate joy and pleasure, would we? Be glad for every day you wake up. Stop taking things so seriously. Smile.  Let the monsters know we're on to them and that we have no intention of letting them win.

Call me "Pollyana." Call me a cock-eyed optimist. Call me (gasp!) a Liberal. I really think Lennon and McCartney had it right:

Oh - I also think we really need to overhaul the mental heath care system in this country, ASAP. After Reagan dismantled it in the 80's, it's about time we overhauled and reinstituted comprehensive mental health care for those who may pose a danger to society.

More, anon.
Prospero

*Another trip worthy of it's own post.

Please Don't Shoot Myrna's Dog

John Daker

I have absolutely nothing bad to say about most religious people. I may think they are silly and misguided, though most of them are decent people with good intentions; inclusive and non-judgmental; loving and fervent in their beliefs. That's fine with me. As long as they don't try to impose their beliefs on me, that's just peachy.

Of course, they are also human, which means they have egos. Egos which lead them - despite their most devout intentions - down the path of derision, ridicule and just plain patheticity (Yes, I made up another word. Deal). These folks truly believe they are doing 'service' to their Lord with these performances, While I have no doubt about their sincerity, their obvious lack of musical talent far surpasses the messages they are trying to import.

A few years back, I stumbled upon the video below and shared it during the Holidays. I remember commenting that poor Myrna looked as if her dog was being held at gunpoint off-camera, which was a reference to former Little Rascals star Jackie Cooper (Superman), who claimed producers threatened to shoot his dog to make him cry on camera.

And I imagine that attorney Michael Clancy wishes this next video never found it's way to YouTube. I'm guessing this is late 80's to early 90's. Ladies and Germs; I give you young, white, untalented Christian rapper Michael Clancy and Nu Thang:

I'm lucky enough to be from a time before video cameras and when the most embarrassing photos are safe inside an album. Poor Mr. Clancy will have this follow him in Cyber Space well beyond his death.

And speaking of things from beyond the grave (rimshot, please), the latest of such performances to pass across my feeds is "My Name is John Daker." Mr. Daker, undoubtedly confident of his presentation before actually shooting, does his best to keep from looking terrified at forgetting nearly every word of both of the songs he was supposed to sing. The fact that neither song has anything  to do with the other makes it all the better (or worse - I'm not sure which).

Oh, dear. Of course, since then, I've discovered two rather genius takes on that clip. First this animated version from cr0uchingtiger:



But best, this 'Daker on Idol' mashup from Erik Hollander:

I really don't have much more to say. I think the clips speak for themselves. No, I'm not 'God.' Yes, I am judging you (well, your performances, anyway) and I find your lack of talent disturbing. Just promise you'll never record yourselves 'singing' again and we're cool. And Myrna - I hope your dog was okay.

More, anon.

Prospero

The Gayest Music Video You'll See This Week

Mister Chase

I won't be shy about it - I like great new music and hot guys. Mister Chase managed to fit into both of those categories this week with the release of his newest video for the song "Stay."

Truthfully, I was not aware of Mister Chase until I stumbled on his video today on Towleroad, America's premiere site for LGBT news. I have no idea how such a talented hottie managed to remain under my radar for so long. The video for "Stay" is both sexy and poignant and shows another side of Chase. Known primarily for dance tracks, Chase takes a chance on a torch-song ballad with "Stay" and it pays off. The video's striking visuals speak to all of us who thought they had found "the one," only to find out otherwise.

Here (via) is the video (might be NSFW, depending on where you work).

Having grown up in a fundamentalist Christian household, Chase suffered from academic anxiety until he discovered his school's theater club and began to overcome his fears (much like Uncle P did). His albums are available for download on iTunes or on CD from Amazon.

More, anon.
Prospero

Falling Mascots and Other Nonsense

So I bought myself a present today. I'm listening to it right now. In typical Musical Theatre geek fashion I broke down and bought the "Smash" Season 1 CD. Love it or hate it (I've embraced it's silly soap-opera look at the business and really love it), you can't deny how well done it is. I'm also a fan of composer Marc Shaiman (Hairspray), who writes the music for Bombshell, the fictional musical about Marilyn Munroe at the center of the show. I know there are loads of Katherine McPhee haters, but I have never seen "American Idol" and had no idea who she was before "Smash," and I kind of fell in love with her in this part. But it really is an ensemble and what a cast! Broadway, film and television veterans who all certainly understand the process. And they honestly do some much more interesting covers than "Glee" could hope to. I think the music is even better this season, and am looking forward to both the Season 2 and the complete Bombshell CDs.

Posting that "Mascot Fails" video last night had me seeking out more. Honestly, whenever I see one of these for the first time I end up curled up on the floor, convulsing in laughter. My buddy James is the same way. It's very specific for me, because it's not the falling mascot that makes me laugh but imagining the expression on the face of the poor confused and terrified schlub inside the costume, flailing helplessly as he goes down, all while the visible face continues to grin idiotically. Oh... just thinking about  han;,s,md;lamk;nrf'aknjjkabhdkghddp 

Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I did not have a stroke. I lost all control there, for a second, laughing. I mean seriously. It's terrible. Every time I see some poor loser on the side of the road in a giant hotdog or chicken costume, I silently wish "Fall! Please, oh please, oh please, please please, PLEASE fall down!" I did see a Quizno's Cup Guy get pushed by the wind once, but he managed to stay upright (needless to say, much to my disappointment). Jimmy and I dare you not to laugh at these:

Oh, man! That last one just about made me hyperventilate. It just gets worse and worse and the poor jerk's ass must have hurt for days! I have to give him (or her) credit, because I would've given up a long time before the blue chicken does.

Here's wishing you a silly (in a good way) day, tomorrow. I'm doing everything I can to laugh as much as I can. Because I know if I don't... well... I prefer laughing, anyway.

Still not sure I'm back, back. Meeting a friend of a Day Job friend tomorrow night for drinks. We've been Facebook friends for a while and are finally meeting face-to-face before he takes off for Boston for a few weeks (our mutual friend describes him as a 'gypsy').

Yes, T and I did have that date, and it was.... very nice and we are both looking forward to more. I'm looking forward to some decent sleep, soon. And doing some laundry. And maybe going out for lunch. Calgon, take me away!

More, anon.
Prospero

Vive La Vie Boheme!

I was in high school when Queen released their signature anthem, "Bohemian Rhapsody." At the time, it was a song the headbangers didn't get; the Disco lovers despised and all the artistic kids adored. I'll let you guess into which category I fell.

In college, a group of theatre friends and I would get together at parties and thanks to our piano playing friend Micheal L., would sing this song until the neighbors called the police. 

The 1992 comedy Wayne's World used it most effectively and many of my friends and I will stop and sing along anytime it plays on the radio. 

Indiana University's Jacob School of Music's ad hoc orchestra just released this video of their sublime orchestral version of "Bohemian Rhapsody." I know that all of you who love the song as much as I do, are singing along, despite the lack of vocals:

Uncle P has been dealing with Mom's health issues and I'm frankly, exhausted. I haven't been sleeping, I'm worrying about all sorts of implications and financial fall-out this might have and I am worried that despite being moved to the ICU Step-Down unit, Mom may not make it home.

I'll try my best to keep posting this month, but can't guarantee any regularity. Stick with me. 

More, anon.

Prospero

Blasts from the Past

Ah... the 70's. They weren't all Disco, cocaine and Studio 54. The 70's were a time when Independent Cinema grew into its own and experimental "Art Rock" bands were paving the way for the Punk and New Wave movements of the 80's. 1979 saw the release of Pink Floyd's best-selling album ever, The Wall. My musical education truly began with that album. While several years earlier, Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; the first album I actually purchased for myself and the first time I realized that Elton was probably gay.

Having grown up with a Mozart, Beethoven and Wagner-loving father and an Elvis-idolizing mother, I must thank both of my parents for letting me know that while not all music is equal, good music can be... transportive. I may have mentioned that I attended Saturday Night Fever High. I had a 3-piece cream suit and dark brown Qiana shirt for the big dance on the last night of our Senior Class trip to Orlando (the very first time I set foot inside the Magic Kingdom and several years before EPCOT existed).

Earlier today, fellow blogger and often hilarious Facebook friend Pax Romano posted that he was listening to Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of  The War of the Worlds, which immediately made me think of YES keyboardist Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Center of the Earth and finally to YES' weirdest and most amazing album, Tales from Topographic Oceans. It came in a fold-old sleeve with some amazing art by Roger Dean and each side of the 81:15 minute long concept album is just one song. I was introduced to the album by my first out-of-high-school boyfriend amid a cloud of smoke and vodka and I wasn't sure which of the four of them was more intoxicating...  Many years later, I was surprised to learn a later BF loved the album, as well. We spent a July Saturday afternoon in Provincetown with this album blaring on his Pathfinder's stereo.

If there is anything I really miss about the music industry when I was growing up and learning to love an even wider variety of musical genres, it's great album art.

Here's some awesome music from when Skrillex and Dead Mau5's parents were kids:






And here's some random bad album cover art:

A Warhol Wannabe?

No, Let ME Touch Him

Move Along. Nothing Gay to See Here

As What, a Giant Q-Tip?

Bwomb-Chicka-Wow-... Oh, Hell No!

Hope I made you smile, at least!

More, anon
Prospero