Rest, John. Rest.

Thirty years ago today, John Lennon was taken from us. I took this photo in May 2007 while visiting New York City for a reading of my play, "Stan's Addiction".

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TGIF! presents..."Honestly Sincere" from "Bye Bye Birdie"!

My theater friend from Iowa's daughter is in this Broadway revival - Catherine's the long-haired blonde. This was on Good Morning, America early in October. My favorite song from the musical...honestly.

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Truck Farm. Eat this!

Gotta love this truck farm concept.

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Congratulations, Catherine! You're headed to Broadway, Baby!

(photo by Alisabeth)

Very exciting news. (Ms.) Catherine Blades, whom I've known since she was 2, is headed to Broadway this fall to perform in the revival of "Bye, Bye Birdie", starring John Stamos and Gina Gershon.

I've performed with (Ms.) Blades' mother, Amy (medalist in the World Figure Skating Championships), in numerous theatrical gigs in Cedar Rapids, IA. (Ms.) Blades' credits include: "Fiddler", "Urinetown", "Peter Pan", "The Wizard of Oz" and Follies (in Iowa). She also did "Blood Brothers" (which she loved, as I do, even though the rest of the world has no taste - unless you've done BB) and "Merrily We Roll Along" at Wingspan Arts Conservatory in New York and she was Amaryllis in the national tour of "The Music Man".

She'll be understudying the role of "Kim MacAfee" and will also be in the ensemble. (Ms.)...oh, whatever. She ain't too big for me! CATHERINE'S!! really one of the rare performers - a natural. I've always said (I did!) that she's a wonderfully, talented girl and that she'd go far. Well...it's Broadway folks!

(photo by Lauren Lamb)

Catherine (2nd from the bottom of the pile) with her friends in Iowa - doing what friends in Iowa do. Break a leg, Catherine! I'll be rooting for you!

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Actors with tree heads. Hansel and Gretel.

Richard Jones produced and directed an opera a couple years back - "Hansel and Gretel", which performed at the Met in New York. I saw this rendering of an actor fitted with a tree head. Apparently there were several of these characters on stage during the forest scene.

I hate opera. Opera and rap. But I would go and see this opera. Those tree characters are fascinating to me. Jones is quite well-known for his extraordinary sets and costumes. I've looked at a few online. They're definitely memorable.

Above: Richard Jones' "Rusalka". It's a very famous Czech opera by Antonin Dvorak. Doesn't that set make you wanna just jump on stage? Gorgeous. Rusalka is the Water Goblin's daughter who turns into a demon of death - with a soft spot. Lovely...but you don't wanna mess with her. Or do you? Hmmmmm. I listened to "Song to the Moon" from Act 1 of "Rusalka". I got a headache. But I love that set.

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Hey, Hassan! You don't have to tell me twice! Hal istamta'ta bewaqtika?

At least he didn't use waterboarding. That's illegal in the U.S.

BUFFALO, N.Y. - A suburban Buffalo man who founded a cable TV station to promote better understanding of Muslims in the U.S. has been arrested on charges he beheaded his wife. Muzzammil Hassan, 44, was arrested Thursday for investigation of second-degree murder, The Buffalo News reported. Police identified the victim as Aasiya Z. Hassan, 37. Her body was found at his business, Bridges TV.

Hassan launched the television station in 2004 amid hopes that it would help portray Muslims in a more positive light. Its slogan was "connecting people through understanding." According to authorities, Aasiya Hassan recently filed for divorce and had a protection order against her husband, the Buffalo News reported.

"Obviously, this is the worst form of domestic violence possible," Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said Friday.

Thanks, Frank. Here I thought simply beating up my old lady woulda cinched for 1st prize.

(I don't really have an old lady. And "Hal istamta'ta bewaqtika" means "Do you like it here?")

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It's Wednesday and I was mentioned in "Tuesdays" on Friday.

(reprinted from Tuesdays)

don't i know you?
interesting when two friends meet...i went to waterford union high school with blogger jeff ircink (passion=truth) who now lives in LA and works as an actor, playwright, and...what else is it you do jeff? jeff's a published playwright (and a good one) who in his spare time fishes, smokes cigars, and has a major man-crush on brett favre. (yes, straight men can have crushes on other straight men without thinking about penis.)

i've worked in milwaukee theater with blogger jonathan west (artsy schmartsy) many, many times, and i actually just saw him in a wonderful production of tally's folly at milwaukee chamber theater. over the years, jon's been an actor, a director, a writer, run a theater company of his own...and i'm sure there's more. these days, he's also a devoted father and spouse.

two days ago, jeff and i had a delightful phone conversation about the recent brett favre "i'm retired -- no i'm not!" debacle, easily summed up in two lines:

tony: "it makes that weepy news conference seem like bullshit."
jeff: "he changed his mind, it happens all the time."

this morning, i realized these two (jeff and jonathan) "old" friends were already having this conversation...

Posted by tony at 10:20 AM 1 comments

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DeNiro having a non-acting DeNiro moment

You talkin' to me? Yeh I'm talkin' to you - blog reader. Just watch this.

Thanks, Tony.

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Say it isn't so, David Letterman! Brett Fav-re??

Just a reminder - QB Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers (you can't make me say "formerly" or "retired") will appear on Letterman's show tonight. Last time Brett was on the show was in 1997 after the Packers won Super Bowl 31. Favre is in New York, in part, for an event in Central Park called NFL Play 60, a program to get kids off the couch and involved in sports at least 60 minutes a day.

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That Guido picture I posted 2 stories down is bugging the shit out of me.

The post I had at Halloween from The Exorcist made me less queasy. But I feel people need to be educated. That's the only reason I started this blog - to EDUCATE and INFORM.

How I suffer for my art...

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Separated at Birth? Heat Miser and Long Island Guido Armani Alex

Take a look at Armani Alex...on the right.

Well, that's what he calls himself on MySpace. For all I know it could be Alex Finkelstein, Alex Ragucci or Alex Douchbag. You know, I understand when you're young and trying to find your identity - trying to fit in. Well there's a crowd in the Long Island/Jersey area that belong to what some refer to as the "Guido Phenomenon". Or Guido something. Whatever it is, it's scary. This was first brought to my attention through an email I received from my friend Amy. Then I stumbled upon this site: Get Off Our Island. Watch the video on the main page and you'll get a good picture of what this world's up against. For a definition of "Guido" in the context I'm referring, go to Urban Dictionary and look at definition #3.

Here's one comment Alex made on one of his MySpace pictures (of himself):

"its like a fukkin family i bring 2gether my real ni99as and look what it turns into TAKEOVER THE CITY BABY let them haters hate and slither in the grassss WE STILL SSTILLLL STRONG AND DOING IT BIGGG".

Interesting. It's easy to spot of one these Guidos - real easy:

1) "Blow out" style haircuts

2) Lots of earrings.

3) Wannabe mafia/gangsta.

4) Orange fake tan.

5) Lips tightly pressed together as if air-kissing someone. In every picture.

6) They almost always carry a bottle - not a drink in a glass (at least Alex doesn't).

Here's a video of some New Jersey guidos out joyriding. I'm thinking the IQ level here is maybe...1? There's one guy who know's how to drive a car - that's at least worth a 1?

THIS is one segment of our youth who will be this country's future. Uh-huh. You know...I forgot - I did see this Guido look on the show Growing Up Gotti (is it still on?). Never watched the show - do I look like I'd watch these bitches? That's old man John Gotti's daughter and her three children. You remember her, don't you? She's the one who said her father never committed any crimes as the "Daper Don". I don't wanna waste any more time on this - not on my blog. I'm starting to feel nauseous. Oh - and if you see Heat Miser above, he's not a Guido. He's got too much class.

(NOTE: This no way reflects on all New Jersey-ites. My friend Marisa Petroro is from Jersey and she is a treasure.)

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"What is that? A PLEDGE PIN! On your uniform?!"

Come on - you know the movie.

I had a very nice phone conversation with Mark Metcalf today, known famously for his role as "Doug Neidermeyer" (in picture, right) in the movie, Animal House. Long story short, my actor/writer friend, Tony, who I grew up with(he lives in NY) is directing a play at First Stage in Milwaukee. Mark has worked with First Stage and he owns a restaurant in Mequon, Wisconsin (where he also lives) called, Libby Montana (coincidentally he just sold it today). So I called the restaurant; they leave word with Mark who calls me back WITHIN THE HOUR; I introduce myself and we shoot the shit about acting and theater and long story short again - I'm emailing him my play, "Stan's Addiction" (absurdist comedy about the last smoker on Earth) to read. He'd be perfect for the role of "THE CHAIRMAN". Mark is active in theater in Milwaukee and with the Milwaukee International Film Festival (networking, baby). You never know - I would love to have the World Premiere of the play in my home state.

I'd like to have it premiere anywhere, quite frankly.

"You're all worthless and weak! Now drop and give me twenty!" (Another quote from the movie.)

Postscript: You know I've been given a lot of shit about my history of contacting celebrities for whatever the reason. 9 times out of 10, my motivation is acting or playwriting related (even my letters to Mel Gibson are somewhat "business related"). But for all those celebs I've written, emailed or called - maybe under 30? - I've heard back from Robert Conrad, (The Wild, Wild West) Earl Hamner, Jr. (creator of The Waltons), Robert Englund ("Freddy Krueger"), Gary Sinise, Daniel J. Travanti, Brandy Ledford, Karen Lamm, Robert Lamm (the group Chicago), Mark Metcalf - that's already a 30% success ratio. 2-4% is considered ideal in direct marketing. Granted, none of these people would make the Hollywood 500 list (Sinise might). That's not the point. Lesson: if you don't ask you will not receive.

As long as you don't stalk.

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