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Posted by Jack Hodgson -- 2005-01-26 09:55:38
Milestone
I've been sparing you guys the SoBeDi progress reports. Although the early-stage, dramatic, weight-loss has stopped, I have continued to go down, more or less steadily. But today I do want to crow a little.
Back in 2000, my last year in California, my weight had gotten pretty high, coincidentally, to about the same level...
Read original blog entry...
Speedo story.
There's a coach at Cal who is gay. He's not out at all, and he thinks he has everyone fooled, but he's the only one who doesn't realize that everyone else knows. Anyway, one of his players is one of my students and the coach had the team over for dinner and the kid went to use the bathroom and as one is apt to do when one is alone in a stranger's bathroom, the kid went snooping and found a bright pink speedo hanging to dry off the shower head. The kid didn't say anything to the coach, but he told me the story. How does a guy expect to be assumed to be str8 when you buy a bright pink speedo?
Do they actually still sell Speedos? Yuk!! Sorry guys, but they are the most unattractive suit that I've ever seen. Fortunately the olympic swimmers have moved on. So, Jack, before you show off that new bod this summer, I'd love to go shopping with you to pick out a really "hot" suit. Forget the Speedo -- it reminds me of someone we know that always used to wear one and it definitely DID NOT look nice!
Yes, thank you, Janice! Gosh, I was joking around when I said "Speedo", but it didn't seem to phase the guys. Janice: I think the ladies are a bit more cognizant of the fashion disaster known as "The Speedo". :-)
(Sherman: your story was funny with the pink Speedo!)
Ah yes, the full size bedroom poster! I actually never had that, but I remember my cousin having a poster of Bobby Sherman! Remember him?!
My big crush was Kurt Russell--since I was like, seven! From all of his Disney movies, i.e. The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. Ahhh... he'll always hold a special place in my heart. (sigh.)
And speaking of Kurt is his speedos -- he recently got caught by papparazzi out of his speedos and everything else on a hotel balcony.
I warn you -- the pictures are not for the faint of heart. Ol' Kurt doesn't have the tight butt he showed off in Tango & Cash anymore -- he's obviously a man who likes carbs:
Hmmm -- I can't see to list the web site url's without causing a DOCUMENT CONTAINS NO DATE error when I try to submit.
Try adding Eich Tee Tee Pee colon backslash backslash to the start of each of these url strings.......but again -- I warn you, if you love Kurt this will hurt you.
www.hunkvideo.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl
www.hunkvideo.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl
I'm not lookin'! My crush on Kurt started when he was a teenager... that's how I like to remember him. I still think he's a handsome man, but if it wasn't for my childhood crush, I doubt I'd have the same crush on the Hollywood actor today. I do think he's an amazing and underrated actor though!
One of my other crushes is Kevin Costner--but more the "Bull Durham" Kevin than "The Open Range" Kevin. But he still ain't chopped liver--never will be.
Right now I'd say George Clooney is the most dreamy actor in Hollywood!
If this was a gay thing, I could do it. My gaydar is amazing.
Ask Jack. On my first trip to Cali ever (way back in 1992), he took me to the closing night of this play he was working on. And there was an after-party at the theater and at the end of the night, after watching people for a few hours, I was able to go:
Him, him, him, defintiely him, not him, and probably him. And if I recall this correctly, I got a perfect score.
So this is probably a girl thing. Like that time when I told Jack there were no naked breasts in the movie Wild Thing when there were indeed unclothed bosoms. I just didn't pay attention to them.
Sherman: First of all, this is definitely NOT a gay thing! ;-)
Secondly, was it a TW's or PA Players show? If it was TW, I would have been there! Did you think I was gay? Lesbians often think I'm one! (Or, they used to anyway--not that you're a lesbian, of course.) I think it's the pixie haircut! Or maybe I was hitting on them, who can remember these things. (he, he.) Actually, I have good gaydar too! It's a talent. ha.
Hey, I remember that Wild Thing story! I got asked by Jack and I knew that there were topless scenes! (Uh oh.) :-)
My gaydar is male-centric. I can't do lesbians. I think a lot of the ability to identify comes from self-reflection. I know what gay boys look at and how they respond to certain situations, so I can do them. I have such little intensely personal contact with women that I can't differ between lesbian and female-breeder reactions. But I do note that I've got male-breeder friends who can spot lesbians much better than me. And on the flip side, I know many female-breeders who can spot a male-homo as easily as I can.
So I don't know if you were there or not at the after-party. Jack would know. This would have been December 1992. The theater wasn't in PA, I don't think -- my recollection was that it took a while to get there. And I have no clue what happened in the play or what it was about -- which means it must have had lots of naked boobies.
Jack -- help us out here when you're done with your prolific posting, please.
Yep, sounds like it was PCS--they're an off-shoot of PA Players. Not my company. As you know, I worked for TheatreWorks--no connection. (We just both used one of the same theater houses.) Anyway, I don't think I was there, Sherman.
On the gaydar, I have a pretty good sense on picking up on both gays and lesbians. I'm pretty intuitive all the way around. I'm one of those people who can tell if something has been moved in a room. Just ask Rick! I freak him out all the time. "I am all knowing." :-)
Hey Sherman!
I've been trying to remember the Holiday shows at PCS around that time and I've come up with 3! Was it Annie? Or was it Oliver! (with Reese Witherspoon's father playing Fagin)? Or could it have been The Sound Of Music?(Although I would think you'd remember that!) I think Rick worked on that one so that would mean it was '92 or '94 because I remember in '93 Rick, JoAnn and I worked together on TheatreWorks Holiday show which was a musical version of The Wind In The Willows called Almost September. Hope I was some help in jogging your memory!
When I open up my computer, my first site is Blockbuster to see if my dvd's in and out are moving as they should. Then to Ebay to see if anything I'm watching or bidding on needs to be dealt with. Third up (before other blogs and newspapers) is Gone East (I'm sorry but you and Fleet and SBC can try to change the names of our beloved sites, but this will always be Gone East to me, and to show you how much I want to retain old names, I continue to write my checks to the phone company as Pac Bell, even tho SBC took over almost a year ago -- it's my way of protesting the Pac Bell Park attempted name change -- but SBC keeps cashing the checks!) and today when I linked to the comments section, I noticed a new name. At first I figured this Phil Perry guy must be a spammer and I was expecting viagra ads in the comments, but no -- it's a real person, and he seems to know who I am. And then I figured it out -- it's someone else who wants to change their identity.
But like Boston Garden, and Pac Bell Park, and even Gone East, you may try to change your name in the Name Field, but you will always be Gay Phil to me.
WHAHAHAHA! Yes, Phil finally posted! Yeah! I often will mention some thread topic to him and say "check out Gone East tonight"... and yet, no posts. Finally! Phil has spoken!
On Sherman's name comment... yes, this will always be Gone East to me, too!
On Phil's name... Sherman, you do realize that you are the only one who calls him "Gay Phil" don't you? :-)
Hey Phil! Hope you come back here! I doubt Sherman would ever remember the play... Jack might though!
Okay, I think the show Sherman was referring to was "The Sound of Music". And I agree with Phil... of all shows, you'd think you'd remember that one, Sherman!! :-)
Sherman said: "Being alone doesn't mean I'm not right." Huh? (I always thought you were left.) Do you mean about "Gay Phil"? Well, I'm sure Phil will look at that as a term of endearment just from you, Sherman!
Sherman you can call me whatever you want! It can't be worse than high school being called Ferry Perry! Children can be so cruel! I'm alone also and am not right but most people don't seem to mind!
Jack it was cool to see the list of all the shows you've done!
I'll have to do that too!
Thank you for the nice welcome JoAnn!I look forward to being a part of this elite group!
Sherman you can call me whatever you want! It can't be worse than high school being called Ferry Perry! Children can be so cruel! I'm alone also and am not right but most people don't seem to mind!
Jack it was cool to see the list of all the shows you've done!
I'll have to do that too!
Thank you for the nice welcome JoAnn!I look forward to being a part of this elite group!
I don't know about that. It was December 1992, but does Jack's list indicate when a play started or ended? I probably shoulda remembered Sound of Music, but I have no memory of the play itself. And I don't remember any kids are the after party. What about that Lisbon thing that started in November, cuz we are talking about early December when I went to visit Jack. That play seems obscure enought that I would have forgotten it.
Oh, and now that we aren't "going there" anymore -- where did you think this thread was going, Opera Lady.
And speaking of Gay Phil, one of my favorite coming out stories is how the Martin Mull character named Leon on Roseanne goes to Dan's poker party and he comes out during the game and one of the guys, trying to by sympathetic and friendly, goes "You know, I know a gay guy named Bob. He lives in Chicago. Do you know him?" And Leon replies, "Oh sure. Gay Bob from Chicago! Everyone knows him."
Yeah!!!!!!. GP is gonna become part of our elitist little group. Normally we'd ask for references, but your double posting shows you are the love child of our revered Opera Lady -- so you get an automatic enrollment. We can have a gay voting block. And a caucus! I always wanted to be in a caucus.
So, GP. You are my Xmas Eve Yang. I was yinging on XMas eves with RickF while you were entertaining Opera Lady. I liked those Xmas eves getting chinese food. Location and group enrollment would change, but it would always be chinese food. It was a nice cycle.
Hey Sherman, if the play you saw was in December '92 it was The Sound of Music! It all fits: you remember that you drove a ways from Jack's apartment and The Sound of Music was in Redwood City ("a ways" away). Lisbon was at Lucie Stern in Palo Alto--close to Jack's place--but the run would have ended by December (I know, TWs holiday shows were at the Stern and I was there). All signs point to the play that you saw being The Sound of Music. Does the fact that you have no memory of that mean that you have to turn in your Gay Card? :-)
I remember that Rosanne episode! Is that how you started calling Phil "Gay Phil" and outing him to everyone? :-)
Ya know, I did the Chinese Christmas once, too! I really only went to Phil's for Christmas probably twice. I've done different things... sometimes I'm home (often not til New Years though) and then I've been at Phil's mom's and I did Chinese Christmas once with you all and once I gambled in Reno and went to the Mustang Ranch (sorta). So "Movie of the Week" doncha think? ;-)
Hey Phil, go ahead and reevaluate that Reese Witherspoon comment! How did no one pick up on that, by the way?! Does Jack have a clue as to what that's about?
By the way, Phil is a pop culture master! If he stays in this "elite group" he'll be a force to be reckoned with!
Jack: You might want to refer to Phil's original comment where he mentioned her. He was onto something there, but got it slightly mixed up. He's the one I learned this from--wondered if you knew about it too. I'll give you a hint that there was a celebrity connection with a show you worked!
Sherman, on Reese Witherspoon's father... no, that's the thing--Phil go it wrong! It wasn't Reese's dad--they're from the south and I don't think her dad is an actor anyway. I just didn't want to steal Phil's thunder. PHIL, WHERE ARE YOU?!! If you want to stay a member of this elitist group, you must make it a priority in your life to check here often! :-)
Okay, okay, Sherman! Chill, baby, chill. Go back and read through old posts. All I'm saying if I must be so blunt is that there is some cyber flirting going on here! There! Am I the only one to notice this?!! I was trying to be coy, but no chance of that now! So, am I nuts about my hunch?
I got my young blonde actresses mixed up! It was Alicia Silverspoon's (Clueless, Batman) father who played Fagin in Oliver! at PCS not Reese Witherspoon! You'll have to forgive but I'm turning 40 next month and alot of things just don't come to me as easily as they once did! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Hey Sherman I work with Opera Lady at the Opera House so can I sometimes be Opera Man as well as Gay Phil?
Yeah! Phil's back! "Witherspoon, Silverstone" "tomato, tomato". So, Jack... I was curious if you were aware that Alicia Silverstone's dad was in a production you worked? Cool, eh? Phil, no, Opera Man(!)--do you know if Alicia came to see him? If Jack knew about that, he'd remember it! :-)
I think Oliver was after you stopped working at PCS. I just checked the list and saw you only did a couple of PCS shows.TheatreWorks Oliver was in '89 (I remember because that was the year I stopped smoking) but Pennisula Center Stage did it in the mid 90's. My friend Russ Bohard (who Sherman has forgotten as Capt. Von Trapp) played Bill Sykes and yes Alicia came to see her Papa!
On a different note I hope spelling doesn't count in this group!
If it does I'm going to be voted off!
Phil. Regarding the Opera Man thing. It's like this. It wsould make me seem cheap and uncreative since there's already that SNL routine with oh my god i hate this and it happens more and more now and billy gilmore and the jewish christmas song (that's not meant to be disrespectful, it's just that i can't spell the word for jewish christmas and i fear Beth) and ADAM SANDLER!!!!
I HATE forgetting things I should know. Hate having to run thru all my memories connected with the thing especially when I could see Sandler's face and remember his parts but I just couldn't come up with the name. Damn.
Anyway, brain fart is done. Since Sandler already used the name, I must sadly inform you that your request is denied. Gay Phil it is, and thus it shall ever be. The board would be willing to consider GP, however. And I have to get to know you better because I'm not sure if the "Silverspoon" was a clever little twist in your confession which would normally lead to some Ricky Schroeder comments, and now that we have a caucus I would probably wonder if you saw the bare butt scenes when he was on NYPD and it wouldn't actually be totally salacious since the ladies who might be crossing that lavender line were talking about speedos. OR, was it a true mistake and then shouldn't I be making much fun of you right now? Sigh. I need Braindar.
Still don't think it was Sound of Music. I remember the lobby of the theater was old style with lots of ornate wood -- you had to go thru a set of swinging doors to get to the lobby. Ya know, i think the reason i don't remember the show was that i didn't go to the show. I think i somehow showed up afterwards. I'm imagining this conversation: "Hi Sherman." "Hi Jack." "Welcome to California. What would you like to do?" "I want to do lots of fun and exciting things and wear shorts all the time." "Well, how would you like to see a local theater production of Sound of Music." "You did hear me say fun and exciting, didn't you?" I think I arrived at the end.
The only show I really saw that Jack was working was the Jelly Roll and Jam show. Wait. I have a flash. I'm envisioning the theater now. When I showed off my gaydar to Jack, we were leaning on the candy counter and as I was pointing out who I thought were homo-boys, Jack commented on one of them who recently had to do a nude scene in a production, and how he handled it well. But, of course, that guy might have just been at the party, but does that help?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey Sherman!It's sounds like it was a party after Lisbon Traviata because one of the characters in that does a nude scene and he is a homo. if it's the guy I'm thinking of he's a friend of JoAnn and mine named Eric Carillo. It also sounds like your describing the Lucie Stern Theater. When you entered the lobby were there immediately stairs to take you to the balcony? If there were then that's the Fox Theatre. You would probaly remember Lisbon Traviata because it was all about Maria Callas and I know how our people love her!
(this is not to be confused with Master Class which you may have seen at Berkley Rep with Rita Moreno as Maria Callas!)
I respect your verdit on Opera Man! I do however love Adam Sandler esp. when he's paired with Drew Barrymore like in 50 First Dates!
My memory of this is even more vague than Sherm, but I'm pretty sure the afterparty he's remembering was at the Fox in Redwood City.
And yes, the nude scene guy was in Lisbon Traviata at the Stern (a really good show by the way) but I don't think his name was Eric Carillo. [By the way, the other Eric, who occasionally posts here, was the opera expert for Lisbon Traviata.] Anyway, the nude scene guy was a Palo Alto Players/PCS Regular. His name may come to me eventually.
Finally, Phil's recounting of the dates for Oliver sound right. I had forgotten that BOTH companies had done it. In any event, I missed working on both of them.
Oy vey! So much going on here...
First of all, Shermy, Phil is that clever! His "Silverspoon" comment was absolutely on purpose! His witticisms are on par with the Gilmore Girls. And between Phil and me we make an excellent memory team. i.e. don't question us! :-) We both have great timeline memories though--seriously! And Phil is really good at remembering details on shows he's worked... and he's worked a hell of a lot! It's impressive, really!
I know Eric Carillo (sweetheart!), but I have no input on if that's the actor or if it's the guy Jack is thinking of, since I have no PA Players or PCS connection. But even I knew both companies did Oliver! So you never worked on either, Jack? Too bad--you missed Alicia Silverfork (okay, dumb).
One thing I'll say on determining which show Sherman saw or avoided seeing... if it was definitely December '92 it was The Sound of Music. No question about it. Now, if you got the date wrong, then we're starting from scratch. But I think the date would be correct, since he tied it to when he came to CA and I would think he'd remember that correctly.
Okay "Opera Man"=Sandler SNL bit, fine. Personally, I think it should be "Opera Fella". That has a ring to it! Don't worry Sherman, I know he's really "Gay Phil". We all know Sherman is the alpha male around here and has veto power.
Hey, Phil--you might know the "Eric" Jack referred to! Eric Schwartz (right?). Do you know him from PA Players or PCS, Phil? Unless he got involved after you were gone from there...
Ricky Schroeder! He grew up nicely! Yes, he wouldn't look too bad in a Speedo (but better out of it). (Oh, I kid, I kid.)
Phil, the spelling comment was funny! There are running jokes here about spelling! Beth is the copy editor of Gone East! She sometimes points out misspelled words--it's pretty funny! But I think she goes after Shermy mostly! :-) You won't get voted out--this isn't a democracy--it's Sherman's blog. I mean, Jack's. No Sherman's. No, that's right, it's Jack's. He's in the picture--that's how I remember that.
Sherman: What?! No! We didn't "cross the lavender line"! Janice and I aren't flirting, you goof! That's not what I was saying... I said I was being coy on the topic and I'm sticking to my strategy there. Forget I said anything... say "Mary Worth" three times while you spin around the southeast corner of your apartment and you'll forget all about it. Poof.
Oh. "Hanukkah" or "Chanukah" or "Hanukah" for starters. I don't think anyone will think you were being disrespectful; the chosen people can't agree on how to spell it either.
Put a fork (silver?) in me, I'm done.
How about "Opera Phil", or "Gay Opera Phil", though some would consider that last one redundant
Janice and Jo Ann may not be flirting, but they are exchanging gifts.
Jo Ann, do you guys watch Gilmore Girls? I've become totally hooked in the past 6 months. Let's talk.
My visit to California was early December. My birthday took place while I was out there and that's the 5th. It could have been an opening party, but I remember it as an ending party. The guy that got naked did not do it in the current production -- he had done it in a recent but already finished production.
So I think it's Sound of Music -- that I got out of seeing it somehow (maybe Rob gave me a ride to the party). The question is opening or ending party -- what were the dates of the production? Were they just starting in early December or finishing at that time.
Gilmore Girls. The first season is on DVD, not sure about the second. There's a nice article on the show in the current EW with Green Day on the cover. Haven't seen the show myself, but I am likeing the ability to see season runs on DVD now. There's a few shows that I never got into that I should have gotten into. Freaks & Geeks. Firefly. I'm currently checking out Roswell -- interesting show...90210 with aliens.
Phil....what to name Phil. Opera Fella? Opera Dude? I was thinking of Opera Homo, but that's redundant.
I'm amazed that no one's counted the number of comments in this thread yet. What was the original milestone?
Okay, on the show... yes, you must have avoided seeing "The Sound of Music" at PCS in Redwood City at the Fox Theater. If the party was an official company party, it was the opening night party. This all makes sense. The guy who was naked would have been from "Lisbon Traviata" and that would have just closed at its sister company at the Stern in Palo Alto. I wouldn't know the exact dates, but "Music" would have opened the beginning of December. Stairs! That also fits for the Fox Theatre in Redwood City, not the Lucie Stern in Palo Alto.
This is the scenario: After avoiding the show while eating thin crust pizza with Rob, Sherman was at PCS's "The Sound of Music" opening night party checking out the boys in the beginning of December '92 in Redwood City with stairs and the actor who got naked in the recently closed PA Players production of "Lisbon" at the Stern. At the same time, I was working at the Stern for TW's opening of "Oliver!" (The thin crust pizza activity with Rob was my embellishment, everything else is a fact.)
Sherman's gay card may still be revoked for intentionally missing "The Sound of Music".
On Phil's name... now why is it that Phil has to have another name on here anyway? It's not like Eric or Erik, where there are hundreds of them. But I will defer to Sherman, as we all do.
I never was saying anything about Janice and me! That's not it! Oy vey! But we're exchanging gifts?! Sweet! Gosh, I gotta go shopping... what size shoe does Janice wear?
Gilmore Girls! Yes, I LOVE Gilmore Girls! It's the best show ever! Let's talk! Thanks for pointing out the article, Sherm. We just got that mag in the mail yesterday and I hadn't noticed--might not have. Cool! It really is an exceptional show. I had missed some of the earlier episodes of previous seasons, so I am recording the reruns on ABC Family to make sure I see every single one! Jack: you should do that--yesterday they just started back with the pilot, so if you record now you can catch up on the entire run of the show. Love it, love it, love it!
Jo Ann in '92 you would have been doing Into The Woods not Oliver! Your first Holiday show would have been Peter Pan with Francis Jue (88), then Oliver! (89), then Into The Woods (90),
then Into The Woods again (91), then Peter Pan with Ron Pickett (92), then Almost Sept. (93)where we first noticed Rick F. might be good marriage material, then Into The Woods again (94) then they stopped doing Holiday shows and started having Rock bands with people from Cyndi Lauper shows. I hate to correct you but this is our shared history!
I knew Eric Carillo was the wrong name as soon as I sent it but hoped nobody would catch it! Oh well! My second mistake.
I don't have to be called Opera anything. In truth I only work there when the Opera is performing otherwise I'm Ballet Phil or as the dancers call me Dresser Boy!
I also want to say Opera Lady has driven me hundreds of places and I've always thought she was a great driver. I bet she never mentioned her Paternal Grandfather coined the phrase Defensive Driving!True story!
"Sherman's gay card may still be revoked for intentionally missing "The Sound of Music". " Not really. I can't see the homos getting into SoM -- there's too many kids. You could maybe slam me for missing A Chorus Line. Or Evita. Phantom. Or anything else LloydWebber. Speaking of which, I'm just not an classic NYC gay -- I don't know or like musicals. I had to check my Jesus Christ Superstar cd to see how to spell Lloyd Webber. Speaking of which -- GP: did you ever read any of the Ethan Mordden books? And also, Phil -- your mother and I have discussed this and we think you are old enough to pick your own name. We just want to caution you that a name is often like a tattoo -- it can only change when you get bought out by a large public utility.
And as for the Grandfather and Defensive Driving story, did you know that the grandparents of everyone else in the Bay Area collectively came up with the phrase "Run for your lives -- she's about to start the ignition!!!!!! RUNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!"
And at the risk of this posting becoming too Philcentric, how rude of you not to share the drugs you have obviously taken on "hundreds" of times. I remember a similar experience once when me and two comic book geek friends saw a midnight showing of Rock N Roll High School in NYC, and Uncle Ellis was visiting me but not the other two and I was in the middle of the three of us on the post-movie 2am taxi ride back to the hotel and the driver was crazy -- I mean literally crazy and it wouldn't surprise me to find he was related to our own Miss Toad because this really was a wild ride, so much so that my two companions were scared and talking about which one of them would have the guts to tell the driver to slow down, but sitting in the middle of the back seat I had a great view thru the windshield and with the help of Uncle Ellis I thought it was the best amusement park ride I had ever been on and when i realized they were talking about asking him to slow down, I remember sayinig "No way. And we're gonna give him a big tip." I can only imagine you really enjoyed all those hundreds of trips because you had your own uncle visiting.
Hey Phil! Thanks for the musical correction--yes, you're right! I wrote Oliver! automatically because we were talking about it--I wasn't really thinking that one through. Although, Peter Pan was not my first TheatreWorks holiday musical either. Oliver! at the end of '89 was--after I worked there a year. I saw the '88 Peter Pan when I was there to interview for the job, but my first show working for TWs was Ma Rainey's Black Bottom in January '89.
I agree with Phil about the nickname thing! For that matter, I'm not an opera person either! Both Phil and I are theatre peeps. In fact, the funny thing is that I'm not even so much into musicals--I prefer straight theatre (meaning non-musical, not orientation, Sherman!). So it is funny that I work at an opera company! But the work we do (I'm arts admin and Phil is a dresser) can be done for any type of theater, including opera and ballet. Phil's into musical theatre way more than me (I like some, particularly Sondheim) but for the most part, I think musicals are kinda silly!
Regarding the driving thing... whatever, Sherman! Geesh! Like I said, you only were in my car once... you just can't handle the Matchbox ride!
By the way, Phil... it was my maternal grandfather! The same grandfather who saved Howard Hughes's life! He drove to a plane that he saw crashing down in LA County and then pulled him out of the plane! That's true too! He was even potrayed by an actor in a movie about Hughes (not The Aviator). (Hughes was in a few plane crashes--amazing he survived them all!)
By the way, Sherman--Phil has a tattoo! Of the lovely Princess Diana! :-)
Why who is this Jo Ann and why is she saying she wrote my story about Oliver Twist? It was bad enough that my wonderful work got turned into a ridiculously silly musical theatre piece. I was upset enough with the exclamation point after the name "Oliver" To call it "Oliver!" as if the poor boy were jumping up and down with excitement at every moment of the day. How daft. The poor boy doesn't get enough to eat, he certainly has no energy for jumping. Preposterous I tell you, simply preposterous. hmph.
Mr. Dickens:
Oh my. Please pardon my error, sir. I assure you that I was not meaning to say that I wrote your work. I meant that I had written down "Oliver!" when I meant to write down another silly musical. Not that I "wrote Oliver!". I think that darn exclamation point made it look like "I wrote Oliver!" was a complete sentence when it continued on to state what I wrote in a previous post. Does that make sense?
I am so sorry, sir. I am a big fan of your work. Particularly "Nicholas Nickleby". Although, if you don't mind my saying so, it could have been a tad shorter.
Hey, by the way, don't you think Mark Lester was an adorable Oliver in the 1968 movie "Oliver!"? And Jack Wild was too cute as The Artful Dodger, don't you think?
Well, enough of my gushing over your work. Such as honor that you paid us a visit on Jack's blog. Okay, well, see ya 'round, Mr. Dickens.
Ta ta.
Dear Miss Jo Ann:
You are suggesting my great work "Nicholas Nickleby" be a "tad shorter"? I beg your pardon. How ridiculous.
You refer to Mark Lester and Jack Wild from the 1968 movie of my great work? Both of those "actors" overplayed my words! "Please sir, may I have some more." Harumph!
I think I am done here.
- Mr. Dickens
Jack likes Gilmore Girls because of all the young, hot, girls. I've never watched it. My girls have me hooked on Smallville. One of my other favorites was Dr. Quinn Medicine Women. I've been rewatching it on DVD. And what's wrong with Sound of Music?? I love that.
OK, what's this cyberflirting stuff? And Jack, are you giving away secrets??
Sound of Music:
Okay, here's my biggest problem -- the Do Re Mi song. God, that was such a STUPID song. I mean, they were so unoriginal that they had to come up with "a note that follows So" --- and turning Fa into a Boston accented "far"?
Then it's the kids. They were so annoying. I mean, if I were the messenger 17 year old and I had to put up with those kids while I was trying to score the older sister, I would've ratted them out to the Nazis as well.
And what about this guy being a sea captain with that whistle? Isn't Austria landlockced?
Dearest Mr. Sherman,
Thank you for your kind words. You seem to be a man of high integrity. Not like that plagiarist, Miss Jo Ann.
So, is that the fate I sealed for Mrs. Havisham? Who can remember these things. Ah well, she deserved whatever she got, I'll tell you that. Poor little pie stealing Pip. He never did get with Estella, did he? I was a tough one in my younger years. Maybe I should rewrite that ending. I'll consider it.
With kindest regards,
Mr. Dickens
And Janice responded with: "OK, what's this cyberflirting stuff? And Jack, are you giving away secrets??"
Thank you, Janice! :-) Ya see, Sherman? Do I have to drop an anvil on your head?! Jeepers!
And with that anvil comment, that was a funny Gilmore line... Lorelei Gilmore (Lauren Graham) was talking to her parents at her weekly dinner wondering what happened to all the anvils. Saying how they used to be everywhere, even depicted in cartoons (Wile E. Coyote!) on a regular basis. Her parents were like "Oh Lorelei, can we please move on to a new topic?" and she wouldn't give up... how they were everywhere years ago and now there are none to be seen. Her father suggested that they went away with new technology and when they were no longer useful they must have been melted down. Lorelei pointed out that they were used by blacksmiths and such and were meant to withstand all the heat in the world. How were they melted down? Wouldn't that have been a huge task?! Her parents were exhausted! It was so funny!! And, I think, a good point! Where did all the anvils go?!!
Anyway, Gilmore Girls is so clever! There are a lot of cleverly written shows on TV, but the genius of Gilmore Girls is that all the characters still have they're own voice. I think a lot of clever shows, which I do like, such as "Ed" or "Northern Exposure", were also really well written, but I always felt like I could hear the same writer's voice out of all of the characters (particulary "Ed"). Not so with Gilmore Girls. Not everyone is so witty. Pretty much just mom, Lorelei and daughter, Rory. The other characters are entertaining in their own right, but they don't all sound like their words were written by clever TV writers! The only thing I don't care for are a couple of over-the-top, caricaturish, townspeople. But, oh well. Also, the show caters to people who are into pop culture references. There are so many timely pop culture references, that if you're not into following that stuff, it'll go right over your head. For example, Lorelei was giving Rory some make-up to put on and Rory said something like "Even Rue Paul doesn't need this much make-up." So if ya don't know who Rue Paul is, ya won't get it. There are a ton of those in each episode! It's too, too funny! I highly recommend it!
Janice: Great comments on The Sound of Music! ha! I never thought about that stuff! Especially the captain and landlocked Austria! How funny is that! I haven't seen Music in years and years. Now I want to see it to look for all the silly stuff! :-)
And Mr D -- no, don't revise it! That book was pivotal to my development. It was tough on the fair sex -- I'm not sure there's a likeable woman in Pip's life. His sister, Estella, and Miss Havisham were all so horrible to him. Many a college english prof has theorized on why you rarely write likeable women characters. I would say that reading your book in 8th grade was what put me off women for the rest of my life. It was the summer after that 8th grade where I lost my...., well me and this kid in the neighborhood kinda..., let's just say that after that summer there wasn't any more hope I was gonna be a breeder boy.
Charles Dickens was born at Portsea in 1812. His early years were happy. He had a voracious appetite for reading, loved to learn and excelled in school. His childhood was shattered in 1824, when his father was arrested for debts. At twelve, he was sent to work at Warren's Blacking Factory earning six pence a week. When his family was released from prison, his mother forced him to continue his work at the blacking company, providing him with a negative attitude towards women which he would portray in future works.
Oh! Okay, got it! Yes, The Sound of Music comments do sound like Sherman. So, okay then, funny comments there, Shermy! So, the earlier post was still Janice, right? That's the one where I am commenting on the cyberflirting remark. So, that would still apply, I would think... hmm...
By the way, I got some "cease and desist" letter from a law firm representing Charles Dickens. Bizarre! :-)
I think the silliness of Sound of Music is what I enjoyed so much about it. As far as the 17 year old goes, he deserved to get harassed by the kids -- he was so annoying!!!
Anyway, Sherman, stop impersonating me.
And Jo Ann, we're going to have to watch each others backs. We'll have to fine tune our Shermandar!
Jack! This happened to me too! Remember? I mentioned that it reposted something of mine from about a month earlier. This all happened now about three weeks ago. I'm tellin' ya, you have a major glitch in here! Maybe Rob can find out what's wrong! (I'm kidding.) But isn't that what Rob does?
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