"I'm Peggy Olson and I want to smoke some marijuana."
And with those surprising words, actress Elisabeth Moss once again stole last night's episode of Mad Men. Unfortunately, so far this season she's the only one who's shining as brightly as she possibly can. Oh sure, Sal's hot foreplay with the horny bellboy is still lingering in my mind, but other than that, the first three episodes have been somewhat disappointing. Except for Peggy, of course, who is running away with the show with her college boy conquest, Ann-Margret sing-a-long, and pot inhalation. This girl is a good time, and I want to party with her. After giving up her and Pete's baby, Ms. Olson has finally moved on, and she seems to be enjoying her new life. The rest of the characters, however, are a miserable bunch to be around, but hopefully this will change in the near future. Now let's take a look at what happened with your favorite Mad Men characters this week:
Don Draper: I found it interesting that he seemed to be the only one who didn't enjoy Roger's blackface version of "My Old Kentucky Home". But Don's best scene was at the very end when he and Roger had a nasty conversation, in which he informed Mr. Sterling that most people thought he was foolish, not happy, in regard to his marriage to the much younger Jane. I guess these two guys are enemies now.
Betty Draper: Betty's still pregnant, but at least she showed some signs of life during her weird scene at the party with the flirtatious Henry Francis, who put his hand on her stomach. I think she enjoyed this very much, and hopefully we haven't seen the last of Mr. Francis (played by Christopher Stanley). I also liked her line, "I look like an open umbrella."
Peggy Olson: "I am so high"--another amusing quote from this groovy chick, who had some nice banter with both co-worker Paul Kinsey (Michael Gladis) and Paul's drug-dealing Princeton pal, Jeffrey Graves (the handsome Miles Fisher, who's in the photo). She also has a new secretary, Olive Healy (Judy Kain), who disapproved of her drug use. I will be curious to see if they continue to explore the relationship between these two women--or if Peggy becomes Murphy Brown with a new secretary every week.
Joan Holloway: That Joan certainly has many hidden talents. Who knew she could play the accordion? This was another very odd scene, but I didn't care much for it. I prefer to see Joan at the office, so my favorite moment of hers was her chilly exchange with the new Mrs. Sterlng.
Roger Sterling: I used to like Roger, but the writers have turned him into a real asshole this season. The offensive blackface scene made me question whether people in Manhattan in 1963 would enjoy something like this. None of the party guests seemed to be embarrassed or just pretending to like his performance--except for Don, who left. Maybe if this show was taking place in the South, I might have been able to accept this inappropriate behavior--but that's a big maybe. Perhaps the writers wrote this scene in order to juxtapose it with Betty's father accusing their black housekeeper of stealing his money. But it still bothered me--and I'm also not caring too much for Betty's dad, Gene, who is currently my least favorite character on the show.
Sal Romano: I missed Sal last night, but he returns next week with his wife.
Pete Campbell: I actually kind of liked Pete last night as he and his wife, Trudy (Alison Brie), became the life of the party with their impressive turn on the dance floor. It was a nice moment for these two characters.
Not the greatest episode, but even lukewarm Mad Men is better than most shows these days. Thank God for Peggy and the amazing Ms. Moss, but I'm hopeful that creator Matthew Weiner knows what he's doing and that future episodes will improve. Betty needs to have that baby ASAP, her father needs to go away, and Joan needs to stay employed at Sterling Cooper. Those are my three wishes. We'll see if they come true anytime soon.
This week's Dishes are hairy high and low. Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
The Daytime Emmy Awards certainly bring together a diverse group of shows and people--to say the least. And this odd combination of soap operas, children's shows, game shows, talk shows, etc., makes for an awards ceremony that is rarely boring. However, The CW network and the producers of tonight's 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards should be ashamed of themselves for some unforgivable choices that were made during the broadcast. And if I was Bradley Bell, the Executive Producer of The Bold and the Beautiful, I would be majorly pissed off right now. But I will discuss this in further detail later on in my highlights and lowlights of the evening. Now let's start at the very beginning, shall we?:
Erik Estrada's cameo appearance: I'm confused already.
Vanessa Williams' opening musical number: Absolutely fabulous, darling! Singing a very funny and oh-so-clever version of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You", Williams was wonderful--especially in her video clips with various soap stars (my favorite, of course, was her Otalia kissing scene).
Outstanding Supporting Actor: Gosh, is Vincent Irizarry (All My Children) really old enough to have a son fighting in Afghanistan (the actor looks great for 49--I looked up his age)? He and Jeff Branson (Guiding Light) tied for the award. Two other comments before I move on: What happened to Jacob Young's hair? (UPDATE 8/31/09: Young's All My Children character, JR Chandler, was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, so the actor shaved his head. Thanks, Robb and Michael, for this info since I don't watch the show.) And Van Hansis plays a "desperate romantic"? Seemed like an odd description for his As the World Turns character, Luke.
Vanessa Williams sure looked pretty in pink--or was her dress more magenta?
Outstanding Game Show: Cash Cab. Never heard of it.
Outstanding Video Montage: All My Children's montage was much better than Days of our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful--and I was surprised that Days featured more bare beefcake than B&B (it's those former Passions actors who can't keep their shirts on--not that I'm complaining).
Pure Glamour: Susan Lucci, who looked like a million bucks.
Major Lowlight #1: I noticed that they stopped showing brief clips of the acting nominees very early on, which was unfortunate. But I assume this decision was made in order to speed up the show.
Outstanding Supporting Actress: Tamara Braun (Days of our Lives)
Outstanding Directing: One Life to Live! I finally got one right (click here to see my predictions--I only got a pathetic 4 out of 18 categories correct).
Pure Gorgeousness: Frank Valentini, the Executive Producer of One Life to Live. If this hot hunk isn't gay, he should be (he's briefly at the very end of the following clip). My Gorgeous Runner-Up of the evening was Mr. Hansis, who looked quite fetching in his white suit.
Buzz Aldrin's cameo appearance: Is the former astronaut a soap opera fan? I'm confused again.
Most Unique Outfit: The Young and the Restless' Elizabeth Hendrickson wins--and I'm being extremely kind by using the euphemism "unique". Oh, girlfriend, what were you thinking? However, my favorite outfit has to go to The Young and the Restless' Stacy Haiduk, who plays the crazy Mary Jane/Patty (I love that she brought Kitty with her).
Major Lowlight #2: I didn't mind at first that Darin Brooks (Days of our Lives) won for Outstanding Younger Actor, but after he swore repeatedly during his speech and then abruptly left the stage, I changed my mind. I prefer winners who aren't immature idiots with no class.
Major Lowlight #3: Couldn't Good Morning America (Outstanding Morning Program) and The View (Outstanding Talk Show Host) send at least an intern from their shows to accept their awards?
Best Moment #1: The Sesame Street retrospective was sweet. I especially enjoyed seeing Anderson Cooper pop out of Oscar's trash can.
Major Lowlight #4: As much as I liked Vanessa Williams as the host, they really should have cut her second musical/dance number. BORING!!! And it went on forever. This precious time could have been given to poor Bradley Bell.
Outstanding Writing: General Hospital
Outstanding Game Show Host: Meredith Vieira (another no-show)
Best Moment #2: Betty White receiving a standing ovation (now that's what I call classy--good job, audience), her delightful speech about being a fan of Guiding Light since 1776, and the bittersweet tribute to the soap opera. I wanted this segment to be longer, but at least it didn't get cut due to time constraints.
Outstanding Lead Actress: Susan Haskell won her first Lead Actress Emmy Award for her performance as Marty Saybrooke on One Life to Live (she previously won an Emmy for the role in 1994 as Outstanding Supporting Actress. Thanks, Michael, for letting me know).
Outstanding Lead Actor: Christian LeBlanc (The Young and the Restless)
Most Annoying Presenters: Dr. Phil and especially his wife, Robin. I'd rather listen to fingernails on a chalkboard.
Outstanding Drama Series: The Bold and the Beautiful! Hooray! But wait, what the hell is going on here? Aren't we going to get to hear Mr. Bell's speech since this is the first time his show has ever won this award? Nope! The show's over without even a "Good night, thanks for watching!" from Vanessa. This, folks, was the MAJOR LOWLIGHT OF THE EVENING! If only they had cut Vanessa's second musical number--or better yet, cut the silly Red Carpet pre-show and started the ceremony a half-hour earlier, THEN we might have been able to hear the final acceptance speech of the night. Shameful, just shameful. And such a disappointing end to a show that flew by (UPDATE 8/31/09: They also could've easily got rid of that endless yawner of a fashion show segment, which I must've blocked out of my mind while I was writing this post late last night).
And what happened to the awards for Outstanding Culinary Program (Grill It! with Bobby Flay), Outstanding Lifestyle Program (This Old House), New Approaches - Daytime Entertainment (I Met the Walrus), and Outstanding Lifestyle/Culinary Host (Barefoot Contessa)? They were presented last night at a separate Creative Arts ceremony--but couldn't they have quickly announced their names during tonight's telecast instead of making us go online to find out? Oh well, hopefully the producers and The CW will learn from their BIG mistakes in order to make next year's show much better. And we better pray that the ratings aren't too low--or we might have to search the web for ALL the winners in the future.
"Disco will never be over. It will always live in our minds and hearts. Something like this, that was this big, and this important, and this great, will never die" - Josh Neff
It probably helps to like disco at least a little in order to fully appreciate director/writer/producer Whit Stillman's 1998 film, The Last Days of Disco, which was released in a special Criterion Collection DVD this week. Since I grew up listening to Diana Ross sing "I'm Coming Out" and Cheryl Lynn telling us that it's "Got to Be Real", it was quite easy for me to become an instant fan of this groovy movie. However, for all those anti-disco folks out there, the film is still an enjoyable comedy-drama with some wonderful performances.
Set in Manhattan in the early 1980s, The Last Days of Disco is about two young women, Charlotte (Kate Beckinsale) and Alice (Chloë Sevigny), who spend their nights looking for love while dancing at a Studio 54-like club. Both Beckinsale and Sevigny (who currently stars on HBO's Big Love) are terrific, and the excellent supporting cast includes Matt Keeslar, Chris Eigeman, Mackenzie Astin (the son of actress Patty Duke and actor John Astin), Robert Sean Leonard, Michael Weatherly and Jennifer Beals. Apparently Winona Ryder was almost cast as Alice, but I can't really see her in the role, which Sevigny plays so perfectly.
The film was originally released on DVD in 1999, but it quickly went out of print. So I was very pleased to learn of the new Criterion edition, which includes an audio commentary by Stillman, Sevigny and Eigeman as well as four deleted scenes with commentary and a behind-the-scenes featurette. It's unfortunate that Stillman hasn't made a film since The Last Days of Disco, but I highly recommend that you check out all three of his movies--Metropolitan (1990), Barcelona (1994) and Last Days, which you can also watch in its entirety on Hulu by clicking here. So now you have no excuse not to get aboard the "Love Train", baby!
Below is the film's trailer as well as my three favorite scenes: Alice and Tom's (Leonard) private dance to "More, More, More, Pt. 1" by The Andrea True Connection; Josh's (Keeslar) final speech about disco; and one of the most joyous ending credits in cinematic history, which make me want to get up and boogie.
Sorry to disappoint you, but this post is not about that John Travolta movie. However, it is Saturday--and I do have a fever caused by the gorgeous William Levy. I recently saw the video below featuring the actor and former model, who definitely gets me all hot and bothered. And then when I learned that he would be celebrating his 29th birthday today, I took it as a sign from God that I should wish him a happy one as well as share his beauty with the rest of the world. Mr. Levy was born in Havana, Cuba, and the following clip is from his appearance as Larry Irázabal in the 2007 telenovela, Acorralada (which means Trapped). Enjoy!
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week in the sidebar poll.
The winner of last week's poll was Dish #218 with 34.1%. In second place was #219 with 27.3%, followed by #217 (19.7%), #216 (9.8%) and #220 (9.1%).
The 36th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be held this Sunday (August 30) at 8 pm (ET) on The CW Network with Ugly Betty's Vanessa Williams as the host. Below is a list of the major categories with my predictions in pink, and I'll be posting a review after the telecast. Also, the groovy soap website, We Love Soaps, is holding an Emmy picks contest, so click here for your chance to win some cool prizes.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES All My Children Days of our Lives The Bold and the Beautiful (Since The Young and the Restless wasn't even nominated and DOOL kicked John and Marlena to the curb earlier this year, I have to go with the show that features the boldest bod in daytime, Brandon Beemer, and two of my favorite ladies--Susan Flannery and Lesley-Anne Down)
OUTSTANDING CULINARY PROGRAM Barefoot Contessa Giada at Home Gourmet's Diary of a Foodie Grill It! with Bobby Flay Simply Ming
OUTSTANDING GAME/AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SHOW Cash Cab Jeopardy! Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
OUTSTANDING LIFESTYLE PROGRAM Clean House Peter Perfect Flip This House The Martha Stewart Show This Old House
OUTSTANDING MORNING PROGRAM Good Morning America The Early Show Today Show
NEW APPROACHES - DAYTIME ENTERTAINMENT All My Children Behind-The-Scenes Video Podcast I Met the Walrus Imaginary Bitches TAC.TV The New York Times Style Magazine Screen Tests
OUTSTANDING TALK SHOW/ENTERTAINMENT Live with Regis and Kelly Rachael Ray The Ellen Degeneres Show (I am disappointed that Bonnie Hunt didn't get nominated) OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Debbi Morgan (Angie Hubbard), All My Children Maura West (Carly Tenney), As the World Turns Susan Haskell (Marty Saybrooke), One Life to Live Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful Jeanne Cooper (Katherine Chancellor), The Young and the Restless (tough category--I love both Susans, but I have to go with Ms. Cooper, who isn't slowing down one bit at age 80)
I now interrupt this list of nominees to remember Susan Lucci's 1999 Emmy win for Outstanding Lead Actress after being nominated 19 times. It's a great speech.
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Thorsten Kaye (Zach Slater), All My Children Peter Reckell (Bo Brady), Days of our Lives Anthony Geary (Luke Spencer), General Hospital Daniel Cosgrove (Bill Lewis), Guiding Light Christian LeBlanc (Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Melissa Claire Egan (Annie Lavery), All My Children Alicia Minshew (Kendall Hart Slater), All My Children Julie Pinson (Janet Ciccone), As the World Turns Tamara Braun (Ava Vitali), Days of our Lives Bree Williamson (Jessica Brennan), One Life to Live
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Vincent Irizarry (David Hayward), All My Children Jacob Young (JR Chandler), All My Children Van Hansis (Luke Snyder), As the World Turns (I really hope he wins--and that's him in the above photo) Bradford Anderson (Damien Spinelli), General Hospital Jeff Branson (Shayne Lewis), Guiding Light
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES Meredith Hagner (Liberty Ciccone), As the World Turns Rachel Melvin (Chelsea Brady), Days of our Lives Kirsten Storms (Maxie Jones), General Hospital Julie Berman (Lulu Spencer), General Hospital Emily O'Brien (Jana Fisher), The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES Cornelius Smith, Jr. (Frankie Hubbard), All My Children Darin Brooks (Max Brady), Days of our Lives Blake Berris (Nick Fallon), Days of our Lives EJ Bonilla (Rafe Rivera), Guiding Light Bryton McClure (Devon Hamilton), The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING GAME SHOW HOST Ben Bailey, Cash Cab Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal Alex Trebek, Jeopardy! Meredith Vieira, Who Wants to be a Millionaire?
OUTSTANDING LIFESTYLE/CULINARY HOST Rachael Ray, 30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Bobby Flay, Grill It! with Bobby Flay Peter Ishkhans, Peter Perfect Ming Tsai, Simply Ming
OUTSTANDING TALK SHOW HOST Regis Philbin & Kelly Ripa Rachael Ray Ellen Degeneres The lovely ladies of The View
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES DIRECTING TEAM All My Children Days of our Lives One Life to Live
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES WRITING TEAM All My Children General Hospital One Life to Live The Bold and the Beautiful
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
To honor the daytime soap opera, Guiding Light (which will broadcast its final episode on September 18), I'm featuring the 25 Grooviest Guys and Gals of Springfield. The first three Guiding Light characters in the spotlight were Nola Reardon Chamberlain, India von Halkein and Roger Thorpe, and today I'm adding the following five fabulous individuals to the list:
#4 - Kelly Nelson (John Wesley Shipp)
Dr. Ed Bauer's godson, Kelly Nelson, arrived in Springfield on February 5, 1980, and moved into the Reardon boarding house, where young Nola Reardon immediately fell in love with the gorgeous Speedo-clad medical student. But he only had eyes for Morgan Richards, and despite Nola's desperate attempt to break them up by lying that he was the father of her unborn baby, they were finally married in an outdoor ceremony at Laurel Falls in August 1981. Unfortunately, love wasn't enough to keep these two kids together as they divorced after Morgan had an affair with Josh Lewis. Kelly then briefly became involved with Dr. Claire Ramsey before leaving town in November 1984 for a job in Boston. John Wesley Shipp went on to star as Douglas Cummings on As the World Turns (1985-86), The Flash (1990-91), Carter Jones on All My Children (1992), Lucky Williams on Sisters (1994-95), and Dawson's father, Mitch Leery, on Dawson's Creek (1998-2001).
#5 - Holly Norris Reade (Maureen Garrett)
19-year-old Holly Norris first appeared in August 1970, and the following year she seduced and lost her virginity to Roger Thorpe, a man who would cause her much heartache over the years. She wed Dr. Ed Bauer in May 1973, but their marriage ended in 1976 after he learned that he wasn't the father of their daughter, Christina--and Roger was! Holly finally married Mr. Thorpe in January 1979, but it wasn't a happy union as he cheated on her, raped her and later fell off cliff to his "death". She then moved to Switzerland with Christina in 1980 to start a new life. Holly returned to Springfield in 1988 and married Fletcher Reade in July 1995, despite her complex feelings for Roger, who was still alive and kicking. She gave birth to her and Fletcher's daughter, Meg, in May 1996, but when he realized that she still loved Roger, he took Meg and left town. Holly then developed a drinking problem, and in 1999 it was revealed that she was the Nursery Rhyme Stalker! The poor woman was a mess, but she made a complete recovery after spending time in a mental hospital. In 2007, Holly left Springfield to live with her mother in Europe, but today (August 26, 2009) she--and actress Maureen Garrett--returned to the show for a happy reunion with her daughter, Blake (Christina), and her ex-husband, Ed. Garrett has played Holly since 1976, and she also starred as Elizabeth Jane (E.J.) Ryan on Ryan's Hope (1981-82).
#6 - Rita Stapleton Bauer (Lenore Kasdorf)
In October 1975, Rita began working as a nurse at Cedars Hospital, where she met and fell in love with Dr. Ed Bauer (Rita and Ed are in the above photo). But her sordid past soon caught up with her when she was arrested and charged with the murder of an elderly rich Texas rancher, for whom she had once worked as a private nurse. During her murder trial, the shocking truth was revealed--she couldn't have killed the guy because she was too busy making love to Roger Thorpe. Rita was exonerated, but Ed, who hated Roger, wanted nothing more to do with her. The couple eventually reconciled and were married in November 1978, but she soon felt neglected and began an affair with an old boyfriend, Greg. When she then discovered she was pregnant, Rita wasn't sure who the father was. She later lost the baby after being kidnapped by Roger. Ed and Rita gave their marriage a second chance, but after he learned of her affair with Alan Spaulding, she left town in June 1981, never to be heard from again. Lenore Kasdorf later appeared as Dr. Veronica Kimball on Days of our Lives (1983-84) and Caroline Wilson on Santa Barbara (1986-87).
#7 - Carrie Todd Marler (Jane Elliot)
Carrie Todd's stay in Springfield may have been brief, but she was quite a memorable character. District Attorney Ross Marler was immediately smitten when she arrived in town on March 23, 1981, as a new employee at Spaulding Enterprises, and the couple became engaged after a whirlwind romance. Unfortunately, Carrie confessed to killing both Diane Ballard and Joe Bradley, but in January 1982, she was acquitted by a jury, who ruled that the murders were accidents. Carrie and Ross were finally married on Valentine's Day 1982, but their happiness together was short-lived as she developed a multiple-personality disorder. Carrie #2 was a selfish slut who slept with Josh Lewis and a teenage boy named Ron, while Carrie #3 was a scared naive girl. She finally went off to England for extensive therapy in July 1982 and insisted on divorcing Ross so he could go on with his life. I've always adored actress Jane Elliot ever since I first saw her as Sister Barbara in the 1969 Elvis flick, Change of Habit. She's also starred as Judy Trent on Knots Landing (1980-81), Cynthia Chandler Preston Cortlandt on All My Children (1984-86), and Anjelica Deveraux on Days of our Lives (1987-89), but she's best known for her role as Tracy Quartermaine, whom she's played on both General Hospital and The City since 1978.
#8 - Bert Bauer (Charita Bauer)
Bertha Miller made her first appearance on September 22, 1949, and she soon married her childhood sweetheart, Bill Bauer, on December 9, 1949. But their marriage wasn't a happy one as the materialistic young woman drove her poor husband to drink with her constant nagging about money and having a better life. They became the parents of two sons--Michael (born 1952) and Ed (born on New Year's Eve 1954)--and in 1962, Bert had a Pap smear test, which detected the early stages of uterine cancer, but she made a complete recovery after surgery. After Bill's affair with Maggie Scott and his death in a plane crash in 1967, Bert finally became the caring woman and beloved matriarch that fans still fondly remember her as--and 10 years later she was shocked to learn that Bill was still alive and had fathered a child with another woman! In 1983, actress Charita Bauer (who began playing Bert in 1950) had to have her leg amputated as a result of a blood clot, so this was written into the show with Bert suffering the same illness. Although Charita died of complications from diabetes on February 28, 1985, Bert Bauer remained an offstage presence on the show until she died in her sleep on March 4, 1986.
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
I don't usually post restaurant reviews, but since my partner, Michael, is the critic of this particular one, I'm making an exception today. Also, there is a TV connection, since the producers of Check, Please! (a local PBS show that has even featured former Illinois Senator Barack Obama recommending a tasty place to eat) are the presenters of this series on top Chicagoland spots for business dining. Michael chose to review Lulu's Dim Sum & Then Sum in Evanston, and if you're hungry for fabulous Asian cuisine, look no further. Check out all the delicious dishes in the video below--and although I adore Lulu's pot stickers, Michael is still my favorite Dish of the Day.
The upcoming new web soap opera, WeHo, looks like a helluva gay time as it tells the twisted tale of shirtless gym trainers, same-sex power couples, battling twins and bitch divas who all live in the most dramatic city never to hit prime time: West Hollywood. Think Melrose Place with drag queens. While watching its teaser video below, I especially liked the series' dark sense of humor. The best example of this is when the character of Caren shakes her hair fetchingly at the camera right after her boyfriend has been hit by a car--and you just gotta love the Vaseline-smudged lens used in the close-up shot of Mira, the ruthless magazine publisher. As for the soap's required beefcake and bitch, it appears that actors Steve Callahan (that's him in the photo) as the hunky Gunther and Scott Presley as Mira will provide these important ingredients, respectively.
Written and directed by the talented Nic Arnzen (whom I had the pleasure of seeing naked onstage many years ago here in Chicago), WeHo was originally created as a stage play. And this fall if you live in Los Angeles, you can see future episodes of the web series performed live with the same cast at the Celebration Theatre. I'll post a more detailed review of WeHo after I've tuned in to a few sudsy installments (its first episode will debut next month), and if you'd like to receive the latest information on the sordid saga, you can become a Facebook fan by clicking here.
Writer Truman Capote passed away at age 59 on August 25, 1984, and in honor of this fascinating man, I thought I would feature Tru, Jay Presson Allen's 1989 Broadway play, which was filmed for PBS's American Playhouse in 1992. Actor Robert Morse, who now stars as Bertram Cooper on TV's Mad Men, recreated his brilliant Tony Award-winning performance as Capote, earning himself an Emmy Award as well for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
The play is set in Capote's New York City apartment and covers two days in his life in December 1975 when an excerpt of his infamous and unfinished story, Answered Prayers, was published in Esquire magazine. There is one anachronism in the script when Capote, talking about suicide, states he has stashed enough pills to stage his own Jonestown Massacre, which did not occur until 1978. It does seem very odd that the playwright didn't catch this mistake--unless it was intentionally left in the show for some reason.
Tru ran on Broadway at the Booth Theatre for 11 previews and 297 performances. And since I love little bits of trivial information, actress Jeanne Tripplehorn (Big Love) provided the recorded voice of the secretary in both the Broadway and PBS productions.
Every Tuesday I post five questions relating to television or film, and the first person who sends me the correct answers wins the highly coveted Auntie Mame Award (for excellence in trivia).
Last week we had TWO lucky winners, Joe Misha Tkalec and Kerri Baker, and they both answered the following questions about the 1972 disaster flick, The Poseidon Adventure, correctly:
1) What four actors out of the original ten survivors do not make it to the end of the film? Gene Hackman, Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Shelley Winters
2) What city is the SS Poseidon sailing to on its final voyage? Athens
3) What is used as a ladder in the dining room? A Christmas tree
4) What are the last two words of the following quote from Shelley's character, Belle: "In the water I'm a very ________." Skinny lady
5) Who had a hit single with the film's Oscar-winning song, "The Morning After"? Maureen McGovern
Please send your answers for this week's questions to deepdishdrama@aol.com or via a private Facebook message (DO NOT post your answers on here where everyone can see them or they will be deleted). This week's theme is the 1978-91 TV drama, Dallas.
1) What was the name of Sue Ellen's rodeo cowboy lover?
2) Who drowned in the Southfork pool in the Season Four cliffhanger?
3) Who shot Bobby Ewing in the Season Seven cliffhanger?
4) A three-part question: Who was J.R.'s first secretary on the show? What actress played the character? And what popular TV sitcom did she previously appear on?
5) Another three-part question: Who shot J.R.? Who played the character? And who was this person's famous father?
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
Well, there wasn't anything as hot as Sal's brief encounter with the bellboy last week (click here to see their steamy scene), but we did get Peggy and a college boy doing "other things" with one another on last night's episode of Mad Men. Although I prefer man-on-man action, it was nice to see Ms. Olson finally getting some--and the young man she seduced was definitely an improvement over her last liaison with that slimeball Pete. But my favorite scene of the night was Peggy pretending to be Ann-Margret in a mirror as she sang the title tune from the 1963 movie, Bye Bye Birdie. "Now she looks more like Kim McAfee," my partner remarked as we watched the girl's weak musical attempt. I would agree since the character of Kim in Birdie is only supposed to be 15 and Ann-Margret was a very mature and sexy 21 when she played the role. However, I adore her in the film--despite her "shrill" voice as Peggy cattily commented--and I have much more of a problem with Chita Rivera--the original Broadway "Rosie"--being replaced in the movie version by Janet Leigh in a black wig. But we're not hear to discuss the pros and cons of Birdie, so let's take a look at what happened with your favorite Mad Men characters this week:
Don Draper: The best amusing but awkward moment was during Don and Betty's dinner with the ad agency's new financial officer, Lane, and his wife, Rebecca (played by Embeth Davidtz, whom I loved in the 2005 film, Junebug), when the Drapers gave different years for how long they've been married. However, my favorite Don moment was at the end of the episode when he touched the grass while obviously lusting after his daughter's pretty teacher. Will she be his next conquest? And what was going on in the final scene with Don staring at Peggy in her office? My gut instinct tells me that someday Don and Peggy might have a fling. Maybe they would make a good couple because they're both ambitious, enjoy sex and can keep a secret.
Betty Draper: I'll be glad when Betty gives birth because she's not as much fun pregnant. I do enjoy watching her smoke and drink in her delicate condition--it's just so 1960s--and her bitchy tone of voice when she snaps at her children or talks to someone of no importance in Don's office is delightful. But I miss crazy Betty who shoots birds and has revenge sex with strangers.
Peggy Olson: I really hope Elisabeth Moss wins an Emmy next month for her wonderful performance as Peggy. She's so good in the role, and last night was a great Peggy episode. In addition to her Ann-Margret moment, I also liked when she grabbed the college boy's hamburger and took a bite out of it--a bold and aggressive move that clearly said, "I'm in the mood for love." And at least the girl has learned from her past mistakes with her smart new Trojan policy.
Joan Holloway: So she did marry the handsome doctor/rapist as Roger called her "Mrs. Harris" last night. It looks like next Sunday's episode will feature the happy newlyweds.
Roger Sterling: He had a nice scene with his ex-wife and his daughter, Margaret, who hates his new wife, Jane. And we were given an ominous foreshadowing of the future as Margaret is supposed to be getting married on November 23, 1963--the day after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.
Sal Romano: No bellboy put the moves on Sal, but he did score a few gay points by confessing that he'd seen actress Susan Watson as Kim in the Broadway version of Bye Bye Birdie.
Pete Campbell and Ken Cosgrove: We didn't see very much of either of them.
Overall, it was a good episode, even though I didn't care all that much for the depressing storyline with Betty's brother and her ailing father. I would be curious to know if Ann-Margret watched the show and what she thought of it. And maybe one of these days we'll see The Flintstones' Ann-Margrock on Mad Men (you can watch a clip of her below).
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
Where were you in the summer of '92? I was hanging out in the city of Llanview with the kind and caring Reverend Andrew Carpenter, the troubled Marty Saybrooke, and daytime television's first gay teenager, Billy Douglas, and we all shared some memorable times together.
While recently blogging about One Life to Live'scurrent gay storyline, I was reminded of how much I enjoyed watching the show back in 1992. And I thought it would be nice to revisit Billy's coming out story. The character was played by 18-year-old Ryan Phillippe, who was terrific in the role--as was Wortham Krimmer as Andrew. But I especially loved Susan Haskell's riveting performance as bad girl Marty, who later became such an important part of the show. These three talented actors turned a sudsy soap opera into an addictive drama--along with the brilliant words of Head Writer Michael Malone, who made One Life to Live must-see television for many years.
Billy's storyline began with him coming out to his best friend, Joey Buchanan, who was initially shocked and confused before finally accepting the boy's sexuality.
Billy was reluctant to tell his parents that he was gay, but he was able to confide in the town's pastor, Andrew. Unfortunately, Marty, who had the hots for the good reverend, wasn't too happy to see the man caring for someone else. She was a woman scorned--as Andrew had rejected her romantic advances--so it was time for some payback. The jealous girl spread a nasty lie that Reverend Carpenter was trying to seduce Billy, which, of course, horrified the boy's parents, who demanded the pastor's resignation.
Billy eventually came out to his parents, who weren't overjoyed by this news to say the least.
After Billy publicly stood up for Andrew and announced to the entire world that he (Billy) was gay, his father kicked him out of the house.
With Marty finally being exposed as a liar, Llanview was transformed from a community of fear and hatred into one of tolerance and acceptance--and Billy got himself a cute boyfriend named Rick (played by Joe Fiske). However, Mr. Douglas was still not entirely comfortable with his son's sexuality--or his "special friend". In 1993, Ryan Phillippe decided to move on to movies, so Billy went off to Yale, never to be seen again. But I'd like to think he's now happily married to some wonderful guy.
Good times and bum times, Steve Hayes has seen them all and, my dear, he's still here!
I just felt this interview with the fabulous Mr. Hayes should begin with a show tune because the guy knows how to belt one better than Ethel Merman--okay, equally as well for all those Merman fans who are probably reading this. I first became a fan of Steve Hayes from his delightful appearance as Christian Campbell's friend, Perry, in the 1999 gay comedy, Trick, in which the character sings the hilarious "Como Te Gusta Mi Pinga?" (available on the soundtrack CD) in a piano bar scene.
Some other career highlights for Mr. Hayes include winning Outstanding Actor at the International New York Fringe Theatre Festival in 2006 and appearing to great acclaim in the GAYFEST 2008 production of his one-man comedic play, Steve Hayes' Hollywood Reunion. He is also the author and co-lyricist of the musical, Kiss Me Quick Before the Lava Reaches the Village, and the co-lyricist of Girl Of My Dreams as well as a nine-time nominee and three-time winner of the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs MAC Award for Outstanding Comedian and Characterization AND the recipient of the Backstage Bistro Award for Comedy Performer of the Year. And next month you will be able to see Steve in his new movie, The Big Gay Musical, in which he plays God (check him out in the film's trailer below).
I'm very honored to have this talented man as a Deeper Dish interviewee (i.e. a fascinating person who will answer pop culture questions along with giving us some insight into their life). So without further adieu, let's get deeper with Steve Hayes:
How did you get the role of Perry in 'Trick'? And what is your fondest memory of working on the film?
The director, Jim Fall, had seen my comedy act for years and called me in when the script was being developed to read the part of Perry. I did about ten readings for various backers. When it came time to shoot the movie, Jim said that although the producers liked my work, Perry was a flashy part and they felt they should try to get someone with a name to boost the box-office potential. I did a kick-ass audition for them and then went to Seattle to oversee the production of my musical, Kiss Me Quick Before the Lava Reaches the Village. Years ago I heard Gregory Peck say that there's often no reason as to why you do or don't get cast. Sometimes it's just your turn. Suddenly Jim called me up and said that they couldn't see anyone else in the part but me! It was my turn! My favorite scene was the romantic scene with Kevin Chamberlin, where we get back together. He was so incredible to play off and it came off exactly as I had pictured it might in my mind. Of course I loved the song, too. When you have a killer piece of comedy material like that, it's Heaven sent.
In 'The Big Gay Musical', you play God. How does one approach playing such an important role?
It's a musical/comedy part and so I couldn't make him too real. It's GOD. So I just thought, I want him to be sort of sweet and cuddly. I imagined him as a cross between Charlie Ruggles and Mary Boland.
Obviously your new movie is a gay musical, which is reason enough to go see it, but what else can you tell us about it?
It has beautiful music and the MOST talented cast. They're all "Broadway Babies", all in shows currently running and they're the prime singers and dancers in the business.
If I had to gain 30 pounds for a role, I would eat:
Anything that's not nailed to the floor, which is exactly what I eat now.
If I could be part of any TV show in history, I would choose:
I would want to be someone Clint Walker had to save by doing mouth-to-mouth on Cheyenne. OR, I would be the murderer on Perry Mason, so I could stand up at the end of the show and scream, "Alright! I killed him! He was a louse! You wanna know why I stabbed him 31 times? I couldn't turn off the carving knife, that's why!"
The very first album, tape or CD that I purchased with my own money was:
Where Did Our Love Go? by The Supremes.
In high school I was:
The class clown in order to keep people from picking on me because I was gay.
The last good book I read was:
Memento Mori by Muriel Spark. My favorite British author.
My favorite "so bad it's good" book is: The Carpetbaggers by Harold Robbins.
My very first concert was:
Three Dog Night...remember them? My mother called them "Five Dogs in the Night"!
My favorite movie quote is:
"I was born when you met me, I lived while you loved me and I died when you left me" from A Lonely Place (1950).
When I was growing up, I never missed a television episode of:
Laugh-In, The Twilight Zone, The Rifleman, Johnny Quest, and NBC Saturday Night at the Movies. Today I never miss a television episode of:
Midsomer Murders (I LOVE British whodunits).
My favorite Broadway musical I've ever seen is:
Production-wise: Nine and Dreamgirls. But my favorite musical is Gypsy.
The worst play or musical I've ever seen is:
Musical: Victor/Victoria with Liza Minnelli...poor thing. She was just too "out of it to do it." It broke my heart because I love her. Play: Copenhagen - that play was so long, the kid in front of me grew up!
If I could go back in time and see any Broadway show, I would see:
Musical: Gypsy with Merman. Play: Separate Tables or Sweet Bird Of Youth.
If I could give an Oscar for any neglected film performance of the past, I would give one to:
Angels in America should have been released theatrically and should have won everything ever given (and I loved the play just as much). Robert Shaw in Jaws. One of the GREAT character performances of all time. Ed Harris in The Hours. He just summed that whole horrible time up for me again in one characterization. Kim Novak in Vertigo. She was 22 years old! Incredible! Kathleen Byron in Black Narcissus. Unforgettable as the mad Sister Ruth. Clifton Webb in Laura and The Razor's Edge. He's perfection in both. Bette Davis in All About Eve and Gloria Swanson in Sunset Boulevard. I know they were up against each other, so make it a tie!
My three favorite show tunes are:
"Folies Bergeres" (Nine), "Being Alive" (Company), and "Could I Leave You?" (Follies).
Six movies that I think everyone should be required to watch are:
Vertigo, The Last Picture Show, Black Narcissus, All About Eve, Sunset Boulevard, and Some Like It Hot.
If I could star in any role in any Broadway musical or play, I would be:
Ben Hubbard, the bachelor brother of Regina in The Little Foxes. Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Ernest. Harvey Fierstein's lead role in Torch Song Trilogy. Any part I could get in Angels in America.
Since you're a big fan of the classic screen sirens of the 1940s and '50s, if you could have dinner with three of them, who would you choose?
Gloria Grahame, Jean Harlow and Mary Astor.
Who's your favorite: Brenda Vaccaro, Brenda Morgenstern, Brenda Blethyn or Brenda Starr?
Blethyn...although I was obsessed with Brenda Starr's boyfriend, Basil...the guy with the patch on his eye. "What patch? I thought somebody belted him!"
Who's your favorite: Mary, Rhoda, Phyllis, Georgette or Sue Ann?
Sue Ann
Who's your favorite character in 'The Women' (1939 version, of course): Mary, Crystal, Sylvia, The Countess, Miriam, Edith, Peggy, Nancy or Lucy?
The Countess! I actually got to play her for one performance at Town Hall in New York! SO much fun!!! Charles Busch played Mary, Lypsinka played Crystal, Miss Coco Peru played Miriam, David Drake played Peggy, I played The Countess, Varla Jean Merman played Little Mary, Justin Bond (Kiki & Herb) played Sylvia. Such fun! But alas, it's such a drag because I am a dog as a dame!
Could you share with us the story of your meeting porn star Jack Wrangler at a party years ago?
Okay, well, I won the very first MAC Award as Comedian Of The Year. This was in the late 80's. I was thrilled to the bone because I'd never won anything before and it's such a fantasy. Afterwards everyone went to this VERY swanky penthouse in mid-town for the party. I was feeling like I owned the world that night. I was standing out on the balcony, holding my award and feeling that nothing could top this, when I turned and standing right next to me was legendary gay porn star Jack Wrangler, looking sensational in a tux. I was so turned on, I could barely breathe. We just stood there, the two of us, gazing out at the view. Finally, he smiled and said; "It's pretty, isn't it?" Without missing a beat I replied: "It certainly is. I've seen it in all your movies." He turned and stared at me for a moment. I just stood there frozen in shock at what I'd just said and not knowing what to do next. He started to laugh, then smiled instead and walked back inside. And I fainted.
What's next for Steve Hayes?
I'm doing my one-person show, Steve Hayes' Hollywood Reunion, at Out in the Adirondacks, a big gay festival in upstate New York. Then I come back and go into rehearsals for Moisty the Snowman Saves Christmas. A VERY irreverent and HILARIOUS Christmas show in which I play Tranny Claus, a transvestite Santa. It's written by and also starring one of the most talented new comedian/performance artists I've ever known, Bradford Scobie. It's being directed by Scott Farris, who just directed Bette Midler's Las Vegas show.
Thank you, Mr. Hayes, for getting Deeper with us here on the Dish. To learn more about his groovy new movie, The Big Gay Musical, click here.
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning today you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week in the sidebar poll.
The winner of last week's poll was Dish #212 with 39.5%. In second place was #215 with 28.7%, followed by #214 (15.5%), #211 (8.5%) and #213 (7.8%).
Back in December I posted my Movies on DVD Wish List of 61 films that I would love to see released on DVD. Then last March I blogged about the new Warner Bros. Film Archive, in which a person can order an "on demand" custom-made DVD of a movie in the studio's library not currently available on disc. I ordered a few flicks and was quite pleased with them, and now Warner Bros. has released--or will be releasing--three of my cinematic wishes:
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973): A TV horror flick starring Kim Darby and Jim Hutton (Timothy's father).
Freebie and the Bean (1974): The first R-rated movie I ever saw, starring James Caan, Alan Arkin and Valerie Harper.
Who Is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978): A fun comedy with George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset.
Here are some other groovy and obscure films that might interest you:
Any Wednesday (1966), a comedy with Jason Robards, Jane Fonda and Dean Jones.
Bad Ronald (1974), a TV movie starring Scott Jacoby, Dabney Coleman and Kim Hunter. Carny (1980), a drama with Jodie Foster and Gary Busey.
The Fox (1967), a drama starring Sandy Dennis and Keir Dullea.
Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972), a comedy directed by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Smothers, Orson Welles and Katharine Ross.
Hot Millions (1968), a comedy starring Peter Ustinov, Maggie Smith and Bob Newhart.
How Sweet It Is! (1968), a comedy that I've always loved with the delightful Debbie Reynolds, the handsome James Garner and the sassy Paul Lynde. Kisses for My President (1964), a comedy starring Polly Bergen as the first female President and Fred MacMurray as her husband.
A Majority of One (1961), a comedy starring Rosalind Russell and Alec Guinness.
Mary, Mary (1963), a comedy starring Debbie Reynolds.
Never Too Late (1965), a comedy starring Connie Stevens and Jim Hutton.
Not with My Wife, You Don't! (1966), a comedy with Tony Curtis and George C. Scott. Reckless (1984), a drama starring Aidan Quinn and Daryl Hannah.
There are many other films available, but these are the ones that caught my eye. My only complaint is that most of the movies cost $19.95, which is kind of expensive in my opinion. If they were about five bucks cheaper, I would probably be a more frequent WB Archive shopper. But it's still great that the studio is releasing all these films--and I urge everyone to sign up for their newsletter because they do offer special discounts occasionally. Click here to go to their website.
What happens when you invite a hunky homewrecker into your happy home? The answer to that burning question is the premise of the new comedy, Homewrecker, a hilarious gay spoof of all those melodramatic Lifetime movies. The story centers around a married couple, Hollywood producers Derrick and Collin, who are unaware that their new houseguest, Shawn, is trouble with a capital 'T'. They don't realize that they've previously met the recent ex-con/secretly aspiring actor when he was fired from their hit TV series because he was overweight and not considered attractive enough by the network brass. Now newly buff, Shawn is hell-bent on scoring a starring role in their new show anyway he can. This boy is a bad news buffet as he seduces and manipulates Derrick and Collin--and their friends and neighbors--in his quest to become a TV superstar. Will he succeed? To find out, go see Homewrecker when it's released later this year.
Directed by Paul Hart and written by Bruce L. Hart and Paul Vander Roest, the independent film stars The Lair's Dylan Vox (aka gay porn star Brad Benton) as "The Homewrecker" and Rebekah Kochan from the Eating Out film series. It also contains nudity and adult language and situations for those of you (like myself) who enjoy that kind of stuff. You can become a fan of the film on Facebook by clicking here, and be sure to check out the movie's trailer and another scene below.
Every Monday through Friday a new Dish of the Day will be featured, and beginning on Friday you can vote for your favorite Dish of the week. If you haven't voted for last week's Dish yet, choose your man in the sidebar poll.
I'm a few months late to this party, which began on May 25 when David Scott posted on YouTube his literal music video of Bonnie Tyler's 1983 ballad, "Total Eclipse of the Heart." His hilarious version has been watched by over three million people, and I must thank my friend, Christian, for sending it to me yesterday.
I wasn't that familiar with literal music videos before, but apparently it's become quite a popular genre, in which the original lyrics of famous videos are dubbed over with new ones that describe exactly what is happening visually in a humorous manner. And Mr. Scott selected a perfect video to perform such a transformation on. I think his lyrics are very clever, and singer PersephoneMaewyn sounds enough like Tyler to make it work.
"Total Eclipse of the Heart" remains the most successful song of Tyler's career (around 6 million copies of the tune were sold), and she is the only Welsh singer to ever hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard charts. As for the bizarre video, it's a hallucinogenic nightmare--or wet dream--with half-naked young men dancing around Bonnie. This strange concept was inspired by the 1976 science fiction film, Futureworld, starring Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner and Yul Brynner (in his last movie).
So sit back and enjoy (and compare) the literal and original versions.
I guess time does fly when you're having fun, and the last 12 months I've had a ball like the marvelous Karen Morrow (whom you can watch below). On August 19, 2008, I began this blog mainly to promote my books, but during the last year, it's developed into something far more than I ever dreamed possible. I've met so many wonderful people while writing Deep Dish, and a brand new reader or a kind comment can take a nothing day and suddenly make it all seem worthwhile. When I started, I really didn't expect to enjoy blogging that much, but I soon discovered that I had a knack for it. And now I'm hopelessly devoted to it.
Deep Dish had 500 visits and 1,000 page views during its first two weeks of life. Last month it received over 17,000 visits and 24,000 page views. Not too shabby if I do say so myself, and hopefully these figures will continue to improve. As the lovely Karen Carpenter once sang, we've only just begun here on the Dish--and the best is yet to come (another great tune, but I'll stop with the song lyrics now).
Now let's look back at some of my favorite and most popular posts over the past year:
August 19, 2008:What's It All About, Deep Dish? (let's start at the very beginning--sorry, I couldn't resist.) August 29:Will the real Tina Fey please stand up? (I think everyone was surprised by McCain's choice for his VP and now we're stuck with her forever. But at least they didn't win, thank God.)
September 1:As the Election Turns: Episode 1 (it was fun blogging about last year's political soap opera, and this feature will definitely be returning for another season in a few years.) September 23:Dance, Cloris, Dance! (I'm not a big fan of Dancing With the Stars, but I adore Cloris Leachman, whose comedy routine kept me watching in last fall. And if you want to help swimmer Greg Louganis get on the show, check out David Toussaint's new blog. I'll tune in again if Greg is dancing.) September 29:Dish of the Day (obviously I gained a few more readers when I began this feature, which has accentuated the positive of 218 gorgeous guys thus far. Also, in my recent poll asking people to vote on their favorite features, the big winner, of course, was Dish of the Day with 69.3%. A fitting percentage, don't you think?).
November 5:Yes We Did! (I shared a few reasons for my happiness as well as some photos and videos from Obama's rally. It was one of the most memorable nights of my life.)
November 15:Groovy Gal: Petula Clark (my first Groovy Gal--and my readers' third favorite feature.)
January 5:Daniel Craig has a very nice ass (gosh, I wonder why this post continues to receive so many visits. I just added a film clip today in case you want to check it out.)
February 3:If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Trivia! (this is one of my favorite features. I love coming up with new themes and questions each week, so please let me know if there's a film or TV show that you would like to see "trivia-lized".)
February 14: Batman and Robin: A Gay Fantasy (just something romantic that I posted for Valentine's Day. I never get tired of watching this sexy video.)
March 26: Johnny Depp is Barnabas Collins (either people really like the actor or TV's Dark Shadows because this post continues to rank as one of my most visited pages.)
July 27: Deeper Dish with Stephen Wallem (aka Thor on Nurse Jackie) (I'm so pleased by the favorable response I've received to Deeper Dish, in which fabulous people answer pop culture questions along with giving us some insight into their lives. I must thank my friend, Steve, again for being my first interviewee, and I look forward to featuring many more interesting folks in the future.)
And here we are 796 posts later. There were a few bumps along the way--especially when Flickr kicked me and my photos to the curb back last winter. Fortunately, the awesome Eric McCool came to my rescue and provided my images with groovy new digs (if you're in need of any web/graphic services, check out his company, Mc2Cool (un)Limited). But for 99.9% of the time, writing Deep Dish has been a total joy, and I plan to continue to do so for many years to come. However, if I may quote another groovy gal by the name of Sandra Bernhard: Without You I'm Nothing. Every blog needs readers, and I'm lucky to have so many who are so kind and supportive. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I'll end this post by borrowing two quotes (and if you know what films they're from, you're definitely reading the right blog):
Deep Dish is my happening and it freaks me out! Now get out of my way, I've got a blog waiting for me!
