PERFECTLY NORMEL PEOPLE==>Thumbs Up.

Saturday==>It is a lazy hazy day here in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, as the weekend gets underway for all of my loyal and faithful readers and followers.

At 11:00am it is only 75º and there is a nice breeze coming off of the Hudson River. The projected forecast is for a high in the low 80s, with no rain, and that is very manageable.

So ... everyone out there in the morass known as cyberspace ... why don’t we get started with Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday’s New York International Fringe Festival (FF) show ...

But, first ... my rules ...  as with the recent New York Musical Festival (NYMF), your favorite blogger will not assign letter grades to these shows, but will again use the ...

THUMBS UP

SO-SO

THUMBS DOWN

system. Yes, I acknowledge that some of my loyal and faithful readers and followers think I should use the letter-grade system, but ... it ain’t gonna happen ... so ... take that thumb out of your mouth Marty and just live-the-f**k-with-it!!

Anyhoo ... back to yesterday’s show ...

PERFECTLY NORMEL PEOPLE, about Hadley, a clueless NYU freshman from Kansas who moves in with a dysfunctional Italian family from Queens, in 1981==>THUMBS UP

(reminder ... that is not a misprint ... it is Normel ... not Normal)

The show is very well performed and the cast is excellent, especially Bronson Taylor as Hadley and Jacqualine Helmer and Vicki Kelly as the battling sisters.

I found the story line to be funny, thought-provoking and totally enjoyable, with just enough plot-twists. The 90 minute running time flies by.

Yes, there is yelling, screaming and cussing ... but ... not at the distracting level that Billi Pod hates so much.

The house was full and everyone around me seemed to be really into the show.

I have to report that before the show the co-playwright/co-director, Thomas Heath, did an excellent job in working the crowd outside the theatre and then once the house opened, getting everyone quickly inside and into our seats.

The co-playwrights/co-directors (Thomas and Judith Heath), cast and crew are from Charleston, SC.

The show is playing at The Players Theatre in The West Village and the remaining dates are:

8/11 @ 3:30

8/14 @ 2:30

8/17 @ 7:00

8/18 @ noon

Billi Pod says==>see this show if you can.

When the show was over I rushed back to the apartment to settle in to watch the YANKEES/TIGERS game and A-Rod’s return to Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built. There was a 45 minute rain delay. Barf! Game details are below, of course.

Tonight’s entertainment event will be an Off Broadway show ...

7:30==>HOLLYWOOD! HOLLYWOOD! - “A happy, fun-filled musical journey that follows the quest of an auto-mechanic, a pretty waitress, an office-temp, a cosmetics salesperson, an entertainer, and their friends, as they pursue their dreams of becoming paid actors in the Hollywood film industry.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This show is playing at the Richmond Shepard Theatre on E. 26th Street, one of my least favorite venues. Frankly, I wasn’t paying any attention to the venue when I booked this show. Hope I didn’t make a mistake ... we will see.

Well, now comes what you have all been breathlessly awaiting ... Billi Pod’s report on last night’s game ... so ...

Well, it was a nail biter to say the least. Ivan Nova pitched an excellent game and left with a 3-1 lead. In the top of the 9th in came Mo for the save and ... WTF?? ... he blew his second consecutive save and the game went into extra innings. WTF??

Finally, the Yankees won in the bottom of the 10th inning by a score of 4-3 on a clutch hit from Brett Gardner.

Now about the A-Rod Circus ... well ... he was loudly booed at the start of the game and each time he came to bat. He also had supporters in the sold-out crowd. He did nothing, however, to win-over the rest of the crowd, going 0-4, with 3 strike outs.

These are the headlines in today’s papers ...

“HEY BOO BOO! Mixed reaction turns to jeers as A-Rod strikes out 3 times in Bronx debut.” - back page of The Daily News

“DEJA BOOOOOOO! A-Rod flops in Stadium return. Mo blows it again, but Yanks survive.” - back page of The New York Post

“The Dog Days of a Summer Circus. Alex Rodriguez, batting fifth and playing third base in his first game at Yankee Stadium this season, was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts.” - front page of sports section of The New York Times.

Oh, the drama ...

This afternoon at 1:05pm is game 2 of the 3-game series. On the mound for The Yankees will be the struggling Phil Hughes (4-10) vs. Anibel Sanchez (9-7) for The Tigers.

Hughes is pitching himself out of the starting rotation and likely off of the roster entirely.

So ... on that happy note ... will post this ...

HAVE A GREAT REST OF THE WEEKEND EVERYONE!!

Oh ... in case you forgot==>Billi Pod hates Tigers!!

Yesterday’s Pedometer mileage==>2.15 miles (or, 4,702 steps)

Total mileage since 7/1/13==>141.17 miles (average 3.53 miles per day)

GO YANKEES!!

Billi Pod

“Don’t pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he’ll just kill you.”