Terrific Time With John Scott Reed

Man, I can’t believe it ... it is a beautiful morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World==>56º @ 10:30am. Will definitely do some walking around this afternoon.

I am happy to report that yesterday afternoon’s staged reading of LUNCH AT THE PICCADILLY, about the rowdy residents of Rosehaven Convalescent Center, was totally enjoyable.

The reading was part of the York Theatre’s Developmental Reading Series. I hope the show finds a life/producer.

Attended the reading as a member of Dian Crystal’s posse, which included Marty Kosarik, Vera Olichney and moi.

Then for the evening I went over to The East Village to check out John Scott Reed’s (aka Fabson) new pad, located on 10th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues.

He is still in the process of getting settled into his new space, which he shares with a roommate of the opposite sex, but it already has that “Fabson” feeling.

Frankly, with so much going on in his life work-wise (Fashion Week, Sundance Film Festival, Red Carpet etc etc etc) and otherwise, I am amazed he has survived the past 3 weeks.

The apartment has access to an outdoor courtyard and that will be nice come summer. Bottom line==>Billi Pod likes his new pad.

And speaking of likes ... Billi Pod also likes his new ‘hood, which has a young and energetic feeling that was definitely lacking in his former ‘hood in Brooklyn.

When we finished the tour of his new pad we went to a terrific restaurant called Frank, located on 2nd Avenue @ 6th Street. Dinner was super excellent and we were able to do a lot of catching up. He even let me talk a bit about me ... and that was nice.

So, Fabson==>welcome back to The Isle Of Manhattan==>where you belong.

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

7:00==>RATED P FOR PARENTHOOD - “A series of comic and musical vignettes chronicles every stage of modern-day parenting, from conception to college.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is playing at a theater in my ‘hood and is in previews with little advanced buzz.

The upcoming weekend is going to be basically a classical music frenzy, with concerts on Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. In fact, I am considering adding another for Friday night ... we will see about that.

So, my loyal and faithful readers ... I really feel the need to get out of PHC and wander ... so ... I will close this posting with yet another thing for you to consider/ponder ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-184

Scary Elevator Incident and Billi Pod’s Upcoming Doubleheader.

Good morning all of my loyal and faithful readers.

It is majorly nasty weather in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The Word, this morning==>32º @ 8:00am, rain and light snow.

It is now 10:00am as I am writing this posting and it is snowing much heavier. No doubt about it ... it is gonna be a slushy day/night, which ain’t good because both of my entertainment events are kinda far away from mass transportation. Plus ... there are massive service schedules this weekend on several of the subway lines. Oh well ... ain’t nothing Billi Pod can do about it ... so ... let’s move on to ...

Yesterday evening I had one of those OMG!! WTF!! scary moments you dream about (or have nightmares about) if you live in a high-rise apartment building like 420 W. 42nd Street. What am I talking about you are no doubt breathlessly asking?

Well ... it goes like this ... I was heading out to my Carnegie Hall concert, which had a 8:00pm starting time. I was leaving a bit early because I wanted to pick up my ticket before the Carnegie Hall lobby area got too crowded and then have time for coffee at a local cafe.

Got on the elevator. It stopped at the 30th floor and a guy about my age got on. He had one of those yappy small dogs on a leash. Down we went.

We stopped at the 24th floor ... but ... the door didn’t open. Hummmmmm ... that’s kinda strange, thought I. I waited a minute and then pushed the lobby button ... and ... nothing happened. WTF!! I then pushed the button to open the door ... and ... nothing happened. WTF!! We weren't moving!

The other guy said (and I am not making this up) ... “Oh my God, I had a nightmare about this last night.” I have to admit that my heart began to pound. Small dog started to yap, of course. The guy already had a panicked look on his face

We pushed the door button ... the up button ... the down button ... and ... nothing happened. OMG!! WTF!!

We hadn’t pushed the alarm button because we weren’t certain if that would totally shut down the system ... but it was time to do something ... so I called the lobby desk on my cellphone ... and the call didn’t go through ... OMG!! WTF!!

OK ... now it was time to hit the alarm button ... my heart was really pounding ... no joke ... pounding ... OMG!! WTF!! ... then ...

On its own the door opened and we both literally jumped out. Whew!! The door closed but the car remained on the 24th floor.

I pushed the down button, not sure if another car would come to the floor since one was already here. Luckily, one did arrive and we hopped on it. Little dog was still yapping.

When we got to the lobby I reported the situation to the doormen on duty and they got this startled look on their faces and said they would immediately address the issue.

Whew ... it was scary but Billi Pod survived, so he headed out to Carnegie Hall, where he picked up his ticket and had time for a leisurely cup of coffee ... but ... honestly ... the elevator issue was still whirling in his head.

Billi Pod totally enjoyed the AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA concert @ Carnegie Hall. His comp. seat was in the rear orchestra section. Nice!

Major quibble==>the second hour was an operatic work by Bizet called Djamileh, an hour in length. Of course it was in a foreign language. Carnegie Hall doesn't have the projected subtitles like most other classical venues ... instead ... the libretto is provided as an addition to the PlayBill program.

The problem was ... the lighting in the Hall during the performance was so dim you couldn’t read the libretto. Now this wouldn’t have been a huge distraction for a shorter work ... but for a full hour it was a major problem for a lot of people. In fact ... after about 30 minutes into the piece people began to get up and leave, something you very rarely ever see at Carnegie Hall.

Billi Pod stayed until the end because the music was beautiful and that is what he focused on.

When I got back to PHC the questionable elevator was back in service (the building has three) but I opted not to use it.

Today is yet another entertainment doubleheader for Billi Pod ...

2:00==>LOOK BACK IN ANGER - “A shocking and vibrant drama about four people struggling to live together and love each other in 1950s England.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show has gotten very mixed reviews from the critics and from my theater-buddies. I had put off seeing it but when it showed up on one of my services I decided to give it a try. As I mentioned above ... the nasty weather may make getting there an issue.

After the show will come back to PHC to have my usual fruit and cheese plate and then will head down to The Village for the second part of the doubleheader ...

8:00==>THE THING ABOUT DAN - “A warped and wistful play about two men, Paul and Zip, who are running as fast as they can away from themselves. They are waiting for Dan, the friend who keeps their lives running smoothly. The problem is, he's sleeping with their wives.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This theater is on West Christopher Street only 2 blocks from the Hudson River so I know in advance that it is going to be very windy and cold getting to and from the venue. Frankly, had I known about the bad weather I probably wouldn’t have booked this show ... but ... since I did through one of my ticket services ... I gotta go.

Oh, do you get the feeling that Billi Pod is through with Winter and is now ready from Spring to arrive? Well ... you are right ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-172

Billi Pod Says==>Way To Go BIG BLUE!!

Yes ... my loyal and faithful readers ... major congrats go out to Big Blue and Eli Manning for their super-exciting and nail-biting 21-17 win over The Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, beating The Pats for the second time in 5 years.

Here are the headlines in the local papers ...

SUPERMEN!! MVP Eli, Tuck lead Giants past Pats.

New York Post

ELI SUPER IN BIG BLUE II - Manning again MVP at Brady’s expense.

The Daily News

THE TITLE COMES BACK - A Final Manning Rally Caps an M.V.P. Effort

The New York Times

But OMFG!! It seemed as if every 2 minutes they went to commercial break ... I know ... I know ... but come on guys ... it’s about the game ... not selling TV ads ... and ... oh ... wait ... Billi Pod’s inner self has just advised him in no uncertain terms that the event is indeed about selling TV ads and that without them there would be no Super Bowl ... right ... sorry inner self ... my bad ...

Anyway ... Billi Pod totally skipped the pre-game and half time programming ... at half time he actually switched channels for 30 minutes.

The big victory parade is scheduled for Tuesday at 11:00am starting downtown and passing through what is known as “The Canyon of Heroes” and ending up at City Hall Plaza for all of the ceremonies and stuff.

Yes ... Mr. Lard-Ass aka Governor Christie ... the victory parade is gonna be in New York City not over “there” in your pathetic cesspool known as New Jersey ... so stop your whimpering and crying and man-up for God’s sake ...

It is estimated that at least one million people will be along the parade route. Will Billi Pod be there, I know you loyal and faithful readers want to know? Nope!! No way!! Will watch it on the tube from the cozy confines of PHC.

Now that the football season is officially over Billi Pod has already begun the mental countdown to the beginning of baseball’s spring training.

Moving on to ... Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday afternoon’s pre-Super Bowl entertainment event ...

LOVESICK OR THINGS THAT DON’T HAPPEN, the musical comedy about that dreaded day (for guys) known as Valentine’s Day==>B

I thought that the cast and musicians did an excellent job but the humor got kinda old rather quickly and the show felt a bit too forced. Having said that ... it is still worth seeing.

As many of you readers know, Billi Pod regularly reads the comments on the theater-related chat board known as All That Chat

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/

and he sometimes posts under the user name of: ReverseSnowbird.

Well, yesterday one the the guru’s of the board, who posts as jesse21, made reference to a production that was being staged down at the NYC Skirball Center. It is a revival of the highly acclaimed Frank Loesser musical THE MOST HAPPY FELLA.

jesse21, whose opinions I trust and almost always agree with, gave the show a glowing review and mentioned that there was a performance for Monday evening (usually a very slow time) and ...tada ... senior citizen tickets were only $5.00.

This was all Billi Pod needed ... he immediately booked the show ... so ... his entertainment event for tonight is ...

8:00==>THE MOST HAPPY FELLA - “Before online dating, mail-order marriage provided confusion, heartbreak and romance. This Frank Loesser musical explores the love triangle between an older wine maker, a young waitress and a handsome foreman, in the rolling hills of Napa, California.” (Off Broadway - $5.00 senior discount ticket).

This production is part of the NYU Music and Performing Arts Department at The Skirball Center, down in The Village.

It is cold again in The Big Apple==>32º @ 8:00am but it has “warmed” up to 45º at 1:00pm, so Billi Pod has no excuse for not getting out there and doing his usual Monday errands and stuff ... so ...

GO YANKEES AND GO GATORS AND GO BIG BLUE!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-167

A Sunday Doubleheader For Billi Pod

Good morning to all of my loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands. Hope your weekend is going well ... mine is.

On this bright, brisk and windy Sunday morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, it was 38º at 8:30am and now two hours later it has dropped down to 36º. Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Hope it doesn’t get any colder because Billi Pod has an entertainment doubleheader for today that will require him to leave the cozy confines of PHC around 2:00pm, not to return until around 10:00pm.

Oh well ... ain't nuttin' I can do about the weather ... so ... moving on to ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s IONESCOPADE, the vaudevillian collage of playlets and poems by the absurdist master Eugene Ionesco, playing at The York Theatre==>B+.

It is different, a lot of fun, with an excellent cast. The use of the word absurdist in the press blurb is certainly fitting, and, Billi Pod has to admit that some of the bits were, for him, basically unfathomable ... but ... the performers were incredible and that saved the day.

If one is to enjoy this show one has to let the inner critic go and just let the performers take you to wherever they want ... then you will have a lot of fun and become one with the show.

The show is in very early previews and will probably earn an A once it opens.

Had a nice visit with The York Theatre’s Producing Artistic Director, Jim Morgan (a FaceBook friend), before the show and at intermission.

As mentioned above ... Billi Pod has a somewhat “different” doubleheader schedule for today. First is ...

3:00==>MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET - “A treasure trove of the greatest rock 'n' roll, gospel, R&B and country hits based on a chance meeting between Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

I saw this show during its very successful Broadway run and enjoyed it a lot. In fact, a lot more than I had anticipated. It has now moved Off Broadway and I thought I would give it another look-see.

When the show is over I will not return to PHC but will, instead, head downtown to Astor Place for the second part of my doubleheader. Will have time for coffee and probably something sweet.

Then ...

7:00==>GOB SQUAD’S KITCHEN - “Gob Squad returns to 1965 to reconstruct Andy Warhol’s films and lifestyle.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

Yeah ... I know ... and it is really Gob Squad, not God Squad. I already have a kinda strange feeling in my gut about this show.

It is a multimedia work and it is my understanding that audience members are selected to perform on stage, to directions given them via headphones.

Hummmmmmmmm ... does Billi Pod want to make his Off Broadway debut this way? Oh ... wait ... I made my debut when I did TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD way way Off Broadway, up in Yonkers. Well, if selected I will give it another shot, being the professional that I am ... right ...

Anyway ... will also be on the lookout for my theater buddy Dian Crystal. Don’t know whether she will have part of her posse with her or not.

To update you loyal and faithful readers who religiously (as you should) keep track of Billi Pod’s scheduled activities ... I have just added a Thursday matinee ... yes, it is unusual for a Thursday ...

Thurs - 2:00==>HONESTLY ABE (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket); Evening==>meet up with Justin Allen Pifer for face time and dinner in da ‘hood.

You are sooooooo very welcum.

GO YANKEES AND GO BIG BLUE!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-159

Nick Jonas and Beau Bridges Tonight==>AWESOME!!

It is 44º, bright and clear @ 8:00am in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. No rain in the forecast and that is majorly good.

Billi Pod is happy to report that he got most of his errands and stuff done yesterday even though the weather was kinda nasty and unpleasant.

So ... let’s move on to the important stuff that you are no doubt breathlessly awaiting ... like ... tada ...

Billi Pod’s report card on YOU ONLY SHOOT THE ONES YOU LOVE, the one-man show written and performed by Jeffrey Sweet==>A.

This show, playing at The Barrow Street Theatre, is extremely well written and performed. Sweet gives the audience an intriguing history lesson into the development of the improv. comedy scene in Chicago and what impact The Second City Theatre there has had on the comedy scene worldwide.

The audience was really into his performance and the house was almost sold-out. It was a very pleasant evening.

Oh ... when I picked up my ticket the attendant smiled at me and said ... “hope you made it up to your show OK the other night” ... referring, of course, to Billi Pod’s senior moment last Saturday. I told him ... yes ... and we both laughed.

Billi Pod’s entertainment event for this evening is ...

7:00==>HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING - “Wily window washer J. Pierrepont Finch (now played by Nick Jonas) enjoys a comedic rise up the corporate ladder.” (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

Jonas is joined by Beau Bridges, in the role of J. B. Biggley. This is my 3rd visit to this excellent revival and tonight is the first performance with all of the new cast members. I am really looking forward to it.

Wow!! Just checked and it is up to 52º at 1:00pm and it is still bright and clear.

You know what==>I think I will just head out and wander a bit ... the first time I have been able to do this in quite some time ... so ...

Talk with you later!!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-154

Billi Pod Says==>MONDAY SUCKS!!

Hello everyone out there in cyberspace

Yes ... Monday does indeed suck ... but ... Thank God it is finally above 32º in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Billi Pod has tons of errands, things and stuff he has to do today ... the only problem ... it is gray, nasty and misting rain. Barf!!

It is supposed to be in the lower 50s later in the day ... we will see if that happens.

Really exciting football game last night, which, as you know, The Giants won in overtime and are on their way to Super Bowl 45 vs. The Patriots. Bring it on!!

These are the headlines in the local papers ...

“SUPER! - Giants outduel Niners, Pats next” - New York Post

“ONE MORE TYNES! - Giants boot Niners in OT, set up Super rematch with Pats” - The Daily News

“REMATCH - Giants and Patriots Win by a Foot and Will Reunite in the Super Bowl” - NY Times

Moving on ...

Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday afternoon’s THE FALL TO EARTH, about a mother and daughter who are trying to make sense out of their son’s/brother’s suicide==>B.

Yes ... the acting is excellent but this grade may be kinda generous because I really wanted to bitch-slap the ditzy mother character who is involved in some totally unreal scenes, including pinching a female police officer.

Interesting note - the audience was about 80% female-over-60.

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>YOU ONLY SHOOT THE ONES YOU LOVE - “A 75-minute solo show written and performed by Jeffrey Sweet that weaves an anecdotal history of improvisation and comedy in the 20th century, transporting us from Chicago to New York to Toronto to Russia to London and back again.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket).

This is playing down in The Village at The Barrow Street Theatre, and, yes ... I double checked the date, time and venue location ... if you read yesterday’s blog you will understand what this means. If not ... then go back and read it ... It Is So Ordered!!

Sad news about Joe Paterno. It is a shame that his legacy is now and forever tarnished. The Daily News had this headline that pretty much says it all ...

“SAD. OLD. BEATEN. BR0KEN. - The coach who won and lost it all”

And ... speaking of sad, old, beaten and broken ... the circus show known as The Republican Party moves on to Florida, a state known for its political manners and decorum, for the January 31st primary vote.

Yep ... Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert couldn’t have scripted it any better than this.

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, even though it is still nasty and ugly out at noon, Billi Pod has to brave the elements because he really has to do things and stuff now ...

Later!

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-153

My Tripleheader Report Card And My Senior Moment ...

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands and in the vast wilderness known as cyberspace.

It was 19º @ 8:30am this morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World. Yesterday’s slush has now turned to ice making it extremely unpleasant out there. Not only unpleasant but also a bit dangerous because it is reported that portions of the sidewalks in Manhattan are now covered with what is called “black ice.”

What is “black ice” those of you living in the South are no doubt breathlessly asking?

It refers to a thin coating of glazed ice on a surface that it is virtually transparent and extremely dangerous. One minute you are walking along ... the next you are flat on your ass ... or worse.

Trust me ... when I go out later in the day I will take extra precautions. This is the one danger that Billi Pod fears about living up here during the Winter. For him, at his age ... a slip-and-fall could have catastrophic consequences.

OK ... OK ... catastrophic is a pretty harsh word ... but you understand what I mean ... don’t you?

Anyway ... moving on to providing you loyal and faithful readers with the usual report cards on yesterday’s entertainment events ...

Billi Pod’s tripleheader was a mixed bag ...

First was the 3:00 show OUTSIDE PEOPLE, the dark comedy about a young American who falls in love with a young Chinese woman in Beijing==>C.

It just didn’t capture me and I found it to be a bland version of the soon-to-close Broadway show CHINGLISH.

Yeah ... it was a very much been-there-seen-that theater experience. The acting was OK but I just didn’t care about any of the characters.

When the show was over I had about 2 hours to kill until my next show. This show was playing in the Union Square area so normally I would have just walked down to The Village to the theatre where my next two shows were scheduled ... but not with yesterday’s weather ... no way ...

So ... I took a rather convoluted subway ride down there. The sidewalks and crosswalks were really slushy and nasty. Went to a coffee shop I like and had some coffee and a sinfully delicious brownie. Was just killing time until my 7:00 show at The Barrow Street Theatre, the first of two shows there.

Got just a bit restless at the coffee shop and thought that I was perhaps overstaying my welcome ... so I decided to go over to the theater a bit early because I knew that the lobby of the Barrow Street Theater was warm and had some seating.

It was 6:15 when I went inside the theater. Was a bit surprised that the lobby was empty. Hummmmmm ... this is kinda weird ... anyway ... went up to the box office to get my ticket ... and ...

When I told the box office attendant that I wanted to pick up my ticket for CEMETERY GOLF I got a confused and blank stare from him. I repeated the request as I was fishing the ticket vouchers out of my backpack. I held one of them in my hand for the attendant to see and then ... we both simultaneously said ... OH SHIT!! Not joking ... this is what we both said.

It was a senior moment ... my shows were not at The Barrow Street Theatre but rather at The Drilling Company Theatre uptown at Broadway and 78th Street. OMFG!! How could I have been so stupid. OMFG!!!

I do have two shows scheduled at The Barrow Street Theatre, but they are for next week.

The attendant kinda smiled and said ... "hey, no problem man, you have plenty of time to make it up there" ...

And, thankfully he was correct because the 1 train station is just a block away from where I was. I have to admit that I spent the entire time on the train mentally bashing myself for being so stupid. I also thanked The Theater Gods for my decision to go to the theater a bit early.

Well, it was 6:45pm when I arrived at The Drilling Company box office ... no problems ... so ... now on with the other stuff ...

CEMETERY GOLF, about growing up in the deep south in a fundamentalist family with an evangelical pastor for a father==>A.

Totally enjoyable although I am rather certain the author/performer will probably spend eternity in Hellfire. The title comes from the father's hidden vice of playing golf in a cemetery adjacent to his church.

Then ... the second show ...

HONOR AND FIDELITY, about a woman’s journey to find her cultural identity by unraveling the history of her family's past==>B

I wanted to like this a lot more and to give it a higher grade but in retrospect I found the story line to be difficult to follow and the characters hard to differentiate in a solo performance.

It was around 10:30 when I got back to the warm and cozy confines of PHC. It was bitterly cold and very unpleasant during the short walk from The Port Authority Bus Terminal to my apartment building.

Yes ... an interesting day to say the least ... a tripleheader ... a senior moment ... Hellfire and brimstone ... and snow ... and ... well ... anyway ...

Oh ... in case you are wondering ... I only wrote about the senior moment because of my responsibility as a fair and unbiased reporter. I could have covered it up and no one would have ever known ... you are soooooooooooo welcum ...

Anyway ... today’s entertainment event is ...

3:00==>THE FALL TO EARTH - “Kenny lived his life in secret. His mother and sister travel to an unfamiliar town looking for answers for his suicide. With the help of a local policewoman they uncover tragic truths about him, their family and themselves.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is playing at the 59E59 Theatre complex, one of my favorite venues. It has gotten very mixed reviews from the critics and from my theater-buddies. We will see ...

When the show is over I will come back to PHC and settle in to watch the 6:30pm GIANTS/NINERS game on Fox. I think this should be a nail biter right up to the final whistle. Even though The Niners are slight favorites Billi Pod believes Big Blue will win by a touchdown and advance to The Super Bowl. GO BIG BLUE!!

You know ... I have not written about the fiasco known as the Republican primary race because ... what can I say that would make any sense?

I do have to ask my Republican family members (you know who you are) and my Republican friends this simple question==>DO YOU HONESTLY BELIEVE NEWT GINGRICH IS ELECTABLE AND WILL YOU VOTE FOR HIM?

Really? Honestly???

Billi Pod

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

ALEX-152