Yankees/Rays==>BARF???

OK ... let’s get right to it my loyal and faithful readers ... yesterday’s season opener for The Bronx Bombers against Tampa Bay @ Tropicana Field==>SUCKED!!

Our ace CC Sabathia gets hammered, 5 runs 8 hits in 6 innings, we leave 12 men on base (twice with the bases loaded) and ... gasp ... the biggest shock of all ...

Mariano Rivera blows a 1 run lead in the bottom of the 9th inning and we lose 6-7. BARF!!

Man, did the local papers have a field-day with this one ...

“MO BLOW! Yankees woe & 1 after Rivera disaster.” - NY Post front page

“Opening daze - CC rocked, Mo shocked as Yankees lose to Tampa Bay.” - NY Post back page

OH, MO YOU DIDN’T! - On what could be Rivera’s final Opening Day, closer blows save against Rays.” - Daily News - back page

"Yankees’ Game 1 Looks A Lot Like Game 162 - A rally ends in a Rays game-ending celebration as it did last September.” - NY Times sports section.

OK ... I know ... I know ... it is only one game out of 162 but ... it was soooooooo painful to watch that I just had to share the moment and my feelings with you loyal and faithful readers out there in the hinterlands ...

Now moving on to last night’s entertainment event ... and in doing so I know that I am going to get pilloried (when is the last time you saw that word?) by most, if not all, of my theater-nut friends as Billi Pod gives his report card on ...

THE LYONS, about a mega-dysfunctional family headed by a foul-mouthed matriarch played by Linda Lavin==>B<==the same grade as when it was playing downtown at The Vineyard. The only reason it gets a B from Billi Pod is because he likes Linda Lavin.

Yes ... yes ... I know ... there were a lot of laughs and stuff but ... folks ... be honest with me ... the majority of the laughs were not in response to something funny ... they were mostly an uneasy response to a What The Fuck Was That - Did She/He Really Say That? moment.

And ... really ... Daniel and others ... did you really like the characters ... really? My response is ... no wonder the kids turned out to be losers ... they were raised by two totally despicable parents.

OK ... let the flames and snarky texts and emails begin ... Billi Pod is ready ... bring it on ...

Today is yet another entertainment double header for Billi Pod ...

2:00==>LOST IN YONKERS - “A revival of the award winning Neil Simon comedy/drama. After the death of their mother, two young boys suddenly find themselves living with a stern grandmother they hardly know in the strange new world of 1940s Yonkers. ” (Off Broadway - discounted TDF ticket)

The original production won both the Tony and Pulitzer Prize in 1991. It is playing at a theater on my block and has received excellent reviews.

It is only running through April 14th and I have been advised that it will not be extended because their theater was pre-booked.

Then for the evening is a Broadway show that is transferring from a highly successful and award-winning run in London ...

8:00==>ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS - “About a young man whose ravenous appetite and empty wallet force him to go to work for both a gangster and a criminal in hiding, while desperately trying to prevent them from meeting.” (Broadway - discounted TDF ticket).

The show is in very early previews but the advance buzz is very good.

Well ... my loyal and faithful readers ... I hope that everyone has an awesome rest of the weekend.

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-233

Another Excellent Doubleheader!

Yesterday’s doubleheader was excellent ... starting with the staged reading of FOOD, THE MUSICAL @ The York Theatre, the 5 mini-musicals about ... tada ... food. It was very enjoyable and entertaining and well performed by an excellent 4-person cast.

I attended this event as a part of Dian Crystal’s posse, which included Julie Miller, Vera Olichney and moi.

When the reading was over I had time to come back to PHC for my usual pre-theater snack, a fruit and cheese plate, and then it was time for the second entertainment event, which was at a theater on my block ...

AN EARLY HISTORY OF FIRE, the world premiere of David Rabe’s play that is set in a small Midwestern town whose mores/morals are challenged by the shifting ideology of the early 1960s, as Danny struggles against the grip of his immigrant father, who is clinging to his only son==>A.

I thought it was extremely well-written, mercifully without taking what appeared to be an obvious developing rom-com conclusion. The cast was uniformly excellent. I did find the lead female character, Karen, to be a bit too much over-the-top but this isn’t a serious flaw.

The show is in early previews and will only get better. Billi Pod recommends it.

Well, today is going to be interesting ...

3:10==>YANKEES/TAMPA BAY @ Tropicana Field on YES. This is the opening game of the season for both teams.

It will be a battle of aces as our ace CC Sabathia (19-8, 3.00 ERA) faces their ace James Shields (16-12, 2.82 ERA).

It is now 1:30pm and Billi Pod can hardly wait for the first pitch.

Tonight’s entertainment event is ...

8:00==>THE LYONS - “Linda Lavin stars as the indomitable acid-tongued matriarch of a dysfunctional family at a major crossroads. Her husband is dying, her son is in a dubious relationship and her daughter is barely holding it together.” (Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This show had a very well-reviewed Off Broadway run downtown at The Vineyard Theater. When Billi Pod saw it back on September 2011 this was his report card then ...

“Billi Pod’s report card on THE LYONS==>B<==Linda Lavin saves this from being just another trip down the dysfunctional family lane.

I really wanted to like this show a lot more and but toward the end it got way too formularized, almost cliché ridden, in what is now the mantra for most so-called ‘dark comedies’ about dysfunctional families.”

Yeah ... I know ... but when it showed up on one of my ticket services I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see its’ Broadway reincarnation with a comp. ticket.

Oh ... did I mention that today is the first game of the 2012 season for The Bronx Bombers? I guess I did ... anyway ... time to post this and walk around PHC sucking my thumb until the first pitch.

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.”

ALEX-232

Back-To-Back Doubleheaders==>AWESOME!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers out there in cyberspace ... yep ... back-to-back doubleheaders for Billi Pod ... and here are the details ...

I am happy to report that yesterday’s entertainment doubleheader was stellar ... and ... yes ... Billi Pod survived the 3+ hours of A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, Eugene O’Neill’s bittersweet 3+ hour elegy about redemption and the saving grace of love==>A<==with some serious qualifications.

Incredible acting and staging but, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, I have to reveal that I disliked everyone of the characters, from the moment they first appeared on stage until their final scene(s).

It is also difficult for a theater nut like moi to admit ... but ... I had never seen this play before, anywhere, so I made myself remain focused on the underlying theme of this theater “classic.”

As I reported yesterday, the play was done in 3 acts (actually they combined what was originally acts 3 & 4) and clocks in at 3 hours and 20 minutes with the two intermissions. Folks ... that is a long long time. Almost all of the audience remained.

My problem with the show was that I got very tired of all of the yelling, screaming, cussing==>begging for forgiveness<==then yelling, screaming and cussing again. Plus ... the two main male characters are virtually 100% dead-ass drunk throughout the show.

Whoa, you are no doubt saying to yourselves ... why, then, does Billi Pod give this an A? Well ... simple ... acting and staging and because it is a recognized theater “classic.”

Having said that==>ain’t ever gonna see it again.

The show was over at 5:50pm. The weather was nice. I walked over to Midtown East for my second show @ 7:00pm at The York Theatre in The Citicorp Building. Had time for a cup of coffee and something sweet and then it was ...

STORY BY STORY: A Conversation with Tom Jones @ The York Theatre - Jim Morgan and Tom Jones talk about his historic career in the theater==>A.

Tom Jones was charming, insightful, and a bit risqué. His insider stories about some of Broadway’s legends were extremely interesting and entertaining.

Interesting side note==>Tom shared that he had gone through the Army Intelligence School at Ft. Holabird in Baltimore, MD, in the early 1950s and was an Special Agent with the Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC). Well so did I in 1955. I was also a Special Agent, later stationed off-base in Washington, DC. After the show Tom and I had a brief chat about our experience(s).

This is a Thursday but Billi Pod has yet another entertainment doubleheader. The first event is ...

3:00==>FOOD, THE MUSICAL - “This culinary feast of songs and comedy features 5 short mini-musicals in between short songs about Food Network star wannabes, dinner party menus, cooking as therapy, eating out and celebrity chefs.” (Off Broadway - free ticket).

This is a staged reading as part of the York Theatre Developmental Reading Series and I will be attending as part of Dian Crystal’s posse.

Then for this evening is ...

8:00==>AN EARLY HISTORY OF FIRE - “This is the world premiere of David Rabe’s play which is set in a small Midwestern town whose mores/morals are challenged by the shifting ideology of the early 1960s.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show is playing at a theater on my block and is in early previews so there is no advance buzz.

Well, my loyal and faithful readers ... the countdown to Opening Day is really clicking through Billi Pod’s head. And ... there is also another VERY POSITIVE countdown underway, the details of which I, unfortunately, cannot share with you at the moment.

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-231

Billi Pod Has Another Wednesday Doubleheader.

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, now that I have given you the benefit of the entertainment stats posting for March 2012, I will follow up with a much briefer posting about current events ...

Had a great time last night with John Scott Reed in his East Village ‘hood. We had some awesome pizza @ Motorino, 349 E. 12th St. Folks, I love pizza and I have to say that this was some of the best I have ever had ... not joking ... the best ... ever!!

Check it out. Their website is ...

http://motorinopizza.com/

Scott and I did some major catching up on the diverse things and stuff in our respective lives. He has a lot going on and, I guess, so do I.

Today is a major entertainment doubleheader. First is ...

2:30==>A MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN - “In Eugene O’Neill’s bittersweet elegy, two wounded hearts experience the power of redemption and the saving grace of love.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

After I booked this show I remembered that it is a typical O’Neill work, meaning it is long long long:

Act 1: 60 minutes

Act 2: 40 minutes

Act 3: 1 hour, 15 minutes

There will be two, ten-minute intermissions.

It is scheduled to get out at 5:50pm so I will then have to hustle over to Midtown East to the York Theatre to see the second part of the doubleheader, assuming I am still alive, of course ...

7:00==>STORY BY STORY: A Conversation with Tom Jones - “A York Theatre special event featuring Tom Jones and Artistic Director James Morgan in a discussion about Jones’ historic career in the theater.” (free subscriber reward ticket)

For a theater-nut like moi this is a must-see and I am looking forward to it.

So there you have it my loyal and faithful readers ... oh ... forgot ... something else ...

The countdown to Friday’s Opening Day Yankees/Tampa Bay game down in Tampa has begun in Billi Pod’s head. He is more than ready for the 2012 season to begin.

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.”

ALEX-230

Billi Pod’s Activity Report For March 2012

It is now time for me to share with you loyal and faithful readers Billi Pod’s entertainment stats for the month of March 2012 ... so ... here they are ... get ready ... take a deep breath ... tada ...

In checking my daily log (log, not diary - real guys don’t keep diaries) I find that during March 2012 Billi Pod attended/saw/did the following:

7 Broadway shows (Magic/Bird; Once; Peter and the Starcatcher; Jesus Christ Superstar - twice; Other Desert Cities; and, Don’t Dress for Dinner); 16 Off Broadway Shows; 8 classical music concerts (including my 3 series subscription to the New York Philharmonic); 1 Rock Concert (The Rolling Stones Tribute Concert @ Carnegie Hall); and 1 Movie (21 Jump Street).

During the month there were a total of 7 entertainment doubleheaders.

I was away from The Big Apple for 3 nights to attend my 60th High School Reunion in Bartow, FL, in PFC aka Polk F**king County. While in PFC was able to spend some time with my darling great-granddaughter Saylor, her Mom Gina Falletta, my grandson Chris Falletta aka Topher and my son Bill III aka The Bill.

Some of the major highlights of the month were: On March 18th I celebrated 22 years of continuous sobriety; passed my annual examination with my cardiologist with flying colors; upgraded to a new 4S iPhone; renewed my 3-series subscription to the New York Philharmonic; and, successfully transferred all of my meds scripts to my new provider.

During the month: had some face-time with John Scott Reed; was honored to be an active member of Dian Crystal’s posse, along with Marty Kosarik, Vera Olichney, Julie Miller and others; and, was with some of my AA buddies (you know who you are) on several occasions.

Of course, sometimes there are downsides and during the month there was a major one==>the loss of my dear and longtime friend Jack Davis of Bartow, FL. Our friendship spanned decades.

Jack was instrumental in helping me make the ultimate transition from Bartow to New York City. He would look out after my Bartow house, until I finally sold it in 1998, and, for years and years, forwarded my mail to me on a weekly basis. He is missed.

I posted daily on my FaceBook Wall and 29 times on this blog website.

This blog had 1,597 page views during the month, bringing the total for the past 12 months to 17,730 (Awesome!!)

Perhaps one of the most amazing/awesome stats is the fact that during the month there was only 1, repeat, 1 time that I stayed in PHC without attending some entertainment event either during the day or the evening.

This means, my loyal and faithful readers, that Billi Pod remained on his frenetic Big Apple schedule of attending some entertainment event 9 out of 10 nights. Actually for you number crunchers the percentage is 96.4%. AWESOME!!!

So ... there you have it. Not bad for a soon-to-be 78yr. old guy ... but ... it is up to you loyal and faithful readers to determine because ...

I report ... you decide.

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-230

Tuesday==> OMG WTF??

OMG WTF?? As of 1:30pm on this Tuesday in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ... Billi Pod has no entertainment event scheduled for today. OMG WTF??

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers everywhere ... there is presently nothing on Billi Pod’s entertainment calendar for tonight. OMG WTF??

Oh ... I am rather certain “something” will show up on one of my ticket services ... but ... still ... this is really a rarity. Had kinda expected to score a ticket to see GHOST on Broadway for tonight but that hasn’t worked out.

Something will show up I am sure ... but still ... OMG WTF??

OMG WTF!!==>it is 1:50pm and I just got a text from John Scott Reed asking if I was free for dinner sometime this week. I texted back saying either Friday or tonight and ... guess what ... we are meeting up tonight at 8:00pm down in his East Village ‘hood. OMG WTF!!

Now all is well again in Billi Pod’s World==>OMG WTF!!

OK ... now I can move on with ...

Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event ...

HA! A TRIO OF COMEDIES BY RICH ORLOFF, the 3 one-act comedic works:

OEDI - a farcical retelling of the Oedipus Rex story==>B+<==very funny.

THE NEWS FROM ST. PETERSBURG - a Chekhovian spoof set in 1905 Russia==>C<==too slow moving and not that funny.

THE WHOLE SHEBANG - what if the entire universe was just some nerd's science project?==>B+<==funny and thought-provoking too.

So I guess this will average out to==>B.

It has a terrific 5 person cast. Worth seeing but be aware that it is playing at an extremely small venue.

Well ... now that my entertainment is taken care of, I will post this and then spend the remainder of the afternoon in front of the tube watching the Yankee/Mets Spring Training game on YES!!

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-229

Billi Pod’s Predictions For The 2012 American League Season

OK my loyal and faithful readers - I know that many of you have been anxiously awaiting the beginning of the baseball season so that you can have, once again, the benefit of Billi Pod’s comments and assessments as a fair and unbiased reporter.

Yes ... the time has come so==>Billi Pod will now share with you his fair and unbiased predictions of what will happen in The American League for the 2012 season ...

EAST

Yankees

Rays* (wild-card)

Blue Jays

FuckSox

Orioles

CENTRAL

Tigers

Royals

Indians

White Sox

Twins

WEST

Rangers

Angels* (wild-card)

Mariners

Athletics

WILD-CARD GAME

Angels over Rays

DIVISION SERIES

Tigers over Angels

Yankees over Rangers

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES (A.C.L.S.)

Yankees over Tigers

Yes, Billi Pod predicts that the Yankees will ultimately advance to The 2012 World Series.

Against whom, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... honestly ... I haven’t a clue because I have no insight’s into the National League ... none whatsoever.

So ... there you have it my loyal and faithful readers ... when October comes around just remember where you read about it first.

You are so welcum!!

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-228

Happy Monday To My Worker Bee Friends

Yeah, I know all of my Worker Bee friends ... the weekend is over and you are all now back at your mundane, boring, dead-end jobs, whining, bitching and moaning to your fellow coworkers about the unfairness of your drab and empty lives.

I also know that you are asking yourself ... “Self, why can’t I be like Billi Pod and have a fabulous lifestyle in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World?”

Well ... if you will listen, Self is gonna say ... “It ain’t ever gonna be because loser-boy/girl you are, and always will be ... a Worker Bee ... so, just get over it.”

Yes, I know ... the truth sometimes hurts but this is my responsibility as a fair and unbiased reporter.

Now ... moving on to my report on my “fabulous” doubleheader yesterday ...

MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL CHORUS & NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall==A.

My $9.00 TDF set was again excellent, second tier box seat, house right.

The first part of the program was a series of childrens' choral groups from around the country and the energy and excitement in the audience was palatable.

Seated next to me was a family from Knoxville, TN, whose 11yr old daughter/granddaughter was in one of the groups. Their camera suddenly died and they were distraught, to put it mildly. Yes, you aren’t supposed to take photos in Carnegie Hall but people do it all the time at this kind of family-oriented concert.

Well, even though they were University of Tennessee Volunteer’s, Billi Pod took out his iPhone and took several pictures for them. They were extremely appreciative when I immediately emailed the pics to them. Ain’t technology great?

The second part of the program was Mozart’s “Requiem,” performed by a 300+ chorus (the picture). It was sublimely beautiful.

The concert was over at 4:45 and I had a smile on my face as I left Carnegie Hall. I had planned to just walk and wander in the Midtown East area until it was time for my 7:30 show. Dammit ... it started to lightly rain and it was really unpleasant.

Despite this, I did walk a good bit. Went to my favorite pizza place, a Ray Bari at 56th and 3rd, and had a great slice ... and then headed over to the Barnes & Noble in the Citicorp Building to kill some more time. Damn, they closed down at 6:00pm, so I spent the next 90 minutes wandering around in a light misty rain. Kinda dumb, I know, but this is what I did.

Finally, it was time for my evening’s entertainment event.

Before the show I ran into my friends Michael Pederson and Dennis Dohman. As many of you loyal and faithful readers know, we go way way back. Michael and Dennis have again invited me to join them for Easter Dinner at 6:00pm on Sunday at their Chelsea apartment. I think they will be hosting a crew of about 13.

Billi Pod’s report card on ROADSIDE: Musical’s In Mufti, about two old-west characters who refuse to settle down==>B.

An excellent cast and performance. The book and music is just passable, however, it was still a nice evening’s entertainment and a nice way to end a very enjoyable day and weekend.

Today is a much nicer day weather-wise in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, although it is still windy and cold==>41º @ 8:00am.

This will be my usual errands and stuff day. I have a very routine appointment with my eye doctor at 2:15pm this afternoon so I am not certain if I will post this before or after seeing her. We will see (no pun intended).

Tonight’s entertainment event will be, without a doubt, in the “love-it or hate-it” category ...

7:00==>HA! A TRIO OF COMEDIES BY RICH ORLOFF - “Three acclaimed one-act comedies make one hilarious evening: OEDI - a farcical retelling of the Oedipus Rex story; THE NEWS FROM ST. PETERSBURG - a Chekhovian spoof set in 1905 Russia; and, THE WHOLE SHEBANG - what if the entire universe was just some nerd's science project? (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Yeah ... I know ...

Well, have things and stuff to do ... so ...

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-228

A Great Time With My Lady

Good Sunday morning everyone.

Had a great time last night with My Lady, Dian Crystal, at Joe Allen for an early pre-theatre dinner. Although Dian was born and raised in Manhattan and is a diehard theater-nut like moi, this was her first visit to this world-renowned Restaurant Row landmark.

We had expected our mutual friend Marty Kosarik to join us but unfortunately at the last minute he wasn’t able to. He did meet up with us later for our theater event.

One of the interesting features of Joe Allen are the posters and placards on all of the walls in the dining area and in the bar area. What newcomers (out-of-towners) don’t realize ... every show featured was a total 100% flop. This has been a standard for the 50 years the restaurant has been in existence.

The atmosphere, food and service was excellent.

When we finished dinner we leisurely walked over to our theater on 42nd Street where we met up with Marty and another one of Dian’s friends, Raellen. Our seats for the show were in the very last row of the mezzanine, but no matter, the sight line was fine.

Billi Pod’s report card on the Broadway show, in early previews, DON’T DRESS FOR DINNER, about a romantic rendezvous gone awry==>B+

This show is in terrific shape for early previews and I am rather confident it is going to be a huge audience pleaser. We laughed openly and continuously through the 2 hours of rapid banter. We also erupted into belly laughs many times - there are some really funny sight gags, including an onstage costume change that evoked a roaring audience response.

The cast is uniformly good and the great thing is ... they will only get better, through the preview process, until opening night on April 26th.

Billi Pod says==>add this show to your “Must See” list.

The weather in The Big Apple is still windy and cold. It was only 41º at 8:00am. Yuck!!

Billi Pod has another entertainment doubleheader for today ...

2:00==>MASTERWORKS FESTIVAL CHORUS & NATIONAL CHILDREN’S CHORUS @ Carnegie Hall - Works by Haydn, Rubstov, Stroppe and others, concluding with Mozart’s “Requiem." ($9.00 TDF ticket).

Of course I have no clue where my seat will be but my seats for the last two Carnegie Hall concerts, also with $9.00 tickets, have been awesome, both in the first tier box seat area.

I anticipate that the concert will be over around 4:30. I don’t plan to come back to PHC but rather will spend the next several hours just walking and wandering, weather permitting, of course.

Then for the evening is ...

7:30==>ROADSIDE: Musical’s In Mufti -“Set in the carnival world of the Old West’s traveling tent shows, Roadside tells a love story of mythic proportions about two kissin’, punchin’, cussin’, larger-than-life characters who refuse to settle down and be ‘house-broke’ by the arrival of fences and laws.” (Off Broadway - subscription series)

Book and lyrics by Tom Jones, music by Harvey Schmidt. Really looking forward to this. A stellar way to end a fabulous week.

Have already compiled the entertainment stats for March 2012 and, my loyal and faithful readers, they are==>AWESOME!! Hopefully, will post them tomorrow.

WOW!! Kentucky vs. Kansas on Monday night. GO SEC!! GO SEC!! GO SEC!!

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-222