IT IS CONFESSION TIME!!

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers out there in cyberspace ... it is indeed CONFESSION TIME for Billi Pod ...

Yesterday, despite his announced plans to see the soul-inspiring Adam Sandler movie THAT’S MY BOY, Billi Pod opted, at the last minute, to remain in his apartment aka PHC (Penthouse C), on a Friday night in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World to ... gasp ... and double-gasp ... sit transfixed in front of his TV to watch the YANKEES/WASHINGTON game.

His excuse is that he did a bit more walking and wandering than he had planned and was a bit tired when he got back to PHC ... ahhhhhhhhh ... dammit ...

Wait ... that is basically just a bunch of bullshit ... because in the early afternoon Billi Pod made the conscious decision that he was gonna stay in for the game.

Yeah ... in the name of fair and unbiased reporting to you loyal and faithful readers ... he actually had decided to stay in for the game before he left for the afternoon’s walk and wander session ... oh well ... now you know ...

In mitigation ... please remember that as a retiree, there is nothing special about a Friday night ... because every night for a happy retiree is a Friday night ... jus sayin ... 

There ... it is out in the open for you loyal and faithful readers to ponder and if you feel like it ... to render your own independent judgment of Billi Pod’s confession.

Anyway ... moving on ...

It was a very exciting game to watch. The Bombers won 7-2 behind another excellent outing from Phil Hughes, who won his 4th straight game, and the long-ball from Curtis Granderson. Hughes went 6 innings, giving up only 1 run on 6 hits and striking out 9.

Dave Robertson, fresh off the DL, pitched the 9th inning and he was a bit rusty, giving up 2 hits and 1 run. It is great having him back.

The Yankees have now won 7 straight games and 12 out of their last 14.

The second game of the series is this afternoon at 1:05pm, with Andy Pettitte (3-2) on the mound vs. Jordan Zimmermann (3-5).

Yes, even though it is a super-beautiful day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World, Billi Pod will stay in and watch the game.

And ... speaking of games ... tonight at 9:00pm on ESPN2 will be the GATORS/SOUTH CAROLINA game in the College World Series. Last year The Limpcocks beat the Gators to win the World Series Championship. 

Billi Pod does have an entertainment event for this evening ... it is ... tada ...

8:00==>MOST HAPPY FELLA @ Dicapo Opera Theater - “This classic 1956 musical about a May-September romance features book, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, best known for Guys and Dolls and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This opera company was founded in 1981 and is known for its non-amplified productions of classical opera. They occasionally venture into revivals of Broadway musicals. They did this show earlier in the year and it received basically rave reviews. I am really looking forward to seeing it in this 204-seat venue.

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.”

I Gotta See THAT’S MY BOY

Yes ... it is a beautiful TGIF in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World ... meaning ... as soon as I post this I will head out for an afternoon of walking and wandering, probably way downtown.

Last night’s NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC concert @ Avery Fisher Hall was ... simply put ... terrific.

I was really in the mood for some classical music and, as usual, this hit the spot.

Thanks to my loyal and faithful readers for all of the positive emails, texts, and posts about yesterday’s Reveille posting. It really is moving, isn’t it.

One thing though==> I forgot to give proper credit to my friend John Horne, of Anna Maria, FL, for sending it to me. Thanks John!! 

If you haven’t seen it yet ... here is the link again ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlpn9acf16k

Tonight’s entertainment event is gonna be a movie ... 

THAT’S MY BOY - Starring Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg - “While in his teens, Donny fathered a son, Todd, and raised him as a single parent up until Todd’s 18th birthday. Now, after not seeing each other for years, Todd’s world comes crashing down when Donny resurfaces just before Todd’s wedding.”

Yes, my loyal and faithful readers, it is one of those gross-out, frat-boy, WTF movies that Billi Pod loves, laced with, of course, profanity, crude humor, nudity, sex scenes and booze/drug abuse.

Hey ... I’m just being upfront about what I like on the big screen so don’t be so judgmental ... OK ...

Tonight is game one of the YANKEES/NATIONALS series with Phil Hughes (6-5) on the mound for The Bronx Bombers vs. Gio Gonzalez (8-2) for the Nationals.

Hummmmmmm ... maybe I’ll catch an earlier movie-time and stay in to watch the game ... hummmmmmmm ... we will see ... anyway ...

Have a great weekend everyone ... just remember you Worker Bees==>the weekend doesn’t start until at least 5:00pm==>don’t even think about leaving early.

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.”

TINY DYNAMITE==>NO BANG ... JUST POOF!

Good afternoon to everyone in the morass known as cyberspace.

First, I hope that you have taken the time to watch the video, Reveille, which features my dear friend David Huddleston. It is only 11 minutes long and there isn't any dialogue, but there doesn’t need to be because the two actors convey everything with their unspoken interaction with one another.

So ... just to be safe ... here is the link again ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlpn9acf16k

Now, I want to give you loyal and faithful readers Billi Pod’s report card on last night’s entertainment event TINY DYNAMITE, about two childhood friends on vacation who befriend a local girl==>C.

Unfortunately, there is No bang ... just poof. The C grade is giving it the benefit of the doubt.

The incomprehensible story line, with heavy-handed staging, torpedoes an excellent cast. The actors throw a lot of stuff around the small stage and some of it actually lands on and around audience members. And why is it considered acceptable to have an actor spit something at another actor and have part of “it” also go into the audience? This is just gross and I am certain that it was a deliberate part of the staging.

The bottom line ... Billi Pod Says==>Beware!!

Speaking of beware ... this Friday, among a bunch of interesting movies, is ROCK OF AGES - “The story of small town girl Sherrie and city boy Drew, who meet on the Sunset Strip while pursuing their Hollywood dreams. Their rock 'n' roll romance is told through the heart-pounding hits of Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Whitesnake, and more.” 

Featured in the cast, among many other well known performers, is Tom Cruise.

Have you been thinking about seeing it? Well, before you do I want to share with you, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, the review (edited for length only) by Rex Reed in the New York Observer. These are the actual words that are on the front page of the Arts Section of this weekly paper ... I didn’t make any of it up ... trust me ... I didn’t ...

HEAD (AGAINST WALL) BANGER

--------------------

ROCK ‘N ROLL CLUSTERFUCK ABOUT AS APPEALING AS VENUES’ PISS-STAINED URINALS

----------------------

A mosh pit of bad decisions

-----------------------

By Rex Reed

“As rock musical go, Rock of Ages can’t go fast enough. This sloppy freak show is two minutes shy of two solid hours of screaming swill, without a shred of freshness, insight, or coherence to be detected within a two-mile radius ...  I haven’t seen a movie this bad since Battlefield Earth and Howard the Duck.

*********

I can understand the perverse temptation to make money by appealing to the base instincts of an ever-increasing audience of fools, but this assault on the IQ is where people with self-respect should draw the line. Rock of Ages is so bad it makes Burlesque look like an under appreciated masterpiece.”

+++++++++

Damn, I wish Rex would tell us how he really feels about this movie. Come on, Rex, don’t hold back ... we can handle it ...

And, my loyal and faithful readers ... “clusterfuck” and “piss-stained” on the inside front page of a nationally distributed newspaper? Wow!! We’ve come a long way, haven’t we?

Will Billi Pod see it you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Why, of course he will ... why? ... because Billi Pod loves Def Leppard, Joan Jett, Journey, Foreigner, Bon Jovi, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, and Whitesnake.

Anyway ... moving on ...

Last night the Yankees got their second consecutive series sweep when they beat the Braves 3-2, behind a decent outing from Hiroki Kuroda and the long-ball from Curtis Granderson.

The Bronx Bombers have the day off and then they begin a 3-game series in DC against the Washington Nationals, who are in first place in the NL East. It should be really interesting and I am looking forward to seeing the 19yr. old rising star Bryce Harper.

Tonight’s entertainment event for Billi Pod is ...

7:30==>NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC @ Avery Fisher Hall - “The program is: Beethoven - Coriolan Overture; Korngold - Violin Concerto; and, Nielsen - Symphony No. 3. (subscription series)

In closing Billi Pod says again==>See Reveille.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlpn9acf16k

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.” 

Reveille

To all of my loyal and faithful readers ... you have to watch this wonderful short movie, Reveille, it will bring tears to your eyes but also a deep feeling of pride. It features my dear friend David Huddleston.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlpn9acf16k

Bill

THIS IS FICTION==>B.

Happy Wednesday to everyone out there in the morass known as cyberspace. Unfortunately, it is a gloomy and rainy day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In the World, and that is basically the forecast for the remainder of the day and into the evening. 

Oh well ... so ...

Let’s get right down to business with my report card on last night’s THIS IS FICTION, a “dark-comedy” about Amy who is on the verge of having her first novel published, but before she does, she has to break the news to her family that it's not entirely fiction==>B.

This is another mega-dysfunctional family story with intense rivalry between sisters, which, frankly, began to get annoying and distracting as the bickering persisted and became almost formalistic==>"I hate you but I still love you ... l love you but I have always secretly hated you ... Mama loved me better ... it didn’t happen that way .... yada yada yada ..."

And ... the so-called “relationship” that develops between Amy and a guy she meets in a coffee house is totally unbelievable, at least it was for me.

Yes, I wanted to like this new play a lot more than I did. It runs 90 minutes without intermission. Maybe I am just getting tired of shows dominated by dysfunctional family members screaming, cussing and crying at one another ... whatever ... 

Is it worth seeing? Well ... I am gonna give it benefit of the doubt with my grade of B and say==Yes.

When the show was over I checked the score of the YANKEES/BRAVES game and found out that The Bombers were losing 4-0 and that our ace CC Sabathia was having another shaky outing. Damn.

When I got back to PHC and turned on the tube it was the top of the 8th inning and the Yankees were still down 4-0. Oh well ... then they loaded the bases (their record this season for hits with the bases loaded has been dismal) and A-Rod came to bat.

Alex worked the count to 3-2 and then ... OMFG!! ... drove a liner into the first row of the left-field seats for his 23rd grand slam. With this he tied baseball legend Lou Gehrig for the most grand slams in history. Awesome.

But ... the inning wasn’t over because next Cano singled and then Nick Swisher slugged a 2-run homer for the eventual game-winner. Yes, we came back from being down 0-4 to winning 6-4, with CC getting the win. All became well in The Yankee Universe.

With this win and the Rays loss to The Mets (thank you guys for having our backs) The Bronx Bombers are now in sole possession of first place in the AL East.

Tonight they will go for their second consecutive sweep with Hiroki Kuroda (5-6) on the mound vs. Tim Hudson (4-2)

Tonight’s entertainment event for Billi Pod is at the 59th Street Theatre Complex, one of his favorite venues 

...

7:30==>TINY DYNAMITE - “An electric play about love, loss and the tiny moments that can change your life forever. An impossible love story is given a second chance and three scorched characters are about to learn that lightning does strike twice.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Well, what do you know ... it is 1:30pm and the weather has cleared up somewhat ... so ... it is definitely time for a little walking and wandering ... so ... 

Oh ...  an awesome stat for you loyal and faithful readers ...  Billi Pod Blogs has now reached 30,000+ page views since the website started compiling stats not quite 2 years ago ... wow ... awesome ... in my humble opinion ... 

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.”

3C==>C-.

Good morning to all of my loyal and faithful readers out there in the wilderness known as cyberspace.

To all of my Worker Bee friends==>I hope your work week is going well and that you are giving your all in order to maintain this fragile economy of ours, thereby protecting we poor, downtrodden and financially challenged pensioners. Thanks so very very much ... now keep at it!! Have you thought about getting a second job? Jus askin ...

Moving on ...

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

3C, the Rattlestick Theater show about roommates Brad, Connie and Linda==>C-.

The title of this disappointing sit-com-like comedy/drama should be 3-SCREAM because 95% of the dialogue is projectile screaming/yelling/cursing of an unbelievable story line by basically unlikeable characters, with a dose of gratuitous grossness. 

Several of my theater buddies have alluded to its similarity to the 70’s TV sit-com “Three’s Company” but since I have no recollection of ever seeing this (remember, Billi Pod ain’t a TV person, and never has been) I will just have to trust their judgment on this.

The show runs 90 minutes, without intermission, and the last 10 minutes are interminable. I kept thinking ... please end this ... please end this ... please end this ...

Yes, My Lady, Dian Crystal, was so right in her thoughts and observations about this show. So, my loyal and faithful readers in the Tri-State area, Billi Pod says==>See this at your peril. You are so warned!!

The evening was saved from utter despair by the YANKEES/BRAVES game in Atlanta. The Bronx Bombers won 3-0 and got another good outing from Ivan Nova, who got his 8th win. The Bombers are now in a first-place tie with the Rays in the AL East.

Tonight our ace CC Sabathia (7-3) will be on the mound against Mike Minor (3-4). CC had a very lackluster last outing.

Was able to do most of my errands and stuff yesterday and that was good.

Tonight’s entertainment event will be ... 

7:00==>THIS IS FICTION - “Amy is on the verge of having her first novel published, but before she does, she has to break the news to her family that it's not entirely fiction. When she shows up at her childhood home in New Jersey, it's time to tell the truth. Fiction is easy. Life is hard.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket).

The cast features Broadway, television, and film star Richard Masur. I do have a question though==>isn’t this basically the story line of the Broadway play OTHER DESERT CITIES? Jus’ askin’.

Think I will head out and do some major walking and wandering ... 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.”

The Yankees Sweep The Mets!!

Good morning to all of my loyal and faithful readers on this Back To Work Monday. Yes all of my Worker Bee friends it’s time to get back at it==>so get thee to work==>so sayeth Billi Pod.

Yesterday’s YANKEES/METS game at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, was an emotional roller coaster for fans of both teams. The stadium was packed with an attendance of 49,010.

The Mets got out to an early 3-0 lead and they maintained that lead until the bottom of the 8th when the Bombers took a 4-3 lead into the top of 9th.

In came our closer, Rafael Soriano, filling in for the injured Mariano Rivera, and he promptly blew the save and the game was tied 4-4 going into the bottom of the 9th.

The first batter was catcher Russell Martin who had hit a crucial homer in the 7th inning. Most of the packed stadium was standing. Martin worked the count to 3-2 and then he hit a drive into the left field seats, giving The Bronx Bombers a walk off 5-4 win and a sweep of this Subway Series.

The stadium went absolutely wild with Yankee fans cheering and forlorn Met fans tasting defeat yet again at the hands of their crosstown rivals. Sweet!!

This week The Yankees go on the road with 3 games in Atlanta and then 3 games in Washington.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s posting my evening plans were to stay in PHC and watch the 3-hour long TONY AWARDS CEREMONY at The Beacon Theatre, carried live on CBS. The Emcee was Neil Patrick Harris.

Billi Pod enjoyed the evening and thought that Neil Patrick Harris did an excellent job. In the name of fair and unbiased reporting I must reveal to you loyal and faithful readers that Billi Pod utilized his “Award Ceremony Protocol” for this broadcast.

What am I talking about when I say “Award Ceremony Protocol” you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well ... it is pretty simple ... I use the mute button for ALL acceptance speeches and do crossword puzzles instead. This is what makes a 3-hour program tolerable, at least for Billi Pod.

As you theater nuts know, the Musical ONCE, about two Dublin musicians falling in love, was the big winner, with a total of 8 awards.

The Academy voters pretty much stuck it to Stephen Sondheim who earlier in the season had made a scathing public attack on the revival of PORGY AND BESS. Well, PORGY won Best Revival of a Musical, winning over Sondheim’s FOLLIES. Also, Audra McDonald, who plays Bess, picked up the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical, winning over FOLLIES Jan Maxwell. 

FOLLIES ended up with just one Tony, for costumes.

Again, in the name of fair and unbiased reporting, I must acknowledge that Billi Pod’s was only a woeful 6 out of 10 in his predictions, which he posted just 2 hours before the ceremony began.

Moving on ...

Today, being Monday, will be my usual errands and stuff and then for this evening is ... 

7:00==>3C - “The war in Vietnam is over and Brad, an ex-serviceman, lands in L.A. to start a new life. When he winds up trashed in Connie and Linda’s kitchen after a wild night of partying, the three strike a deal for an arrangement that has hilarious and devastating consequences for everyone.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This is playing at a theater down in The Village, The Rattlestick, which usually has pretty interesting stuff. That said ... My Lady, Dian Crystal, really disliked this show, so we will see ...

OK ... got things and stuff to do but let me end this posting with a huge shout out to The Florida Gator baseball team who beat NC State 9-8 in 10 innings to advance to The College World Series for the 3rd consecutive year.

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.”