Zarkana Didn’t Work but The Talls Did

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod has to admit right off the bat - yesterday’s CIRQUE du SOLEIL: Zarkana @ Radio City Music Hall just didn’t work for him.

Why, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, I am really not certain why but there were several factors. For one thing, my aisle seat in the rear orchestra was way way too far from the stage. And, yes, it was a comp. ticket and all that, but the performers on stage appeared miniscule.

Secondly, I found it highly annoying that a very large and bulky "usher" kept walking up and down my aisle during the performance pointing his flashlight-like device at people who he thought had their cell phones on.

Thirdly, I guess I just wasn’t in the mood for this kind of a show. I actually found myself yawning (yes, Billi Pod occasionally yawns in The Big Apple - please don’t tell Mayor Mike) and my mind drifting to other things. And, no way could I follow what has supposed to be the story line.

When intermission came Billi Pod was outta there. On the walk back to PHC he did feel a pang of regret that he hadn’t stayed for the second part of the show - maybe it would have been better ... oh well ... he didn't ... so ...

On a positive note, before the show I was able to briefly visit with some of my theater-buddies, including Dian, Vera, Julie, and Kim (who has just returned for an extended stay in Vegas).

Billi Pod is happy to report that his evening’s entertainment event was much much better ...

THE TALLS==>B+<==excellent acting from stellar cast. Many laughs mixed in with the drama. Lots of family stuff crammed into just 80 minutes. See it!

But, be warned==>the elevator in the building isn’t working so you have to walk up 4 flights of stairs to reach the box office and the theater. It is worth it, if you physically can do it.

More good news out of The Yankee Universe ...

Last night Phil Hughes had an outstanding outing against The Twins, going 7 2/3 innings, giving up only 1 run on 2 hits. This performance should cement his position in the 5-man rotation. The Bronx Bombers won 8-1 with 2 homers from catcher Russell Martin.

Tonight @ 7:10pm AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi will be on the mound for The Yankees. Guess I don’t need to say anything about my feelings about Loser Boi, do I? No, I didn’t think so ...

Anyway, on to other things ... like ...

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

2:00==>THE PRETTY TRAP - ““Before Tennessee Williams wrote one of his masterpieces, The Glass Menagerie, he wrote this one-act version. The characters are basically the same but the tone is lighter and the ending is completely unexpected.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket)

This show has gotten very good reviews and I am looking forward to seeing it.

And then ...

8:00==>EINSTEIN AND MILEVA - “Tells the story of acclaimed physicist, Albert Einstein, and his first wife, scientist Mileva Maric; the rise of his career, the loss of their daughter, and the effects of ambition on a seemingly infallible relationship.” (Off Broadway - $9.00 TDF ticket)

This show is in early previews and I haven’t read or heard anything about it.

Nice thing==>both shows are in a theater complex on my block.

It is a beautiful day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World and I want to wish a Happy Weekend to all of my Worker Bee friends out there in the vast hinterlands. Have fun!!

Billi Pod will walk-and-wander between his shows, that is for certain.

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.”

Another 50:50 Fringe Festival Doubleheader for Billi Pod

Good morning everyone out there in the vastness of cyberspace.

Yesterday’s Fringe Festival doubleheader was yet another break-even entertainment day/evening for Billi Pod as revealed by the following report cards (remember the grading system: G for Good; B for Bad: and ? for “I have no f**king clue”) ...

THE MISS TEEN JESUS PAGEANT==>B<==in every aspect it was barf inducing. Acting, story line and staging all sophomoric, and that is being kind.

BOOKS ON TAPE==>G<==brilliant writing and acting. Very thought-provoking. Sold out performance. By far the best I have seen and I have only one more Festival show on my schedule.

Had about 90 minutes to kill between the shows, so Billi Pod spent it again on a walk-and-wander in The East Village. With the far east location of one of the theaters factored in, I estimate that I walked about 3 1/2 miles altogether. Not bad.

When I got back to PHC I watched the remainder of the YANKEES/MINNESOTA game with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound. CC had a much better outing than his last two starts and the Bronx Bombers won 8-4.

Phil Hughes will be get the start tonight.

Billi Pod has yet another entertainment doubleheader for today, this time a bit different ...

2:00==>CIRQUE du SOLEIL: Zarkana @ Radio City Music Hall - “A beautifully bizarre journey into a fantastical and suspenseful world where highly-acrobatic feats are heightened by original live music and interactive multimedia elements.” (complimentary ticket)

This show has gotten rather mediocre reviews but there was no way I could pass up on a comp. ticket. I am confident many of my theater buddies will also be in attendance.

Then ... tonight is ...

7:30==>THE TALLS - “The Clarke family is dealing with some very tall problems as 17-year-old Isabelle negotiates Catholicism, politics and virginity in the 1970's. A comic drama about coming of age when life's lessons come in all sizes.” (Off Broadway - complimentary ticket).

This show has received mixed reviews but most of my theater buddies have liked it ... so ...

Oh, can you believe it==>in the past 12 months Billi Pod Blogs has received 14,220 page views. I think this is amazing ...

But, it is up to you to decide because, as you know ... 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.”

Yesterday’s Doubleheader Was 50:50

Yesterday’s Fringe Festival doubleheader was a break-even entertainment day/evening for Billi Pod as revealed by his report cards (remember the grading system: G for Good; B for Bad: and ? for “I have no f**king clue”) ...

THE STAR DEBATE: TREK VS. WARS==>B<==acting at High School level, at best. One of the lead characters kept butchering his lines. Worse than that, however, was the fact that it was just boring and not funny.

THE MORE LOVING ONE==>G<==outstanding cast. Funny but also very thought-provoking. What does “love” really mean? The full-house was very much into the show.

Billi Pod had a bit more time between shows than originally reported. He spent some of it just chilling in Washington Square Park and then at a nice coffee shop where he had ... tada .. coffee and something sweet.

After the second show he came back to PHC and settled in to watch the YANKEES/KANSAS CITY game, which the Yankees lost 5-4. The umps blew a call on a drive that should have been ruled a double, rather than a home run. But, despite the botched call, the Yankees blew multiple chances to score runs with men on base.

Kinda bad news==>A-Rod not yet ready to return to the lineup. Damn!!

Tonight will be the first of a four game series in Minnesota against the Twins. CC Sabathia will be on the mound, hopefully leaving behind his two recent lackluster performances.

Billi Pod has another Fringe Festival doubleheader scheduled for today ...

3:45==>THE MISS TEEN JESUS PAGEANT - “Two gay fathers stage and rig a church-sponsored beauty contest to ensure that their daughter will be crowned the first Miss Teen Jesus. Mayhem ensues as additional contestants enter.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket)

When this show is over Billi Pod will have about an hour to make it to his second show ...

7:00==>BOOKS ON TAPE - “A comedy about an avid books-on-tape listener, a voice over artist, a self-help guru and a minister of a new religion, each seeking meaning in the coincidences of New York City.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket).

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.”

IT’S GONNA BE A GIRL!!

Good morning my loyal and faithful readers. Billi Pod, a soon-to-be great-grandfather, is so happy to share with you the following FaceBook posting from Gina & Alex aka Army Guy ...

“Alex is bout to learn to love the color pink, cause we having us a little girl!!!”

I got a text earlier from Alex advising me that it was gonna be a girl.

The projected due date is January 19, 2012. Unfortunately, Alex will not be present for this momentous occasion, but rest assured==>an army of family and friends will stand in for him.

CONGRATULATIONS GINA & ALEX!! I am sooooooooo happy for you.

Billi Pod had an excellent time at last night’s entertainment event and this is his report card on ...

MOSTLY MOZART CONCERT==>A<==highlighted by the Lincoln Center debut of Finland’s Juho Pohjonen, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23. Awesome!! He is 29 years old, however, from the stage he appears to be about 19.

He got a roaring ovation from the audience as did the Mozart Festival Orchestra for their sublime rendition of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4.

As a fair and unbiased reporter Billi Pod has to share that he didn’t like the Stravinsky piece, “Symphony For Wind Instruments.” It is the atonal crap that Billi Pod hates. Thank God it was only 12 minutes long. It didn’t, however, detract from the rest of the awesome program.

Billi Pod had a complimentary ticket in the orchestra section. Folks, it can’t get much better than this.

When the concert was over Billi Pod walked back to PHC, one mile, while listening to the YANKEES/KANSAS CITY game on his trusty but now ancient Walkman.

The Bronx Bombers won 9-7 in a slugfest. Ivan Nova had a very mediocre outing but he was just good enough (like AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi the previous night) to get the win, making his record 12-4.

With the win the Yankees now lead the AL East by a 1/2 game over the Boston FuckSox.

The final game of the series is tonight with Bartolo Colon on the mound for the Yankees.

I am happy to report that Billi Pod did about 90 minutes of walk-and-wander yesterday down in the Chelsea area. Nice!

Today is a beautiful day in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Billi Pod has another Fringe Festival doubleheader ...

2:00==>THE STAR DEBATE: TREK VS. WARS - “Two rival science fiction fans debate the superiority of Star Trek and Star Wars as NYC's sexiest, nerdiest burlesque stars provide elaborately costumed (and un-costumed) ‘evidence.’" (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket).

Even though Billi Pod has never been a Trekkie, this sounds like a lot of fun, doesn’t it?

And then ...

5:45==>THE MORE LOVING ONE - “A funny and intimate West Coast drama about the shifting alliances between two couples--- one gay, one straight--- on the eve of a life-altering decision.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Both of these shows are 2 hours long and are at venues downtown in The Lower Eastside.

Will watch the final YANKEES/KANSAS CITY game tonight after my shows.

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.”

Report Card on THE LADY DRUG DEALER AND THE HEIST & Stuff

Wow!! Where did summer go? It was 64º at 8:30am this morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

Let’s start with Billi Pod’s report card on yesterday afternoon’s Fringe Festival show (remember the grading system: G for Good; B for Bad; and, ? for “I have no f**king clue”) ...

THE LADY DRUG DEALER AND THE HEIST==>G<==insanely twisted story line admirably performed by a stellar cast.

When the show was over I came back to PHC to watch the YANKEES/KANSAS CITY game with AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi on the mound for The Bronx Bombers.

Well, as you know, The Yankees won 7-4. Loser Boi lasted only 5 2/3 innings but pitched just well enough to get his first win since June 29 and his first win EVER in August as a Yankee. Yankee bats bailed him out.

We are now back in a tie with the Boston FuckSox for first place in the AL East.

Tonight Ivan Nova (11-4) will be on the mound for The Yankees.

Tonight’s entertainment event is different from what I had posted several days ago. What, you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, I had gotten a free ticket for a performance piece called THE TENANT at the West-Park Church on West 86th Street. I had planned to meet up with my theater-buddy Dian Crystal.

Yesterday a classical music concert showed up on one of my ticket services. I just couldn’t pass it up, so I canceled my TENANT ticket and sought forgiveness from My Lady. She was her usual gracious self, so my entertainment event for tonight is ...

8:00==>MOSTLY MOZART CONCERT @ Avery Fisher Hall. The program is --

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23

Stravinsky: Symphony for Wind Instruments

Beethoven: Symphony No. 4

(complimentary ticket)

Looking forward==>counting today, Billi Pod now has 8 entertainment events booked for the upcoming 6 days.

This is why he loves living in The Big Apple.

With the somewhat cooler weather, this will definitely be a walk-and-wander afternoon for Billi Pod, probably in Central Park.

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 & Gina and Billi Pod’s 2011 Horoscope

What a great way to begin the week. My oldest grandson, Alex aka Army Guy, and his beautiful wife, Gina, had a wonderful time together over the weekend at Little Gasparilla Island in the Tampa Bay area of Florida.

Thanks, Alex and Gina, for sharing the picture with me and for giving me permission to share it with my loyal and faithful readers.

Alex is headed back to Ft. Hood, TX, tonight and then ... well ... you know ...

So ... love, hugs and kisses to the three of you. Granddaddy.

As for Billi Pod, here in The Big Apple, in every way possible yesterday sucked. Rain ... more rain ... rain ... more rain ...

My game was rained out, of course. Thankfully, just minutes before I headed out to Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built, I received an email from a buddy advising me that the game had been postponed. Whew, that was close.

The remainder of the day/evening was==>rain ... more rain ... more rain ...

At 7:00pm Billi Pod concluded that it was just too nasty to go way downtown for his Fringe Festival show. Why? Well, first of all it was still raining and secondly, he is familiar with the small theater and there is no lobby or waiting area, meaning ... everyone would be standing in the rain until 15 minutes before show-time. Also, it is a rather long walk from the nearest subway station. Nope, not worth it, so he just ate the $9.00 ticket, figuratively speaking, of course.

So the rest of the evening was ... rain ... more rain ... and more rain. Blah and barf!!

Today is the usual errands and stuff day and I am happy to report that there is no rain, thus far, although it is cloudy and kinda gloomy out.

Today’s entertainment event is ...

5:15==>THE LADY DRUG DEALER AND THE HEIST - “In this surreal comedy, three incompetent dudes snorted all the coke they were supposed to sell. Now the lady drug dealer wants her money. Their solution? Rob a bank.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket).

When the show is over I will probably come back to PHC and watch the 8:05 YANKEES/KANSAS CITY game with AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi on the mound for The Bronx Bombers.

In closing I want to share something with those of you otherwise loyal and faithful readers who have been somewhat critical, lately, of my sense of humor and of my obsession with settling scores with those who have offended Billi Pod, either intentionally or unintentionally.

Folks, it ain’t my fault. I have no choice. It is written in the stars as you can plainly see from my horoscope that was in The Onion (one of Billi Pod’s main sources of information) on my birthday on April 23rd ... and this horoscope is for the year ...

TAURUS (Apr. 20 - May 28) - “Your crude and primitive sense of humor will offend lots of people, but just wait until they get a look at your crude and primitive sense of justice.”

The Onion - April 23, 2011

Not Guilty!! I rest my case.

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.”

Billi Pod’s Saturday Doubleheader Was Awesome!!

Good morning everyone ... I can’t say “Good Morning Sunshine” because it is gloomy and nasty at 8:30am this morning in The Big Apple, The Greatest City In The World.

It is supposed to continue for the rest of the day/night. Damn, because Billi Pod has a game this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed And Ego Built.

More details about that in a bit ... first let me share with you yesterday’s awesome doubleheader ... beginning with the two Fringe Festival shows ...

Billi Pod will use only 3 grades for his Fringe Festival shows:

G==>for good;

B==>for bad; and

?==>for “I have no f**king clue.”

KILLING JOHN GRISHAM==>G<==funny and well acted.

FLACCID PENIS SEEKS VAGINAL DRYNESS==>G<==funny and very profane.

The first show was over a little after 4:00. What was Billi Pod to do with the time until his 8:30 show? Head back to PHC, take in a movie, or just walk-and-wander in The Lower Eastside?

Well, my loyal and faithful readers, he opted to just walk-and-wander largely because the weather was nice and he felt in the mood to just ... do it ... so ...

Yes, the ensuing 4 1/2 hours was spent walking around the East Village and The Lower Eastside while listening to the YANKEES/TAMPA BAY game on his trusty Walkman.

As you know, The Yankees kicked butt, winning 9-2 behind 6 strong innings from Phil Hughes and 6 RBIs from Jorge Posada, including a grand slam. Way to go Phil and Jorge.

Anyway ... I hadn’t spent any time down in The Lower Eastside since John Scott Reed left that ‘hood 2 years ago to take up residence in Chelsea.

As you know, JSR now lives somewhere in the vast wilderness known as Brooklyn, or so he claims.

Billi Pod was surprised how easily and quickly the time went by. The LES looks and feels miles and miles away from Midtown, that is for certain. Did make two so-called pit stops, one for a slice of pizza and the other for coffee and something sweet.

It was 10:30pm when I got back to PHC following my show and I have to admit that I felt just a bit tired. I am going to estimate the total mileage on this walk-and-wander adventure was at least 5+ miles, probably more. It was an outstandingly awesome day/evening, that is for certain.

God, I love living here!!

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

1:05==>YANKEES/TAMPA BAY @ Yankee Stadium with who else but ... tada ... AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi on the mound.

Why me God? Why? Why does Loser Boi always pitch when Billi Pod is in the Stadium? Why? OMFG!! Why??

Oh, I need to correct a stat mistake in yesterday’s posting ... Friday’s game was Billi Pod’s 30th game and their record is: 15 wins and 15 losses.

Tonight is ...

8:00==>ONE, TWO, WHATEVER YOU DO ... “With her son off to preschool, it's time for Angela to get a job. But things spin out of control after one teensy fib makes the news. Will she ever fess up? Can she keep her mother away? And what's wrong with Owen? A fast paced comedy about a public face and the cost of keeping it well made up.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket)

Well, it is now 11:00am and the rain has stopped but it still looks nasty out there. Will they get the game in? Probably. Will Billi Pod head out to the stadium, even though his seat is in an unprotected area? Of course, you already knew the answer to that ... 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 Game From Hell & The Fringe Festival Starts

OK, let’s get right to it. Last night’s game at Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, was The Game from Hell. It was a nightmare and that is putting it mildly. The weather, though, was the best of the entire season, no joke ... but ...

Our ace CC Sabathia gave up 5 (yep, that is the correct number) solo home runs, losing to Tampa Bay 5-1. He had only given up 4 HRs for the entire season and then - bomb after bomb after bomb. Hellfire!!

We were never in the game and David Price made us pay for being on the mound when Derek Jeter got his 3,000th hit. Brimstone

To make things even worse==>getting to and from the stadium was also Hellish because both the B & D trains were out of service due to a water main break. Luckily, Billi Pod had received a “heads-up” email from a buddy, so he left for the stadium early, taking the 4 train out of Grand Central, which, of course, was stuffed like a sardine can. The ride back after the game was even more crammed. Awful, and people were really in a bad mood and generally pissed off. Welcome to Hell!!

In the name of fair and unbiased reporting Billi Pod has to state that his gut has a bad feeling about what is going on in The Yankee Universe:

AJ Burnett aka Loser Boi==>can’t win

CC==>two terrible starts in a row.

Mo==>three terrible outings in a row.

Posada==>demoted to a pinch-hitter role

A-Rod==>injured (but, the signs are pretty good for his recovery and return to the lineup).

This was Billi Pod’s 28th game of the season and the Yankees record for those games==>14 wins and 14 losses. Come on guys, Billi Pod didn’t pay big bucks to see a .500 team. Get with it!!

Anyway ... on to other things ... like ...

Today Billi Pod has two Fringe Festival shows way downtown in The Lower Eastside ...

2:15==>KILLING JOHN GRISHAM - “Josh has written a brilliant novel, but his quest to escape his minimum wage life is derailed by self-doubt, girl problems, and loyal friends with violent tendencies. Did we mention the world famous author who steals Josh's book?” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket)

And then ...

8:30==>FLACCID PENIS SEEKS VAGINAL DRYNESS - “After cruising aimlessly through cyberspace Dan finds "Flaccid Penis Seeks Vaginal Dryness", a website for people with sexual dysfunctions. The play takes place in its message boards and chat rooms.” (Fringe Festival - $9.00 TDF ticket).

Hey, don’t be judgmental. I didn’t make this up, OK?

Hummmm ... just thought about it ... flaccid penis = Yankee offense ... think about it. Jus sayin ...

At this point not sure what I will do between these shows. The first show's running time is 2 hours. The location of both shows in The Lower Eastside makes it kinda difficult. The options are to come back to PHC or see a movie some place. Will just see how things develop.

This afternoon is the second game of the Tampa Bay series with Phil Hughes on the mound, pitching to remain in the rotation. A bad outing will probably send him to the bullpen.

Oh, still a lot of local news coverage over the Bert & Ernie “situation.”

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.”

Billi Pod Reports on Bert & Ernie and Other Stuff

Lots of very important stuff to report on, but first ...

What a beautiful morning in The Big Apple==>will definitely be a walk-and-wander day for Billi Pod after he posts for you loyal and faithful readers out there in the vast realm of cyberspace.

With this in mind, let’s get right to it with ...

Billi Pod’s report card on MY MOTHER’S ITALIAN, MY FATHER’S JEWISH, AND I’M STILL IN THERAPY==>B+<==very funny. The in your face humor is spot-on.

The performer, Steve Solomon, takes a shot at almost every Jewish and Italian lifestyle cliché, but he does it with charm, if that makes any sense.

A lot of the material is very profane and, honestly, gross, like his overly long bits on male and female flatulence. Still, he had his audience, average age 60+, laughing and smiling during the entire performance.

Bottom line==>If you need a laugh, see this show. I believe it runs until August 31st.

The Yankees won the afternoon game vs. THE ANGELS 6-5 on a bases loaded HR from Robby Cano, but ...and a big but ... Mo almost blows it again, giving up a 3 run homer in the top of the 9th. WTF!!

WTF is going on with him? This makes 3 shaky outings in a row from the best closer in the history of baseball. Is it just a blip or is it ... God forbid ... a harbinger that he has started down the Posada Road to mediocrity? WTF!!

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

7:05==>YANKEES vs. TAMPA BAY @ Yankee Stadium, The House That Greed and Ego Built, with our ace CC Sabathia on the mound. Since this is a Friday night I am hoping that most of my buddies will be in their usual seats. It has been a long time since we are all together for a game.

Billi Pod feels the call to walk-and-wander, but he must share one more item with you loyal and faithful readers.

What is it you are no doubt breathlessly asking? Well, it has to do with the burning issue of whether Bert & Ernie are gay, and, if so, whether they should get married.

Now wait a minute out there ... before you jump to the conclusion that Billi Pod is just making stuff up ... this is from the front page, yes ... the FRONT PAGE ... of today’s New York Post ...

“Sesame wed furor - Bert & Ernie just pals, show insists.”

Yes, folks, amid all of the trouble on Wall Street, the riots in London, unrest in The Middle East, etc etc etc, the burning issue in The Big Apple, according to The Post, is the sexuality of two Sesame Street puppets.

The response from the higher-ups at Sesame Street is, of course ... “They aren’t gay. They aren’t straight. They don’t do sex. Period.”

Well, folks, “they,” the suits, can deny it all “they” want, but we have the word of Big Bird on this issue and it is ... tada ...

“Bert and Ernie R Gay.”

Who is more believable, the suits or Big Bird? Why Big Bird of-f**king-course and you and I know it.

There it is==>case closed. Court is adjourned. It is so Ordered!!

Now the only issue is whether Bert and Ernie should get married. Billi Pod will report more on this controversial issue in a later posting.

Time to walk-and-wander ... 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.”