Secure Your Rights

The Big Release

2008-10-22T11:11:00.002-04:00

It is time for someone else to be angry. I've had the ball for 8 years and I am positive (without any doubts, waffles, or caveats) that I will no longer be blisteringly angry come November 4. So here I want to take the time to thank...George W. Bush.

Thanks for the wars, they made it impossible for your party to win. Thanks for your regressive economic policy, you fucked up our money so bad only a democrat could figure out how to undo the damage. Thanks for the character attacks, 8 years of them has made 60% of the country so discussed with that kind of thing it's libel not to work again for another 10. Thanks for your selfishness, you really have shown the American people what being a republican is all about. Thanks for the cronyism, now we know that not just anyone can do the job. Thanks for the broken government, because now we know we need one that works. Thanks for the laughs, no really the shit that comes out of your mouth is hilarious, scary, but hilarious. Thanks for beating John McCain in 2000, now we know who he really is. Thanks for all the religious self righteousness, it is more apparent than ever that we don't need religion in our politics (see chocolate and peanut butter, reverse.) Thanks for panicking on September 11, 2001, now we can recognize a real leader when we see one. Thanks for Dick Cheney, now we can recognize who should not be allowed to be Vice President (or even be allowed to tour the office of the Vice President.) Thanks for demonstrating so vibrantly why the Reagan model does not, cannot, and never will work, now we can get back to building the country instead of stuffing your wallet.

I'm sure I have missed things, but I am content to let history count the rest. So by that measure, history will be very busy in the next few decades.

In parting this post, I want to be clear that George W. Bush has so massively mismanaged this country that the next president (which will be Barack Obama, no if's, and"s, or but's) will be digging us out of a manure pile that is stacked to the moon. It will not be easy, and the republicans will come after him in 2012 - but look at the bright side: The might be stupid enough to nominate Sarah Palin for president. Now that is a joke!

No One Has Elected You President John!

2008-09-24T15:41:00.003-04:00

So today John McCain, in a startling act of presumption, has decided that he wants to tell Barack Obama, Congress, and President Bush what to do. In a attempt to seem like he knows a god damn thing about the economy he is proposing to postpone Fridays debate in order to have an "emergency leadership meeting." So McCain things "Boy's State" is the answer. I happen to think McCain is being oportunistic. McCain has not spent a single day in debate prep, he is now down by 9 points in the polls, and he doesn't want to get his ass kicked. You know what they do in sports when this happens - the team that doesn't show up forfits. Worse, this is McCain prestending to put the country first, but really just putting himself first. If he had expertice on the economy I would say it was a good idea, if his previuos reform legislation had not been total failures I'd say it was a good idea - but he doesn't, and they are; please John, just take your loss like a man and stop pretending you are the president - you never will be. Just be satified with being a second tier senator that no one trusts.

In other news Sarah Palin actually got something right. She said that "another Great Depresion is possible." Good for you, Sarah! Your almost as smart as everyone else in the country. Way to pick up on the obvious.

These Two Make Me Sick

2008-09-04T11:11:00.003-04:00

Once again the media (ugh, I hate this crap) has shown it's hypocritical side in a time for serious consideration. After a half hearted stab at Gov. Palin, they seem to be bending to the McCain narrative that she is Jesus, Mother Teresa, Mary Pickford, and Ronald Reagan all rolled up into one complete sentence making, quasi adorable "hockey mom."

What she is is a culmination of all the bad social and economic policy that has driven this country into the rut in which it currently lies. Backward policy is not change, that's more of the same. Just because it comes out of the mouth of someone whom it normally does not, does not make it new. That is the exceptional thing about Barack Obama - it's that he is different looking, but his message is different as well.

The media will now criticize Obama for even hinting at anything wrong with Gov. Palin, while giving her the freedom to pretty much do and say what she wants with no fear of retribution. It can not be allowed. If Gov. Palin insists on offering her family and it's values up as an example to which the country must adhere - then she should be scrutinized by that standard. If she makes her family part of the campaign, then she must accept (without complaint) that she has done that, not Obama, and suffer the consequences. Not only are those the rules of the game, but it would go a long way to proving she is qualified to be president if Oldy McOlderCain should become unable to serve.

My opinion of Gov. Palin has not changed in the past week. She is still the embodiment of everything that is wrong with the republican party, she still is a enemy of women on policy, she still is having her qualifications inflated. saw Karl Rove claim that she was the mayor of the second largest city in Alaska before becoming governor. Wasilla, Alaska has a population of 9,780, if you are being generous. Anchorage is the largest with a metro population of about 360,000; the capital of Juno has roughly 30,000 residents. I think it is safe to say that Wasilla is not even in the league. And if they want to compare Gov. Tim Kaine's previous mayorship to Palin's (why they do this I do not know, seeing as how Kaine was NOT selected to be Vice-President) the City of Richmond has a population of 200,000 - though the metro area is significantly higher - 1.1 million.

I have also heard callers to CSPAN claim that she ran a "big state." Excuse me - HA, ha ha, HA, HAAHAAHAAHAHAHA, hee, hee, chordal, laugh. You have to multiply the population of then entire state of Alaska by 14 to get the population of Chicago. All told, there are 16 US CITIES! with larger populations than the entire state of Alaska. I'm sure you have guessed such easy ones as New York, LA, Houston...but did you know that Columbus, Ohio and Austin, Texas best the entirety of Alaska by close to 100,000 souls? It is true that the state is very large in terms of square mileage, but in less polar bears, seals, and moose are getting the vote I don't think it qualifies as a big state.

Another thing that really bugs me. The people of Alaska are paid, but the state and the federal government to live there. Is Gov. Palin really going to lecture the American people about government waste and hand outs when she is the governor of a state that is handing people my tax dollars to live there?

For those who want to vote for a woman, I understand - I don't approve, but I understand. But just consider her positions on every issue of our day. Take away the breasts and the five kids, then dresses and the glasses, add 6 inches and a goofy stammer and what do you have? George Bush in heels.

Post Convention

2008-08-29T15:35:00.002-04:00

I am so excited. Not just because the Convention moved in the way a good play should, culminating in a great climax - or to be plain, that the last act was the best; but because John McCain has done himself a huge disservice with his VP pick.

Gov. Palin makes Barack Obama look positively over qualified to be president. This is deadly for a man who could keel over at any minute. I'm serious, the man is old and the job is high stress.

Now I am sure that the nation will be hearing a lot of the the pundits that McCain has played the right card in or to pickup the bitter Hillary Clinton voters. And if those women wish to support a ticket that does not recognize their right to choose, has less experience, is ultra conservative, and is plainly the worst kind of pandering - so be it. The rest of us will not forget that they took their toys and went home when the going got tough. I can't help but wonder where these women were when Carol Mosley Brown was running 4 years ago. Oh right, they were voting for John Kerry. Thanks a lot.

Even better, the pick of Gov. Palin will shine a big old light on the up coming trial of Sen. Ted Stevens. Here are some of the incredible highlights of this regressive candidate:

Palin is pro-life.

Palin supports the teaching of creationism alongside evolution in schools.

She opposes same-sex marriage.

She supported a non-binding referendum on whether there should be a constitutional amendment on the matter.

Alaska was one of the first U.S. states to pass a constitutional ban on gay marriage, in 1998, along with Hawaii. Palin has stated that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment.

Governor Palin is currently under investigation by an independent investigator hired by the legislature to determine if she abused her power when firing Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan.

That last one is really interesting - you should look it up. Or just wait a week - it will be all over television. There's sex involved.

It's all in the T-Shirt

2008-08-21T13:11:00.003-04:00

Today I am wearing my brand new Obama 08 T-Shirt. There are several good things about this shirt:

1) It fits. I have been having trouble with this over the past month - many of my clothes seem to have been replaced with tents.
2) Though I am usually not a fan of brown, this brown looks good.
3) The casual observer might just think it's a sports T-Shirt.
4) Here is the big one: I get really great service at Starbucks! Like really great. Like "come to front of the line, my man" great.

I am wearing this also in celebration (thats right) of McCain getting a lead in one poll. Obama needed a wake up call and he got it. Not that One poll makes it a real lead. And everyone does seem to have forgotten that the vaunted Zogby poll has been wrong about the presidential election for the past 2 cycles. So in spite of the press latching on to what is most likely an aberration, or a bad polling sample, I think it's good for Obama to have some adversity to deal with.

Now Hurry up with the VP selection will you - I'm getting Impatient!

CNN is dumber than I though

2008-08-04T16:53:00.002-04:00

I watched Late Edition for the first time ever this weekend. I can now say that CNN has the Stupidest Team in Politics. For not other reason that in the hopes of sparking doubt, or appearing impartial, or just out of plain old ignorance the CNN equivalent of MSNBC's Chuck Todd, one Bill Schneider , spouts off a California poll that shows Obama up by more than 20 points - then proceeds to twist that Obama's national lead is based completely on the number difference from California. What he does not do is include Texas, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Mississippi in this count as overwhelming numbers for McCain, because the people who live there are stupid. No really, look up the education numbers. It's not impolite and elitist if it's true - and there is no reason to be proud about being stupid.

It's think kind of twisting of numbers that really gets me pissed off. In a way it might be good, it could send more Obama devotees to the polls on election day, but mostly it paints the picture that this race is closer than it is.

John McCain has been putting out negative television ads before his own convention. Talk about going negative early. The first one to go negative is usually the one who is going to lose. Not only that, most campaigns wait until the actual general election begins. John McCain's own campaign knows they are going to lose unless the do something drastic. Like they have already done. There is a argument to be made that they just did it not to get buried during the Obama "the world already thinks I'm president" tour - but either way it illustrates a profound desperation.

Here First

2008-07-28T11:08:00.004-04:00

I'm going to start posting the weekly recaps of Dream Sailors here first, since I know when they hit the web before everyone else.

less

2008-07-17T11:17:00.002-04:00

a friend of mines son died a couple of days ago. i don't know what to say or do. i remember his birth. his smile. his first words. the pride his father had when he looked at him. the love he had in his eyes when he looked at his father. all i know is how awful i feel, and i have no children. i can't imagine the pain and loss - it's too much for such a great friend to have to bare. i wish that i could take it away from him, be able to carry it for a while. why can't pain be portable? there is nothing for me to do, but keep him and his family in my thoughts, and be ready if they need me for anything. it's so fucking sad.

OK

2008-07-14T11:27:00.003-04:00

So this is what I look like at 3:30am after:

1) Arising at 7:30am on a Saturday.
2) Covering my self in a pound of latex.
3) Speaking in three languages.
4) Changing costumes 6 times.
5) Sweating through a ankle length leather jacket.
6) Driving from Georgetown to Source in 15 minutes.
7) Removing a pound of latex.
8) Being pregnant for an hour.
9) Drinking downtown.
10) Drinking in Silver Spring.
11) Fighting off my "friends" attempts to hook me up with a waitress.

Now guess what I did the next day...

400 million reasons to elect Obama

2008-07-03T14:06:00.002-04:00

Normally I'm not interested in the day to day doings of one drug addled, over weight, bald, gas bag Rush Limbaugh. I mean who really pays attention to a racist gas bag with a oxiconton problem. I thought that guy was deaf, right? It seemed like such a fitting ailment for a man who loves nothing better than the sound of his own voice. But like Magic Johnson's seeming trouncing of the AIDS virus, Limbaugh apparently can hear again, but that is not my point.

SOME ASSHOLE JUST GAVE THIS FUCK-FACE 400 MILLION DOLLARS!?!?!?!?!?!

For what? Does he play power forward for the Boston Celtics and I didn't know about it? 400 million dollars to continue to ride the wave of the 21st Century equivalent of the 8 track cassette player? Radio is not exactly cutting edge technology, nor does it have the reach it did when, oh say, FDR did his fire side chats.

You know what you could do with $400 million dollars? Provide food and potable water to the...wait for it...WORLD. Instead some dip shit is going to provide drugs, cigars, and scotch to one fat dumb ass.

Now Limbaugh reported this deal himself, so it could be like the other "news" he delivers - a crock of shit. But if the deal is even in the ball park, it is a sad day for this country. With all the problems we as a country face, someone has decided to hand a "part of the problem" so much money he can continue to be "part of the problem" even after his death.

On the bright side, given his past behavior, I'm betting he gets busted by the IRS within the next two years. Tax evasion, just like another big, fat, windbag, criminal; Capone.

I am Jack's Throbbing Disappointmant

2008-07-01T13:11:00.003-04:00

Gomez is back in the states, for one week. Next week. Not here. But they are in Atlanta home of The Hairy Ape's brother. The throbbing disappointment is The Hairy Ape has two, count 'em 2, techs next week and will be unable to reach the musical ambrosia that is The Gomez. As one of my cast mates might say, sad panda.

Right Matters? not really.

2008-06-24T14:25:00.002-04:00

For the past few months I have been noticing really stupid headlines in the mid left corner of the Washington Posts internet front page. They say things like "Obama's Osama Problem" and, today for example, "Grow Up, Move On."

Today's is particularly annoying. I don't know if you have seen the MoveOn ad to which they are referring, but to sum it up: it's a direct address of a young mother with a 3 to 6 month old baby, she talks about the joy of discovering what he can do and how he makes her feel. At the end she asks John McCain if he really wants to be in Iraq for 100 years, and if so he can't have her son for that purpose.

It's a powerful ad, and I don't have children. So the "Grow Up, Move On" link has below it, "do you agree." I want to disagree with the sentiment of this stupid headline, in hopes of doing some small thing to at least make the morons who think these things up work a bit harder. It just takes me to a message board full of dimwits who feel they have to point out that even if Move On was selling more war they would disagree with them because they are a liberal PAC.

I have found the haven for right wingers on the Post website. I wish that I hadn't. Mostly because they just lie and spin, which is just a nice way of saying...lie. The ad is not childish, the ad is thoughtful, emotional, and accurate. One of the lead arguments is that the president 18 years from now will not be "taking" the child, but the child will be choosing to go to Iraq. Well, I hate to break to these dimwits, but there is no tell what the military situation 20 years from now will be. Most estimates say that to continue to execute BOTH 21st Century conflicts an increase in the size of the military will be necessary. The military has not met it's recruiting goals since 2002. The military is essentially, shrinking. When I shoot on military bases, NCO's and PAO's try to recruit the young actors, why? Because there is a CASH reward for getting a recruit. It's that dire.

The reason for childishly belittling the ad is simple, it's effective - as effective as the "bear" ad was for Reagan and the "wolves" ad was for Bush fils. This ad scares the right, and instead of making a cogent argument for why we need to be in Iraq, they wine and complain like children. I mean come on, your suppose to be the "daddy" party, not the "pity" party.

The fact of the matter is, John McCain is not going to win - and to quote Bob Dole "I know it, you know it, the American people know it." Partly because a lot of Americans think Barack Obama is already president. This may not be a good thing, but I'll take it.

Mostly it pisses me off because now is the time that the GOP should be getting their comeuppance. They deserve to be trashed and belittled by the public and the media. I am sorry that John McCain will have to get the brunt of it, he actually might deserve better. But as I say to republicans all the time, "you had a chance 8 years ago to do the right thing - but you went with a idiot, you deserve to lose. Now quit your bitching."

And can you believe this drilling for more oil bull shit? Doesn't anyone know that oil is traded on a world market? We don't have enough to change the price more than 25 to 35 cents...20 years from now!

Always in threes...

2008-06-23T11:25:00.003-04:00

It is like this is becoming an obituary blog as of late, but one of my heroes has died. George Carlin had a profound influence on my life. Not as an actor or performer, but the way that I think - and in that way, for me, he will live for ever.

I first heard George Carlin in church, of all places. It seems odd that I would be exposed to that in such a conservative place. It must have been 1987 or so and one of the older kids had a tape of one of his shows. He played it in Sunday school - I think the "teacher" was off doing something else. It was not one of his "blue" routines; however "blue" was the subject. It was the observation that there was no "blue" food - "and don't say blueberry's because they are purple!"

The next year I acquired a new best friend, who had HBO and my Carlin Education began in full. My parents are pretty conservative people and wouldn't expose me or my brother to that kind of thing, thats what subversive friends are for. I have a collection of VHS tapes in my room and would break them out when my parents went out on weekends.

At first I guess I just thought he was funny - I mean, what teenage boy doesn't appreciate dick and fart jokes, right? But as Carlin developed his voice, I began to see his logic, and I began to agree - even expand it into my own way of thinking.

More than anyone, I think I would credit him with making me a liberal - though as I have stated before, I did not know it at the time. I found myself at odds with accepted behavior, rules, and the boundaries of taste within my own world, and I was emboldened by his courage to challenge them.

I can remember listening to one of his albums while on tour, and my Christian Right Girl-Friend (don't ask) initially balked at his diatribe on the Rights attitude toward abortion and homosexuals ("Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers." and "...who has fewer abortions than homosexuals?") But as she listened to the reasoning she began to see the hypocrisies. It never changed her opinion mind you, but it did open her eyes to the hypocrisies of her allies.

A very thoughtful girlfriend bought me tickets to see George in 1998 at the Warner Theater. It was not until the Borat movie that I laughed so hard. I feel privileged to have seen his act in person - especially in the digital age we no live in, where more people are content to just watch rather than experience. I will treasure my Carlin experience, and always carry a bit of him with me.

Tears for Tim

2008-06-16T10:39:00.003-04:00

I cried for the first time in a while this weekend. Usually this is reserved for really bad things that happen to me personally, or someone I know very well who has had something horrible befall them. This weekend however, I was forced to say goodbye (along with the rest of the nation) to a friend who I have only known through my television. My constant Sunday morning companion, Tim Russert.

For secular humanist's like myself, Meet the Press is a sort of church (the irony being Russert's deep and authentic catholicism.) And ever since I got TIVO, I have not missed a single installment of MTP. Though some of them I have turned off early.

Even when I did not think he was going far enough, when I thought he might be letting some "I like you" bias creep into his questioning, or when I though he was just being too civil - I have always respected Tim Russert. He did help me understand politics, government, and civil discourse - the civil part being a weakness of mine. though I have at times questioned his questioning, the number of truly inspired interviews and great questions far outnumber the few quibbles I have had with his work; indeed, in retrospect I think I might have been yelling at his guests more so than yell at him when I thought bullshit should have been called - I could just never get mad at Tim.

Having sat through several hours of the NBC "mourn-fest" I was reminded of the man, his family, his Buffalo obsession, all the good things; and I began to realize that one of the truly good men in the world had just passed away, at 58. That could be the saddest thing. His father out lived him, and he will never get to see his own son become a father - seems unfair for a man who had done nothing but good to be denied the things he wanted.

Watching Tim's friend mourn on the air, I got caught off guard. One of the montages, not one of him doing his job (they are great, but not tear jerker's,) but a simple photo montage that represented his whole being - it came after a discussion of how Tim always had a little boy inside of him, and the montage displayed the proof. Every shot of him, you could see right into his soul - you could just see the joy he had, for his work, his family, and for life.

Like many, I will miss Tim Russert. I will consider him on of my greatest teachers. My regret, I never got to meet him. But I can be certain that I will think of him every Sunday. Rest in Peace.

You Reap...

2008-05-29T15:29:00.002-04:00

Oh Scott McClellan, how I have missed you. So odd that I placed you prominently on the "Wanted for Lying" board in my production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist, isn't it. And now your finally ready to just come out with it and admit that you are a lying bastard. Or, rather, that at least the president is a lying bastard.

One would think that I would be jumping up and down with glee at such a defection - alas, no. Scott McClellan is just as much a a two bit coward now as he was when he was the White House Press Secretary. If indeed he harbored the feelings he professes now, and did nothing about them - I'm afraid he's still the traitor I believed him to be back then, and perhaps a worse one.

The Iraq War exists purely because of the cowardliness of government officials serving from the year 2001 to 2004, members of the media working on the story from 2001 to 2004, and any voting adult alive in the country between 2001 and 2004. While I do take solace in yet another confirmation that the man currently occupying the White House is an utter moron - Scott McClellan's book does not vindicate anyone - or rather the reports of what he reveals in his book, I have not read said book.

One interesting poll I saw online today had a 62% to 38% inclination toward believing McClellan over Bush. Wow, that is bad. So I guess for me all of these revelations (which I had believed to be true for years prior to this books publication) are not the story and not encouraging. It's that the man in charge has fallen so far that not only would a former staffer, with whom he had a long and close relationship, throw the president under the bus; to add insult to injury, everyone thinks the guy trying to sell books is more credible.

Ahhhhh, justice.

They will be back next year

2008-05-21T17:10:00.003-04:00

People who have theater companies, attention please. You need to know this. Do not, I repeat, do not plan your biggest and coolest thing yet for a presidential election year in Washington. No one goes to the theater in a presidential election year in this town. This is my third since I have been living here, and I am sick of every four years getting a thousand emails to please help fill the seats at a thousand different shows.

It's not the theater regulars that stop coming, it's, well everyone else. Your not doing anything wrong, other than mounting a big production in a year you should mount a small one. Normal people stop coming to the theater because there is better theater on MSNBC and CNN. Lawyers are working on campaigns, staffers are working on campaigns, retires are working on campaigns...everyone is working on campaigns. Thats what make the economy of this city go, and that is what is going to happen here every four years, period. Plan for it. Take it into account. If someone you know is starting a theater company, tell them not forget that DC has no audience in a presidential election year. Stop the madness.

Thank you.

Time for a Cutain Call

2008-05-13T15:52:00.003-04:00

I have been inundated with commentary as of late, as to the validity of the two remaining Democratic candidates for president. This is how it is right now, and don't just shrug this off if you are not a basketball fan - it really is a good analogy. For those who do not know, in the NBA the Western Conference is vastly superior to the Eastern Conference. It has been this way for the past 8 years or so. For example: the 8th seed in the west had a record of 50 and 32, while the 8th seed in the east finished the season at 37 and 45. The Democratic Party is the Western Conference in this election cycle. Everyone has their favorite, but the reality is that the West will be the superior team when the finals come around.

Now there are a few things that can change that. In the NBA it's usually injury - just like Senator Clinton is trying to do to Senator Obama - she's trying to beat him up, so that she is seen as the stronger candidate. The problem for the Senator from New York is that for every blow she strikes, she ends up giving herself two. Just ask the Washington Wizards how that worked out this year (4-2 loss in case you weren't following.)

I have been sent editorials on sexism in the media/campaigns and racism in the media/campaigns, and you know what - they are both there. Hell, you could throw in ageism too. None of this is pretty - though the ageism is pretty funny stuff. But is it worse that the pro-moron bias of the past 8 years. Isn't this what we Americans seem to think "debate" is in our name-calling society?

Now back to my point. there is no "better" Democratic Candidate for the fall, just the one that wins. That is going to be Senator Obama. They say there are no second acts in politics - but that has obviously not been true this year. Senator McCain is going strong in his second act, and Senator Clinton is pushing her third act. Thing is, I think Americans are one act and two act play people. They really prefer the one act - it's shorter, cleaner, and when the curtain falls you go out drinking. They can take a two act play, especially if the theatre sells beer at intermission - but when its three + act's - most head for the doors during the intermission(s.)

Sometimes, you just have to take your bow and let the show close is my point - even if you think it was the better show - cause unfortunately for you, the better show is the one that sells more tickets...even if you think your art is better. So, Senator Clinton, take a step out on the stage and show us some statesmanship, or else you are really in danger of being that bitter kind of person that you claimed Senator Obama should not have described.

Masks On

2008-05-02T12:36:00.002-04:00

So I've been teaching. The idea of me teaching the youth of America might seem like a gross miscalculation on the part of educators - but since they are international students, America's education system is not to be faulted - for that.

I teach Commedia dell Arte, the old Italian style. I had the good fortune to be taught the style in college - not by faculty, but our company manager brought in teachers from Hartford. I performed Arrlechino and random zanni's for 2 1/2 years both on campus and the streets of DC - literally the streets.

So I had 7 kids for a three session master class. Normally I just go in a teach them as much as I can in one session, culminating in some basic lassi at the end. But their teacher asked for more - and I obliged.

I'll skip the day by day and just say that we were able to put together a full scenario, about 20 minutes that had their teacher and myself falling out of our chairs. It was mostly about impotence - a great subject for commedia - and the the word "pre-dick-ament" played a large role. Also the female pantalone was wearing very short shorts under her cape that made it seem as though pantalone had forgotten to wear pants - really hysterical.

My own company took several months to put together our first scenario - granted it was about an hour long, and was very complex, but I still marveled at what these kids were able to accomplish with just a few sessions. Of course they are not ready for a real performance, we could have spent months on the precision of the movement, but the way they gave into the ideas, the spirit, and the commitment it takes to pull this kind of theatre off really made me feel good about myself from an artistic stand point for the first time in a while.

Shhhhh...I can't hear the theatre...

2008-04-29T14:22:00.005-04:00

Synetic won everything. Even the awards they didn't win...I'm sure it was a mistake on the part of the presenters. So what now? Should everyone in Washington just give up and stop having spoken words in their plays? How would Synetic do with a new play? Do you think Paata and Irina could make a magical silent production with a story no one has ever hear before? I liken this to my criticism of Passion of the Christ. I thought that Passion was a very well shot movie, even a well made movie, but if I did not already know the story - I would have had no idea what was happening.

I'm not suggesting that Synetic is not deserving of their awards, but I think it is time for people to stop being amazed by 2/3rds of a show. Lets see if they can win something when the actors speak - and not for nothing, but remounting Hamlet after it had already won two years ago was pretty classless. However, there were several people from my own cast from last year who's behavior could also be described as classless - so I really shouldn't be so quick to judge.

I think that the solution lies in making a separate award: The Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Synetic Theatre Production, Performance, Design, and Ensemble. Yep, that will solve everything - it could also be called "The Modern Dance Award," but I like the more straight forward title.

Face Battle

2008-04-18T16:10:00.004-04:00

I think I'm losing a battle. I think I am going to have to join facebook. I think I might have to shoot myself.

There is a particular idea floating around work, which is legit and could be cool - but in order for me to be a good manager I am going to have to be able to review this ideas implementation - as well as monitor it's content. That means facebook.

I have never been much for popularity contests, and facebook just seems like one to me. I did run for class president once - I was the Ross Perot of that election. I found that my base was the disaffected, easily amused, and just plain crazy - though a case for me as a "change candidate" was well articulated by one of the vice-presidential candidates (she lost too though.)

Anyway.

Yeah, so my long enduring line of "I'm over 30, I'm too old for facebook..." may be going the way of the dodo. But on the bright side, I can now look forward to being virtually anti-social.

But no final decision has been made - it's still possible to figure a way out of this one.

An Elite Candidate

2008-04-16T11:55:00.003-04:00

In a recent discussion about blog apathy, I said, "my blog only really works for me when I am pissed off." So here we go.

Barack Obama is no more an elitist than George Bush, Adrian Fenty, Jack Murtha, Hillary Clinton, Jesse Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Tim Russert, or you. I am really sick and tired of all this bull shit. You want an elitist? How about someone who has spent over 20 years in the United States Congress - someone who has never had a real job, who has sucked a living from the teet of America under the auspicious of "public service." Do ordinary, small town Americans all relate to flying fighter jets? No they just think it's cool, and dangerous. You know what's dangerous - growing up in Indonesia - that is fucking dangerous.

Now, I am willing to stipulate that Obama committed a cardinal sin of presidential politics - he told the truth. So sue him. Rural America is bitter, and nothing proves that more than the last 8 years. These people are so bitter, they put a jack ass in office that made their lives worse - and everyone else's - and they did it twice just to spite the rest of the country. Granted, the current 3 choices are all better than the current Moron in Chief - but I feel as though they may go on a fuck it up again.

What is wrong with a little straight talk? Sound familiar? There is some kind of ignorance in this country that I don't understand - harsh truthful answers from a republican is straight talk, from a democrat is elitism? BULL SHIT. We should throw a party in this country anytime a politician comes even close to the truth - like if they trip on it while cashing bundled donation checks, I'm totally fine with that. Like George Allen - he told the truth about his racism, and I thought he was to be commended for that - but then he lied about it again and that squirmy fucker got what was coming to him.

When people are economically depressed, and they habitually do not receive help from their government - regardless of party - then the find something else to vote on. In small town America, it's God and Guns - this is not new information, nor is it elitist. It is elitist to narrow ones decision to just those two issues. I am a voting elitist though, I narrow my decision to Dollars and Sense.

I part with this - A president should inspire us to make the best of ourselves, our lives, our country. But no one can do that if we constantly keep ourselves down, by denying ourselves the possible.

And McCain puts me to sleep.

Older Now

2008-04-08T13:14:00.002-04:00

I'd forgotten how annoying actors are. Now I've been in a bad mood for about two months. I know, the first thing most might say is," Hairyape, how can you tell?" But I've just been saddled with some real unfulfilling artistic experiences as of late. This usually leads to a bad mood for me.

But further to my point. I went to a birthday party last night for an local actress, who is lovely, strange, and we share a name - which I find interesting, and strange. Now, I'm not close friends with her, or her friends, but I have hired her (and some of them) and it was my first night completely free of my unfulfilling experience, and another actress who was attending had asked me for some footage for her reel, which I had - so I went.

I've had a beard for about 6 months, and now that the show had finished, I shaved it. So I get to said party, say happy birthday, and then spy the asking actress. So I walk up to her, and she stares at me with a very vacant, and uncomfortable look. I know she has no idea who I am, so I call her by her name, announce mine and tell her I have something for her - producing the DVD. It's all smiles and small talk there after. It's just really annoying to have to do that for someone I have employed. I can say in my life as an actor I have never failed to recognize a director I have worked for. Moreover; what she was asking for was not really easy. It's only about 5 minutes of footage, but the movie hasn't been released yet, and it's in HD - which means I have to process the projects into a single HD stream, then down convert it to the standard NTSC format - then post roll it to DVD. It takes about 2 hours...for 5 minutes of footage. I'm glad to do this for people I like, but not necessarily for those who can't recognize me.

She's young though and I forgive her, unfortunately I met "new" people. Honestly, I don't know why they came and talked to me. I think they knew just as few people at the party as I did. We had time in Richmond in common, and if we had stuck to that conversation I think things would have been fine. Two of them were actors, one male and one female. The female seemed nice, and fairly interesting. The Dude, may have been the most annoying actor I have encountered in quite some time. Primarily a screen actor, he proceeds to waste 20 minutes of my time with a long, convoluted, and ultimately stupid movie pitch. Something about a extra on a movie set who is also a ninja. Then asked me who I knew for almost 2 hours straight. And someone really needs to get the message that you don't disrespect the National Players to the face of a National Player - everybody knows that Players doesn't pay well - but you can't judge if you don't tour. If you haven't been on stage at an Equity Theatre in this town - chances are you are not going to be cast as Hal in Henry IV.

Just a little bit of self awareness is all I'm asking from actors. Just a little bit. A bit of understanding that the people you are auditioning for are not wrong if they don't cast you. I've been cast and not cast by friends - it doesn't change our friendship - or how I feel about there work. There is an English director who has never cast me, but I love auditioning for him, we have really great conversations. This is a business, it can't be personal - the work can, I mean once you have the job do with it what you believe you should. If you think every show you are in is the greatest thing ever, fine. If you think every show is a job and you will do your job, equally as valid. But it's really not about you. And for the love of God, think before you speak, name drop, or poo poo.

This is really odd coming from me; I have history of pissing people off with the truth. Maybe I'm just older now.

A Succinct Argument

2008-04-02T10:19:00.002-04:00

I came across this last night.

We don't know what the next President is going to face. If we choose someone with vision, someone with guts, someone with gravitas...who's connected to other peoples lives, and cares about making them better. If we choose someone to inspire us...then we'll be able to face what comes our way. And achieve things...we can't imagine yet.
-Toby Ziegler

I can't think of a better barometer for choosing a President.

Next on Hardball...Chris plays Hardball with Chris...

2008-03-28T15:59:00.004-04:00

Strangely, I am already tired of the media reporting that the media is giving John McCain a free ride while the Democratic party continues to choose it's candidate. I shouldn't be tired of this. I should agree that McCain is being left alone, and getting only good press - even when he gives an economic speech that is essentially asinine.

But you know what the problem with this story is? It's being reported by the media. While true that the media (or press) is the primary conduit for, you know, reporting - their continued insistence on covering themselves does the country a profound injustice. I really don't want to be informed about which media conglomerate is leaving John McCain alone more, or the manor in which one pundit masquerading as reporter reports more positive Clinton stories than Obama stories, or vice versa. I'd like news please.

You know for like a couple of weeks the American media was dealing with what the candidates were saying about public and foreign policy. It was like 2 1/2 weeks in March. But since the "horse race" took over in the Democratic party, and "capitulation race" came to the staggering result everyone thought it would 2 years ago - there has been no news. None. Just a lot of piss and vinegar. Worse on the Democratic side.

So I don't blame the protracted fight on the Democratic side on the media, but I do blame the McCain pass on them. Why? Well, vanity for one. The Media just doesn't seem to get enough of reporting on itself - which is really stupid, because if politics is show business for ugly people; then journalism is politics for ugly people - and that is some serious ugly. However; I feel that the pass that McCain has been getting is really more rooted in the media feeling bad that they pronounced his candidacy dead in January, and now he's the GOP nominee, yeah, whoops.

The truth is really McCain is getting no more special treatment than any GOP candidate since 1980. The media has overcompensated for there own "liberal bias" since then, but unfairly scrutinizing the democratic candidate, holding them to a higher standard than their GOP counterpart. This may be a good thing for the Democrat party, but the country has really suffered - go back and just look at some of the BS the "media" let Gov. George W. Bush get away with, but hammered VP. Gore. Hey the reporting of the release of the hostages in Iran circa 1980 anyone? Dukakis in a tank..ok probably his fault...but Willie Horton?

And just one more time: Who the hell covers an economic speech in the mist of an economic crisis and doesn't mention that the speaker offers no, not one, solution. Asinine.

ABILIFY

2008-03-25T12:58:00.002-04:00

That sounds like a presidential malapropism. The kind of thing the president says to describe his Iraqi adventure, "We're over there, uh, try'n to, uh..hee, hee...abilify the Iraqi people."

Sadly, Abilify is not just a "misstatement," but a drug being marketed with the aggressiveness of the Viagra, Cialus, and Lavetra tenacity of the past few years. I believe that I have written about this before - but I am becoming more and more concerned (ok, obsessed) with it.

Who thought it was a good idea to advertise prescription drugs on television? Probably a stupid question - Marketing companies. And pharmaceutical companies, and the FCC, and the republican party, and the democratic party, and every television network - cause who gets the money from the ads, right?

But shouldn't we question the legitimacy of a drug that has more side affects and a greater risk of death than smoking? I'm not unsympathetic to people with serious mental problems (John McCain aside) but should someone with bipolar disorder really be getting treatment suggestions from television commercials? Thats right, Abilify is for the treatment of bipolar disorder, and features a woman in her late 30's to mid 40's taking a tentative walk through a scenic mountain side, alone. To the ads credit, she does meet up with a similarly aged friend (of the same sex) at the end of her journey, they have a small verbal exchange, and continue the trek into the wilderness. This my friends is Abilifin'.

These Big Pharma commercials are totally irresponsible. They claim that the tag line "ask your doctor about..." make them responsible, but like the "I approve this message..." line in campaign commercials, they do very little. Not only that, but the list of side effects, who shouldn't take it, who should take it, when you should take it, and how many different ways these "medicines" will KILL YOU, is absurd.

Once upon a time, the networks and liquor companies agree not to produce or air liquor commercials. we have seen this agreement evaporate in the Randian 21st Century economic environment. Such is the avenue that has been created for ads for prescription drugs. So while cigarettes will never be advertised on television again, marijuana remains illegal, and the biggest advertisers for the Super Bowl are beer companies; the countries greatest moral dilemmas are same sex marriage and lapel pins?

Moral values are an important part of a functioning society. I believe that they are inherent to our survival. But they are not a one way street. It is not a question of what is legal, but what is right. Ok, I'm really messed up now, because I'm pretty sure Gov. George W. Bush said that exact thing during his 2000 campaign. So what, a stopped clock is also right twice a day (unless it's a military clock, then only once.) Just because a drug is legal, doesn't make it good. And there is real moral deficiency when it comes to anything that can generate money in this country. This is why I refer to this century as Randian, though one could also qualify it as "Gekkoist." Ayn Rand and the fictional Gordon Gekko both claim that "greed is good," But I would submit that the past 20 to 30 years have proved just the opposite. When we stop seeing each other as people, and only as consumers or potential profits; we lose our humanity.

Picks for Obama vs. McCain

2008-03-20T12:03:00.001-04:00

ET SNL & WTF

2008-03-19T16:21:00.003-04:00

So I read this Entertainment Weekly article on Saturday Night Live. It's the same article they write every 4 years: SNL is best and more powerful than it should be in an election year. No doubt, the more powerful part, but I'm not sure it's at it's best. Seems to me SNl does it's best when it is commenting on the Greater America, not just lampooning the political arena. I mean, Bass'O'Matic '76? Come on, now that was some funny shit.

But my really issue with the article is when they confront Lorne Michaels with the charge that the show is bias toward Hillary Clinton. He denies such charges. Frankly, since Tina Fey hosted the first post-strike show, I would have to say Lorne is full of shit. The show as of late has been remarkable biased toward Hillary. **I'm gonna only say this once, I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH FRED ARMISEN PLAYING OBAMA** In fact I think it's a brilliant casting choice, and he is doing a great job - though I think he should incorporate Barack's "look" preface more...At any rate, the show is totally backing Clinton. And why not, it's based in New York, everyone who works on the show is one of the Senators constituents. They can be bias toward her, that is fine with me. Just don't lie about it.

Really, they shouldn't have to deny it. Unless they recognize that the vast majority of their audience is in the Obama demographic. Hmmmm...wait a minute...I bet they do realize that...at least Lorne Michaels does.

The overall lesson here: I should not read Entertainment Weekly so closely.

Cigarettes and Disapointment

2008-03-05T10:20:00.002-05:00

Yet another reason that Ohio and Texas should be expelled from the country. Along with Florida. Can't say I'm surprised by Clinton's wins in Ohio and Texas, but if she thinks she can win those states come fall, she is just a s deluded as the right wing says she is.

I find it disheartening that one of the chairs of her campaign (Sen. Barbara Ann Mikulski (D-MD) know from experience that a prolonged primary will lead to a cash short campaign come the fall. How do I know this, I heard her say it in a campaign speech in 2006 on behalf of Ben Cardin. Oh there was another speaker at that rally too, Sen. Barack Obama? Ever heard of him?

The Clinton campaign is now embarking on what may become the clearest example of Democrats sabotaging themselves. There is a case to be made at this point that she has a "me or nobody" mentality. Sure she has won the big states, states that Dennis Kusinich could win if he was the Democratic nominee. But to stand in the way of such an inspirational figure, and offer nothing but benign wonkery - tell us it's better for us - use republican tactics - and put us all at risk of 4 more years of Bush/McCain buffoonery and crazy-land-neo-world-destructionism, is just irresponsible.

On the other hand, she can't win. Might as well try and get more people to watch the convention. Although, it didn't work for the last episode of the West Wings 6th season. But it should have.

Pictures...with captions...

2008-02-29T14:21:00.006-05:00

Can you believe I tried to get this in one take? 4 cameras. See that second HMMVEE? I'm in the back seat.

My favorite part of the directions on a MRE (meal ready to eat.) I just hope our Soldiers can find a "or something..."

Yes, I do direct.

See if you can guess where I am now? As a side note, this was Valentine's Day and the crane operator was kind enough to share a video he had received on his phone with me. It was entitled, "The Dairy Farmer's Daughter." Here are your hints: Porn, Utters, CGI...ready...Go! Oddly, it was more pleasant than our NASCAR conversation.

I can't believe I forgot to post this...

2008-02-29T13:40:00.004-05:00

So I left for Louisiana on a 8am flight from National. Which means I got up a 4:30am, double checked my luggage, took a shower, emptied my pockets of all extraneous metal, found a small lighter to try and smuggle through security, acquired my backup matches, packed my XBOX (it was being used in the film, I don't have time for fun on these shoots,) and trudged my way to the Silver Spring Metro in the pre-dawn darkness and blistering cold.

After a short concern that the yellow line would never arrive at Gallery Place, I got to National with about 1 hour and 15 minutes to spare. Of course, I had problems with Continental's express check in, but the service woman set me straight - Jonathon was just lucky that I was in line ahead of him, or it would have been him get the early morning mocking.

So after a flawless trip through security (yes, I get the lighter on the flight) I made my way to concourse A. It's always a longer walk than you think. I checked in with the producer and the crew, 45 minutes to go and no problems, kind of unique, so it was now coffee time. Which meant a walk all the way back to concourse B.

At the junction of A and B, I encountered a Newt. Newt Gingrich. The devil of the 1990's himself, and his third wife. What does a rabid liberal due when faced with the conservative speaker of the house that wasted millions of tax payers dollars trying to remove a duly elected president of the united states? Well i was wearing sunglasses, so I stared him down and acted superior to him. Then when in line for coffee I called my producer and told her he was coming her way - she spotted him just then. That's more a sighting than a story, but wait there is more.

Coffee in hand I returned to our get as boarding began. Producer says to me, "I think he's on our flight." "Bull shit," I replied. "It too early for that..." "I don't know..." she countered. We moved on more coherent and pertinent subjects as we boarded.

Son of a bitch if the Newt isn't the first thing I see when walking through first class on my way to the back of the "air" bus. So now I have to do something right? What can I do , I have to get to Louisiana, and walking isn't an option at this point. So I let my XBOX back nudge him, he looks up, and the best I can do is give him a uninterested and unimpressed, "speaker."

And that was it. Aside from a long as flight to Houston, and throw back to the 50's jumper flight to Alexandria, LA. Really the first time I wanted to kiss the ground after a flight. The second was on the jumper back to Houston a week later, but it was Texas, and ain't no way in Hell I was kissing the ground in Texas. I went with Grip Steve to the "presidential lounge" and drank free Bloody Marys instead. Much better choice. Though, in retrospect, I now wish I had taken a picture of myself with the bronze statue of George H.W. in the Houston airport. But who has time for such things when the alcohol is free.

Back from a long trip

2008-02-19T17:07:00.005-05:00

Oh Louisiana, you look so much like the desert. So The Hairy Ape has been off in the deep south shooting yet another of his training movies. I can't post what, who, or why here due to the media hullabaloo that has surrounded said project. You might have seen me on CNN though - but since I appear to be smiling and happy I would bet that you would not recognize me.

We shot a 1 hour and 45 minute movie in about 7 days - this is a personal record for me. I would like to thank all of the friends who participated as actors or crew for really helping me to achieve the potential that the script had (i've started to look at the footage and it is gangbusters.) So:

Karen, Val, Jonathon, Steve, Gus, Lee, Jason, Danny, Andrew, Jefferson, and all my new guys I can't say thanks enough.

And hey, how about that Potomac Primary - as they say in the Army - we were tracking :)

Check out Jason Stiles hiding behind the boom mic.

Jefferson Russel...can you find a bigger bad ass?

I've already made history, have you?

2008-02-06T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to report that i have already voted in the Maryland Democratic Primary and it's not until next week. Absentee baby, seems that I will be in Louisiana for the big Potomac Primary day and the Clinton's had conspired to take me out of the game. No such luck. I even alerted my colleague and producer Karen to the situation - she is backing the junior Senator from New York - as well as printing her a ballot request and bugging her every day up to Feb. 5th as to whether she had faxed it to the Board of Elections. Take note, the Obama supporter was encouraging the Clinton supporter to vote.

However, due to her own civic laziness, she had not submitted her new address prior to filling out her ballot request, as well as incorrectly filling out the form - thus proving to me that Obama supporters are infinitely superior to Clinton supporters and more deserving of choosing the next President.

I am bringing a number of locals to Louisiana with me - and get to see the old Danny Ladmirault while I am there - and I told them all to get an absentee ballot well with in the necessary time frame. I have done what I can. Though the head of IT department is an idiot and registered as an independent, thus taking him out of the Maryland primary - take that non-partisan people. If you want to complain about your choices, you need to participate...yeah Lou Dobbs, I'm talking to your fat lazy ass.

How everyone is enjoying this incredibly exciting election, and a special thanks to the WGA for striking and forcing everyone to pay attention to things that matter. I wish they would strike every four years.

Obama Now, or else

2008-01-27T00:55:00.000-05:00

I am now convinced that Barack Obama must be President of the Uinited States. Period. There is no continuation of this statment. This is a man who can inspire people. we have not had such a president since 1960 (some may argue that 1980 held such a president, incuding the aformentioned candidate, but I can't get onj board wuth that.) I understand that JFK's daughter will be writing an op-ed for the NYTimes entitled "A President Like my Father" and I could not agree more.

For those of us in our 20's and 30's we only know of Kennedy as this great Democratic President that was assasinated and therefore imortalized. But the reality is that Johnson was more liberal domestically, obviously he held similar forgien policy ideas as his political decendent George Bush (no good ideas come from Texas), but Kennedy was a coallitiona builder. This is the the first step to Statesmanship, which is the foundation of great leadership.

Of all the candidates in the field, Republican or Democrat, Barack Obama is the only statesman. Don't even think of saying McCain. The man is batshit fucking crazy, and once he is given the power of the presidency, we will all be well and trully fucked. Not to mention, he is an economic moron. All McCain knows is kill, kill, kill. I acknowledge his service to our country, thank him for it, but he can not be the president of the united states. He is too untable, too old, and does not have the right credentials. I mean really, a Senator will be the next President, sould it really be the chairman of the Comittee on Nativie Americvan Affairs?

Barack Obama makes people feel good. that is somethjing tht has been missing from this country for 12 to 14 years. Isn't is time we had a president taht did that for us? Of course I just watched him beat Clinton by close to 30%, so this could all be euphoric, but I really belive that this country will die without him. No other president will do. It's him, or we will suffer the same fate as Rome - and I for one am not a fan of bugary.

Libritarian Assinineism to come later, it's just not as relivant as it use to be.

Because Karl Asked

2008-01-08T14:42:00.000-05:00

Sorry i missed the Caucus, I was watching it happen, but not commenting. Fankly there isn't much for me to be angry about...which is different, for me. My candidate is winning, and should win big tonight as well.

I've been telling Republicans they were going to nominate Mike Huckabee for about 9 months, and it looks like thats whats going to happen. There is still a shot of Guliani and McCain - but the more I see John McCain, the more I see a bitter, old man. And when I say old, I mean OLD. This guy looks like he will tip over at any second. I believe he would be 2 years older than Reagan was when he first took office. Look, he's just too old.

I feel a little bad for the Clinton's. No I don't. I pity them. There is no way to win now. Hillary's natural negatives are too high for her to ever go negative and succeed, and there is no way to stop Obama with negative campaigning anyway - though I know the GOP will try. You actually have to have a better message to beat Obama, and you have to deliver it better. Or you could restrict the national vote to the white counties in Mississippi and all of Utah.

It really does feel exciting, like being an active part of history. Most of the history in my life time has been passive history - disasters and terrorist attacks, the ending of a long cold war, etc. Barack Obama is, in my opinion, the Kennedy of my generation. Baby Boomers hate that, because they are arrogant, selfish brats who; though they maybe sixty, still act like the 17 year olds they still wish they were. I for one am ready to say goodbye to the Most Selfish Generation.

So if you don't know anything about Barack Obama's positions, please take a few minutes to find out before he gets attacked with lies like any self respecting front runner. The real secert of Barack is that he's really no tthat Liberal.

Coming Soon - Why Libertarians are Jackasses.

What New?

2007-12-07T15:29:00.000-05:00

For 9 months I've been telling people to beware of Mike Huckabee. For Longer than that I've been behind Barack Obama. As Iowa starts to shape up, who are the leaders? That's right. Why?

Well all I did was look for the candidate on each side that was the least like George W. Bush. Thats all the 2008 race is about. I don't believe it to be conscious per say, but all of the public opinion polls since about 2005 have pointed to the American people having serious buyers remorse about W.

No matter what republicans say, they don't like him either. Not the man, apparently everybody likes W personally - I for one would like to test that theory, but I doubt I would be allowed with in a few hundred feet of the man - but the policy he represents. The irresponsibility, after a campaign based on "personal responsibility;" the seeming uncaring response to Katrina, after his claims of "compassionate conservatism;" breading mistrust and contempt in Washington, after pledging "to restore Honor and Dignity." war. War. WAR!

Not that the American People should have believed him, I mean like father like son - broken promises. But things have gotten so bad that the 2008 presidential race started about 3 years early, America has tuned out the president, and we all are lokking for not George.

Enter two values, inspirational, and (for lack of a better word) Purple candidates. Don't get me wrong, Huckabee and Obama are very different, but not in their campaign styles. they are inspirer's. They both can make their audiences listen without having to just tell them what they want to hear. They are change candidates.

Honestly this is the race that I want to see. I think we all might benefit from it. And it could tiurn out to to be the first civil campaign in decades.

Here's to the State

2007-10-17T15:17:00.001-04:00

Two Courts

2007-10-10T11:38:00.000-04:00

So I spent my time last night with two courts. The basketball court and the court of opinion. Not that anyone really cares about pre-season basketball, but I watched our hometown pro team kick the crap out of Lebron James, and do it with defense...did I just say defense? Yes, defense - a rare word in reference to the Washington Wizards. The second round draft pick from Fresno State is big, mean, and could be the defensive stopper that the Zards have been in need of for the past few years. Oh that he were 7 feet tall and not a paltry 6'8".

On to the opinion. The GOP debate. Now it might just be me, but these guys seem to be running to the left. Chris Matthews asked them if they supported free trade, and low and behold it was not a yes across the board. this is a rarity in the Republican party. Mostly you hear about fair trade from lefty democrats, Edwards and Kusinich, not Tom Tancredo. Then after the usual, "were taxes to the max" lines, when the debate shifted to health care and energy independence - suddenly everyone in the field started talking about fixing the problem and starting Apollo type projects. Who the hell do they think they are? Everyone knows you can't do either without raising taxes; moreover, the American people are definitively not taxed to the max. If the country is running record deficits 6 years after a tax cut that took place during a surplus the idea that we were taxed to highly is just plain ignorant. The middle class in this country already over contributes, and does not benefit from the kind of tax cut that Republicans institute. Why? Because far and away the middle class are small business owners and GOP tax cuts are targeted way over those SBO's heads - at the CEO's. So unless your the owner of a subcontracting business that provides services to a larger corporation - and somehow have not been put out of business by China or India - you can't possibly benefit from the so called "trickle down." Huckabee even tried to co-opt Edwards' "two America's" line, shameful.

Anyway, what I took away from this debate on the economy is that Republicans are worst than Democrats, because at least Democrats will be honest about having to pay for what they want to do. Not all of them, but most of them. Republicans are far more likely to say something about climate change, health care, or taxes - and then do nothing at all, because they never intended to do anything in the first place.

Oh right, and Fred Thompson...um...well lets just say that I think Nixon was right about him.

'Cause I was on Fucking Vacation

2007-10-09T10:03:00.000-04:00

Thats right, three glorious weeks of no interactive media. Where did I go? What did I do? Did I take a trip? No. I was right here. Rehearsing a show. Going to weddings. Running. Watching daytime MSNBC, Heroes, and The Bionic Woman. Oh and learning three pages of dialogue in Italian.

The latter has been the most ambitious. I've never been very good with languages. I took four years of Latin in High School in the the hopes that since no one speaks it it would be easier for me. No such luck - barely got through that. Then I took another stab at language in College, German this time. And as I said to Gallu last week, I basically got the level of holding up a conversational level of a retarded 2 year old German Child with a learning disorder. It's the spelling. I can't spell in English, so being able to remember the correct spelling for a whole new dictionary was never really in the cards. However; I seem to have been able to get the Italian out, and even understand what I'm saying - now as a special treat, if you are not going to the Stiles/Fritzky wedding this Saturday, the aforementioned Gallu will be performing said Italian for me in the Trial at the 7:30 Saturday show.

Fred Thompson makes his debate debut tonight...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

The GOP is counting on complacency and inevitability too win in 08. All you primary voters out there - "chose wisely."

re: The President's Speech Last Night

2007-09-14T11:22:00.000-04:00

president: Lie, distortion distortion, lie, Iran, lie lie, distortion inaccuracy, freedom, lie lie distortion, extreme bull shit lie distortion, Pratreaus, lie inaccuracy unending war, freedom, bull shit, Iran, lie lie lie...

me: Throwing sweaty jogging socks at the TV.

Something Special

2007-09-13T13:21:00.000-04:00

John Edwards will be addressing the "nation" after the presidents speech tonight. I say "nation" because it will only be on MSNBC. I guess the special part is that he bought the time himself, and it's a possible master play to leap frog Clinton and Obama.

I like John, he and Obama are my "Sofie's Choice." I hope I am home from rehearsal in time to see the whole 2 minutes and not just the sound bite. Could really be a turning point.

Left Out

2007-09-11T16:56:00.000-04:00

Today is September the 11th. No one has mentioned it all day. Four people that I know of have been arrested during the testimony of General Petraeus on the House side yesterday.

All you will here about is the president planning to reduce the number of troops in Iraq in the Spring. The truth: he'd be reducing the number back to the pre-surge level. The reality will be no change at all.

NO FEAR!

Nothing Good Could Have Come From It

2007-09-06T16:40:00.000-04:00

So after rehearsal and a late night run last night, I sat down to watch Fred Thompson announce his candidacy for the GOP nomination on the Tonight Show. Usually nothing short of an appearance by Gomez can make me watch the Tonight Show. I hate the Tonight Show. I watched Jays very first show (mostly because the Black Crows were the musical guest) and have hated it ever since. The first half hour (the monologue and "sketch") epitomize everything that is wrong with Americans. Seriously. Want to know why Bush was elected in 2004 (since he wasn't in 200) watch the first half hour of the Tonight Show and you will know.

Anyway, I wanted to see if Thompson was serious. I wanted to be able to see his eyes. I did, and I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that this guy has no idea how to do the job. He is unqualified, and thinks he will be "playing" the president, not be the president.

There were ample opportunities to see Thompson's eyes and I'll tell you what was going on. Zero. I say nominate him. He looks like he will fall over at any moment, and is brain dead to boot. Actually, there isn't a single GOP candidate that I am afraid of. the only thing I fear is Kusinich getting anywhere near the DEM ticket, and the continued presence of Mike Gravel - he makes people think Democrats are crazy, oh and he isn't a Democrat, he's a Libertarian that is very confused.

But mostly, I was astounded with Thompson's utter lack of ideas on the issues. The guy is literally, "stay the course" on everything, with the banal caveat that we "could do somethings a little better." So I'd like to see the GOP nominate him and let him get 17% of the vote (of course he's still win the flyover states.) Even if I'm wrong - at least Democrats can use the "Hollywood" charge against the GOP this time around. But fair warning to the GOP and the media, if you really think this guy is Reagan, your gonna be really disappointed.

That said, he is "likable" so he's probably get 40% easy. It really comes down to whether he will be able to debate, and organize. So far, I hear he can't do either. But if he starts now, maybe he can drive his red pickup truck to every town in America, he seems to think that strategy will get him a 20 point win. I hope he tries it.

Does this make you horny? or nauseous?

2007-08-30T15:04:00.000-04:00

Honestly How Sexy is this?

I don't know whats worse. A anti-gay gay Senator getting arrested for lude behavior, or that anonymous sex in bathrooms is illegal. When I was at Maryland there was a men's room on the first floor of the Theatre building that was infamous for this stuff. So much so that I was shown it's entry in a guide book to cruising, which the name escapes me. We're talking honest to god glory holes, which the tech deparment would patch with metal plates every couple of months - but damned if the "cruisers" didn't keep prying them off.

Anyway, most of the straight guys just avoided that bathroom. Occasionally I'd be rehearsing really late at night and would figure that no one would be around, and I'd venture in - only to turn right around, due to what I like to call "too many feet in the stall." I was too young to realize that folks were going in there at just that point in the night.

So here is the thing: that men's room was constantly monitored, and I never heard of anyone getting arrested for the goings on within. Believe me when I tell you, I do not want all men's rooms to become the 21st Century bath house - I am fine with them being the 21st Century cesspools that they are - but don't we have better things to do with our time?

Moreover; I was informed by one of my Capital Hill spy's that the whole Sen. Vitter and prostitutes thing was a leak by the white House to secure his vote on Iraq, this looks like exactly the same thing to me. That in no way makes me a fan of Sen. Craig, I think he is disgusting, but I - unlike John McCain - thought he was disgusting before he got in to trouble in Minn. I think the whole GOP is disgusting, and it has nothing to do with sex. They are hell bent on destroying the middle class and undermining the social infrastructure of this country - that my friends is more disgusting that any men's room solicitation (yes even yours Tucker Carlson, and by the way why did you have to go get a friend to come back with you to the bathroom and throw that guys head against the stall? Are you a pussy? No need to answer, I think it's pretty clear.)

Constitutional Bullshit

2007-08-24T11:34:00.000-04:00

So I don't know if anyone is paying attention to the huge bullshit coming out of California in the past couple of days, but man does it stink. None of the major news papers have done a fact based article on it yet - I guess because there aren't any facts yet, it's just an idea right now, so here is a NYT's editorial.

I don't know why this isn't being portrayed as what it is: unconstitutional. I see Tim Russert on the Today Show just saying it would be huge blow to a Democrat trying to win the White House - but no discussion at all about how this is not a right given to the states (Article 10.)

The manor for electing a president, the process in total, is specifically laid out in the constitution, Article 2. It can be amended by the congress or a constitutional convention. California can not just decide to not follow the constitution, for any reason.

This is probably just a way to make the Democratic party waste millions of dollars in California before the actual election in November of '08 - but it could be a short term plan for a GOP victory in an election year that heavily favors the Democratic party. I say short term because even if California votes approve this electoral vote splitting and it becomes California law, the Supreme Court will knock it down - but probably not until 2009 or 2010, well after Mitt Romney or Rudy Gulliani have already started to fuck our country up even more, and in the formers case I'm sure I'll be living in a religious re-education camp and will be unaware that it was overturned at all.

Everyone knows that California is the "crazy" state. Thats why we love California. And everyone knows that since George H.W. Bush won his presidency no Republican has won California. But it would be wrong to assume that it is completely safe for Democrats. The Republicans in California are, in my opinion, "the craziest" of the crazy Republicans. They find all kinds of shifty ways to effect California, recall anyone? They know the state law, and they know how to manipulate the one huge majority in California - the Nut Jobs.

I fall in with Barbara Boxer on this. Except that I don't believe in a popular vote for the presidency. If we are to change the way we elect a president, I believe that it must be done through a constitutional convention - not congress, and certainly not through the white house - that should be convened right after a presidential election and recessed right before the following midterm. 2 years should do the trick, and if there can be no solution in that time the constitution would remain unaltered and the process would have to be tabled until after the next presidential election.

Politicians would go a lot farther if they stopped just trying to win, and started thinking about America's well being.

OK, I've had enough

2007-08-20T13:39:00.001-04:00

So I sat on my over sized purple couch on Sunday morning and watched the Democratic debate on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Normally I am a devote of "Meet the Press" but I heard on Friday That the guest for Meet, Face the Nation, and Fox Sunday (like I'd ever watch that) would Turd Blossom, I promptly canceled the TIVO for Meet and switched.

Here is what I've had enough of:

Dennis Kucinich - I, like many I know, always get Dennis the menace as my "ideal" candidate when I take those stupid "candidate machine" things. He sounds good I guess, but he does not have the political maturity to be president. He's the dork who thinks he has the best ideas for class president, but can't garner the support to lead the class. Presidential elections are about leadership, Democrat's have had a tough time in the past couple of cycles picking a strong leader - in context of the GOP nominee. Not as hard this time around - unless Dennis is the nominee. Dennis wants to lead, and for that I applaud him; however, he doesn't have the skills to do so, he does not have the charisma, he doesn't have the pulse of the country. The real damage that Dennis is causing is the impression that he makes on undecideds that watch the DEM debates - cause he's not drawing the votes that "net progressives" seem to think he should be. I mean is he even competitive in Ohio? Time for Dennis to go.

Mike Gravel - At first I loved him. Crazy, loud, and had nothing to lose. Now he's just crazy. I really don't know what he's talking about most of the time - something about empowering the American people to become a co-equal policy branch in concert with the government. So he wants a constitutional convention - great get organizing - but that is not a platform for president of the United States. Moreover, you don't win the DEM nomination by screaming an yelling - that the other party. It was fun Mike - now go back to selling crazy in Alaska.

Chris Dodd - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...is that a fly on your sculpted hair? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........

Lets get it down to fewer candidates. I know Obama has only agreed to 8 debates, but perhaps if the field was shrunk a bit he'd do more. Or we just wait for Obama or Edwards to walk away with the Iowa caucus and revisit debates in New Hampshire or South Carolina. Either Biden or Richardson will be about ready to pack in by then (either tired, 3 straight 5th place finishes, or out of cash,) and we could see 1 state a piece for the big three (Edwards/Iowa, Clinton/New Hampshire, and Obama/South Carolina.) At least that would be fun for me.

I would like to thank Chris Dodd for pointing out (one of the few times he did not put me to sleep) the real issue surrounding Pakistan and Gen. Musharraf. He is the only thing standing in the way of a radical Islamic state in control of nuclear weapons (notice I do not use the fake word "islamist," this is not a word and only neo cons use it- so add it to the list of what I've had enough of.)

I have a long memory

2007-08-16T13:48:00.000-04:00

About a year and a half ago I wrote a letter to the Washington Post. The title was "A Senate Panels Duty on NSA." I imagine if you read this blog, you have already read this letter. However, here we are with a new congress, a Democratic majority (admittedly slim,) and a floundering president who's approval rating is worse than my hit percentage in Halo 2. Yet still, our leaders seem to think they need to spy on us to keep us safe.

I have been told that there are "things I don't know about..." and that I should trust my government. I have a problem with this. For the last 6 years it has become more and more clear that our government has deceived us. Banking bills, Medicare prescription drug benefits, and tax rebate that became an advance that we were then taxed on again, No Child Left Behind leaving every child behind, and don't forget the 800,000,000,000,000,000,000 gorilla in the room...Iraq. I could go on.

The government owes us, the people, an explanation. The government's right to secrecy should be put on hold until it proves that it can be trusted. So whether Democrat or Republican, I don't trust you if you've been in Congress more than 4 years. In fact it might be worth considering expelling all representatives and senators who have served more than one term. I know what your thinking, "my god! that's gonna kill the profitability of the paid speech market!" Well, it's a small price to pay.

The republican party has been successful in their ultimate goal - proving that government doesn't work. The problem is that no one is pointing out that it's the republican party that broke it. I'd like to institute a national you broke it you bought it policy. If you break government - you have to pay for it, with your seat in Congress or presidency if necessary.

Now back to my point, the recent vote to continue and expand spying on Americans (otherwise known as warrant less wire-tapping) is just as shameful this time around as it was in 2006. However, this time it may effect how I vote - talking to you senior Senator from Maryland.

In Bloom

2007-08-14T10:47:00.000-04:00

I think I have officially lost all my mirth. I am starting to hope that what I will remember about the Bush presidency (soon to be known as the dark ages) was how tired I was. tired all the time. It takes a lot of energy to stay this pissed off for this long.

In fact, I am so tired at this point - I didn't even shout out a "hurray" when old Turd-blossom announced his resignation yesterday. (hey turd-blossom is the presidents nickname for Rove, not mine - I prefer criminal...to each his own.) I can't even think of anything to say about Turdy B. I'm really that tired.

I can't help but think it isn't good when a man responsible for so much ill will, division, gay bashing gets to part on his own terms in a very homo-erotic, teary rose garden press conference; instead of the handcuffs, which would probably have led to the tears and homo-eroticism anyway.

You see what I mean, all I can come up with is calling Karl Rove gay. Pathetic. I wish I have the energy to rehash all the stuff this guy stands for, how repugnant it is, where he should stick it, etc. I'm too tired. This may be Turdy B's greatest accomplishment - exhausting his enemies.

I SEE YOU

2007-08-09T11:31:00.000-04:00

The war of the corneal ulcer is over. during the last month and a half I have gone from this:

to this:

to this:

And wow, I never knew that corrective lenses could be so comfortable. I've been a slave to the gas-permeable lens too long. It's not the surgery, but the last two days I have made my first pain free drives to work in years.

On the other hand, now that I see clearly - this country is more of a mess than I thought it was. Damn.

I missed the whole thing

2007-08-06T11:38:00.001-04:00

For the second year in a row I have missed the Fringe Festival. That is not entirely true - last year I saw one puppet show, and not the one at Theater Alliance. So that and a "hey whats up" from Scot McKenzie is the sum and total of my fringe experience.

I did loan a prop to a fringe entry this year. So at least I participated - and I did have a 5 minute discussion of said show with Peter Marks at the opening of Refer Madness (hey that's fringe too right - okay I did see a fringe show) but I understand that he did not see it, nor did he send anyone to review it. Which seems odd, as he seemed very excited about it. Though I do think he though I was someone else until I took off my glasses. Who I don't know. Long hair, thick black glasses, brown pants, plaid shirt, immediately connected me with SAS, and at the Studio for an opening? Maybe he thought I was Skidmore? Gallu? Cassi Platt?

Regardless it got cleared up.

So I guess I am the quintessential Washingtonian now. Summer comes and I check out. I really need to change that. I don't even know what to be fed up with politically. Though I am pretty upset about that bridge in Minnesota. I think I drove on that bridge while I was on tour. On the other hand most of the information I got about it was my CNN time from 5:30 am to 6:00am before call time to go shoot this godforsaken movie.

So really, I'm still missing the whole thing.

Discusting

2007-07-12T16:00:00.000-04:00

Holy Family Values! Are people only interested in a sex scandal when it involves a Democrat? So Senator David Vitter of LA has admitted to doing it with prostitutes - and his wife turns out to be the big hypocrite in this one. She said back during the Lewinsky scandal that Hillary was too forgiving, and that she would cut off her husband's member if he ever did that to her...crotch check on the Senator anyone?

Then today, the chair of John McCain's Florida election committee gets busted for soliciting a "unspecified" sex act from a undercover cop for $20. Florida State Rep. Bob Allen says he helped build the park that all this happened in, and this is all a big misunderstanding. I suppose if the sex act was "unspecified" and it still cost $20, yeah there was a lot of misunderstanding.

Are these both not reasons to have these public officials removed from office? To the best of my knowledge neither of these guys were in Las Vegas, and therefore they broke the law. Are they suppose to slide because they have not denied breaking the law? Usually you go to jail when you admit you broke the law, just for less time. It seems if you don't admit you broke the law, you don't go to jail at all. wait, that doesn't seem right...oh yeah...if you don't admit you broke the law - and you are white and wealthy - you don't go to jail - especially if you are or work for the president of the United States.

My mom dislikes President Clinton because she thinks he is "sleazy." I think the republican party just lost her for good (as if No Child Left Behind didn't do it.)

I am happy now to call any family values voter who votes republican a dirty whore. 2008 is going to be a lot of fun.

Don't read this if you're in a good mood.

2007-07-09T16:23:00.000-04:00

A old friend of mines father passed away this past week. It's odd, I was actually wondering if that had happened a week or so ago. That may seem morbid, but when I met the man in college, he was in his early 90's.

So I've been thinking what an incredible life he had. This guy saw so much of the world, and the events that shaped it. He was born in Hungary and started his life as a musician (which his son is as well), then after coming to the United States just before a Revolution, he learned to fly airplanes and changed his life completely, eventually becoming a research scientist at NASA. Yeah, NASA - the guy became a rocket scientist.

Once in college, my friend was the sound designer for a show I was doing, and when my parents came up to the see the show - we all went to my friends house for...well goulash, of course...and my mom spoke with his father for hours about the Hubble Telescope - which at the time had a reputation for not working. He explained why it didn't work, and that it was working - and how amazing it was.

The Sayko family we're so very kind to me, like a second family while I was away. It seems that my brother and I are like that - he has an extended Greek family. Plus I know some really cool Hungarian curse words, that you might have heard me uter during A Bright Room Called Day. I thought of the Sayko's a lot during that time and they are in my thoughts now. Arpad and Ana, he was one of a kind and I count myself privileged to know your father and husband.

In other news, this country has gone completely to shit and is filled with feckless cowards that wouldn't recognize the constitution if I was giving them a thousand liberating paper cuts on their neck with it an hour. Just get ride of these criminals so we can get about the business of electing some new ones.

Washington Post, hot on the trail of a 3 year old story

2007-06-26T09:17:00.000-04:00

I haven't done one of these in a while, so bare with me.

Here is the stupid article from the post in question. But if you don't want to read it, it's just the old GOP wants to replace Dick Cheney with a winner for '08. No kidding. I can't remember how many other progressives I have had this discussion with, and why we don't want to impeach Bush without impeaching Cheney or just Cheney.

This "breaking news" was apparent from about January 2005, since everyone knows the Dick isn't going to run for the presidency. And now that he seems to have gone just absolutely crazy (I am sure you are familiar with his claim not to be part of the executive branch - which is the stupidest idea ever. I read the Constitution every week - dude your in the the executive branch) the old guard of the GOP wants to replace him with...Fred Thompson.

Donk...Donk... I can not think of a more unqualified person than Fred Thompson to be an unelected Vice President. Just because you play a tough but fair person on TV, doesn't make you tough but fair. And what is with all these people saying Fred Thompson has a "movie Star" quality. This guy was hit with an ugly stick early in life, he is no movie star, he's the villain, the sea captain, the homeless man that makes Brenden Frasier really feel his white liberal guilt.

Fred is at best a character actor, not a movie star. At worst, well he's a hack. I mean the guy only plays politicians, cops, and military guys - not much range. And just because you played the president in a god awful HBO movie (and they are usually good, don't know where they went wrong on that one) doesn't qualify you to be president either.

I guess it really doesn't matter. What this article fails to point out is that the Senate must confirm the new VP. And you think Fred's gonna get the nod? Exactly. Your more likely to see Vice President Virgil Goode.

Home 5 days and...

2007-06-14T14:17:00.000-04:00

...I get a ulcer on my eye. Yeah, I didn't know that was possible. But believe me, it is. I also have the conjunctivitis - you know "pink eye." Now for those of you who have seen "Knocked Up" that will be disgusting, but I assure you I got it in conjunction with my eye ulcer by falling asleep on my couch with my contacts still in. That coupled with a bad pollen day, and a contractor at work who is screwing up so badly that I have to sacrifice my own well being in order to get her to just do what she was asked to do in the first place.

We have a serious listening problem in the country. Even people I like, and like to work with seem to be having a difficult time hearing and retaining information. I am starting to think that it is due to the advent of instant mass communication. Why remember something if you can just pick up a cell phone and ask the question again? Why write it down if you have saved on you email? Because you will piss off people like me who don't like to answer the same question a hundred times. I gave you that answer, information, or directions - why must I now be on call for you to give it again? I have moved on to other work, do your job.

Anyway, I can't drive or really leave the house today. And that sucks. However the Vicodin does not suck and my eye already looks better. And I have A Bright Room Called Day to thank for the practice in using only one eye - but the damn Rite Aid didn't have eye patches, so I don't look cool - I look like some one stabbed me in the eye.

I am totally back in town.

2007-06-13T15:16:00.000-04:00

Well at least until Friday, and then I go to a family reunion in Atlanta. So, How was Alabama? It was hmmm.
1) Hot
2) Dry
3) Bland - in night life, free time preoccupations, and in food - unless you go to one specific Martini Bar, or eat BBQ for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I've got just one thing to say - RECYCLED CHOPSTICKS!?!?! WTF?
4) Far, far, far away.
5) Not without political leftists, though they are usually found at karaoke - don't ask.
6) Half of the population in made of cardboard stand ups - they are totally cheating in the electoral college.
7) Slow. Everyone is nice, but I think they have to be since they move so slow they must constantly be apologizing.
8) Really, really, REALLY bad drivers. Wow, I mean the driving here is bad - but holy cow. These people are nuts, or blind, or something.
9) The cast and crew were awesome! Best I have had overall. Bama folks were great, DC folks were excellent (both in there work and keeping me sane,) and our one NYC guy was cool too; at least for a NY actor (dude Scott I'm totally kidding.)

Here are a few glimpses of my 3 1/2 weeks in the deep south:

Dude I totally blew this up!

Kimberly turns Danny to the dark side.

Steve looking Evil.

Mike is much funnier in the picture, than in this picture.

Danny blows another take, but hey "Tape is cheap"

I totally killed Kimberly for turning Danny to the dark side - hope she doesn't get a robot body. Or any ticks - did I mention the ticks...yeah, there were lots of ticks.

You may be wondering where the pictures of The Hairy Ape are: thing is The Hairy Ape doesn't like to get his picture taken so much, and really doesn't like knowing he is getting his picture taken. There are a few that I am waiting on from other people and they will make an appearance so long as I can legally put them up.

Lastly: As my flight back to DC came in over the city I got the best aerial view of Washington that I have ever seen. It is the first time I have uttered to myself "God, am I glad to be back in Washington." You really don't know what you've got until your denied it.

Sweet Home...?

2007-05-15T10:12:00.000-04:00

The time has come. I will be out of town, and virtually nonexistent for the next three weeks. Huntsville, Alabama will be my place of residence until the second week of June.

I do see a benefit in this, when I shoot a movie I tend to divorce myself from current events - even when I'm shooting here in the DC area. So I will not have the usual amount of rage that must be vented. I will be doing my own :constructive: part in the war effort - keeping Soldiers from blowing themselves up.

Many people have asked my how I can justify the work I do in my day job, since much of it revolves around the military. I have to say that at first I thought like they did, but as I got to know the people in the military, the real Soldiers who do the work - it became apparent to me that they have a job to do, and are allowed to ask fewer questions than those in the civilian world. Further, they do not make policy - they enforce or execute it. It gives much more credence to the mantra "the troops have done a fantastic job, the president has lost the war."

This may or may not be wholly accurate. As in any profession there are those who do a better job than others. But they have to do what they are told. They can't just give two weeks notice. They can't debate the finer points of their orders. They have to do what their commander in chief tells them to do. No questions.

So if I can stop even one Soldier from falling victim to an IED - I will have succeeded and not have a "conscience" problem.

I may find the time to post some updates from a very Red state on days off, depends on how much is going on in the hotel business center - but rest assured, I will be back with more ranting and probably more perspective in June. Almost everyone I will be working with down there has been to Iraq and/or Afghanistan. And I have already gleaned that what the majority of Americans think of this war, the majority of Soldiers do too.

My Scout Trip

2007-05-07T15:54:00.000-04:00

In the last 10 days I have been to Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina. Some things I have noted during my travels.

Everything is closed on Monday in Alabama - you would think that there was more Theater.

Of those three states, only North Carolina prohibits all smoking inside the airport.

All DOD contractors wear ugly plaid short sleeve button down shirts with khaki pants.

Writers are full of shit, whether they work for you or are outside contractors.

Operating bomb disposal robots is easier than playing Halo.

I can't get on a plane without something going wrong - 2 delays, and a canceled and poorly rescheduled return flight.

Just when you need "IED-proof" vehicles - they finally send them to Iraq.

Writers will promise clients anything -since they don't have to do the work.

The military is doing a good job, too bad about the commander in chief.

Blowing up all those GI Joe figures in my backyard was good training for my future training film job.

I leave for Alabama again on May 17 - no time for blogging down there.

Did I mention that writers are a pain in my ass?

Debate Night

2007-04-27T10:19:00.000-04:00

I realize that I may be one of a few who watched the democratic Presidential Debate last night. So I feel that it is my duty to go over it with you a bit.

1) April 2007 is way to early for a presidential debate. But if your gonna have one this early, al east get out there and make it exciting. Brian Williams was more spontaneous - and that guy is literally made of cardboard.

2) Thank God for Mike Gravel - this guy is totally insane! Never answered the question he was asked, but boy can he yell! He is willing to pull out all the "old coot" rhetoric too, the "I won't hold my opponents youth and inexperience against them" stick. Never mind that he only served 2 terms in the Senate. Back in the 70's and 80's. This guy will make these debates worth watching, until the top tier candidates stop coming because, well...for some reason politicians think crazy is contagious.

3) No one was answering the questions. I hate that about debates. Particularly when there are 8 candidates. It's bad enough to have tow people not answering the question, but when all 8 answer a different question and then try to explain why they are answering a different question - well, some car crashes I saw on tour come to mind.

4) Email questions of the candidates? Really? Really.

5) I will now attempt something the candidates did not seem to be able to do: Follow directions.

I will make a "blank and blank" statement about my impression of each candidate's over all performance (feel free to add your own.)

FMR Sen Mike Gravel (Alaska) Loud and Crazy
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio) Genuine and unelectable outside of Cleveland
Sen. Joe Biden (Delaware) Brief and a suck up
Sen Barak Obama (Illinois) Sounds Good and Says Little
FMR Sen. John Edwards (North Carolina) Relaxed and Contemplative (usually this disqualifies one to run for president though)
Sen Hillary Rodham Clinton (New York) Quasi-Visionary and Repetitive
Sen Chris Dodd (Connecticut) Present and ,uh...Present?
Gov. Bill Richardson (New Mexico) Sure of his Identity and Eager to answer everyone else's question.

I saw an AOL poll this morning that had Obama winning the debate 31% to Clinton's 30%. Edwards was down at 14%. Frankly from what I saw, Kucinich did the best in terms of a debate, followed closely by Edwards, Obama, and Clinton to a certain extent. But I find these AOL polls to be a good barometer of what "real" people in America are thinking. I mean, they still use a terrible internet provider or they are stuck like me with an address they have had so long it make no sense to change it. So idiots and practical people - that sound like the American People to me. There is also this Survey USA poll, which has Obama with the same numbers but Clinton further down. Though the fact that Edwards and Obama polled well with Republicans is interesting.

All in all I'd say - no change. Edwards and Clinton will have to do something in the next, oh say...9 months to kill Obama's momentum, with out killing the party.

I just can't stand it...but I called it months ago.

2007-04-26T16:53:00.000-04:00

Rush Limbaugh is a fat, stupid, talentless, fuck stick, feltch mongering, drug addicted, criminal, ass hat motherfucker, with no love for his country, the law, government, people, or himself. Someone should put this sad sack of wasted diseased flesh out of his and our misery. Better yet, how about he go to jail like should have, where he can be anally raped for 5 or six years like he's in a never ending episode of Rome.

The reason for this out burst brought to you by....

The reality of it is...

2007-04-25T19:52:00.000-04:00

Giuliani said this week that electing a Democrat as president in 2008 will increase the likelihood of a terrorist attack on this country.

The truth is that electing a president in 2008 will increase the likelihood of a terrorist attack on this country. Clinton first term, Bush (II) first term. Both terrorist attacks. Same target.

They want to test the will of our president, every time we get a new one. The Soviets did the same to us in the Cold War - as we did to them.

The issue is not party. It would also seem that the "arrest and prosecute" method applied by the Clinton Administration was more effective at saving American lives. Six people died in the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. 2,973 died in the attacks in 2001 -however, one has to include all the Soldiers who have died in Iraq and Afghanistan as well, in fact I would not even count the deaths in the attacks, in Iraq the latest number I've got is 3,334- in Afghanistan 181. That's 3,515 under a republican administration. No deaths were reported in the apprehensions of the bombers in 1993.

Don't vote for party. Of course that means you should probably vote Democratic.

check it

2007-04-23T14:55:00.000-04:00

It's Offical

2007-04-20T17:12:00.000-04:00

The Woodpecker is going up at the Eugene O'Neill Playwright's Conference -along side Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa no less. So if your free July 11 and 13th get on up to Connecticut and see the most hilariously disturbing thing this side of our actual government! OK, the government isn't so hilarious anymore.

By the by, if your looking for my thought on VA Tech-they remain unchanged from last month's gun control post. Tragic, senseless, preventable.

I WON!

2007-04-18T09:31:00.000-04:00

That is all. Thanks to everyone involved in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. And too everyone else nominated in the Ensemble category, congratulations! Everybody wins!

See ya Sam

2007-04-13T16:53:00.000-04:00

So in the world of progressive talk radio Sam Seder, former co-host of The Majority Report and later the host of the Sam Seder Show, is being buried by Air America Radio on Sundays from 4-7pm. Let see a show of hands as to whom listens to the radio from 4 to 7 on Sunday evening...yeah, that's what I thought. And being replaced with the male version of Randi Rhodes, Lionel (who did at least have the good taste to put MB on the air once.)

Being a big Jeannine Garofalo fan, I did my darnedest to listen to the Majority Report as much as I could, until it was canceled and turned into the Sam Seder show - since Jeannine had better thijngs to do (ie. The West Wing) and it moved to 9am-12pm. Since I am in may car during that time I can't stream AAR, and have to listen to whatever is on Progressive Talk 1260 - Stephanie Miller(who is very funny too.)

But during the cold and artistically challenging winter of 05-06 I pod-casted Sam's show - and damn if it wasn't great. He also introduced me to John Perkins and his book Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, which if you haven't read, you have very little business reading this blog.

But mostly I love Sam because of a segment he did on the "war on Christmas," on CNN. He became a real hero to me, I love someone that will speak truth to nonsense and I will miss that voice, cause lets face it, I'm not listening to the radio on Sunday. Oh yeah, he was also the first person I hear call for a challenge to Joe Lieberman the Democrat killer. Nice try Sam.

Nappy

2007-04-12T17:10:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been a while and I thought that I might have more time for the blogging once my show closed, but that hasn't been the case. The past two weeks I've been working just as much as when I was doing theater, it seems everyone is auditioning for the fall right now - and since I'm not doing anything until the fall that means more work for me. And more driving in horrible, horrible traffic. So of it seems to have paid off, but I will discuss that when there is more "officialness" to discuss.

Now I want to get into to Don Imus. I just saw that he's been fired. Good, but I don't really think he should have been fired for what he was fired for.

I've been racking my brain to figure out when the word "nappy" became a racial slur. I have certainly referred to myself as "nappy" - particularly when I had long hair in college, but no hair brush.

I have no intention of defending Don Imus, but shouldn't 30 years of being an ass hole be more reason to give him the ax? I guess I have to admit that I dislike the mooring "shock jock" genre that Imus was instrumental in creating. My freshman roommate in college forced me to listen to "the Greaseman" every morning when I got up and it left a rather awful taste in my mouth.

Howard Stern (not to be confused with not the father of Anna Nichole Smith's baby) has never held place in my heart either - except when the fake Imus in Private Parts insulted him, I felt for Howard there.

So I don't like what Imus does. Does that mean it shouldn't be on the radio? How is different from the Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity radio shows?

Moreover; upon watching the footage from the MSNBC simulcast on youtube, I did find a racial slur in the commentary. The word was jigaboo. I really hate that word. But Imus didn't say it. I was one of the other talentless hacks he surrounds himself with to make him appear to be the smart one. So should Imus really lose his job, or just the nameless faceless dude who actually said something awful?

Ok, the misogyny was pretty bad though. But didn't we have the "ho's" conversation throughout the 90's? Was Imus trying to speak to a hip hop audience, and now is he being persecuted for trying to reach people? The answer to that is probably not. But I will say this for him. He has not come out swinging on this. He has apologized, expressed regret and remorse, done everything one would want hi to do, an no one will forgive him. Seems, I don't know...sad?

I won't miss him, but I take no satifactin in this being a victory for race relations or free speech.

I hate writers

2007-04-06T17:43:00.000-04:00

I've been much busier than I intended to be this week. Among other things, I have gotten a new work computer sending me through several different hoops trying to recover all my passwords and bookmarks so for a while I couldn't even sign on to blogger. I'm also back to doing actual work at work. It's been a while but now I get to look at the same crappy movies in HD! Nearly twice the mediocrity!

So over here there is a discussion about something called the Dash Riff. If I am not mistaken, I am one of the aforementioned actors in City Mouses example - if not, I can defiantly say that I was on stage during the scene. Having read all the accompanying material, I can say that 1) In a commercial audition if there is another actor reading with you then you can pay around a bit, 2) the chick reading with that guy was a pain, 3) don't do that stuff when you get on set or in the recording booth unless they ask you to.

As a stage actor I know the value of improvisation, and it increases ten fold on film - but editors hate it. Unless it is a wide shot and is perfect. Then we love it, less editing - and more "real."

Now for City Mouse and friends, we've had these conversations personally, but I can not stress this enough: Not every writer who writes a play is a genius. Nor are they all talented, nor are they all competent. The vast majority of people writing plays today don't know how to use the punctuation, let alone all agreeing on what it means.

I believe that Shakespeare has the right idea, put those stops in the rhythm, the verse, and no one will question what it should be. Instead now a days we have one writer from the West Coast who uses the ellipses and another in the Midwest the dash - but they both mean the same thing. The next thing I will hear is that if the writer is from the East Coast, then there will be a special way to say "FUCK."

As someone who works with writers everyday (oh, God help me) I can tell you, they aren't as smart as you think, and they need someone to break there ideas apart. Sometimes they write that junk in because that is the way they hear it in their head - don't let them tell you that is the only way to hear the text. If they are right, fine, good for them, but if they are wrong and you do nothing about it...it becomes your problem.

This could all be coming out because the bad movie I am editing was directed by it's author - so writers arn't my favorite people right now.

Quiet Progress?

2007-03-28T11:16:00.000-04:00

Is it just me or has a rare thing just happened? It seems as though the United States congress has gotten off their butts and...get this...done something about the war in Iraq. As difficult as it is to believe, and as ineffectual as it may seem, I think this may have happened.

The House approved a time line for withdrawal (I believe) 218 to 214 and the Senate has followed suit 50 to 48. Which means this is going to the Chimp in the Alabaster Cage.

Now, I am not suggesting that everyone run out and start planning "Welcome Home" ticker tape parades, there is really no chance that the Chimp in charge won't pepper this legislation with his own veto feces. However; it puts the responsibility for never ending war squarely on the shoulders of our simian president and his party of fecal tossers.

In short it's the kind of move that offensive progressives should be excited about. Not because it will be the answer, but that it is progress. When was the last time you can remember our "dear leader" being faced with a difficult decision? This could be the first time. He can veto and "stay the course," or he can undermine his own presidency and sign the bill. Don't forget that in vetoing the bill, he will veto funding for the troops - isn't that delicious? But since this president has no problem wiping his arse with the flag I'm sure he and his colon deprived press secretary will try and spin it some other way. Speaking of Tony Snow, best wished for a speedy recovery and I really do hope you can beat the cancer - who knows it might make you believe in science.

So give your favorite Democrat a email or call of encouragement. Most of us tend only to get vocal when something is wrong and over look the positive reinforcement for our representatives that so many of us in the theater business desire for absolutely everything that we do. Don't leave those trying to work for you out in the cold. Congrats on doing the work of the people Democrats in Congress. Now will some Jim Webb staffer hurry up and shoot the Chimp with a tranquilizer dart so this bill can pass.

Solution BSG

2007-03-23T13:05:00.000-04:00

This was all planned. Thats all I can think of, can you imagine 10 years ago the public accepting an argument that anyone going to capitol hill to talk to congress shouldn't be under oath? I really am flabbergasted that Republicans think it is perfectly acceptable, and indeed the same thing, to have informal meetings with committee members and that those meeting will equal testimony.

This should be the last straw with these people. Really. The arrogance is astounding. They do not respect the American Government, and therefore, the American People. It is now clear to me that the only acceptable solution to the Bush Administration is dishonorable removal. They lied about the threat that Iraq posed, and the American people bought it; so now when faced with there own criminality in this US Attorney mess, what do they do - lie. Not only that, they want us to believe that they should be allowed to tell us lies. That is what this no swearing in business is about. There is no reason for an administration that has done nothing wrong (which is their stance) to be frightened by sworn testimony before congress. But the Bushies are shaking in their brush-clearer's.

Arlen Specters's "compromise" is horse shit. I mean in the 80's congress had hours and hours of sworn testimony from the Reagan Administration, and they had a whole lot of bad business to hide, are the Bushwits telling us that what they have been doing is worse than Iran-Contra? If so, they need to be eliminated, and if our representative are to timid - I guess we need a state convention or something - I believe I would nominate the Mayor of Salt Lake City to chair.

Really folks, it's getting worse out there, not better. People will say,"well there are only 22 months left, how bad can that be?" Are you really okay with finding out, given the last 6 years? As far as I am concerned (and this should go for everyone) this latest attempt to undermine the American Government should be view at best as an attempt to undermine the legal process, and at worse high treason. My solution? Put them all on a Space Shuttle and put them out the air lock - cause that s what we do with things that look human, but are far from it.

Conflicted

2007-03-21T11:50:00.000-04:00

So I had been hearing rumblings of this happening, but I've kind of been denying it. I would seem the nice people over at Roundhouse have decided to do Nigel William's adaptation of Lord of the Flies.

Some of you may remember my directorial debut in Washington with 2002's Lord of the Flies. Not only was this a great opportunity for me, but it brought together with many of my friends, even introduced a few popular actors to Washington.

To be blunt, I loved that show - and still do - and it saddens me that it's memory may be eclipsed by a new production at a larger theater. This is petty of course, theater must continue to be re-envisioned in order for it to grow and continue to be relevant. But I feel such an ownership of the piece that it is difficult for me to let it go - but I have to keep telling myself that Michael Kahn doesn't get this way every time someone does Hamlet or Richard III.

The pictures are from the 2002 production, you may recognize actors like Jason Stiles, Hugh Owen, Karl Miller, Maggie Glauber, and Evan Casey. More detail on the production can be found here. I do take the solace that most of these actors and the design team will never forget the experience.

Karl Miller was catapulted into Roundhouse's Cherry Orchard because of this show, Matt Soule(set) and Adam Magazine(lights) both received Mary Goldwater Awards for their work on the show, the show itself was the very first Rorschach show to extend it's run as well as being the first show in Casa del Pueblo.

Nor can I fail to acknowledge my great friends Kate Norris and Scot McKenzie who served as dramaturg and fight partner respectively. Not that the actors would know them, Kate and Scot were in She Stoops to Conquer (which I would join them in for for the last week of their run) at the Folger at the time and I would pick them up after rehearsal, go back to my house where Scot and I would fight in the living room while Kate kept feeding me research (historical and psychological.) I would stop when something needed more thought or was particularly interesting, then Scot would use this opportunity to take me off guard - resulting in a very savage fighting style and a well thought out psychological/social structure for the lads on the island.

I still have the pig head in a closet at my house. It only stopped bleeding a year or so ago - that's true, and gross.

And just a piece of advice to Blake: "Sucks to your Asmar'" is not in Nigel's adaptation - look for a place to put it in, your audience will thank you.

Damn You Canada, Damn You!

2007-03-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

Last Night I attended the reception for Helen Hayes Nominees at the Canadian Embassy. Let me just say right up front that I love going to these things at the Canadian Embassy. There is really only one reason: Oysters on the half shell. I love raw oysters. My dad(as I have mentioned) is a scuba diver and for most of my youth our family vacations were planned around "dive opportunities." Quickly I became a fan of all sea food, but the oyster has always been the most intriguing.

It begins with the pulling of oysters from the bay and steaming them in camp fires, but as I got older I was enlisted as unpaid labor for the Undersea Explorers Club's oyster roast, an annual event in which the members of the club cooked sea food in a flat fee all you can eat format. These days would begin at 3 am with a trip to the North Side of Richmond to pick up the deep fryer. The fryer was made by a couple of guys in the club and was about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. I would then ride in the beer truck to the sight (a park on the South Side) and assist with hooking up the taps. So about 8am I would set about the task of breading oysters for my dad. I would open the jars of raw oysters and dump them into what seemed like sandboxes filled with cornmeal. I'd do this for the rest of the day, occasionally stopping to make Hush Puppies or eat (ok, or sneak beer - fine my secret is out.)

My father would alternate between manning the gianormous fryer and shucking oysters. He was quite the shucker. But it went further than just this event. My dad makes a mean oyster stew as well. Now oyster stew is not something I would eat now a days as it was mostly butter and salt with some steamed oysters thrown in - but man did it taste good in the 80's. Really there was nothing better for me than when my dad would get a new supply of raw oysters in a jar and allowed me to consume them with him, make my own cocktail sauce, and shun the oyster crackers as a tool of those who wished to mask the oysters taste or texture.

My mother and brother do not share my love of the raw oyster, so it's not like a crazy family thing. It's just me and my dad, though Bob Allen is with me on the greatness of the oyster on the half shell.

Back to my point, the Canadian embassy had an oyster bar, and not one but two different kinds. I think I almost knock Leslie Nielson over getting to them (though in fairness, I though Andrew was lying to me when he told me that it was Leslie Nielson.) But once I got home I fell asleep within thirty minutes and woke up on my couch at like 4 am. I also fine this morning that a co-worker of mine who also attended the reception passed out shortly after returning home. Keep in mind that the shin-dig was over at 8pm. Damn you Canada, Damn you.

...and Featherd

2007-03-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

There is a new number one on the list of phrases that need to be removed from our vernacular, or once again given the strength which they once held. "I accept responsibility..." when was the last time you heard a public official say this and actually suffer any consequences?

Okay, Brownie lost his job, but he got a better one - contracting for FEMA. Bush took "responsibility" for how things have gone in Iraq - and jet we just keep letting him play in the big boy sandbox. Alberto "Speedy" Gonzales seems to be on the road to "taking responsibility" by blaming Harriot Meyers. Guess what Burt, if you are responsible, then you have to resign. No "but, the president can do what he wants," no"I trust the Senate to talk and talk and talk about this until I get to retire," and no "hey look, Hilary Clinton is beating small children! Quick shred the evidence that we hired competent, ethical people - of coarse no one will believe we hired that kind of people - shred non the less!"

That is it. You barley got confirmed by a republican Senate, what makes you think that you will survive a DEM Senate? Quit now Burt, before we drag your bad name through the mud and even the disgusting people in your own party won't have anything to do with you. Do you honestly think the people of this country will stand for an Attorney General that breaks the law? Presidents, sure...but not our top lawyer. Americans hate lawyers anyway, but a lawyer that breaks the law could be the last rung of scum that even the 18% that thinks Bush is doing the right thing in Iraq can't stomach.

I am warning you right now Burt - get out of my Department of Justice, cause I am getting a cauldron and some roof tar at Home Depot tonight, and I got my eyes on a nice rail in the parking lot of the post office behind my place of business.

Guns and A-Holes

2007-03-12T14:44:00.000-04:00

Today on the progressive talk radio, my man Ed Schultz is trying to defend gun owners and the federal decision to repeal the DC handgun ban. I am going to take this time to express how tired I am of stupid fly over Americans insisting on comparing Cars to Guns. This is a ignorant comparison.

Cars are built for transporting people, goods, even information - and sometimes are a replacement for self esteem, in the case of men. Guns are made for one reason - to kill. There is no other purpose for a gun.

One does not use a gun to stir pasta, ride the metro, pacify a crying child...blog. Cars are not meant to kill, you can kill someone with a car -but it talks some effort to do so, or extreme negligence.

If the gun lobby, or the "sportsmen" of the country can come up with a non-violent use for guns then I would rethink my position, but I know that they can't. And while I am at it, this "sportsmen" name they give hunters is total BS. What is sportsman-like about sneaking up on a defenseless animal and shooting it? If you're hungry, I can understand it. So why don't we give hunting licenses only to homeless people? Most of them are Vietnam Vets anyway, at least they will know how to use the guns.

My opinion of hunting is like that of NASCAR or Golf. These are indulgences that a male dominated society has insisted on calling sports. But in reality they endanger our environment, our national security, and our lives. I don't expect them to go away, but I do expect that the people who engage in these indulgences take responsibility for the damage they are doing to our country.

Traitors.

Read it and Weep: The Woodpecker moves up the list!

2007-03-06T14:04:00.000-05:00

Just got a cable from the most depraved writer in New Jersey (ain't that saying something...) and you guessed it: The Woodpecker has moved on to be a FINALIST for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Conference. Other accolades include:

semi-finalist or finalist for the Global Age Project (Aurora
Theatre), 2007 PlayPENN New Play Development Conference, and the 2007 Seven
Devils Playwrights' Conference.

So Be on the lookout for Samuel Brett Williams. He's on the rise, and I will be glad to say that I knew him when.

You don't impress me Grey's Anatomy...

2007-03-05T16:59:00.000-05:00

Someone over at Grey's Anatomy is a Mez Head. In case you hadn't put that together - lover of the Gomez. Apparently the medical drama hooked up with the Go network is heavy into Gomez and responsible for the boy resent appearance on The Tonight Show. By my count they've used three track from the "How We Operate" album this year.

This, however, will not lure me into your medical drama. I have no interest, and since I already know and love Gomez more than you will ever be able to pay them I refuse to set my TIVO to record your drivel, mostly because the Medical Drama is so 90's. The other reason is Patrick Dempsey. Watch Mobsters, and you will understand.

I may, once again, have to watch my favorite musicians tumble into mediocrity by way of notoriety(see: Pearl Jam.) Moreover; if this Grey's Anatomy thing keeps me from being able to get tickets to shows (like my friends who have to act far too fast in order to get tickets to Arcade Fire) I'm gonna start hitting teenagers with logs. I believe that my first test will be in Atlanta this July. Why Atlanta? Well they are playing in Baltimore on March 10, but I have a show - It's the second half of a double bill with Ben Kweller - and wouldn't you know it I just check and the bitch is sold out...thanks a lot, Life In The Theater. Anyway - I didn't want it to be like the Philly show, when I got there in time to see only 30 minutes of the show.

Cheers Mates - don't let this thing go to your heads too much please. And I'm still not watching Grey's Anatomy. Ick, Dempsey, gives me the willys.

Gingrich Reveals Plan to get GOP Nomination, and lose the General!

2007-03-05T14:43:00.000-05:00

WOW! Here is this from Crooks and Liars. Now I know a conservative who already has the answer to the question Newt is asking. My Dad. Since Dad's retirement he has participated in volunteering during the two biggest natural disasters of the new millennium. The Tsunami in Asia and Hurricane Katrina. My father being a master scuba instructor (and I say master because it his title, not because he taught me to dive - though he did,) was quick to go to Asia and help with savage - and since water was involved with Katrina he went down there to see if he could be put to use.

He did not speak of diving in New Orleans, but rather that he too could not understand why all those people just sat on their duffs and let the hurricane slam into them. Then he got the answer. Most of the 9th ward is on welfare, and the hurricane hit before they got their checks - hence none of them had any money to get them passage out of the city. They couldn't buy bus tickets, train tickets, gas, none of that stuff. So this is not a failure of citizenship as the un-esteemed former speaker suggests (by the way did you know he is on his 3rd wife?) but rather, as we in the reality based community have know all along, a failure of a government to give it's citizens the tools required to be good citizens.

Just another bull shit excuse from the right. Where is your plan, Mr. Gingrich? Another tax cut? Yeah, that's what I thought.

Because DCeiver won't

2007-03-01T11:42:00.000-05:00

Big congratulations to my Maryland Terrapins! 5 in a row and a lock for the NCAA tournament with a 8 point victory over the hated Blue Devils. That would be a sweep, DCeiver. By the way your Cav's can thank us later for the bump in their strength of schedule.

This was a quintessential Terps win. After being insulted by the Coaches of America with a top 25 snub after breaking the hearts of the Tarheels, Gary's Guys go out a face a team with identical record, RPI, and strength of schedule - yet ranked 14th in nation - and embarrass them on there home floor. Dicky V must have had an aneurysm. More importantly for the future, Greivis Vasquez ends up one rebound shy of a TRIPLE DOUBLE! Yet no one mentions it. Thats fine. I'm happy with DJ Strawberry and Mike Jones being recognized, but come on! A Frosh that goes 12, 13, and 9? That is flat out amazing.

So all you VA Tech and UVA'ers we'll see you in the ACC tourney - unless you get scarred and loss to NC State or GA Tech on purpose.

Weekend Haze

2007-02-26T14:47:00.000-05:00

1) 40 minutes on Universal Heath care, when I'm suppose to be celebrating the closing of a show.

2) 20 minutes on Mike Huckabee, when I should be celebrating the closing of a show.

3) Three shows in one day (ok, one was a design run...but still.)

4) At 1:14 am Sunday I realize I have not eaten all day.

5) Jesus is magic. And he just won't go away. Some people just don't want to be told the truth - although the same could be said of James Cameron, I mean Titanic has to be the worst movie to ever win the AA.

6) GORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7) 5 minutes wasted on Hillary Clinton when I was suppose to be celebrating the closing of a show.

8) Snow...I totally could have made it to WSC...but rehearsal is canceled, I study script, read book, and fall asleep, but not until after BSG - union -YES!

9) I declare fellow actor to be a hopeless independent...try and convince him that government works when people believe in it...fail.

10) Fish Sticks are delicious when you haven't eaten for 40 hours.

Ok, so I'm a lier...

2007-02-14T11:21:00.000-05:00

...I have time at work to both learn lines and blog, at least for the next three days. This is really bugging me though, and it is a dangerous territory, in fact it borders on "engaging." I am quite disturbed by the commentary here, and to some extent here. The later is more of a fuel for the fire type thing, where as the former seems to be encouraging some of our demons.

This is the 8th Helen Hayes Awards that has meant anything to me. Which is really kind of a lie, as ultimately how well a show sells is the real test of the performance, I mean that is the business right? That is a longer conversation, and one that I would chose to avoid depending on the company, so back to my real point. I have been disappointed by the Helen Hayes, and I have been pleasantly surprised by them over the 8 years that I have cared. I have taken a flask with me when I know someone I don't think highly of is going to win, I've cheered loudly when a friend has won, and I have listen to people tell me that I was robbed - and that the pre-show slide show was compensation. I've told people that they were robbed, and sometimes I even meant it.

Here is what I'm getting at: This year is a really good overall mix in the nominations. This is what I thought as I read the noms on Tuesday morning. I had more problems with last years nominations (I am not a fan of having over 5 nominees in any category - I'm talking to you Outstanding Actor in a Resident Play!) Frankly with the new Ensemble Award it's kind of hard not to get nominated, and this may be the great equalizer. No one had really pointed out that there is nary an equity company in the mix for the Ensemble Award. There are like 48+ young(ish) actors and actresses that have joined the ranks of the HH Nom by adding one category - if they could only devise a way to get a like category for design I believe that they really will be on track to be the most inclusive awards ever. Which is weird, because the purpose of awards is to single out people from a group, not include everyone, thats just what they are there for.

Anyway, there is not a single new or interesting comment on these particular blogs. I've heard every argument put forward. And for the record, the young companies are responsible for not having an Obie type award, because none of them can agree - everyone approaches it in a manner most advantageous to themselves. I've been involved in these conversations more than once - it's pointless. To get a second award now that the Mary Goldwater's are gone, the smaller companies will need an independent organization.

Lastly, I'm just going to come right out and say it. Musical Theater people - you need to shut up and act professional, stop bad mouthing each other on the internet, behind each others backs, or in the lobbies of theaters. Can't you all be happy that your kind of show sells? When I first started here there was almost no competition in the musical category, in fact some theater's did a musical just because they knew it would get them a nomination. Now there is real competition, and all you do is bicker? Come on.

ummm...

2007-02-13T13:24:00.000-05:00

...well I guess I was wrong about that last part...

It's probably not going to happen...

2007-02-12T14:23:00.000-05:00

...the blogging. Not so much over the next 30 days or so. Reason? I am insane. Continuing on in Rough Magic, which has been selling rather well, and the number of performances are doubling this week. Did I mention that I sprained my left ankle on Friday night, well I did and it sucks. It's totally my fault for not telling the director that if I jumped off the stage to the floor wearing 5 inch heels, I might ge hurt sometime during the run - I was a slave to "wouldn't it be cool if..." and "Whats the matter Hairyape, are you scared?" Not to worry though, I did the Saturday show just fine, oddly I can walk better in the heels than in street shoes with the sprain. It's a level 2 sprain, so I'll probably be okay in a couple of weeks. Of course, I started rehearsal for my next show last Wednesday. Which is a lovely group of people, and a well written piece (sorry Roberto.) But since I'm in a lot of it, I will take my normal blogging time at work to try and learn my lines. Oh, did I mention that that show opens 10 days after Rough Magic closes? Well it does.

I guess memories are shorter than they used to be. This kind of schedule used to be the status quo for me in DC, but I sense a lot of trepidation from folks. Not to worry, I'm actually good at doing two at once - in fact I have always thought that it helps me to work harder and get more done. Probably because there is so much to get straight that my ADD can't get in the way.

So in closing, here is to another year without a Helen Hayes Nomination! Yee Haw!

Peaches

Large Voluptuous Breat Lovers Everywhere shed a tear.

2007-02-08T17:07:00.000-05:00

I am conflicted over the news of 39 year old money grubber Anna Nichole Smith's death. On the one hand it maybe the most easily explained death ever. I do not foresee anyone asking "Why God? Why?" Mostly because the answers are too clear. For my money, Skyscraper was enough...but the whole marrying someone you knew was going to die just to get his money, might have factored in. The fact that the Supreme Court of the United States heard her case, thus allowing her to enter the chamber, is enough to warrant this catastrophe.

But, I am saddened by the death of her spectacular décolletage. Or that which she had built upon herself. Truly, could anyone really keep that of the list of the 7 greatest wonders of the modern world? It was man-made, and prominently displayed to everyone. I mean really, how could you miss it? I guess we will find out...

Not to be missed? "The Anna Nicole Show 2," "Soft-core Stars of the Judaical Branch," and "Fun Bags: the Musical!" all sadly to die in development with their creator.

The Hairy Ape Presents...

2007-02-07T10:17:00.000-05:00

...Another thrilling installment of...I Told You Fucking So!

This week we find our mild mannered protagonist filtering through his email, and what should darken his in box door? In bold letters the subject line reads: WOODPECKER. A tensing. What news will such an ominous subject line bring? Has the author gone mental again? Have people been arrested for trying to produce it? Did a certain Woolly staff member get their wish, and the play has died in a fire?

I'm afraid nothing quite so dynamic. For when the email let loose it's message, the news was that the Woodpecker was a Semi-Finalist for the O'Neil Award. And lets just say that a certain blogger with an O'Neil play as his email/blog identity's blurb was still intact from when he wrote it 9 months ago. Not much of what I write gets saved, but that makes me happy.

Congratulations to my friend Brett and his perseverance through all the trials of writing new plays, especially the kind of sick and demented shows he is responsible for - keep it up, and we've got a chance to offend the world!

Freedom from Cowardess

2007-02-06T09:24:00.000-05:00

I have two things to get right in my head. Theories, if you will: you know theories like global warming or evolution.

Theory 1: The problem with George Bush is that he does not understand freedom. "But, Hairyape!?" you say,"George Bush is always talking about Freedom, and the latest and most enduring reason for the War in Iraq is Freedom, how could this theory of yours possibly be true?"

Well, I'm glad you asked. On a resent cable news show, which I will not name (but sounds like "Nard Fall") a young delusional from the Weekly Standard claimed that there were a few people left in Washington that still bought the George Bush answer to terrorism. Freedom in the Middle East. Here is the thing. Freedom from what? Our closest ally (Israel does not count in this discussion) in the region is a Monarchy - you know, like the kind we through off to gain our freedom. We have never made any attempt to move the Saud's to abdicate their dictatorship. The people of the Arab nations choose to live by the Koran. Each nation enforces those laws differently, you know, like gun laws in this country. In fact to some of the people we are trying to "free," that freedom might appear to be a violation of there religious rights. And we know what happens in that event, people either sail away to another continent or fight horrible bloody wars from hundreds and hundreds of years. Examples of George Bush misinterpretation of freedom can also be found in his use of signing statements in this country, institution of warrant less wire taps on American citizens, even the TSA arguably limits the freedoms of American citizens. Further, the most basic characteristic of freedom is that it is won. In Romen times it was granted, but never on equal footing, the same goes for this country in the 19th Century visa vi slavery. True freedom is won, and now that we are an occupying force in Iraq, the only people they have to fight for their freedom from is us.

Theory 2: Republicans are cowards. Thats right I said it. The party of national defense, tax cuts, tough on crime, hand guns for everyone, and more military spending are a bunch of pansy's. They are scared of everything. Scared of terrorists (of which I am not,) legal and illegal immigrants, debate (as in the senate debate on the war which they are filibustering, and some how don't smell the irony,) paying for what they use, paying for what they spend, the American people...really...you name it they are scared of it. How did a party with so many cowards get the reputation of being so tough? Beats me, perhaps since they are living lives of perpetual fear, they understand the politics of fear more clearly. Bu that doesn't matter. They are afraid, and we don't need people like that in our government. If they want to be scared of terrorists they should quit government and start their own Bait and Tackle shop in a secluded part of America, where terrorist have no interests and illegal aliens dare not tread. Le me be clear: John McCain - coward, Lindsey Graham - coward, Chuck Hagel - coward (thats right, he is supporting the filibuster,) John Warner - coward, Sam Brownback - Coward, Rudy Guiliani - coward...the list goes on and on. This is not to say that there aren't coward in the Democratic party, there are - it's just that the republicans are all cowards.

Third Nationally, Number One in Iowa

2007-02-05T11:32:00.000-05:00

Did anyone else see John Edwards on Meet the Press Sunday? A surprising number of answered questions. Usually candidates stammer and avoid on Meet the Press - like Joe Biden. Edwards had his share of "there is no answer to that question" 's, but on the whole he did answer yes or no to tough questions. Among them, Homosexuals serving in the military (yes,) Universal Health Care and whether he would raise taxes to do it (yes, and yes,) whether Joe Biden is a moron (an unfortunate no,) and whether Hillary Clinton is a vicious bitch (perhaps the only lie of the interview, no.)

John is always good in an interview, and a prepared speech. I've liked him since 2002 when his Presidential aspirations were first made apparent. My problem with John is that he doesn't do well in debate situations. I watched the 2004 VP debates hoping to see the fresh faced, future of the party candidate knock the socks off of a creepy vampire, dark overlord who wears his disdain for the American People on his evil death mask know as his face. But Mr. Cheney really ran ruff shot over the best looking man in American politics. Worse, when president Bush took a shot at the DEMS nominee, insinuating that John lacked the skills to be president, there was no response from either Frankenstein or the Boy Wonder.

This season John is trying to display a more "pissed off" tone. But I'm not clears as to whether it is real, or just a calculation. It is usually apparent when anyone asks him about the 2004 election. Like Chris Matthews: "Did you like running for VP?" Edwards (wrinkles his face)"Not particularly." And I don't remember where it came from, but Russert ran a clip of someone asking John if he could have beaten Bush in 2004, the answer "Yes." I like pissed off, it appeals to me. Perhaps it makes me feel like the candidates are real people, or that they are just more like me. If it's real, and young John can mix his inspirational rhetoric with a healthy dose of "you motherfuckers have driven this country down a road of self destruction and I am not going to be nice, cause you don't deserve it," then he might be able to pull me away from the almost Super Humanly positive Senator Barak Obama. Best of luck John.

All good things come to an end.

2007-01-30T11:22:00.000-05:00

Well, the time has finally come. My favorite fixture of social conscience and satire will be closing down show and moving on. For those who haven't heard (and may not care) Al Franken is closing down his radio show on February 14.

I am deeply saddened by this event, as Al has made my life more livable since early 2004 when he first signed on. He shepherded me through the disappointing results of the 2004 election, taught me how to pretend like I loved John Kerry, conducted great interviews with Barack Obama, introduced me to Joe Conason, Tom Oliphant, Christy Harvey, David Brock, and a host of others who want to make our national debate better. Not to mention the exceptionally brilliant "15 second debunk" segments from this falls election.

I have been a fan of Al's since I was 13. I went through an extensive obsession with the original cast of Saturday Night Live in my early teenage years. I was probably one of the few 13 year olds in the country who knew who Al Franken was at that time (it was the 80's and I believe that he was not on SNL at the time.) My enjoyment of his brand of humor and his political positions increased significantly when my mother gave me a copy of Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot for my 21st birthday. I have been hooked ever since.

The scuttlebutt is that Al is going to challenge Norm Coleman for his Senate seat in 2008. I sincerely hope that this is the reason he is leaving the air, as his replacement Thom Hartman is very smart but not nearly as funny. I wish Al best of luck, and warn him that though people like me would love to see him in the Senate, chances are the Democratic Party doesn't.

Lend me your ears

2007-01-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

As probably one of my first acts of doing something stupid in order to seem more intelligent; when I was in 8th grade I chose to learn Latin, and once I had made that decision, I was then stuck with it until after my sophomore year of high school. I chose to stop at three years because I was very bad at Latin, and my Latin teacher was the worst teacher in the entire school - I learned this from the other teachers, it's not that he was a hard ass, or merciless...he just was incapable of helping people learn, but apparently could coach a baseball team.

In any event, since I have a mind full of facts about the roman empire I was very excited at the prospect of Rome on HBO last year. Alexander Strain and I watched and evaluated it as we slogged through a show which I will not name (this will be tough to figure out as we did 3 together during this time period.) I was pleasantly surprised last year, and very impressed with the show, however this season I have detected a disturbing theme which seems to be taking over the entire show. I am speaking of the ass sex. There have been three episodes so far, and suddenly everyone is getting corn-holed. Sometimes it's young children, sometimes whores, and sometimes it's done as a punishment.

The punishment seems odd in a world where everyone seems to enjoy this kind of sex. How is that a punishment? Perhaps they are just punishing me.

The sexual content of Rome is certainly one of the draws of the show, and perhaps now that they have an audience they may feel they can get more realistic with the sexuality of the Romans, but you know they could have given me a heads up. Like a notice at the top of the show that says "Warning to Straight Guys: Contains Buggery!"

Just to be clear, I have no problem with the buggery, and support the accuracy they are trying to represent. And maybe it has done to me what they wanted to do, catch me off guard. I also hear a lot is going to happen with Octavian coming up - and he has been re-cast to do a passage of time thing. I'm not giving up on Rome, but I might get a screener for future episodes,

Bush is just a fly caught in a...

2007-01-24T11:17:00.000-05:00

Not very often do I TIVO the president, but I did lst night. Well, I didn't really TIVO him, but I wanted to see the DEM response from the Junior Senator fro,m VA. So after a long dress rehearsal I watched enough of the presidents drivel to get the gist (by the way, he is distorting the facts and resulting effects of his proposed health care tax credit - not to mention that , like his social security fix, it would do nothing to fix the real problem) and then settled in to see what Webb could come up with.

Needless to say, you folks across the river got a gem! Not only that but he was good enough to make me forget all about that piss poor speech from Tim Kaine last year (well almost good enough.) But, wow. Clear, concise, wise, to a purpose - it's almost as if he isn't a DEM (whups.) But really, great speech if you missed it, you are in luck - as fate would have it, one does not have to watch the State of Denial in order to enjoy the pure sense that Jim Webb tosses at the American People, he even says so up from. Probably the truest statement made in an address to the American People in 6 years.

It would not be possible in this short amount of time to actually rebut the president's message, nor would it be useful." - Jim Webb

I Think this statement should be used in reference to eveything the president says until January 2009.

Amen!

2007-01-19T09:31:00.000-05:00

Finally something has gotten my mind off the disaster that is our president and his foreign and domestic policy. And that something is...last nights episode of Scrubs. No I am not kidding. I have recently picked this show up after finally succumbed to my TIVO's wishes for me to see it, and I have to say, congrats "TIVO you finally picked a winner."

In case you are non-TV watching elitist liberal (I have a high demo of these people, or at least people who claim to be theses people) the aforementioned episode was "The Scrubs Musical." Your already sorry you missed it (that's right, I'm talking to you SAS.) After the first 3 minutes I was already saying, out loud, "This is brilliant." And for a guy who finds it difficult to say, "good show,""nice work,"or"what are you doing next?" thats saying something.

I laughed for the whole thing, in fact the last movie to make me laugh like that was the Aristocrats. And if you haven't seen that, then I'm not sure you should be reading my blog.

60 minutes is too long...

2007-01-16T09:03:00.000-05:00

Now that I have refreshed myself with the new season of 24, a weekend of quasi illness, lots of Xbox 360, and a refocus on lines - the president is still and a-hole. I didn't watch the 60 minutes "exclusive," mostly because it conflicted with 24, but also I believe that I own it already. Just from the promo, it smacked of "Journeys with George." If you haven't seen JWG, don't. Alexandra Pelosi (yep, that Pelosi) video documented her time with Governor Bush during the 2000 campaign, and if you dislike the president, then you see what an ass he is, if you like him or are indifferent then you find him affable and kind of kooky. Just the kind of guy you'd like to sit down and have a non-alcoholic beer, some Cheeto's, and a baloney sandwich with...which for me means - no one.

There is a redeeming moment when one of the reporters uses a baloney sandwich to outline any Republican Candidate: 1) White Bread = white bread candidate (defiantly white...no color at all) 2) American Cheese = cheesy campaign slogans/events 3) Baloney = the meat of the message is a bunch of baloney. Now you don't have to see it, or just borrow it from me.

Anyway, this "exclusive" interview (and I " mark that because the president is so desperate he will talk to anyone that will even pretend he is sane and in control) looks like it is calculated to bring those that have soured on the prez back into the fold. Personally, it looks like the same old strategy - hmmmm, heard that much lately?

Will someone please bring articles of Impeachment against this guy! God knows there is enough evidence of lying, and the Clinton Impeachment is president enough. Let me put it this way, Congress is there to do the People's business, and ejecting this enemy of the people is number one on our list. All of the reasons for the 2006 elections turning out the way they did can be responded too with one grand act: remove this administration. That will:
1) Stop the escalation of the War in Iraq
2) Ensure Universal Health care
3) Fund Embryonic Stem Cell research
4) Put limits on Corporate Profits
5) Pave the way for legitimate Renewable energy
6) Fund Education
7) Stem the abuse of the environment
8) Tell future generations, that yes we knew what was going on, and we did everything that we could in order to correct our horrible mistake. In fact we revolted and tossed out the man that ran up those insane credit card bills, and thank you so much for working your entire life in order to just get this country back into the black while we sat in private nursing homes with internet tubes stuck directly into our brains that just kept running old episodes of "Scrubs" to keep us distracted.

Ah, Scrubs.

I've Had It!

2007-01-10T14:06:00.000-05:00

What could be better for our country than to deplete our military completely on a lost cause? You know, I almost thought that once the DEM's took over I wouldn't have to be so pissed off anymore, silly me. There seems to be no end to the dumbfuckery of our president. (as a side note, I have been capitalizing the word president our of respect of the office and because I thought that was correct, but thanks to the Wall Street Journal I can now type it in lower case, feel good about it, and pretend to be disrespectful)

First off I want to assign blame. I blame Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Thats right, 51% of that person is fucking responsible for this dim wit. It's your fault America, and now you don't even have the balls to fix the problem. The polls say you don't want the surge master/decider to escalate the war, but you don't have a say in the matter because you put the country in the hands of a retard (I realize that mentally challenged people would probably be offended by being put in the same category as the president, but I assure them that retard is a class by itself.)

I hear over and over at family gatherings or in the business world (I leave our theatre because we are hopelessly liberal) "Well, there just isn't a good answer to Iraq." I'm sick of that comment, the year is 10 days old, and I will bet you a ham sandwich that phrase is the "truthiness" of 2007. Not only that, but it's dumb as shit. Any thinking person could have (and did) come to that conclusion in 2003 when president fucks-up-the-country-and-then-blames-everyone-else was selling this stupid war. And by the way, Time Magazine's Person of the Year, your fucking wrong. There is a good answer for Iraq. It's called evolution, you know survival of the fittest. We get out and let them fight for their independence. Freedom is won not given, further proof that president numb-nuts didn't pay attention in school.

In conclusion: Time Magazine's Person of the Year - it's you mess to clean up. The president - fuck you.

Oh come on....!

2007-01-05T18:07:00.000-05:00

It is still going, the worst year ever. I will not really go to far in to detail, but my internet provider has been fleecing me for hundreds of dollars over the last year or so. They have stupid initials and almost nobody uses them any more, including myself pretty soon. Worse, it will take 15 to 30 days at the low end to settle this "mistake."

On the bright side I am enjoying being 6'2" in rehearsal, but I already feel like I'm gaining weight, even though I am eating less. Must be part of playing a woman.

Off to a bad start

2007-01-03T12:20:00.000-05:00

I don't like odd years. One reason is I was born in an even year. Another is that there are no elections. Still another is that they tend to suck for me (except the later half of 2005, but the beginning of that year was virtual hell, well maybe just real hell.)

So far I have spent ridiculous amounts of time at an airport that some people insist on calling by the name of a asshole of a former President (never will I call it that name, so you might as well just change it back.) Received numerous cuts and abrasions at the Montgomery County landfill. Had to spend almost $1000 on new tires and brakes from my Jeep. And yesterday I blew out the gears on my bike. The last was the worst of all. I have just gotten up to 15 miles a day, 6 days a week. On top of that I actually enjoy this exercise, which for me is rare. I've probably dropped 15 pounds since the middle of November, which is necessary in order to look good in a dress for the end of the month. What I do not like is jogging. First of all, it hurts my shins, ankles, and feet. Not in the sense of "oh, whew, what a work out" but in the sense of "oh, whew, I need an orthopedic surgeon!"

I can't even get into the gym in my complex due to...well incompetence. I will fix this as soon as I can, but it might take as long as it will to get my bike fixed. So I guess I'll just have to eat ice and celery for a couple weeks, and dance extra hard in rehearsal. But this really sucks, I was hopping to be in shape enough to ride my bike to work (22 miles round trip) by mid March, now I'll be down to 7 or 8 miles a day by the time I get back on the bike. Plus I got swell bike pants and ninja bike mask from my parents over the holiday, and they are going to go unused.

The year is only 3 days old, but I'm very suspicious.

Happy. Safe, Spy Free Holiday!

2006-12-22T11:49:00.000-05:00

...too you all...now if only our soldiers could be here too.

Another Iraq Casualty

2006-12-14T10:00:00.000-05:00

Frankly, my brain would bleed too. By now I imagine most have heard about the unfortunate health condition of Senator Johnson (D-S.D.) In the wake of Oregon Senator Gorden Smith's recent declaration of opposition to the Iraq War strategy, I have concluded that the South Dakota Senator's brain hemorrhage was probably also caused by the War in Iraq.

Senator Johnson "was found to have had an intracerebral bleed caused by a congenital arteriovenous malformation," Adm. John Eisold, attending physician of the U.S. Capitol, this kind of malformation is usually formed at birth and bleeding can be st off by stress. What is more stressful than trying to figure a way out of the mess our President has gotten us into in Iraq.

If you've followed this in the media at all, or even read the link above you know that if the Senator has to leave office (which would be understandable to this blogger) then the Republican Governor of South Dakota would appoint the replacement for the remaining two years of Johnson's term. I now appeal to Gov. Michael Rounds to respect the people of his state and his fellow South Dakotan and if for some reason he must appoint a replacement to find someone who would echo the Senator's views. It's one thing when a Senator themselves finds it necessary to abdicate party in order to maintain a balance of power ( e.g. Jim Jeffords I-VT formerly R-VT, he switched in 2000 to give the government some balance after the election had been stolen...um...finalized) but a governor of a state that has a lower population than the District of Columbia should not be so activist as to change the make up of a congress that was elected to restore a balance of power.

Please send you thoughts, prayer, well wishes, mid hugs to the ailing Senator and for his swift recovery.

Thoughts that float at the end of the year

2006-12-12T08:20:00.000-05:00

I'm listening to "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls - don't ask, you'll find out soon enough. But as I do something so out of character, the work on my desk is at a 3 year low, and I have a 10 mile bike ride a day I have had a lot of time for more random thoughts to fill my head.

The first is rather frivolous. Soda vs. Coffee. I have never understood people who drink soda to start there day, be it diet or the sugar drenched version. I can get on board with red bull or mountain dew I suppose, but I encountered a few people on my National Players tours, and now have at least one in my office, who drank a Georgia based Soda as their day starter. It seems such a waste of effort. To equal the caffeine content one would have to drink a lot of that stuff, in fact I have a friend from college who developed a "problem" with said beverage, though I believe that he has gotten it under control even though he is in Grad School now. I do not deny that I have a problem with coffee, but I consider it the flip side of my "drinking solution." But more to the point, coffee is a social beverage as well as a work stimulator. Do you ever ask some one out for soda? Not since you were 11 right? But out for coffee is still like an acceptable preliminary date, as well as the go to meeting format. Soda is for the middle of the day people, not morning, not evening. Plus all that sugar is worse for you than the caffeine in my 3...4...8 cups of coffee.

Now I'm listening to "Air Hostess Song" by Gomez - a B side that has become part of the live performance of Revolutionary Kind, it's off the new "Five Men in a Hut" compilation (particularly good if you don't want to buy all of the pre2004 albums, and it has a wicked alternate version of "Rhythm and Blues Alibi" a song I use for musical auditions.)

Sorry that was more of a thought float than I had intended, back to a more serious thought. Has the "War on Terror" and the "War on our Budget (AKA the Iraq War)" made us more cosmopolitan? I've been thinking about the names that I can pronounce and recognize now that in 2001 I would have been at a loss to get my tongue or mind around. Jalal Talabani, Muqtada al-Sadr, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari, Nouri al-Maliki, Kim Jong-il, Osama bin Laden, John Boehner...oh snap, now Whitesnake's "Here I go Again"...but these names are all ones that make us stretch our minds. We have to learn how to say them, if only to prove how much smarter than our President we are, but also it engage in an informed debate. In fact, few things make me angrier than hearing a Liberal refer to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as "Mack Mood I'm-a-dinner-jacket." While funny, it's also ignorant. It's the same mentality that brings us the "Barak Osama...uh..I mean... Obama, oh by the way did you know his middle name is Hussein...I'm sorry what was your question Tucker?" conservative "banter" that is now re-soiling our airwaves in the aftermath of the rights crushing defeat in November.

Foreign relations used to be the great unknown, and it still is just in a different way right now. But if you think back to 2000, when it was revealed that Gov. George Bush couldn't name the leaders of Chechnya, Pakistan (oh the irony there,) or India, that information was essentially laughed off because few "regular" citizens knew them either. Is it possible that a by product of this colossal foreign policy train wreck could be a more informed electorate that will last a generation? Is it weird that I typed all of that to "Let's Go Crazy"? Prince makes most things better.

Anyway, I don't have any answers, just floating thoughts. I'm leaving you with "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," Death Cab.

Early Exit

2006-12-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

This may seem like just the same old thing, but I think now it is very clear that the only way to solve the disaster that is Iraq is to eliminate the administration completely. The President is just pathetic now. After 6 years of accomplishing little except economic advancement for the economically advanced, President Bush now is content to do absolutely nothing.

If I am forced to agree with JIM BAKER of all people, then those that disagree must be off there rockers. More evidence of insanity is our Presidents response to a question form the BBC at the joint press conference with Prime Minister Blair. When the reporter aske MR. Bush if he would now re-think his assessment of Iraq, our President says,"It's bad in Iraq. That enough for you?" then proceeds to snicker at his attempt at dry humor.

A joint congressional resolution of "no confidence" in the Commander and Chief and his Administration is necessary. Followed by a "Great Compromise" to establish a new administration. I don't care which party. This may seem extreme, but the newest poll numbers for Bush: 70% disapprove of his handling in Iraq, 27% approval over all. That's below Nixon, and he left on his own.

Though wouldn't it be really great to see a John McCain or a Trent Lott drive up to the White House to tell the President the gig is up (just like Goldwater did to Nixon.)

And if you hear anyone refer to Barack Obama as a "Halfrican American" immediately call them a disgusting racist bigot, and that they should be ashamed of themselves. Also, call or email media outlets that allow anyone to use this new racial slur on the air. I've heard it twice now.

Sailing the Seas of Cheese

2006-12-06T16:50:00.000-05:00

I've been a bit busy at work lately. Not doing work for the company mind you, I have a couple of months to go before we have anything to beat me down into a mumbling, sleepless mess, but on a friend of mines wedding video. Due to my day job I have been asked by several friends to record there weddings, which I do as a wedding present. This is the first one I have completed, I have another in the can, and one to record at the end of the month. The benefit to doing this for free is that I get to work on my own time table.

But this would not be a blog entry if I didn't have something to be annoyed with. It's kind of the flip side of the whole "What are you working on?" question that has been referenced on other publications in regard to annoying habits of the theatre community (not the sophisticated British spelling.)

Mine is the seeming inability of theatre professionals to be themselves on camera. Could it be comfortability, shame, over exuberance? I have a nastier thoughts. But as a public service I would like to just toss it out there that when you are at a wedding of a friend and someone is video taping it...chances are the more sincere, honest, and yourself you are the more use you are to the videographer and the couple who, in most cases, are shelling out a bunch of money.

While I personally enjoy off color comments, overt sexual advances, and profanity; I will hazard a guess that the couples' Grandparents and future children probably will not. Also, telling the videographer that you want a copy of it for your reel is not as funny on camera as you think.

On the other hand, I have had a blast stitching so many wonderful people together. I have even enjoyed making a Outtakes reel for the couple so that the "off color" folks can be heard, but not by the Grandparents. Future children? Well most likely they will think that DVD is an ancient format and not worth looking at.

It's been a while...

2006-11-30T16:53:00.000-05:00

...since I posted about something that didn't make me angry, sad, or annoyed. So here it is, the best hip hop video ever.

If your not a Bob Saget fan, you will be now. No this guy really knows how to revive a career. Whether it was playing a coke addict in Half Baked or the crazy parody of himself on Huff, there is nothing funnier to me than the dad from Full House going out and getting wasted.

No only that, but it ;looks like he's my kind of guy. Maybe we can get Sag out here to do a show? How about it Woolly?

It's official, I guess.

2006-11-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

This morning NBC officially changed it's rhetoric regarding Iraq. They are now prepared to call the violence in Iraq a CIVIL WAR.

Wow. I guess they are prepared to call the New York Senate race for Clinton too. Is that obvious enough?

Here is the funny part. The President still insists that it isn't a CIVIL WAR. But I would like to point out that nothing kills what little credibility he has more than going to the Iraqi Prime Minister and demanding of know what kind of plan he has to quell the violence.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!?! That's like me spilling boiling tar on your carpet and demanding to know how you are going to clean it up. Most people would get either a) punched or b) slapped in the face for doing that. In fact, thats not a bad idea.

In lieu of impeachment, every time the President embarrasses the country a registered voter gets to either a) punch or b) slap him in the face. I'll even do it in private. Perhaps we should keep that policy around too, it might help keep our elected officials inline. I mean, the President's approval rating is still in the low to mid 30's, which means that roughly 60 million people want to either a) punch or b) slap him in the face.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

Time to enumerate the things that I am thankful for:

1) Democratic Majority in Congress
2) Keith Olbermann
3) Barak Obama's book The Audacity of Hope, more to come on this when I finish it.
4) My friends and family, you know who you are.
5) Those wonderful audiences that have come out to see my work over the past year.
6) Any sign that reasoned debate will make a comeback.
7) The firing of Ricky and Ron on Studio 60.
8) The Imams in Minnesota who are pointing out the religious hypocrisies in this country.
9) Low Carb Tortillas and pasta.
10) the 44% of democrats that have John Edwards as their 2nd choice for President in '08. Add that to his current 14% and you get 58% - that's consensus Kyle!
11) Tenacious D: the pick of Destiny.

Kramer vs. EVERYBODY!

2006-11-21T13:07:00.000-05:00

So by now I imagine that everyone has seen or heard about Michael Richards going off the deep end at the Laugh Factory in LA. If not, read it here. You can watch it here, but be warned it is rough.

Obviously there is no excuse for something like this, no one can or should get away with it. I am however, curious about his act. Like was it really that bad? What exactly were the hecklers saying to him? Did they say something that would warrant an attempt to shock them into silence? As bad as what he said and did was, there is no context provided.

I don't mean to be insensitive, but I have experienced people trying to bait me into using racial slurs. I have a large vocabulary of insults so it never works, plus I prefer to make it personal at that point and I see that kind of verbal/racial attack as an acknowledgment that you have lost...plus your a racist ass.

The ramblings of the Richards apology allude to rage, kind of on both parts. I kind of think that he has hit on something here. Not that he understands it, nor do I think that it actually applies to him in this case. But there is such a lack of consideration for others in the American public life. Traffic, Movie Theaters, Lines for Playstaion 3's, on the metro, or even people with their i-pods on on that walk in the middle of the bike path...not to one side...in the middle...and they have the thing up so loud they can't hear you when you tell them what side your coming up on to pass and look at you like your the ass hole when they cause you to nearly fall into East West Highway during rush hour!

All of this has played out in the media as well, with shouting matches and "shut up" artists replacing critical thinkers and real debate on our public air waves. It use to be that we would laugh at Dana Carvey's John McLaughlin impersonation because it was so loud an opinionated that it was obvious that it was trash...now it's common place. Darell Hammond has had to tone down his Chris Matthews impersonation, because to parody him you would have to shout things like "I INVENTED THE WAFFLE IRON IN 7 DAYS! WHY DOES THE DEMOCRAT PARTY HATE AMERICA AND WAFFLES SO MUCH?!?!?!?!?!?!"

We can shun Michael Richards all we want, but it is a problem with our society that lies beneath it all. It's gotten George Allen, Rush Limbaugh, and Mel Gibson to name a few. What do they have in common? The people who supported them, stayed with them, allowing them to further advance their backward thinking. Because no one sits down and debates things anymore. Our society has fallen into believing that just because we have an opinion, that opinion is valid. It's just not so, unless were talking about art.