Paging Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable

So, last night I was watching Nick At Nite- my ultimate tv late night nostalgia stop. I've watched it since I was little. I remember they used to show black and white shows. I've probably seen every episode of "Mr. Ed", (Who knows that theme song?) "The Patty Duke Show", (How about that theme song?) "The Donna Reed Show"... then the shows started to be in color and started to be shows I thought I remembered being in first run, although it's likely they were already in re-runs and I just thought they were first run. Shows like, "The Brady Bunch", "Bewitched", and "I Dream of Jeannie" after that they start getting hazy because they were definitely shows I watched in real time, like "Wings", "Full House" and the point of me writing this "The Cosby Show"... I watched every episode of this show, every Thursday night as it was airing...

Anyway, I was a sophomore in high school. My brother's son had just been born and my he had just left for Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Shield (which would turn into Operation Desert Storm in less than 2 months). I was in student council and one of my best friends was a girl named Diana. We were in Student Council together and we were co-chairpersons of Operation:Cards Because We Care... We organized students to write cards and letters to soldiers during Christmas. We got our pictures in the school paper for it and a mention in the alumni news letter, it was a very big deal... Anyway, that was me. I had no idea what I wanted to be when I grew up. I thought it was journalism, although I had just joined the theatre program in school and was really enjoying the thought that I could be Rudy rather than watching her on tv...

Anyway, The Cosby Show, the name of the episode was "It's A Boy!" Here is the blurb about it: "Having broken up with Slide, Pam sets her sights on Aaron, a new student whose brains, compassion and integrity are all top of the class. Meanwhile, Alfred, a nervous expectant father turns to Cliff for tips on how to play basketball with his future son. Alfred also gets some insights from Theo on how boys view their fathers when it comes to sports. And both Alfred and Cliff get an enlightening lesson from their wives. Finally, Olivia announces her intention of becoming a doctor as well as a professional football player." Alfred has pretty sizeable role. More than just the single shot in Cliff's office with his wife, he hangs around during the entire episode trying to learn to play basketball so he can teach his son (when he's born)... Anyway, just another guest star played by a NY actor that got to be on the show, his name is Ray DeMattis. At first I thought it was Joe Pesci but this guy was funnier and more familiar and I when I realized why.. I'll get to that in a minute. Go to IMDB- he's done a bunch... most recently I saw him in West Virginia I was his stage manager and he was playing Horace Vandergelder in Hello Dolly. Not really a huge deal, I work with actors all the time and most of them have been on Law and Order and many of them have been doing this a long time. I've been the intern to 3 stars of MASH and a 70s disco singer, but it was the fact that I watched him when I was younger and had no idea what life had in store for me. I don't know, I guess the whole point is just that it's good. I feel like a commercial. Life is cool and it just feels like a story you tell you kids and since I don't have any of those... I blogged! Whatever don't be mad at me, you are the one reading blogs!

Step 2, There's so much we can do

Okay for those of you that experience my post St. Elmo's Fire rant in college, you probably need to read no further. But I remember like it was yesterday... 1988. My bedroom in my parents house in Long Island, NY was gray with pink trim (Because my mother wouldn't let me paint my room black. I thought it would be both edgy and be a nice background for my posters.) It didn't matter though you couldn't see the walls. They were COVERED floor to ceiling with posters from Bop, Teen Beat, Tiger Beat, 16, Circus, Metal Edge... I'm sure there were more, I can't remember though. I had pictures of Axl Rose and Guns N Roses, Vince Neil (although I traded most of my Motley Crue posters with my friend Christie for posters of Guns N Roses),Poison, Skid Row, Warrant... actors, Sean Astin (pre- LOTR), Mario Lopez (with the Saved by the Bell Mullet), Johnny Depp (during 21 Jump Street), those accounted for about 1 wall, the other walls and my Ceiling and my door, all New Kids On The Block. The focus (because everyone had their favorite) was Donnie Wahlberg. Bad boy of NKOTB. I can still see the poster that hung over my bed. He was showing the tattoo on his arm flashing the peace sign... Anyway that was 18 years ago. Revel in that thought, 18 years. I know human beings that age. People born while I was thinking about what names would sound good with Wahlberg (you know, for when Donnie and I got married... don't judge me.) Well I was 13. Donnie was 19. Well, now 2006, I'm in Little Rock, Arkansas I'm packing- well, more like procrastinating packing. I turn on the TV and there he is 37 years old, playing a father of 3 on the run and there was a shot, towards the end, he was sad, he looked old. I'll be 31 in like 2 months... well, exactly 2 months from today as a matter of fact... I'm not 13. I have no posters. I can drive. I have no idea when the last time I listened to a New Kids song was, but I'll probably be searching for one on my drive home tomorrow. I'm no longer obsessed with Donnie Wahlberg, although ironically I do have a slight obsession with Mark Wahlberg these days. It wasn't a direct transition mind you, there were many others between then and now, I have also been known to have a picture of Marc Wahlberg as my desktop- I guess that is like posters for adults... Do teenagers still buy those mags and hang up posters? Who's in them? I mean, Patrick Dempsy? Does anyone remember "Can't Buy Me Love?" or "Loverboy?" He was the most famous studly nerd and now he's McDreamy... is he in the mags? Matthew Broderick, mostly known for his Broadway performances in The Producers or How to Succeed in Business... or for his famous wife-- Hey guys, it's just Ferris Buler.. Oh and speaking of his wife... Sarah Jessica Parker- along with Helen Hunt they were in every 80s movie post brat pack. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun... also starring a yong Shannon Dougherty. Oh and Footloose with Kevin Bacon. She was nerdy and dancing long before she was trendy wearing expensive shoes and sipping comos- And Helen- she jumped out of a window after snorting angel dust in an after school special and she was the Quarterback Princess long before there was an oscar... Long before she was Chad Michael Murray's mom Moira Kelly was Kate Mosley Ice Skater in The Cutting Edge, her father was Terry O'Quinn-Locke from Lost- Oh and she was also in With Honors with Patrick Dempsey. Speaking of One Tree Hill- Dan Scott, Paul Johanssen was John Sears on Beverley Hills 90210 - Frat boy but better known as the guy that was Kelly Taylor's first-well because he raped her, but still... 90210- Hillary Swank- Soccer Mom dated Steve Sanders. Anyone remember Chandlier (Matthew Perry) as a guy who couldn't get laid and a pal to River Phoenix in "A Night in The Life of Jimmy Reardon?" Or as Carol Seaver's boyfriend who got killed in a car ccident, was his name Sandy? Speaking of Growing Pains, Leonardo DiCaprio as the runaway that the seavers adopt, I can't remember the character name... The olsen twins were playing 1 baby on Full house, getting diapered by Dave "Out of Control" Coulier and John "I made the mullet cool" Stamos.. ER's Dr. Green was "Goose" in Top Gun. Buffy- Sarah Michelle Geller was playing Sidney a rich bitch on Swan's Crossing- a daily teen soap opera. Oh and how about Joey Lawrence, before he was all "Whoa" on Blossom, he was Nell Carter's adopted son on Gimme a Break, and Rosie O'Donell was her upstairs neighbor. Sean Astin- Samwise Gamgee- was Mikey in the Goonies... James Spader was the B-list version of Andrew McCarthy, Adam Sandler was "The Studboy" on my favorite game show remote control-- Mario Lopez, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Fergie were on Kids Incorporated (Who else remebers that theme song?) Johnny Depp-Officer Tommy Hanson 21 Jump Street- Kurt Cobain is Dead. River Phoenix is dead. Becky's boyfriend (Glenn Quinn) is Dead. I could go- but I think I've already gone on too long- I had a point when I started- I have no idea what it was. I remember these stars when they were cool-not as famous, as recognized- but they were cool because they were in my favorite shows and movies. I had to show my support by buying mags writting letters, buying their lunch boxes- maybe they weren't huge stars the, but I liked them all the same. And everything gets recycled so it makes sense that they are popular again--- In the next 5 years i bet someone will make a movie that will do for the 80s what Dirty Dancing did for the 60s or Grease for the 50s. The music will resurge- not like the wedding singer- It wil highlight what 1988 was like- pre computers and cell phones- When River was in his prime and Kurt was about to change music's focus to Seattle-- We are getting old. I have to go pack now..

What were you doing 5 years ago?

So 5 years ago, everything changed. Now there are military forces in the subways in NY and there is a big hole in the crowded skyline.

Everyone remembers what they did that day. I had a job interview. I got up and was driving towards Manhattan all morning. I was listening to the radio as the first plane hit. I thought that there was a moron drunk pilot flying. Then the second and everyone started to realize what was happening. I got to my interview and I eventually got the job. I think it was more because I showed up on that day and they didn't have time to really find anyone else.

The drive home was sobering. I cringed every time I saw something fly overhead. By this time of course they had grounded all flights, and the planes had crashed in PA and DC. The only things in the air were military. I hadn't seen a picture, only in my mind, so when I finally got back to PA, I fell against the wall and slid down.

The entire staff house was sitting around the tv, eating pizza still in their pajamas. My brother, a member of the NYPD had gotten called back into work before the towers collapsed. No one had heard from him, and now the phones were all busy and I had no way to get in touch with anyone. We were watching the news and someone was reporting live from the Chelsea hospital and there was my brother in the background. One of the guys cried.

It's been 5 years....

Okay, we're even, now what?

So, we are really close to 5th anniversary of September 11. according to CNN.com, As of Sunday 2,974 American soldiers have been killed. The 9/11 attacks killed 2,973. So My only question is, now what?

You can read the article at this link.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/03/death.toll/

TEXARKANA

I just got back from Texarkana. We took Of Mice and Men there for 2 days. I knew we were in trouble when John Steinbeck's name was spelled wrong on the marquee. We got a ton of complaints after our first show which was a student matinee because of the language and context. Seriously? It's John Steinbeck. First of all it's a classic. And second if you are bringing students to see it, pull out the book, read it. It's really short. Familiarize yourself with the material. Don't be lazy and then blame everyone else. We didn't pull a fast one on you. We didn't tell you we were doing Wizard of Oz and then show up with Of Mice and Men. We preformed the play as written with one exception. We edited the language and changed all the goddamns to damns.

Anyway, I leave you with this experience. I was in a bar and this guy comes up to me and says, "Hey, you wanna go out to my ride and have a nip of my moonshine?" I declined, because, well, I'm a paranoid new yorker. He cold have wanted to take me out to his truck, drug and and rape and kill me. It was nice to be asked though, and if he had asked any of the friends I was with, I would have gone, just not alone. To drink unknown homemade liquor out of truck. Even I am not that trusting.

Tara'a Not Going to Midtown Billards

Tara's Not Going To Midtown Billards, A Song by Brad. This is also the first video I took with my new camera!