Bibliotica

I’ve been singing and acting in some fashion ever since I learned to talk, and I grew up watching the FAME tv show, even before I ever attended a performing arts school, so when I heard about Gonnabe, I was actually a little jealous - WHY couldn’t this have been around when I was a kid?

But I grew up in the pre-internet days, when we learned to type on actual typewriters, and the computer class we did have was stocked with TRS-80s, and PONG was a cool game. Yes, I’m THAT old. Of course, I also no longer live in California, and I don’t have kids, but if I did, I’d want them to know about Gonnabe.

Of course, you’re probably wondering - what is it? Well, it’s a production company and networking opportunity headquartered in Emeryville, CA, and it specializes in entertainment for and by kids. By joining, bright talented youngsters and their families will be provided with information about auditions, classes, and local shoots, as well as be able to network with professional casting directors, singers, dancers, actors, and models already in the business.

There’s a common adage that it’s not what you know, but who. GonnaBe helps kids who don’t already have those connections, but do have drive and talent, get the WHO.

If I were a kid in this decade, and I knew about GonnaBe, I’d be pestering my parents. If I had kids who were interested in the arts - I mean REALLY interested - passionate, even - I’d be signing them up.

As a production company, GonnaBe is already responsible for Kids Unlimited and Say What. As a networking community, I suspect it’s gonna be even bigger.

While neither of these shows was overtly about CAT6 cable, both had lengths of strewn around in many themes, which is why I’m connecting the Stargate Atlantis episode “Midway” with the Knight Rider movie that was on tonight. Well, that and my love of alliteration.

The first was a satisfying episode: snarky Teal’c, muscley Ronin, wraiths dying all over the place and a gratuitous scene in which Shepard stowed himself in a space suit. I don’t always focus on Stargate when I watch with Fuzzy, tuning out to read, or whatever, but staying in the room to keep him company, but “Midway” kept me interested.

“Knight Rider” on the other hand kept me laughing. Serious mockery was occurring in our living room, and can you blame us? We were wagering on and off all evening about whether or not Hasslehoff would have a cameo, and I complained a lot about the new Voice of KiTT. I’m sorry, but I miss William Daniels. A Lot.

It’s pretty sad when the Mike on a Date four-part commercial was more interesting than the actual show.

It’s long been an adage that any publicity is good publicity, which is why I have to wonder if Kathy Griffin’s pointedly reading the ad taken about her Emmy speech from a Tennessee theater group didn’t serve to boost interest in other businesses in the town in question - like Pigeon Forge cabin rentals for example - just as the ad itself probably did what Pigeon Forge’s troupe (which spent 90k on the ad which was printed in USA Today) didn’t intend and call more attention to Ms. Griffin’s various concerts and Bravo tv specials.

I have a love/hate relationship with Kathy Griffin. I can never decide if her act is funny or not. Mostly, I think it is, and I think she serves a vital purpose when she does her shameless send-ups of pop-culture divas and aging actors. Sometimes, though, she just annoys me, and I’m not sure why.

I do know this: in my head, Tennessee is now inexorably linked to Kathy Griffin.

If you think Tim Gunn should come and give you a fashion makeover, if you imitate Heidi Klum as she tells designers they’re out, if you would love to put Wendy Pepper (Season One) and Crazy Vincent (Season Three) in a boxing ring together, then you need to come play with us.

Where? At Electric Tangerine of course. I’ll be joining four other fashionistas in blogging Project Runway, and you’re invited to come dish some designer dirt.

So, grab your score cards and your snarkiest attitude, slip your feet into a killer pair of shoes, and strut down the runway with us.

All are welcome.

Even if you think tangerine really is the new pink.

Last weekend, after my salon visit, I spent a pleasant three hours watching MTV’s presentation of Legally Blonde: the Musical, and while my preferred method for watching musicals is not with commercial interruptions every fifteen minutes, I’d been dying to see this play ever since my friend Jeremy informed me that it existed, about a year ago.

Broadway tickets are not cheap, and seeing live theater is much more of a production when you don’t live in New York, San Francisco, or Los Angeles. While Dallas does get touring companies, there’s something so much more magical about seeing a show in New York. The energy is just different.

In this musical, Laura Bell Bundy takes the role of Elle Woods, who follows her ex-boyfriend to Harvard Law School after he breaks up with her because he feels he needs someone who’s “less of a Marilyn, more of a Jackie.” Through song and dance, the movie’s plotline is shared, with fine performances by all, especially Christian Borle as the gently nerdy Emmet Forrest, and Orfeh as Paulette from the salon. Orfeh’s real-life husband makes three appearances in the show, first as the reggae-esque singer/dancer in “What You Want,” next as Paulette’s ex, Dewey, and finally as Kyle the UPS guy.

Bundy, of course, is well cast as Elle, and has made the part her own, though she’s admitted in interviews that she bought so much pink clothing as part of her process when prepping for the role, that she’s a bit tired of the color now.

It wasn’t live, but it’s the first time a currently-running show has been filmed for broadcast.
And, OhMyGod, you guys, it was so much fun!

I spent this morning cleaning my coffee maker, but I probably should have spent it researching drug treatment centers instead, because after my mini-marathon of Dracula: the Series on Friday, I also finally managed to catch an episode of the new vampire detective show Moonlight which is brought to you, in part, by Ron Koslow who was also involved in one of my favorite 1980’s television shows, Beauty and the Beast.

Friends who managed to see the pilot of Moonlight told me that it was very much an Angel ripoff. I disagree. If anything, it traces more of its roots back to Forever Knight than Angel ever did, and that’s fine, because what makes Joss Whedon’s work stand out is that it is so fresh and difference. It also has more than a passing resemblance to Blood Ties which returns this week.

In any case, Moonlight features Australian actor Alex O’Loughlin as vampire private investigator Mick St. John, who is relatively young in vampire terms, as he was still mortal as recently as 1950. He’s got a torch for a blonde reporter, who is apparently in a stable relationship with someone in the district attorney’s office, so there’s they typical vampire-mortal attraction dance going on, and of course, they fight crime.

It seems like a show still finding its feet, and I’ve read that there were major casting changes at the last minute, and that David Greenwalt who was involved in the show’s creation, walked away from it over the summer, so I’m hoping it will last long enough to have a chance of growing beyond it’s very earnest first couple episodes, and maybe offer a little bit more grit.

My verdict: Worth catching, but don’t cancel plans for it.