I wanna thank everyone who chimed in with tips on using iTunes more effectively. Things are moving along at a brisk pace, despite my slightly damaged new CD-ROM drive (long story, but let's just say Best Buy and their extended warranted plan are completely useless -- insisting that I take a replacement computer when I told them I had already spent 100 hours setting it up and simply wanted the CD thing replaced -- and the Asus people were great, mailing me a new drive). I now have just shy of 5,000 songs in my iTunes Library but actually figured out the solution to my "albums vs. fave songs" dilemma, which I thought I'd share with you guys since no one brought it up. (Perhaps you don't know about this, either?)
If you recall, I worried that despite my being an "album" person, I might not want every song off every album by all my favorite bands on my iPod because shuffling would no longer have a "radio" feel to it with too many titles by one artist constantly coming on, or songs I don't really want to hear on a regular basis mixing into the rotation. Sure, you can hit the "next" button, but that kind of kills the mood. What I just discovered is that there's a an option to "skip when shuffling," which means I can put a Gershwin collection or those old Japan albums -- things I might only want to listen to once in a while on a plane or train but not alongside hits by Blondie and Madonna -- and not have the songs in the shuffle line-up. Genius!
Saturday, November 07, 2009
i Got It!
Haven't Got Time for the Pain
Maybe the GOP fears universal health care because they think art therapy -- like Carly Simon serenading you before and after surgery -- will make a comeback.They Shoot Douches, Don't They?
This asshole has his Mac plugged into the wall with the cord hanging directly in front of the doorway at Paradise Cafe, essentially booby-trapping the joint so someone gets hurt. I am praying the next person who comes in trips and sends his hipster computer flying across the place.
UPDATE: A quintessential New Yorker walked up to the guy a few minutes later and said, "This is really fucking stupid" to which the guy sheepishly replied, "Is it?" Mr. New York explained WHY (I had to struggle to hold my applause) and then the selfish YouTube fan packed up his laptop and left. It must be nice to be able to SAY what I only dream of. Bravo, sir!
Friday, November 06, 2009
However-Many Candles
Showgirls Reunion
Michael spotted this ridiculously gorgeous specimen at Le Pain Quotidien at lunch today ("It's that girl from 'Ice Castles'" which I somehow managed to translate into "It's Elizabeth Berkley" -- we're quite a team). Couldn't resist approaching a fellow Detroit gal (Farmington Hills) and she couldn't have been any sweeter. She's busy working on a new book related to her Ask Elizabeth self-help program for girls (she was really writing it, by the way). Posed for multiple photos ("I want you to be happy with it") and she told me how much fun she had on Chelsea Handler's show, which I mentioned having seen her on recently. Like any gay boy, I've loved Elizabeth through it all, but more than anything, I had to get a photo with her for my brother Terence who loves her for completely different reasons.
Video Vault: Madonna
This Madonna song is said to be a scrapped demo from the "Bedtime Stories" sessions back in '94. Maybe I'm just a a sucker for bubblegum pop -- "True Blue" and "Cherish" are two of my all-time faves -- but this one sounds better than anything I remember from that album. Enjoy!
(The story didn't end there, though. Gary Barlow of Take That fame wound up releasing it instead, although I'd say Madonna version is far superior.)
PROJECT RUNWAY 6.12
I'm ba-a-ack! Did-ja miss me? (Don't answer that!) I know my old pal Steve did... Thanks for writing, Steve! (Steve is a fab actor who I worked with "back in the day" on a little gay play festival called
Sorry to up and abandon you all the way I did. Two weeks ago, I was soaking up in the sun in South Beach, and last week, I had to work my day job in order to make up for taking the time off to soak up the sun in SoBe... But here I am!
To catch you up to speed... Stringy-haired Nicolas is "aut" and Hottie Logan is "aut."
The Park Slope party pad was in full swing last night with Tim, Jason, Nick & Adam, Craig & myself, and Saskia who informed us that hubbie Scott was in rehearsal for a new gay play called Loaded, starring hottie Kevin Spirtas, aka ex-Dr. Craig Wesley from Days of our Lives and Hugh Jackman standby in The Boy from Oz. Saskia promised us lots of man-on-man action and nudity in this one, so we'll be sure to check it out -- as you should, too, if you're in the (212)!
Truth be told, I'm a little rusty with the Project Runway recapping, but here goes...
Tonight's challenge: Create a look inspired by the Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
As the designers began sketching their ideas, Tim (our Tim, not Tim Gunn) piped up with "Carol Hannah needs to diversify... She needs to make pants!" This would become a recurring theme throughout the night. Along with Tim's abhorrance of Gordana's "everything is gray" motif.
Off to Mood...
Tim (our Tim) asks, "Is Mood in a strip mall?" We contemplate the fact that before PR, was there was no Mood in Los Angeles? Is it like one of those Halloween stores that just pop up along with the season, and once it's over, shuts down? I thought maybe, since there was special attention paid to showing the Mood employees as they waved good-bye to the designers for the final time this season.
It should be noted that while at Mood, PR's good-girl, Carol Hannah made a snarky comment about the Mood employee not cutting her fabric fast enough. To which Adam replied, "It's Mood, not Attitude."
Back to the workroom...
Tim (Gunn, not our Tim) arrives to consult with the designers, who are starting to feel the pressure of Bryant Park approaching. They're picking at each other, and Irina is still pissed at Althea ("Without Nipples") for copying her Aspen look sweater from last week's challenge.
Tim tells Christopher ("Beard Boy"): "Keep an editing eye" and mentions something about stalactites.
Christopher (model: Katie)
Tim tells Carol Hannah: "Ack! Don't lose the sophistication."
Carol Hannah (model: Lisa)
Tim tells Irina: "Looks alot like road kill" and throws in "post-apocalyptic" for good measure. Good! I still hate the bitch!)
Irina (model: Kalyn)
Tim tells Althea: "A panel of puckering." Though Saskia is happy with Althea's choice to be inspired by the building's architecture, and not some lame Monet painting, the way Gordana is.
(To which Jason said: "She just got out of the Eastern Bloc... What do you expect?")
Althea (model: Tanisha)Tim tells Gordana: "Really impressed" and calls her dress "angelic, and spirited." Jason decides it looks like "Meat Curtains."
Gordana (model: Matar)
The models arrive for their 30 minute fitting...
I'm appalled when the models start giving the designers advice. Must have something to do with Models of the Runway which I'm embarrassed to say, we've been watching each week. (I hate Lisa's look, and Craig has a straight-crush on Matar.)
Adam (devastated now that Logan is gone) decides "Beard Boy would be cute if he didn't have the beard." Speaking of Christopher... Tim (our Tim) worries that Christopher is going to start crying again at any moment. When Christopher writes a message on the apartment chalk board before heading to the runway, Jason wonders: "Who's he leaving a message for? He lives alone!"
And why does "Meana Irina" have her last name written on tape and taped to her bed? Is she that territorial?! Jason decides, "She probably peed on it like an animal to mark it."
Nick decides he likes the mess of Christopher's dress. (Oh, Nick!)
Jason decides Althea's look is a mess. Tim decides that it looks like a matress pad.
It's the day of the show, y'all...
The Park Slope party-goers are not impressed with this week's offerings. Jason thinks Gordana's dress looks like a "Big Vagina." (Craig and I actually liked it -- not because of the vagina resemblance!) Jason also decides: "There is so much mess on that TV" and is fascinated when they pull away from Gordana's wrinkly knees to guest judge Cynthia Rowley's wrinkly face.
Regarding the judges: Nina Garcia is back. Along with Cindy Crawford who looks absolutely fabulous. Adam sighs that he's missed the former Cover Girl (was she, or am I just making that up?) I can't help but remember her attempt at acting in that so-called movie with Billy Baldwin -- or was it the other Baldwin? The hot one? You know who I'm talking about.
Hedi tells Althea: "A mess fest." (Doesn't really rhyme, but she's German!)
Nina tells Althea: "Length is Old Lady."
The judges seem to like Gordana's gown, but then decide it's "not so great from the back" (Nina Garcia).
Cynthia Rowley tells Carol Hannah: "The fit is fantastic."
Nina uses the word "perfection" but I can't read my handwriting as to what else she said. (I've had two Tequila Mockingbirds at this point!)
Cindy Crawford tells Christopher: She likes the top, but the skirt "had a life of it's own." To which Jason cries: "Don't cry!" and Tim squeals, "Squish!" and mashes up his face in his best Christopher-crying impression. But what can Christopher expect when he admits his design was based on "a rock with algea."
Then Heidi pulls a Project Runway first (at least we think it is)... She asks each designer why they think they should go to Bryant Park and who they would take with them?
Gordana chooses Christopher and Irina.
Carol Hannah chooses Christopher (for his "interesting ideas") and Althea.
Irina -- who actually gets a heart here and says she doesn't want to have to chooose! -- picks Althea and Gordana.
Talk about a bullshit/reality show moment if there ever was one! And Tim (our Tim) is flabbergasted that anyone would pick Carol Hannah when she can't make a pair of pants!
After the designers are sent away, Nina laments that she still doesn't know who Gordana is "as a designer." Adam says, "That's because you've been on TWO episodes the entire season, Nina!"
The results... (do I need to mention "Spolier Alert"?)
Christopher is aut. (Surprisingly, he doesn't cry!)
Carol Hannah is going to Fashion Week (where we learn she will make pants!)
Althea is in... and Gordana is aut.
We were under the impression that today's challege was the deciding factor in who stays and who goes (ie, Chris Dautry on American Idol). But it seemed that in this case, Althea was given a pardon since her work over the course of the season was consistenlty good, and all Gordana ever did was make a gray dress!
Your thoughts?
Project Runway airs at 10pm ET on Lifetime TV
*FRANK ANTHONY POLITO is a Brooklyn-based author, playwright, and actor.He's a Killer When He Hates!
Remember the first time you went to a real gay party and there was that older, worldly gay guy who told you all of those fascinating stories about the "olden days," like the time he was held hostage by Muslim terrorists inside the B'nai B'rith building in Washington -- during the infamous Hanafi Siege back in '77 -- and one his captors noticed he had eyeliner on? (Sorry, having a flashback.)
Well, he's back. Only this time he's here to teach you about classic movies. "The Maltese Falcon" is this week's pick, above.
Peruvian Dish
(212) fave and Kathy Griffin impersonator Miss Coco Peru is bringing her unsavory act back to Times Square this weekend and next, with "an evening of sassy songs, amusing anecdotes and moving autobiographical stories about growing up in the Bronx, her slow rise to low-level celebrity, and the crap that has come in between." Performances are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Laurie Beechman Theater,407 W. 42th Street, at 9th Ave. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased HERE.
Diss Cab for Cutie
>Not only can gay people not get married in New York City, apparently we can't hug one another in taxis without getting thrown out on our ears.
Gothamist reports: The NY Post talked to one of the men, 27-year-old Paul Bruno (above), who says the driver told them: "You guys have to get out of the taxi! Hugging is not allowed in here!" He says he doesn't know if the shocking act of discrimination "was a personal or religious thing," but the driver is "in the wrong place and in the wrong line of work if he doesn't have an open and tolerant attitude. I've seen a lot more go on in taxis than hugging."
Mormons Nail Gay Guys
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Nailed 'Em - Mormon Church Trespassing | ||||
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Mark my words, that's a headline you're likely to see on a DVD box at a porn store near you.
