CASHETTA - QUEEN OF MAGIC!!!

Tuesdays is comedy night on LOGO - the channel dedicated to GLBT programming. On Tuesdays they show various half-hour comedy shows featuring gay, lesbian and transgendered comedians, followed with an episode of the unique Big Gay Sketch Show (produced by Rosie O'Donnell).

Recently during one of the half-hour specials I saw and fell in love with Cashetta - Queen of Magic! Cashetta is a well-known drag queen who, instead of doing the usual lip-syncing to popular songs, performs stand-up comedy and magic acts.

I wanted to share one of her skits with you so click on the embedded video to see the skit that caught my attention.

For information on this popular east-coast entertainer click here.

AMC'S "MAD MEN" SEASON 2 PREM IERED TONIGHT...

...and I think it was well paced. It's been 14 month's since we last left the show, Kennedy has been in the White House for a while, and there has been a few changes in the office.

The show does NOT fall victim to it's success by starting off with a plot twist, or answering questions about last season's ending that left me stammering with surprise, nor did it fall victim to major or hokey plot development - it's maddeningly well paced, leaving the viewer thirsting for more.

I'm not sure I can wait until next Sunday to see the second episode - but I have no choice, do I?

Oh, and by the way BMW - brilliant move presenting this eagerly anticipated premiere exclusively with only a one-minute interruption to show BMW's progress over the past 40-odd years.

Here's quick look at the story behind this week's episode (ATTENTION: MAY CONTAIN SPOILER!):

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTMONT FRONT

Not much happened this week - busy at school and getting ready for August.

My field reporter in Plainfield advised today that she saw a report on the telly last week that explained the reason for the strong skunk smells I mentioned.

According to reports the skunk population was drastically diminished in the early '90s due to an outbreak of rabies. It seems that the population is beginning to grow again, with a jump in numbers up nearly 17% - based on roadkill count.

Contrary to popular belief skunks do NOT spray their trade-mark "musk" willy-nilly, but prefer to use it only as a method of last resort. The recent "rise" in musk odor is attributed to the larger-than-normal road-kills of the poor near-sighted buggers in the areas of (as fate would have it) Lombard, Darien, Downers Grove, WESTMONT and Willowbrook.

Well, that noxious little mystery solved, but it does not help me when I sleep with the windows open! Last Thursday night/early Friday morning the stench was so bad I woke from my slumber thinking that a damn skunk had compromised my patio screen and was riffling through my garbage!!

Oh well, that's life in the 'burbs!!!

IT'S FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU KNOW, THE RESEARCH FOR THESE ARE JUST BRUTAL.......

DAMNN!!!!! THIS IS DEFINITELY MY TYPE........!!!!!!!!!!!!

A GOLDEN GIRL LEAVES US WITH GOLDEN MEMORIES

Today, Estelle Getty - "Sophia" of 'Golden Girls' fame - died after a long battle with illness. She was 84 years old.

Although she was an accomplished actress who was a regular on Broadway (she played Harvey Fierstein's mother in the Broadway production of "Torch Song Trilogy"), she is best remembered for her portrayal on GG as the feisty mother with uncensored comments.

The show has been a staple of my life and continues to make me laugh, even though I've seen very single episode 16 million times. The impact on my life as a recurring member of 'Golden Girls' is really best summed up by the lyrics of the show's theme song:

Thank you for being a friend
Traveled down the road and back again
Your heart is true your a pal and a confidant.

And if you threw a party
Invited everyone you ever knew
You would see the biggest gift would be from me
And the card attached would say thank you for being a friend.

Shady Pines, Ma, Shady Pines.....

MOVIE REVIEW - "THE DARK KNIGHT"

Why even waste my time in a lengthy synopsis? Let me break it down in simple sentences:

GO SEE IT! Run, don't walk......the best movie of the year...

HEATH LEDGER WILL BE NOMINATED FOR AN OSCAR. (And this is not a sympathy vote - his performance was bloody awesome. it made the rest of the cast look like amateurs - and theirs were good.....)

The stunts were good - one part even made me think "Whoa - cool!", and a few people in the audience verbalized my sentiment at the same time.

The two-and-a-half hours flew by.

The move - filmed in Chicago - put the Windy City in a good light.

Why are you still sitting there?! Have you bought a ticket yet? Sheesh.....

MY LATEST OBSESSION - AMC'S "MAD MEN"

For some time now my friend from Rockford has been praising the show "Mad Men" - an original series created and shown on the AMC Channel that had it's first season last year. "This show is pretty good," he remarked one night. "It's based around the lives of advertising executives who worked on Madison Avenue in 1960s - and they try their best to be as authentic to the period as they can. You know, it's interesting to see how much people smoked back then," he mused thoughtfully.

I tried watching the series a few months back but kept catching the same episode repeatedly. However, I noted his observation that the show captured the feel of the era. Then events in my life happened that pulled my attention elsewhere and i forgot about the series.

Recently, the show made the news by making Emmy history as the first basic-cable original series to be nominated - 16 nominations in total - and is a leading contender in the drama category. This peaked my interest and i thought to myself, "I'd really like to see a few of those episodes to see what the fuss is all about..."

Today I got my chance. AMC decided to run a "Mad Men" marathon showing all 13 episodes from the first season.

Late this morning my friend, who was visiting based on an invitation to Jamaican-style oxtail, brown stewed chicken, and rice-and-peas, pointed this out as he changed the channel. "Hey, here's that show I was talking about!" I grabbed the remote from him and checked the on-screen guide. "Well, it seems they're having a marathon...wait...wait....let me see....hmmmmm...yup! Episodes are on until midnight." I checked my watch and decided, "well, I'm not ready to fire up the pots as yet so I'll watch this episode...seems like it's the first episode of the series..."

Two hours later I was hooked like a junkie to heroin. THIS SERIES IS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE. By then I had my DVR working overtime to record every episode so I can catch up in time for the start of Season Two next week.

I encourage all to try to watch this series - it's portrayal of the look and feel of the '60s is so dead-on it's as if you're looking though time. Not only did everyone smoke back then - even pregnant women and doctors- they also did a lot of things that we have been conditioned NOT to do today such as grabbing a secretary's ass or make suggestive comments or jokes, smoking all over the office, treating minorities as if they were invisible - just to name a few.

It also showed how women of that era were taught to grow-up and find a husband, get a house and have kids - all by the age of 28 - and how most women, by that time in their life, were alienated from their spouses; wives were too caught up in their domestic webs to be in touch with the reality of life outside suburbia, taking their husbands for granted and throwing tantrums for inane reasons.

There isn't a hurried feeling about the show, no outlandish plot lines, no shootings or dramatic skeletons in the closet - just plot lines around ambitious men, their work-life, their women, their private lives.

Well acted, well executed, well paced, the sets and fashions visually appealing - this show is five stars out of five! I totally agree - this show was the deserving 2007 Golden Globe winner for Best TV Drama!

For more information on AMC's "Mad Men" click here.

AND ONE MORE FOR THE ROAD....

HAPPY FRIDAY!

PROJECT RUNWAY (SEASON 5) BEGINS!!!!!!!!!!!

Major, MAJOR NEWS: yesterday the season premiere of the hit reality show PROJECT RUNWAY began on BRAVO TV!!!

Project Runway is a Peabody Award-winning American reality television series on the Bravo network which focuses on fashion design. The contestants compete with each other to create the best clothes and are usually restricted in time, materials, and theme. Their designs are judged and one or more designers are eliminated each week.

This is (seriously) the creme-de-la-creme of reality shows that offers creativity, originality, drama. I have never missed an episode and really encourage anyone who has an interest in fashion, art, or design to watch this incredible series.

The show airs Wednesdays on BRAVO TV at 9e/8c.

COOL FILM SHORT

This one was brought to my attention by Towleroad. The creator of this ditty is VERY TALENTED and I hope we'll see more of his work.

Good job!

ON THE SUBJECT OF BUSH.....NO, THE NOT THAT ONE, 'DUBYA'...

Well then. It seems I've stirred up a hornet's nest with this one. I'm hearing from people who I hadn't heard from in eons.

One one hand someone made the valid point that going around touting gloom-and-doom will shake the confidence of consumers and investors. This is true - monetary systems used globally are based on the confidence that the declared value on a piece of paper will be backed by the issuing government, and stating one's doubts in the GDP of the country could have a negative effect on this system.

HOWEVER, recognizing doubts could also have a POSITIVE effect on the system also - if consumers and investors see an administration acknowledging current issues with the economy AND THAT SAID ADMINISTRATION IS PUTTING IN PLACE POLICIES AND PROPOSALS TO COUNTER-EFFECT ANY NEGATIVE INFLUENCES, they will stay the course - and confidence in the system can grow. Bush could have given an address to the nation to reassure the public, encouraging them to rally together in these hard economic times, AND put forth some ideas for congress to act on - such as creating new jobs by upgrading the current infrastructure, challenge large urban areas to implement aggressive plans to update and expand public transportation, be a more vocal advocate of nuclear power plants, etc. - rather than just throwing money at the problem. Not that I mind my $600 check, but it was used to help pay for necessities such as rent, utilities and food rather than buying luxury items to stimulate the economy - a scenario that has been seen and heard throughout the nation.

Over the past eight years Bush has shown over and over his steadfastness of ignoring the truth: the fudging of facts by his advisors that lead to the invasion of Iraq, Donald Rumsfeld and his numerous cock-ups, New Orleans, and now rising gas prices. His deliberate avoidance during a press conference in February of predicted $4 a gallon gas prices is a classic Bush modus operandi - pretend the problem doesn't exist and act oblivious....to the obvious. His latest statement is clearly irresponsible when companies such as American Airlines, Citigroup, GM and Bank of America are announcing large job cuts.

Right now I think Bush realizes that his last term as president has been a complete and utter failure, and he is coasting through these last months hoping they will be incident free, focusing instead on doing 'PR tours' around the globe. He's already being called 'the worst president EVER in the history of the United States' (not my words, but a phrase quoted far too many times in the media) and he just doesn't want to add mismanagement of the economy to that legacy - so he pretends all is well.

His approach is downright arrogance and ignorance.

Now, I need to get on top of my TALLER soapbox and address those who predict the downfall of the U.S. - it's never going to happen.

Why?

Americans have proven time and time again their ability to rise to challenges that affect their way of life, using 'American ingenuity amongst other things to conquer crisis. They have taken higher petrol costs and a weak economy as a challenge, and quickly adapt to a new way of life. Persons riding bicycles, and having 'stay-at-home' vacations, trading in gas-guzzlers for hybrids - these are examples of them adapting to change. The previous 'fall of empires' has historically resulted when a nation comprised of indigenous people try to take over the world - the U.S. is made up of a collective of non-indigenous people who came to this country for a better life, and their differences is what makes the U.S. strong and sets them apart from invading empires of the past.

So, don't write 'U.S.' off yet - we'll adapt, then you'll have to adapt to 'U.S.'. After all, "resistance is futile"........

GEORGE W. BUSH IS THE BIGGEST ASSHOLE EVER. PERIOD.

In a statement today the *gag* president said that the "economy is growing, consumers are spending, exports continue increasing and American productivity remains strong,".

HELLO?! Have you been to the gas station recently, you effing moron? Or even the bloody supermarket?! Your innate blindness to the current gas prices, it's effect on the economy combined with the current housing industry situation and your adamant refusal to say the word RECESSION is comparable to Reagan and his refusal to acknowledge the effect of the AIDS epidemic in the '80s.

Is it Jan 20, 2009 yet? Jesus H Christ, the quicker we get this DUMB muthafucker out of office, the better......he is the WORST president EVER...and I really don't give a fuck about "the possible positive long-term effect his policies and appointments may have on the future"......that's just one of the of many weak excuses brain-washed Republicans use in an attempt to justify his presidency and corrupt administration.

AND FOR THE RECORD...I never voted for him.................

Dumbass.............

WHOA, BRUCIE, WHOA! SOMEBODY BAD-DRIVE YOU GOING TO VALE ROYAL? Rumors of immediate jail detention if caught driving without license....

An article in today's Jamaica Observer hinted that the current JLP administration is looking into possibly implementing harsher rules regarding police detention. The proposed changes are raising cause for alarm for some human rights groups.

According to the report, the police force may be granted greater powers to more readily detain civilians. Example: any person found driving without immediate possession of their driver's license would result in sending them immediately to jail without any grace period to produce the license. Other elements of the proposed measure includes: extending detention from 48 hours to 42 days for persons suspected of in cases of rape, murder, firearm offences, and arson.

Mr. Golding - exactly how is detaining a forgetful St. Andrew housewife rushing out to pick up her children from prep school and placing her in the company of gruff men and women going to solve the criminal problem in Jamaica?

Will your administration treat members of your administration equally if THEY are caught in violation?

Do you have the jail space for this proposed solution?

How are you going to deal with vengeful women who cry "Rape!" just because their baby-father pissed them off that day, or think "mi a go get dat deh battyman 'oo nah pay mi nu min' so mi a go fix fi 'im business, watch mi now..."

What about members of the police force with an axe to grind with "Mr. Chin 'oo chase mi out a di grocery shop when mi was a bwoy..."?

While I understand the government's frustration at trying to curb the current violence in Jamaica, this is placing too much power in the hands of a corrupt police force that's easily influenced by monetary gain. The public will never fully trust, respect and obey members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force until they are properly compensated and corruption driven out. Any measure at this time granting them more power of detention may only serve to aggravate the problem and create even more disruption in society rather than appease it.

Mr. Golding, let's re-think this proposition, shall we?

NO KIND WORDS FOR A PUBLIC BIGOT

On July 4th one of the most controversial members of senate - Sen. Jesse Helms, North Carolina (R) - died.

And I am shedding no tears for him or his legacy.

This is a person who willingly promoted elements of bigotry and ignorance under the disguise of conservatism, publicly through opinion and laws. Because of him and his actions HIV-positive persons are NOT allowed entry to the U.S. either to visit, study of reside. He was known to oppose school integration, the Civil Rights Act, the commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr Day, homosexuality and gay rights, abortion, foreign aid, and other notable social achievements of modern times.

His death, while mourned by some, is seen as the end of a hateful era by others.

Some may argue that his way of thinking was influenced by events in an era of days gone by and we should move on.

Really? I guess I could use the same argument that Hitler's views and his influence on Germany also represented a by-gone era and we should just say, "Aw, that's history...let's move on..."

Bullshit. Thanks to him social conservatism is seen as prejudice and persecution and we should use it as a measuring stick of what NOT to do when making social decisions.

Having an opinion and voicing it is one thing; using your political powers to enforce hate-mongering and bigotry is another.

I hope that he really does receive his just rewards from his Maker.