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A blog by someone who doesn't like or understand blogs.
A major theme of this blog is the love affair between the blogger and the city of New York.
Email me at david @ danzig . com. Close up the spaces there, if you are a human being and not a spammer.
Bloggers with whom I am personally acquainted, in real life, in alphebetical order by first name:
Blake N.
Dav C.
Jessica D.
Lauren P.
Sean S.
Steph T.
If you know me in person, and I forgot to put you here, definitely, please email me, and also please accept my apology!
Take a look at some of my nearby neighbors by clicking this button: 
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Monday, June 30, 2003
MOVIE REVIEW: THE ANIMATRIX (2003) * * * * (4 stars out of 4).
This is about the best movie I've seen since, well, the Matrix. It is far better than The Matrix: Reloaded. It is actually very reminiscent of the 1981 Heavy Metal movie, which I loved, but I think The Animatrix is even better.
The Animatrix is a series of several short animated stories that tell the back-story of the Matrix. The strongest pieces are at the beginning, and the ones at the end are just okay. But the first few are absolutely amazing. It is truly a beautiful work of art, well-written and wonderfully rendered. It is rich, bold, imaginative, frightening, and enlightening.
I kind of figured that if it were really any good, it would have been in the theater, instead of going straight to video, especially with all the hype about The Matrix: Reloaded. But in fact, The Animatrix is simply one of the best movies I've ever seen.
I do think, however, that I made a big mistake by not seeing it on drugs. I think you're definitely supposed to be on drugs when you see it.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105695020683282883
Sunday, June 29, 2003
OH, THAT IS, LIKE, SO GAY.
I just got back from the gay pride parade today. It's always a very joyful event, but I expected it to be especially celebratory this year because of the Supreme Court's decision last week legalizing consensual gay sex for adults in every state in the US. But I didn't get that sense at all. It certainly was a celebration. But maybe people made their signs too far in advance, because I got much more of a sense of protestation this year than in years past, and it was, frankly, a little off-putting. Here I was, feeling very excited to be right where I was on this of all days, in the wake of this incredible moment in the history of gay rights, and seeing these signs saying "This is a protest, not a parade!" and "Gay Rights Now!" really kind of brought me down a little. I mean, the point is well taken that gay rights advocates need to continue the struggle for equal treatment. Same-sex marriage still has to be legalized. Lesbians, gay men and transgendered people need to be protected from employment and housing discrimination. And around the country, there is still a big fight ahead to be fought against old-fashioned attitudes. But can't we take just a few hours to celebrate the incredible achievements of the past week, which surpass and are the culmination of every other achievement in the gay rights movement in America?
Again, don't get me wrong-- the overall theme of the parade was very positive and celebratory. But not even as much as I remember it being last year when there wasn't nearly as much to celebrate.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105692893636975671
Saturday, June 28, 2003
BOOK REVIEW: LIVING HISTORY by HILLARY CLINTON (2003) 1/2 (1/2 a star out of 4).
I've got nothing against Hillary Clinton. I voted for her for Senate, and I'd certainly vote for her if she were to become the Democratic candidate for President against George W. Bush. But this is just not a good book. It reads like a children's book, except with the word "Republicans" substituted for "scary monsters." She makes everything sound so simple and one-sided, with the Democrats always on the side of right, and the Republicans always on the side of greed or pettiness or evil. But I certainly remember that at the time a real debate was happening, even if the Democrats might have had the better of the argument. The book is boring, uninsightful, unrevealing, and totally self-serving. Whether you like Hillary Clinton or not, this is just not a good book to read.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105683687893052884
Thursday, June 26, 2003
BOWERS V. HARDWICK OVERTURNED!
Although I am a lawyer, I don't have a political blog or a legal blog or a news blog, and I don't want to, but this really seems like it needs commenting on by me-- not that plenty of people aren't commenting on it already.
I've always felt that Bowers v. Hardwick, the 1986 Supreme Court decision upholding a Georgia statute outlawing consensual sex between same-sex couples, was the Dred Scott or Plessy v. Ferguson of our time. That is, it's a case that was so obviously wrongly decided that future generations would look back on it with disgust. So, today's landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas, to me, goes a long way toward restoring the legitimacy of the Supreme Court after Bush v. Gore, particularly given its conservative make-up right now.
I think it's also really interesting and cool that this comes literally on the eve of the 34th anniversary of the start of the Stonewall riots on June 27, 1969, which is widely seen as the start of the gay rights movement.
This should make the Greenwich Village Gay Pride parade this Sunday quite a celebration to see indeed.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105664422820371536
THE BEST YOU CAN HOPE FOR.
I am lately finding it difficult not to think about this:
You remember the most sick you ever were? Well, unless you should have the misfortune to be hit by a bus, you're going to get that sick again, and then you're going to get much sicker, and then you're going to keep getting sicker like that for a year or two or three or more. And then you're going to die. Because that's how it is when people die.
I'm 32. I wouldn't be all that terribly unlucky if I'm already halfway there, and I'd be quite very lucky to be only a third of the way there. And if I am unlucky, then it could very well start tomorrow. It kind of makes me not want to have children. Why do that to someone I care about? Sure, there's a whole lot of good along with the bad, but then why not just adopt?
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105660828677738115
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
NO TIPS FOR A BEND OVER.
This crazy message, photocopied from a page written in black magic marker with sloppy handwriting, is in the window of almost every newspaper machine within five blocks of my apartment, which is right around the corner from Flashdancers, a "gentlemen's club," which I have never visited.
The message states:
-----
BOYCOTT FLAHDANCERS ON BROADWAY
They are a White Slavery taking local women and throwing local men in the street. Connected with most clubs in N.Y. they restrict social activity so all men have got to pay. Also using the topless club to introduce and behavior [sic] the women into prostitution. This all takes place as the AIDS VIRUS is their leading cause of death. If you must enter remember its [sic] suppose [sic] to be toppless [sic] dancing not topless bend over. NO Tips for a bend over.
-----
So remember, kids, if you tip for a bend over, that's white slavery.
Actually, I was once walking past that place on my way home, and I saw some well-dressed guys arguing with the doorman about money. So while they are peacefully arguing over their genuine disagreement, a bouncer from inside came behind one of the guys and shoved him to the ground, breaking one of the guy's teeth. The police happened past (as they often do in Times Square), and I gave them a statement about what I saw, as did the guy and his friends, but I don't think the cops did anything.
So, yeah, actually, don't go there.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105651817823935303
THE TIVOLUTION WILL BE TELEVISED.
I went to "Tivolution," a party hosted by Tivo down in the meat packing district in Manhattan. It was themed after the 1964 New York World's Fair, and was called the Tivo 2003 New York World's Fair. There were free hot dogs and mocha drinks and popcorn and cotton candy and beer and alcoholic pink lemonade. There were displays of the new Tivo Series 2, which I have not seen, even though my parents have one. It has a lot of nice new features. But I kind of feel like I should hold out for the HDTV Tivo which has recently been made as a prototype. But actually, people seemed much more into the free food and drinks than the product. I really don't see what Tivo gets out of throwing this party. I got to go free because a friend of mine works for the PR firm that set it up.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105651735924428265
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
SO, WHAT LANGUAGE IS THIS ONE?
A blog entry titled Alla älskar en folkmassa utan syfte eller riktning! links to my site. (Click on it for the full article.) Anybody know what language this is or what the article says?
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105647824213107479
WELCOME, MR. PRESIDENT TO OUR FAIR CITY.
There was a huge protest around the corner from my apartment in front of the Sheraton New York, where the President appeared for 15 minutes at a $2000 per person fundraiser. He was expected to raise more money this week than all the Democratic candidates put together have raised so far, on his way to a record-breaking quarter-billion dollar campaign fund.
Anyway, the thing that was striking to me was that all these thousands of people were out there to shout protest slogans and what have you, but I didn't see one single person who was just out there to catch a glimpse of the president, and welcome him to New York. I mean, you'd think that one person in the metro New York area would admire the President and want to just maybe see him go by in person for a second.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#105644026179524644
Friday, June 20, 2003
VIVA LA INTERNET REVOLUCION.
A Portugese language Web site linked to my Flash Mob story.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200443048
HOW I INVITED SOME FRIENDS TO VISIT ME:
This certificate good for one stay for up to two adults and up to one child at Le La Casa Maison Haus David.*
* Subject to availability. Some restrictions apply. May not be combined with other offers. Not affiliated with the National Rifle Association or the National Abortion Rights Action League. For entertainment purposes only. Provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Offer not valid in all areas. May cause hair loss, itching, stomach cramps, diarrhea, and/or nausea. Not labeled for individual sale. Available for a limited time only. Does not include incidental expenses. Substantial penalties apply for early withdrawal. Not responsible for lost or stolen articles. Under 18 admitted only with permission of parent or legal guardian. Provided "as is." Any express or implied warranties, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are disclaimed. In no event shall Le La Casa Maison Haus David be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, or consequential damages (including, but not limited to, procurement of substitute goods or services; lose of use, data, or profits; or business interruption) however caused and on any theory of liability, whether in contract, strict liability, or tort (including negligence or otherwise) arising in any way out of this offer, even if advised of the possibility of such damage. All quotes are delayed 20 minutes. Data and information is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended for trading purposes. Neither at Le La Casa Maison Haus David nor any of its data or content providers shall be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. By visiting at Le La Casa Maison Haus David, a user agrees not to redistribute any confidential information found therein. Le La Casa Maison Haus David is not a registered broker-dealer and does not endorse or recommend the services of any brokerage company. The brokerage company you select is solely responsible for its services to you, the user. Le La Casa Maison Haus David does not endorse or recommend any commercial products, processes, or services. The views and opinions of individuals expressed at at Le La Casa Maison Haus David do not necessarily state or reflect those of the U.S. Government, and they may not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. It is not the intention of Le La Casa Maison Haus David to provide specific medical advice but rather to provide users with information to better understand their health and their diagnosed disorders. Specific medical advice will not be provided, and Le La Casa Maison Haus David urges you to consult with a qualified physician for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions. Databases of molecular data at Le La Casa Maison Haus David include such examples as nucleotide sequences (GenBank), protein sequences, macromolecular structures, molecular variation, gene expression, and mapping data. They are designed to provide and encourage access within the scientific community to sources of current and comprehensive information. Therefore, Le La Casa Maison Haus David itself places no restrictions on the use or distribution of the data contained therein. However, some submitters of the original data may claim patent, copyright, or other intellectual property rights in all or a portion of the data they have submitted. Le La Casa Maison Haus David is not in a position to assess the validity of such claims and, therefore, cannot provide comment or unrestricted permission concerning the use, copying, or distribution of the information contained in the molecular databases. Celebrity voices are impersonated. Any similarity to any person or persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Copyright 2003 Le La Casa Maison Haus David. All Rights Reserved. Enter at your own risk.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200442938
Thursday, June 19, 2003
NOW WHERE DID I PUT MY PUBLISHER'S NUMBER?
I just had kind of a funny book idea. The main character always or frequently has that cliche of a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other-- or maybe he or she just talks directly to God and the Devil. But the hook is this: the advice given by God or the angel is difficult to follow and doesn't always make a whole lot of sense. By contrast, the Devil is brilliant tempter, whose logic is compelling and seemingly flawless.
I don't come to this idea out of disrespect for God or religion. But, in fact, this conception is more like our traditional notions of good and the Devil. That is, doing what's right involves sacrifice, and it is not always for us to understand the methods of God. But the devil is supposed to offer real temptation by appealing not only to our basest desires, but also to our brilliant ability to rationalize away the evil that we do.
So, maybe our main character is considering whether to have sex with his girlfriend, and the angel on his shoulder says something like, "Yes, you love her and you plan to spend your life with her, but unless your relationship is sanctioned officially by the church in the form of a marriage then it's a sin." But then the devil says, "Hey, what about King Henry the eighth who had all his marriages annulled and his wives murdered so that he could keep having sex with different women-- that was sanctioned by the church. How can that be right and this be wrong? What about men who abuse their wives? How can that be sanctioned by the church and this not be? And what about lesbians and gay men, what are they supposed to do? The church won't sanction their relationships, and that can't be right. Your not a homophobic bigot are you? And what about all those poor little boys molested by priests in the same churches where so many weddings were performed? All you and your girlfriend want to do is consecrate your love for each other. You're adults, you're in love, you're both disease-free, and you're monogamous. Sex is a basic human need and it's unhealthy to deny it." And then the angel replies, "Well, that's not what it says in the Bible."
It's sort of a modern day Candide.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200439718
TRADEMARK FRINGEMENT.
When I was in law school, one of the rules I learned is that you can never copyright, trademark, or otherwise protect a font. You can protect your individual logo, but if I want to copy the font you used to create your logo to make a different logo, I can and you can't stop me. This was really drilled into our heads-- no matter what you can't protect a font.
But at the same time, some trademarks consist only of individual letters. If you can't protect a whole font, how can you protect just one letter? Or, if you can protect one letter, why can't you protect 26 letters?
So, I wondered, what if you made a font, and every letter in the font individually infringed on someone's trademark? For example, the M is the big yellow golden arches from McDonalds; the K is the big red K from K-Mart; the C is the stylized C with a long squiggly underline from Coca-Cola; and so on.
Apparently artist Heidi Cody created this art installation, along these same lines, though probably not while thinking about this interesting intersection of conflicting legal rules. Of course, an art installation would probably be fair use, even if it did incorporate someone else's trademarks. But suppose you turned that into a font, and used it to make your own corporate logo or what have you? I just don't know the answer, and I don't think anybody does.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200438956
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
THE FLASH MOB.
Sean S.'s cheesebikini.com offers this great article (including pictures) of yesterday's Flash Mob in Manhattan.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200437054
HELLO MY FRIENDS.
I added a list of my blogged friends on the left. Check 'em out! If I know you in real life, and I left you off, please email me at david @ danzig . com (without the spaces)!
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200436696
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
MOB RULE.
I joined MOB #2, today in Herald Square. I got an email, I'm not sure from where, telling me to meet at one of four bars, based on my birthday (i.e., I went to the Holiday Inn bar, because I was born in April, May, or June). Then, A fellow in a trucker hat, gave me and the other fourth of us directions of where to go, which was the rug department on the 9th floor of Macy's flagship store. We all gathered around a particular rug, which we were told was to be called "The Love Rug," and contemplated buying the rug, but ultimately decided against it, as we had planned. It was a fun New York sort of happening, and was really amusing in the moment. There were about a hundred people there, or so, and it was quite an interesting scene. Here's a picture I found at Satan's Laundromat, which includes me:
I'm just below and to the left of the word "collection," with dark brown curly hair, and no hat.
We discussed whether to buy the rug, with people shouting out pros and cons in a surprisingly orderly fashion. We discussed the price, a little under $10,000, which actually turned out to be not all that much per person. Things like the price, the size, the material, the fact that it was manufactured in Pakistan (our new friend in the war against terrorism), and the possibility of rug burns, all were discussed reasonably and intelligently. After exactly ten minutes we voted. There was a small chorus of yeas, and an overwhelming thunder of nays, and we quickly dispersed.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200434002
HOW TO COMPLETELY REVITALIZE THE US ECONOMY.
Apparently, the main reason for the US economic slowdown has been the reduction in purchases of new computers, right? And people are buying fewer new computers, because they feel their current ones are fast enough for everything they want to do, and the main thing they need to increase the speed of their computer is to increase their connection speed to the Internet.
If you want people to buy new computers, you need to make a "killer app" that requires a new computer to run well. I don't know about you, but I bought my last computer so I could play Quake and Doom. If Intel would make some great, great games and utilities and suchlike that everyone wanted, but that would only run on a Pentium 4, and then give them all away free, they'd sell a whole lot of chips.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200433418
THEY SHOULD CALL IT "A BEING READ TO."
I went to a reading at the Telephone Bar in the East Village last night. There was a decent short story by writer Greg Sanders, a laughably bad excerpt from "This Won't Hurt a Bit" by author Timothy Sheard, and a not-even-funny-how-bad-it-was reading of some song lyrics by Katherine Pritchard (maybe it's better with the music?).
But the highlight of the show was the reader I came to see, my friend Jessica Delfino, who wowed the crowd. She read a collection of actual letters she wrote to people who advertised positions for hire. She wrote ridiculous replies, designed to ensure she would not be hired. They were great, as are the responses from her would-be employers. Her archives aren't working, but go to her Web page, and read the entries from April 17, 2003 and June 14, 2003. They're really funny! Unfortunately, they're missing the replies from the prospective employers.
How about it Jessica Delfino? Why don't you republish your archives, and also put up the responses from the employers?
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200432319
Saturday, June 14, 2003
PASTRAMI.
I had a fun and yummy lunch Thursday with fellow blogger Blake N., who I had not seen in about four years, at our high school reunion. The food was delicious, the conversation engaging, and the company delightful.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200425157
MY DANISH COUNTERPART.
Check out creamy.com's Danish counterpart, creamy.dk.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200425123
TWO TASTELESS JOKES.
Here are two tasteless jokes I thought of.
ONE.
I was a member of triple-A, the American Automobile Association, but I just quit. I switched and joined the North American Man Boy Automobile Association. I really just joined NAMBAA because their rates are better, but I was reading some of their literature, and it really makes a lot of sense. I mean, it's just ridiculous that you have to be 18 years old to drive a car in New York. I mean, when you're eight yours old, you could be raped by your uncle. If you're old enough to be anally raped, you're totally old enough to drive a car.
TWO.
Okay, this isn't so much a joke as an idea for the beginning of a sketch, about how African Americans are bothered by security guards in stores. As an African American man walks into a store, there's a white security guard dressed in a black suit, like a secret service agent. As he sees the African American walk in, he talks into a microphone on his shoulder, and loudly says, "Code black! Code black! I repeat, we have a code black!"
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200425113
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
THE MUSEUM OF BAGS.
After the charity auction (see the previous post) ended, I wrote to the guy who won:
I really wanted to be winner of this auction, but, obviously, you wanted it more than I did. I don't know how often you bid $5,000 for an item at a chartiy auction, but it's kind of a big deal for me. So, I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate you on winning this auction.
If you don't mind my asking, and I certainly understand if you do mind, I'd love to know what the maximum bid was that you had entered?
Sincerely,
David D[.]
---
He replied,
Thank you. I do not normally bid that much on a charity auction item, and I glad that you stopped, because I was at the end of my budget. However, I am starting a Museum of Bags. (www.themuseumofbags.org)
My wife and I have about 3,000 paper bags and paper looking bags. We have bags made of paper, ceramic, cellophane, burlap, cardboard, glass, copper, wire, leather, china, wood and artificial turf.
Let me know where you live, and we will keep you updated on our progress.
Howard F[.]
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200415156
HOW I JUST RAISED $3,949.00 TO FIGHT AUTISM.
Did you see the recent special "A Night of Too Many Stars" on Comedy Central, to benefit the Autism Coalition? It included a Charity Auction, which included a paper bag that had been sat on by every guest on the Conan O'Brien show for a month. I was the second place bidder for it at $5,250, and the third place bidder dropped out at $1,376. The final price was $5,350. So, while I'm disappointed that I lost the auction, I am pleased that I did get the final price up so high on that item, resulting in a lot of extra money going to McCarton Foundation to help Autism.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200414892
MY GOD, IT'S FULL OF SARS.
Sean S. cracked me up by finding this:
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200413936
Monday, June 09, 2003
THE SUM TOTAL OF ALL HUMAN KNOWLEDGE.
That's the promise of the Internet, that it will be the sum total of all human knowledge, every library in the world at our fingertips, right? Obviously, it's not there yet, but I just had a great experience of how it could be. I was talking with my brother on the phone, and he said that according to a Rabbi he spoke with, there's no evidence that Cain slew Abel, since Cain denies it to God. That didn't sound right to me, so I went to Google, and entered cain slew abel. The first hit was this page, a seemingly exhaustive collection of six quotes from Genesis (2), Matthew, Luke, Hebrews, and John, supporting the claim (quite convincingly, I think) that, according to the Bible, Cain did indeed slay Abel. It was just like magic, getting the exact answer to what I wanted to know. The shame is that such experiences on the Internet are the exception, rather than the norm.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200405232
Sunday, June 08, 2003
CRISIS = DANGER + OPPORTUNITY.
We've all heard that thing about how the Chinese word for "crisis" combines the Chinese words for "danger" and "opportunity". That is true, as far as it goes, but I think it's easy to read too much into that. You see, that's just the way Chinese is, combining words from a relatively small pool that are often only tangentially related to the idea they represent. For example, the Chinese word for "breast" is literally the words "milk house". The Chinese word for "uterus" is literally "children's palace". The word for "sofa", which just takes the phonetic sounds "sho" and "fa" without regard to their meanings, literally means "sand hair". Apparently, there are only a few thousand basic words in Chinese, and every other word is a combination of two or more of these.
I've actually been studying Mandarin a little bit lately, but only a very little bit. Most of this stuff above comes from my Shanghainese friend Sophie W.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200399949
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
MONEY DOES GROW ON TREES.
Money is made out of paper, and paper is made out of pulp, and pulp is made out of trees. That's so weird that everybody uses that expression, that money doesn't grow on trees, and yet it's never occurred to me before that it does.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200386547
THEATER REVIEW: JESUS IS MAGIC * * * 1/2 (3 and a half stars out of 4).
I think I would have given Sarah Silverman's one woman show 4 stars, but I was miffed by how much of the show I'd already seen from seeing her stand-up routines around the city and on TV. If you've seen much of this, there's very little new here. But if you haven't seen her before, and if you like irreverent, self-deprecating, offensively-stereotyping comedy, you will love this show.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200386540
THEATER REVIEW: DREAM A LITTLE DREAM: THE MAMAS AND THE PAPAS MUSICAL * * (2 stars out of 4).
Papa Denny Doherty more "hosts" than "stars" in this play. If what you want is a concert in which you here Doherty with some okay backup signers, then you'll get it. If what you want is a superficial, name-dropping, self-serving history of the Mama's and the Papa's, you'll get that. But, as a story, and as a musical, it falls very flat. It seems quite under-rehearsed. This seems deliberate, to create a sense of casualness and intimacy, but, to me, it created more of a sense of seeing something that was under-rehearsed. If you are really into the Mama's and the Papa's, then you should definitely check this out. But if, like me, you have only a passing interest in their music, you will find that they don't really have much of a story to tell.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200386523
THEATER REVIEW: INTRIGUE WITH FAYE (2003) * * * (3 stars out of 4).
This new play starring Benjamin Bratt and Julianna Margulies gets a lot of credit for being innovative and different. The play incorporates video images, mostly filmed by the actors on stage, in a novel, intelligent way. But it does require a little bit of a leap of logic to buy the premise (which I won't give away, as it's not revealed until the end of the first act). And the acting seemed a little stiff. I think that's largely because the actors had to be so careful to say their lines word-for-word, since they would sometimes be incorporated with previously recorded audio or video. Still I liked the play very much, and I recommend it.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200386489
MOVIE REVIEW: BRUCE ALMIGHTY (2003) * * 1/2 (2 and a half stars out of 4).
Jim Carrey's latest movie passed the time well enough, but didn't have the sort of depth or insight that the subject matter deserved. And the commercials gave away the whole movie.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200386456
Monday, June 02, 2003
SARS TAN LINES.
Yeah, I think that picture is probably a fake, too. But I'm sure it's really happening to people.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200375388
MAJOR GEEK.
I scored "42.80079% - Major Geek" on The Geek Test.
link to this item: http://www.creamy.com/blog/2003_06_01_daviddanzig_archive.html#200375333
