louise on the left (coast)

My very "first BF" (see note below), Americana Country Music Legend Jim Lauderdale , is currently in the running to win a Grammy tomorrow. (It also happens to be my birthday tomorrow, as well, so I'm feeling lucky for him and asking everyone to wish him happy-winning vibes, as well.) His album, "Could We Get Any Closer?" is nominated for Best Bluegrass Album in the 52nd Grammy Awards, and if he wins it will be his third. (Interestingly, he's up against Steve Martin, also nominated in the same category.) I just wanted to say that Jim's a terrific person, and one of the finest, most driven and talented musicians on the planet and nobody deserves more recognition for his consistently perfect contributions to the world of music than Lauderdale does. So we're rooting for him tomorrow and asking you to keep your fingers crossed for him, as well. Here's a link to his awesome Web site where you'll find information on his nominated album, "Cou

I realize this dance video has been out there for ages, but I just saw it now.

The first time I saw Kubrick's gorgeous film, Barry Lyndon when I was an impressionable fourteen. And so it should not be too surprising to learn that it profoundly changed the way I thought about all film and theater. I had not realized how much music contributes to bringing something to life. In the case of this film, the music IS it's life. I can't imagine this film without it's soundtrack. The only other filmmaker who has this kind of understanding of how intwined the two mediums are is Martin Scorsese. However, seeing Kubrick's Barry Lyndon for the first time was also the moment I saw that something visual could be experienced also as classical music. So much so, that it could quite possibly, become upstaged by it's soundtrack. In any case, lately I have been thinking about film experiences that changed me, and I think this one film may have been contributed to my falling madly in love all things classical. (That, and all those Metropolitan Opera

Dear daughters, The next time I'm elected a Republican senator I promise not to announce that both of you "are available" in my acceptance speech. Watch: The only silver-lining to having people this wacky in the public eye is that they usually just end up just shooting themselves in the foot before doing too much harm. So, I give this guy a year or two of driving Democrats nuts before we all discover he's got a mistress in Argentina or is spending way too much time in airport men's rooms. Or both. Nice speech, "Dad." I give him two years, max.

Recently, I was forwarded an interesting press release regarding Eric Schaeffer's upcoming new "dramady" called " Gravity," produced by Starz Media , and felt that it may be time to revisit this subject again. Besides, as luck would have it, it turns out that tomorrow is Schaeffer's birthday (1/22/62). How best to celebrate a filmmaker than by paying homage to his work while awaiting the premiere of his soon to be aired, Gravity . Listed below are some of Schaeffer's previous film trailers along as well as some of these trailer's "hits and misses." Trailers below: from Fall, (1997), If Lucy Fell, (1996) and Wirey Spindell, (2000) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Trailer from If Lucy Fell (1996) IF LUCY FELL trailer hits and misses: Best moment in trailer : Ben Stiller: "I -- art." Worst moment in trailer : Sarah Jessica Parker: "Joe, would you drink my spit?" Most redundant th

Recently I was fortunate enough to attend opening night of Adam Gwon ’s new musical “ Ordinary Days ,” currently enjoying its West Coast premiere at South Coast Rep in the Julianne Argyros Stage through January 24 I went with my theater buddy (and blogging guru) Prince Gomolvilas of Bamboo Nation without either of us really knowing too much about the show to start with other than it was a “Chamber Musical” (whatever that meant) about “people from New York.” I was curious how a story about New Yorkers struggling to bring meaning to their lives against a backdrop of the usual pathos and passion in the city that never sleeps could actually be something new, something that we haven’t heard before. Not only has this tale already been examined in other musicals, such as in "Rent" or "Company," I also spent my twenties in Manhattan, and felt pretty confident that this might be a theme I was all too familiar with by now. I was a bit concerned that telling this same story

Today: Storm clouds gather in mid to late morning. It became very quiet then started to rain, moderately for about an hour, then very heavily. It grew darker. I knew something substantial was headed our way. I felt it. In my sinuses. My head acts like a barometric bar when there's a rapid change in the weather. I went online to see why my head was pounding just so. At around 12:30 P.M. I checked with Weather Underground (Highly recommend for those weather obsessed moments in your life) and sent a concerned email to my husband that I noticed something unusual on the radar headed our way. And I include handy link to a local radar map. I mention in this hastily written email to my husband that what caught my attention was the sizable pocket of tiny fuscia squares on the radar firmly ensconced within a sizable mass of little red squares. This colorful gathering just crossed over Catalina a bit quicker than I thought it was reasonable. In my humble opinion it seems to be headed

Best moment from the Golden Globes: The Cecil B. Demille award being given to Martin Scorsese last night. I have to say, this was the one moment that ended up staying with me. I mean, consider you have (film titan) Scorsese quoting (literary great) Faulkner. ( go to clip at minute 2:25 ) I f you watch nothing else from the Golden Globes, you have to see this because it's so rich with inspiration. (And it sort-of makes up for Avatar winning best picture.) I've been mulling this quote over all day. To a rainy, southern-Californian, subconscious soundtrack to "Taxi Driver." "The past is never dead. It's not even past." So simple. So liberating. You know, after years of trying to get by in a world propelled by decades of "Oprah" self-help bullshit, I just can't get past how liberating it is to hear someone of substance say this. So, thank you, Scorsese. And Faulkner. And Cecil B. DeMille, and every great artist for bringing us the pric

If you haven't seen it, yet, just get it. Rent it. See it. It's amazing, riveting, moving and is the kind of film that stays with you a very, very long time. This is the kind of work that really does transform the viewer. And, God forbid you one of those lucky bastards who get to actually VOTE for these kinds of things, make sure you view all your screeners and vote with your heart.

Tonight, "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy reminded the Golden Globe audience of the importance of keeping the arts in education. (1:27) And, in light of California's massive budget cuts, we grateful parents of kids lucky enough attend schools, like Orange High School of the Arts, we all say "thank you!" Keep the arts in education. The truth is, we just can't know how great people can be unless we invest in them.

Gwen's got that "boom, boom, pow!" But, she then she just "walks it out."

Sometimes I become a bit discouraged , then I remember that time is relative. For instance, jazz great, Sarah Vaughan didn't even get around to recording her breathtakingly romantic album, Brazilian Romance until she was in her sixties. I couldn't find a version from this album to embed here, so you'll have to make do with this grainy cover of the same song from an awards show, below. (Or just order her entire CD, Brazilian Romance , yourself off the links here. It's worth it.) In her sixties .

*Note: Not exactly for kids. I always wondered how I could sing a duet with myself. Now, I know.

Prelude to a Nutcase Grand Finale: The Landing

My last blog post was regarding a clip from a foreign film simply titled, "Diva," and, today, I'd like to comment on a different sort of "diva;" Diva, Mariah Carey. Yes, apparently Miss Carey won a "Breakthrough Performance Award" this week for her work in " Precious ." Regretfully, nobody I know will go see "a movie about abuse" with me, so I haven't had the chance to see Precious , myself, yet, but I've heard the film is amazing and I, for one, am really looking forward to seeing it with or without a movie buddy. In any case, regarding Ms. Carey's acceptance speech for her work in this film this week, I think it's obvious that Mariah Carey and Paula Abdul share more in common than just a love of plunging necklines. And so, for this post I decided to write out the entire transcript of her Palm Desert Film Festival acceptance speech. It's a doozy. And, to be honest, I always find it rather astonishing to read s