Holy Crap: Cory Monteith Died, R.I.P.

this was a damn shocker to wake up to on a sunday morning. damn another young death of a talented man. i really enjoyed him on 'glee'.  he was a charming, accessible performer. he will be missed.
 gone to damn soon!

here's some of cory's best

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Unfrackin' Real: I'd Like to Smack the Smile Off This Murderer's Face

just for the record: white guy here. the american judicial system again appears a joke. ya know oj and casey anthony and on and on... what the frack. now anyone can get a concealed legal weapon and kill anyone that appears threatening and hell just kill him. i'd have a few on my list if i were so inclined. but i'm not. the 6 women jurors should be ashamed of themselves. if i were on that jury they'd be there till the messiah comes (for the first time). but remember he was not proved 'innocent! not that that matters at all at this point. shame on the system and those 6 women. shame shame shame.

murderer

Cheyenne Jackson

it's possible mr jackson is on his way to being a gay icon. singer, actor, all around entertainer. he's heading toward neil patrick harris stature. we need more like the two of them. open, gay, thoughtful and just damn nice guys. i'll throw the wonderful john barrowman into this category also.

cheyenne has a new cd 'i'm blue, skies' out now. sure i wanted a broadway album but this release written by and sung by cheyenne is top notch.

here's a taste of it with 'don't wanna know'

 to get a glimpse of the real cheyenne check out this interview. the gay world has another good role model. thank you cheyenne.

James McAvoy in 'Filth'

if a trailer is supposed to grab you and draw you into a theater to see it this one succeeds brilliantly. it opens in scotland 9/27 and across the rest of the u.k. on 10/24. the u.s. release date has yet to be announced.

Spotlight: Steve Grand

it's a pleasure and a joy to share 'all-american boy' written and performed by steve grand. steve is an out gay man. he is country. he has heart, soul and balls. as a gay man i always feel a sense of pride when someone comes out. i am proud that young gay men and women will have another role model. not having role models made my childhood and adolesence pure hell. i can only think those days are almost well behind us.
'all-american boy' is 'that' song about unrequited love. the longing of the gay man for his straight buddy. c'mon most of us went through this at least once in our youth.
i congratulate and honor you steve. i wish you great success. you indeed arre the new all american boy.

******

and here's a brief glimpse at the man behind the music 

ABC Family is Unstoppable This Summer

the unstoppable, thank the gods, 'pretty little liars', the new 'twisted' and 'the fosters' shine along with the well written and acted 'switched at birth' and the funny cute zanny 'baby daddy'  all make summer tv watching a good time. (i don't watch melissa and joey but it's here too.)

check the promo. then give these shows a try.

Pet Shop Boys: 'Electric'

their new cd drops on 7/16.

'electric' tour dates:

September 12 - The Jackie Gleason Theatre - Miami Beach, FL

September 13 - Mahaffey Theatre - Saint Petersburg, FL

September 14 - Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA

September 16 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 17 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 19 - Music Centre at Strathmore - Bethesda, MD

September 21 - House of Blues - Boston, MA

September 22 - Mann Centre for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA 

September 24 - Olympia Theatre - Montreal

September 25 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto

September 27 - The Colosseum, Caesar's Windsor - Ontario 

September 28 - Auditorium Theatre - Chicago, IL

October 2 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA

October 3 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver

October 4 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland, OR

October 5 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA 

October 7 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA

October 8 - Copley Symphony Hall - San Diego, CA

October 11 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, The Joint - Las Vegas, NV

October 12 - Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA 

October 15 - Mexico City Arena - Mexico City

\

A Glee Moment: 'Hung Up'

from the soundtrack of my life

jenna ushkowitz

(they really need to give this talented cast member a lot more to do)

'Burn'

ellie goulding is new to me. i fell upon this her new release and video. i am impressed.

The Goddess Part 2

next up was audra singing the classic 'summertime' from her tony winning winning performance in 'porgy and bess'.

kander and ebb's 'first you dream from 'steel pier'

'migratory v' is not a favorite of mine but it's redeeming value here is audra playing the piano on stage in concert.

we end this segment with audra going sally bowles with 'maybe this time from 'cabaret' and might i add brilliantly.

(to be continued)

The Goddess

'live from lincoln center' ended it's season in may. it's host for this past season, audra mcdonald, was given her moment to shine with her own concert. for those of you who missed it i will post some of the highlights.

it's fitting that audra began the evening with 'i happen to like new york' the city that is home to the venue.

then came sondheim's 'moment in the woods from the brilliant 'into the woods'.

next up the comedic 'baltimore'

(to be continued)

'Lovelace' First Official Trailer

Kate in the Upcoming 'Labor Day'

The 4th of July

i am the least patriotic person i know. much to the chagrin of family and some friends. i just can't get rahrahrah over any nation state. i don't believe in flag waving. well perhaps the gay pride flag but that's personal. i have not always been thrilled with the course this country has taken nationally or internationally. i think i'd feel this wherever i had been accidentally born into. i mean we are all born by accident into a certain geographical area. and although i feel a certain amount of allegiance especially  now with mr obama as president i just can't be fanatical. i mean there are the john mccain's at one end of the spectrum and well me on the other end of it.  don't send hate mail as i'll just ignore it.

that being said i love the song 'america the beautiful' and offer this as a tribute to the holiday.

(feel free to replace 'america' with the country of  your choice)

and just for the heck of it all...

'god bless america'

(israel and italy too)

'The Out List'

hbo's 'the out list' is  much needed and pretty timely. 16 gay, lesbian and transexual americans tell their 'coming out' stories, the problems growing up gay and the secrets they kept. i kept them. it was hard. there were not films like this when i was younger. there were not men and women like this in my day who shared their stories. their lives. how great that would have been. but it is here now. my hope hope hope is that every young person who is gay sees this film. it might, we wish, help them get through what can be an agonizing childhood and puberty and even beyond. it mat prevent the rash of gay teenage suicides. i can only hope.

Josh's Jukebox: 'Come What May'

from the soundtrack of my mind

a 'glee' moment

darren criss and chris colfer

'The Heat'***stars

this sandra bullock-melissa mccarthy buddy flick is a hoot. i seldom fine consistent laughs on film or tv lately. however i found myself laughing out loud a lot and less out loud often. some critics are comparing it to 'bridesmaids' which is absurd. it shares nothing with that film other than it's director and ms mccarthy. the two stars have real chemistry and it follows through  from mutual dislike to mutual respect.

i have to say ms mccarthy has grown as an actress since 'bridesmaids'. she no longer goes just for the laugh. i think she is becoming a good actress. sandra, well sandra, always impresses me even in her less than stellar films. she remains in my book 'america's sweetheart'.

'Before Midnight'

julie delpy and ethan hawke discuss 'before midnight'

'Before Midnight' ****stars

'before sunrise' celine and jesse had a chance meeting with the promise to meet in six months in vienna when they got their lives in order.  nine years later 'before sunset' we learn that jesse showed up but celine did not due to a death in her family. but the connection was still there although jesse had married and had a son. would he stay with celine and leave his wife? we find the answer to that still another nine  years later 'before midnight'

within this trilogy we go from romantic interlude to the ups and downs of a marriage. each film shows the growth of these two characters and their aging as well. ms delby and mr hawke grow in each film not only in character but in their acting. they triumph in this well written and directed film. it's tougher than the first two installments but life does get tougher as we get older, look back at our choices and wonder what the future will bring.

although it stands on it's own i recommend that you rent the first two installments to fully appreciate the third.

i hope being released early that it does not get lost at year's end. as of this moment it is the best film of the year.

Samantha Barks

the wonderful ms barks as eponine in 'les miserables' singing 'on my own'

Happy Pride

Bert and Ernie Cover 'New Yorker' Marriage Equality Issue

a bit odd but whatever.

Stevie Nicks: 'Dreams'

from the soundtrack of my life

Poll Dancing

DOMA Stuck Down by Supreme Court

equality rules
we are now legally equal

just for the record:  i was always equal know matter what they said.

Stepen Schwartz: 'Testimony'

'pippin' lyricist and composer stephen schwartz composed this song about teens coming to terms with their sexuality and thoughts of suicide.
it is performed by the san francisco gay men's chorus

Josh's Jukebox: A 'Glee' Moment 'Baby Got Back'

from the soundtrack of my life

 i've always liked the 'glee' covers even when i found the show uneven from time to time. for me 'glee' is all about the music. it's when they have tried original music it tanked.

this was one of the best from the past last season.

joey richter

'baby got back'

Pollution Alert

the airways are about to be polluted again, further, as this moron resurfaces on tv on the pornographic fox news network.

The Gay Men's Sexual Health Alliance Presents Their New 'Our Agenda' Campaign!!

'Same Love'

i never expected to put a rap song here. just not my taste or my generation. but here it is. never say never they say.
wht now? the artist is rapping about growing up gay, the struggles of being gay and about standing up for oneself in the face of hated and homophobia. bravo.

voaal by mary lambert, macklemore and ryan lewis

Aussies Have the Best Real Estate Ads

Lara Fabian

every year or so i like to sing the praises of lara fabian and hopefully introduce her to new readers and ears.

Too Soon?

i like naomi watts. she's a good actress. she's cracked my top 10 best current actresses on film today.

i liked daiana, the princess of wales. but is it too soon for a biopic no matter the caliber of the actress portraying her? diana is still etched in the minds of most living prople still.

here's the first trailer for the film 'diana'

'Glee': 'There are Worse Things I Could Do'

from the soundtrack of my life

continuing 'glee'...i'm not posting every song from the show but those i really enjoyed and that i found had the musical merit that fit my tastes.

naya rivera, kate hudson and unique

HRA Celebrates Father's Day

congrats and happy father's day to all these dad's and all those who accepted their sons as mine did. happy father's day dad.

My Favorite Broadway - The Leading Ladies

o what a night!!! host julie andrews, bebe neuwirth, karen ziemba, linda eder, priscilla lopez, dorothy loudon, liza minnelli, marin mazzie, audra mcdonald, judy kuhn and elaine stritch shine in my galaxy. the rest aren't too shabby either.

Turkish Protesters Sing “Les Miserables” Rebel Song, Quite Beautifully

our hearts go out to all those who were victims in taksim gesi park.

It's Today

'Love Is Hard to Rearrange'

just because i'm in withdrawal and here in the states i have a bit less than 6 months to go before season 4 airs. damn lucky brits get it in septmber.

some 'downton' moments

and who could forget

'every breathe you take'

the end of their story

Raul Esparza: 'Simple Joys'

now that 'pippin' won those tony's here is the fabulous tony winner ('company') raul esparza giving us 'simple joys'

Lost in Motion

I Know I Shouldn't Laugh But...

****************

Heat

'Pretty Little Liars'

they're back. tonight. thank the gods.

'Twisted': Premier Tonight on ABCFamily

i saw the pilot for this new abcfamily series. following the season premier of 'pretty little liars' it has the makings of another guilty pleasure.

Neil and Audra Closing Tony's 2013

neil was at his brilliant best. the writers did it again! getting all the winners ready for the closing number. amazing. and neil learns it lickity split. he's brilliant.
this year he brought out the godess to 'help' him out. like he needs help!!! but i love audra and was thrilled she was with him..

the finale 2013

Tony Performances

this number with laura benanti, megan hilty and andrew rannells joining neil on stage was brilliantly funny. especially ms benanti.

mmmmmmm

and from 'cinderella'

Judith Light Wins Second Tony in a Row

judith's win

i wrote the other day i love 'pippin'. i predicted the win and the one for lead actress patins miller.
like 'chicago's revival i think this incarnation will pass the run of the original numbers wise. damn 'chicago' has rightfully been running 17 years. how many times dis i see that??? don't ask.

here is 'pippin'

Neil's Opening at the Tony's

(more to come)

Tony's 2013

as i knew neil patrick harris was great yet again. 'pippin' and it's lead actress patina miller took home the tony's for best revival and musical actress. and my baby judith light won her second tony in a roe in supporting category. i knew she'd be great the moment she appeared on my tv as karen wolek in 'one life to live'.

pippin and patina miller

billy porter

(yes that is mr porter)

judith light

The Tony's: Neil Patrick Harris

2009 opening

2011 opening

2012 opening

need i say more?

yes!!!

closings

 and

so for god's sake watch neil and the tony's tonight

(i love this guy) 

ok ok one more with hugh jackman