Category: Uncategorized

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TV: SMASH ends it’s run tonight

Bernadette Peters and Megan Hilty on SMASH
Say good night to SMASH tonight.  Series finale is on NBC tonight at 9pm EST.
While I personally had my ups and downs with the show, I did like a lot of it in the end.  And I give the creators a lot of credit for what they set out to do.  To this day, the song that closed the terrific pilot episode, “Let Me Be Your Star,” still sounds like a Broadway blockbuster to me. And so much of the choreography on the show was top notch.
Over the course of the show’s life, I’ve had several friends appear on the show (which was cool) and I interviewed the fab Megan Hilty for The Candi & Randy Show (warm, delightful and speaks with a smile in her voice).
So while many folks may be ready to see the show go, I’ll be watching tonight. Maybe I’ll dim the lights around my bathroom mirror down in remembrance.
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Mississippi tops states with most same-sex couples raising children

Graphic by Memeographs

Surprising new data culled from the US Census by The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law today about same-sex couples who have children.

Mississippi is the US state with the highest percentage of same-sex couples raising children at 26 percent.  Salt Lake City is the top metro area over 1 million at 26%.

Below is a list of the top ten metro areas above and below 1 million:

More at the Williams Institute website.

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The fabulous Nichelle Nichols from “Star Trek”

My Facebook friend Aaron Baldwin shares some facts about the fabulous Lt. Uhura from the original Star Trek:

“Uhura” comes from the Swahili word UHURU meaning “freedom”. Uhura was pretty much the first ever black main character on American television who was not either a maid or a domestic servant.

In 1966, TV network NBC refused to let Nichelle Nichols be a regular, claiming Deep South affiliates would be angered, so Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry hired her as a “day worker,” but still included her in almost every episode. She actually made more money than any of the other actors through this workaround, and it was kept secret from the other actors, but it was still a humiliating second-class status. The network people made life hard for Nichols, constantly trying to pare down her screen time, purposefully dropping racist comments in her presence and even withholding her fan mail from her.

This deplorable state of affairs led Nichols to make the decision to quit after the 1st season, but then she happened to meet with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who pleaded with her to stick with the show because as a black woman she was portraying the first non-stereotypical role on television.

Star Trek is still winning in the public arena with the huge success of it’s latest movie sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness.”

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The Worst Room

The Worst Room is a Tumblr account I’ve been following that encourages folks to send in their nominations for the “worst” sublet rentals in NYC. Every day a “winner” gets picked.

My favorite of late was May 15, posted with the above pic.  See that little section of blue near the top?  That’s what you get for $700 a month. Here’s the description:

“East Village, Manhattan. $700.00  (Loft Bed Above Closet in Kitchen)”

Or my other favorite – a walk-in closet for rent for $1,000 a month.  See below:

The description says ““I am looking for someone to move into a large closet space in one of the three bedrooms of my apartment. The bedroom has two closets but there is no need for it so we are looking to sublet it as a living space to a 4th roommate. The closet is about 5 feet wide and 7 feet long. It has no windows and think it would be ideal for a twin size bed and small night stand. Amazing Location”

You’ve gotta love NYC.

Check out The Worst Room every now and then, and feel better about your living arrangements.

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RIP Rona Newton-John

My dear, beautiful Rona. You are instantly missed.  But will smile in my heart forever.

“Goody, goody.”

Rona Newton-John, Michael and I backstage

With Olivia, Michael, Gregg Cave and Rona after Olivia judged the
“You’re The One That We Want” reality talent show

In the studio while Olivia and Rona recorded “Mickey” for the
“A Few Best Men” soundtrack

Olivia, Michael and Rona taping a TV special

Rona, Michael, Olivia, Jon Secada and Amy Sky in Washington DC for
Christmas at Fords Theatre TV Special

Pat Farrar, Olivia, Michael, Rona and I backstage in Las Vegas

Rona, Michael and Olivia on set for the “Sordid Lives” TV series
Rona and I at Christmas party in 2011