A Park Avenue Story

New York has, for my money (or pesos), the best live theatre in the states. It also boasts some really odd fare every so often (or every day, really). And if you have some money and time on your hands, anyone can stage a show. But will an audience actually come and see your show? In the case of Cindy Adams, the strikingly unfunny gossip columnist for "The Daily News" here in NY, the answer (I hope) will be a resounding "no."

Here's details of her upcoming one woman show (taken from playbill.com) about her show called Only in New York, named after her "famous" saying she stole from about seventy different media outlets that thought if it before her.

New York Post gossip columnist Cindy Adams will debut her one-woman show, Only in New York, Sept. 29-Oct. 2.

The four benefit performances will be held in the living room of Adams' Park Avenue apartment, and proceeds will benefit The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), one of Adams' favorite charities and one that she serves as a board member.

Each 7:30 PM performance will seat 50 and will include a post-show question-and-answer session.

Only in New York, according to press notes, will take "audiences through [Adams'] unique and almost-unbelievable journey to become the media's authority figure on all of the celebrity news, gossip, scandals, interviews and scoops that the public can't get enough of. Until now, you only think you've heard everything there is to hear from show biz's most well-connected columnist, but Only in New York will reveal things about your favorite celebrities that have always been kept a secret."

The performance also includes a pre-show tour of Adams' nine-room Park Avenue penthouse.

How weird is that? Not only is her show guaranteed to be lamer than "Lestat" the musical, but she's putting it up in her own living room? 50 people hanging out in her living room while she talks? Not even on a stage. Is there an intermission? If I get up to go to the bathroom, or bolt for the door, will the show stop? Will you say something "oh so witty?" And mostly, will you be offended at the deafening silence each time you tell a "joke?" Watch out for those tumble weeds! And wow! You get a pre-show tour of her nine room Park Avenue Penthouse that you could never, ever afford! WOW! And all for the comfy, nifty price tag of $250 a ticket. Yup, you read that right: $250 a pop. Now I know that it says proceeds go to "ASPCA," but read the fine print here. It says "proceeds" not "all proceeds" or even a specific amount of "proceeds." I'd bet, at most, 5% of the ticket sales will go to "ASPCA." The rest will go to Botox. I don't mean to be cynical here (okay, maybe I do) but is there any real reason for this show? "...the media's authority figure on all celebrity news...?" REALLY?! You write for the NEW YORK POST, The National Enquirer of Newspapers for God's sake! A monkey could write a column for your paper. Call it "EEeehhhh, eeehhhhh EEHH!" and I guarantee it'll hold more laughs and less shit than one of your so called "humorous" anecdotes does. Oh, shitty one person shows. Only in New York Kids, Only in New York... (Wait, I've heard that somewhere before...)

(Cindy Adams, along with her husband Muffy Adams, pictured above)

Just three unrelated things is all...

So, I tend to do about fourteen projects at a time. Being insane actually keeps me sane. For instance, I've been shooting small cameo parts in two films (Step Up 3D & Going the Distance), shot a pilot for HBO (Boardwalk Empire), in pre-production for my film Avenue A (which I'm directing), preparing the script for my Romeo & Juliet adaptation, blocking out a new musical I'm writing, and in rehearsals for a swell new show. I love my life. The show I'm rocking out, 1969 style, to is in the new NY Fringe Festival this year. Willy Nilly! is a rollicking psychedelic musical about Charles Manson and his crazy ass killings, only a few names are changed (strictly for the author's amusement).

It's very funny, with a great score by Trav SD, and an awesome ensemble that I'm proud to be a part of. I play many different "Monty Pyton" type parts, including Hippies, a certain Horror Director, a certain "Queen," a hitchhiker, and a few other surprises. We've already been called "this years breakout hit" and we haven't even opened yet! It's exciting to be a part of something exciting (did I actually just write that sentence? Yeah, I did...). And we just might be doing something really cool this coming Wednesday to promote the show... I'll keep ya updated...



PIMPING MY FRIEND ALERT: My good friend Kiirsten (seen here about to hand scissor someone in the face) is an actress. She's also a singer. And in a band. And her band sorta rocks. So you should go vote for her band, "Hip Like (Blank)." They're in a contest. Help her win it by going here. And if you don't vote, well then, the terrorists really have won...

And if by some chance you happen to be enjoying your day and a giant Bollywood number happens in front of you, chances are you're where I was today.


And it was quite entertaining. Oh, Bollywood. You and your dancin'...

Look at that Chris Kattan go! Who knew he was still making movies? Who knew he was even still alive?! Bollywood did, that's who. Bollywood did...

"Funny People" Movie Review

Movies about Comedians usually bring mixed results. The King of Comedy, with Robert DeNiro and Jerry Lewis, is a great example of a movie about comedians done right. Punchline, with Tom Hanks and Sally Field, is not. By finding the right tone to tell a truthful and honest tale of a comedians life, you have to be willing to embrace the drama along with the funny. To have it feel real and not just a story about people who are rich and famous. Who just get to do pretty much anything they want because they're rich and famous and never have any real consequences (I'm looking at you Entourage). Funny People attempts this bold task of showing you rich people with problems and makes it work, makes it "real."

Adam Sandler stars as George Simmons, an actor who sold out by making really terrible Waynes-Brothers esque movies. But the gamble paid off, because he's one of the biggest comic stars in the world. Unfortunately, his life is about to take quite a turn, as he's given news of a rare disease that may kill him. Seth Rogen plays Ira Wright, a young man wanting to be a comedian but has to work all day at a grocery store deli while his two best friends (Jonah Hill & Jason Schwartzman in two very funny smaller roles) have much more success than he does, in varying degrees. One night Simmons sees Ira perform and decides to hire him to write jokes and be his personal assistant.

And so the moves moves forward, not in a montage like rush, but with precision and grace, showing us absolutely everything that is going on with their newly found relationship/sudo friendship. Sandler is great here, just as good as he was in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love & James L. Brooks' underrated Spanglish. He shows a very tender side, alongside a very abrasive one as well and makes you believe that this man is struggling inside and out (even with his fortunes) and that this disease may be finally opening up his eyes. Rogen also turns in a sharp performance here and you don't question once why he would stay around with this guy, because you would too. Leslie Mann turns the "last act" role of the girl who got away into someone very relatable and, dare I say it again, real. Also, watch out for Aubrey Plaza as the girl of Rogen's dreams, or at least, the girl of his desires, and Eric Bana proves that he can indeed do comedy, and he does it well. There's more, much more (I mean, it's 150 minutes long) to the story, but won't tell you much more in fear of giving away too much of the plot (and I advise you not to watch the original trailer either if you don't want much of the story told to you). Yes, it's a tad long. But it works. Judd Apatow's sweet, personal film is a wonderful meditation on life, death, love, the one who got away, and everyday success and dreams. Again, Apatow shows that he's a master of telling a grown up story with heart and ranchy language. Which is what most of our lives is: a few swear words here, a little heart there, a few more swear words...a few more...a few....). Let Sandler and company entertain you here, make you laugh, make you think, and, thank God, make you feel. - B+

Remembering...

Christy Henrich was a world class gymnast, but to me she was my brothers fiancee. I was young, still adjusting to being an outcast in school when they met. She made the world always seem better with her amazing smile and wonderful laugh. And her undeniable talent made her a superstar in my eyes. Well, she herself made her a superstar in my eyes. My brother loved her, she loved my brother, and we loved her. In 1989, a judge (who, if they are any kind of an actual "human being" will be haunted from this forever) told Christy that she needed to loose weight if she was ever going to make it to the Olympics. See, Christy missed going to the Olympics the year before by just two spots, and desperately wanted to make it so she took this advice to heart unfortunately. Christy was nothing but pure muscle, and any weight loss would be detrimental. Unfortunately it was.

Over the next few years, Christy's weight begun to fluctuate, minor at first, then widely. She was enveloped by the two eating disorders that had taken over her life, Anorexia and Bulimia. Christy died eight days after her 22nd birthday. Her memory, and her legacy, is remembered to all people around the world, not just by her family and mine, but to her millions and millions of fans globally. Her original balance beam leap was named after her, and my brother plans on one day writing their love story in book form, and telling more about this amazing person who I was privileged to have in my life. I think about Christy all the time, and how I would have loved to have grown up into the person I am today with her around, physically that is. How I would have loved for her to see me become the actor I am today (Her final hospital stay was during my very first play ever in 1994, so the memory of my acting career beginning is a tad bittersweet). She died 15 years ago yesterday. Two things I hold dear: A photo of the two of us dancing at my sisters wedding, and a birthday note she wrote me telling me I was "the little brother she never had but always wanted." We love you Christy, and will hold you dear forever, in our hearts, in our minds, in our lives...

Youth, how precious...

Wow...If this is the future of our world...then I'm really scared...



Soccer Fan Can't Eat Ice Cream - Watch more Funny Videos

"500 Days of Summer" - Movie Review

An absolute wonderful movie, 500 Days of Summer may be my favorite romance I've seen in years. Here you have the usual boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl falls for boy storyline. And even in the beginning, you're told that this is not a love story. But it is. Kind of.

The story follows Tom, a greeting card writer who should be an architect, and Summer, the intern that he immediately falls for. He's always believed in destiny and love. Her, not so much. But together they find something in each other. And then it goes away. What makes "500 Days" so refreshing is, in a sense, everything about it. The dialogue is crisp and real. It actually sounds like real people in real life talking. Go figure. And those random moments you imagine happening around you that never quite match up to your reality? We see those through Tom's eyes as well. The story is also told out of order, jumping from one day to the next, from, say Day 275 to 12 then to 185 and then 2. It's unconventional, and every moment of it's sweetness and romanticism is earned by a top notch directing job, great screenplay, and great performance after great performance. And when it's harsh reality sinks in, it's even more devastating. Plus, find a movie lately that has made Los Angeles look so lovely. I dare you.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt continues his streak of fantastic characters on screen with Tom, and he charms you, especially in scenes like when he first has sex and ends up in a full blown musical dance number. Zooey Deschanel may be one of the most effortless actresses of her generation. She doesn't beg to charm you, she just does. You feel Joseph's heartbreak with him, you feel Zooey's "little lost girl" reaching out, and you experience it all with them. This is how a romantic comedy should be made. This is it. Are you listening Hollywood? No, you're probably not. But that won't stop me from yelling it... - A+

Review: "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince"

In the book adaption movie world, it's easy to find blame in a movie of your favorite book. Quite simply, it will rarely fit your expectations. There's too many things running through your mind on how "you'd" make the movie, how you think of the characters, and God forbid they cut out your favorite part in the book. So I find it best to judge a book by a book, and a movie by a movie. Such is the case with the latest Harry Potter. Is the novel, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince better? Obviously. Much better. But does that make the movie any less entertaining? Oh, no.

The visual effects are breathtaking as ever, and some scenes are downright creepy (I'm thinking of the possession scene and the Horcrux water scene espeically). All the actors seem very much at ease with their characters at this point, and the older British vets are fantastic as always (especially Jim Broadbent & Alan Rickman). And it's quite funny, and, with the awkward blooming of romance, quite charming as well. I do wish that the ending had a bit more of an emotional punch as the book set it up to be, but no matter. We still have not one, but two Deathly Hallows to take care of that. B+