Category Archives: musical

Feb13

February 12, 2016 — GH VD & the Couches Speak Greak

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & receps from today’s TV watching)

General Hospital – Thursday

Dillon says the photos have captured Maxie’s soul. Nathan comes in and wonders why they’re at the bar and not at work. Doesn’t he know that all of the characters’ waking hours are spent there now? He checks out the photos and asks Maxie when she became a model. Dillon says the next issue of Crimson is about real women, and who’s more real than Maxie?

Nicholas googles Baxter. He’s an investment advisor, but that’s all I can see from the article.

Elizabeth is still with Jake. The nurse meets her out in the hallway, and tells her a lot of donations have come in for them.

Sam wakes up and Jason is there. She asks about Jake and Danny. Sam wants to get sprung, but Jason tells her she needs to stay at the hospital for a while. After all she only fell down the steps, got a concussion and smoke inhalation, and escaped from an exploding house. Alexis pops in and says she has a surprise. She’s brought Molly & Christina with a bunch of balloons.

Griffin asks Sonny why he’s hiding his progress from Carly and himself. Sonny says he needed to know he could trust Griffin, and he doesn’t want Carly to have to keep a secret. Griffin asks why it should be a secret, and Sonny tells him sometimes it’s better to be perceived as weak when you’re really strong.

Griffin says he didn’t realize business was so cutthroat. He gets the message that Sonny doesn’t want to answer any questions.

Nicholas starts to Google the name Rachel together with Baxter, and a news item about Elizabeth’s house pops up.

I had an interruption, so I missed about 20 minutes here.

Sam tells Jake he didn’t do anything wrong. He says he’s sorry and he just wants to go home.

Nicholas tells Elizabeth it’s not their fault about what happened to Jake and the best thing is to just move forward. He offers her and Jake his place. He says it can offer Jake stability. Elizabeth asks if he thinks Hayden wants roommates. It’s a freaking castle for goodness’ sake. Why is this even a factor? Only three people seem to be in residence right now and I assume there are some servants hiding somewhere.

Hayden tells Tracy not to talk about her father again. Tracy says she idolized hers. Me too– I loved Edward and miss him and Lila. Dillon comes by and asks what’s up. He says they both look tense. Tracy tells him that Hayden and Nicholas were just married. Hayden tells Dillon to tell his mother to see a doctor and leaves.

Nathan admits he hated when Maxie was making the movie with Dillon, especially the love scenes. He says looking at the pictures, it seems like she’s looking at Dillon in a special way and it makes him want to punch Dillon in the face. He wonders about all the other guys who will see the pictures. He says he can’t beat up a million guys. I don’t know how many guys will be reading the “real woman” issue of Crimson.

Molly tells Sonny that Alexis loves Julian and he should make a truce. It will make him seem gracious and magnormous (sic). He asks where she learned her strategy moves and she tells him from Shakespeare. She says he should read Henry IV 1 and 2, and that he might recognize himself. I suggest Richard III.

Alexis says she thinks Christina is using other people’s troubles to cover up her own and wonders about school, since Christina was on her way back and now she’s in Port Charles again. Christina says she’s not going back to school. She says she had an “experience” with one of her professors. Alexis asks if it’s Parker.

Dillon asks Tracy what she’s hiding. She says she’s not sick and she’s never felt so good. Dillon asks why Hayden would tell him she needs to see a doctor. He wonders if Hayden meant a shrink. Tracy says she has no daddy issues and maybe Hayden needs a shrink. Dillon says, face it, they all have daddy issues. He asks who Hayden’s father is and why she would be so upset at Tracy mentioning him.

Hayden says when she found the house empty, she thought maybe Nicholas took his mother’s advice and got an annulment. Nicholas says his mother is over-protective. He starts talking about Hayden’s family and says he doesn’t know any of them. She says she barely knows anybody in his. He says those she doesn’t know are a matter of public record. Hayden says her parents are dead.

Jason tells Jake that the doctors want him to stay for a while. He suggests bringing the boys in to visit. Jake says he’s getting tired. Jake is going to take Sam back to her room, but she tells Jason to stay with Jake.

Elizabeth is on the phone with Cameron. She tells him a lot of donations have come in for them, and he needs to stay strong for Aidan who follows his example. Griffin has overheard the conversation and asks if he can help.

Sonny is like, who’s Parker? Alexis fills him in, telling him that Parker is Christina’s professor turned friend that she’s doing independent study with. I’m letting a joke pass here. Sonny asks what about the professor is causing her not to go back to school.

Maxie says she can feel jealous sometimes too. She says anyone with eyes can see Nathan’s hot, but she also knows that he’s a good person and he’s hers, the same way that she’s his. He says there’s more to her than just a pretty face, and goes on about her good qualities. She says thanks, but never say something like that to a fashion editor again.

Tracy says she’s going to get ELQ back if it’s the last thing she does.

Hayden says she doesn’t like speaking about her parents, and Nicholas and Spencer are her family now.

Griffin tells Elizabeth he read about her predicament and he’s sorry. He introduces himself and says if there’s anything he can do, to let him know. She thanks him and says that hearing that Jake will make a full recovery is the only thing she needs. He says that they both understand how fragile life is and know what goes on behind the scenes, but she’s also a mother. He says love contributes to healing. Elizabeth says she needs to check on Jake and welcomes him to GH. I always think it’s funny when they call it GH on GH.

Christina lies her ass off and says Parker told her that her independent study would be better done at home, that there will be fewer distractions. She said back at school, everyone is partying and not studying. She goes off with Molly, and Sonny asks Alexis if she thinks Christina is telling the truth. Alexis says not for a second. It did sound pretty lame.

In the hallway, Molly is shocked that the “P” in Christina’s diary is a woman.

Jake tells Elizabeth he’s glad Sam isn’t dead. Back in Sam’s room, Jason thanks Sam for telling Jake what she did and says Jake seems calmer now. He asks what he can do to return the favor. Some normal food? Magazines? What? She says there is one thing he can help with — getting her out of there.

Tomorrow, Molly asks Christina if she’s gay, Jordan asks Curtis what the hell he’s doing, and Nicholas and Hayden get busy. Is there maybe another little prince in the works?

General Hospital — Friday, the Valentine’s Day Episode, Part 1

It’s Valentine’s Day in Port Charles! Where do you think everyone is? That’s right, The Floating Rib!

Nathan and Maxie are having a drink and making googly eyes at each other. Nathan suggests they celebrate Valentine’s Day at home.

Jordan goes up to Curtis at the bar and tells him he has to leave. He’s like or what, and she says a whole bunch of nonsense, and tells him to stop following her. He says he’s not there to see her. Here comes his date. It’s Valerie.

Lulu is working at The Haunted Star. Laura calls and wants to meet her at the boat since she’s going buggy at Windermere. Hayden shows off her new bracelet from Nicholas. Laura says it belonged to Helena, but it might not be his to give. She shows him the invitation to the reading of Helena’s will.

Christina tells Molly it’s not what she thinks. Molly tells Christina it’s okay to tell her that she’s gay.

Sam wants Jason to spring her from the hospital, but he says fat chance. She’s recovering from major trauma and he can’t. She says can’t has never been in his vocabulary.

Valerie asks Maxie about the new magazine issue and then meets with Curtis. Maxie asks Nathan who he is and Nathan says they should mind their own business. Maxie says she will after she minds Dante’s.

Andre asks Lulu if an engagement ring in a glass is a good idea. She flashes back to when Dante gave her a diamond necklace in a glass of champagne and she almost choked on it. She tells Andre to go with his gut, but know the Heimlich maneuver. Isn’t Andre moving a little fast?

Laura asks Nicholas what Helena would have wanted to leave her. Nicholas thinks it’s just another one of Helena’s games and he wants no part of it. Laura says Helena’s games choose their own players whether they want to participate or not. She leaves to meet Lulu.

Jason asks if Sam has always been this stubborn. She says she’s read her charts and doesn’t need to be there and that Danny is the best medicine for her. He asks if she has something to wear.

Christina says the “P”in her diary is for Peter, but Molly isn’t buying it. She sees Brad and says maybe he can explain things. Since he’s gay he must know everything there is to know about gay people everywhere.

Jason is sneaking Sam out when they run into Lucas. Lucas asks if she didn’t like the hospital gown and she says it wasn’t her color. He suggests they can find something more suitable, but finally gives in. He tells Jason to make sure she gets fluids and rest.

Molly says the idea of telling people she’s gay must be intimidating to Christina. Christina asks if Molly is pushing her own issues of her dysfunctional sex life on her and says maybe TJ and/or Molly is gay.

Andre gives Jordan some roses and she gives him an Indiana Jones hat. He says he can tell Jordan has something on her mind. She tells him Curtis is her former brother-in-law and they’re not on good terms. Curtis says they should relocate, but she says Curtis isn’t leaving and neither is she.

Maxie asks Nathan to wait for her. She’s going to make something of this Valentine’s Day for Dante and Lulu.

Laura tells Lulu about the letter from Scotty about the will reading. Lulu says she got something from Scotty’s office too, but had been to busy to read it.

Nicholas tells Hayden he has a copy of the will in his safe. He says the estate is passed on to the oldest male heir, which means Spencer will eventually get it. He says Helena didn’t have much to leave since she went to the well once too often. He tells Hayden not to worry, she’ll always have everything she wants, then carries her off like Tarzan.

Elizabeth looks for Sam and Lucas tells her that Sam went home. Elizabeth asks if they discharged her and Lucas tells her it’s more like she was done with the place. Elizabeth wonders how Sam was able to manage with all she’s been through. Lucas tells her she had Jason’s help, which stabs Elizabeth in the heart. Or would if she had one.

Jason tells Sam she’s going to stay on the couch while he takes care of her. I like him so much more than the old Jason.

Molly tells Christina not to bottle things up and that it doesn’t have to be this hard. TJ calls and Molly says she’s on her way. He says The Floating Rib is packed so maybe they should meet somewhere else. Of course it’s packed. No one goes home.

Jordan tells Andre she’s sorry Curtis is intruding on their date. Andre says the best thing to do is confront him. He asks what the story really is. Jordan says Curtis was in the DEA and her husband was in the military. After her husband’s death, Curtis recruited her to the DEA.

Dante lingers around Curtis and Valerie like the fool he is. Valerie says she wants to know Curtis better. Nathan asks Dante if he wants to play a game of pool while he waits for Maxie.

Laura says Helena probably left them another curse. Lulu says she thinks she’ll wash her hair instead of going to the reading. She says that whatever is in the will is meant to cause them suffering. Laura says she’s still going and Lulu tells her to be careful. I’m betting that Helena left a video will. Or a hologram.

Nicholas and Hayden get busy while I admire his tattoos and once again wonder if they’re real.

Maxie goes to The Haunted Star and tells Lulu she shouldn’t be working and needs a night of massage and pampering at the MetroCourt. She gives her a key to one of the rooms and tells her the masseuse is waiting. Lulu tries to make excuses, but Maxie won’t have it, so Lulu finally takes the key to room 501. Good thing it’s not the key to room 237. (Stephen King fans will understand that reference.)

Maxie calls Nathan and tells him the fox is in the henhouse. He asks her to speak English and she says she means Lulu is going up to the room. She gives him instructions. He says it’s not going to work, but tells Dante it was the desk sergeant on the phone and something needs to be checked out in room 501. Dante volunteers to do it so that Nathan’s date isn’t ruined.

Jordan tells Curtis that things might have gone a different way if Curtis had just left them alone, and she wants to protect TJ and Valerie.

Elizabeth is talking to the insurance company who suggests she put her husband on the phone. This is probably the only time I’ve ever been annoyed along with her and she has my sympathy. She says if they don’t want to talk to her, they can talk to her attorney.

It’s Danny’s bedtime. Jason is going to help him get ready and read him a story.

Lucas has tickets for him and Brad to go to a show. Brad suggests he talk to Christina first. Lucas tells Christina that Sam is home now and if she has plans, she can go. When he finds out she doesn’t, he invites her out with them. She declines, but asks what it was like to come out and says she’s asking for a friend. Why does anyone think that ever fools anybody?

Molly meets TJ at the bar. She says maybe they should go to her room and have sex.

Nathan tells Christina that he instinctively knew he was different from the other boys when he was growing up, that he seemed to relate to the world in a different way. He says it took a while, but after lot of soul searching, he figured it out. Brad says he came out of the womb singing and dancing, but that his parents are from the middle ages, so he never came out to them. Lucas tells Christina that friends can always be relied on.

Jason comes back downstairs after Danny falls asleep. Sam says she’s happy they’re all there right now and Jason says he is too.

Laura stops by the hospital and tells Elizabeth to take a break and go to Windermere. Elizabeth says the last time she left Jake at the hospital, Helena kidnapped him. Laura says she won’t let anything happen to him. Although I don’t know how she’s going to do that from The Haunted Star.

Nicholas is asleep and Hayden slips out of the room.

Andre says TJ and Valerie are adults. Jordan says she guesses that means she should trust them to make their own decisions. Andre says she said it, not him, and they order another round.

Curtis tells Valerie that he used to be a cop. She says he doesn’t look like the type. Whatever that means. She tells him she’s a cadet. He kind of puts cops down, but then apologizes. Valerie goes to the bathroom and runs into Jordan. Jordan tells Valerie that Curtis is trouble and if she knows what’s good for her, she’ll walk out and forget about him.

Lulu and Dante meet in room 501.

Valerie says she thought Jordan would be thrilled that she’s no longer pursuing Dante. Jordan says that Curtis’s fondness for drugs is going to wreak havoc on Valerie’s career. She tells Valerie to ask Curtis about his cocaine use.

TJ is shocked that Molly wants to have sex. He says he doesn’t want to pressure her, but she says it’s the choice she wants to make and it’s time.

Christina makes a phone call. She leaves a message saying happy Valentine’s Day and I love you.

Lulu says she must have been sent to the wrong room. She tries to leave, but the door is locked and she can’t get out.

Maxie tells Nathan nothing like being trapped in a room to force a conversation. She says that Dante and Lulu might not be together by the end of the night, but they’ll be on the way.

Laura calls Scotty and asks to be apprised of the will reading and that she intends to be there.

Nicholas wakes up, wondering where Hayden is. Where she is, is messing around with the safe. Sneaky snake Elizabeth comes up behind her and asks what the hell she’s doing.

Sam says she doesn’t want to pressure Jason. He says he feels like he‘s the one pressuring her because he‘s taken over her house. He asks if she wants him to leave. She tells him no, and that she knows he‘s just here as a friend. He says more than that. He tells her that he doesn’t remember their lives together, but he remembers what it‘s like to be close to her. When she asks what that means, he finally, finally, finally kisses her.

I do several cartwheels and blow off some fireworks. In my head. Anyone who reads my posts knows I’m not in this for the romance, but these two are one of several couples I root for.

Tomorrow, Nathan gives Maxie a special gift and Hayden gloats to Elizabeth that she snared Nicholas.

Quotes of the Week from The People’s Couch

One of the reasons I love this show is the way the people relate to one another. You can tell they genuinely enjoy hanging out together and it makes me want to hang out with them.

This week, the live TV performance of Grease was included. There was some talk among the couches about Vanessa Hudgens’s professionalism, as her father had passed away the day before the show. From the clips they showed, she was amazing, and I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been. I loved her in Sucker Punch and think she can probably accomplish anything she puts her mind to.

Here’s our quotes:

Why does Danny Zuko look like he’s ready to start a 401K and plan for retirement? Brandy referring to Aaron Tveit in Grease Live!

God, I wanna throw pompoms at somebody. Blake referring to Sandy in Grease Live!

Where are the two old queens in the balcony?
We’re them now.
Scott and Emerson respectively, referring to Statler and Waldorf from The Muppets.

Reenactresses, my favorite. Blake, referring to Untold Stories of the ER.

Feb1

January 31, 2016– Potomac, Atlanta & a Galavanting Thought

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What I Watched Today
(rambling, random thoughts & receps from today’s TV watching)

 

It was really good of ABC to show the finale of Galavant! during the live performance of Grease on FOX. While it’s not one of my favorite musicals, I’m loving the recent promotion of live theatre and enjoy watching just about anything. I’m sure this one is going to draw a large audience, so it’s a shame ABC didn’t care enough about their own program to give the last episode of the season a better chance at bigger ratings. I’m hoping this doesn’t affect their renewal possibilities.

Obviously, I chose Galavant! If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found out his first name is Gary.

The Real Housewives of Potomac

Some of these women have some weird relationships going on. One is divorced, but still sleeps in the same bed as her husband, and another one isn’t really engaged, but likes to “keep it muddy” when discussing it with friends. Either you’re engaged or not, or you’re divorced or not.

Katie is meeting with an editor from Washington Life. Ten years ago, she graced the cover and now they want to revisit her life. She’s promoting a charity called the Rost Foundation. Katie talks about her old money background and muddies the waters as best she can when asked about her love life. In her individual interview, she says everyone will know Andrew belongs to her when they magazine come out. Isn’t Andrew’s opinion at least somewhat important?

Karen asks to meet with Gizelle. Karen tells Gizelle her intentions were good, but her delivery was wrong with adding Charrisse and talking in a public place, even though they’re in one now. Karen says when she’s wrong she owns it, but she’s rarely wrong. Karen suggests Gizelle speak with Charrisse, but Gizelle says she already apologized and she’s done.

Ashley and her husband are having dinner with Katie and Andrew. Katie asks Ashley how she and Michael met. Katie says she could learn something from Ashley on how to lock it down. Katie asks how Ashley liked the other girls, and she wasn’t too impressed. Andrew makes some snarky remarks about Karen which aren’t unwarranted.

Robyn’s ex-husband, Juan, didn’t grow up with a good father figure, so he wants to be there for his kids. He used to be in the NBA, now coaches for the University of Maryland and wants to eventually coach in the NBA. Robyn says that Juan wants their relationship to work out and I’m wondering why they’re divorced in the first place, since they seem to function well as a couple. They hit hard times financially and Juan might get a job out of state. Robyn is deciding whether she and the kids are coming along or if they’re going to part ways.

Karen’s daughter is getting ready for her senior prom. Of course she looks amazing and so does her date. Karen says she’s a helicopter mom and I’m not surprised. She says she’ll have to put some of that passion into her own life now. Look out, Potomac!
Robyn is with her mother at a consignment bridal shop where they’re leaving Robyn’s wedding dress. They talk about when Robyn got married and Robyn says she thinks she was too young. They take a last photo of Robyn and the dress (not in the dress).

Karen is out shopping with Charrisse. She says she and Gizelle buried the hatchett. Karen says she suggested Gizelle meet with Charrisse as well and Charrisse snorts, because she is a barnyard animal. Ashley and Katie join them. Karen is getting her daughter a bathing suit and wants the girls to try them on. Ashley is having a whiskey tasting and invites Karen. Karen gives her the advice that respect of the hierarchy is everything if she wants to get ahead socially. In her individual interview, Ashley says she can learn a lot from Karen. Yeah, like how to be a ridiculous hypocrite.

Gizelle is going to the whiskey tasting and her elementary school daughters are helping her pick her outfit. Why not? Everyone on this show acts like they’re ten.

Katie and Andrew are going to a networking event to promote the foundation and she asks how she should introduce him. As finance maybe? She’s really obsessed with needing to be engaged.

Karen is aghast to see that the whiskey tasting is in a rustic bar. Ashley suggests she open her mind. Good luck with that. Robyn is surprised about the whiskey part since it “seems like a grown-up man thing.” Sigh. Maybe she should take advice from Gizelle’s kids too. Gizelle is also dressed up and complains that she has to walk down a whole flight of stairs. Charrisse claims she likes to make the best of every situation as she adjusts her tiara. I’d believe that from Karen first.

This looks like a lot of fun, with some light appetizers in between, but these ladies clearly are not whiskey drinkers. Uh-oh. Gizelle must be getting drunk because she tells Karen how much she appreciated their talk and then turns to Charrisse. Charrisse says she feels like Karen disrespected her in her home. Whatever. Gizelle says she already apologized. Double whatever. Karen jumps in and decides to tell them how it’s done in the hood…I mean, in Potomac.

Katie and Andrew get a cocktail and work the room. Katie says there’s a lot of pressure on her to make the foundation a philanthropic force. They’re having a casino night and are basically drumming up supporters. Someone asks if they’re engaged and Andrew says not yet. Katie says you have to be married to be taken seriously in Philanthropy World because she lives in a land of veils and bouquets.

Ashley says Gizelle and Charrisse are acting like five-year-olds, but then proceeds to pick on Gizelle. I look away for a second and Gixelle and Charrisse are hugging. What? Ashley says, see what a little whiskey can do? and that explains it.

Andrew and Katie rehash the event at home. She wants Andrew to braid her hair like the guy did in 50 Shades of Grey. It fails miserably. They talk children and she doesn’t like the way he’s joking around. She says she’s a woman with three children and needs to know if he’s taking things seriously. He tells her that if she wouldn’t have brought up getting engaged for the past six months, they would have been engaged already. Katie doesn’t seem to understand this.

Well, I understand and he seems very controlling. I get that he’s tired of hearing it, but if his love is based on her behavior, he doesn’t really love her and she should run in the other direction. If this is how he’s dealing with her needs now, I highly doubt he’s going to be on board with for better or worse.

Next week, Charrisse questions her marriage and someone is declaring bankruptcy — I think Robyn.

Honestly, Bravo scraped the bottom of the barrel with this one. Cleveland, anyone? Portland maybe?

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

The girls are going to Jamaica, so Porsha hired a stylist. Because she can’t possibly do something as difficult as picking out a swimsuit on her own.

Cynthia is psyched for shooting the commercial. Peter is coming too (ugh!). Nene is also coming, but the others don’t know it. This ought to go over really big. Cynthia has decided to go with Kim as director for the commercial, but hasn’t told Kenya yet. She’s counting on Kenya being understanding, which is not too likely. Cynthia is not going to win a popularity contest on this trip.

Kenya’s boyfriend, Matt, is coming along. Since they were together on Watch What Happens Live tonight, I assume things went well. Kim is hauling all her kids along. At least Cynthia got a surprise too. Sheree’s ex-husband, Bob, is also joining them. Are they getting back together?

Porsha and Phaedra make a lot of sexual remarks on the bus going to the hotel, and I wonder if Kim brought ear plugs for her kids. Somehow Cynthia starts talkig to Kenya about Kim directing the commercial, which is something that should be discussed privately. Kim says they need to work it out betwixt themselves and points out that she used that word.

Cynthia and Peter have arrived a day early and great everyone in the hotel lobby. This is Peter’s native land, so he seems to actually have some energy. Everyone has a gorgeous suite and they’re all pretty excited. Bob is obviously trying to get with Sheree, but she isn’t having any…yet.

Back in Atlanta, Kandi asks Todd if he thinks they’re missing out. Todd says the trip is probably extra cool because Peter can show everyone off the beaten path stuff.
Kim meets Cynthia outside and tells her that she’s shaved more off the budget. Kenya joins them. Cynthia tells Kenya she was pressed for time and liked Kim’s idea, but she’d still like Kenya to be involved. Kenya says it was disrespectful not to at least hear her pitch. Cynthia says Kenya didn’t show at the pitch meeting. Kenya says if the shoe had been on the other foot, she still would have listened to Cynthia’s ideas. She says Kim is also wrong about the producer and director always being the same.

Kenya tells Kim she feels like Kim is alienating her from Cynthia. Kenya asks how many commercials Kim has done. Kim says it doesn’t matter as Kenya isn’t the client. Kenya says Kim is just saying that because she hasn’t done any. Kenya says if Kim wants to discuss her experience, to put it on the table. They start to talk over each other about growing up, which is kind of ironic. Kenya starts to make Facts of Life references and says Kim is tired. Kenya gets a little weird and pulls Kim’s chair out with her in it. Kim decides to disengage and Kenya applauds her for best exit.

Kenya tells Cynthia she was willing to work with Kim and what happened was unfair. Cynthia tells Kenya that what she did was not cool.

Phaedra doesn’t get why Kim brought her kids along with her sitter, and wonders why the sitter couldn’t sit with the kids at home. Me too.

Kim tells her husband about what happened with Kenya. Kim gets pretty worked up over the whole thing. She says had Kenya touched her, they would have seen another side of her. Her husband tells her to slow her roll, and that she took the bait. He says to let Kenya be wrong. He seems very smart and supportive.

Cynthia and Peter meet with Nene and Greg. They all have a cocktail and Cynthia tells them about what happened with Kenya and Kim. Nene tells her to just move on.
Kenya is bummed out about going to dinner. She thinks Cynthia’s decision was based on Kim’s dislike of her. Matt says they said they’d go, so they should go.

The girls are already at the table when Cynthia and Peter make a grand entrance with Nene and Greg. Some are glad; some, not so much. Oddly enough, only Porsha has the smarts to remember that Nene and Cynthia were not on good terms like yesterday.
Peter thanks everyone for coming. Porsha says that Nene kept the secret very well. Nene says Cynthia wants her to be involved with the commercial. They all joke about wanting to be in the “mercial,” but Kenya isn’t having any. Peter wants to know what’s up and Kenya says she’d rather die in several different ways than talk about it.

Kim talks about how she’s tried to be nice about everything and while she’s talking, Kenya and Matt leave the table and walk away. A few of the ladies talk about Kenya and Cynthia being BFFs, but Nene says that’s not possible and asks Cynthia if that’s the case. Cynthia says not really and again Porsha is the voice of reason, saying Cynthia is a flip-flopper.

Peter says to move the BFF along because they have plans for the morning.

This place is so awesome, I’d be glad not to be involved in the commercial and just sit in a lounge chair being served umbrella drinks by cabana boys.

Sheree comes to Nene’s room. We flash back to some good and bad times with them over the seasons. Sheree says they’ve always had mutual respect, and Nene says she’s glad they moved past the past. Nene asks Sheree how everyone took her arrival. Sheree says they were all surprised.

Cynthia, who lives her life with blinders on and so would I if I was married to Peter, still thinks everything is cool with Kenya. Nene tells Sheree that with Kenya, it’s a BFFN, best friends for now. She says had it been her, she would have been understanding, but I wonder about that. By the pool, Porsha tells Phaedra that Oliver (from a few episodes ago) called her and they talk dirty about them for a while.

At home, Kandi is having a family dinner. She says that she’s not really sorry she missed the trip, since whenever they go somewhere, there’s drama. Kandi and Todd talk about a nanny. She says her mom will be able to babysit, it’s the least she can do since Kandi bought her a house. Todd says she’s not going to want to deal with a baby all the time at her age.

Someone is banging on Cynthia’s door. It’s her sister, Malorie. Peter arranged it, so maybe he has changed. Sheree, who must be traveling room to room, visits Kenya. Kenya says Kim’s boring voice droning on compelled her to leave dinner early. She also says she’s glad she didn’t know Nene was showing up or she might not have come.

Sheree asks Kenya if she considers Cynthia a best friend. When Kenya says yes, Sheree stirs the pot by telling her about the conversation when she left. She says Cynthia is throwing Kenya shade because she’s friends with Nene again.

Kenya goes to Cynthia’s room and after saying hello to Mal, asks to speak to Cynthia alone. Kenya says she was flabbergasted to hear Cynthia said they weren’t friends. Cynthia says she considers Kenya a close friend but not a best friend. Kenya says she’s hurt and that after she was replaced on the commercial, she was replaced in Cynthia’s friend circle

Next week, the commercial moves forward and Sheree tells Kim there are rumors that her husband is gay.

Jan4

January 3, 2016 — More GH NYE & Some Atlanta

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What I Watched Today

(random, rambling thoughts on today’s TV)

 

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. Now back to business. I am so glad to see Galavant! is back. I honestly thought I was the only one watching it. While this is too insane of a show to recap (Once Upon A Time is hard enough), it should appeal to anyone who likes a little satire with their 5th Century, or perhaps Game of Thrones as a musical. A bit Spamalot, a bit Camelot and a big risk as a Sunday night show, I highly recommend this silly, yet clever whatever-it-is. And perhaps now I know what they did with the woodland settings from the late Clifton’s Cafeteria in Los Angeles.

General Hospital – New Year’s Eve in Port Charles

Patrick comes home after dropping Emma off for a sleepover. He’s also brought snacks for him and Robin’s New Year’s Eve. Chocolate covered popcorn is in order.

Sonny tells Dante he and Carly are having a quiet evening in. They don’t know what Morgan is up to, and Carly says she’s worried, but Sonny says they’ll just have to trust him. Michael shows up. Sonny asks what he and Sabrrrina have planned. Apparently, he’s out of the loop.

Morgan is at The Floating Rib. He starts to order a club soda and changes it to a beer. No good is going to come from this. The Floating Rib is floating all right. It doesn’t know if it’s an upscale restaurant or a sports bar.

Nina introduces herself to Curtis.

Franco meets some guy on the docks and gives him a bunch of money. The guy hands him an envelope.

Robin gives Patrick a gift. It’s a perpetual calendar. Robin says she wants him to see the infinite number of days they can spend together.

Christina (who I guess is a permanent fixture on the show now) runs into Sam. She wants Sam to join her at the bar and watch “the game.”

Valerie and Dillon are also at the bar.

^$@!&@#&!_!  (Insert your favorite curse words.) ABC just broke in to tell us about Bill Cosby’s indictment. Thank you sooo much because we know that just couldn’t wait for forty-five minutes. @!)#^$&_! again!

Carly asks Jason (who I guess stopped by while I was forced to watch Bill Cosby getting into his car for 10 minutes) if he’d like to stay for New Year’s Eve. He says no thanks. He wants Carly and Sonny to enjoy their newlywed time together.

Michael tells Jason that he and Dante are going to watch college football and asks if he wants to join them. Dante promises that he’s off duty and won’t bug Jason. Jason says okay. I already know this entire thing is just a set up to get Sam and Jason in the same room on New Year’s Eve.

At this point, pretty much the whole under-30 cast is at The Floating Rib. Morgan asks Christina what’s up. She says she’ll fill him in if he won’t tell anyone. She also adds that she won’t tell anyone he’s been drinking.

Valerie tells Dillon that she and Dante barely had a relationship, but it’s over now. He says she deserves better anyway. She asks him to send positive vibes for her team to win. Dillon tells her his father didn’t live up to his expectations. Valerie says she’s sorry, but he says it’s a fresh start and he doesn’t want to mull over the crummy things that happened in 2015. Me neither.

Johnny, in the big disguise of 2016 glasses, is at The Haunted Star. So are Nina and Franco, and I guess I’ll never know what Nina wanted to ask Curtis. Does she want him to model for the magazine? I could totally see him doing that. Franco gives Nina a present. It’s an absolutely gorgeous necklace.

Robin says now that they have a calendar that goes to the end of time, they can fill it with new memories. Patrick tells her she’s the only person he wants to spend every day with and asks her to marry him. Um….aren’t they already married?

Franco has excellent taste, although he is an artist. Nina loves the necklace and has him put it on her. He says if she’s wondering how he paid for it, he sold a painting. She says he shouldn’t have, but I say why not? Isn’t that the usual goal? They kiss.

Curtis approaches Franco and says he knows who he is.

Darby joins Christina and Morgan. Christina excuses herself to get back to Sam at the pool table. Darby asks if Morgan would like to have a good time, but he says he might have to help his dad out. Michael shows up to mess up everyone’s party mind-set.

Dante says hello to Valerie and she makes herself scarce.

Jason sees Sam at the pool table. They talk football and Jason asks if Sam would like to play a game of pool. She asks if he knows how good he is at pool.

Carly says Jason made a good point that last year at this time, she was missing Sonny, and now they’re married. Sonny says by all rights he should be dead or in prison, but instead he’s with her. They both say how lucky they are. Sonny says he’s always going to need her, and that they’re equals, but he was hoping he would be walking by now. More kissing.

Robin and Patrick “accept” each other’s proposals. Even more kissing. Robin says she’s been praying to be back home for so long, it’s hard to believe it’s real. Patrick says he’ll show her how real it is and they go upstairs. I don’t want to know.

Curtis says he was on the Baltimore PD for years, and Franco was on the most wanted list for most of them. He says a bunch of nasty stuff ending with calling Franco “Robert.” Nina comes back and Curtis tells her if she ever wants to shake Franco, to let him know.

Dillon says he’s going to The Haunted Star and stupidly asks if Valerie would like to come. Oh sure! Not too insensitive. She says she’s going home and he says he’ll drive her.

Michael decides to try and police Morgan. Morgan says he has something to take care of and leaves.

Sam beats Jason at pool and they rack up another game. Christina introduces herself to Jason. He asks if they know one another, and she says she can’t count the times he rescued her. She says there’s something to be said for starting over with a clean slate. She also suggests that he should get back together with Sam. Sam is like, cut it out, and Christina goes to mingle elsewhere. Sam and Jason smile and make googly eyes at each other. Yeah, yeah, we all know where this is headed.

Johnny and Lulu (who checked out The Floating Rib for less than 2 seconds) go back to The Haunted Star for a nightcap.

Morgan sees Raj down at the docks, leaving from a meeting with an associate.

Back at the bar, Sam trips and falls into Jason’s arms. Come on now.

Patrick is showing Robin how real things are. Song part.

Sonny and Carly are being real too. Carly interrupts things to get a new bottle of champagne to toast the new year. She says it’s bad luck to toast at midnight from an open bottle. This is a new one to me, although I’m not much of a champagne drinker.

Valerie’s team wins and is in the running for the national championship. It’s so exciting, I can barely keep from yawning. She and Dillon kiss. Valerie says she can’t deal with romance right now and Dillon says bad timing. She says he can stay in the friend zone and he agrees. I’m sure he’s thrilled. I know how much guys like to be there.

Counting down. Sonny is either having a heart attack or feels movement in his legs. Okay, it’s his legs. Morgan sees the fireworks from the docks and Dante happens upon him. Franco says he wants to take Nina home and make love to her. Johnny kisses Lulu and she totally responds. Go lulu. Carly rushes to Sonny’s side and he says it’s going to be a great year. Robin and Patrick bask in the afterglow and say, “Happy new year” to each other.

Everyone else at the bar is jumping around. Jason and Sam wish each other a happy new year and their faces are pretty close, but no kiss yet.

GH can certainly drag things out, but I have high hopes for Monday.

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

DonJuan, Kandi and another assistant are discussing Phaedra’s public powwow about the money issue between her and Todd. Kandi isn’t thrilled with Porsha having been involved in her business. The assistant (Carmen?) says something about how you shouldn’t come around with new shoes when you owe someone money and I’m  totally with her on this. There is a couple who owes me a large sum of money who likes to post their vacation pictures on Facebook, while I haven’t had a vacation since 1987.

Phaedra and Todd meet. Phaedra acts like she doesn’t know why on earth he has an issue with her. Phaedra says some baloney in her individual interview about how Todd must be scrounging around for change because some project of his didn’t get off the ground. Pay him his money, you tight-fisted witch. Phaedra makes noises about having had the baby and how it was a priority. Phaedra also says she hasn’t seen the video, but we flash back to her saying how good it looks as she’s watching it. He tells her that they also need a photo from her and shows her the cancelled checks so she gets it through her head that she still owes him a third.

Porsha is hosting an Emmy red carpet event for Dish Nation. I’ve seen Dish Nation. Once. Please don’t tell me they’re up for an Emmy. Porsha’s sister, Lauren, is also pregnant and since she’s Porsha’s right hand, Porsha doesn’t know what she’ll do when Lauren goes on maternity leave. I can just imagine.

Kenya’s dad has come to visit. Kenya talks about the remodel of her new house and how it’s a money pit. Another great leveler. All houses are money pits. Kenya also says she’s dating. Her dad talks about men keeping scorecards. Maybe at a frat house. Kenya says some of her issues with men are the result of a dysfunctional family. Kenya says she has to deal with family stuff first before finding the right guy.

Cynthia is working on an event for her eyewear. Marlo (apparently bucking for the next Wives cast) is helping.

I have to admit, Porsha’s dress is phenomenal. Sometimes she’s got too much going on or her wardrobe is way too revealing, but this is perfect. Somebody coaches her in the limo about doing interviews. She interviews Gary Cole, one of my favorites. She’s pretty excited, takes lots of selfies, and as far as I can tell, doesn’t embarrass herself.

I go get another piece of pie, my waistline becoming a casualty of the holiday season.

Phaedra’s son, Aiden, is taking golf lessons. I wish him better luck than I had.

Kenya shows her dad her new house in progress. He makes grumbling noises because it’s a wreck, but that’s just the stage the house is in now.

Kandi and Todd meet Peter and Kandi for dinner. Peter compliments Kandi on the video release. Kandi tells them about what DonJuan heard outside the event. She thinks that Porsha should have kept her nose out of it. Kandi is annoyed since she’s been supportive of Porsha in the past. They talk about the money Phaedra owes Todd and all her excuses.

Peter asks about Kandi opening a restaurant. Cynthia says be prepared to put in a lot of time and how she thought things never worked well unless Peter was on site. She and Peter get in a small argument about it.

Cynthia is having her glasses event and Kim helps with some of the camera work. Cynthia talks to Kim and Kenya about producing and directing a commercial for her. Porsha deigns to grace them with her presence after the Emmys. Kandi wonders who the real Porsha is.

Porsha approaches Kandi and asks for a side conversation. Kenya says she hopes Kandi’s crew has their health insurance paid up since she knows what Porsha’s capable of. Ha-ha! DonJuan interrupts and kinda, sorta apologizes about butting in to the ladies’ business at the video release. Kandi doesn’t really want to go outside to talk and Porsha says she’s done and walks outside.

Phaedra isn’t there which Kenya thinks is convenient. Kandi’s friend (Carmen?) tries to run interference and talk to Porsha outside, but Porsha literally runs away from the situation.

Kenya’s dad is obviously a negative guy. They sit in the park to talk. In Kenya’s individual interview she says it’s hard to have a conversation with him because she ran away when she was 12 and her dad didn’t talk to her for five years. They’d moved to Texas and she ran back to where she used to live in Detroit. He says he had pain too, because he thought he had failed. That when she decided Texas wasn’t good enough, he felt she thought he wasn’t good enough. Kenya says she didn’t realize how hurt her dad was and her dad says they need to put everything in the past. It sounds like Kenya’s mother was never too supportive either, but he says forget about it.

Kenya wants to have a family reunion in Detroit, but her dad isn’t too receptive. Kenya thinks if she can reconnect with her dad, maybe there’s hope for her mother. They hug.

Kandi and idiot Porsha meet for lunch. Porsha says she invited Kandi to lunch so she can be “the bigger person,” and I gag. Porsha says Kandi’s team caused problems at the event. Kandi says her team knew that Porsha wanted to talk about the Todd gossip, so they should have been included. She also says private conversations usually lead to the person retracting what they said later. Porsha acts like she contributed nothing to the gossip and DonJuan got it all wrong. Porsha says she wasn’t taking sides and it’s all Phaedra. Kandi says Porsha goes whatever way the wind is blowing. Porsha says that she’s choosing a side because maybe Phaedra needs her more. Nice try. I don’t think Phaedra needs anybody’s support.

Now it’s Kandi’s turn to gag. Porsha tries to act like Phaedra is a poor single mother whose husband has left her in the lurch. Porsha asks if there’s anything she can do to get Phaedra and Kandi’s friendship back on track. Kandi says it will probably never be the same and then the two of them act like nothing ever happened. WTF?

Next time, Kenya goes to Detroit and OMG it’s Kandi’s mom.

Sep27

Extra! Extra! I Started the Rocky Horror Show Cult

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While these aren’t exactly random, rambling thoughts on what I watched today, in honor of the 40th anniversary, HBO is having a midnight showing. Not quite the same as seeing it in the theatre, but an homage all the same.

Gather around, children, and you shall hear of the midnight show called Rocky Horror. I’ve often thought that I should write about it, and the time is now. Since I was just totally ignored by the new generation.

It was my first week in NYC. I was young, headed to acting school and the world was my oyster. A friend of mine had come along on the moving trip to get in a little R&R. My family was staying a couple of days and he was staying two weeks, but I was there permanently.  We were hanging out at a gay bar called The Ninth Circle in Greenwich Village, getting our drink on and meeting people. One of the people hanging out with us was the manager at the New Yorker movie theatre uptown. The Rocky Horror Picture Show had recently started its midnight run. He asked if we would like to go, tickets on him. I didn’t know much about it, but knew it was a musical, as I had seen the soundtrack for the L.A. production.

“Is it a horror film?” I asked.

“That depends on what you’re scared of,” he answered.

I was definitely intrigued and game for anything, so he told us to pick up the tickets at the box office that Friday night. He also handed us a joint. Smoke a joint? In a movie theatre? I wasn’t exactly naïve, but I had never heard of such a thing. Apparently, I wasn’t in Kansas Ohio anymore.

There weren’t too many people there, and my friend was pretty exhausted. He promptly fell asleep, leaving me to my own deductions, and an entire joint. At first, I didn’t know what to make of it, and it wasn’t because of the pot. When I saw Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) dancing backward in a graveyard, I thought, Is this a joke? But by the end of the film, I thought if it was a joke, it was a well-written one.

A few weeks went by, my friend went back to Ohio, and I was already meeting loads of new people. The RHPS had stuck in my mind though, and I really wanted to see it again. I got together a few new friends, and we decided we would go to the Waverly in Greenwich Village, rather than schlep all the way uptown.

It was a totally different atmosphere there, crowded, the crowd brimming with excitement. We staked our claim on some balcony seats. At the time, there were no fans dressing up or yelling things, but there were a lot of joints being passed.

Rocky Horror had a highly addictive property, and it wasn’t the weed. It was a well-crafted film, to be sure. (Although, don’t shoot me, I actually think Richard O’Brien’s Shock Treatment is better and more relevant in a lot of ways.) The music is excellent, no stone left unturned in detail, and it couldn’t have been cast any better. But there was more to it than that. In 1976, the idea of “don’t dream it, be it” had found its perfect home in New York City. It was the right time at the right place.

At the time, I had also found the perfect home. While NYC will always be one of the greatest cities in the world, in the late 70s and early 80s, it was still affordable, and I’d landed there like Columbus discovering the New World. I was attending morning classes at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (less impressive than it sounds) and living in the Webster Apartments, a women’s residence on West 34th Street. It was a cross between a dormitory and a Tennessee Williams play. Rooms with sinks, shared bathrooms on each floor, two meals a day included, and no men above the first floor (unless you were my dad, who insisted on inspecting it when I first arrived). If a guy showed up, you received a phone call from the front desk telling you that you had a “gentleman caller” and there were rooms on the first floor called “beau parlors” where you could receive your male company. You could also have a guy over for dinner, but he had to wear a jacket between October and May. If he didn’t have one, it could be provided for him at the desk, and that orange jacket got a lot of play from my friends. If you missed a meal, you could get a voucher for a friend, and broke friends need to eat. The meals were surprisingly good, cafeteria style, and there was often a sundae bar. Women weren’t excluded from the dress code either. While you were free to wear what you liked during the week, there were rules for the early Sunday dinner and you had to wear either a skirt or a pants suit. My grandmother had given me a polyester pants suit that I’m sure she thought was very chic (it wasn’t) and I can’t count the times I rolled out of bed on Sunday and into that suit and downstairs for the meal. It wasn’t always the most convenient place to live, but it was great for starting out and a good place to meet other women. I met my eventual roommate, Anna, there, who also became my cohort in Rocky Horror crime.

We started going downtown to the Waverly every Friday and Saturday. The line was long, the excitement was high (no pun intended), and I’m sure every merchant on West 4th Street hated us. Since the movie had originally bombed and been shelved, there was no soundtrack for the film, but the soundtrack for the LA Roxy cast was still available, so I immediately got a copy. We would often act out the musical numbers in our rooms after coming home. It wasn’t long before our private shows translated into audience participation.

The first person to dress up has never been mentioned in any of the books. I don’t know his name; otherwise, I’d totally give him props. One night, when it got to the part where Frankie asks if Janet heard “a bell ring,” someone in the balcony rang a bell, causing us all to convulse into laughter. I noticed the guy was dressed up like Eddie, the motorcyclist jazz musician played by Meat Loaf in the film. Afterwards, I sought him out and complimented him on his costume, which included the LOVE/HATE tattoos on Eddie’s knuckles. I asked him if they were real. “I’m a psychiatrist,” he told me. “If they were, my patients might get a little disconcerted.” Good point.

RHPS was a little like therapy, a way to let off some steam, without waking up with a hangover. At least I didn’t. I don’t know what other people were doing. Ironically, it was both therapeutic and addictive; both the rehab and the habit. We had made our home in the balcony, and made friends we saw week after week. The party started in the line that stretched down the block, where we waited to get in. We were always early, getting ready by nine and out by ten.

Louis, who sat in our row, was the first one to shout back at the screen. As Janet holds a newspaper over her head in the pouring rain, he yelled out, “Buy an umbrella, you cheap bitch!” A line that lives on to this day.

I went home for Christmas break, and it wasn’t long after my return that I got my first apartment, on West 27th Street, not far from where I was already. We walked most of my stuff over. I had a roommate for a while, a woman I had met at Webster, but it didn’t last very long. She had trouble adjusting to the city and decided to move back home. By then, I had my first job at Chargit. They took ticket orders for Broadway shows before Ticketmaster was the place to go. I’m sure it got absorbed by them at some point. Anna moved in with me, making it easier for us to be Rocky Horror fangirls together.

Our place was even decorated in early Rocky Horror. We purchased everything we could get our hands on. There wasn’t much merchandising , and certainly nothing like there is now. The only T-shirt you could get was one being sold at the record store near the Waverly.  It was black with the dripping words The Rocky Horror Show, sans Picture because it was from a stage play. My guess is that the store bought out someone’s stock and made a nice buck.  There were a couple of tchotchkes that had come with the Roxy soundtrack, but the Mecca of Rocky Horror movie stills, lobby cards and posters was Jerry Ohlinger’s Movie Material Store. We bought practically everything they had.

We also knew a couple who lived out in Queens, but attended the midnight show at the Waverly. He was a photographer and often took stills of the screen during the movie that he made into 8 x 10s.  I still have those stills (ha-ha). The best part was that no one else had those same pictures. When fans started selling buttons and T-shirts, we got those too.

People were starting to dress up, and found glitter platforms, fishnet gloves and stockings, and feather boas at the hooker stores in Times Square. NYC has everything, so costumes were not that difficult to put together. While Anna and I always dressed fabulously, we didn’t wear costumes and Rocky makeup as a general rule. Speaking of which, it’s so much easier today to find black lipstick and eye shadow. Back then, it was nearly impossible. We found it, but it took some work. We did do the full Rocky regalia one night when we were having an after party. I wasn’t about to wear a garter belt and fishnets on the subway, but I had this incredible 1940s black velvet coat with a beaver fur collar that I’d gotten for ten bucks at Trash & Vaudville on St. Mark’s Place and I wore it over my outfit.

Our apartment wasn’t big – a railroad flat, two rooms and a bathroom – but mostly college and acting students lived there, so no one cared about the late night noise, guests spilling out into the hall, or the funny smelling cigarettes some people were smoking. At one point, there was a banging on the door with the shout, “Open up! Police!” but it was only our upstairs neighbor, Jeff, wanting in on the fun. Later on, he became known as “Naked Jeff.”

After a night of such fine partying that someone drank the bong water (no, it was neither one of us), we had the brilliant idea to watch the sun rise from the apartment rooftop. What we forgot to think about was the height of our building, which was considerably shorter than those surrounding it. No sun rise for us, but we still enjoyed ourselves, chatting, smoking and wandering around. Until Jeff scared us half to death. All of a sudden, his head was peeking over the edge of the roof, which none of us had expected. He actually had every right to scare us, since we’d woke him up. As he came up the fire escape, we realized he wasn’t wearing anything. He wasn’t about to put on any clothes either, but at least he wasn’t mad, and hung out (literally) with us for a while as we watched the sun not rise.

Oh yeah, how it started. The first row of the balcony put you more on the level of the screen, and without seeing other audience members, gave you a certain intimacy with the film. One night, after Frankie sings I’m Going Home, several of us spontaneously stood up and applauded, along with the audience in the movie. It felt like we were in the movie. And that’s how the thought started. How fun it would be, I told Anna, if we tossed confetti during the Frankie/Rocky wedding scene, at the same time they do it on screen. It will fall on the audience below us and they’ll really feel like they’re a part of the movie. I was going back to Ohio for vacation and I’d also wanted to do something special, since I wouldn’t be at the Waverly for a while.

The audience was thrilled and, although it wasn’t the intention, the confetti throwing took off. Anna calls it a “private joke gone public,” and I tend to agree. When I got a letter (yes! we actually put pen to paper and wrote letters back then!) from my sister, who lived near a midnight showing in Cleveland Heights, telling me they were throwing confetti in the theatre there, I was astonished. Imagine my surprise that this even exists 40 years later, all over the world.

The confetti birthed holding newspapers over our heads when Janet did. The paper they hold in the film is the Plain Dealer and I was able to get copies from my father, and I gave them out. I recently sold the last one on eBay for $19.76, in honor of the first year I saw RHPS. Although several people tried it (not me!), it was a no-no to be holding candles so close to newspapers in a movie theatre (that pesky fire code), so that gave way to flashlights. Costumes started coming out, and a mini floor show. Lines were consistently being thrown back at the dialogue on screen. Some stuck and some didn’t. Luckily I got out of there before throwing toast and hotdogs started happening.

One night, after discussing how ridiculous it was that this was our entire social life, Anna and I decided to see another film. Had it been better – I believe it was The Excorcist 2; the title says it all – maybe we wouldn’t have still ended up at RHPS, but we did. By this time, we were getting in for free, although I have a ribbon with hundreds of ticket stubs attached to it. The film was already in progress, and as we approached the balcony stairs, there was a literal wall of smoke. We sat on the steps (breaking another fire code, I’m sure), spending another Saturday night the way we always did.

Probably about a year in, the floor show started to gain more prominence. The film itself started to gain more prominence. It had also lost a certain amount of spontaneity. It became kind of how socialism is good in theory, but someone always wants more and turns it into communism. A few people wanted to take charge of something that had taken flight from a genuine want to make the audience equal with the film. Individuality — don’t dream it, be it – was what the movie was all about for me, and it was time to move along.

Anna and I did attend one of the anniversaries, where our picture was also taken for Sal Piro’s book, Creatures of the Night. A great read – I highly recommend it, as well as his sequel.  Although our perspectives differ somewhat, it’s a wonderful depiction of the phenomenon that RHPS became. He certainly doesn’t mention weed – and for all I know, he was squeaky clean back then; we didn’t really hang out together – and that was a big part of it. Hey, it was a big part of the 70s.

I’ve had a bootleg copy since the first one was made, but there’s nothing like seeing it on the big screen with those who are like-minded. Before I moved away from the city, Sal called and asked me to come to an anniversary event (the 20th?). Since my husband was a “virgin,” I thought it would be fun. And it was, but in some ways, it had already become homogenized. Little bags of props were being sold, along with rice for the wedding in the beginning. The audience also seemed to have a comeback for every line in the film. To me, this lessened the experience of the movie itself. If everyone was just waiting for their cue, how could they be comprehending what was on screen?

I can assure you, I’ve never once introduced myself like I need a 12-step program. Hello. I’m Theresa and I started the Rocky Horror Show cult. Although it has bumped into me along the way. Like the night at karaoke when it came up in conversation. This led to someone thinking I was making it up. Now there was a surprise. Who in their right mind would make something like that up? If I was going to choose my 15 minutes, it wouldn’t have been that. But to save my reputation, I brought  Sal’s book with me the next time I was there. Even after all these years, it’s obvious that’s me. The even weirder thing was, someone mentioned it to the KJ who was working the sound. It turned out he was there at the Waverly back in the day. Talk about a small world.

I was almost at the 40th anniversary in Manhattan this weekend, but decided to write this instead and save my money for Halloween. Seeing it was sold out, I shot an email to the person in charge, asking for them to take pity on a RHPS “pioneer” (Sal’s term), and writing a little anecdote, along with a copy of the picture from the book. I could have heard an internet pin drop. They replied, but what they said was it was sold out, but I could get tickets for the midnight show at the Ziegfeld and sent me a link to the movie theatre. Ouch! Not even a nice-to-meet-you.

I got a follow up email, telling me someone was looking to sell their weekend pass, but I decided to take a pass, telling them thanks, but no thanks.

And with that, I officially retire my corset.