Tidbits! (05/30/07)

Hillary Clinton has been running a campaign song competition. A week or so ago, I received an email from Hils saying that I could vote, and naturally I was all about it! Of course, now I can't remember what i had voted for... Anyway, Hils and her peeps are apparently getting a TON of response to the vote. She posted this video on YouTube...



It's good to see a lighter side of her! She can get so stiff sometimes in debates and what not. And who knew that she had a sense of humor? GO HILS! (Vote for your favorite campaign song here!)

There has been some controversy this year about who and what will get to perform at the Tony Awards. It is tradition that performance time is given to the top nominated musicals in both the New and Revival categories. There was early talk that in addition to those shows, other big well-publicized productions were going to get the chance to be featured as well, like Legally Blonde and The Pirate Queen. I can understand that the producers would want to feature those shows to draw a larger audience to the broadcast, but I definitely side with the theater community on this one. If your show is crap (Pirate Queen, you listenin'?!) then you have no right to perform in a ceremony that honors outstanding achievement. The only outstanding thing about The Pirate Queen is that it is still open. And it would've been fun to see Laura Bell Bundy perform because she is nominated for Best Actress. But then, wouldn't you have to let Donna Murphy perform too? NO THANKS. I'm looking forward to an award show without her…

The big surprise, and the apparent compromise, is that Fantasia will be doing a special performance. She has been getting RAVE reviews for her Broadway debut in "The Color Purple". I guess since "Purple" isn't nominated for anything, and neither is Fantasia, that it's ok. It doesn't really build up any precedents. But can I make a request? If a big star like Fantasia can perform for a role she has taken over, can we get Lea Solonga to come sing "I Dreamed a Dream"?

"The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" is bringing on SNL's Darrell Hammond in the role of the Vice Principal. The show hasn't been doing so well, so I think that the producers are hoping to boost sales. All I have to say is…why could they not pick someone more entertaining? I like SNL, but it's comedians like Hammond that are making the show less and less popular. I just don't think he's funny at all. Alternative Casting? How about Seth Meyers, Luke Wilson, or Jeremy Piven? They're funny, and carry much more appeal and, if you ask me, MUCH more clout.

(Source)

Last week, Broadway actor and Film Star Partick Wilson showed up at the Broadway Show League on team Pirate Queen. Although he's not currently performing on Broadway, I'm sure everyone was thrilled to have him there. Especially the Irish-dancing homos from Priate Queen. He would make it so hard to keep my eye on the ball…

(Source)

Jane Krakowski, Abigail Breslin, Stanley Tucci, and Chris O'Donnell are all set to star in the film "American Girl", which is the first of an apparent series based on the American Doll Collections. Breslin will play the lead, a young girl who helps her mother run an orphanage or something during the Great Depression after her father (played by O'Donnell) finds himself out of work.

Now, this isn't the kind of show that I'll be running to see. I am just excited about the cast is all. I LOVE me some Chris O'Donnell. When I was 14 I printed a picture of him off the internet and put it in my journal, saying that he had beautiful eyes or something. Yeah, I was that gay back then… And Tucci has that whole hot-older-guy thing goin' on. Love him! (Source)

Newly crowned American Idol Jordin Sparks is getting some negative press. Our God-fearing young diva is being called out on an apparent lie. During the show, she was asked if she had ever had any formal training. She said that she hadn't, but apparently that wasn't completely true…

"Jordin was just 14 years old when she studied with me in 2004," vocal coach Melissa Black told Star magazine. "Her mom, Jodi Sparks, and her grandmother, Pam Wiedmann — who acts as her manager — found me on the Internet. We were together for nine months of intense vocal work, with Jordin taking one 30-minute class a week at $25 per class … I knew she wouldn’t take long to perfect her craft because she was so good." (Source)

It's amazing how quickly the little people start coming out of the woodwork...

I'm sorry, but as a singer, 30 minutes a week doesn't do jack! Good lord, it's barely enough time for a proper warm up! I don't think this can qualify as "formal training".

I've worked with vocal coaches before in similar situations, and I don't consider myself as someone with formal training either. So if I ever get a break into music, I would like to right now take the opportunity to thank Jana Lee Hess for our once-per-week 30-minute sessions back when I was 15 for those wonderful 3 months. You taught me what a diaphram is, and for that I am grateful. But only informally so…

So last night I totally fell asleep at like 9:30pm and didn't wake up until about 3:00 this morning. I'm a bad friend - I was supposed to meet up with Scottie for his last night in town after he saw "Inherit The Wind". I'm totally bummed that I've missed him. Hopefully I can maybe see him today before he leaves…

Other than that, I've got no plans. I want to watch "So You Think You Can Dance", but then I may call it an early night again. I gotta admit… 8+ hours of sleep feels pretty damn good!