I don't think this is his venue
Oh my squee, Israel Horovitz is on Facebook. How weird. I added him as a friend- he probably won't add me back.
So the Rising Star talent show at The Ritz was... educational.
I got there right before 11 and signed up. Blake was jazzed that I would be ukuleleing, and asked me how to spell "ukulele" (a common problem- a lot of people get it wrong).
First up was this cute Asian chick who started singing Josh Groban (most of the singers brought karaoke tracks), and we realised she was a transvestite.
Next up was Stand up Comedy by Poppi Kramer. She was funny.
Then me- Blake introduced me as "an adorable bear cub". He didn't have a mike stand, so he knelt in front of me, holding the mike up. Cute. I sang "Material Girl", which people appreciated.
Then a Deaf Rapper who did a number about mis-reading people's lips to think they were talking about sexual things. Pretty amusing, but didn't quite work.
Then another Asian drag queen who would have passed for a real girl till he belted out a rather impressive (though I hate the song) "This is the Moment".
And then, finally, this unassuming kid who looked like Michael Jackson pre-surgery got up and sang the shit out of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" in the girl key, which had the crowd going wild, standing and waving their hands in the air (some of them took off their shoes and hit him with them, they were so going to town). He'd clearly won, but Blake had us go through the facade of standing on the stage and having the audience clap for us one at a time.
Poppi's fandom was quite vocal, so they narrowed it down to the two of them. Then of course the boy won.
I felt a bit like that old SNL skit about how to perform at The Apollo. "Cute" doesn't work. Might be time to finally learn "One Night Only" on the uke.
Blake felt bad that my talent was ignored- bought me a drink after, so I ended up hanging out longer than I'd anticipated. Some tiny and lithe black dude used me as a voguing post at one point.
Told Blake I'd come back in 2 weeks and try again (not next week- that's Mardi Gras).
Was starvin', so I stopped off at Dunkin' Donuts. In addition to my sandwich, I thought maybe I'd get a muffin for this morning, so I wouldn't have to go out again... and they gave me TWO muffins, since it was 2 am and I was the only customer. So, w00t, I got coffee cake and blueberry (which I am enjoying right now, even as I type)!
Rehearsal tonight for my one-page play, then off to Hold For the Laughs at Sage Theater.
Then tomorrow, meeting with the producers, then rehearsal for Kathleen's play, then going to the Invited Dress of Avow.
Hmmm- my Unemployment Check hasn't shown up in my account yet (I get direct deposit). It's usually here Wednesday morning. Hope it appears soon- I need to pay for rehearsal space tonight!
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "Opportunities multiply as they are seized," wrote Sun Tzu in The Art of War, an ancient Chinese book about success strategies to pursue in tough times. Now I'm conveying this idea to you, Gemini, as you enter one of the most opportunistic phases of your astrological cycle. What else can you do to get yourself in the right groove? First, adopt a perceptive, receptive attitude that attunes you to budding possibilities. Next, respond expeditiously to every little invitation that appeals to you. Finally, keep in mind that luck tends to happen to those who have done the hard work to generate it.
So the Rising Star talent show at The Ritz was... educational.
I got there right before 11 and signed up. Blake was jazzed that I would be ukuleleing, and asked me how to spell "ukulele" (a common problem- a lot of people get it wrong).
First up was this cute Asian chick who started singing Josh Groban (most of the singers brought karaoke tracks), and we realised she was a transvestite.
Next up was Stand up Comedy by Poppi Kramer. She was funny.
Then me- Blake introduced me as "an adorable bear cub". He didn't have a mike stand, so he knelt in front of me, holding the mike up. Cute. I sang "Material Girl", which people appreciated.
Then a Deaf Rapper who did a number about mis-reading people's lips to think they were talking about sexual things. Pretty amusing, but didn't quite work.
Then another Asian drag queen who would have passed for a real girl till he belted out a rather impressive (though I hate the song) "This is the Moment".
And then, finally, this unassuming kid who looked like Michael Jackson pre-surgery got up and sang the shit out of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" in the girl key, which had the crowd going wild, standing and waving their hands in the air (some of them took off their shoes and hit him with them, they were so going to town). He'd clearly won, but Blake had us go through the facade of standing on the stage and having the audience clap for us one at a time.
Poppi's fandom was quite vocal, so they narrowed it down to the two of them. Then of course the boy won.
I felt a bit like that old SNL skit about how to perform at The Apollo. "Cute" doesn't work. Might be time to finally learn "One Night Only" on the uke.
Blake felt bad that my talent was ignored- bought me a drink after, so I ended up hanging out longer than I'd anticipated. Some tiny and lithe black dude used me as a voguing post at one point.
Told Blake I'd come back in 2 weeks and try again (not next week- that's Mardi Gras).
Was starvin', so I stopped off at Dunkin' Donuts. In addition to my sandwich, I thought maybe I'd get a muffin for this morning, so I wouldn't have to go out again... and they gave me TWO muffins, since it was 2 am and I was the only customer. So, w00t, I got coffee cake and blueberry (which I am enjoying right now, even as I type)!
Rehearsal tonight for my one-page play, then off to Hold For the Laughs at Sage Theater.
Then tomorrow, meeting with the producers, then rehearsal for Kathleen's play, then going to the Invited Dress of Avow.
Hmmm- my Unemployment Check hasn't shown up in my account yet (I get direct deposit). It's usually here Wednesday morning. Hope it appears soon- I need to pay for rehearsal space tonight!
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): "Opportunities multiply as they are seized," wrote Sun Tzu in The Art of War, an ancient Chinese book about success strategies to pursue in tough times. Now I'm conveying this idea to you, Gemini, as you enter one of the most opportunistic phases of your astrological cycle. What else can you do to get yourself in the right groove? First, adopt a perceptive, receptive attitude that attunes you to budding possibilities. Next, respond expeditiously to every little invitation that appeals to you. Finally, keep in mind that luck tends to happen to those who have done the hard work to generate it.