The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds ~ This is one of those films I have very distinct memories of as a kid.  When I first got my own black and white TV in my bedroom I became addicted to late night television, especially older movies, and one of my regular fixes was WPVI channel 6 in Philadelphia's Friday night Million Dollar Movie.  And as this film was not available to home video for years, that was the only place to see it. 

When I saw it recently on TCM I was actually shocked that it wasn't a black and white movie.  That wouldn't have been odd as other movies of the time had tried black and white as an arty or attention getting stunt.  This film however had no need of such hype.  As an adaption of a Pulitzer Prize winning play directed and produced by Paul Newman and starring his wife Joanne Woodward, it was already high profile, and is an amazing film. 

Woodward plays a widow raising two very different daughters, and her performance is gritty and realistic, however the real stars are the actresses who play the daughters. The role of epileptic Ruth is Roberta Wallach, daughter of actor Eli, and intelligent and shy Matilda is the daughter of Woodward and Newman, Nell Potts, is simply stunning in the role. I am still amazed Potts didn't go on to a more promising film career. 

The long and awkward title comes from the experiment Matilda puts together for school that sets her apart, and might get her out of her situation.  Ruth seems to be walking in her mom's footsteps but Matilda could have a chance to elevate herself.  The experiment parallels her growth as a person. 

Highlighted by not only the performances but also by a wonderful score by Maurice Jarre, the film which might seem like a depressing study of late sixties small town white trash is compelling and addictive, with smart dialogue.  I love this movie, not just a great film, but a great memory as well.  Must see. 

Popenado

As I sit here, still hermited away at the Borgata in Atlantic City, the Pope has left Philadelphia, and the city is still wracked by the aftermath. I have nothing against the Pope, and while I kinda like the guy, I'm not exactly Catholic either. Specifically, I'm a lapsed Episcopalian, which is basically Catholic light. But this post is not about religion at all, so those of you who tightened, can loosen, if you know what I mean.

It's the crazy security measures that the city of Philadelphia went to for the Pope that I want to talk about. What the hell, I mean seriously, what the hell? They closed the Ben Franklin Bridge, closed highways, made businesses close their doors, towed residential cars for out of town parking (though how one would get there I don't know), diverted traffic patterns for miles, and in the process also closed most of South Jersey as well. We're so close to Philadelphia, we, along with most of the people we know, fled the city.

The Pope gave wonderful speeches, gave hope to thousands, perhaps millions, was on almost every channel (even today), but I wonder what it was like on the ground where the man was. The crowds looked insane. Philadelphia's plans for South Jersey included having people park in Camden, and walk across the Franklin Bridge to see the Pope. Is it pointless to mention that Camden has been voted the most dangerous city in America countless times in the last few decades, and has had its police force cut in half in the last couple years? Who thought of this idea?

Weirdly, neither our national capital, Washington DC, nor New York City had any such security measures. I find it very odd that NYC, a city that fourteen years ago survived an actual terrorist attack where buildings were bombed and burned, had very little security in place for the Pope's visit... but Philadelphia, a city that thirty years ago bombed and burned itself over women and children they thought were terrorists, is going insane with security measures for the Pope's visit.

Yeah, politics, not religion. Feel free to tighten. Rant over. And relax, I'll be back to writing about pop culture tomorrow.

Remembering Late Nights with David Letterman

As I watched the finale of "The Late Show with David Letterman" last night I couldn't help but remember how much a part of my life the man was and is. Now I have to be honest, I haven't really paid all that much attention to Letterman since he moved over to CBS, but I did watch both "Late Night" and "The David Letterman Show" which aired on weekday mornings in the early 1980s.

As far as the morning show went, I remember laughing out loud at it, and my mother thinking I was weird because she couldn't figure out what was so funny. I also recall when "Late Night with David Letterman" came along he would refer to that morning show as 'way back in the late fifties.' Before this of course I knew Letterman from his stand-up comedy and guest-hosting on "The Tonight Show."

I remember that Philadelphia came to "Late Night" late (pardon the pun), not airing the show until a few months after it had begun. However, back in the analog day of pre-digital cable, I could precariously hold the dial between Philadelphia NBC affiliate channel 3 and NYC affiliate channel 4, and get a reasonable broadcast of "Late Night" from New York.

This is the way I first met Larry 'Bud' Melman, Chris Elliott, and Stupid Pet Tricks, the most memorable (and disturbing) of which had a dog drinking milk from his owner's mouth. I remember frequent guests Sandra Bernhard, future frenemy Jay Leno, and fellow only-New Yorker (at least at the time) Howard Stern. I was much happier when I could see the show on channel 3 finally, and remember seeing great acts of the day like R.E.M. and Indigo Girls.

Still, even though I hadn't watched much of "The Late Show," I'm sad to see Dave go. Last night's viewing only cemented the reasons that I should have been watching. Have a great retirement, Dave, come back and visit some time.

The Dumpsta Players Present... Sucky 70s 2

The Dumpsta Players Present "SUCKY 70S 2!"

The Date: Wednesday, FEBRUARY 19, 2015
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, showtime is 11 PM sharp! 21+ $1.99 cover!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA, For info: 215-545-4511


SHAUN CASSIDY VS. GARY GLITTER ASS, GAS OR GRASS-NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE SHOW US YOUR BONEY M.!

Featuring guest sets from DJs Cosmonaut & ChattyCathy **ALL 70S DISCO, FUNK, GLAM, COCK ROCK, BUBBLEGUM POP**

Sexual revolution. No ATMs. No smart phones and plentiful cheap pot. Just some of the lovely details of the decade known as The 70's. Sleaze to the 8-track soundtrack of ten years of UFO sightings, terrariums, Music For Your Plants, polyester, pet rocks, chia pets and progressive thinking. It's the worst of the worst-rock, country, pop & disco music with goofy stories, bad singing and no rap. See the Guitar Gods of Rock and get high in the Chevy Van!

Shake your booty, blow your funky horn, love the one you're with, but don't miss - "SUCKY 70’S 2"!

A portion of proceeds from this event benefit Philly AIDS Thrift, whose goal is to sell the lovely, useful, interesting, amusing, and sometimes mysterious stuff generous people donate to their thrift store and then distribute the proceeds to local organizations involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Check out The Dumpsta Players on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and on their own website.

Frozen on Ice

I remember when I was a kid back in the seventies watching commercials for the Ice Capades. I never got to go see stuff like that, although I did get to see the Philadelphia Flyers fight to the Stanley Cup on my big brother's black and white TV on UHF channel 29. So tiny and blurry, it was hard to tell they were on skates. Ice skating escaped my youth because of the lack of a lake I suppose, but I remember sliding on ice puddles in my sneaks.

Yeah, so no background in ice skating here, and the Olympics barely count because they were so boring, to me at least. I think the final nail in the coffin for me was more than two decades ago, I was invited by The Bride and her parents to go see Starlight Express, their favorite show, on ice in Philly. I embarrassed myself badly by dozing off for most of the show. Ice was not my thing.

Jump ahead to now, and The Bride loves the movie Frozen, so when she saw "Frozen on Ice" was going to be at the Wells Fargo Center, former home of the Philadelphia Wings, we made plans to go. Upon sitting down, the first thing I noticed was that the Wings banners had been removed, the team since last season having moved to Connecticut and renamed the New England Black Wolves. So not happy.

Frozen being the little girl phenom it is, we were the only adults I saw there. Perhaps we should have brought a niece or two as a cover, but no one seemed to say anything or stare. The merch was out of this world and everywhere. The Bride got a plastic mug made of Olaf's head to eat a sno-cone out of, and I got Chickie & Pete's Crab Fries. The fries, like the parking, was noticeably jacked up much higher than they ever were when we were Wings season ticket holders.

Despite a barely enthusiastic yogurt commercial for an opening sequence (the one host sounded like. a. robot. as. he spoke.), the show was amazing, even the post-commercial pre-show with the regular Disney characters was cool. The players, through dead on lip sync, brought the movie Frozen to life on the ice. And ice is key here. Everyone was on skates, including seemingly blind animals with no eyeholes.

It's like what folks say about Ginger Rogers. She did everything Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in heels. Here it was ice. These players did everything on ice, in skates, and usually fast, while acting, dancing, running, etc. They were very good. As I mentioned, previously I was not an ice skating guy - now, I would do this again. Great show, and it was fun too.

For more on "Frozen on Ice," check out the latest episode of The Make Mine Magic Podcast right here.

Castle in the Sky

Castle in the Sky ~ When I first saw this movie way back in the late 1980s at Philadelphia's Roxy Screening Room, It was called Laputa: Castle in the Sky. As it's been passed around from different distribution companies with vaious translations and dubs, it's also been known as Island in the Sky, City in the Sky, and Laputa: The Flying Island. I know that I searched for a copy for decades, and was thrilled when Disney finally released it as part of their Studio Ghibli line in 1998. It is my favorite of those films, and my favorite by Hayao Miyazaki, who wrote, directed, and produced it.

The film focuses on a young girl and her new friend running from fascist government spies and military, as well as air pirates, as all pursue a mythical city in the sky called Laputa. As it turns out, she is the long lost princess of Laputa and only her pendant can find the city and release its secrets, which include, not only a treasure, but also a weapon of mass destruction. The legends are pulled from not only Jonathan Swift's book "Gulliver's Travels" but also the Hindu epic "The Ramayana" as well with its Indra's arrow.

The characters are wonderfully Miyazaki originals, coming across like a weird hybrid of both Max Fleisher and "Speed Racer." There is some terrific design work that both conjures a Welsh mining town that Miyazaki once visited, his love of airplanes (as evidenced in The Wind Rises), and a firm foundation in all things steampink. The Goliath and Tiger Moth airships, and the amazing flaptors of Dola's air pirates are excellent examples of that.

I love the chase sequences, and the battling airships. This is a steampunk pulp fan's wet dream, high adventure at its finest. The characters are fun, you can love them, you can hate them, and most of all root for them and fear for them. There are characters in live action 'real' movies that are not as three dimensional as these folks. The Disney dub boasts a voice cast that includes Anna Paquin, James Van Der Beek, Mandy Patinkin, Andy Dick, and absolutely stellar performances by Cloris Leachman as Dola and Mark Hamill as the evil Muska.

I love this film, and it's easily in my top ten or twenty favorite films of all time. If you like anime, or adventure, or steampunk - this is absolutely must see, but really I think everyone will enjoy Castle in the Sky.

The Dumpsta Players Present… PromTrash Broadway!

The Dumpsta Players Present "PROMTRASH BROADWAY"

The Date: Wednesday, APRIL 16, 2014
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, showtime is 11 PM sharp! 21+ $1.99 cover!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA, For info: 215-545-4511

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the trashiest Prom Queen of all? That's right, folks, time again to pick America's trashiest Prom Queen!

The Dumpsta Players celebrate their 18th Annual stag, drag, come-as-you-were/are/is "PROMTRASH BROADWAY" @ Bob and Barbara's!

Cheery Hell High's drama teacher, Mr. Blob Claymation, is workin' the kids up into a frenzy as this Prom is guaranteed to be an EXTRAVAGANZA! From "A Chorus Line" to "Bye Bye Birdie" the kids promise a show you will not soon forget!

Will 2013 Prom Trash queen Sharon Babcock AKA Divine Miss Jimmi return? Will last year's runner up, Mrs. Miller be back?

It's revenge of the dreadful prom, so join in the ffffun! We invite all to put on a prom dress, don a tux, and compete with the gender bending drag kings, queens, straight up females and males, fag hags, pretty princesses and assorted other freaks!

Come enjoy The Dumpsta Players' 150th show and the sensational crowning in - "PROMTRASH BROADWAY!"

A portion of the proceeds from "PromTrash Broadway" go to support The Rotunda.

The Rotunda is a community-gathering place that is fueled by the belief that art is a catalyst for social change and that the arts can lead to the formation of meaningful partnerships between the University of Pennsylvania and surrounding neighborhoods. Over 300 events are offered every year, including live music, film, spoken word, theater, art, dance, education, youth programs, arts incubation, and various experimental genres. As an alcohol-free, smoke-free venue, The Rotunda provides a critical social alternative for all ages. At its core, The Rotunda is a shared space fostering learning, enrichment, and community support while empowering the public to present, produce, and promote their work.

This event is also co-sponsored by Philly Queer Media.

Check out The Dumpsta Players on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and on their own website.

My Wings Press Conference

I've been a Philadelphia Wings Lacrosse season ticket holder for over two decades. So from their championship years to the present day when they just can't seem to win a game at all - I've been there. And despite the fact that a person off the street can get a ticket in our area for less than we've paid in advance, and that that ticket price is still dwarfed by the cost of parking - I'm still there. I'm not as excited, but I'm still there.

Over the years, I guess to make up for the above, the Wings organization has offered certain premiums. Sometimes it's a towel, or a welcome mat, sometimes a pre-season party like this. There are also the Red Status bonuses, which usually allows ticket holders onto the field when the team is introduced. That's fun a couple times, but once you've done it, you've done it, ya know?

One of the alternatives to going down on the field this year was attending a press conference after a game. Both The Bride and I have semi-journalistic backgrounds so we thought it would be a cool idea. They lost, again, I think it might have been more exciting if they won... as it was the Rochester Knighthawks crushed the Wings 11-7.

The press conference was small and quick, as might be imagined. There were nine people in attendance other than myself and The Bride. They gave out a fact sheet listing penalties and scores, just in case folks weren't watching I suppose.

The head coach came out, stood at the podium, made a brief statement. No apologies, no excuses. He did have a little bit of an attitude, but I guess after so many losses I might have had one as well. Captain Kevin Crowley then came out, obviously just out of the locker room, and spoke briefly. Again, quick and painless.

And that was it. Just as quickly as it began, it was over, and those who showed up scampered away as if they had never been there. They really couldn't wait to pull the Wings logo off that podium. I guess a more winning team was going to have a press conference next.

All in all, I think it was worth attending. It was amazing to imagine what such a meeting might have been like during a championship season. And it was also heartbreaking to think that the days of lacrosse in Philly might be at an end. There are far too many empty seats any more, in the press hallway, and in Wells Fargo Center. Go Wings!

RIP David Brenner

David Brenner died today in New York City after a long but quiet battle with cancer. He was 78.

While he was chiefly known as a comedian with a record number of appearances on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show," both as guest and guest host, Brenner was a true renaissance man with a number of talents both in front and behind the camera. He knew how television worked, how film worked, mentored others, and most importantly for those in my locality, he was a Philadelphia legend.

David Brenner was a writer, a producer, an author, a talent scout, and a favorite on talk shows and game shows throughout the seventies and eighties. As a comedian, Brenner opened the door to many of the comics we know and love today. His brand of observational humor became a style copied by generations of other comedians. Brenner was working in stand-up until just this past year. More than anything though, by all reports, he was a hell of a nice guy.

We've lost one of the good ones. Davis Brenner will be missed. Now I'm going to dig up my copy of Soft Pretzels with Mustard and re-read it. I miss the guy already.

Lost Hits of the New Wave #31

Remember Karin Begin? I do. I was unaware of her local, and then much later real, demise however. This blog entry started off as one about Beat Planet, a local WXPN radio show that was influential to me back in the day. I may get to it at some point in the future, but in researching it, I came upon the sordid tale of Karin Begin.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s I loved WXPN, the radio station of the University of Pennsylvania. They were the successful adult version of what passes for most college radio. They were not just different and sophisticated, but they were cool too. Hell, they were the coolest. They had wonderful specialized music programs like Amazon Country, Joe Frank, Gay Dreams, Star's End, Sleepy Hollow, Yesterday's Now Music Today, and the aforementioned Beat Planet. And they also had regular deejays as well.

Afternoon drive was where I discovered Karin Begin on XPN. She was quirky, edgy, fun, and played great music. And she was a redhead, and I've always had a thing for redheads. I always enjoyed listening to her. But music was changing, and around then new wave was becoming alternative, and alternative was becoming mainstream. A shiny new station called WDRE caught my attention for a couple years, and I missed what happened to poor Karin Begin.

Karin Begin became so hot, a Philadelphia magazine did a story on her, one that went from feature to expose when her background turned out to be falsified. When it further came out her entire resume was made up, XPN fired her. Upon reading about it, I did remember some of the details. She intimated she and Kiefer Sutherland had been an item, and was in his movie The Bay Boy. I remember renting it to see her, but couldn't find her.

While I cheated on XPN with DRE, Karin moved to one of my favorite radio stations, Z Rock in Baltimore, as Shannon Rock. There she was interviewed for "48 Hours" for an episode about lying, which resulted in her dismissal there. Does anyone check resumes any more?



Karin next resurfaced in San Francisco as Darian O'Toole doing mornings and competing with the syndicated Howard Stern with her own brand of talk, rock, and raunch. She did well for a while with her 'ovaries with attitude' identity there, and her propensity for untruth continued to be part of her repertoire as well. Eventually she list that job too.

In 2008, at the age of 40, Karen Begin died of respiratory failure, complications from, believe it or not, a broken leg. A real shame. She might have been a compulsive liar, but from what I remember, and what I read, a very cool and resourceful lady. Perhaps, in her own way, she was another lost hit of the new wave.

The Dumpsta Players Present "Discotastrophe!"

The Dumpsta Players Present "DISCOTASTROPHE!"

The Date: Wednesday, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, showtime is 11 PM sharp! 21+ $1.99 cover!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA, For info: 215-545-4511

DRESS AS YOUR FAV DISCO "LE FREAK"… GENERAL HOSPITAL'S LUKE AND LAURA… BEEGEES VS. ANDY GIBB!

Nothing defines the disco era quite like drama, drugs and divas! Swirling, twirling and whirling, one might encounter Liza or Jagger at Studio 69 bumping a boogie while Sylvester werked her booty under a mirror ball!

Join us as we hustle through thirty minutes of feathered hair, polyester, tube tops, fashion no-no's, questionable hookups and glitterama! But beware when Andy Gibb does one too many party favors...

Break a heel, feather your hair, but don't snort coke in the Ladies Room or you'll create a… "DISCOTASTROPHE!"

A portion of proceeds from this event benefit Gaudenzia House.

Gaudenzia helps people affected by chemical dependency, mental illness and related conditions to achieve a better quality of life -- allowing them to live as productive and accountable individuals.

Check out The Dumpsta Players on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and on their own website.

The Dumpsta Players Present… "Prisoner on Passyunk Avenue"

The Dumpsta Players Present "PRISONER ON PASSYUNK AVENUE"

The Date: Wednesday, DECEMBER 18, 2013
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp! 21+ $1.99 cover!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA


PATTY & PETEY PONZIO VS. BROOKLYN FOOD BULLIES… ZZ TOP VS. FOOD BLOGGER JULIA SLUTWIG… MUST BE JELLY CAUSE JAM DON'T SHAKE… +2012 DUMPSTA AWARDS & HIGHLIGHTS!

Patty and Petey Ponzio never thought their homemade brand of family recipe, traditional, Italian dishes would fall out of favor in the heart of old South Philly. But the onslaught of one-word foodie empire gastropubs have eaten away at their business.

Daughter Francesca swears she can sell lots of her new rap record to pay off their debts in time for Christmas, but Brooklyn restauranteur, Kunthy Twat and her shallow banjo playing hubby, Dylan Douche, have the nerve and cash to gobble up all the businesses on Passyunk Avenue.

But wait! Is that Texan Blues rockers ZZ Top I see? What are they doing on Passyunk Avenue? And what does notorious Foodadelphia blogger, Julia Slutwig write in her make or break review of The Ponzio's restaurant?

Eat a hoagie, buy some pizzelles but don't burn down Palumbo's in - “PRISONER ON PASSYUNK AVENUE!”

A portion of proceeds from this event benefit, Philabundance, driving hunger from our communities.

Check out The Dumpsta Players on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and on their own website.

The Dumpstas Tonight - OctoberFist VIII!

The Dumpsta Players Present "OctoberFist VIII!"

The Date: Wednesday, October 16, 2013
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp! $1.99 cover!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA


BULGARIAN PEASANTS REBEL! ALBANIAN EMPATHS EMOTE! NINA HAGEN-DAAZ VS. PUNKS DELTA 5

Come journey with The Dumpstas to distant lands and experience a Greek Diva and her calls for lust! Queer party boyz from Ibiza shake their pompas! Fur Trappers from Iceland reveal the hunt is really for each other! A French Madame longs for her younger days and muchachas from Espana call the telefono to gossip!

But there is trouble in the Balkans… when an Albanian empath senses death in the air, the rebellion begins and anyone may die…

Let the ancient celebration commence. In spirited rhythms and many tongues, let's fill the air with music and make merry!

Behold the songs of the people! Behold the melody of the language! Behold, the symphony of the season! Raise your fist in solidarity - "OctoberFist VIII"!

A portion of proceeds benefit Juntos, a Latino immigrant, community-led organization in Philadelphia fighting for our human rights as workers, parents, youth, and immigrants. Find out more here!



Check out The Dumpsta Players on Facebook, YouTube, Flickr, and on their own website.

Dumpstas Return Tonight!

The Dumpsta Players Present… "Star Whorez!"

MR. ROBOTO VS. EMPRESS AVIARA! TRELENA 12 SEEKS SANCTUARY! BOOTY JAIL ON DISCO PLANET CARILLON!

Tonight, Wednesday, July 17th, doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!
…at Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA. 215-545-4511
$1.99 to get in, must be age 21 and up!

www.dumpstaplayers.org

Last day, Capricorn 15s, year of the city, 2274, in a galaxy far, far away… hapless Trelena 12 obsesses about uninterested drug smuggling hunk, Starbuck 6. Her foolish attention is lost on him as he has his eyes on Trelena 12’s BFF, Tatiana 8.

Just as Starbuck 6 leaves on a secret mission, mechanical evildoer, Mr. Roboto and his fembot cohorts, R2FU and C3PU, seek the unloved heart and innocence of Trelena 12 for power and galactic domination. Trelena 12 must dodge nefarious attacks while seeking wisdom from Exstacia the Enchanter and Empress Aviara.

But what kinds of trouble await Trelena 12 on the disco planet of Carillon? Will she be sent to Booty Jail or fed to the daggets for being a socialator? And who is behind a deadly attack of meteor showers?

Destroy your life crystal, prepare to energize but beware of mouth sores in - “STAR WHOREZ”!

A portion of proceeds from this event benefit InLiquid.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to creating opportunities and exposure for visual artists.

You can also check out The Dumpsta Players on YouTube and Facebook, as well as on PhillyCAM television.

The Dumpsta Players Present: Eurotastic!

Tonight! Wednesday, May 15th, doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!

...at Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA. 215-545-4511
$1.99 to get in, must be age 21 and up!

www.dumpstaplayers.org

What's so gay about May? Eurovision, that's what!!

Come camp it up complete with heinous costumes, flamboyantly flaming backup dancers, and a pan-European spectacle so ridiculous no American broadcaster would ever dare air it!

It's the Eurovision Song Contest and we have an evening of unparalleled Euro Pop sure to stop up your orifices for weeks to come!!

More than fantastic, almost orgasmic, it's - "EUROTASTIC"!!!!

You can also check out The Dumpsta Players on YouTube and Facebook, as well as on PhillyCAM television.

The NJ DIS Weekend Meet 2013

Folks who follow my blogs regularly know that I write a lot about Disney. I like Disney a lot, and not just because they own the Avengers either. The Bride is the Disney nut, and I'm just along for the ride most of the time, but I do enjoy that ride. The movies, they do good work; the parks, meh, I'm not a park person, but I have had my fun there; but the Disney Cruise, that's my happy place. There's nothing like standing (or sitting) on deck or on a veranda and watching the open sea. I love it, and yes, any cruise can provide that, but the customer service and the way they take care of you on DCL is phenomenal, and second to none.

Rant and sales pitch over. The point is, The Bride likes this stuff even more than me. And with all the podcasts and vidcasts I subscribe to and/or am involved in, DIS Unplugged is not one of them. I'm kinda ashamed to say I've only heard it a dozen times or so, usually when in the car with The Bride. She loves it, and has even appeared on the podcast more than a few times. Such a fan, when they announced they would be just an hour or two away in Bridgewater NJ doing a fan get-together and live podcast, we made plans to go. Either way, a weekend getaway was a welcome break in routine.

DIS Unplugged is a hardcore professional podcast I should mention. This isn't two guys having fun on Skype without a plan, just saying anything that pops into their head. What surprised me the most upon arrival is how friendly and welcoming everyone was, especially the hosts. Friday night was game night, starting with some music trivia, various kinds (everyone had their own rules) of Bunco, and then a Tastykake Krimpet eating contest. Heh, I don't think these tourists to the Philadelphia area have ever had Butterscotch Krimpets before.

As I said, the live vidcast was very professional. Not only did everyone have headsets, they also had a sound engineer(s) and a sound check. They have been around for almost a decade, so of course they know what they're doing. Professional and friendly are watchwords with this group. I think now I will be putting the DIS Unplugged on my regular podcast subscription list. Good folks, good show, and thanks for a great time.

And stay out of the damn lakes.

PromTrash Desperate

"PROMTRASH DESPERATE"

Tomorrow night!  Wednesday, April 17th, doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!
…at Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA. 215-545-4511
$1.99 to get in, must be age 21 and up!

www.dumpstaplayers.org

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the trashiest Prom Queen of all?!?? That's right, folks, time again to pick America's trashiest Prom Queen! The Dumpsta Players celebrate their 17th Annual stag, drag, come-as-you-were/are/is "PROMTRASH DESPERATE" @ Bob and Barbara's! Mall rats Myrna and Marble panic when stood up on Prom night. What's a gurl to do??? Can 80's teen queen Tiffany save them?!?! Find out who's got the F-C-K for U!

2012 Prom Trash queen Xanadu Xanax returns! Will last year's runner up, K & A's finest, Margaret Orthodox be back? It's revenge of the dreadful prom, so join in the ffffun! We invite all to put on a prom dress, don a tux and compete with the gender bending drag kings, queens, straight up females and males, faghags, pretty princesses and assorted other freaks!

Come enjoy the sensational crowning in - "PROMTRASH DESPERATE"!!!!

In honor of our very first PromTrash queen, Lori with the Story, a portion of proceeds from this month's show will benefit One Step Away, a Philadelphia street paper that helps raise awareness of homelessness and providing employment to those in need. The street paper, which costs a dollar, earns money to give Philadelphia's homeless opportunities to gain employment and improve their living situations. Lori with the Story was our reigning PromTrash queen from 1997-99 and passed away in 2004.

You can also check out The Dumpsta Players on YouTube and Facebook, as well as on PhillyCAM television.

Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook ~ You might have noticed its been quite a while since I posted about any movies currently in theaters. Well, it's been a while since I've been out to a movie. Tonight, after dinner with good friends we haven't seen in a while, we decided to hit a flick last minute. I wanted Die Hard or The Hobbit, but the ladies settled on multiple Oscar nom rom com drama Silver Linings Playbook.

What a pleasant surprise. I didn't know all that much about it beyond the noms for best picture, best actor Bradley Cooper, best actress Jennifer Lawrence, best supportings Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver, and best director David O. Russell. Surprisingly all of the noms are well deserved, some might not win, but all well deserved.

Based on the book "The Silver Linings Playbook" by local teacher turned novelist Matthew Quick. That alone lends credibility to the locale of the flick - Philadelphia, as well as the passion for Eagles football so important to the story. That story has bi-polar Patrick (Cooper) trying to repair his life and get his wife back, even though she's moved on while he was in a mental hospital. Enter Tiffany (Lawrence) widowed and equally flawed, trying to get him back on his feet.

Cooper and Lawrence are no strangers to Oscar, and recently she has gained serious genre cred as Catniss and young Mystique. I think Jennifer Lawrence's best years are ahead of her, and right now she's better than most other actresses her age. I loved her here. DeNiro and Weaver are just as good as Cooper's parents. The whole film is full of terrific performances, including Julia Stiles, Shea Whigham of "Boardwalk Empire," Anupam Kher, and believe it or not, a completely non-annoying Chris Tucker.

This was a great flick, I definitely see a couple (at least) Oscars coming its way this weekend, but let's face it. It's no Die Hard. ;-)

The New Dumpsta Players Show Wednesday NIght!

The Dumpsta Players Present "Honey Poo Poo's Chic-Fill-A Fashion Show"

The Date: Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Time: Doors open at 10 PM, show time is 11 PM sharp!
The Place: Bob and Barbara's, 1509 South Street, Philadelphia PA


HONEY POO POOS HER SKETTI! KIM KATRASHIAN VS. MISS PHILIPPINES! MISS KOSOVO VS. MISS TEEN FLORIDA!

Honey Poo Poo is all the rage at "A List"-ing baby discos from Trenton to Chattanooga! With her new found fame comes merchandising opportunities, meet and greets at Walmart, and a list of temptations no little girl should ever read.

Kim Katrashian is throwing her annual Spring Fashion Show benefiting Sick Babies and Puppies Without Borders and contemplating names for her own debut of celebrity spawn.

When Miss Philippines and her agent Max Wisenheimer are added to the entertainment lineup for the Fashion Show, it's anyone's guess who will hoard the most attention and make a splash in the headlines!

But what do Mama Poon and Miss Teen Florida have up their sleeves? And what's Lance Armstrong doing in the wings? Beware! Miss Kosovo and her scheming mother have some rather dark ideas of how they might steal the spotlight and no one is safe during The Fashion Show!

Throw down the gauntlet, gulp your skinny latte, but don't miss - - - "HONEY POO POO'S CHIC-FILL-A FASHION SHOW"!

A portion of the proceeds from "Honey Poo Poo's Chic-Fill-A Fashion Show" will benefit The Attic Youth Center!

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Sally Starr RIP