Skere9

Kathie Lee Gifford celebrated her birthday yesterday on Today, as well she should have – after a lot of work in creating a fantastic musical, and then even more work in making sure it got the recognition it deserved, it it finally heading to Broadway.

Here’s a great article about her birthday and Scandalous at Broadway.com, including a photo of her impressive birthday cake, and a link to more info about the Broadway production of Scandalous.

 

Mike O’Hearn is both a bodybuilding superstar and an Internet personality, with the most consistently interesting Facebook updates out there.

He’s recently published a new video short series online called Alter Ego that is interesting on many levels.  Here’s episode one:

I’ll be posting more about this later, but for now, do yourself a favor and watch the first few episodes.

There’s a lot of interesting aspects to this, not the least of which is the innovative approach Mike has toward the new world of online video delivery.  I’ve been looking at this for a few years now.  In March of last year (2011), I was fortunate to be a panelist on a TV show called White House Chronicle hosted by journalist legend Llewellyn King and his co-host, the ever so cute and brilliantly insightful Linda Gasparello.  It was an episode titled The Future of Broadcasting.  Also on the panel was former CNN regular Bob Franken, and media guru and fabulous hot babe Lauren Ashburn. I think it’s fair to say that Lauren and I were basically of the same opinion: that shorter formats (3 to 5 minutes in length) will dominate future broadcasting efforts.

I raised a few examples during the broadcast of successful short-form successes, including Ray William Johnson, and Joe Penna – aka Mystery Guitar Man.

(And for the record, I am hereby claiming the distinction of being the first person on network television to mention the names of Ray William Johnson and Joe “Mystery Guitar Man” Penna, and to describe the intriguing work of both of these Internet superstars.  More on that in an upcoming post.)

Johnson is in a class by himself.  Penna also.  But these folks are delivering content that is a single complete production in about four to five minutes.  I think history will show that Mike O’Hearn’s Alter Ego dove into a new area.  Mike is doing a serial, in 1 to 3 minute segments.  Very interesting stuff, and unique – Mike’s at the front line of this brave new world.  Now – I know there have been efforts by some established network television types to do something roughly along these lines, but not quite like this – I’ve never before seen an original series quite like the one Mike is creating – not anywhere, especially not online.

Formats have fluctuated for as long as the ability to create film has existed.  The first 90+ minute theatrical productions were released in the silent era.  When my parents were children, they – particularly my mother – loved the twenty minute serials that were common in movie theaters at the time.  For the past few decades, broadcasting has been dominated by the typical television sitcom of 22 minutes plus commercials, and the standard TV drama of about twice as long.

MTV pioneered the commercial success of music videos back in the 1980’s, and there was a lot of talk then that these shorter 3 to 5 minute formats were the wave the future.  That forecast has already been realized on YouTube, Vimeo, and elsewhere on line.

Mike’s Alter Ego takes that concept a step further, telling a longer story in shorter 2 to 3 minute segments that continues in a series.  It’s sort of the online version of the old Buck Rogers / Lone Ranger serials, which were hugely successful in their day.

Mike’s work is bold, fascinating, unique, and I think – historic.

And it’s fun to watch.    And it’ll be fascinating to see how it evolves – what works, what doesn’t, and which format will ultimately “stick”.

So enjoy it already!  And experience a milestone in broadcasting history.

 

Scandalous is finally going to Broadway. It’s about time.

Friends – I saw an earlier incarnation of this production a few years ago at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, and it was absolutely amazing.  Full disclosure:  I know the powerful force behind this production.  Her name is Kathie Lee Gifford, and we grew up in the same town, and our families have known each other for years.  A number of years ago I travelled to Israel with her parents, brother and sister-in-law, and others in her family.  I’ve been following Kathie’s career since she was in a little local pageant in my home town that the local Jaycees were involved with – including my father.  We have always known she’s incredibly creative, and quite the entertainment juggernaut, a force to be reckoned with.

She’s been involved in music for years.  In high school she sang as the lead of a trio that included her outrageously talented sister Michie Mader, and Denise Carley, all remarkably entertaining.  Kathie’s career snowballed, and much has been written about it – but I’m not sure how much has been said about her incredible wit, which her TV audiences certainly get to see, but to me, she’s at her best in a live audience situation, like I saw at the Rainbow Room years ago, or at one of Donald Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City – her repartee with a live audience and the way she jumps off stage and works a live room is like nothing you’ve ever seen.  She’s the best.

But Broadway musicals?  Really?

I saw an early production of hers years ago, it was an adaptation of a children’s book called Under the Bridge.  I was surprised at how good it was.  Top notch.  Excellent work.

But a few years ago, I saw an early version of the production that is now called Scandalous.   The show I saw was called Saving Aimee, and seriously – we’re being very serious now – it was knock-your-socks-off why-didn’t-somebody-tell-me awesome.  Totally epic.  An instant classic.

About three songs into the production I was completely lost in the story and just mesmerized and fascinated.  It’s funny, it’s stunning, it’s intriguing, it’s highly entertaining.  I found myself wondering:

• Why had I never heard or known anything about this person, Aimee Semple McPherson?
• There’s no way little ol’ Kathie Lee Gifford is behind all of this – we all know her television work but this is a whole different world and honestly, this show is tremendous.  How did this happen?
• Why wasn’t this show on freaking BROADWAY already?????

Now I’m no theatre critic – a lot of people would say that’s a plus – but I’ve seen my share of Broadway shows, including Tony Award winners for Best Musical, like the better known shows – Sunset Boulevard (1995), Jersey Boys (2006), and of course Phantom of the Opera (1988), who hasn’t seen that one.  Gifford’s production absolutely blows away Sunset Boulevard in terms of pure entertainment value – although I have to say, the set for Sunset Boulevard was pretty impressive, I remember when the curtains opened, everyone in the audience I was in gave the SET a standing ovation.  And Phantom is arguably one of the best shows ever, particularly if you go with longevity and box office results.  Jersey Boys was a rip-roaring great time – but come on, remove the very familiar music of the Four Seasons and you might still have an interesting story, yet it’s the classic pop tunes that are the draw to that show.  Am I right?  Or am I right?

Gifford’s production was surprising to me in how incredibly entertaining and fascinating it is.  Maybe I’m a rare type, since I love both complex fusion music and country music.  I love funny entertainment and I love serious intellectual stimulation.  I love history, especially dramatizations of true events that have flown somewhat under the popular radar screen, like recent best-selling books by Erik Larson (Devil in the White City, Thunderstruck), or a relatively new but very promising author named Candice Millard (Destiny of the Republic).  If I could only pick one channel for my cable TV subscription, I’d pick Turner Classic Movies (TCM) without batting an eye.   And I’m a sucker for a great toe-tapping musical with memorable melodies and catchy lyrics.

Gifford’s show is a remarkable combination of all of that – fascinating history, blockbuster songs, funny, poignant, moving, and incredibly fun and fascinating altogether.  It’s the Real Deal.

Pictured: Me, with Kathie Lee Gifford at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia. April 23, 2007, at a presentation of the musical Saving Aimee, which wowed the sold-out house. The production has been transformed into Scandalous, and is opening on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theater in November 2012. Previews start in October 2012. See the official Scandalous website for tickets and information.

Scandalous is highly entertaining, and is all based on the life of a real person who was one of the most influential 20th century figures about whom I knew virtually nothing until I saw this show.  And yet her life and work touched an enormous number of people in a variety of ways.  Visit her biography at Wikipedia and you’ll find references to all sorts of people like Upton Sinclair, Frank Capra, Bette Davis, Milton Berle, Faye Dunaway, and many more.  And those don’t even begin to tell the full story.

Scandalous is both highly entertaining, and I say – one of the most important works in production today.

And it’s finally ON Broadway, as well it should be.

GO!  It’s a unique, rare experience!  And you’ll absolutely love it!

For more information, you can visit the official website for Scandalous at http://scandalousonbroadway.com/.

Use the special code word for pre-sale, which I published in an earlier blog post  – click here to see it.

THIS JUST IN: The code word to buy tickets to Scandalous is TODAY.

Tickets don’t go on sale to the general public until next week, but if you use that code word, you can buy tickets NOW, before everyone else.

See http://www.scandalousonbroadway.com for tickets and information!

Today is the birthday of one of our favorite members of the Skere9 Gallery of Stars, John Michael  Metelsky.  We thought we’d take this illustrious occasion to share with the public, for the first time, some rare photos of John going about his typical day-to-day duties.

Here’s John rescuing a kitten from a burning building:

Here he is helping a nun cross a street:

And here he is filling in for a friend on the job:

As you can see, John is a man of many talents, some known to many, some unknown to everyone, including himself.

NOW … in all seriousness, John is one of the most gracious people you will ever meet.  He’s generous in spirit, and knows how to give just the right word of encouragement at the right time.   He loves to kid around and is one of the funniest and most jovial people you will ever meet, but when he gets serious, he’s modest about his own remarkable accomplishments and skills. Don’t let that fool you – he is a consummate professional at the top of his field, which is photography and photojournalism.  He knows just how to casually evoke the right mood from the right people at the right time.  Most people might not even notice when, after he’s cracked the right jokes or somehow put his subjects at ease, and into a happy or laughing state, – snap – he grabs the perfect photo at the most opportune moment, and unless you’re paying close attention, you might not even know it – not until later, when the finished photo emerges, showing off his subjects uniquely, and reflecting the brilliance of his work.  John’s the greatest at what he does.

Plus – he’s easy going, fun to hang out with, and remarkably well-read.  He’ll quote lengthy passages from classic prose and poetry, at just the right time, to underscore a point or maybe just for a light-hearted or whimsical laugh.

And he’s lucky enough to have the most adorable wife and great children who he obviously loves a great deal.  John’s a class act, and I’m grateful to be his friend.

So please join us in wishing John a very happy birthday!

For he’s a jolly good fellow!

Happy birthday, John!

P.S. Angie says happy birthday, too. (And no, THIS one is not Photoshopped).

Photo taken March 8, 2005. Copyright © 2005. John Michael Metelsky, Used with permission.