David Geffen Playhouse...Family Fun Day packed to rafters! A run-away success...

Today when I cruised around the West Hollywood Book Fair, I ran smack dab into the booth for the David Geffen Playhouse.



One of the organizers for "Family Fun Day" - which I penned a post on this past week - excitedly informed me the casual get-together for kids and parents ended up being an overwhelming run-away success!



In fact - the turn out was so large - the Geffen staff got taken by surprise!



"Over 800 hundred people showed up," the jovial woman noted ecstatically.



In fact, the Geffen playhouse was forced to schedule additional performances, to ensure no one was left out in the cold!



"People were waiting in line, so we felt badly about turning them away."



Though not originally planned, the Los Angeles Ballet - for instance - ended up giving four performances to full houses throughout the course of the day.



As I noted in my post a few days ago, The David Geffen Playhouse invited parents and their children to attend a celebratory preview of the upcoming "Saturday Scene" season.



"Saturday Scene" is a weekly morning event that introduces kids to the magic of live theater and musical entertainment by experiencing an age-appropriate Saturday Scene production!



The program provides an interactive journey into the world of music, dance puppetry and storytelling and is appropriate for kids aged 2 - 12.



At the "Free Event" yesterday, parents were able to take a sneak peak at a sampling of the live theatre and musical entertainment that will be part of the upcoming Saturday Scene Season.



At the open house on Saturday, fun activities included performances by the "Disney Radio" street team.



And, there was also a costume photo booth.



The Geffen's gracious sponsors - Gelson's & Sweet Leaf - provided free food and refreshments to the theatre enthusiasts who turned up with their young ones in tow.



In addition to the Ballet Performances, on the main stage there were a handful of performances by popular stage acts like Melissa Green, Darryl Van Leer, Will and Co, Shushybye Dream Band and Frog Belly Rat Bone.



Undoubtedly - judging by the turn-out anyway - a number of parents are wise to the fact children need to be exposed to the theatre arts at a young age!



For those of you who were unable to attend the open house yesterday, but who are still interested in the Saturday morning programs, contact the staff at the Geffen Playhouse for more details about the upcoming season.



See 'ya there this fall, eh?



Register: Education@GeffenPlayhouse.com



Website: http://geffenplayhouse.com/

Josh Groban...song stylings need more passion!

In the "overrated" section of the LA TIMES which appears in the weekend edition of the daily paper, writers were inclined to rate Josh Groban's rendition of a handful of theme songs he warbled on the 60th Annual Emmy Awards show, as somewhat "cheesy".

Not terribly off the mark.

To many, he is a bit of a God in the musical arena, though.

True, many of his fans are turned on by the beautiful timber of his voice.

And, there's no denying there is a distinctive resonance, that tends to cause the notes to fall blissfully upon the ear.

But, for me, Groban's voice sounds too "trained".

If the handsome crooner would let go of the rigid musical foundation he builds his song stylings on - and simply sing from the heart - his touch would be far more reaching.

Give it a shot, Josh.

You may end up a better singer for having taken the musical risk!

Women...insecure about boyfriends?

I was perched on a comfy sofa in the lobby of Loew's in Santa Monica - as the ushers cleaned out the trash from the screening before - when an attractive young hetero couple strolled by.

The "dude" caught my eye, but - not because of his "looks" - or anything aesthetic like that.

The overly-tall twenty-something guy was tripping-the-light-fantastic in the ugliest pair of peddle-pushers (!) and what had to be the tackiest pair of white clogs (!) that I had the misfortune to take a gander at in years!

When the young Asian gal spied me gazing in the direction of her date, she immediately assumed I was cruising her better half.

So, as the couple glided up the escalator a few feet beyond me, the wacko broad proceeded to pull the guy in close to her, and passionately kiss him on the lips.

The one Michael plunked on Lisa Marie had nothing on this one, believe me.

In the midst of the stifling lip-lock, she stole a glance in my direction.

Ah, the telepathic message was crystal clear!

"He's mine. So, there!"

I laughed out loud!

Are women that insecure in their relationships with men?

If so - in this instant case, anyway - the possessive tart would be wise to ban the young Lothario from any late-night jaunts alone in West Hollywood walking Fido.

Otherwise - before you can utter up - "I do" - he'll be "out" picketing in opposition to Proposition 8 with his studly boyfriend in tow.

There's an old joke that applies here.

Ten percent of the population was born gay.
The other ninety percent got sucked into it.

Amen!

Ellen DeGeneres...uses humor to oppose Proposition 8. Unlike, Brad Pitt!

Lip service in support of gay marriage...



Sometimes the way you approach an issue can make all the difference in the world.

And, without doubt, a bit of levity never hurts.

Take the case of popular talk-show host, Ellen DeGeneres!

Instead of following Brad Pitt's misguided cue (which consisted of vulgar displays of moolah and pretentious statements to the media) the perky little blond lesbo - who recently got hitched to her long-time gal pal Portia de Rossi - used a bit of humor to get her cause across to loyal fans who surf regularly to her upbeat web site.


"I'm FOR gay marriage," she blogged.

Gee, I didn't know, Ellen!

"In order to protect that right, please VOTE NO on Prop 8."



And the punchline?

"Spread the word. I'm begging you. I can't return the gifts. I love my new toaster."

Don't worry, Ellen, if Prop 8 goes through (drats!) I'll buy 'ya a new one.


And, a pack of pop tarts to go along with it.

Los Angeles Police Department...violates rights and engages in warrantless searches! Police State "pigs"...

Early this morning, a friend of mine went for a walk around 5:10 a.m. to get some fresh air and pick up a morning paper, when he was accosted by a police officer and subjected to abuse.

The friend was on his way down the street when the officer in question cruised by, spied him, then proceeded to halt his squad car and bark out a question from the open window.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting some fresh air," my friend responded politely.

I guess that was not good enough for officer.

God forbid, a citizen should be under the false impression that they are entitled to stroll down a city street at dawn, and exercise their constitutional right to enjoy a bit of nature along the way!

At this juncture - the officer jumped out of his vehicle, strode up to my friend - and proceeded to drag him over to the police car.

"Is anything wrong?" my friend asked, who was quite distressed now by the turn of the events going down.

Before the cop had the opportunity to reply, a description of a suspect squawked over the radio of the squad car.

It was evident now that the pig-headed officer was apprehending the wrong person!

"Obviously, that is not me," the middle-aged man protested.

Without skipping a beat, the cocky cop replied,

"But, you do look familiar. Do you have a two-hundred pound parrot?"

What kind of a sick joke was that?

At the car, the officer twirled my friend around towards the vehicle.

Then, he yanked his arms and hands behind his back, without warning.

"What are you doing?" my friend asked (somewhat alarmed now) as the officer proceeded to empty his pockets and toss the contents onto the hood of the vehicle with little regard or respect for his personal belongings.

When the cavalier cop noticed my friend's car keys, he asked where the vehicle was parked.

Then, the officer proceeded to enter the SUV, and conduct a warrantless search, as my friend sat in the back seat of the police car in a state of shock.

A few minutes later, the officer returned from his wild illegal activities, and gruffly advised the law-abiding citizen that he could collect up his "things" and go.

Throughout the rogue encounter, the officer kept his identity secret, and gave no explanation as to why the resident was stopped.

My friend wanted to ask the officer for his name and badge number (since it was not in plain sight) - but was concerned that if he took that action - it might tip off the cop that he intended to file a complaint with the Police Commission.

Afraid that the officer might plant drugs on his person or in his car to retaliate, my friend was forced to struggle through the ordeal as peaceably as possible, until the wacko officer let him go.

In this instant case, it should be noted that my friend has a serious medical condition, which is aggravated by stress and anxiety.

During the course of the wrongful interruption of his "liberty", he - in fact - experienced sharp pains at the base of his spine and the crown of his head which indicated his normally high blood pressure must have literally gone through the roof.

It is wholly conceivable that the disturbing unjust action taken by the officer, could have easily triggered a stroke or a heart attack, in view of the circumstances.

In sum, the wrongful acts of the officer were not only abusive, but constituted a gross violation of rights.

Understandably, my friend intends to locate an attorney in the near future, to bring legal action against the appropriate Law Enforcement Agency.

A civilized society should never tolerate the reprehensible acts of those who would wear the "shield" - and under the color of authority - abuse their power and privilege in a bold-faced mean-spirited effort to demean a citizen unjustly.

The officer's perverse and deliberate refusal to obey the upright - "law of the land" - was wrongful, despicable, and in violation of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

For this reason, the officer should be punished within the full extent of the law, and held accountable for his heinous acts which are a disgrace to law enforcement.

Gwyneth Paltrow...Goopy, dude! Web site doesn't nourish...

To be quite honest with 'ya, actress Gwyneth Paltrow lost me when she scrambled up on stage a couple of years ago, and sobbed uncontrollably for about twenty minutes, after snagging a coveted Oscar.

Goop - Paltrow's second grab for the brass ring - rubs me the same way.

Frankly, it doesn't deliver up its promises from the get-go.

On the main page on the web site - Paltrow unceremoniously dumped on unsuspecting chartered members of the Internet this past week - the high-strung actress waxes eloquently about her much-anticipated vanity offering.


"Nourish the inner aspect," the spoiled little rich girl urges her guests.

And, how she intends to dish it up!


But, not before confusing the heck out of 'ya!








For example - when a web surfer clicks on a handful of odd-ball icons arranged neatly (she likes things to be nice) across the main page - the mystical little webmaster returns the viewer ad nauseam back to the start-up page without having accomplished a single thing.

Ah, I get it.

Rearrange the letters of Goop and you come up with Pogo!

Just hop around Goop on your Pogo stick, dude!

Soon, it will be obvious to 'ya.

Goop is an exercise in futility.

If not - maybe the newsletter I signed up for this afternoon - will zip off a message over the weekend and laughingly titter the obvious.

"Julian, 'ya just got punked."

Gwyneth, your site kind of reminds me of an old joke.

An old philosopher once said,

"To be is to do"

A fellow scholar was inclined to add further,

"To do is to be"

But, Frank Sinatra said it best, when he crooned,

"Do be do be do"

Gotcha!

Geox...the shoe that breathes!

As I was perusing the morning paper, a shoe ad caught my attention.

The quarter page blurb screamed out at me:

"The shoe that breathes"

An image of the well-crafted shoe - bottom, front, and back - hinted at sure comfort, style, and practicality.

But, a shoe that breathes?

The shoe was designed by Mario Moretti Polegato.
His family history suggested that if he was going to do anything with a shoe, it might be along the lines of stomping a few grapes.

After all, Mario Moretti Polegato, was originally destined to take over the family wine-making business.

With that goal in mind, Polegato graduated from the Agricultural Faculty and joined the family business in hopes of expanding its market.

While at a wine industry conference in Reno, Nevada, he went for a jog in the dry heat. His rubber shoes were great for cushioning and support, but were like a heat chamber for his feet.

He had an idea to cut a couple of holes in his outer soles to add what he refers to as "breathability".

Eureka, as they say!

Needless to say, Polegato developed his ground-breaking idea into a viable product, with the help of his small family-owned leather goods business.

The first shoe with a perforated sole was born - which not only allowed the foot to breathe - but prevented water from penetrating the outer shell, too.

International sales have been phenomenal.

The idea was a shoe-in, obviously!