RandomCha

Davy Rothbart lives in Ann Arbor! Who knew?

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-street04.html

Here we go … a tasty little chestnut to help you get your holiday CHEER in high GEAR. If Julie were any sultrier, your screen would be melting right now. Ho ho hochimama.

Julie London: I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0512030221dec03,1,1794682.story?coll=chi-news-hed

Brandon and I have plans to go there for cocktails on Thursday. Hope it’s not too late! And I hope they DO reopen soon.

Good God, SNL sucked supremely last night. Some terrible unknown (to me) stand-up comic hosted and the opening monologue was like 18 minutes long, him just standing there and doing his unfunny, vaguely offensive routine. It was like something Rupert Pupkin would have done in “King of Comedy.”

Last night I went with thejeremyshow to see the Neo-Futurists’ first holiday show, “The Santa Abductions.” The premise is pure gold: a rather disturbed man named Fred kidnaps shopping mall Santas and tortures them with his Santamaker (a sled rigged up like an electric chair) in a series of experiments in order to create the REAL Santa. He’s never gotten over the tramatic Christmas morning when his mother told him that Santa wasn’t real. Fred’s lair is populated by damaged rejects of the Santamaker: zombie-like victims Santa 3, Santa 5, Santa 7, as well as his own mom (who he’s holding prisoner in a closet). Into the mix comes the latest victim, Stan. Is he doomed to become Santa 9?

It’s a punchy, fast-moving little show with its heart in the right place, but I think it needed just one more rewrite. Sean Benjamin’s script has several good moments (including a jolly musical number involving Santa brainwashing), and the actors plunge into the proceedings with gusto. There were some wicked political jabs thrown in for good measure. It just needed some more gags. I was also disappointed that Sean himself wasn’t in the show (which is pretty unusual for a Neo-F show). I think his presence would have cemented the script and given it that crowning personal touch.

Anyway, it was fun. And freakin’ cold outside.

I’m excited because on Sunday Andy and I are buying the tree. Which means that Christmas music will no longer be banned in the apartment.

O my lord, what a morning? Our phone line at home is still down, and onec again we cannot print anything here at the office.

Just about finished reading my borrowed copy of “What’s The Matter With Kansas?” Awfully good. Awfully depressing. I’ll definitely be ready to take a haitus from political non-fiction. I need a good W. Somerset Maugham book.

Our home phone line has been down since yesterday afternoon. That means no DSL either. And it may still be down this evening. So don’t try calling or emailing after 3 o’clock. Just show! Or don’t show! Please show. SBC, grr.

The best summation of the quagmire I’ve seen recently:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1653454,00.html