shhhhh... Future Jones Is Asleep...

Also...


In Los Angeles On Sunday, May 21st, And Want To See Talented Actors And Comics Onstage Reading From Scripts?

Then why not go see the show I created "Fake Radio"? Here's an e-mail from funny fiend and current producer of the show, David Koff. As always, I claim italics-






Friends, Family and Radio Fans:

After a one month hiatus, we are back! And, if you're a fan of old-time radio mysteries, you're in for a real treat this coming weekend! Join us this Sunday, May 21st, as Fake Radio re-creates two of the most popular half-hour mystery programs in radio history: "The Adventures of Sam Spade", written by Dashiell Hammett and "The Adventures of Phillip Marlowe", written by Raymond Chandler. Possibly the greatest radio detectives comedy of all time, Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe have something for everyone: intrigue, romance, humor, sass, and even sweet revenge.

As always, we'll perform on a live stage with all of the original commercials and a live foley artist, so please call our hotline to reserve your seats today!

David Koff
Producer,
Fake Radio

Old Time Radio...Just Funnier!

http://www.fakeradio.net

Ticket Information:

General admission:
$10.00/ticket

Reservations:
(323) 924-9020

Performance Location:
The Fake Gallery
4319 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90029
Just East of Heliotrope on the North side of Melrose

Always worth seeing, and I did the transcription of the original radio shows for this performance, so look for a lot unnecessary gunfire.

Because that's always funny.

Currently Watching-

1) Mission Impossible 3- Much better than a mere scientology (yes, I use the small "s") manifesto (see: "Battlefield Earth"), and certainly closer to the original series, this film has one of the great audience gratification scenes of the year: Philip Seymour Hoffman beating up Tom Cruise for five minutes while screaming at him. Not since "The War Of The Roses" featured Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner trying to kill each other, has the pop culture zeitgest been so satisfied.

2) Boston Legal- The season finale had William Shatner meeting his LA counterpart Robert Wagner??? As fine a self-mocker (my word) as Wagner is, they gave him nothing to do but parrot Shatner. Which is fine, but he's capable of a lot more funny than this. And they missed the true LA Shatner clone Adam West! When will these two sixties titans finally get the vehicle they so richly deserve? Truly that would satisfy the pop culture (or, to put it more factually my) needs. Still, this show is the great stealth dramedy of the past two years, and has it's cast of veterans (and David E. Kelly doing some of his best writing ever) to thank for it. Again, I ask... why aren't you watching this show?

Currently Listening To...

1) Nancy Sinatra- Nancy Sinatra. Yes, Nancy Sinatra. I was never that big a fan of her sixties Lee Hazlewood collaborations, but I always liked the tough girl sound she could get from just punching the note in a staccato fashion. She didn't have the tone to hold a note the way her father could, but she was able to get a lot out of her sandpaper/little girl voice. This album has a lot of really great material from modern artists (Bono, Morrissey, and people who have two names as well) and is good music to drive in the sun listening to. I just wish someone would put out an album with both the theme from "Tony Rome" and her version of Sonny Bono's (no relation) "Bang Bang (my baby shot me down)". Again, perhaps I'm alone on this one.

2) Rosie Solves the Swingin' Riddle- Rosemary Clooney. Great arrangements by Nelson Riddle (thus the cd title, natch) dominate this great example of Clooney's gifts. This was of interest to me initally because Riddle and Clooney were having an affair at the time of this album, and I wanted to hear if it affected the recording at all. Because the scandals I tend to be interested in are usually about forty-fifty years old. Shut up. The album features a terrific version of a song co-written by Dorothy Parker, "How Am I To Know?", but the rest of the cuts are all equally good.

3) Harry On Broadway Act 1- "The Pajama Game" Original Broadway Cast (incl. Harry Connick Jr., Kelli O'Hara, and Michael McKean) and "Songs From 'Thou Shalt Not'" featuring Harry Connick, Jr., Kelli O'Hara. Phew, just writing that took a lot out of me. The two rumors regarding the making of this big ol' triple CD package (my college band's name) are that

a. Connick's recording popularity caused the cast album to be made, with the collection of songs from his own Broadway-debut as composer "Thou Shalt Not" being thrown in to make it more of an attractive package to his fans.

b. Connick's ego demanded that songs from his Broadway flop "Thou Shalt Not" be included in an overstuffed 3 CD package.

Well, the collection of songs from "Thou Shalt Not" have both songs that were cut from the show and songs from the show. And, as a collection it is pretty interesting in an academic "why don't more Broadway musicals have straight jazz as their inspiration" way. Doing them with his band allows the jazz of the music to come out more strongly, which brings out the best that each song has to offer. And still it comes up a little short, both as a Connick album and as a collection of songs from a musical.

Pajama Game, on the other hand, is a great revival, with rave reviews from The New York Times, so I don't understand why this album wouldn't be made under it's own merits. My only complaint is that it feels that Michael McKean's singing isn't in character. I know he has a good voice, but his character in the musical shouldn't sound so good. He gives all of his vocals a very nice folky tenor, which doesn't really fit with a brash 50's-era Broadway musical.

It's a little picky. But look at who's doing the writing.

4) Under The Covers, Vol. 1- Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs. Simply the best album of sixties music to come out in forty years. Covers done by Mr. Sensitivity (formerly my user name) and the lead singer of The Bangles. If you liked their song on the first "Austin Powers" soundtrack "BBC", you'll love this CD.