Give me your music, your art, your huddled masses of words and rhythms yearning to breathe free.
Ah, you always remember your first time. There I was, in a dimly lit room…body tense and trembling under crisp sheets…heartbeat wild in anticipation…breaths short and shallow…spellbound by my first glimpse of something big, scary, and invasive…a spectacle that would excite me for the rest of my life: the 1935 classic, “The Bride of Frankenstein.” … Read more
Ten-year-old kids shouldn’t be worrying about the after-effects of unprotected sex, mind-altering drugs, and adult unemployment, but thanks to several artful public service announcements (PSAs) that aired on network television in the early 70s, I once considered pre-booking a room in a nunnery! As a boob-tube loving adolescent, I was equal parts baffled and delighted … Read more
He’d have his “superstar” world premiere, of course. On July 12, 1971, the first authorized production of the Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” was staged in my fair city, Pittsburgh, PA. Quite appropriate, actually, considering it’s the birthplace of the man who coined the term superstar: Andy Warhol! The musical starred … Read more
Devolution. devəˈlo͞oSHən. The Oxford Dictionary describes it as “The descent or degeneration to a lower or worse state.” My personal example: The human race appears to be in a state of devolution – evolving backwards toward an earlier Neanderthal period – as evidenced by the barbaric killing of four unarmed college students by troops with … Read more
“This man is not a role model.” So proclaimed my 5th grade teacher Mr. Kuntz as he held up a Life magazine featuring photos of New York Jets’ star quarterback Joe Namath swilling Scotch with adoring groupie dolls and cigar-chomping minions at his Upper East Side Club, Bachelors III. Joe Namath, a media-hungry playboy? I … Read more