Cat Clips--Of Flies & Sven

Please click on the photo above to watch the next episode in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "Of Flies and Sven." In this episode, Honey encourages the male cat to act as her Svengali so she can be a more convincing schizophrenic, while Tipi and Tuck go fly hunting in the office.

Angela’s Back and Better Than Ever!

Over the July 4th holiday weekend, I had the extreme pleasure of watching Angela Lansbury perform on Broadway in the Noel Coward classic “Blithe Spirit.” And even better, I had tickets in front row center. How I was lucky enough to get these prime seats, I don’t know, as I only called up the night before to make reservations. But it was well worth the trip into the city, as the play itself is a classic bit of comic genius, and the rest of the cast (including Rupert Everett, Christine Ebersole and Jayne Atkinson) were equally superb.

In the play, Ms. Lansbury plays a somewhat questionable medium, who somehow manages to conjure up the dead wife (Ms. Ebersole) of Mr. Everett, much to the chagrin of his current wife (Ms. Atkinson). I’m sure you can imagine what ensues from there, complete with clever, witty dialogue provided by Mr. Coward. All in all, it was a great day at the theater, and a nice reminder of what a great actress Ms. Lansbury still remains, even in her eighties. (I’d actually seen her a couple years ago on Broadway, when she was in the tennis comedy “Deuce”…but that was not a great play, and she seemed to struggle with her lines in that one.) But with Noel Coward’s hilarious storyline as a backdrop, Ms. Lansbury shined brighter than ever.

The only thing I found a little odd is that Ms. Lansbury appeared to be wearing the exact same wig she’d worn as Mrs. Lovett in the original Broadway production of “Sweeney Todd.” Even had the same accent. Not sure if there was an intentional reference or whether it was pure coincidence, but the similarities were rather obvious. Other than that, the entire show was “like butter.”

The play closes later this month, so if you’ve been thinking of going to see it, you’d better hurry. Ms. Lansbury waits for no one.

FIND YOUR WAY--A Musical Mockery

It's still a tough economic climate out there, so it seemed like the perfect time for a little motivational song (even if it incorporates a little "tough love"). So please click on the photo above to watch the next video from the "Musical Mockery" series called "Find Your Way." It's a A humorous song to hopefully motivate those who are struggling during these troubling times.

Cat Clips--AmeriCAT Idol

Please click on the photo above to watch the next installment in the "Cat Clips" series, entitled "AmeriCAT Idol." In this episode, "Honey" tries to convince the male cat to begin their own talent competition for cats.

The Death of Icons

They say that major tragedies or deaths always come in threes, and this week proved that theory to be true. First, the passing away of Ed McMahon, a bigger-than-life personality with the signature laugh who made everyone comfortable becoming a couch potato. Then came the death of Farrah Fawcett, the quintessential female pin-up of all time and the reason most women feathered their hair in the seventies and eighties. And finally, last night, the announcement that Michael Jackson had passed away. This man, who was as controversial as he was talented, will always be remembered as the “King of Pop,” a title which no one will likely steal away from him any time soon.

Today, the world is a little sadder and a little less colorful without these three among us. But like most icons, they will live on in our imaginations, in our televisions and in our music for decades to come.

Cat Clips Father's Day Videos

Today we have two different Cat Clips videos that deal with the same issue---Tuck's desire to have a mentor/father figure.

Cat Clips--Parent Trap

In the first video, entitled "Parent Trap," Honey and the male cat discuss Tuck's future in the household. To watch this video, please click on the photo above.

Cat Clips--Father Figure

In the second video, entitled "Father Figure," the male cat and Tuck have their first mentoring session. To watch the video, please click on the photo above.

Why I Love Mary Murphy

For those of you who've never watched “So You Think You Can Dance,” you will probably not know who Mary Murphy is. And for those who have watched the show in the past, you might wonder why I choose to endorse a woman who is sometimes so loud and abrasive that her fellow judges must cover their ears for fear of losing their eardrums. Well, the answer is very simple…she has a passion for dance that is infectious.

And that is coming from someone who hated having to sit through Ballets and Dance Concerts when I was growing up. Not that I didn’t like to dance myself, but I didn’t really have an appreciation for the kind of control and strength a real dancer must have to perform such feats. In fact, it wasn’t until I started seriously working out and lifting weights in my twenties that I began to realize that dancers were sometimes more athletic in their movements than the more macho football and baseball players.

And that is what I find so fascinating about “So You Think You Can Dance.” The dancers are constantly thrown curveballs and new dance styles, and difficult choreographers (like Mia Michaels), and to see them succeed against unimaginable odds is like watching a really good Olympic competition. And some of the dance pieces are quite awe-inspiring. (And again, this from someone who never really appreciated the art of dance until a few years ago.)

Which brings us back to Mary Murphy. When I first caught the show while flipping channels several years ago, I thought it was just another pointless talent competition without much merit or credibility. Then, the next year I happened to catch another episode during the audition process, and was suddenly sucked into the behind-the-scenes stories of the dancers—their tragedies, hopes, dreams, etc. What can I say? I was hooked after that. And yet I still found one of the judges, Mary Murphy, to be quite obnoxious with all her yelling and cheering and constant use of catch phrases.

But as I began watching the show on a more regular basis, I began to warm up to Ms. Murphy because I realized how much she really cares about the people she is judging. Unlike some of the other guest judges on the show, who seem to get off on putting people down or showing off their arrogant intelligence, Mary has compassion and empathy for the dancers. She cries when she is emotionally touched by a dance number, or cheers when she is excited about a dancer’s progress. And you can see from the dancer’s faces how much they value her opinion and favor. She is like a big Mother Hen who coaches and cajoles her little offspring so they can eventually fly off on their own, as prepared as they can be for the cruel reality of a career in the arts.

And just when you think you can’t be shocked any more by the things that come out of her mouth, she suddenly blurted out a few weeks ago that “I can’t look surprised any more because the botox took care of that.” It was such an honest and revealing statement that I think it even caught her by surprise…as evidenced by how hard she laughed for the next few minutes (As did everyone else in the audience). But that’s how Mary is. She can be a tough critic when she thinks a dancer isn’t trying hard enough, or living up to their potential. But when someone succeeds with a genre they’ve never done before, or makes incredible progress as a dancer from week to week, she is the first to offer her praise and congratulations. And that’s why I love Mary Murphy. She’s a cheerleader for the underdog as well as the professional. As long as someone steps up to the plate, she is there to cheer you on. And don’t we all need a little more of that these days?

But that’s just me. What’s your take on Mary Murphy or “So You Think You Can Dance”?