The Man Who Almost Assasinated JFK In 1960

In December of 1960, Richard Pavlick was the first disgruntled postal worker to make headlines.  It wasn't exactly the headline he was hoping for and not many people read it due to a terrible plane accident in Brooklyn that happened the same day.  Pavlick was arrested with a car full of dynamite (left) in Palm Beach, FL where President-elect Kennedy was staying.  He had been stalking the JFK and waiting for the right moment to drive into him or his house and blow him up because he thought the Kennedy's wealth had stolen the election of 1960.  He apparently came very close to do it one afternoon when JFK exited the residence but changed his mind when he saw Mrs. Kennedy and the children, because he had nothing against them.

Anyway, this is a fascinating bit of lost history I just found out about when reading a review for a new book by Jeff Greenfield called "Then Everthing Changed." The book, just out this week, serves up three fictional alternative histories of the 60's, 70's and 80's where timing changes everything and history takes a radically different course.  I am definitely planning on reading this as one of my favorite recent books was Phillip Roth's "The Plot Against America", about an alterna-30's where Lucky Lindbergh actually becomes  President and the nation sprials into neo-Facism.  Alternate history is a popular and growing genre of fiction, with other writers including new Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich and Michael Chabon.

Randy Rainbow Is Dating Charlie Sheen

I was waiting for this one since last week, when Charlie Sheen started opening his mouth and was unable to close it.  Randy's phone relationship with Charlie is great, though it doesn't have the same spice that it did with Mel.  Charlie does a lot of talking....that's for sure.  Anyway, this is another hilarious video by Randy Rainbow. Celebrity meltdowns are good for business!
 

An Advertising Sign Of The Times--Weight Gain For Women

If you watch TV or flip through a magazine, when there is an ad about women and their weight it usually involves how to lose it.  But back in the not so distant past, women were often concerned with being too skinny.  Seriously.

I was doing some research on Raquel Welch (long story) and came across this advertisement circa 1967 of Raquel advertising a weight gain product for women called "Wate-On". Checking the ingredients, it's essentially a precursor of "Ensure" which is popular today.  Anyway, I do love the line at the top of the ad--"I can't afford to be skinny." As another ad famously used to say, you've come along way baby....

Good News: DOMA Almost Dead, Bad News: GOP Rep Still In Closet

This week President Obama finally came to his constitutional senses and directed the Justice Department to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act, which was increasingly being challenged in courts across the country because, well, it's unconstitutional.  It was great news and a sign that the President is coming to understand that marriage equality is a civil rights issue and not a moral question.  According to his spokesman, even his position on gay marriage may be evolving.

Anyway, in other news, Rep. Aaron Schock came out with a statement saying he was "disappointed" by the President's call.  This would not be news from an average Republican in the House of Representatives.  However, most Republicans do not share his sense of fashion or his remarkable six-pack abs.  Looking at the picture here on the left (nicely posted by Andy Towle on Towleroad yesterday),  Rep. Schock is the fellow on the right, in the tourquoise belt, tight white jeans and lavender gingham print.  Seriously.  Like, whatever Mary!

Rep. Schock has repeatedly denied he is gay but, coming from a large family in which he is the only remaining single sibling, the writing is on the bathroom stall wall as a certain former Senator might say.  It's funny but also a bit sad really.  Which basically describes my feelings about closeted gay Republicans in general.

Donuts Of The Week

Well, after many posts about my interest in donuts, it appears the NY TIMES is jumping on the bandwagon.  Just another example of Hi-Fi Bri being a bellweather of cultural taste...or donut trends. :)

The main focus of the TIMES piece is a new joint in Bed-Stuy called "Dough".  It sounds slightly ridiculous in it's creation of somewhat artisanal donuts, with dulce de leche, cacoa bit toppings and "a vivd magenta hibiscus".  Seriously?!  The Nutella filled creme donut sounds a little more my speed though so I will have to make the trek and check it out.

They also give mention to a place that sounds more to my liking in The Point called the Peter Pan Donut Shop.  It's offerings look closer to my favorite joint, the Donut Pub on 14th Street (which was ignored).  It's got the traditional cruellers and chocolate topped creations, as well as jam filled treats that sound delicious. And there were also a few paragraphs on the new Doughnut Plant on 23rd Street that recently opened.  Their Chocolate Blackout is a personal fave and the PBJ concoction an NYC classic.

An Amazing New Production Of A Tennessee Williams Flop

When it opened on Broadway in 1977, Tennessee Williams memory play VIEUX CARRE lasted only 5 performances.  But now, nearly 35 years later, the play has returned triumphantly to a New York stage.  It's not exactly Broadway and it's not exactly the play TW wrote.  But it is an incredible production that I believe he would've thoroughly enjoyed.

Last Friday, I went to see this revelatory new version at the Baryschnikov Arts Center on 37th Street, only a few blocks physically from the Great White Way but much further artistically.  The experimental Wooster Group is responsible for this incredibly frank and racy production, which incorporates some haunting visuals, live video, internet porn and projections of the plays text, as well as an extraordinary sound/light design as well.  It was 2 hours without an intermission but it was absolutely riveting; a total reimagining of this early Williams play about a seedy New Orleans boardinghouse where a young writer gets mixed up with some questionable characters.

Today's TIMES gives the show a rave review, which is well deserves.  It has already been extended to mid-March and hopefully will get extended further.  Who knows?  Maybe it will end up on Broadway afterall...and wouldn't that be a kick for old TW.

The Old Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Closed By City

A few years ago, I took a tour of the old Atlantic Avenue tunnel.  The tunnel, dating from the mid-1800s, was discovered in the 1970s by a young Brooklyn train enthusiast named Bob Diamond. Since then, he has been running semi-regular tours of the tunnel and had plans to turn it into an active tourist attraction in downtown Brooklyn or perhaps an actual tunnel again, providing connecting service for a long-planned Brooklyn waterfront light rail network.

Recently, though, the city has shut him out of the tunnel.  Even though he'd been guiding tours in it for years, the fire department banned entry citing it was "unsafe". There was an article about all this in the TIMES yesterday, explaining the unfortunate situation.  Granted, Diamond has never had the best relationship with the city since he discovered the tunnel after being told by the city many times it didn't exist.  But it does seem like there is more going on here than simply fire code regulations.

Anyway, it's sad to see access to the tunnel has been closed. It was one of my favorite urban adventures in recent years, as you enter through a manhole in the middle of Atlantic and come upon this large, old musty tunnel that runs nearly 300 feet underground. It's truly a lost treasure of the city and one that should be open to the public.

"Born This Way" Gets Broken Down By A 12 Year Old

In lieu of an actual music video, Lady Gaga's little monsters have been busy this week making their own videos of her instant pop supersmash.  On Monday, I posted a Gaga/Madonna mash-up by an incredibly talented singer/musician named Omar Afuni.  Today, I have a 12 year old girl named Maria who breaks the song down, singing it while doing her own piano accompaniment.  Simply amazing.  To those who initially doubted the cred of this song, it seems that once you take out all the electronica, the song is a beautiful piece of music after all. 

I have to wonder if Maria was somewhat inspired by the amazing version of "Poker Face" done piano-side by Idina Menzel and Lea Michele last fall. Regardless, Maria has created a gem of her own....and even did a little rewrite of the lyrics at the end. This could be her audition video for the new American version of X-Factor, which is now soliciting for contestants.  All these talent/variety shows lately seem to love little girls with big voices. This Maria could clean up!

Randy And Mel Had A Rough Valentine's Day

This post is a little late I know but it's been a busy week with Jeopardy and my big news about my show.  Anyway, Randy Rainbow, my favorite YouTube comedian, posted another of his hilarious videos.  Randy and Mel are celebrating Valentines but their relationship has "hit a plateau".  Could be because Randy is cheating on  Mel with another well-known, semi-out of control celebrity.  You'll have to watch to find out....

"WTC View" Gets Its Off-Broadway Premiere This Spring

I have some exciting news to report today....my first full-length play, "WTC View" is getting it's off-Broadway premiere this coming May at the prestigious 59E59 Theaters.  The show will have a four week run as part of the theater's 5th Annual Americas Festival, a celebration of new work by American playwrights.  Yes...that would be me! :)  The show will be directed by my good friend and artistic collaborator on this project Andrew Volkoff, who directed the original production in 2003.

For those who don't know, "WTC View" was inspired by my true 9/11 story....which actually happened on 9/10.  The last thing I did before going to bed that night was place a roommate ad online for my apartment downtown.  Though I left for the safer confines of my boyfriend's place in Brooklyn the next day, strangely enough, people actually responded to the ad on September 12th! When I got back to the apartment a week later, there were multiple messages responding to my ad. Fortunately, I saved many of those messages and, in my journal, kept copious notes about what life was like living downtown in the weeks and months following the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. And then, in March of 2002, thought this might be an interesting way to dramatize what life was like in NYC during those strange days of September 2001.

The show was originally done in the NY Intl. Fringe Festival in 2003.  With only 6 performances, the show made its mark critically and with audiences as well, who responded strongly to the piece.  A few years later, a filmed adaptation came out starring our original cast (including Michael Urie, from UGLY BETTY).  And now, nearly 10 years after 9/11, the show will get its first full production here in New York.  I can't tell you how thrilled I am to have this opportunity to get the show onstage here.  Anyway, there will be more news about all this in the coming months.  For now, you can check out the show's Facebook page for more info, pictures and updates as they become available. And make sure to LIKE us and/or become a fan too. Thanks for your support!