Hey Ladies--It's The New Cami-Secret

I am a secret fan of bad infomercials.....you know the type, where people have ridiculous problems that are solved by a miracle product.  The only thing the product can't fix is the bad overacting and breathless narration that are the hallmark of these ads.  


Yesterday, I was turned on to a new commercial for a product so ridiculous it could have easily be dreamed up by the writing staff of SNL.  Yes folks....it's the Cami-Secret, which is essentially a dickie for women to hide their cleaveage without the "mess and fuss" of a real camisole.  I found this on D-Listed but apparently it is airing on TV. So check your CW channel, maybe around 2am. Or just watch it here.  Don't delay--watch it TODAY!

Send In The Divas

Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" had a diva switchover last month, as Catherine Zeta-Jones and Agnela Lansbury were replaced by Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch.  This cast change seems to be the inspiration behind a YouTube video posted by a very talented NYC cabaret singer.  If you are a Broadway baby or diva devotee, you'll find her impressions are spot-on.  

Sondheim's 80th Year Celebrated With Online Recital

As part of the yearlong celebration of Sondheim's 80th, NY TIMES music critic Anthony Tommasini posted a lovely little recital yesterday in which he deconstructs the master's music and marvels at Sonheim's ingenuity as a composer.  It's a must-view for musical theatre fanatics like myself.  I especially loved his discussion of "Merrilly We Roll Along", Sondheim's 1981 Broadway flop which now is considered possibly his most interesting score.  I was in a production of this show back at Wildwood Summer Theatre and, though the show didn't make much sense, the music still resonates with me today.  Not a day goes by....indeed.

MTA's Gap Rap

If you ride the LIRR, you may have noticed the profusion of signs in recent years to "Watch The Gap".  Continuing this program to educate the public about the dangers of falling through the gap between the station platform and train, the MTA has now put out a "Gap Rap".  The rap was created by the LIRR's medical director Dr. John Clarke.  He's not a rapper but he plays one on YouTube, having already created a rap for the MTA's H1N1 educational program last fall.  The MTA's website says the Gap Rap is "MTV ready".  Well, let's just say the MTA should probably stick to the business of getting the trains to run on time.


The interesting story behind this story, though, is the gap safety program itself.  In 2006, a teenager named Natalie Smead fell through the gap at Woodside and was killed by a train.  Her family sued the MTA and won a very substantial multi-million dollar settlement.  It was this death and lawsuit (which revealed that there had been hundreds of gap-related accidents) that forced the MTA to address the issue of the unusually wide gaps on the LIRR.  In addition to signage everywhere as well as posters and PSA's, the MTA has actually filled in the gap at many LIRR platforms.  


So this "Gap Rap" is the latest measure in the MTA's recent gap education program to prevent further accidents, deaths and massive lawsuits.

What's On The Menu At The State Fair

State and county fairs of late have become summer playgrounds for culinary crackpots, dishing newfangled treats like deep fried butter and spaghetti-on-a-stick.  Now comes word of the latest caloric catastrophe: a hamburger served on a Crispy Creme donut.  

This is the hot item at the Wisconsin State Fair, where many folks are lining up for the $5 patty presented on a sliced glazed donut.  The mixture of savory and sweet was praised by many. As for myself, I think I would take a pass.  I'm not a huge fan of the lastest sweet/savory mashup trend, where enterprising chefs like to add bacon to ice cream for instance. I prefer to enjoy my desert and breakfast foods separately.  

A New Kind Of Tart Hits 42nd Street

Following in the footsteps of the wildly popular Hershey's and M&M stores in Times Square, a Pop-Tarts store opened recently on 42nd Street between Broadway and 6th Avenue.  On a stretch of formerly seedy sidewalk which used to host an entirely different sort of tart, you can now order up 30 different kinds of sweet snacks made from Pop-Tarts.  They're even selling something called "Pop-Tart Sushi" which consists of three different flavors combined in a fruit roll.  Eeek.


Now given my donut leanings, I have to admit I've never been a huge fan of the Pop-Tart.  There is something about them that always tastes a little stale, whether its fresh or toasted or rolled into faux sushi.  But clearly America does not agree as nearly half a billion dollars of the rectangular snacks were sold here last year.  


One interesting fact that I learned from the TIMES article (linked above) is that Pop-Tarts were actually a rip-off of a similar treat from Post called "Country Squares" that was already on the market in 1964.  Pop-Tarts took off partially because they tasted better but also because of the rise of Pop Art at the same time.  It's a fascinating bit of marketing/etymology behind one of America's favorite treats.

New Photos Revealed on 65th Anniversary of Hiroshima/Nagasaki

It was 65 years ago this weekend that atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  In commemoration of the anniversary, LIFE.com has posted some never-before-published photos of the unique devastation visited upon those cities where the combined death toll was more than 100,000.  Taken by LIFE staffers Alfred Eisenstadt (who is famous for the V-E photo of the sailor in Times Square) and Bernard Hoffman, these pictures are a sobering reminder of the power and danger of nuclear weapons.  


This year for the first time, a US representative was on hand in Hiroshima for ceremonies marking the dropping of the atomic bomb.  Ambassador John Ross was welcomed by Hiroshima's mayor for the event.  It's somewhat surprising to me that's it taken us this long to have someone on hand for the anniversary.  But the wounds of war and the scars of this particular atrocity still run deep.

The Art of Urban Exploration

Last night I went to DUMBO for their open gallery night.  This is similar to the practice in Chelsea, where galleries coordinate their openings on a Thursday evening and serve up some free wine as well as new art.  At the Mighty Tanaka Gallery, we found some stunning photos taken from the top of the Brooklyn Bridge, the 59th Street bridge and the Municipal Building.  These were the work of Shane Perez, a photographer who specializes in going where no man is supposed to go.  


He told us that getting to the top of the Brooklyn Bridge was actually the easiest of his many adventures.  It's only a 5-10 minute walk straight up the cables that support the span.  He headed up there late one Monday night around 3:30 AM and wasn't arrested or even spotted.  He also had some great photos of the Hellgate bridge, abandoned subway tunnels under City Hall, and an old electrical power plant in Philly.  This guy gets around!


You can view some of these other pictures on Shane's website.  Also, I found a website where you can learn more about the world of Urban Exploration...where nothing is off limits.  

The End of Prop 8 And The Beginning Of Marriage Equality

Yesterday was a momentous day in the struggle for equal rights in this country.  A federal judge in California, the Honorable Vaughn Walker, struck down the state's hateful and divisive Proposition 8 as unconstitutional.  In a 136 page ruling, he measured Prop 8 against the equal protection clause of the constitution and found that it came up short.  He also found that the state had no business in regulating this area of it's citizen's lives:    


"Excluding same-sex couples from marriage is simply not rationally related to a legitimate state interest." 


However, this ruling is not the end of the fight for marriage equality.  It is actually the beginning as it marks the first time a federal judge in a federal court has ruled on the issue.  It's estimated it will be another two years of appeals and additional rulings before the case makes it to the U.S. Supreme Court, where it rightly belongs.  Justice Kennedy holds the key to how that will go.  But given Judge Walker's clear and strong ruling, it's becoming harder for opponents to make their case and see this issue as anything other than a struggle for equal rights. Period.

Randy Rainbow Goes To Rhinebeck...Sorta

Randy Rainbow, who made the most hysterical video mashup of Mel Gibson's rants, has now put together a little video about his weekend in Rhinebeck.  He talks to President Obama about getting snubbed and even dishes with Michelle too.  And then Hillary comes in on call waiting.  OMG--this guy is a riot!  Can't wait to see more...