Wednesday, July 10, 2013

So, I gave some 12 years olds the bird.

So, after a beauty day during which I had the pleasure of seeing that little shit Justin Bieber piss into a mop bucket while his bored body guard watches and his sycophant pals egg him on (and spend his money, I am sure...yes, I watched it...because I could not truly believe that little crapper could be such a douche)...AND heard the news that Elizabeth Hasselbeck is finally leaving The View and lending her brain power to the mothership of high class and highly researched (opposite day) programing, Fox and Friends...I felt myself on the road to an A1 rant...but what to rant about, Sharron?...and then I remembered...there was a blog I still had yet to write.
Magic.

A couple of weeks ago I happened upon this tumblr...where people who are large go and publish a story and a picture about a person who has "shamed" them or made them feel less than...or just been plain fucking rude...go and give it a look and them come back and we can continue....

http://smilesizeist.tumblr.com/ 

I was not sure how I felt about it...mostly, it made me exhausted...and sad.
Anyone who knows me at all will know that I find people who think they can just comment on a person's size, appearance, food choice, or life in general with out being prompted, being plain-and-simple rude, ABHORRENT.

No justification required.

But this tumblr page confused my emotions and brain...I felt unsure. I don't think it is a good thing...nor am I sure it is bad.
It just 'is'...and I guess if it makes someone... who was just out in the world trying to rock their day and got that day shot down by a ignorant effer... feel better then HUZZAH!
BUT I think it is the spirit of it...to shame other people... that brings me down a bit.  
"Two wrongs" and  all that, I guess.
Again...I have participated in pointing out such bad behavior on this blog...but there is something about taking a picture of the person...MAYBE it is just me, people...

And when I was looking for the tumblr today to post here...I happened on this little gem...

   
 
This Miller is a guest professor at NYU, from New Mexico laying down the law...and here is article about him in the Huffington Post Online...it is ALSO too exhausting to recount here...so off you go...come on back...I have not even gotten to the good part yet....

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/27/fat-shaming-professor-geoffrey-miller_n_3509505.html


What a dbag.

Anyhow, I was looking all of these things up because...

I was having a swim at the local pool on Friday in the slow lane (where I like to do my laps and such...and make stink eye at some of ladies who loiter there) and I was sharing the lane with a gentleman.
This gentleman happened to be very large.
(I would not say the above if it did not pertain to the story.) 

At the end of the pool there is a viewing window...that happens to be attached to the play room where the day camp kids are having their lunch. 

I find this to be shitty planning...but I digress.

One by one, five young boys (12ish) made their way to the window...and the gentleman who was swimming in front of me caught their eye...and they began to point and laugh and puff out their cheeks...and I know this gent saw them...because he quickly put down his head and turned around.

I quietly indicated to the life guard that she could maybe get them away from the window for pity's sake...where was their effing councilor?

They were ushered away and came back to the window about six or seven times...seriously...and this dude was just trying to go about his business...but their manner...their plain-and-simple rude barnyard behavior infuriated me. (It was really off the charts.)

So, when the dude reached the end of the pool and turned away from their laughter and passed me I got to the end of the pool and stood up in front of them and gave them the all the finger.

You could have knocked them all over with a feather...they just all stood there looking at me with open mouths.  

And then I went back to swimming. 

 I don't feel bad about them the bird giving for one second.
AND I am sure I am gonna get some emails and comments.

Could you imagine if they were making fun of someone's race?
Why is this different?

And, please don't tell me I taught them to give the finger or that I taught them that giving the finger is acceptable.
I think these youngsters:

A: Know what "the finger"  is...
B: And probably give it a lot.
  



I guess sometimes two wrongs do make a right.

COME to think of it...those boys are about the same age as young Stratfordian Justin Bieber when he got started...just think with the right guidance and hard work where they can go...




Monday, July 01, 2013

The Arts Were (and are) Everything. Thanks to Barb Fisher for the inspiration. xo

Facebook can be inspiring...ya...I said it...eff you, judgers.
Today, I logged on to spread and receive some Canada Day cheer...and I saw this...

Teresa, Me, Barb, Lori, Lucy, Scott (backrow) Leslie, Steve, Dan (frontrow)

It (and many more featured here) was put up by the lovely Barb Fisher.
That picture is from 1813...just after the big war.
Truly...this is a group of people who changed my life...forever.
I have said this same phrase twice in the last hour about two different things...and at the risk of being all over-the-top-arty it is true as hell on both counts.
When I was in highschool in Hamilton back in 1980something, I loved the yearly musical... like loved it. Felt it. Knew it. Hugged it. Kissed it. Wanted to do it forever.
But how does a gal in Hamilton do that?
Then there was a new summer company called New Faces.
I auditioned and got in. 
I sang "Maybe" from Annie for eff's sake.
There were 20 of us...working and learning all about theatre at Hamilton Place in the mid 80's. 
All young...all loved the arts.
We put on three shows...The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and Godspell...I played Gilmer...I cried like a baby when that summer was over.
The theatre part was amazing...but these guys...they made me feel like I fit in. I had some wonderful pals in highschool, do not get me wrong...but I didn't know other people who loved the theatre as much as I did...who wanted to go and be an adult and still be in theatre.
They helped build my self esteem and continue on with my dreams.
The arts are so important for young people...and so is spending time with other young artists.
Thanks to Barb so much for the pictures and the continued inspiration.
Oh...and I also met this special guy there...there he is...just behind Barb...and he is 18 years old (not the dude who play Emile)...
See? Life changing...
(Barb...I love this shot!!!)

George, Barb and the dude who played Emile in South Pacific.
 


Lori, Scott and I...it must have been my birthday or something....at my Mom's trailer.

Me and the dear Steve Carubba in the Hamilton Place dressing rooms...

  
 
Speaking of South Pacific...CROP TOP.

(My fave part of looking at all these pictures is that all have expressed that we wish we were that thin again...AND WE ALL THOUGHT WE WERE FAT!!! Fucking life. Life is...everything...the arts were...and are...everything.)
   

Saturday, June 29, 2013

What a friggen week in TORONTO THEATRE!! Hurray!

Lord and Taylor.
What a friggen week.
A week for celebrations, congratulations, libations, bump-and-grindations... (I know this is not a word...but I love it.)
I came in from my little country house on Monday and it did not stop till last night, people.
I had a thoroughly grand week in Toronto theatre...and how PROUD I am to be a part of this diverse community.
Jacoba at TAPA called about a month ago and asked if I would participate in the Dora Awards this year...with Thom Allison, Louise Pitre, Rick Miller, Jian Ghomeshi and wonderful hosts Naomi Snieckus and Matt Barum...on a song written by Chris Earle and Waylen Miki...


Well, yesssss...
Since I am usually working and traveling with just myself and an accompanist,  I really miss seeing and working big groups of artists, crew and stage management...so, I always look forward to the chance to do this without having to put on a costume, hurty shoes and wig for weeks on end.
:)
What a night!!
My fave Dora's ever!!
EVER!!

Me, my honey and Ellie RAY!!!

After the big opening...which went swimmingly...


Rick Miller and I went to the bar.
(I mean, there were 48 awards to be awarded...we just got through the opening number without well and truly fucking it up...and we never get to chat...so...off we went...we were presenting but it would not be forever...well...the night went fast, people...)
Then I had the joy of presenting, with my Thom, my dear dear friend Bruce Dow with a Dora for his stand out performance in the gaga musical...what a panic!!
What a night!    
WE danced and drank...and ate hot dogs...and laughed...again, and what what what a night!!!

Vikki Anderson, Gavin Crawford, Micah Barnes, Thom Allison, Joe Matheson, Georgie, myself and Louise Pitre.
My two fave theatre companies YPT and Buddies in Bad Times took home a slew of awards...I was so happy for all!
Then I got to switch gears and work at Buddies for two nights with some fantastic actors and creators...Damien Atkins, Keith Cole, Gavin Crawford, Paul Charbonneau, Roney Lewis, Sebastien Hein, Adama Ruggiero and Salvatore Antonio...



...on the last two's creation of Truth of Dare: A Satire. We acted out one of the most holy or holys... Madonna's 1990 documentary on her Blond Ambition tour...there was gogo dancing...voguing...and bottle deep throating...what a wonderful idea...again, I laughed, I danced, I sang...I sweated...I wore a tank top...

My pal Sasha and I...getting ready to VOGUE like mutherfuckers....

And then...with feet swollen from dancing on my wedgy heels for two nights in a row I went off to rehearse yesterday for my last Pubaret show of 2013...with Jason Chesworth on harmonica, bass uke and guitar...and, late edition and surprise guester, Jamie Drake on percussion!! Two of my fave dudes, pals AND players...and we had a mere hour and a half rehearsal...30 minutes in the Pubaret basement because poor Jason got stuck in the highway floods from Stratford...and, on the edge of glory and casualness pulled off one of my fave shows ever...in one my fave rooms around...for one of the loveliest audiences I have yet to meet...

Jamie Drake, myself and Jason Chesworth and the pubaret!
 
Then...Last night, during the show and after...I had some deep thoughts...it is so easy to focus on the negative...on the people who criticize and judge...but there are so many people out there who are supporting and lifting us up...every day...in small and large ways...people like Maggie Cassella who owns and operates the Flying Beaver Pubaret...who gave me one of the loveliest intros I have ever received, last night...and who is programming cabaret and comedy almost every night of the week on Parliament Street because she believes...and my pal Peter Phoa, who supports what I do so much that he brings almost an entire audience to my show every time...and Nada Ristich, from BMO who came to my show last night and has given this independent performer a donation every year since the World Domination Tour in 2010 and will continue this year with a weep inducing donation for my new show...Grant Ramsay who has supported, publicized (since day one), and along with his partner, Tim Hughes have traveled ALL OVER the world to see me do my thang...the handsome Andy Parks who has done every poster and flyer from here to kingdom come...and my husband...my dear dear husband...who deserves a medal for dealing with me...I am a bit of a case...and he just is...lord...I don't know what I would do.
There are so many people who support the stuff I do...and I am so very thankful. None of the tickets bought, donations made or kind words are ever lost on me.
Never.
I know...I know...it seems like I am making an award speech...I just find myself so thankful right now...after participating in many different kinds of performance this week, and connecting with so many in the community...what a wonderful group.
And with that feeling I go into the Vault.
Truly.
I am going to announce some exciting projects in the next couple weeks...really thrilling...but count this gal off into the summer sun...lordy...but true.
I am taking a bit of time to eff off.
Thanks for the awesome week, TO!!
Happy Pride!!