Smash. Yes. We all watch it.

‎So, a whole bunch of TV shows have changed nights...which I am very aware of leading up to the premiere of Season 2 of Canada Sings on May 15th...I am not sure if you have heard... :)

Anyway...

This week Smash, which was going to be in direct competition with our show (but I think is actually done before we start) has changed to Monday night...tonight.

Yes, I watch it every week.

Yes, I admit it.

Yes, I am always half really happy and half gobsmacked.

(The bed/sex/marilyn number that turned the lady herself in her grave, Ivy leaving the theatre after being drugged up onstage and wearing HER COSTUME through Times Square (yeah...that happens all the time), Debra Messing's weird affair with Will Chase...on and off the camera...eek...that fucking Ellis character...a person all of us know in different forms...oh, we know him/her...Ivy's weird drug induced, mirror- singing, bed-trashing-freak-show number ) 

But I do love the "inside-ness" of it all. So many great moments.

Mostly, I love that there is some fine fine singing...usually by Megan Hilty...damn, that girl can sing...and I love anything that has Angelica Huston in it and that Huston has a younger, hot, pirate-ish boyfriend...and the british dude who plays the director...he takes a good part (as my mother would say)...and the music numbers, as I said before, are sometimes awesome and sometimes just 'what the fuck?'...but it is about music theatre...and THAT is always good.

I love that producers of 'Smash', Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who came to Canada to produce Hairspray: The Movie, The Music Man for Disney (both of which a bunch of us musical theatre people in Toronto were in)  and Chicago (which I wasn't in and I heard the Canadians were treated like poop)...I love that they love musical theatre. We need people who love it. And if people aren't going to move from the TV to come out to live theatre...well, fuck it, bring it to them...maybe it will encourage them to get out more...maybe.

Anyhow, Deborah Overes (who I did Hairspray with!) suggesting a great article written for the New Yorker Magazine :

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/culture/2012/04/hate-watching-smash.html?mbid=social_mobile_FBshare&t=Hate-Watching+%25u201CSmash%25u201D+%3A+The+New+Yorker

VERY interesting article, don't you think?

And here are a couple of things I, myself,  find odd and intriguing.

 1. Dev, Katherine McPhee's boyfriend,  has had one musical number...and it was Bollywood...how did he feel about that? (This was pointed out on twitter by the ever keen eyed Michael Hughes)

 2. Honesty Alert: Katherine McPhee is the gal who keeps getting cast because she is so pretty and all the character gals are saying, "Really?". I mean she sings pretty and all ...but has no substance. Now, is this character lady jealousy or just plain truth?

You be the judge...and remember, she just got off the bus from Idaho or some fucking place and has an amazing apartment in NY, fucking awesome clothes, a cool boyfriend who works for the Mayor's office, rich parents who fund her, she sang at a wedding BADLY and got the card of a big record producer, and was cast in a national commercial almost by accident...and, oh, she is the understudy for a  international star and the star LIKES her and is trying to get the understudy noticed...really? REALLY?

Just sayin'. 

3. Brian Darcy James is one of the best broadway baritones around (Wild Party? Shut the fuck up...he sang the shit out of that...check the clip below) and I heard he is looking for work this fall...so, he played Messing's husband...in a musical TV show...and she sang...and he didn't. 

This clip featuring the shirtless Taye Diggs and the FABU Julia Murney as well...minute 1:34 BDJ starts singing.

4. And speaking of Messing...that sex scene in the rehearsal room was just plain weird, people...as was Will Chase's character leading up to that scene and after...all stalky and shit. Weird.

5. Loves the way Uma (On the TV, people.) is a straight actor cast in a musical role trying to turn a musical into a play, commenting on how the scene just gets started and then all "bust into song" with a certain amount of frustration and judgement...that really never happens. Oh wait....

6. I didn't know that there were so many places in New York with rock and roll bands that you could just get up and sing...whenever you wanted...whatever you wanted...with choreo...rock and roll bands love that...and musical theatre (I know this is a musical thing...but you gotta say....)

7. Sidebar: Why does everyone wanna do "My Fair Lady"?

8. I kinda wish Julia's plot line was gone. Does anyone care? BACK TO THE MUSIC, PEOPLE!!! I also wish that they would stop dressing her like an earthtone Auntie Mame...wait...maybe I am just against Debra Messing in this show...hmm...I will do some inner soul searching...

9.Bernadette Peters  sings 'Gypsy' at her daughter's rehearsal... spontaneously...one of the piano players just knows it...lord...like we ever have enough time in a musical rehearsal for that to happen...I don't give a shit if it is Bernadette.

10. I hope it gets a second season. :)

Things I learned on the stationary bike....

40 minutes. 

So many things to learn on the stationary bike...and I want you all to know...that though I love how I feel after exercising...I effing hate the crap out of it...and I  put it off...why...oh why...fucking gym.

Now, I sit...on the couch...on a Friday night...I could not have gotten into my pajamas earlier today...while George is at the fancy Koerner Hall...AND I am watching Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaids...and I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER!!! (Let it be said here...that I do miss George.)

So, here are so things I learned at the gym and on the stationary bike today...WAIT! MY BIG FAT AMERICAN GYPSY WEDDING!!! I CANNOT wait.

Suck it, judgers.

Here, again, are the things....

1. You know you are at the gym when you see not one, not two but THREE Hummers in the parking lot.

2. Apparently, there are two young British children named Sophie Grace and Rosie who have the career I have always wanted. Little effers.

3. I will watch an episode of Will and Grace in any situation. Even if there is a high pitched tone screaming in my headphones ONLY on this channel...as well as the dialogue...for 30 minutes. WORTH IT! 

"I think the pills I'm taking are shrinking my balls." - Karen Walker 

4. WHY DID YOU GET ON THE BIKE BESIDE WHEN YOU  ARE YOU WEARING AN ENTIRE BOTTLE OF JEAN NATE?!?!  WHO DOES THIS!?!? (Are you a stripper?)

5. I will dedicate about 10 minutes to humming, hawing and covering my face with my towel to let Jean Nate know that her smell is driving me up the wall... 

6. Some people will let 'experts' fuck up their houses...badly.

7. Anderson Cooper's show is stinky. 

I LOVE SAY YES TO THE DRESS!!!

Happy Weekend, Bitches!!

Fucking Manicure. Longest Run on Sentence...ever.

You know when you go into a manicure place and after you walk through the door all of your instincts are telling you to leave  but as you consider it the only person there, who has their slippered feet up on a box of toilet tissue while they are watching some kind of soap opera, turns to you and all but roll their eyes at the interruption and then, before you know it, your polite Canadian ass (nails)  proceeds to get a manicure that looks like you could have done better yourself (without your glasses on...in the dark)...even though you pointed out twice that it was streaky and the manicurist (and I use that term loosely) is on the phone for half of the manicure ( I use that term loosely as well) and cuts your cuticles to the quick TWICE and THEN you are standing with the Interac machine in your hand (after they made noises about you not having cash)...and it is on the "tipping" menu...you are torn between two minds...and then you put in 3 dollars...which is totally an insult...and you walk away and feel bad...and at the same time wish that you had the balls to tip NOTHING.

Me Neither.

 

Things I learn on the treadmill...

Things that crossed my mind in the last few days...mostly stuff I learned while working out on the treadmill...it is interesting what a gal can find out while sweating her shit out for 45 minutes....

1. Kim Kardashian was being interviewed on some red carpet for a Red Bull commercial or Double Bubble Gum chewing contest and was talking about how nice it was to have time off from 'work'.  What does this mean, really?

2. It was with great sadness that I see that Kooka Tyra Banks (if you and I have known each other for a while...you guys know how I feel about Tyra) fired her entire talent staff on the America's Next Top Model. 

Miss J=Fired.

Mr. J=Fired.

Any J that was working on the show=Fired. 

'Noted Fashion Photographer Nigel Barker' wasn't even safe=Fired.

The funny thing is (for me, anyway) is that I started to watch the new season today on the good old PVR....and watched 10 minutes and thought, "Oh, well, this shit jumped the shark...again...and Mr. J still has the same 90's hair do....Sharron, it is time to move on." 

Sad times, indeed.

Here is a picture that Tyra posted on her twitter today after she fired all these people.

This is what she wrote in the tweet that accompanied the picture.

@tyrabanks "In vocal booth recording "Coming up on America's Next Top Model" voice overs. #RandomActsofModeling there." 

You know what/who is NOT coming up? MISS J, MR. J OR NOTED FASHION PHOTOGRAPHER NIGEL BARKER, THAT IS FOR SURE!!!

She is classy...and sensitive.

Fierce and Love...Tyra.

3. Only REALLY pretty people can sell houses in L.A....like REALLY REALLY REALLY pretty people. Who are all being managed by aggressive older people who look related due to the plastic surgery. (I think I might have pointed this out another day but I felt it really needed to be mentioned again.)

4. Today CHCH TV 11, in my fabu hometown of Hamilton, aired 3 minutes of gay porn right after their morning news...by accident. 3 minutes. That seems like a really long time for something to go wrong....or very, very right.

5. A hockey player named Raffi Torres has used his body as a missile and gone for head shots at least 10 times this year...deadly head shots...he actually takes air and aims for the head, it seems. I did some looking around and he has been suspended twice and fined in the last 13 months for the same behaviour...and it is taking 3 days to figure out what to do with him. 3 days is too long to figure it out...3 minutes of gay porn got a bunch of apologies....but three days of deliberation over head shots?  NO APOLOGIES!! TOO LONG!! (And then I had a twitter fight with someone who claims that hockey isn't violent and I am giving it a bad name...yes, me...all by myself...giving hockey a bad name...one tweet at a time) 

I know...I just talked about hockey...you would think I was Morleen.

6. There are some very slutty/questionable videos on MTV...mostly starring Rihanna. 

Please, Rihanna, put your pants on...and stop rolling around on the ground...or on a piano...or on a couch...or on a filing cabinet. 

There. I said it.

Have a good day all.

I tried Hunger Games...I tried.

The week after I finished Canada Sings...by the way did you know the second season of Canada Sings starts Tuesday May 15th @ 10:00pm?...maybe you did...did you also know I am on the internet...hard to believe I know....here is a picture of me laughing with lip gloss on and a tight dress with my fellow coaches, just in case I haven't shown you a million  picutes already...this girl has got to advertise, people.

Where was I?

Oh ya, so when I finish a big project I like to crawl into a bit of a cave and read books and eat chips and dip...so...that being said I finally thought is was time to read "The Hunger Games". You gotta love every person I saw reading it...who tried to cover the outside of the book with their hands or even had torn off the cover so no one else would know...when I asked them about the book they would blush and say something like..."Oh, it is fine...I just thought I should read it because...(insert lame response here)." to cover their embarrassment.

Me?

I don't really give a shit.

I read bodice rippers, fantasy/historical/bodice rippers, supernatural/sword-wielding/vampire bodice rippers...

Whatever tweaks my fancy, as it were...the steamier the  better, people...and I refuse to be embarrassed about it. They are mucho entertaining and don't require a lot of brain thinking power...or whatever.

So, I bought "The Hunger Games" trilogy on my Kobo and proceeded to devour them.

VERY entertaining...very. 

All of a sudden I became very aware that every girl of a certain age had moved their love from Bella to Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of "The Hunger Games"...which I approve of...although I also devoured the Twilight books (suck it, judgers) and though I liked the torn-between-two-supernatural-hotties Bella...Katniss is kicking ass and taking names, people. You gotta love that in a heroine.

So, I have been waiting for weeks to get to the tiny Stratford Cinema to see the movie...

Sidebar: The Stratford Cinema screens are so small it is like paying someone to watch your own TV with more people. BUT they got the movies.

TONIGHT, George took me to the movies.

I was so fucking excited I could have spit.

We sat down...I gave George his Fiber One Bar and started to unwrap mine...the lights went down...and we were off.

OFF.

I do mean off.

This is a still from the movie.

And I do mean still...if you go to the movie you will never see anything this clear  because, apparently, it was shot on a Flipcam by a drunk.

WHY!?!?!

WHY!?!? 

From the first second the whole screen is filled with jumping angles and shots that move from a close up shot of anyone's face, to a nostril, a hand, someone's shoe,then maybe to  a piece of bread.

It is like a bad MTV video for those people who have no focus and have been playing Halo for 3 years straight.

How about showing a whole scene?

In the same angle.

Or two even.

I knew in the first minute that we would have to leave.

I have tried, in the past, to muscle through these camera effects but since the horrible "Bourne Supremacy" incident of the early 2000's and then the subsequent "Wrestler" debacle of a couple of years ago I think it is better to know my limits.

I got the motion sickness.

I was sad.

It looked like it might be good.

Sigh.

I looked around online, because I am inquisitive that way, and it seems like I am not the only one...there are a lot of people who feel the same way as I.

We all sit there when the lights fall down and pray that there was a tripod involved in the filming of whatever movie we have paid 100 dollars to see.

Why.

Why do they do it.

Do they not want all the people to enjoy their stories?

Anyway, George and I came home, he made me Sweet Potato Fries (I put capitals on these words because they were so fucking good) and we watched "Horrible Bosses" on the TMN...which we thought would be super shitty...but we got more than a couple of gut laughs out of it...it was on our own TV and we didn't have to pay for it or sit behind or in front of a teenager who was either texting or talking...or both. AND Jamie Foxx (remember when he won a fucking Oscar)? was playing a bit character named Motherfucker Jones.

Need I say more?

Night saved.

Thank you, TMN.

BOO on you whoever made Hunger Games.

(Let the hate mail begin.)

All the Attention I Could Ever Want.

Okay....so picture me at home...hair in braids...not a stitch of make up...in tights...my oldest knockoff Uggs (there might be salt stains on them)...a questionable bra (it has seen better days...but it is so comfy....)...and remember back to the days...just mere moments ago...when I got all the attention I craved....and a Booster Juice to boot....cameos made by the beautiful Lisa Williams' blonde head/gorgeous voice and Eric Lastname...one of the sweetest audio guys in the biz...could never bring himself to tuck in my chord...near my boob...and especially when my husband was taking a video on his phone...to show me what it probably WOULD NOT be like when we got home...although...with George...it comes pretty close. xoxo ( you can also hear Topher saying I am almost ready as he tries, almost in vain, to get my ass to stage....) (you can also also hear Johnny just trying to get the eff by...and see the gorgeous hands of the master of hair, Adreano...so many amazing peeps...how many people does it take to get a person to stage? More than you can even imagine....)

It's all over but the viewing....CANADA SINGS SEASON 2 BEHIND THE SCENES!

So...there is a distance now...it has been almost two weeks...alright, it has been 11 days since we finished shooting on the old Canada Sings Season 2...and I AM STILL EXHAUSTED!!!
Yes, I am.
Pooped, if you will.
In my track pants and eshewing a bra...if you must know.
But I find myself reliving the final week over and over again...the ups and the downs...the agony/heartaches and the SURPRISE/THRILL....the singing and the dancing...the JUDGES...the judging and the final decisions...the laughter...and, of course, if you know me at all...the tears...of all kinds.
Now, I know I am biased...so biased....extremly biased...but this show NOT ONLY delivers on the promise of Season One...but it gives you a Valentine and kiss on the mouth as well...does this make sense? Who CARES!!! I think you catch my drift, people.
Season One was killer....the teams, their dedication...the numbers...the moments...they paved the way!!! Our season one teams jumped in the pool first and came up gasping for breath and won...all of the teams won.
And thanks to them ALL for their faith and bravery...in the unknown.
Now, I don’t mean to be fresh, but Season Two is the grown up sibling to Season One...can I make anymore analogies?
Is this indeed an analogy? WHO CARES!!! YOU catch my drift. Don’t you?
The final week...production week...which is so freakin’ busy that I COULD NOT even find the time to blog about it...or write about it...and we all know what a social media whore I am...so I must have been busy...MUST HAVE BEEN!!!
CV and I (and the lovely Scott and Kelly) got to our dressing room (that we shared...don’t worry it was large...and had a nice bar, may I say...and a lot of health (-ish...I speak for myself, here) competition and joy in it....

 

early in the day...like 8:00am and didn’t get out of our make up and out of the glad rags until late....like 11:30pm...and we usually had a very short break somewhere in the middle of the day...SHORT!!!
WE shot one show every day...for 6 days...6 long, amazing days.
The day was filled with stage rehearsals, blocking, meetings, costume look sees, mic checks, freaking out, pep talks, Pepto Bismol, make up and hair, dress rehearsals....so many things...oh and then we (CV, Scott and Kelly and I) got into our hair, make up and wardrobe and shot a show!
A show people.
Well, mostly, by show time, we would sit in the audience...and freak out...okay...I will speak for myself...but we watched our teams take the stage and make MAGIC!!!
The singing...the dancing...you know...all of the things I mentioned earlier.
Our teams did so well.
ALL the teams did so well.
The CV and Sharron Teams....RCAF, OPP, Stampede Casino, Ontario Science Centre, Purdy’s Chocolate and Elmwood Spa...you should all be proud...not one of you walked away from that stage without doing your very best. So proud....wait till you see, you guys!! You made us proud...but most important I hope youmade yourselves proud.
AND all the Scott and Kelly Teams...CAA, WestJest, Go Transit, Peel Children’s Aid, Dumas Miners, RBC....same at ya!!! You all were stellar!!! Hard working....worthy opponents!
I couldn’t help but be inspired by all of you.
My fave thing was the way all the teams took to each other...they all wished each other the best. There was no ill will...they were all so excited to be competing. And thrilled to be showing the fruits of their labours. And EVERY team worked hard....it was a week of nail biting and turning to each other on ATeam row (the 4 seats that we sat in and watched the stage from....here...Scott took a picture...so, as a result...he is not in it....)

 

And we would say, “What is gonna HAPPEN!?!?”
Indeed.
How exciting.
Thank you for the amazing week...and thank you for the experience.
I can’t wait for you all to see yourselves on the TV...and for all of Canada to FREAK OUT when they see how AWESOME you all are.
I mean...really.
Oh, what a season!!!
And the judges!
Jann....awesome....funny...heartfelt and invested...and naked in Zoomer last month!!
Ice....yes...I said, Ice....who came up before the first show to tell us how excited he was about the season...and then proved it.
Laurieann....new!!!...so well spoken...and she choreo’d for Gaga....what a great addition....
And these guys did not have it easy...NOR did they always agree...I think I can say that, right?
I mean...we couldn’t hear them...I am not giving anything away...but it was pretty clear from 10 rows away that they were having hard times figuring out the winner!!!
And they could bust a move, as the youngs from 10 years ago would say....

(Jann, not pictured, is krumping just off camera....)


WHAT AN AMAZING WEEK!!!
WHAT AN AMAZING GROUP OF PEOPLE!!! 
Behind the scenes and in front of the camera!!!

There were so many great moments....wanna see?

First Day OUTFIT (CV, handsome as always)!!! Thanks, as always to Fashion Crimes for all of my production week wear!!

 

AUDIENCE!!!!

 

MORE audience!!! Up in right corner ATeam Row....and look...there is Peter, Brett, James, Virginia....and there is Nicholas' mother...and RUBY!! (If you don't know them...just look to the next pic!)

 

ATeam on another day....and between Kelly and Christian...a honourary member of the ATeam....Maureen, one of our fab director/producers...making the best face....ever...

Okay....this next one has a boob alert...LOOK OUT AND KNOW I WAS GOING FOR SOMETHING SPECIFIC!!!

Here is us (me still on Boob Alert) in the audience that night....isn't everyone so handsome and lovely (Boob Alert aside) ...Scott has been pressured for a few days now by Maureen (honourary ATeam member) to have his hair done...against his will...good sport, that Scott.

 

Here is some backstage joy!!!

All the fabulous guys on audio....

 John, the awesome onstage (so important) audio head.

And Paul and James who were so kind to all of our excited teams who had never had a mic on before....they are fabulous and patient...very good at taking care of our peeps. And there is Brent (camera tech) and Chris (field audio...has his hand up and down my top numerous times on the road...to MIC ME, people!!)

 

And the wonderful production teams and the producers and execs...who sit backstage and watch the whole world...all the reality feeds, the performance feeds...all the angles...and take care of the show from all levels...I can't even comprehend the work involved...and the way they encourage us to create and think outside the box...the best ever...Insight Productions' John and Barb the Executive Producers and Erin the Supervising Producer... and fabulous execs from Global TV (I am not sure if they would like to be named so ...THANK YOU SJ and L!!!) All amazing people...just amazing...Thank you so much for this blessing of a job. It is inspiring, challenging and gobsmacking. Deadly combo!!

See how much is involved, how many people...how crazy this week is? HUH!?!? SEE!?!?

And just in case you thought that was all...there is so much more....there is still more!!! 

Here is Mr. Orin Isaacs!!! He is the musical supervisor of the whole fishnizzle....he is the man who listens to my arrangements and then says to himself..."I think she means....this..." and then makes the magic...and is then when I am all doubtin' my stuff he gives me the speech in his higher voice "Ya, know Shar....let me tell you a story..." ...thanks to you, Orin. I get it!!!

 

And here is Team Riley...run by honourary Ateam member Maureen Riley...one of the two production teams that we travel on the road with during the rehearsal weeks and we really slog it out together!

The other production team, Team Tovey....well, sadly, we didn't get a shot with them at the theatre...but they are equally hard working...and headed by a Brit...here he is, the one with pom pom in his hat...bless....and with Team Tovey member...the awesome Meghan...sadly Jacqueline was taking this shot...and is not in it...but so many people are missing...Team Tovey also rocks.

And here is another fave Ateam shot....!!!

 

So, that is all the behind the scenes stuff!

I wish we had a shot of Lisa Williams, the wardrobe head and her amazing team...Sarah, Casey and so many more, who made the teams looks so wonderful....and the hair and make up crew...who made them feel like rock stars...and to Adreano and Gigi who made the four of us look so fancy in the hair and the face...and everyone at the Insight Office...Lori and Julietta...so many awesome people behind the cameras....and so many exciting, tiring and fabulous days...and now...it is up to the editors, post show producers and network...and all the other talented people who are involved in the final product... they are all working their butts off!

Then we are on the air... in May sometime!!!

Keep your eyes OPEN!!!

CANADA SINGS SEASON 2 on GLOBAL TV in May.

(I wish I could show you some shots of our teams...but you know....TOP SECRET!!!)