Sad Ending to a Bizarre Life

I can't help but feel sad about Michael Jackson. I guess I'm still in shock over the news of his death. It's just so unexpected, and then again, his life story was so extraordinary it seems predictable that he would meet an unexpected end.

Whether he died accidentally, intentionally, or simply from natural causes, one can't help but mourn his loss, at least for those poor children who have lost their daddy. Their fucked-up young lives just got even worse.

Love him, hate him, or indifferent, we can't deny his phenomenal talent and charisma. Just watch those old tapes of little Michael leading the Jackson Five with his commanding voice and dancing. He could really rock! And Off The Wall contains a couple of my all-time favorite radio hits. Thriller shook the world, even though I got sick of seeing the video on MTV every half hour for months.

I admit growing weary of him by the time Bad came along; my tastes had changed. Plus, his increasingly odd lifestyle became ludicrous and distasteful. His physical transformation confused me because I couldn't understand why someone so beautiful would want to change himself so drastically. He became another Howard Hughes: reclusive, paranoid, and filthy rich.

Now, almost 30 years later, Thriller is still the number one album of all time. I actually downloaded it from iTunes just a couple months ago! His children might appreciate the donation, but they will probably never see it, nor the proceeds from the planned comeback performances. Apparently Michael was spending credit instead of money, and when the bills came due, he just couldn't pay.

A psychologist said that when we feel sad about someone else or cry at a movie, it's actually ourselves for whom we cry. Subconsciously we are relating the emotion felt on screen to some event in our own lives, or to our own mortality.

Michael's death compares to that of Elvis Presley, John Lennon, or Rudolph Valentino. It feels to me like a milestone, the passing of an era. Michael Jackson was a symbol of my youth and now he has mysteriously passed away at age 50.

So, I give myself ten more years to grow up!!

The Jacarandas are in bloom again

I just love this time of year when the gorgeous Jacaranda trees issue their brilliant violet blooms!

"We Shall Overcome...."

Not surprisingly, the California Supreme Court today upheld Proposition 8, thereby stripping civil rights away from a whole class of people in this state. Oddly they upheld the 18,000 marriages already performed legally before voters approved the ban, so now marriage rights are unequal within the same community being discriminated against. I can't remember in my lifetime a court actually supporting the taking away of rights from citizens, but I am absolutely convinced that the right to marry will be reinstated for all Americans.

This will happen sooner rather than later; it's inevitable. If you look at the huge demographic shift underway in this country, there's an enormous generation of young people just coming of age, a majority of which are not bothered at all by the concept of same-sex marriage. It's not a threat, and eventually enough people will come around to support equality for all Americans regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.

We have to remember that interracial marriage only became protected by the US Supreme Court in 1967. At that time it was a very controversial decision considering that 38 states still banned interracial marriage. I'm sure a lot of conservative types still disapprove of it. Today a handful of states have already approved gay marriage, either legislatively or through a court decision, and other states will soon follow. The District of Columbia now recognizes gay marriages performed in other states.

If the states do not pass appropriate legislation protecting the civil right to marry, the US Supreme Court will eventually overrule the bans against same-sex marriage under the equal protection clause of the Constitution. Either that, or they will force the government out of the marriage business altogether and everyone can get a civil union and leave "marriage" -- a precious word to some -- to the churches.

The United States has fallen behind the international community on this topic. Seven countries, including Canada and Spain, have already allowed same-sex marriage. Sixteen countries, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, have instituted civil partnerships with rights and responsibilities equal to heterosexual marriage. Dozens of other countries, including the United States, are debating the issue and crafting legislation.

Simply put, there is no rational argument against gay marriage. There are plenty of bigots out there who don't recognize homosexuals as human, much like the plight of blacks in the past, but honesty and fairness shall prevail and WE SHALL OVERCOME.

Memorial Day

Every day after work at UCLA, I drove home via Veteran Avenue towards Sunset Blvd. This stretch of Veteran runs beside the Los Angeles National Cemetery, and I am struck every time by the thousands upon thousands of white marble gravestones blanketing the lush green landscape.

It's a sobering vision, and it makes me realize how many brave and dedicated men and women, and their families, have made the ultimate sacrifice just so I can enjoy the freedom of opportunity this country offers as well as the right to criticize my nation when it fails to live up to its potential.

This is a luxury I do not take for granted, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to every person serving in our armed forces here at home and around the world. We love you, we support you, and we hope you return home safe and soon.

Domingo Rocks Die Walkure

Had the pleasure of seeing the great tenor Placido Domingo sing the shit out of the role of Siegmund in LA Opera's new production of Wagner's Die Walkure, part two in the epic Ring cycle. At an age when most of his contemporaries have long since retired, Maestro Domingo retains all the strength and beauty of his glorious voice.

Die Walkure tells the story of a wandering romantic hero (Domingo as Siegmund) who ends up seeking refuge one stormy night in the home of a young woman trapped in an abusive marriage. Her barbaric husband vows to kill the unwelcome stranger, who quickly falls in love with the repressed wife and promises to liberate her. The new lovers eagerly consummate their passion, only to realize they are indeed twins separated at birth. (I hate it when that happens!)

Much drama and intrigue follows, but most impressive is Wagner's incomparable score, so full of pathos, power and beauty. Yes, this includes the famous "Ride of the Valkyries" music, perhaps the most recognizable in all of opera. You've heard it in films like Apocalypse Now and the Warner Bros. animated short What's Opera, Doc?, with Elmer Fudd singing, "Kill da wabbit, kill da wabbit...."

Visually, the production was clearly based on Star Wars. All the characters had light sabers and wore futuristic makeup and costumes. The scenes were very darkly lit and a giant scrim hung in front of the stage where video projections of storm clouds and other mood-enhancing images appeared. The story was told mostly through symbols rather than dramatic staging, which at times seemed static yet psychologically deep.

The black stage was raked upward toward the house so the audience could see its entire depth and width (much like a version of Evita I did once). The performance area appeared as a circular clockface, including a long lightsaber that slowly rotated like a secondhand, even reversing direction counter-clockwise when the characters sang stories of their pasts.

It's interesting to see a Star Wars connection because I've always thought John Williams's film scores were strongly influenced by Wagner's music, especially in the use of leitmotif, a recognizable theme written for each character. Both composers also use heavy orchestration, soaring romantic strings and blaring horn sections with dynamic shades of color and timbre.

Wagner's 'music theater' is not for the faint of heart, but he rewards well those who give it their focus. Wagner requires the listener to commit to learning mythological stories and complex characters, especially in The Ring of the Nibelung, and a commitment of time -- Die Walkure requires at least five and a half hours! However, the Chandler Pavilion's sold out audience Thursday evening seemed prepared and eager, though there were some annoying amateurs near me in the nose-bleed section who restlessly kept whispering to each other. I tried to find an empty seat on a lower level for the final act, but people stayed for the entire performance, even though Act Three didn't start until after 10pm.

The orchestra played beautifully, though they were obscured by a black tarp covering the pit, to limit light leakage into the house is my guess. Against tradition, conductor James Conlon did not enter and bow before the acts. The lights simply went down and the music started. Instead of curtains, we saw video projections of swaying curtains that opened and closed. It really was opera as cinema.

Now I'm looking forward to seeing the entire Ring cycle a year from now, and I'll be sure to save my pennies for a better seat, just to witness Placido Domingo's brilliant performance as Siegmund. He was absolutely stunning, both his singing and acting. When Siegmund falls at the end of Act Two, Placido threw himself down to the foot of the stage in quite a risky stunt. I was afraid he might break a hip or something, but ever-the-professional, he stayed down until the scene's end, then jumped right up for his curtain call. The other singers gathered around him, either to make sure he was alright or to congratulate him on his final LA Opera performance of the season.

It's no wonder that Placido Domingo is generally considered the most accomplished operatic performer in music history, with over 130 roles in his repertoire. That's three to four times the professional average. Bravo Domingo!

Aidan Spalding Turned Five Years Old

My darling nephew turned five over the weekend. Coincidentally Dad and I both recorded songs to commemorate the event. Mine is a very early Bowie song (pre-Space Oddity) and Dad's is a gorgeous original composition. Enjoy!

Nick Nasal sings Aidan Spalding Turns Five Years Old Today

Scottydude sings When I'm Five

AIG, The Death of Capitalism?

AIG is bad for America. The American International Group should change their name to Americans Invested in Greed. These crooks, and others on Wall Street, have been gaming the international financial system for years, with government complicity, and they have no motivation to mend their ways. On the contrary, they persist in raping the American taxpayer!

Not only has AIG awarded outrageous bonuses to the very people who caused the failure of the company, they are also suing the government for reimbursement of disputed tax charges; in a sense, they are using the bailout to sue for even more tax dollars. Unfortunately, this reckless behavior is destroying the very idea of capitalism.

AIG reluctantly disclosed where some of the $180 billion in US taxpayer money has gone: mostly to foreign banks and other American institutions that had already received tens of billions in taxpayer bailouts! The $165 million in bonuses paid out to corrupt executives last weekend is just the tip of the iceberg.

We've been told that this company is "too big to fail" -- apparently they are also above the authority of the United States government, which seems powerless to control how bailed out companies spend our money, even though We the People own 80% of AIG's stock. Sadly, because of the damage done to the AIG brand, the company may never regain its footing and our investment is likely gone forever.

It's seems obvious now that our only choice is to formally nationalize AIG, as well as the other big banks on the verge of self-destruction if we want to restore the financial system, just as we did with Fanny Mae and Freddie Mac last year. At the very least, we should break up the company, and others like it that are too big to fail, so we don't end up in the same quagmire in the future. Too big to fail is too big, period.

When will we admit that deregulated free market capitalism is wrong? The Reagan Revolution of trickle down economics and government-as-the-enemy has been a complete debacle. Sadly, human greed has triumphed over honesty, fairness, and even patriotism. At a time when this country, even the entire world, is suffering greatly because of the stupidity and arrogance of the banking industry, these fat cats who created the mess still feel entitled to even more millions in personal reward. The attitude seems to be, "Sure, millions of people are losing their jobs, their homes, their very dignity, but hell, I got mine!"

During the Cold War we learned in school that the Soviet Union was the "evil empire" because they had a Communist form of government. When the Russian government failed in the late 1980s, we thought the final nail had been hammered into the coffin holding the dead corpse of Communism. What about equally scary Red China?

Today, China is the world's most populous nation, they have sustained incredible market growth over the past 30 years, and they also own the United States or soon will. They are by far our largest creditor, with over a trillion dollars in US Treasury notes in their coffers. And oh yeah, they are Communists!

Last week the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao admitted publicly that he is concerned, even worried, about the value of those assets. What would happen if China decided to cash in their chips? We would not be able to pay up and no one in the world could bail US out. "Lucky" for us, China makes most of the products that Americans buy, so they also suffer in a down economy. We are trapped in a symbiotic relationship whether we like it or not.

That is not to say that China is a better place to live. Obviously the US has a much higher standard of living (for now) and greater concern for the environment and human rights. However, our extravagant American lifestyle has been funded by Chinese creditors and we are living in a soon-to-be-foreclosed house of cards. Experts say we can't let these big banks fail because it would dismantle the global economic system. But isn't that exactly what we need? This system is corrupt, and currency or credit have no value without the public trust.

Our governments must continue to take over these companies, FIRE the executives who caused the meltdown instead of rewarding them with bonuses, and start all over again. Alternatively, let unsound businesses fail; that's what free market capitalism is all about and that's why the Chapter 11 bankruptcy code was created, so that failing businesses could reorganize.

We need to change the culture on Wall Street. Far too few individuals have way too much money and power. I'm all for capping executive salaries. Who in the world honestly NEEDS to make more than half a million dollars per year? I couldn't sleep at night knowing that starving homeless families were sleeping on the doorstep of the bank that was keeping my millions. People need to work and produce goods or services instead of just selling paper, which is basically what AIG and all those hotshot Wall Street investors have been doing. We can no longer trust the private sector to regulate itself.

Socialism is inevitable -- workers unite!!

Oscar Picks 2009

Well, it's that time again - time for the Hollywood elite to rub our noses in it while they enjoy the privileges of their class. My disenchantment with the movie industry continues to deepen: this year I have seen only one of the Best Picture nominees, and that was thanks to a free screening a couple months ago.

Nevertheless, here are my predictions on who will go home with gold tonight:

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Best Actor: Sean Penn
Best Actress: Meryl Streep (I hope Kate Winslet wins, but I smell an upset here.)
Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger
Best Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz
Animated Feature: Wall-E

I have no idea regarding the technical awards, nor the shorts or documentaries, so I'll skip to....

Directing: Slumdog Millionaire, Danny Boyle
Foreign Language: Waltz With Bashir
Film Score (my favorite category!): Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
Best Song: "Jai Ho" Slumdog Millionaire
Adapted Screenplay: Slumdog Millionaire
Original Screenplay: (complete guess) Milk

GOP = R.I.P.

What a pathetic bunch of babies! What a sack of sore losers! For too long, the Grand Old Poop-heads have hidden behind the veil of false Christianity and professed a "conservative" political and social agenda with promises of freedom and equal opportunity for all. Or at least for all white, upper class, "Christian" men. This is not Lincoln's Republican Party.

The Republicans are so out of touch with reality that none in the House and only three in the Senate had the balls to vote for the President's economic plan, despite widespread support from the American people for the President's efforts at bipartisanship. The 'Pubs defended their position on "ideological grounds" (i.e. the midterm elections in 2010), but they're actually digging their own graves. Certainly minority leader John Boehner (call him "Boner" - he hates that!) plans to take on Obama in 2012, so he has no motivation to side with his future rival, and his constituents pay the price.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not a huge fan of the President's plan. I think far too much time and money have been wasted feeding the fat cats and no help has come to the families desperately struggling to stay employed and in their homes. It sickens me to see that Obama's team of economic advisors are the same guys who got us into this mess, and now they're supposed to get us out? Not without padding their own bank accounts and those of their cronies, I'm sure, but we've got to do something and the President is making changes (for better or worse) at unprecedented speed.

Now some Republican governors are claiming they won't accept any federal bailout money for their states! As if their own citizens don't deserve a share of the tax money which is rightfully theirs! Absolutely insane!!

It really shows who is interested in moving this country forward to catch up with the rest of the world, and who prefers to feather their own nests while promising to "restore" America's traditional values, whatever that means. The truth is, without inclusive party leadership and a modern alternative message, the GOP are doomed to obscurity. And I say "good riddance!"

Michael Phelps is my Hero!!

Party on, Mike!!

Michael Phelps gets high....

Beyonce the next Ella?

Did you see Beyonce sing "At Last" for the Obama couple's first dance at the Neighborhood Ball on Inauguration night?

OMG, do yourself and favor and watch it (again!) to hear Beyonce's breathtaking interpretation of this classic song. I'm not a fan of Beyonce's type of music, but girlfriend can sing! And her technique gets better and better as she matures.

Her performance for the President and Mrs. Obama was so sincere and heartfelt. It's as if she were singing from the conscience of the nation, with an emotional mix of pride, joy, hope, love, anticipation, and exhiliration. She was obviously thrilled to be singing for the new President -- her eyes, on the verge of tears, shone like never before.

Beyonce's voice knocked me out, not only for its clarity and accuracy of pitch, but for her dynamic and tonal range. Her last phrase displayed an impressive span from high to low, reminding me more than a little of the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. With the right material, Miss Knowles could find herself joining the pantheon of the all-time great singers.

Obama's letter to his daughters

If you haven't read the new President's letter to his daughters published in Parade magazine, you've got to the check it out! Mr. Obama is certainly the best political writer since Lincoln, and his touching message simply and perfectly articulates the ideals of American thought.

Please read Obama's letter to his daughters....

I Saw a Jonas Brother!!

I spotted a Jonas brother the other day, at Target of all places. As I left my car in the parking garage and headed to the elevators, a black Suburban-size SUV with tinted windows passed in front me. The driver's window was down and he looked somewhat familiar. I waited to see him park just a few cars away.

The first person out of the car was a HUGE black guy who obviously served as bodyguard. He stood at the back of the car, looked around, then faced back towards the driver's door and gave a nod. Then young Mr. Jonas emerged from the vehicle wearing tight black jeans, shiny black leather high-tops, a deep purple Oxford shirt and matching tie, plus black Wayfarer sunglasses.

I wanted to get a good look at this kid -- yes, I'm a terrible star-fucker as anyone who reads this blog knows! -- so I pretended to fiddle with my cell phone for a moment to let Mr. Jonas and his bodyguard catch up with me. I let them pass me and followed them up the escalator to the mall plaza above.

They were looking for food. First they headed toward Daphne's but since it was before 11:00 AM, the restaurant wasn't open yet. Next they crossed the plaza toward Jamba Juice, but they could also have entered Baja Fresh next door. I was growing bored of this scene and headed into Target to do my shopping, so I'm not sure where they ended up getting food. When I got back to the parking structure, they had left.

Later, I was giving a tour of Hollywood to some Australian teenagers when we came across a movie poster for an upcoming film featuring the Jonas Brothers. When I told the story of my star sighting to the Australian kids, they informed me the brother I saw was Joe Jonas. So there!

The Obama Era Begins

I am so proud and excited to be an American today. The people have spoken for change, and the man who personifies that change took office today as the 44th President of the United States of America.

Thanks to the Internet, we watched the Inauguration ceremonies live, including the Presidential Oath of Office and the Inauguration speech, at a school assembly this morning. Most of the students were quite interested, though they couldn't understand all the formal English being spoken. All of them realized they were witnessing history.

It was amazing to see so many hundreds of thousands of people assembled on the National Mall in Washington. And I think I heard on CNN that there were no disturbances and no arrests made today! That's phenomenal considering the enormous crowds which had stood in the freezing cold for so many hours even before the ceremony began.

Mr. President (I'm so happy we can officially say that now!), you have got your work cut out for you; we all do. I'm afraid the change and hope you inspire in us will not come soon enough. I hope the public will have patience and the understanding that we will face many setbacks and difficult times before a more peaceful and prosperous period returns. It may not get here while you are still President, but history has shown that this country always perseveres through its crises. To quote G.W., "Bring 'em on!" (God, I'm gonna miss him....)

Let's go, Obama! Let's go, America!!

The Notorious Bettie Page

Do yourself a favor, and watch a movie called The Notorious Bettie Page, a thrilling biopic about a fascinating American icon. Gretchen Mol dazzles in the role of a wholesome Southern girl who goes to New York with dreams of acting, but instead becomes an infamous pinup girl before redeeming her life through her Christian faith.

I first became aware of this movie a few months before they released it in theaters because one of my students played a small role in the story as a guy Bettie picks up at the beach. He's a cute Venezuelan named Alejandro Chaban. I finally rented it on Netflix after remembering the recent passing of Miss Page.

The film does a great job of catching the 1950s period by using black & white and color film, plus great costumes and production design, and a swinging period musical soundtrack. Mol is truly adorable as Bettie, both the wholesome girl next door and the vivacious nude vixen. She shows us everything, too. Ay-chee-wah-wah! I took lots of pictures of the TV.

By the way, the movie is really good if you're into light bondage. Gretchen, please call me...


The trailer for the movie



A two-minute video of photos of Bettie Page (be sure to watch until the last one!)

Gratitude

Happy Holidays everybody!!

I always remember to be grateful for the good things in my life, and I have a lot to be thankful for. In fact, thanks for reading this blog!

As a sign of my appreciation, I've recorded a little a cappella rendition of a recent Paul McCartney song that really caught my ear. Hope you enjoy!

Click the link below the hear the song. Windows users, right click and choose "Save As" to download the mp3. Mac users Ctrl+Click and choose "Save Link As":

Gratitude song!

"39 and Holding"

Thank you everyone for your warm birthday wishes! I've been quite surprised and touched by the huge number of greetings I received today via phone, email, and Facebook.

Some of you know I've been a little blue lately. Part of it is just the season, and the gloomy weather we've had lately, but a lot of it has to do with realizing my life may be half over and I feel like I'm just beginning to know how to live. I'm just not ready to be middle-aged yet!

However, a lot of wonderful and wise people have offered helpful words of advice and encouragement recently and I'm starting to feel better. I think once I get home for the holidays and visit my family things will be seen from a little happier perspective.

Jon Stewart Defends Gay Marriage

Did you see the amazing interview with Gov. Mike Huckabee on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart? It was an eloquent and passionate discussion by both men on the delicate, ever-more-urgent, controversy of gay marriage. Check it out here!

Jon Stewart (and his show) continues to astound, not only for his sharp satirical wit, but for the excellent journalism and thoughtful discourse on the important events of the day.

Thank The Troops

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all the troops in our armed forces around the world protecting the freedoms and privileges those of us at home enjoy and take for granted.

I was just watching NBC's Christmas in "Rockefella" Center (welcome back Britney) and when the lovely co-hostess Jane Krakowski took a moment to thank the troops, I shared in a moment of high definition gratitude, for we do love our troops and we thank them and their families for their sacrifices, which we grieve together.

Then a thought startled me: we've been at war so long that it has become de rigueur to "thank the troops" at public events and on television broadcasts. We do it at sporting events, school functions, houses of worship, and holiday shows. It's practically expected nowadays.

Will it always be so?

Clint Eastwood Made My Day!

Wow, I just got home from another exciting Hollywood night. My friend Philip invited me to a guild screening of the new Clint Eastwood movie Gran Torino (his second film this season!) at the Writer's Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. The story is about an aging, racist widower who makes unlikely friends with the immigrant Hmong family who live next door. I won't spoil the ending, but there was not a dry eye in the house.

The movie was full of surprises and a great deal of off-color humor, which had the audience both gasping and laughing hysterically at the same time. After the film, Mr. Eastwood entered the theater to a standing ovation and sat on stage for a short Q&A. I was sitting in about the fifth row from the front, so I had a great view for both the movie and Mr. Eastwood's appearance.

He really seemed like a living Hollywood legend. Sharply dressed in tan slacks, brown shoes, a burnt orange shirt and matching tie, and a beautiful black leather jacket on top, Mr. Eastwood looked younger and more virile in person than he did in the movie. It's hard to believe he is 78 years old by his own admission tonight. Also his natural speaking voice is very clear and pleasant, not at all the gravelly mumble most of his characters use.

Occasionally at these events, I will muster up the courage to ask a question, so before the film started I considered what to ask and decided to ask if he planned to retire any time soon. It's extremely ironic that Mr. Eastwood's career has actually gotten busier as he has grown older, and he shows no signs of slowing down. He mentioned during the Q&A that he's already got another project about Nelson Mandela in pre-production and scheduled to start shooting next March.

I didn't ask my question, but I did have a brief exchange with the man. At one point, a person asked about his directing career versus his acting, and Mr. Eastwood explained that he had wanted to quit acting when he directed his first movie back in 1970:

"I was still fairly young at the time," he explained. "Well, I guess 40 didn't seem that young back then, but it seems a lot younger to me now. I was going to be a director and stop acting, but because I hadn't proven myself as a successful director, the only way I could get the movie made was to also act in it. I didn't expect to have to keep doing that, but projects kept coming along and I kept taking acting jobs. People ask me if I will ever quit and I guess I will if the good scripts stop coming."

Suddenly, I saw an opportunity and screamed out, "Don't quit! We love you!" The audience applauded and cheered while Mr. Eastwood (or Clint, as I like to call him now) laughed and looked me straight in the eye and pointed, "Let me guess, you've got a script you'd like to show me?" We all laughed -- it was a wonderful moment.