The Sheila Variations

congratulations ...

My deepest heartfelt congratulations go to Trav S.D., who just published his first book: No Applause--Just Throw Money : The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous. It has been reviewed in The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. Trav is an old old friend of mine, we go way way WAY back ... he was my boyfriend for a time in high school. I took him to my senior prom. We then lost touch for, oh, EIGHTEEN FECKIN' YEARS ... until 2003 - when we got back in touch again.

One of the most beautiful things for me, about the success he has now achieved, is that it is not at all a surprise - remembering the boy he was. The boy who, at 18, made me watch all the Marx Brothers movies, because he was horrified I hadn't seen them. Who didn't just watch the Marx Brothers ... he STUDIED the Marx Brothers. The boy who was, even then, encyclopedic on vaudeville - knew all the names, all the anecdotes ... and I remember the feeling, back then, that to him - WC Fields, and the Marx Brothers, and Mae West, etc. etc. were as vital and important to him as modern-day movie stars. It's how I feel now, in my life, having the Cary Grant, Bogart, Gary Cooper love that I have ... They are as much a part of my consciousness as the guys who are in the movies NOW - as a matter of fact, they have even MORE of an impact. I compare everyone to them. I prefer the old movies. It's just the way it is. Trav was like that as a teenager. And now - he's published his first book, on the history of vaudeville. How beautiful, how APT.

Congratulations, my old old friend. I couldn't be happier for you. I can't WAIT to read it!!