The Sheila Variations

Holy crap. E-mail Sean immediately. . .

I.CAN. NOT.WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I f'n loved that show!!!!!!!!!!!!

First, Happy New Year, Sheila. I know you were directing your thoughts at the other Alex, but I clicked through out of curiosity and I have this to say:

$1.6 billion in box office gross? Holy Fookin' Crap.

"the other Alex" - hahahaha

Hi, you! How are you doing? Always nice when you stop by, I have to say.

And to your comment - no shit, right? That thing is a show that just will not stop!

I swear, I'll be the first to say that musicals aren't my thing (I know saying this is blasphemy here...I fully acknowledge that...now please put down the rolling pin or frying pan or heavy, hardbound copy of Ulysses you just picked up in anger.)

That said, I could sit through an evening of Abba tunes no problem. That's happy music.

To your other question: I've been well (and thanks for asking!) Just got back from Detroit, where I was part of the gang covering the auto show, which was abundantly cool.

Detroit reminded me what cold weather feels like and that waiting for the car's heater to warm up really sucks when it's like 20 degrees outside.

Alex - hahahaha No, there is no orthodoxy here. You're allowed to not like musicals!! hahaha But yeah - Mamma Mia - a big rolling fat ball of bizarre fun.

And congrats about the auto show! One of the celeb gossip bloggers that I love is from Detroit and he blogged about it - there were some celebs there, I believe?

Sigh. It's not about the cars for me. It's about the celebrities. Please forgive my essential inanity.

Congrats on this new gig of yours. It's SO cool! You're so passionate about it, I love it.

Beth - let's hope Mamma Mia opens on Christmas Day - just like Dreamgirls did - so perhaps you and I can re-create our Dreamgirls movie experience??

Ahem.

My brain is seeping out of my head.

Cannot

think

send

help

Yes. Mamma Mia. Without the booze. Although, I was fairly sober throughout most of Dreamgirls.

I think.

I just know that I could NOT stop playing Jennifer Hudson over and over and over and over and over until my kids had to have an intervention with me. They literally sat me down and said, "Mom, you have to play another song." I need to see that movie again- I even told the cable guy about it- how wonderful Eddie Murphy was, that I even liked Beyonce (and I am not even a real fan of hers). It was a littl bit like my Henry Winkler experience. BUT DEAR GOD. MAMMA FREAKING MIA!!!! That was such a GREAT SHOW!!!! There was a little old man dancing in the aisle at the end of the show, and all the teenage boys that were sitting with me were just loving him "GO, Grandpa!" Respectfully, you know? Abba- bringing the generations together.

I meant to say fairly sober BY THE END of Dreamgirls. Dear god.
I need more coffe.

*SQUEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!11111eleventyone!!!*

If they ever do it again, you absolutely HAVE to go see the Loser's Lounge tribute to ABBA. It's insane and brilliant and I've seen it twice it was so faboo. I hope I hope I hope they do it again. *fingers crossed*

This makes me quite happy in the meanwhile.

You have no idea how fast this news spread amongst the cast and crew yesterday. It was all anyone was talking about. We don't know any more than you do at this point. But I am soooooo thrilled about Meryl. It's funny, because Laurie (the woman who plays Donna on the tour) and I have an on-going joke about Meryl - anytime she or I do anything particularly fabulous (hehe) onstage, we congratulate each other with a nice hearty, "Good MERYL tonight!" So when we heard this news... well, it's perfect, right? And of course it creates so much speculation about the casting around her... Joanna Lumley as Tanya would be amazing casting, especially since, I mean, COME ON - Tanya IS Patsy from ABFAB, right? Christine Baranski is also another big fave for Tanya. Rosie O'Donnell as Rosie? Queen Latifa? Hugh Grant as Harry. Sam? Maybe Tom Hanks will cast himself in that one? But could he sing it? Probably some pop starlet as Sophie... Hilary Duff was a big guess, but I'd rather Mandy Moore if they're gonna go in that direction...

These are the guesses flying around the MM! Tour. All I know is the hypothetical quality of the movie just went WAY up, and I'm thrilled about that.

I'm putting a link to your blog on my site, K? K. Your rock. It was GREAT seeing you in Chicago!

xoxo,
'Pastor Sean'

Sean -

So great to see you too - however briefly!! Where are you guys now? Not still Chicago, right??

I love how word spread like wildfire among the cast - ha!! I just love to think of Meryl in that part - and whenever Meryl decides to do something really campy, I just get sooo excited. Because she's so good at that stuff.

And please. I adore Mandy Moore. She is a guilty pleasure of mine. In my weaker "I have no perspective" moments, I believe that Walk to Remember is one of the best films ever made. I watch her career. I hover over it like a stalker. I wish her well. I am insane.

Oh and yes - put a link to my site! Can I put a link to yours? It's so high-tech, I'm a little scared of it! But I loved looking thru your pictures.

And I love Joanna Lumley so much that I am drooling right now.

so many people i love in one post..u are all gorgeous and fabulous...mwwwaaaahhhh!

Sheila - yes, please, I'd love it if you put a link to my site on your blog. Excellent. I think I mentioned I was thinking about starting a blog on my site... but that's so daunting to me. First, I don't really truly understand how they work. Secondly, I don't know that I'd know how to actually create it. I'm so last year when it comes to computers and tech-y stuff. (which is why I LOVE that you thought my site looks 'high-tech' :) Thirdly, I read your blog and it's so damn witty and brilliant... my blog would be all "Today in Mamma Mia I sang ABBA... and then I danced in spandex..." Boo. Anyhoo - I love your site, and I am awed and inspired by your blog... and your writing. I'm going to do some work on my site this week and will add the link to your page, k? K.

xoxo

Sean - hahaha If you want any help setting up a blog, I can show you how! It's easy!

You could also write things like:

"Last night the sound went on the fritz and during my big number it felt like I was suddenly being attacked by an enormous snare drum descending from on high."