Month: May 2003

Happy 2nd Anniversary to Peter and Kathleen!

(To everybody else, if Peter doesn’t post today, you may speculate why in the privacy of your own skulls.)

Kathleen, Ariel and I headed out today to Randall’s Island, just off the Triboro Bridge, to see the touring Cirque du Soleil production, “Varekai.” Very loosely based on ancient myth, “Varekai” tells the story of Icarus, speculating that he survived his plummet from on high and landed in a strange garden of fantastical creatures. Creatures who can, unsurprisingly, juggle, springboard, hurl around on straps, do dizzying trapeze acts, etc.

“Varekai” had all the spectacular, jaw-dropping moments we’ve come to expect from Cirque. In this case, however, there was something more. We followed a reality series on Bravo called “Fire Within” which depicted, from audition all the way through to the show going on the road, the development of “Varekai.” What I thought was going to be a promotional puff series instead was a remarkably detailed, honest, warts-and-all weeks-long documentary of everything the performers and creators go through to produce Cirque–overseen, all the while, by Cirque’s creator, Guy, whose judgment of what works and what doesn’t, who stays and who goes, is absolute. He votes you off the island, you’re gone.

Because of FW, we came to “know” a number of the players (although, obviously, they don’t know us.) As a result, it added a whole ‘nother level to watching Cirque, because we knew everything these folks had gone through to produce the show, and had come to like a number of them as people. My personal favorite was a young gymnast named Stella. We watched her trials and tribulations, seeing her gymnastic act morph into more of a trapeze act, which was something she was unaccustomed to. We watched her difficulties with a budding romantic relationship, even watched opening night when she was going nuts because her parents became separated, one of them didn’t have a ticket, and she was frantically trying to contact her father who had inexplicably shut off his cell phone.

So there we were, seated two rows from the front, and they had just finished one particular act which involved practically skating around on a slick cloth that simulated the surface of water. And there was Stella as a supporting player in that particular sequence. At the very end, she slid on her belly right up to where we were, reached down and unhooked one of the buckles securing the cloth so it could be removed. Then, her job done, she started to spin around to head off the stage.

Just loudly enough so she could hear me, I called, “Hey, Stella.”

She did a double take in her spin, stopped, glanced our way, and then grinned in acknowledgment. The entire moment took no more than two seconds. Hopefully it was a signal to her that her contributions as an individual are appreciated.

Either that or she thinks there’s some nut stalking her. Jeez, I hope not.

PAD

The Troll hammer, on which I was briefly the high bidder for about an hour, wound up going for about $3100. Holy crap.

Also, Angel related: With all the discussion about “Shonshu” in regards to Spike, I went back and re-watched the first season Angel episode for the first time in ages. I have to admit, I was impressed. (Read on, to avoid spoilers for our British friends.)

Continue Reading “IN CASE ANYONE’S PAYING ATTENTION” →

An updated version of Peter’s bibliography is up. As always, thanks to Corey Tacker and Brett Hudgins for attention to detail that amazes even me and makes my life so much easier. In fact, I’ll bet cash that since they sent it a few weeks ago, it’s already out of date…

I’ve been incredibly swamped with projects, so I’ve been lax at posting BIDs and the like, but will get a large bunch of them up before I get truly busy. With what, you may ask? Well, I promise you’ll hear all about it by the beginning of June.

This site extends its condolences to good friend and talented artist Leah Adezio, whose husband David passed away suddenly and shockingly unexpectedly. We wish all best strength to Leah and her children at this tragic time.

PAD

So Ariel and I went into the city today where I did two sets of interviews. With the advent of the Hulk movie, suddenly people seem interested in talking to me.

They seated me in front of a green screen (how perfect) as I was interviewed first for a half hour documentary about the Hulk. Slated to tie in with the film, it discusses comics in general, the rising interest in comic movies and, of course, the Hulk film. Next up was a broad-ranging chat for a one-shot (which might become an ongoing series) for VH1 called something like, “The Most Awesome Show Ever.” Basically it’s designed to cover the gamut of pop culture interests and activities.

While there, I met Jennifer Connelly (Betty Ross) who was also being interviewed for the Hulk documentary. A very sweet young woman, even more striking in person than on screen, with a nicely rounded, six-and-a-half-month pregnant bun in the oven. Her second, I was told. No word on whether it’s gamma irradiated.

PAD

I’ll be heading into the city tomorrow, because–get this–MTV is doing a whole documentary thing about the Hulk and they’re interested in interviewing me for it. I’m figuring I might well wind up on the cutting room floor, but hey, people want to point a camera at me and ask me what I think about things. So I’m there.

PAD