It's 2017! "Send In The Clowns"

Wait! They're already here!

A Love Letter to Stephen Sondheim was filmed in May 2016 at The Boettcher Concert Hall in Denver, CO. Judy Collins takes the audience through Sondheim's remarkable treasure-trove of music, interweaving stories of Broadway with her personal anecdotes. 

"I have loved the songs and the shows of Stephen Sondheim since recording "Send in the Clowns" in my album Judith in 1974," said Collins "My version of the great Sondheim ballad has garnered a Grammy, the top ten slot in Billboard twice in a decade, and is still played on the radio all over the world. Ever since the success of "Send in the Clowns" I have longed to sing the rest of Sondheim's greatest songs. Now, I have the opportunity do to that. These songs glow with familiarity and inhabit the rooms and vistas of all our lives, scenes and melodies from "Little Night Music," "Sweeney Todd," "Sundays in the Park with George," "Company," "Merrily We Roll Along" and "Into the Woods." I pray to do justice to these great songs, and to their composer, one of our National Treasures, Stephen Sondheim."

All orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick, who has been orchestrating Stephen Sondheim's musicals for decades. Tunicks's orchestration was used by Collins for "Send in the Clowns, " bring Sondheim his only chart topping song in his esteemed history. Collins is joined on the program by the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Glen Cortese.

The DVD can be ordered at the MVD Shop or on Amazon 

Happy F@#king 2017!

2017 Here We Come!!!
Ryan Seacrest & Jenny McCarthy

Tonight's the night we ring in the New Year, a night collectively referred to around the world as New Year's Eve. 

What are your plans tonight? Any traditions? Well whether my plans have been staying in or spending time with friends for it, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve in Times Square, New York City has always been my go to show to the count down to midnight. I mean who can resist watching a ball drop slowly? Admit it you know you can't.

The only time I have never watched it was when the world rang in 2000. I was in a club with three levels that had different music themes, and yes I am going to stop there. That was the exception to this my otherwise steadfast unofficial tradition.

While things have changed over the years about the show it still remains the best way to rock in the upcoming year.

So, if I don't fall asleep before the clock strikes twelve on January 1st 2017, I plan to hang with Ryan Seacrest & Jenny McCarthy and a dropping ball with whoever else may be with me.

Let's hope 2017 errs on the side of good shall we?

Enjoy your NYE!

Dick Clark's NYRE at:
https://www.facebook.com/NewYearsRockinEve/

Praise The Lourd

Three Women
l-r Billie Lourd, Debbie Reynolds & Carrie Fisher

With all of the mourning of Debbie Reynolds and daughter Carrie Fisher's death this week, I though a little levity was needed regarding the two.

Thus when I came across Carrie's daughter & Debbie's granddaughter Billie Lourd promoting Scream Queens on Late Night with Seth Meyers telling how her grandmother tried to scare her off from acting I just had to post it!

Billie proves a sense of humor runs in the family.

Let's let the clip do it's own talking shall we? Jump to it below!

T.G.I.F!

Billie on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/praisethelourd/?hl=en  

Michael's Musings

Halo
Michael Shinafelt

With only three days left of 2016 could we please not have anymore beloved celebrity deaths? Yes, Grim Reaper I'm calling you out, enough!!!

2016 how do I put this to you delicately? Fuck off! I am ready for something new, and while there are reasons to tread with extreme caution moving forward into 2017 there are a few things I am grateful to be armed with going into it, that I reclaimed this past year.

Here on the 29th of December I am giving the ultimate kiss off to 2016, I'm so over you!

Debbie Reynolds passing away the day after her daughter Carrie Fisher died. So sad.

Ringing in the New Year early with Scott Jacobs last night via wine, cheese and German Chocolate Cake, was a welcome escape.

Even though 2016 was a pretty lame year, at least Donald Trump was not President.

Speaking of which, I am shocked that Orange Cosby didn't Tweet what a "Nasty Woman" Carrie Fisher was after her passing. She did call him out as a coke addict after all.

I'm grateful to have regained my sense of self this year, I'm going to need it in 2017.

Dear Rockettes, I advise you on not doing any high kicks during your performance at Trump's inauguration. 

The people I meet out and about everyday keep my faith in humanity alive.

Hitting spin class today, as you might imagine it is much needed.

Billy Idol said it best: "With a rebel yell more, more, more!"

Middle Creek exploded because of the Beaver Dams, sounds like innuendo to me.

Just because I grab a pole on the subway and gyrate, that does not make me Nomi Malone. 

2017 does not hold a lot of promise for anything in particular but trust me when I say there are going to be a lot of surprises. That my friends is as sure of a thing that you can count on. Let's hope they err more on the side of good than awful.

Get your last Thursday of 2016 on!

Join me won't you? at:

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/   

Sh!t Carrie Fisher Said

What A Dame
Carrie Fisher

The passing of Carrie Fisher is truly epic. Not only did she play the iconic role of Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, she was also a writer with a sharp wit and even sharper tongue. Her candor about being being mentally ill gave others the courage to face their challenges by owning them.

I think the best way to honor her passing is to let her own brilliant words speak for themselves...Carrie On!

"I always wrote. I wrote from when I was 12. That was therapeutic for me in those days. I wrote things to get them out of feeling them, and onto paper. So writing in a way saved me, kept me company. I did the traditional thing with falling in love with words, reading books and underlining lines I liked and words I didn't know"

"I am mentally ill. I can say that. I am not ashamed of that. I survived that, I'm still surviving it, but bring it on. Better me than you"

"No, as it turns out, I really like being congratulated on my weight loss. I like it so much, it's tragic"

"I was street smart, but unfortunately the street was Rodeo Drive"

"The world of manic depression is a world of bad judgment calls"

"Leia follows me like a vague smell"

"I'll never be known for my work with boundaries" 

"I'm very sane about how crazy I am"

"Anything you can do in excess for the wrong reasons is exciting to me"

"I am truly a product of Hollywood in-breeding. When two celebrities mate, someone like me is the result" 

Carrie on IMDB: 
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000402/   

Just Because, Lady Gaga & Elton John

Ladies Who Lunch
Lady Gaga & Elton John

Today is one of those nebulous Post Holiday/Pre-Holiday days. Yes kids it's the first Tuesday after Christmas and the Tuesday that falls before New Year's Eve aka 2017.

So I thought I would run this image of Lady Gaga & Elton John out and about in Aspen, CO.

Why? Just because the two of them together represent so much talent and creativity it would make a pig in lipstick jealous, and look, it's two icons who are still alive, together!

Hey, it's great to be here! 

Have a TT! Terrific Tuesday, in case you didn't get the gist.

Go Gaga at:
https://www.instagram.com/ladygaga/?hl=en

Go to the John at: 
https://www.instagram.com/eltonjohn/?hl=en 

"Father Figure" George Michael

Daddy
George Michael

It's the day after Christmas and I am sure a majority of you, like me, are saddened by the passing of pop icon George Michael, on, well of all things Christmas Day.

He was truly one of the greatest musical artists of all time, not to mention he was also quite ahead of it as well.

George was a Father Figure of sorts to up and coming performers looking for someone to emulate. Which happens to be my favorite song by Mr. Michael, for it's daring to touch a certain subject matter that most artists wouldn't ever dream of going near, especially in this day and age of mediocrity.

I could go on and on about this unique, one of a kind, legendary talent, but what's the point?  Every one of you has your own feelings and impressions of what he meant to your lives. This post is done to honor an individual whose influence on the world around them was truly epic.

Thus I leave you with my favorite George Michael song Father Figure. 

R.I.P.

www.georgemichael.com/