bostonman

They have radio ads too, with that same damn awful song. Ugh.

Agreed. Fun score (though ironically the title song tends to be one of my least favorite songs in the show, and I find Streisand's version of that song essentially unlistenable), but weird, weird show. The recent Broadway revival, with the gender switching, just made it even worse. Though I did like the inclusion of "Every Night At Seven." I assume that's not in this version? "She Wasn't You" is a flowery aria????

Well, of course, if things progressed between Jimmy and friend before mom walks in with the Febreze, lol... (Then again - I guess it then becomes a straight porn scene if "milf" walks in, lol...)

And, for those of us with foot-related interests, there's this -- I keep thinking - what if Jimmy hit his buddy with the sock instead? Then what?

There's something else that doesn't seem to get talked about a lot lol - but I once got up the courage to ask a redhead about this and he said, "yeah, I think a lot of us have that." It's a particular body scent that I've noticed on the few gingers I've been with - a certain specific muskiness to their skin that I find VERY VERY sexy. Almost a "waxy" scent, if you will. Anyone else experience this?

I had an odd exchange with someone on a hookup site the other day. The guy described himself as being half black, half white, which is fine. We had a short, typical conversation about getting together - he wanted a bj. No prob. Then, he asked me if I had ever sucked black cock before, and my lighthearted response (complete with smiley) was that I like all cock, I don't discriminate. I never heard back after that. What was strange was that he otherwise never made any issues about race - his or mine. But I guess that ultimately he wanted me to be all hopped up about "black cock" (and he had 7", so it's not like his size was anything unique) - and, well, that's just not me. I suppose I could have answered his question with "yes I have," but really, I'm not all that focused on race - for me it's the look and demeanor of the guy individually, not his ethnicity - and I wanted to make what seemed like a very innocent broader point. I didn't expect it to become an issue. Ultimately, not the kind of guy I would have been happy meeting, I think. Just as well.

Comcast seems to have a knack for making truly WTF ads. Like, what is the deal with this creepy-ass dude in this ad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzbRNgmtVxA

This guy seems to be new - the ad was posted in April, but I don't recall seeing it until today. Wondering if anyone has met him, or if anyone has any red flag instincts? Thanks, guys. https://rentmen.eu/juansavage

I saw the Monday night showing. I also have a friend in the cast (the woman who plays the radio announcer and other roles). I wasn't able to get to NY to see the show live so I was thrilled that they were able to do this movie theatre showing. I loved it. Just the energy and committment of Corey Cott and Laura Osnes alone is wonderful to watch, but it's a tight ensemble cast who all do great work. I think the show itself is well-written and very clever - yes, there are a few holes in the story and moments that don't quite ring true, but I really enjoyed it overall. It should have run longer. Indeed, one of the show's tricky points is in its also wanting to create more awareness about PTSD and vets' struggles overall (the way it's ultimately used in the climax of the plot is one of those moments that doesn't feel quite right), I absolutely applaud their wanting to tell that story, and also to connect the show to current vets organizations as they do. @LaffingBear, I get your confusion with the title, though. "The Boys Are Back" is actually the name of one of the songs in the show, and of course a major plot point in general - but the title logo does highlight that phrase a bit too much IMO. Plus, not only does the phrase "the boys" remind us instantly of another "band" show (that currently-running "straight" play lol), we've also really had a glut of "band" shows recently, which is just an odd coincidence, but even so... Bandstand The Band's Visit The Boys In The Band (and, starting previews soon) Gettin' The Band Back Together Come July 19th, the latter 3 shows will all be running at the same time.

Growing up in CT, a liquor store was a "package store" or "packie" for short. Coming to MA for college, it was weird that all of a sudden soda was "tonic" or "pop." What I used to call grinders as a kid became "subs." "Hoagie" to me is the name of the guy who wrote the tune for "Stardust" (i.e. Hoagy Carmichael.)

This is probably one reason why her then-husband seemed to write so many damned park-and-bark anthem-ish ballads with awful lyrics, instead of more songs that an actor can really sink their teeth into. His songs too often have the effect of stopping a show cold instead of moving the action along. He's an accomplished tunesmith...but...

Except, of course, Urinetown never brings up the possible consumption of the stuff - only what happens in a dystopian society when an evil businessman takes control. (During a water shortage.)

Oh, and likewise, my friend - I wasn't trying to negate what you said, I was just furthering the conversation.

True - but that's also because it's (unfortunately) assumed as the norm...and also because it's discussed in the open all the time. Conversations about one's kids, or in-laws, or a guy's perhaps rueful mention of "the wife" etc. If you think about it, talk about hetero life is both discussed and assumed all the time. So it doesn't need to be treated as something unique. And in fact, the idea that gay couples can also have kids, or in-laws, etc - that's still very unique for a lot of people, unfortunately. Referencing the relationship I mentioned in my last post that had some resonance with the Justin/Brian storyline - when we split up I was beyond devastated. I was playing in the orchestra for a show that summer shortly after, and happened to mention in casual conversation to a colleague (someone who didn't know my personal life at all) that I was just out of a 6-year relationship. He expressed sympathy, of course, but then his first question was simply "any kids?" This was the early 1990's, so gay couples having kids wasn't something that was going to be a de facto question at the time, lol. He clearly thought I was going through a hetero divorce. I can't blame him for thinking that, but it just goes to show you what people tend to be conditioned to think.

Everyone's experiences are different, of course, depending on our individual lives. I came out in high school, when I was 17 - that was 1981. So I think my life since then has led to having different perspectives than someone who comes out later in life. Gman, clearly you've lived a different track, and I respect you for that. In terms of QAF, I welcomed the raw sexuality, because I was just glad that it was now being allowed in a more mainstream way. I didn't always love the stylized camera techniques in the sex scenes, but I did understand that it was part of the "film language" being used, and it was a way to heighten the drama. In terms of Justin/Brian - that was a tough story for me because I've lived it in some ways - though I've never been the over-cynical mess that Brian was, lol, I did see a lot of a former love of my life in Justin, and I did see shades of their somewhere elusive relationship in the two of us. (Conversely, there's a lot of Justin in me as well - both in terms of his emotional struggles and his being an artist.) I cried for real when Justin "disappeared" at the end of the series, because that also parallels real life for me. And yet of course I was drawn to watching them, because the parallel was also very compelling to me. I have to confess I never watched Will And Grace on any kind of regular basis - I've seen it a few times, but it wasn't a "must see" the way other shows were for me. And I say "confess" because I've always felt a little guilty about that - I knew Debra Messing in college (she was a star-to-be even then, lol), and have always felt a little bad that I didn't catch on to what is still her most famous show. But, so it is. Back to my original post, though - films have mostly always been about heightened reality, just as most aspects and disciplines of the performing arts are. The norm in Hollywood, like it or not, is that the glamorous, beautiful actors/actresses play the lovers, and the more "character" actors get the other roles. Not that it always happens that way, but that's the general expectation. And there was a time when gay characters (or out actors) were only the "others" or the "clowns" - the comic relief at best. And sometimes even that stereotype could be inspired (Stephen Stucker's off-the-wall quasi Paul Lynde-ish character of "Johnny" in Airplane, for example), but I'm sure most of us have watched those stereotypes for most of our lives without being able to express how uncomfortable they have perhaps made us feel. So hey - I certainly am not against Hollywood showing us a serious, layered, poignant romance between two very handsome, "non-stereotypically gay" men - it's about time, lol.

I'm not sure why you feel that's exclusive to gay movies. Many, even most, straight love stories work in a similar vein. Same comment as above. And it can go for deliberately grotesque female roles too (think Kathy Bates in Misery for one example).

Indeed she did, though you meant IBDB lol. For me, Mrs. Higgins has one of the best retorts in the show, at the end of her scene late in Act 2 - "Bravo, Eliza!"

You don't. I don't think it's possible to literally determine when a message has been read. All you can know is that the message was noticed. Even in the context of regular old text messages, it's often the case that the message has been accounted for, in very general terms, by the recipent. To me, that's different than the message actually being read. The actual reading of the message might happen later.

I've only been able to see Once On This Island this season, and although I've heard many good things about My Fair Lady, I'm really excited for Island - I was really bowled over by it. I also have a colleague in Carousel (who appeared as part of the ensemble in the Tony opener - YAY!), and just learned a former student of mine is about to join the Carousel company - but I'm still very very happy that Island won. And the Island performance was a canny and absolutely seamless medley that made me smile. I do wish Alex Newell had been up for an award. Likewise so thrilled for The Band's Visit - a beautiful and evocative score from the extremely versatile David Yazbek, and watching Katrina Lenk's performance of "Omar Sharif" last night was one of the best moments of the telecast IMO. I thought the performances were a mixed bag. The Mean Girls number was horrid in every way. How did this shit ever get to Broadway? The Spongebob number was absolutely fun and entertaining, but the forced character voices make this show impossible for me to listen to. Frozen was typical workmanlike Disney - the winter effects were fun onscreen, but no pun intended, it all left me cold. Summer was just odd. I don't understand the need for 3 Donna Summers (even if it's clearer in the show it made no sense for the excerpt), and the number itself was more "Soul Train" than theatre. (The difference lies between using dance as an organic part of theatrical language/expression, and merely dancing along with the song, which is what I felt they were doing.) The numbers for My Fair Lady and Carousel were oddly contrasting. The "Get Me To The Church" dance seemed oddly un-choreographed. The effect may have been to present something more spontaneous and purposely messy, more realistic than doing an organized routine - and I totally get and appreciate that - but I don't think it worked. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the "Blow High, Blow Low" number from Carousel was a great showcase for Justin Peck's choreo - specific, clean, and athletic, but also exciting and playful. I'm surprised this was the number they picked in some ways, yet I also see why they would want to show this. The plays? Were there any? Well, they did get awards, but as usual, we didn't get to see anything from any of them. Well, except for a cameo appearance from the Angel in Angels in America. But it's ironic, then, that we got two major monologues (both great) from John Leguizamo and Bruce Springsteen. I enjoyed both - but jeez, give the plays a chance to show something... The opening number was fun, I thought, and was perfect for the hosts. But going full circle and doing a finale reprise was a terrible idea. Just say goodnight and let the orchestra play things out. The current cast of Dear Even Hansen singing "For Forever" was a fitting, classy, and appropriately unobtrusive accompaniment for the "In Memoriam" sequence. Some wonderfully moving acceptance speeches. And then there was DeNiro. Look - it's not that many of us don't agree with him, it's just that I wish he had taken the high road with everyone else instead. With so many positive statements made by others, his comments were tone deaf. Rachel Bloom? (That squeaky, rambling, over-caffeinated hot mess of a high school cheerleader reject who was backstage leading us into the commercial breaks...) Please get her off the broadcast. Ugh. The Parkland students? Moved me to tears. Unforgettable. Particularly, perhaps, for those of us who work with youngsters doing theatre. But on a larger level, something that will define this broadcast for years to come. The irony of course is that I'm sure we all wish they could have done this under happier circumstances. But then again, their resilience and courage is what made it so moving. And they sounded good (they could have rocked out a bit more, but I can't complain lol.) And for those of us who know the song well, were we all full of joy for that high C? Were we all sitting there on the edge of our couches going "is she going to go for it?" I found myself crying as the number went on, but that moment had me bawling. "How about love" indeed.

Yes. Just yes.

Yes. When I came to Boston for college in the early 80's, it was very much there. In my trips to Chinatown or the Opera House, it was unavoidable. And really seedy and not the least bit inviting. Now, it's gone. A very few (straight) strip clubs left, but I think that's basically it. And now I work there, in a new building steps away from the Opera House and the recently reconstructed Paramount Theatre.

The Fens (or I think more properly the Back Bay Fens) is a park/victory garden in the district known as The Fenway, and yes, the ballpark is in the vicinity as well, though the ballpark has nothing to do with the cruising area lol. The Fenway city route also connects with the Riverway and Jamaicaway as part of what's referred to as the "Emerald Necklace." When I was a callow college freshman in Boston, I decided to try the Fens once. I wound up getting mugged. Thank god that all that happened was losing the 20 bucks I had on me and getting a bloody nose. And I made it home in one piece. Shaken but not terribly hurt. That was about 35 years ago. I've never gone back. I've passed by there many times on my way to other places, but I've never walked in. I do assume it's still as cruisy as always.

Flaunting his heterosexuality.

Soap's initial run was when I was in jr high/high school, and it was also in that time that I started getting into musicals. At some point I got to know Applause, in which Mandan had a lead role. It was fun to realize that Chester Tate had been in a musical lol. But there were a lot of those fun discoveries that then-contemporary TV stars had also done theatre. It was very strange to find out, for instance, that Inga Swenson (the conniving Ingrid Svenson on Soap) had starred in the very operatic role of Lizzie in 110 In The Shade (the musical based on The Rainmaker). Also that Cathryn Damon (Mary Campbell on Soap) was in a revival of The Boys From Syracuse - a show I also did in those teen years. And of course many others, including One Day At A Time's Bonnie Franklin, who sang the title song in Applause. Though perhaps my favorite discovery was that "crazy" Amy in Company (who sings the iconic patter song "Getting Married Today") was Beth Howland, who I already knew as the wonderfully dippy waitress Vera on Alice. Though the characters were certainly different, it was actually quite easy for me to hear "Vera" singing that song lol. (Of course, the really funny discovery about the cast of Company was the original Bobby, Dean Jones, who I knew only from Disney comedies like That Darn Cat, lol.) In any case, RIP, Chester.

I can't see this guy's screenname without thinking about "Slim Goodbody," a character invented when I was a kid in the 1970's, to promote kids' health and fitness (and I had no idea the actor was actually still around and doing the same schtick, lol). Used to creep me the fuck out to be honest. Still kinda does.