"I'm so glad we had this time together..."

Boy this one breaks my heart too!

Harvey Korman, the tall, versatile comedian who won four Emmys for his outrageously funny contributions to "The Carol Burnett Show" and played a conniving politician to hilarious effect in "Blazing Saddles," died Thursday. He was 81.
Korman died at UCLA Medical Center after suffering complications from the rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm four months ago, his family said. He had undergone several major operations.
"He was a brilliant comedian and a brilliant father," daughter Kate Korman said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "He had a very good sense of humor in real life. "

For the rest of the story go to http://tv.yahoo.com/show/28851/news/urn:newsml:tv.ap.org:20080530:obit_korman__ER:800

Korman was a brilliant comedian. I adored watching him on Carol Burnett over the years (and learned a damn site about comedy and timing in the process). One of my undergrad professors used to refer to me as HARVEY due to my propensity to crack up during a particularly funny moment early in my stage life. His work, particularly as ED in the early MAMA skits, was absolutely flawless. Just watch he and Carol at work here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJLVgPPF40M&feature=related

I've said it before, but one of the hardest things about growing older is watching those you learned from and respected pass on. But Harvey lived 81 years, and that' s a pretty good stretch in my eyes.

RIP Mr. Korman... we'll miss you...and when you're in that great variety show in the sky, try to keep a straight face!

Any memories of Harvey? Let me hear em.

"So it's the laughter..."

(at left-members of the cast of MTSU's 89 production of HAIR!)








Wow...I mean really...WOW! Time goes by so freaking fast! This little shot will be 20 years old
next May! My friend Tracey posted some old shots of all of us MTSU folk after the recent
reunion. This is a shot of some of us backstage during the run of HAIR in the Spring of 89. Strangely enough, I would adopt the hippie / mountain man look a number of times after this (for plays and just cause I was too lazy to shave!) In the front row and to the right of me is one of my best friends since childhood, Dave. Dave and I met at a showing of STAR WARS (no lie!) when we were 11 and 12 respectively. We've been pals ever since (despite the occasional dust up). This means I've known him, and been friends, now for THIRTY years! Again...all I have is WOW!




This shot is a little more bittersweet. To START with, there's the ensemble. (Why is it that my response to every shot of me from the 80's/early 90's begins with "WTF am I WEARING???) Then there's also the guy to my left. This is a shot from my old bachelor bad in the boro. The fellow is one of my former roomies, and at the time best buds, Chris. Chris is no longer with us, and his passing was incredibly painful. Chris was a brilliant man, and one of the most fun people I've ever had the pleasure of being around (well, SOMETIMES he was...) and it pains me that he's not still here to share my impending midlife crisis, and that my children will never know him. I had no pictures of the two of us up till now, and I am incredibly grateful to have this one. Thanks, Trace!

I was never a big picture taker in my youth. I was the third of three children, and where their are albums full of my older siblings, there exist about three shots of me in my infancy. So I guess because of that I never valued it. My wife, on the other hand, has about a metric ton of pictures from her youth. I envy her that...and I wish I had been smart enough to buy a damned camera back then...

So here's my question to you...what were the 80's like FOR YOU??? Love em? Hate em? Don't remember 'em????


I'll post later...I have a baby to tend to at the moment!!!

"...there she goes again..."

My wife has written a great post regarding Clinton's victory in KY and a wonderful reflection of the ridiculously flawed process that is Campaign 08. Go here to read...
http://fridayplaygroupconfessions.blogspot.com/

Feel free to come back here and comment.

"...we'll go dancing in the dark..."

This weekend down in M'boro, my Alma mater is having a Theatre Dept reunion. I missed the last one and TONS of my old friends showed. I really regretted it. Unfortunately, I will also have to miss this one. Some of the folks I know will be there I haven't seen in over 15 years. Bummer, as I'd really like the opportunity to catch up. My undergrad friends are an interesting lot. Like many Theatre folk who go to grad school, I think my Grad friends have been closer to my heart and stayed connected to me in a much stronger way over the years. But there is definitely a special place in my heart for the folks of my misspent youth! I think of them fondly and often, even though we really aren't in one anothers lives at this point.

Life is funny...people come and go in and out of it so fast, sometimes you forget they were even there. But I believe we encounter everyone for a reason, and everyone, no matter how brief the stay in your life, leaves an impression. I miss those carefree days of my youth sometimes...and I'm thankful for them. They helped shape who I am today...

So here's to the MTSU Theatre program of yore...sorry I can't be with you guys in body this weekend, but I'm definitely there in spirit. Have a drink for me, and remember...if you drunken phone call me, do it before 10pm eastern, as I DO have kiddies in the house!

To any old alum who might be lurking, leave a post an introduce yourselves...we're a real nice bunch around here!

FILM SHOOT

Hey people! I need lots of folks for a film shoot I'm helping to cast! Some roles pay, and the schedule looks like May 17th, 18th and 20th inRichmond. I only have sketchy details thus far, BUT if you think youmight be interested/available, email me at woundedeagle8@yahoo.com or leave a message here in the posting section andI'll send details when I get em. I'm looking for everything from teensto 50's, so include your age / brief vital statistics just in case Idon't know you.

Thanks,
X

"we can't even think of a word that rhymes..."

Hey all- it's been awhile. I've found it increasingly hard to have time to keep posting, but now that Summer's here, I get a bit of a break, and may be able to keep this thing updated.
Soooo...school's out for me, and for the first time in a long time 'm not teaching Summer courses. Just hanging at the house doing my daily rendition of DADDY DAY CARE, and I'm pleased to say I'll be doing a role in Eqqus run's MERRY WIVES (more on that in a later post). There are, of course, lots of things in the planning stages for the job next year (the main one being DON'T GET AXED BECAUSE OF BUDGET CUTS- though there is scant little I can do about that) and me and the Missus are hoping to travel SOMEWHERE (even if only to...Tennessee! Seems that's about all we can afford lately) . I'll also be in my good friend Darren's wedding in late July, so still lots going on.

So, tell me- what's lined up for YOUR Summer? Spare me no details...