Live from New York...

I made it to New York last night just before the snow started. My reaction to real winter weather these days is so idiotic that you’d think I grew up in Kenya instead of Chicago. I’m so not used to snow that I never even think to pack appropriate footwear (my Hush Puppies are not loving it) and I’m so riveted by my rare encounters with the white stuff that I turn my head up to the sky like those turkeys who drown in the rain because they’re too stupid not to.

Saw David Mamet’s “November” on Broadway last night which was a hilarious look at the machinations of an incompetent Republican President whose approval ratings are in the single digits. I never thought that Nathan Lane and David Mamet would be the perfect match, but I was amazed at how the insanely talented Lane was able to take Mamet’s words and spew them so effortlessly that it sounded like he was ad-libbing. Lane plays President Charles Smith on the eve of his non-re-election. Wondering why he is trailing so badly in the polls, his Chief of Staff (played by Dylan Baker) spells it out for him. “People hate you.” The brilliant Laurie Metcalf appears as the President’s lesbian speechwriter who has an agenda of her own, and the farce is so full of political incorrectness and four-letter words that I only wish our actual unpopular Republican President was that funny. David Mamet went to high school in Chicago with my Uncle Paul at Francis Parker, a school that was so progressive it made my high school seem like a Hitler Youth training camp by comparison.

I’ve been reading that big uncensored oral history of “Saturday Night Live” and am looking forward to heading over to Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center later today. I thought Jeff was pretty funny in the promos for tonight’s show:

Comments

[Emily Barton]

Lucky you! Isn't NYC just fabulous in the snow when it's still falling? I still act like one of those turkeys, and I'm USED to the snow. I love David Mamet and will have to get up there to see this one. Actually, I need to get up there period, but right now, life seems to be very busy with other stuff, like going to the local high school musical this evening (a Big Event in these parts).

[Neil]

Is it possible that you are single-handedly keeping broadway alive with all the shows you see?

[Mary]

Danny - How could you go to NYC and forget your rubbers?!

(Remember those rubber overshoes that Dads used to wear over their dress shoes in winter?)

In any case, those SNL promos were lame, but I'm really looking forward to the show tonight! Have a great time.

Mary

P.S. The NPR simulcast of Wilco at the 9:30 club last week was fabulous. I was thrilled to hear "It's Just That Simple", John's contribution from AM.

[Ian]

Wilco rocked last night! I love it when a band looks like they're having a ball. I'm gathering up the Wilco albums I have to listen to and buying the ones I don't. Looks like I'll be obsessed for a while. I've been wanting to read Mamet's book about the movie business--Bambi vs. Godzilla.

[Mary]

Inquiring fans need to know: In the audience, could you hear when Jeff changed "You" to "Sue" near the end of Walken? I've never heard him do that before. It was really quite sweet. Also, where did Jeff get that Nudie Suit and what's the significance?

:-)

[The Retropolitan]

How long are you back in New York for?

[Goods]

In my mind, Dylan Baker will always be the pedopheliac father from "Happiness". I avoid tuna-fish sandwiched every since then.

Loved the pics of Sammy & Spencer on Jeff's guitar strap during his SNL gig, and the Obama button.

[Danny]

Mary, I didn't notice the mention of Sue until I watched the tape later (but Sue noticed at the time). I LOVE that Nudie suit. Can't I wear one in my life as a book editor? What would happen if I went to a job interview wearing that? I'm sure Jeff wore it last night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Retropolitan, I'm here until Tuesday—one more play to get in tonight before I go. God, I love this town.

Goods, I'm amazed you noticed Spencer, Sammy, and Obama on Jeff's buttons. I could barely see the Barack button on camera, we thought maybe NBC was cropping him out in deference to Hillary's appearance on the show!

Oh, THAT'S where I recognize Dylan Baker from, I knew I'd seen him before...