HAZY, CRAZY, LAZY

Summer has finally arrived here in Philly with temperatures in the 80s, no rain and low humidity. It is very pretty. The excess of rain in May and June has made everything green and lush. The farm markets are bursting with fresh lettuces, peas, radishes and rhubarb. Last night, the City began its annual 4th of July celebration with a concert and fireworks at Penn's Landing and on the 4th, itself, Sheryl Crowe will serenade us from the steps of Rocky's Art Museum and then more fireworks. Loverly.

It is time to eat ripe peaches just picked from the tree, and to kick back and read a pot-boiler.

Ah, summer.

THE WAGES OF SIN

While Mark Sanford cried on television about being unfaithful to his wife, another politician a world away also called a news conference to discuss his sex life. Silvio Burlesconi, Italy's President, wanted it to be completely understood that, at 72 years of age, he has never had to pay for sex. He was shocked, I said shocked, when the media suggested that his publicly photographed romps with prostitutes had been a commercial exchange. And he regretted that his 18 year old girl friend had been embarrassed by the charges. His wife ran screaming from the Presidential Palace straight to divorce court.

Jenny Sanford, on the other hand, dragged Mark to a Bible study group, muttering about a reconciliation. Sanford, while he had been in the U.S. Congress, voted for three of the four articles of impeachment of Bill Clinton, citing "moral turpitude." Now, he just cries for Argentina, despite what Andrew Lloyd Weber taught us all about that.

THE BLUBBERNOR

Pennsylvania's Governor, the congenitally blubbering Ed Rendell, has proposed a 17% increase in individual State income taxes as a way to preserve "services" from the Commonwealth. Then, he began to run around the State predicting what dire consequences will result if the legislature does not bow to his wishes. Number one, he will cut off autistic children and other services to the handicapped. Number two, he will stop fuel oil deliveries to the poor in the winter.

Could this be the same bloated egotist that I admit I voted for twice for Governor and twice for Mayor of Philadelphia - the guy who on his first day as Mayor invited the public to help him clean up City Hall and got down on his knees to scrub a toilet?I am afraid so. This is the same guy who invited casino gambling into the State, who cowered before the NRA when it opposed a bill to require STOLEN HAND GUNS to be reported stolen to the police! This is the same jerk who loves to hang his arms around young women (preferably blond ones) and gave double-entendre come-on invitations to a reporter who then reported them!

This is the guy who we elected to an office in Harrisburg, but who insists on keeping an office in one of Philadelphia's most expensive office buildings, with a town car outside always at the ready.

Now this creep, who cannot stand for office again and has nothing to lose, wants to preserve our "services" by raising our taxes. In the middle of a Depression. Eff off, Ed.

HAPPY BLOOMSDAY, LEO

June 16th! It is Bloomsday once again and it has special significance for Philadelphians. Bloomsday celebrates the day on which James Joyce's protagonist, Leopold Bloom, made his "odyssey" through Dublin in "Ulysses." The entire novel takes place on June 16. And the entire hand-written novel resides in Philadelphia at the Rosenbach Museum, once the Delancey Street home of the brothers Rosenbach who collected rare manuscripts as a hobby. Every June 16, volunteers undertake to read from the manuscript as visitors come and go from the old house and listen in to Joyce's writing.

In addition to "Ulysses," the Rosenbach has the original manuscripts of Charles Dickens' "Pickwick Papers" and Joseph Conrad's "Lord Jim." Other interesting items on display are Nathaniel Hawthorne's personal copy of "Moby Dick" and Herman Melville's bookcase. The original illustrations for Lewis Carroll's "Alice in Wonderland" and the only surviving first printing of "Yankee Doodle" are housed at the Rosenbach.

It is a fine resource we have here in Philly and one that we are proud of.

An Abundance of Theater in New York

I saw three plays in anticipation of the Tony Awards, two of them representing multiple nominations. Those two were God of Carnage and Waiting for Godot. I also saw Our Town, revived at the Barrow Street Theatre, largely because Edward Albee recommended it at a “Talk-Back” following the production of his “Zoo Story” at the Philadelphia Theatre Company this year. He responded to a question from the audience saying that he believed Thorton Wilder’s Our Town is the best American play and that, by the way, it was experiencing an excellent production in NY right now... Thanks, Mr. Albee; Our Town was the best play we saw, although it is not nominated for a Tony.

God of Carnage, in my opinion, was next best although my partner did not agree, likening it to a re-hash of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolfe, which it does resemble in that two couples go at it pretty intensely. I think Hope Davis should win Best Actress award in God of Carnage, although Marcia Gay Hardin is the New York Time’s pick in the same play. I thought Marcia Gay Hardin overdid it. She reached a peak of emotion and never varied it. Could be that is the Director's fault although he is nominated for Best Director for this show.

James Gandolfini was terrific and so was Jeff Daniels, both in God of Carnage, and both are nominated for best actor. I think Gandolfini was better. God of Carnage would be my pick for Best Play, since Our Town was not nominated.

Waiting for Godot was terrific except for John Goodman, who really chewed the scenery. His performance was over-the-top and it required a lot of physical activity, which led to a concern that Goodman, who must weigh more than 350 pounds, was going to die on stage. Seriously. It detracted from the play because he is so obese.

Bill Irwin and Nathan Lane were terrific, both in Waiting for Godot, and I could agree with either of them winning Best Actor nods, although I think my choice would still be Gandolfini.

We heard wonderful things about Geoffrey Rush, but did not see his show.

I wish we could have stayed a week and seen two plays a day, but the cost would have bankrupted us. We bought tickets for the three shows we saw back in February and, even so, each seat was over $100, with the most crazy price being the two for God of Carnage which came it at more than $150 each. Nevertheless, we were on the first or second row for each show, so I think it was worth it, especially for these kinds of plays. I’ll sit in the balcony for a musical.