In the new version of the show, the role of Daisy becomes Davey, a gay men, played by David Turner, whose past life was as a woman. The psychiatrist treating him, played by Harry Connick Jr., falls in love not with him, but with his female past life.

Harry Connick Jr. as the Psychiatrist

David Turner as Davey, not Daisy

You may have seen the movie “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever” with Barbara Streisand opposite Yves Montand.

Here’s Babs signing the title piece in the movie-

A parody of the musical The Book of Mormon starring Harry Potter impersonators!  This made me laugh out loud!

Peter Mac as the legendary Judy Garland

Judy Garland– The legendary entertainer’s life has always been so tied to gay culture and the fight for LGBT equality that even today, forty years after her death, our celebrations and traditions are still influenced by the force of nature that was Judy Garland.

Gay men loved going to see Judy Garland's live show at Carnagie Hall in New York City. Her death helped to fuel the events surrounding the Stonewall riots and the birth of the modern gay rights movement.

Today we’re talking to Peter Mac, one of the best known Judy Garland tribute artists in the country. For over a decade Peter has been portraying the diva in his one man show “Judy and Me” and now he’s in L.A. for “Judy Takes Broadway” – a remarkable tribute to the diva’s love for the Great White Way.

Join us as we take a closer look at Judy Garland as a misunderstood artist, portrayed by the media as messy and tragic, when in fact she was a triumphant woman who used humor as way to cope with life’s enormous challenges.

Listen as we talk to Peter about why Lucille Ball called Judy the funniest woman she knew, Judy Garland’s podcast recorded on a Nazi Machine, how a gay scene developed around her Carnegie Hall show in New York and the influence her death had at the Stonewall riots.

Featured Music:
Judy At Carnegie Hall – Judy Garland: iTunes

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It’s video trailers like this that make me wish I lived in San Francisco. Check out this trailer for the Thrillpeddlers theater company’s new play – Vice Palace, a modern update of the Cockette’s notorious show “There’s Blood on Your Face” that starred Divine and Mink Stole.

Joshua Devore looks good in just about anything.

Nanook of the north lost her nose from doing too much blow? Hilarious.

Plus the show has the muscular and hunky Joshua Devore, who looks good in just about anything, and as you can see in the trailer, he wears very little in the show, or nothing at all. You can hear him on our podcast earlier this week.

It’s great to see a theater company understand and value the importance of putting great content online, and reaching out to blogs and podcasts about getting their story out there. Pay attention Chicago!

– More info about the Thrillpeddlers.

Disney’s 1951 Alice in Wonderland is one of my all time favorite animated films, because it magically captures the surrealism of the World War II and Post War art movement with some of the best voice over actors and musical numbers.

Did you know that Salvador Dali and Walt Disney were close friends? He even animated some stuff for Disney as a sequel to Fantasia, which never got finished until the year 2000. Watch the movie here.

Artist's illustration of Walt Disney and Salvador Dali. These guys are part of the reason people today say surreal when they mean weird.

Today we interviewed mom-blogger Raising My Rainbow about her four year old son C.J., who thinks he might be gay. We certainly share a lot in common, as both of us adore Alice in Wonderland.

I love this film because it’s pure non-stop insanity, giving full focus to all the odd-ball Disney characters, making the plain and simple Alice merely an excuse to have the voice over actors chew the scenery. The film is completely nuts.

Who hasn’t sung a friend the “Unbirthday Song?”

The scene features Alice trying to ask the Mad Hatter, the Hare and the Dormouse for directions on how to find her way home. When the White Rabbit appears, they attempt to fix his pocket watch by jamming it with butter and jam, and the watch goes mad.

Playing the March Hare was Bob Hope’s radio program actor Jerry Colonna and vaudevillian legend Ed Wynn, best known for playing the fey Uncle Albert in Mary Poppins who loved to laugh so much it made him float on the ceiling.

Ed Wynn loved to laugh.

I consider Alice in Wonderland to be one of Disney’s most dazzling, imaginative films ever, full of wonderful moments like this. Still for all it’s achievements, this film never got the recognition it deserved probably because it was always seen as too outlandish and frantic. It’s this wild pace the entire film goes it that has influenced my work as a performer and comedian.

As a side note, before the show started Governor Pat Quinn came on stage to announce that January 19th was Dolly Parton day in Illinois, Dolly came on stage to accept the proclamation and introduce the show and during a break in her speech, me and the lady sitting next to me, started singing Happy Birthday. So if you were there last night, you can thank me for that : -)

If you like Glee, Idina Menzel or the musical Wicked then you’re gonna love these guys, Sam Tsui and Nick Pitera.

In the 1980s a similar cultural phenomenon called Up With People recruited youth from all across the country to create high energy, family-friendly musical shows with a conservative message.

According to the documentary “Smile ‘Til It Hurts: The Up with People Story” the troupe was funded by corporations including Halliburton, General Motors, Exxon, and Searle, as a way to politically counter the liberal youth subculture of the times.

Obviously, Glee is quite the opposite, but it does seem like the actors energies are being stretched thin.

According to MTV UK:
The Glee cast are reportedly ‘exhausted’ and have begged the show’s creator Ryan Murphy for some time off. Rumors are that Lea Michele, Cory Monteith and Co have put together a petition to ask Murphy for a break because their gruelling work schedule has left them too tired.

Now, Amber Riley who plays Mercedes Jones said that the production timetable is ‘a lot of work’ and that she rarely has time to enjoy her new found celebrity status.

They seem like really nice people, and maybe a little break couldn’t do the show any harm. Check out how they interacted backstage with Michael (What the Buck) Buckley.

Meanwhile on Egotastic someone managed to take some photos of the show where they all dress up in many of Lady Gaga’s outfits in some sort of fashion-pop medley explosion.

On the floor here is actress Lea Michele on all fours, exposing her coochie for the audience.

Makes you feel a little sorry for them.

– See the uncensored photo at Egotastic.

The retooled Addams Family Musical was on Letterman the other night. Wonder how much of the squid they cut out? Wonder if Jackie is still pissed about her role?

–Thanks Michael

Taking into account the popularity of the film version, this new production includes the song “Listen,” revamped by composer Henry Krieger as a duet between Deena and Effie in the second act. It’s so refreshing to hear two powerful female singers compliment each other instead of fighting to upstage each other. Remember J-Hud and Beyonce at the 2007 Oscars?

Dreamgirls is now playing at the Cadillac Palace in Chicago until Sunday, January 31, 2010.

– Click here to learn more about Dreamgirls and get your tickets.

Have you ever gone too far for love? Ask Marsian De Lellis. He wrote, The Bride of Wildenstein, an entire one-person musical dedicated to Jocelyn Wildenstein, the eccentric New York City socialite who surgically transformed herself into the bizarre looking Cat Lady to win back the affections of her millionaire game hunter husband.

Obsessed with aging, Jocelyn Wildenstein spent over 4 million dollars on plastic surgery to look like the ferocious lions and cheetahs her husband hunted in Africa.

While most would gasp in horror or laugh at the tragic story, Marsian finds the humanity in her gruesome story and embraces the shame monster that lives inside all of us. 

Join us today as Marisan talks with us on the phone about Bride of Wildenstein, and we all share our predictions for the coming year.

Which celebrities will die in 2010? Will Marsian become the Lady Gaga of Puppetry? Will ugly become the new beautiful?

Plus, Gagaholism, Peacocking, Weird Mashups, Life Swapping, Do it Yourself Healthcare and Susan Boiling.

How does the FDA allow kids to eat food that chemically changes color?

And will Apple’s New iTablet save the world of publishing or destroy it?

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Wonderful Peter Pan fail! The best fail is the second one, so wait for it!

Via

We just got back from watching the new musical “The Addams Family” based on the iconic and gothic family of characters created by cartoonist Charles Addams, making its world premiere in Chicago at the Oriental Theater.

We’ll be talking in-depth about the new show on Friday’s podcast, but for now I just wanted to share some of the press pics.

It’s always exciting when a new musical gets developed and makes it’s world premiere right in your own back yard. The musical includes Carolee Carmello (from Urinetown) as Alice Beineke, the uptight mom and I can easily see actor Kevin Chamberlin receive a Tony nomination for his fantastic portrayal of Uncle Fester.

Did they use the Addams Family TV theme song in the musical? Listen to tomorrow’s show and find out.

Get on your knees, it’s time to receive the Feast of Fun.

Today we have a very special musical treat for you- the hilarious Sister Aemilia Scott and Brother Mike Descoteaux, from the righteously outrageous Best Church of God- the only Church that has 110% approval rating from Jesus.

Every Sunday at 1pm at the Lakeshore Theater in Chicago they welcome everybody to their services, even the unborn.

Aemilia Scott works as a freelance writer, comedian and is a founding member of the Best Church of God. Mike is Artistic Director for the group and also the head of the Music Program at the esteemed Second City Training Center.

Listen as we contemplate all the world’s religions and discover why The Best Church of God is the perfect one for you.

Even former guest of Feast of Fun, Shirley Phelps, of the Westboro Baptist Church weighs in. What does the Borg Queen of Christianity have to say about these guys?

Beyonce is set to perform in the Muslim city of Kuala Lumpur, will she be doing Single Ladies in a burka?

A Malaysian ghost ravages young women in their dreams by conducting lewd acts in the nude.

Witch doctors put to death in Tanzania for killing albino people to capture their magical essence.

A man says the devil made him kill his wife and children and he now wants to be executed by the state because suicide is a sin.

And scientists announce the world’s first somewhat successful AIDS vaccine. Don’t throw out your condoms yet, the vaccine had a 31 percent success rate or a not so sexy 69 percent failure rate.

Comment on today’s show using twitter- Include #fof1063 in your update for it to appear on the site. Learn more about hashtag searches in the Twitter Fan Wiki.

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Interactive Male, the hottest gay chatline in North America is offering you the chance to win $10,000 in the Big Gay Kiss Contest. Send in a video or a picture of two guys kissing and Interactive Male will donate money to Marriage Equality USA.

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Sexy, crazy and exhilarating
–that’s Esteban Andres Cruz.

His one-man show “Stuffed” is a collection of hilarious songs and stories about growing up gay in a macho super jock Hispanic household in Cicero, that’s on the west side of Chicago, yo!

Esteban is here with his accompanist Scott Borchert to perform songs from “Stuffed” showing Saturday May 16th at the Strawdog Theater and Monday June first at the Raven Theater in Chicago. (Photos taken by Jason Smith.)

Listen as the sexy Esteban sings the praises and benefits of being a homo and why bumblebees are the gayest insects in the animal kingdom.

Is Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez the new spokesperson for the penis phone?

Doug Manchester who helped bankrolled Prop 8 now wants to get in good with the gays. Will the gays bite?

Horse legs you can wear for all you pony play fetishists.

Two men are fired from their jobs for peeing in the geyser Old Faithful.

A 75 year old Russian woman stunned docs by asking for a “designer vagina” operation get her granny groove back!

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Believe it or not, the streets of Manhattan are alive with the sound of music!

In the Heights
First of all, as I’ve mentioned in previous blogs, “In the Heights” really is the #1 show to see. It’s still fresh, exciting and as vibrant as it was when it first opened. “In the Heights” is truly the mash-up musical of our time, mixing traditional Broadway ballads and choreography with hip hop beats and raps.

The show is about to approach its one year anniversary on Broadway (even though it’s been around in workshops and off-Broadway since 2002) and many of the same stars are still with the show. The main star and creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda,
still amazes after all of this time, but he is leaving in February, so now is the time to see him and the show. I’m sure his replacement will bring his own freshness to this show, but still catch Lin-Manuel while you can.

“In the Heights” also has a lottery for every performance for front row tickets for $26.50. You need to show up at the theater 2 1/2 hours before the show and the drawing is held 2 hours before the show (cash only).

Shrek the Musical
If you’ve got two days in Manhattan, “Shrek the Musical” proved to be more fun than I even imagined. I am not a fan of the movie but went to see the live musical version because of the dream cast of Brian D’arcy James, Sutton Foster, Christopher Sieber and Daniel Breaker.

This cast more than delivers! James is in fine voice in the title role even though I did miss his personal charisma behind that green face. Foster continues to build on her great resume of theater roles as Fiona and Breaker makes you forget Eddie Murphy as the Donkey.

Sieber practically steals the show as Lord Farquaad, playing the entire role on his knees to bring himself to the character’s diminutive height. Other actors better take notice of Sieber because no matter the size the role, he usually makes any show his.

“Shrek” also has plenty of underlining double entendres that should appeal to adults in a seemingly kids show. Homage is paid to other Broadway shows in such a subtle way that they might sneak by even the more sophisticated theatergoer. Some of the adult and even gay overtures are easily noticeable, from the song “Freak Flag” to the tranny Big Bad Wolf. And since this is a hot ticket, you won’t always find them at the half-priced booth. If you pay full price, I will say the Broadway Theatre has the best box seats.

For discount tickets, you can try the show’s lottery. Sign up on the 3rd Floor of M&M World on the corner of 48th and Broadway each performance day for your chance to win $26.50 (plus fees).

The Marvelous Wonderettes
Mondays in New York usually offer few options as most shows are closed. But off-Broadway there’s a very cute, more concert style show “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” a tale of a high school singing quartet who bring their in-fighting to the stage for all to see while they sing popular 1950s and 1960s songs.

There’s a really cute bit in which the audience members have to vote for Prom Queen. Of course, our four would-be friends are all on the ballot and the back-stabbing takes front stage as the winner is announced. All four leads are wonderful and excel in different ways – Farah Alvin seems to have the stronger voice, Bets Malone has more a comical flare, Victoria Matlock is better at improv and Beth Malone is the queen of slapstick. And for an old-fashioned show, they have a great website with downloads, fun facts and links to their facebook and myspace pages – so please check out the
extremely fun website at marvelouswonderettes.com.

The American Plan
If musicals aren’t your thing, Richard Greenberg’s “The American Plan” is a well-layered tale of an over-bearing German mother and her over-privileged daughter, coming to emotional blows in their Catskills estate, while meeting a couple of potential ne’er-do-well. For the most part, the cast of five all bring their A game, even though Mercedes Ruehl’s German accent comes and goes.

Greenberg, writer of Tony winning “Take Me Out,” continues to amaze with his honest, organic dialog and the show’s sexy little plot twist. “The American Plan” is part of Manhattan Theater Club and you can actually get some good price on tickets through their website if you buy a passport for the season. Check it out at: mtc-nyc.org.

If you really have to see the show, you should definitely buy the tickets before you come to New York at full price and get the perfect seats you want. For discount tickets, besides the TKTS booths and different shows lotteries in New York, I think a good way to get Broadway show tickets is at www.theatermania.com. And while it’s not great for New York City, www.goldstar.com offers discounts in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Boston, San Diego and Chicago.

And with all of the money you’re saving on discount tickets, you might also try “Avenue Q,” “August: Osage County” and “Alter Boyz.” These are must see shows that right now are incredibly cheap to see rivaling the price of a movie ticket.