Rose's Turn

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Patty LaPone in the new revival of Gypsy. I saw the recent rendition with Bernadette Peters a couple of years ago and I have to say both Mamas were equally powerful.

So Long Mr. Rogers

I was very sad to hear that PBS will not be showing Mr. Rogers anymore. As a kid, I loved Mr. Rogers. My mother also loved it claiming it "chilled me out."

As a tribute, I've posted the best episode ever Mr. Rogers Goes to the Restaurant which features my late Grandmother Maribel Shearer in a cameo drinking a cup of coffee. She was so excited that she was asked to be in this episode filmed at the Hotel Saxonburg and even got us Fred's autograph!

W. Preview!

The new Oliver Stone movie W. looks so bad I can't wait to see it! I love Thandie Newton as Condi!

You're Beautiful?

As a woman who considers herself not a supermodel but not totally butt, I've only been called "beautiful" to my face by a straight member of the opposite sex only a handful number of times. I can't even recall any of my immediate family members ever even telling me I am "beautiful." My gay boyfriends may have called me beautiful, but they use that term loosely to greet many women.

Anyway, the men who have dared to call me beautiful tend to always be undeniably beautiful themselves so I became suspicious and allowed my faltering self esteem to take over. I ask myself such questions as:
1. Isn't he way out of my league?
2. Why can't he find someone as beautiful as he is?
3. Is he crazy?
4. What does he really want?
5. Is he slumming?

But this time, friends, I WILL NOT DO THIS. I will allow myself to be beautiful just as I am. Let's see what happens next.

BEWARE OF THE BABYLONLIZ SMITHINTERVIEW WITH A LEGEND

Bringing back our ability to randomly run into celebrities in New York City, we secure an on-the-street spontaneous interview with the original Gossip Girl...
LIZ SMITH
on this very special
BEWARE OF THE BABYLON
Legendary gossip covered includes...

* Why our movie reviews don't matter (according to Liz Smith)

* Why blogging doesn't really matter (according to Liz Smith)

* Why podcasting doesn't really interest Liz Smith.

* Why Liz Smith doesn't know who Yaz is.

* Why we love Liz Smith and would do anything she says to do.

As alway, this and every BEWARE OF THE BABYLON podcast can be automatically downloaded from iTunes here.
Or listen right this very second on our custom player below...

Everything She Wants

Tonight, I had the pleasure of celebrating 25 years of George Michael at Madison Square Garden with my friends Wyndham, James and Jeff. Yes, it's a scary thought to think I've been a consistent fan for a quarter of a century. I'm old. George Michael is the Sinatra of our generation. The show which clocked in over 3 hours was fantastic. I hope he comes back to entertain us again.

Nobody's Diary!

Tonight I saw the Yaz concert reunion. God, I love Alison Moyet's voice. Here she is back in the day and I have to confess I got a little teary eyed when they opened tonight playing the song. I was transported back to my preteen years and how much I loved this song when I heard it on Rock Over London which was a syndicated radio show I listened to late on night through the help of a coat hanger wired up to my boom box so I could receive the show clearly.

Mama Mia!

Not since Can't Stop the Music, has there been such a joyous screen movie catering gay men and the women who love them. So, if you fall into my circle of friends, run, don't walk to see Mama Mia! starring the everfescent Meryl Streep who makes a cheesey rendition of The Winner Takes it All seem as powerful as the Drink Your Milkshake scene in There Will Be Blood.

Shut Up, Steve

I've been meaning to write about this for a long time, and I finally found the commercial on YouTube. I don't know how the actor playing "Steve" got cast in this ad, but he really is one the most annoying people on television today. Just watching him in this as makes me feel sick about the prospect of ever eating a Cheerio again. And, what's the deal with his eyebrows?

Double Booking

I was supposed to attend a "puppy picnic" today but two of the parties responsible for planning, both "double booked" and the picnic did not happen. A puppy picnic is where you get together on the Christopher Street pier along with your pets. I'm annoyed because I was looking forward to the picnic all weekend and spent Friday night cooking picnic foods including a Thai noodle salad and guacamole. Max had his leash all ready to go. So, friends, if you make plans, please don't forget because NYCBABYLON looks forward to seeing you and is sad tonight watching the Miss Universe pageant.

Batman: The Dark Knight Review

Last night, I went to a screening of the new Batman film. I was skeptical that the film was going to ride on the coattails of the mystery surrounding Heath Ledger's death. I was wrong. The film would be fantastic no matter what. I don't want to give much away, as the film is full of surprises and action. But, I do want to say that Batman is actually very deep and meditates not only on the current state of our current politics but also on the deepest conflicts that plague the human ego. What is right? Do we sell our souls to help our families? Can you really rehabilitate evil? What motivates do-gooders? Do we really know who our real heroes are?

I also have to state that Heath Ledger's final full performance is incredible. The Joker is so fully-realized, scary and plain old batshit crazy that you have to wonder if throwing himself into the performance did take a toll on his mental state.

Displacement Vectors

I have been out on dates with all types of men in my life including actors, rock stars, creative types, money men, screenwriters and journalists. Tonight, however, I had my first date with an astrophysicist which actually made me feel like a dumb blonde. It's very difficult to describe my job in the beauty business to a man who is going out of town next week to try to discover a new planet. I asked him such crazy questions that I'm curious if he'll ever call me again and the crazy thing is, I kind of liked him. Here is some of the crazy questions that popped out of my mouth:
1. Are you a mad professor or more of a nutty professor?
2. Do scientists actually use scientific calculators?
3. What's your favorite equation?
4. Who's your favorite member of the British aristocracy?
5. If you find a planet, what are you going to name it?
6. How big is your telescope?
7. How often do you mention Galileo on a weekly basis?
8. What is your personal velocity?
9. What are you feelings about Duran Duran?
10. What did you think about the movie Contact with Jodi Foster?

Keep you posted. Have a Happy 4th!

Pussy Pride Day

So, today my neighborhood is overflowing with half-naked drunk and drugged out homosexuals celebrating Gay Pride Day. When did Gay Pride Day become such a low-rent display of sexuality, garbage and drug use? I think Gay Pride Day has jumped the shark. I want to see a day celebrating single women in their 30's who live with their cats. We'll dress up in vintage Laura Ashley, count our Weight Watchers points and talk about the Sex and the City movie. Oh, and we'll parade our cats around in those cat strollers you can find in the Sky Mall catalogue. We'll celebrate our single status and that we're too crazy to procreate and that our true love is our rescue cat. We'll debate dry food versus wet food. We'll hold our cat dancers with pride. We won't use the lint roller on this day. Pussy Pride Day should become a national holiday!

Happy Birthday Todd!

Today is the birthday of my close friend and comedy partner Todd! Here all the all things I love about Todd.

1. He never gets mad at you even when you act like an asshat.
2. He's my partner in all that is BAFTA.
3. He loves your pussy as much as you do.
4. He appreciates a pearl necklace on a lady.
5. He's an original member of the velvet mafia, even though he doesn't know it.
6. He can make a cake out of salt instead of sugar.
7. He loves to eat out at dives with me.
8. He knows a good showtune when he hears one.
9. He will be your fake straight date upon command.
10. He is a loyal and true friend!

I love you, Todd!
Happy Birthday!

I'm FINALLY back

I'm back from what seems like decades of strategic planning and preparing for a company sales meeting in Hawaii. Hopefully, I'll have my life back for a couple of months so I can blog, go back on the points and spend some time with MJ and my friends! I have to say, Maui is really not any nicer than the beautiful island of Dominica so I don't really get what the fuss what about. Plus, I wanted to shoot myself on that second leg of the return flight. I still have jet lag. I'm sad to hear that one of my comedy mentors, George Carlin passed away this weekend. I'll have more to say tomorrow when I can think.

Aloha!

I have been for what seems like a year in Hawaii at a National Sales Meeting. I'm fully aligned and exhausted and can't wait to get back home so I can blog. Before I leave, however, tomorrow I'm snorking! When I get back, I will be jetlagged and slightly brainwashed.

Dearly Beloved....

We are gathered here to see to wish this sexy mf named Prince a Happy 50th Birthday!

Beware of the Sex and the City Product Placement Podcast

We subliminally plug the products of about fifty Fortune 500 company products in this eloquently presented episode of
BEWARE OF THE BABYLON
recorded live on tape from a Fortune 500 company auditorium
Put on your best Anthony Robbins asshat grin for...

* Afterglow on the Sex and the City movie [Time-Warner]

* The mystery Doritos flavor revealed [Pepsico]

* Todd's first trip to Burger King in over 24 years [Burger King Holdings]

* We remind you to join our Facebook page [1 % Microsoft]

* This week's Guess Who I'm With Phone Challenge [Sprint Nextel]

As alway, this and every BEWARE OF THE BABYLON podcast can be automatically downloaded from iTunes here.

Listen to the show here if you have ants in your pants:


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Sex and the City=Amarula

I finally saw Sexo en La Ciudad or as we call here it NYC, Sex and the City. I have to confess, I actually read the book before the series even launched and was addicted to the show which forced me to subscribe to HBO. I also watch the watered-down reruns. So, as you can imagine, I had to go ASAP to see the film. A couple of weeks ago, I was hanging with my friend Deirdre and we got a little tipsy on this very sweet South African fruit liquor called Amarula. I knew it was too sweet and made of alcohol but I couldn't stop drinking it because it went down so smoothly and woke up the next day with a hangover. This is exactly what happened to me as a result of seeing the SATC film. It was sweet, and not really that good, but good enough that I couldn't stop watching and then I felt kind of empy and disappointed the next morning. I won't provide any spoilers except to say Miranda somehow aged the best and looks the most vibrant. SJP's Carrie demonstrates that being too thin can age you after forty. And, that Vivienne Westwood dress would make me want to get married too. I need to see it again this weekend.

RIP Yves

A fashion God has left us. RIP, Yves.