| Teh newness |
[06 Nov 2006|02:06pm] |
My new website mamaspell.com is up and running. Please visit, and visit often! Also, please update any links you have to my site.
And, my new blog is here: ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) mamaspell
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| Save the Drama for Mamarama! (Go in peace, mamarama.net) |
[30 Oct 2006|07:18pm] |
Sorry it's been a while since I made a decent post here. I'm doing ok, but October was full of drama which notably peaked this past weekend.
As advertised, the first Dragtime! show was to have been last Saturday night @ the CLO Cabaret Theater downtown, but the show was canceled because of an electrical fire! There weren't any flames, but there was smoke. Nobody was hurt and the building is fine... but we did have to evacuate and cancel the show. We plan to reschedule for either December 2 or 9, and of course I'll let you know.
Since I my make-up and hair were did, I decided to go early to the historic Evaline Halloween Party. That was a good call, because I was there early enough to see the 1984 themed decorations and to talk to people I wanted to. Then by the time I was ready to go it was wall-to-wall and fence-to-fence people.
Got home to find that my website was down. Turned out it was down and out for the count. I accidentally let the domain registration lapse, and between Saturday night and Sunday morning it belonged to someone else. Yesterday I scrambled to secure things and notify folks as best I could, and that was stinky. But I'm looking at this as an opportunity; I've been wanting to simplify my website to just be "mamaspell.com," so it looks like that's what will happen soon. Just registered the name, so in the next few days my site will be reborn! Just wish I had a little grace period in between. So any mamarama.net emails to me are now dead ... or instead are going to some guy named Leonard. Hey, Leonard!
Other events from this month include finishing our living room remodeling (photos are a-comin'), entertaining two sets of out of town guests, working on a commissioned portrait, and performing in 2.3 shows (I gave myself 3 points for getting my hair done, looking great and showing up for Dragtime!)
I'll let you know when Mamaspell.com is set to go (or keep checking on your own!).
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| Saturday Night is Dragtime! |
[27 Oct 2006|12:33am] |
Hey Folks,
This Saturday, October 28th, I return to the CLO Cabaret Theater with some of my friends for a show that'll knock your stockings off: DRAGTIME! (See also the October issue of "Pittsburgh's Out" on pages 27 and 40.) It's the first of its kind at this venue and is going to be a fun night! It's also Daylight Savings Time, so you can stay out an extra hour to see
KIERRA DARSHELL
JEZEBEL BEBBINGTON D'OPULENCE
and TAMARA KNIGHT
Hope you can come to this show -- It'll be great! If you can, be sure to order your tickets today (Friday) because they're still only $5 each. xoxo!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28
Sharon "Mama" Spell hosts Dragtime!
at the Pittsburgh CLO Late Night Cabaret
CLO Cabaret Theater, 655 Penn Ave, Downtown
9:30pm. Showtime 10 pm. Tickets: (412) 456-6666
$8 at the door, $5 in advance
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| Hip Hop Met Hee Haw |
[14 Oct 2006|11:45am] |
Last night's show's was called "I Like Everything But Rap And Country," and since the two bands that performed with me were a rap group and a country group, that just leaves ME to like! Yay, ME! And, I gave a nod to both worlds as I had my hair did in a Patsy Cline set, and wore a tasteful double stranded cheddah dukey rope choker. Holler!
There was a group of four guys celebrating one of their birthdays there last night. I sang Happy Birthday to them Marilyn Monroe style, and later the birthday boy wanted his photo taken with me. I'd never felt more like Mickey Mouse in my life. Famous!
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| Get Fired Up! (Insert Friday the 13th Joke Here) |
[12 Oct 2006|10:30am] |
(From the Desk of Press Agent Pony, hence writing "Mama" in third person)
If you were @ the CLO Cabaret Theatre last Friday, you saw a true treat of a performance on that stage. But enough about "Forbidden Broadway," Mama's show with Brian Blair was hysterical! It was full of drama, intrigue, mystery and hilarity. Most importantly, Mama's birthday was Monday, October 9 (why many of you had the day off that day), and performing with Brian last Friday played a serious role in this celebration for Mama.
If you weren't at Mama's show last Friday, you have another chance to wish Mama a Happy Birthday at a show on Friday, October 13th. On this night she'll sing with country crooners The Four Roses and perform her own material between their set and the set of rappers The Imposseebulls. It's at the Bloomfield Bridge Tavern in Pittsburgh, and is actually a $6 cover charge instead of $5 as previously advertised. But it's no wonder, there are five people in the "Four Roses." But as they say, "you get you Four Roses together and they's always gonna be a fifth!"
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13
Mama Spell sings with The Four Roses (They "play country-style music in the tradition of greats such as Dick Curless, Stonewall Jackson, Red Sovine, and Johnny Russell. Singer, Virgil Rose, writes songs about things like drinking because his wife left him for his best friend, drinking because he was in a horrible industrial accident, drinking because he was left behind when the rapture came, and also songs about his devotion to the Lord.")
with opening act, The Impossebulls (They jump around a lot and do more classic hip hop. Closer to Run DMC than say, The Wu-Tang Clan)
The Bloomfield Bridge Tavern
4412 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA (Bloomfield)
412-682-8611, $6, 21+, 9:30 pm
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| Funny Next Week |
[26 Sep 2006|11:26am] |
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
Sharon "Mama" Spell performs her
comedic showcase of stories, singing and spectacle as she returns to the
Pittsburgh CLO Late Night Cabaret
with special guest, pianist Brian Blair (childhood friend form Hattiesburg, MS, who will most likely play music from the 1920s-60s and also tell stories about growing up with baby Mama.)
CLO Cabaret Theater
655 Penn Ave, Downtown
9:30pm. Tickets: (412) 456-6666
$10 at the door, $8 in advance
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| Yo. Saturday Night. |
[16 Sep 2006|11:59pm] |
| [ |
music |
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Miss Celie's Blues |
] |
I've been neglecting my LiveJournal in part because I'm spending all my time over @ Myspace refreshing and refreshing my home page for up to the minute updates for all my new, glamorous, soon-to-be friends there! Glamorous, glamorous strangers. Not unglamorous. At all.
My house was built in the 1890s, so bit by bit as we remodel it, untold aspects of the house emerge. Discovered on Friday that the hateful & never really clean linoleum in the living and dining rooms was made by Armstrong. Armstrong, did you recommend people lay linoleum in their living and dining rooms? What kind of parties were these hostesses to be having? When I just think about it, it's just ill, and I'm just jealous that it never occurred to me to have a kind of party, now that the room's torn apart and we're planning to install wall to wall carpet. Whatever the reason, this linoleum must have been installed sometime after 1909, but my guesses are 1940s, 1920s or 1890s or 1780s. I'M JUST SAYING. Can't find information on it on Google or Wikipedia, so the information must not exist.
Yeah, I spent the whole week holed up in this house, spackling and sanding, sanding and spackling. OK. Today was the first day since last Sunday that I ventured out into the world and talked to people. Felt a bit like the first day of school, but not a new school just a new school year. Tomorrow will be my sophomoric effort.
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| From a year ago |
[30 Aug 2006|11:15am] |
http://mamarama.livejournal.com/387696.html
...But I'm even more nervous about this hurricane a-comin'. It's a-here on the coast. My folks still live in the house I grew up in, about 70 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. They're going to be fine I'm sure. They've survived more than this, including the house being hit by lightning this past week. Oh, had I mentioned that yet? Last week during a thunderstorm, my folks were both in the kitchen when lightning hit one of the power lines going to the house. It fried the oven and refrigerator, and fortunately neither mom or dad was touching an appliance. They told me this story somewhat nonchalantly a day or two after the fact, and by Saturday they'd bought new appliances. They'd had the same appliances for as long as I can remember, so it'll be a new kitchen when I visit again. I'm just glad they were ok.
http://mamarama.livejournal.com/2005/08/31/
[My parents] called the Birmingham brother and were ok and just a window was broken in the house. They said none of us needed to come down there. Then last night I talked to my sister who said it wasn't just a window, but part of the wall and roof in her old bedroom.
South Mississippi is the Pine Belt, and it's main industry is paper. Even though Hattiesburg is 70 miles north of the Gulf Coast and is an evacuation site, with its bounty of long leaf pine trees most of the area had serious damage from Katrina. Most of the houses in my parents' neighborhood were damaged. My parents are lucky.
An email from my brother on Aug 31, 2005, at 10:24 AM:
We walked in the last 1/2 block to the Spells on Tuesday. They drove in from the the other direction in the truck as we rang the door bell. They had just started riding around a bit for the air conditioning, and to see how much of the debris the neighbors have cleared from the streets. Just enough was cleared so that the Spells can zig/zag out to 49 if they have an emergency.
49 is open N/S to Jackson, with debris still in one lane at times between Hattiesburg and Mt. Olive.
The Spells' back door neighbor and his brother cleared the tree top (blew from another yard) that fell through the roof and ceiling into our sister's bedroom. By the time we arrived they had also placed a tarp over the roof to cover the hole. Dad had mopped up the water damage. I didn't review the damage from inside yet.
We brought my mother in law back with us last night, driving through Jackson since we knew 49 was open. There is no gas until Jackson, and long lines at the few open pumps between there and Meridian. We got back at 3 am this morning.
I'm going back today, to take the Spell's more dry goods, canned goods, and water. (Their neighbor is letting Dad have water from her pool to flush the toilets with.)
They look fine, and are resolved to stick it out. I'm planning to stay there through Sunday morning. I will report out by cell phone as the phone situation permits.
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| I think I'm turning Japanese |
[24 Aug 2006|11:29am] |
Monday and Tuesday I moved things out of the living room as we prepare to remodel it. The echo in there is awesome without the furniture, decorative items and fine art. Reminds me of when I moved in back in May of '96.
Took that Celebrity Look-A-Like collage meme again. With different photos, I got very different results:
Suzanne Vega, Gina Lollobrigida, Brigitte Bardot, Gwen Stefani, Alyssa Milano, Jeanne Moreau, Audrey Hepburn, Fukada Kyoko
Jewel, Lacey Chabert, Fiona Xie, Tiffani Thiessen, Summer Altice, Fay Wray, Anita Mui, Kim Novak
Grace Kelly, Julianne Moore, Hunter Tylo, Leslie Caron, Aya Matsuura, Daphne Zuniga, Faith Hill, Jessica Stam
Krista Allen, Calista Flockhart, Alyssa Milano, Aya Matsuura, Delta Goodrem, Kyoko Fukada, Grace Kelly, Alicia Silverstone
Sharon Stone, Delta Goodrem, Krista Allen, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Rupert Grint, Debra Messing, Alyssa Milano, Calista Flockhart
No matches could be found for my Ass or my Grass, nor for Monkey or even Pony wearing a Mama wig -- I thought he at least looked like Rick Ocasek or Roy Orbison.
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| Mama see, Mama do |
[20 Aug 2006|02:45pm] |
Several folks on my friends list have been making these, so here I am making one too.
Funny that when reading the recent news articles about me, several of my coworkers have commented that I don't look anything at all like Laura Bush (see fourth paragraph down). Well it must really be true, because computer generated montages don't lie!
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[20 Aug 2006|12:15pm] |
Talked with DJ G from The GSpod last night. (Just a note: his site's not all that work-safe.) Our interview should be posted a week from today. Just giving you a head-sup.
Today is Rich's birthday! We're going out tonight. Tell you some stories later. xo!
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| in and out of drag |
[17 Aug 2006|04:24pm] |
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Does anyone else see a resemblance between JonBenet Ramsey and her suspected killer, JonMark Karr? Or, do these two just look alike because they're both white people?
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| Drag Show in Pittsburgh Tonight |
[12 Aug 2006|10:25am] |
SATURDAY, AUGUST 12
Shadyside ---The Arts Festival on Ellsworth 2006
Mama Spell Hosts Divas of Drag (Female Illusionists)
Pittsburgh, PA. 9 pm. Free. All Ages.
Presented by 5801 Video Lounge & Cafe
@ the Stage Area in Soba's Parking Lot
Eda Bagel as Carol Burnett, Marsha Mellow as Debra Harry, Tamara Knight as Liza Minelli, Kierra Darshell as Diana Ross, Alexis Dawn LeMont as Christinga Aguilera, Euneke 2 Die 4 as Madonna, Lady Champagne as Barbra Steisand, Veruca B Deadly as Cyndi Lauper, Akasha LeStat as One Hot Diva, Vera Fierce as Crystal Waters, Jezebel as Tina Turner. Oh, and Mama Spell as Olive Oyl (Female Impostor).
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| Here I am at home |
[06 Aug 2006|12:09pm] |
Hey Folks, I'm back in Pittsburgh. The show in Winston-Salem went really well. I felt right at home there, and for that matter have never felt so welcomed by strangers. As I crossed the street to the Garage with my luggage in tow, I was greeted by the headlining band who happened to be outside waiting to load their equipment. We started laughing with each other, right off the bat! They had seen some of my video clips on line, and were looking forward to seeing my show. That was Rodie Ray and her band, who are a good act and are great to work with. Reminded me a bit of a younger, funkier Linda Ronstadt. http://www.myspace.com/rodieray
Y'all, I am looking forward to playing at the Garage again, either in the wintertime or in the summer again after it's installed air conditioning. It's a good venue, the sound quality was good and the folks are really friendly, but it was so hot my makeup had nearly melted down to my shoes by the time my set was over! They had these huge airplane propeller sized fans to circulate the air, which was a great help but even my super strength industrial hairspray couldn't withstand those winds. And it's withstood November winds while walking across the Manhattan Bridge from Brooklyn to New York City! But what my hair must have looked like in those conditions... guess I'll find out because it's all on tape.
Probably going to wait a while before looking at the the footage from any of the shows from this trip. I just need to be home for now.
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| From the Winston-Salem Journal: |
[03 Aug 2006|04:41pm] |
Friday, August 4
MAMA MIA: "Although her training and background geared her for a life of sitting alone in a studio inhaling paint fumes, Sharon 'Mama' Spell longed for a life before an audience," says the Web site of Mama Spell, who will perform Friday night at The Garage. Spell's shows are part comedy, part rock 'n' roll and part, well, craziness. Spell sings, plays keyboard, tells funny stories ... and tap dances. Sometimes she even performs with a sock monkey. And she's got so much style that she wouldn't look out of place in a John Waters movie. As her Web site says, think Andy Kaufman with a little Liz Taylor and Ethel Merman thrown into the mix, and you've got Mama Spell. Who could resist that? Showtime is 10 p.m. and Rodie Ray will also perform. Admission is $7. Call 336-777-1127.
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| Photographic Proof: |
[03 Aug 2006|02:28pm] |
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mood |
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 pleased |
] |
I left my Mama show sign in Chattanooga.
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| What the Hay, Nashville? |
[03 Aug 2006|12:40am] |
It's about a seven hour drive from Hattiesburg to Nashville (if you've ever heard the song). That's a lot of time alone in the car with my thoughts. Death and dying, dying and death; seven hours spent driving with "Wreck On The Highway" circling my brain.
But also in my head were daydreams of "Maybe tonight's the night! Maybe tonight is when I'll be discovered and someone in the audience can help me achieve my long-term goals. Maybe Nashville is ready for a new talent to fill the void Lulu Roman and Minnie Pearl left on the Grand Ole Opry stage! I can totally do that! Maybe, down the road, Tanya Tucker and I will become friends and she'll invite me to parties at Tuckerville, and I'll wow them all at the piano with my rendition of David Allen Coe's 'You Never Even Call Me By My Name.' And I can move to Nashville permanently with Rich and live my Coal Miner's Daughter dream. Rich won't have to work anymore and he can be my Do. And if I ever catch him cooking for another woman, I can sing to her, 'You ain't woman enough to eat Rich's cook-in'...'"
Long story short, I was in a relaxed and fun mood for the evening, the audience was enjoying my performance, but the club &/or comedians pulled me off the stage half way through my set! It was very weird! Originally they told me I could have 20 minutes at this open mic night venue, so I had planned on that from the start. Then when I got there, they told me I could have 30 minutes, or as much time as I'd like. So I added some time & material back into my set.
When I was on stage, at around the 12 minute mark I got the "Wrap It Up" light. I was confused by this because it was so early, so I asked, "Is that light for me?" And the sound guy replied blatently, "I believe it is."
So I started to wrap things up, but folks in the audience wanted me to do a bit more. The host of the evening said to go ahead and do another bit, so I did the Hattiesburg Song and my closing song back to back. The entire set ended up being about 18-20 minutes long anyway!
The host tried to smooth things over after the show by apologizing and saying he just was "following orders" and he didn't know why I saw the light so early in the set. It was probably a time thing, or the owner's idea, or who knows. All I do know is that it was just weird!
But I also know my set was good, and I got it all on tape! Other good experiences in Nashville include that great new article for my press kit, and that I'm staying these few nights at my friend Graham's house. Last night we spent the evening at my cousins' house in Franklin; it is truly beautiful out there. Graham and I had a wonderful dinner with them; grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, tossed salad, bread, and butter beans from my Aunt Nelda and Uncle Dennis' farm in Mississippi. Tonight was the antithesis of my show night; I felt welcomed and got to stay past my bedtime.
Heading to Winston-Salem on Friday, then I'll head home to an abandoned husband and two less-frequently-petted kitties. Probably by the day after that I'll be available for IRL commentary with IRL Pittsburgh friends... And maybe still, down the road, I'll be chatting with my IRL friend Ms. Tucker? Or Ms. Lynn? We shall see... xo!
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| Nashville Scene |
[30 Jul 2006|12:06pm] |
Put a Spell on you
If you think “ironic” and “uplifting” are contradictory traits that can’t coexist, maybe MAMA SPELL can change your mind. Part comedienne, part performance artist, the Pittsburgh resident (via south Mississippi) tells stories, provides social commentary and performs hilarious lounge versions of seemingly incongruous songs: her rendition of the Sex Pistols’ “Anarchy in the UK” accompanied by cheesy synth tracks is to die for. Mama Spell will perform a set Tuesday night, Aug. 1, as part of Comedy Night at The Bar Car in Cummins Station. Festivities begin at 8 p.m. and admission is free. For a taste, check out www.mamarama.net .
By Jack Silverman, Nashville Scene
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| No Sleep Til August |
[28 Jul 2006|04:39pm] |
Last night's show @ the Thirsty Hippo was my most recorded show to date.
There were two video cameras; I had one, and the folks from After Sunset had one. (They had a show on the Fox affiliate on the Gulf Coast, but haven't been producing new shows since Katrina hit. They are in the process of making new programs to put back on the air in the next few months, and looks like my show will be part of their new broadcasts.) And -- Clinton made an audio recording from the sound board!
It was a good show with a great audience, and I'm tickled that we got so much on tape. Went to a friends house after the show, and didn't get back to my folks house until 4 am. Still woke up at 9 am, which wasn't too bad. I'm sleepy now, but there'll be no sleep 'til August.
I'll sleep in August.
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| Hattiesburg American & WUSM |
[27 Jul 2006|02:21pm] |
Mik Davis wrote an article about comedy which was published in today's Hattiesburg American. In it he included an overview of my performances, and a preview for tonight's show. I can't find a link to the article, but they reprinted my Q & A interview online @ the WUSM website.
Hope to see you tonight in Hattiesburg @ the Thirsty Hippo!
xoxo
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| Couple of photos from after the Chattanooga show |
[25 Jul 2006|03:25pm] |
I'm at Java Werks in Hattiesburg, MS checking email now. Someone at the Chattanooga show took some photos of my after the show, and I got them today. They're good; my hair was still did, but I was in my street clothes. It was a fun night overall, and hopefully somebody has photos of me in my gowns? I'm working on some LJ entries about this past weekend, but they won't be posted for a while. Not until after the next several shows have come and gone.
( Please watch your step, and don't really break a leg because it hurts. )
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| Mama video clips are on the way! |
[06 Jul 2006|06:02pm] |
I worked all day on editing video footage of my shows from this past week, only to have the file corrupted at the last minute. I had saved the file, but the hard drive doesn't want to hear any of it.
Rich is going to see if he can save the file after he gets home, but I'm not hopeful. The good news is that I still have the original footage, but the bad news is I lost a day of work. Probably won't have time to re-edit this project until later this weekend.
In other good news: http://mamarama.net/rex70106001.JPEG
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| Tomorrow, Next Month! |
[30 Jun 2006|12:16pm] |
A few weeks ago I couldn't sleep and happened upon a movie on TCM called Tomorrow, the World! I was hoping it would be the sort of thing conducive to falling back asleep, but it was way too funny to just be in the background. I highly recommend this film, not just because it features a young Agnes Moorehead as Aunt Jessie, but it's chock full of propagandized wartime drama. My favorite line came from the end of the movie, when the ex-Hitler youth started to realize the error of his ways, "Uncle Mike, I'm all mixed up." HA!
Speaking of spreading propaganda, I spent the past couple of days at home cleaning, resting and working on my work (read: napping on the couch with kitties). I'm really excited for this developing tour of the southern regions for July and August. So far I have shows confirmed for Chattanooga, Nashville, Winston-Salem, and probably Hattiesburg (they said they'd let me know soon, but how can they say no to their most famous daughter, Mama?). Hopefully a show will come through for Atlanta, Birmingham and maybe Starkville, MS, but for now I'm pretty pleased with what's what.
I'm participating in a show tomorrow at the Rex Theatre in Pittsburgh. Y'all come to see me if you can. xo!
SATURDAY, JULY 1
See Mama Spell along with
Comic Dr. Awkward and The Rock Star Collective, The What Else, Brett Mason, Paul Tabachnik, Terrence Degnam
and your host, Rocco Supreme
@ Myspace RexFest! @ the Rex Theatre
1602 East Carson St, South Side, Pittsburgh.
412-381-6811. $5 advance / $7 door
Doors @ 7:30, showtime 8 pm. 21
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| You're saying things to my face you should be saying behind my back |
[16 Jun 2006|02:23pm] |
I learned three really great expressions while in Scotland in May.
1. "A face like a torn pocket." This basically means "a sourpuss" and generally used when describing waitresses and shopkeepers.
2. "Lost the plot." You may have heard this one before, but it was a new one on me. It's a term for old-age senility or just a confused state of mind, like losing the plot of the story. "Delta Dawn is a song about a woman who'd lost the plot."
3. "You'll have had your tea." A nice thing to say to unexpected afternoon visitors. Not.
xo!
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| One Thing Leads To Another |
[12 Jun 2006|11:49pm] |
Of course my heart goes out to Ben Roethlisberger as he recovers from his motorcycle accident injuries from today. But I have to also pray for my recovery and relief from the songs in my head resulting from hearing this news. Because ever since I heard this news I have that Roger Miller song circling my mind: Eng-ga-land swings like a pendulum do; Bobbies on bicycles, two by two; Westminster Abbey, the tower of Big Ben; The rosy red cheeks of the little child-dren.
Normally I do like this song, but today it's morphing into a bad trip for Mama. The song starts, then the lyrics turn into the "Tahr" of Big Ben. Then I start singing the part of Here We Go about how "Cahr Pahr will get the job done..." And I just want it to stop. It's a vicious cycle (without a helmet because it's not the law in PA or my brain).
Soon I'll sleep, and hopefully not dream of this medley. At all. "Variety" is the buzzword for Tuesday.
On a side note, someone told me recently that her mother wouldn't let her watch "One Day at A Time" when she was a kid and it was on the air. The mom thought Bonnie Franklin's character had too loose morals as a single mom. Well, that show is on the digital cable tv now, on On Demand. I watched the first episode of the second season tonight, and I must admit I didn't care enough about the characters to worry about their morals. But Valerie Bertonelli was/is a fox!
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| Sacred instution of marriage. |
[07 Jun 2006|12:06pm] |
(Swiped from Decalcomania --Thanks!)
Sacred instution of marriage.
Ronald Reagan - divorced the mother of two of his children to marry Nancy Reagan, who bore him a daughter only 7 months after the marriage.
Bob Dole - divorced the mother of his child, who had nursed him through the long recovery from his war wounds.
Newt Gingrich - divorced his wife who was dying of cancer. (what a sweetie)
Dick Armey - House Majority Leader - divorced
Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas - divorced
Gov. John Engler of Michigan - divorced
Gov. Pete Wilson of California - divorced
George Will - divorced
Sen. Lauch Faircloth - divorced
Rush Limbaugh - Rush and his current wife Marta have six marriages and four divorces between them.
Rep. Bob Barr of Georgia - Barr, not yet 50 years old, has been married three times. Barr had the audacity to author and push the "Defense of Marriage Act." The current joke making the rounds on Capitol Hill is "Bob Barr...WHICH marriage are you defending?!?
Sen. Alfonse D'Amato of New York - divorced
Sen. John Warner of Virginia - divorced (once married to Liz Taylor.)
Gov. George Allen of Virginia - divorced
Henry Kissinger - divorced
Rep. Helen Chenoweth of Idaho - divorced
Sen. John McCain of Arizonia - divorced
Rep. John Kasich of Ohio - divorced
Rep. Susan Molinari of New York - Republican National Convention Keynote Speaker - divorced
So ... homosexuals are going to destroy the institution of marriage? Wait a minute, it seems the Christian Heterosexual Republicans are doing a fine job without anyone's help!
If you agree, like I do, that hypocricy and bigotry must end, repost this. Perhaps this will open some eyes!
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| Tonight Get Down with the Sickness |
[05 Jun 2006|10:24am] |
I went to work yesterday even though I sound really sick. I don't feel poorly, but the sinus crud sickness I'm nursing has spread to my throat and now my chest. Can't sugarcoat the fact that I do sound really ill, so I'm just going to go with it as a comedic device. Yeah, that's it. Still planning to do the show tonight, and still planning to record what I have to say. It will be an experiment in spectacle, that's for sure.
MONDAY, JUNE 5
Mama Spell performs at the Firehouse Lounge
2216 Penn Avenue in the Strip District.
Phone: 412-434-1230
Hosted by Gab Bonesso. Featuring Mama Spell, Weird Paul and Eric S. Donaldson
The theme: Music and Comedy= Magic.
9 pm. Free.
(Mama will be recording her performance for her website.)
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| I went to Scotland to throw up. (Attention Jolene -- vomit story alert!) |
[04 Jun 2006|01:20pm] |
I tend to think of myself as coming from a hearty stock, not like livestock or soup stock, but like the heartiness found in stocks and bonds. And as such, I am consistently surprised when my own personal DOW takes a plunge and I get sick, which is actually quite often now that I think about it. I'm currently sick, enduring a sinus-drainage type thing most probably caused by the recirculated air from the plane trip home on Wednesday. And unfortunately, this was not the only time I was sick during the trip.
If you read in the comments of my last post, you saw that we were actually a day delayed in arriving at our destination. We got to Scotland that Friday morning, and I was beat down by the time difference. I can deal with losing an hour or three, but losing five hours is oppressive. Basically I went through the motions of getting off the plane and into my in-laws' car, then going into their house. I tried making the nice, but the nice was suppressed by my lack of sleep. Took about a 5 hour nap in the afternoon, and woke up in time for cocktails and dinner.
I felt fine during dinner, then I went to bed around midnight or so. That next day was Saturday, the day of Rich's friend's wedding, the main reason for our taking the trip at this point in time. We were to leave my in-laws' house for it by 10 am and the wedding started at 2 pm.
But around 5 am I woke up with the horrible feeling that I was about to throw up. You know that feeling -- minutes before you actually throw up and you know it's coming, but you try to talk your stomach into actually digesting the food and dealing with it from the other end of things. But the fireside chat with my belly was of no use. There was nothing to fear but the fear itself of not reaching the bathroom in time. I'll spare you the gory details, but I threw up three times that morning. It was not because of the wonderful dinner from the night before! It may have been from the continental breakfast at the hotel in New Jersey from our lay-over, or even something from the plane. Regardless, whatever barfing agents in my system at the time would not go away on their own.
Rich and his dad went to the chemist (British term for the pharmacist, but I like chemist better because it sounds more *.*magical*.*) that morning, and he recommended some motion sickness pills for me. Rich brought them home and by the third one I was ready to go again. Actually, by the second one I was feeling better and even suggested we try getting to the wedding around 7 pm. Rich said it was ok with him to just go the next day, and we make an early start of it on Sunday. Yes, fortunately the wedding was a two day affair, with a pig roast on Sunday from 2 pm on. It was a pig roast, and live band fest and you know I sang with the band. Oh, yeah! I was feeling much better by then.
Tell you another story later.
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| Frogger, News and Upcoming Events |
[10 May 2006|10:03am] |
Driving to work this morning was a bit like the video game Frogger, and I was the Frog. You're either The Frog or The Log when it comes to driving in Pittsburgh. And speaking of Logs, I'm amazed at the amount of drivers who talk on their cell phones while their cars are in motion. Before my mini-rant, I must admit that I am sometimes The Log and am guilty of occasionally doing this. I have an earpiece for my phone so I can drive with both hands on the wheel, but sometimes if it's not handy, I will use my phone if it's only for a few blocks. But somehow I still seem able to stay in my lane, use turn signals as needed, and pay attention to the road. I hate getting aggravated by traffic, but it seems there is a large number of careless drivers (y'all are all LOGS) in Pittsburgh.
And then there are times when friends call from their cell phones while driving. I have mixed feelings about this, because while I feel they should hang up and drive, I enjoy the conversations. I really do. For example, a Hattiesburg friend who now lives in New York called me on Sunday afternoon. She was in Hattiesburg for a visit, and called as she drove through the streets of our hometown, describing landmarks I know: I'm driving through a maze around Forrest General Hospital. Houses used to be here, now it's zig-zaggy streets. I was born in this hospital. Were you born in this hospital? I'm on 28th Avenue Ext. What's 'Ext?' Oh, 'Extension.' My nephews and I went to Kamper Park & Zoo yesterday. There's a Hattiesburg cop. Is it legal to talk on a cell phone while driving in Hattiesburg? Listening to this play-by-play was too charming and funny. And who am I to deny myself the pleasure of this call or to repremand my friend? After all, I assume she's capable of driving and dialing, right? It's not my friends who are the bad drivers, it's those other people. You know, those other people in Pittsburgh whom I do not know personally; it's their calls that aren't as charming. They're all like, "Blah blah blah potholes. Blah blah blah yinzers. Blah blah blah pierogies. Blah." YOU KNOW. Stop talking about pierogies and drive!
By the way, where are those young men I ordered to carry me about the city on their shoulders? They should have arrived more than five years ago..
I was planning to perform at the Improv tonight, but to quote my friend Marsha Brady, "Something suddenly came up." I'm now planning to go back sometime in June, so stay tuned. There are some things I need to take care of in the next few weeks, and I'll definitely be rested and ready by June. There's a lot on my plate for the next few weeks, and I'm not sure how much time I'll have for writing in Livejournal Land. I know I've tapered off a good bit over the past year, so that part is not really news.
( Click here for details about LUPEC @ Junction Dance Theater's House Party 2006 and also Mama Spell to MC the Live Auction at the Art for AIDS/Art for Change Auction )
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| Tonight @ Artists Upstairs |
[21 Apr 2006|02:22pm] |
Artists Upstairs is having a benefit for Emergency Communities tonight, an organization which helps people on the Gulf Coast still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The event tonight is also an art opening, several of my friends have pieces in this show (Holla to Kirsten).
There's no cover charge to attend, but we will take donations. It will be a party in the spirit of rebuilding.
911 Penn Avenue, Ground Floor, Downtown PGH
5:30-9 pm.
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| Updates on the Improv, KDKA & Katrina Fundraiser |
[18 Apr 2006|10:31pm] |
IMPROV:
On the prompting of a couple of friends, last week I went to the Improv expecting just to hop on stage. And I did -- it was that simple! Saw the elusive manager in the lobby, and he asked something like, "Mama Spell, where have you been?" I just smiled and said, "Trying to call you. You're difficult to reach." He said he knew. Whatevers. I wish I'd just gone there in the first place and never tried calling him about it. Maybe in this spirit I'll start showing up at any venue I want to perform at, expecting to get some stage time. Carnegie Hall, Giant Eagle, The Apollo...
I and about 10 other people went on last week, and we're planning to go on again tomorrow, Wed. 19th. You should definitely come to this. There are no reservations required, and it's only $5. Showtime is 8 pm. I've said it before and I'll write it here: other places are fun, but Pittsburgh is fun-ny!
The Pittsburgh Improv, 166 East Bridge Street, The Stacks at the Waterfront, Homestead, PA 15120, (412) 462-5233
KDKA
This morning, Dave Crawley from KDKA TV interviewed some of the participants of "Project of a Thousand Stories" Katrina relief fundraiser. I was there and put on the spot to perform for a sound bite. I sang "The Hattiesburg Song" of course, and other interviewees were also there performing and giving commentary. The segment is slated to broadcast at 6:50 pm either Wednesday or Thursday, most likely Thursday. Watch it when it airs, or watch it after Thursday online at http://davecrawley.com/
http://kdka.com/
KATRINA FUNDRAISER: PROJECT OF A THOUSAND STORIES
Friday, April 21
Curated by Renee Rosensteel
at Artists Upstairs, 911 Penn Avenue, Ground Floor, Downtown PGH
5:30-9 pm. Free, but donations are welcomed.
****Part of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Spring Gallery Crawl*******
If you're unable to attend, you can still donate here: http://www.emergencycommunities.org
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| Monday, Monday |
[03 Apr 2006|12:58pm] |
My brother called Friday morning to say my dad had come home during the night. He was diagnosed with walking pneumonia and prescribed medicine and rest. My brother stayed with them for a day to make sure my dad could get some rest, but of course my dad was up early Friday morning before the others making coffee. As usual. So yeah, my dad's doing ok.
Saturday night I performed at the Square Cafe in Regent Square. There was a great crowd there, with all the tables occupied and some folks having to stand in the back. Reminded me a bit of when I got started at the old Sip Cafe here in Pittsburgh. It was a fun night.
Today the Post Gazette published a nice article about LUPEC's Skinny Building project. It contains photos of burlesque performers from the 1940's-60's, but should be safe for work. It's safe enough for public display downtown.
http://lupec.org/
http://lupec.org/skinny.htm
(BTW, they have the "...if I embarass you, tell your friends." quote attributed to Rusty Warren. Belle Barthe actually said that.)
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