Thursday 30 July 2009

Prime Time

No. 21: Take a meeting with the prime minister
No. 40: Become a Whig




...“Hello, I’m Tony Blair.”

I’m shaking Tony Blair’s hand wondering why he thinks he needs to make clear to me what his name is.


Justin’s looking very professional with a list of hard hitting questions for Blair, who has spent the last two years acting as the UN’s envoy to the Quartet of the Middle East, while I stand quietly in the background and try not to knock anything over.

We offer Tony a Jewish News care package chock full of plastic rulers, pens and water bottles, and the Labour politico sifts through the bag.

“We’ve brought you our very own Jewish News water,” Justin boasts proudly.

“Fantastic,” Tony replies as he takes a swig. “And what’s special about it?”

Justin pauses.

“Well, it has our name on it.”


Justin and Blair are chatting about Iran, Gaza and falafels, and I’m doing my best to act like a person who makes a living as a professional journalist. Perched on a sofa across from the pair, wearing my smartest work suit and a pair of very uncomfortable high heels, I’m holding the camera as upright as possible, urging my hand to be as still as a tripod. I’m fairly successful, but about 30 seconds in, my arm begins to ache.

Never mind, I’m an international political correspondent, I can work through the pain.

Must. Not. Drop. Camera.

I’m slowly but surely sliding to my right, in a gradual move that eventually sees my elbow land on the armrest next to me. The support gives my throbbing arm relief, and I’m hoping the gliding motion will look like some sort of arty special effect on the film, and not like the kaleidoscope shaking I suspect I’ve just created...


To read the full colum follow this link and turn to page 18: http://www.totallyjewish.com/the_jewish_news/view/c-12211/jewish-news-jn-596-300709/?no_login=1


Tony with official Jewish News water.
Justin doing his thing.


I probably said something funny here.

Friday 24 July 2009

Script Writer Jumps from TV to Stage


No 35: Get behind the West End

I was recently able to interview popular British sitcom writer Laurence Marks, who has written the book for a new West End musical, Dreamboats and Petticoats, which debuted this week in London.

TV scriptwriter makes his Marks as he switches his talent to a live stage production
By Erica Morris

Scriptwriting may not be a huge departure for legendary Jewish television writer Laurence Marks, but setting that script to music is certainly something of a unique occurrence. It was a situation the British writer was happy to find himself in, however, as the premiere of Dreamboats and Petticoats debuted in London this week.

With a book created by Marks and longtime writing partner Maurice Gran, the duo who brought audiences hits like The New Statesman and Birds of a Feather has been reunited for a musical experience that may look like an oldie, but is definitely a goodie.

"It's a remarkable story of how this musical came to be," the 60-year-old writer comments. "There was this compilation album of songs from the 50s, with artists like Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, that sort of thing, and it was doing incredibly well in the charts. And somebody thought, 'You know, there ought to be a musical made out of this.'"

To read the full interview follow this link: http://www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment/features_and_reviews/?content_id=12161

Thursday 23 July 2009

Professional Loud Mouth & Morris Morris Dancing

No. 19: Be Town Crier for a day
No. 20: Learn to morris dance

...“Can I have your attention, ladies and gentlemen!” the Crier cries as we step out onto the busy walkway of the South Bank. He wasn’t kidding about the volume.

“This young lady here is a newspaper reporter from America, and like all Americans, she thinks she can do my job better than me. So we’re going to give her a try!”

Talk about be careful what you wish for. A sea of pedestrians is now looking at me curiously as Peter begins draping his coat over my shoulders, placing his cap on my head and his bell in my hand. He’s also watching me as if certain I know where to go from here.

I’m racking my thoughts for some sort of English gem worthy of sharing with these folks. The Pledge of Allegiance is the only thing I’m coming up with, but reciting an oath to my American flag doesn’t seem very appropriate, and I inwardly curse my seventh grade history teacher Mr. Thompson for not better preparing me for this day.

“The sun never sets on the British flag!” I shout. People seem slightly mollified but still expectant. “London is very foggy! And God save the Queen!”...

To read the full column follow this link and turn to page 18: http://www.totallyjewish.com/the_jewish_news/view/c-12160/jewish-news-jn-595-230709/?no_login=1

Thursday 16 July 2009

With Love from Wimbledon

No. 18: Have strawberries and cream at Wimbledon



...“I think I can get us into Wimbledon for Sunday,” Andrew Sherwood tells me the next morning. I’m relieved, as he is our sports editor and able to get into these types of events without waiting in the queue-which-shall-not-be-named. Andrew makes a phone call, is told it’s fine to bring me along, and I am able to relax in the knowledge that I can safely complete my mission and attend the final day of Wimbledon.


I’m feeling pretty casual about the whole thing. The tournament has been going on for two weeks, and I figure it must be winding down by now. I’m confident that fans have got the tennis-watching out of their systems at this point, and the last day of the grand slam will prove a relaxing, unstressed event.


I’m relating this theory to Zeddy over the phone just before I’m set to go when he informs me of my mistake. “Do you mean to tell me you’re attending the men’s finals?”


This sounds vaguely like what Andrew described to me, and I am then filled in on what a significant match I’ll be watching. Apparently, this is a big deal. It’s augmented by the fact that my American friend Roddick will be playing Roger Federer, the Swiss phenomenon who is one win away from breaking Pete Sampras’ record for the most Wimbledon wins of all time.


As we walk with a mass of people from the Southfields Tube station to the All England Club’s overwhelming tennis complex, I do my best to impress Andrew with my new-found respect and understanding of what we’ll be taking part in.


“So, Wimbledon takes place every year?”


Apparently, I am less impressive than I thought, and my colleague asks me to please not walk so close to him...




Sunday 12 July 2009

Satire with Sanrda Bernhard

Here's an interview I was able to do with comedian Sandra Bernhard a few months ago. She was very brash, and I was able to see her show in Leicester Square following our interview. ..

It seems it's not all slapstick and satire for American comedienne Sandra Bernhard, who is taking some time out this month from jokes and jests to do some Pesach preparations, ahead of a UK tour next month.
Speaking to the Jewish News this week, the 53-year-old funny woman shared her yom tov plans.
"We'll actually be at my daughter's dentist's home for first night Seder," said the legendary lesbian stand-up comic and sitcom star. "I'm not sure where we'll be for second night - we might go to our Chabad.
"Right now we're just working on getting all of the chametz out of the house, which is a big job, but I get my daughter involved and it's a lot of fun."
But it's not just at Pesach that Bernhard's big on Yiddishkeit. "I try to keep things spiritual in my house," she revealed, "but I'm not dogmatic about it. I do go to my synagogue every week to hear the Torah, and we keep Shabbat. I feel a very strong connection to Judaism, it's a big part of who I am."

To read the full story click here: http://www.totallyjewish.com/news/national/?content_id=11574

Thursday 9 July 2009

Racing at Ascot, Scoring at Polo

#16: Become Eliza Doolittle
#17: Learn to play polo
...I’m peering up from underneath the brim of my hat, waiting to catch a glimpse of the Duke of Edinburgh. I might be the only attendee at Ascot who would lay claim to that want, the more predictable draw being Her Majesty the Queen, but as I’ve already had the privilege of attending an event with Elizabeth in the past I’m keen for a new acquaintance. It’s like I’m collecting a royal deck of cards, and Prince Philip will make a nice pair.
As Her Majesty and His Royal Highness ride by in their horse and carriage, I can almost hear the strains of a Frederick Loewe overture. I wave my hand, wishing I had a dainty handkerchief to throw in the air, while watching the procession. As they drive past, I’m convinced I see Philip wink in my direction...

***
...Will asks me if I’ve ever actually ridden before, and my cover is blown already.
“That’s all right. This pony here is very tame, she’s great for learners.”
I’m looking the horse in the eye, trying to psychically convey to her a pact that I will not harm her so long as she doesn’t throw me in the air and tromp on me. I feel mildly confident that we’re in accord, and I climb aboard.
“Erica, take the ball to the goal!”
William is encouraging me forward, setting up easy shots that I have the audacity to miss on each try. I suspect my horse is working against me, we can’t seem to agree on a direction to trot in, and coach advises I give her a good kick.
I am suddenly galloping much faster than intended...

To read the full column, follow this link and turn to page 18: http://www.totallyjewish.com/the_jewish_news/view/c-12083/jewish-news-jn-593-090709/?no_login=1 Sorry it's sideways!

Wednesday 8 July 2009

London's Very Own Superhero

There's a fuzzy green man roaming the streets of England, and it isn't a hobo. Shrub Man is definitely a superhero for the modern age, attacking environmental bad guys by replacing weeds with pretty posies:

The self-styled Human Shrub, covered in green foliage, struck for the second time on Sunday when he replaced weeds with flowers to transform dormant plant containers in Colchester, eastern England.
The shrub, whose identity remains a secret, first emerged earlier this year when he protested in full plant regalia outside the town hall against Colchester council's plan to turf over rose beds to save money. He waved a banner urging people to "save his brothers the shrubs, and sisters the roses".
The council reversed its decision to tear out and grass over one in five roadside flower beds in Colchester following protests, in an affair dubbed "shrubgate" by opposition councillors.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/jul/08/human-shrub-colchester

I should be surprised, but London's had a serious overflow of superheroes lately, so I guess it's just par for the course...

Tuesday 7 July 2009

Monty Python Together Again


Monty Python will celebrate its Ruby Jubilee (that's 40th anniversary to you and me) later this year on stage at London's infamous Royal Albert Hall, with the European premiere of Eric Idle and John Du Prez’s "Not The Messiah (He's a Very Naughty Boy)" on October 23.
Starring Idle (baritonish) with guest appearances from fellow Pythons Michael Palin, Terry Jones & Terry Gilliam and Carol Cleveland & Neil Innes, Not The Messiah (He’s a Very Naughty Boy), will feature William Ferguson (Brian) Shannon Mercer (Judith), Rosalind Plowright (Mandy), Christopher Purves (Reg) and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Prez.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus first aired on the BBC on October 5, 1969. The television series, originally broadcast from 1969 to 1974, was conceived, written and performed by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. After the immense popularity of the television series, Monty Python continued its global domination with three films, stage tours, numerous albums, books and a stage musical, launching the members to individual stardom.
Idle said: “It is rare you get to be silly on a mass scale. This work was commissioned by the Toronto Luminato Festival in 2007 where it was conducted by my cousin Peter Oundjian with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. It was performed later that year in Australia and New Zealand, including two sell-out nights at The Sydney Opera House, and last year at the Wolf Trap to 7,000 with the Washington Symphony, in Houston with the Houston Symphony, culminating in two nights at The Hollywood Bowl (to 19,000 people) with the LA Philharmonic and fireworks. It tells the tragic tale of Mandy, impregnated by a Roman soldier, giving birth to Brian, a reluctant revolutionary who falls in love with Judith, gets mistaken for a Messiah and is condemned to death. It ranges in reference from Handel, through a naughty Mozart duet, to the Festival of Nine Carols, Bob Dylan, and the classic finale Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.”
Visit www.PythOnline.com for updated information on all the 40th anniversary events.

Happy Python-ing!

Monday 6 July 2009

Ron Needs Swine Flu Potion!


Just one day before the London premiere of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Rupert Grint has been reported to be recuperating from Swine Flu! He was apparently diagnosed with the illness and had to take time off last week from filming the seventh installment of the series, Deathly Hallows.

This is very upsetting, not least of all because it might dampen my plans to attack the ginger-haired actor at the Leicester Square red carpet tomorrow.

Rupert's publicist said: "Rupert has now recovered and is looking forward to joining his fellow cast members at the premieres of Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince this week and will then return to filming directly afterwards."

Read the full story here.

Saturday 4 July 2009

Obama and the Mouse

You've just become the leader of the free world, what are you going to do next?

President Obama has finally been added to the Hall of Presidents attraction at Walt Disney World. It's an animatronic show that highlights every US president throughout history, using robotic figurines to tell the American story. Obama has made his debut, giving the closing speech for the educational attraction, and I can now rest easy that after eight years of Bush-in-wax, I can re-enter the site.

Here's a video of the process:


And here's the finished product:


Also, in honor of the 4th, one of my favorite poems, by Emma Lazarus, a Jewish immigrant who wrote the iconic prose "The New Colossus":

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles.
From her beacon-hand glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she with silent lips.
"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Friday 3 July 2009

YouTube and Me

Hi everyone! I am very excited to announce I've begun uploading videos on my own YouTube channel. It's something I've been meaning to do for a while, but I couldn't quite figure it out. Thanks to a very helpful friend I've now got it running, and you can visit by clicking here.
I'm really annoyed that I didn't have this figured out earlier, but I've gone back and added lots of videos throughout my blog posts...
Hope you enjoy them, and let me know if you all like the new look of the site! Happy 4th everyone!

Michael Jackson: The Musical

It may not be his comeback gig at the O2, but lucky Londoners can still catch a Michael Jackson spectacular. Thriller Live is a West End musical that's been running since February, but has had a reinvention since the passing of the King of Pop. I've seen the show twice and it's a lot of good fun, especially with a few cocktails. For anyone who will be in the London area, the Jewish News is giving away five free pairs of tickets. To win log onto http://www.totallyjewish.com/entertainment/competition/ and test your MJ trivia!

Thursday 2 July 2009

Scotland Yard

No. 12: Discover haunted Britain
No. 13: Find the Loch Ness Monster
No. 14: Play the bagpipes
No. 15: Get royal crest

...Our guide is speaking very seriously for a dude wearing stockings, pantaloons and a feathered cap, and brings us to a wax statue of a man in a black coat and a long beak-like mask.
“The foulis clenger,” our guide intones in a voice that should be accompanied by wiggling fingers, “the brave man who went in after the wretched plague had gripped its victim, sent in to ease their suffering and made to clean out the rotting corpses of the defiled area.”
I refrain from asking this man why, when someone is so horribly afflicted by disease, people would think it wise to send in to the poor soul someone dressed like the bad guy from I Know What You Did Last Summer...

To read the full column follow this link and turn to page 18: http://www.totallyjewish.com/the_jewish_news/view/c-12045/jewish-news-jn-592-20709/?no_login=1