Online gossip and (at times) scandal is causing some numbers to jump on some videos: Paula Deen, Mark Sanford, Jeremy Piven, Downton Abbey, AIG

Some of our videos are getting re-discovered because of the subject being mentioned.

Paula Deen before the scandal -
"So Much Butter" - parody lyric on Legally Blonde's "So Much Better" - thanks to Shelby Rose for the vocal as "Paula"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZnWq9Vi1ww

Jeremy Piven and the "Fish" scandal - parody lyric on "Zip" - from before Jeremy Piven made a big comeback after being cleared by Equity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wFvpx3q6vI
Thanks to Shauna Hicks for the vocal

The silliness over possible appearances by Diddy on "Downton Abbey" is getting people to start watching:
"Downtown Abby - Uptown Ann Landers"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7n2P2CIFBM

Airline searches are causing a surge in
FLY ME IN THE NUDE, our airline scanners spoof
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn3AcCmPL00

Mark Sanford back in the office ignites views on
SANFORD "CAROLINA IN THE MORNING" spoof, over 130,000 views and counting again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAFeLTchV8c


One of our favorite stars Helen Reddy being back on tour is causing a spike in
"AIG AGAINST THE WORLD" (our video which was excerpted on CNN's American Morning and Situation Roon, and Anderson Cooper's AC360)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75daFChjAMw
and I NEED ME A LOAN, parody on "Leave Me Alone"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8Q2KHzuME
Thanks to Shauna Hicks and Georga Osborne for the vocals

Please also see the May 24, 2013 post if you're looking for this blog's 

extensive, pretty comprehensive, 2012-13 season highlight overview

http://music-and-comedy.blogspot.com/2013/05/highlights-of-2012-2013-season.html

And in honor of even MORE Jewish comedy coming to legit theaters near you

"Put Your Pain in the Hands of a Jew" (with stand-up comedy tribute)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzpDsd_q-k

and "We Got Jokes and Jews"   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZ6trg0AlVY

"I'm Getting My Act Together..." - a Ford and Cryer "parody lyric tribute"

tune of OLD FRIEND from "I'm Getting My Act Together..."

Every time I hear this show by Ford and Cryer

It’s like a great good friend

Yes I know I was a teen then

Didn’t get all that they mean then

But still it moved me and touched me no end

So much empathy right there in Heather’s story

The life she tried to mend

And the story really moved me

Maybe for a while improved me

In some ways that I could never comprehend

And we’d sit in the dorm with that OCR

Or else we’d play it in a good friend’s car

And they’d pop up at a piano bar

The songs that hurt and made you feel

Fiction yes, but oh so real

Will it be as strong when I’m in middle age now

With each song sung by Renee

‘Cause the music moves as much now

And the words still scald and touch now

Strong in their time, still powerful  today

So I’ll sit here and I’ll hit “send”

Thoughts of a show that’s a good friend

And hope that somehow it might extend

So more will hurt and more will feel

Fiction yes, but oh so real

(The show’s a good friend)

A Helen Reddy tribute, so looking forward to seeing Helen Reddy in a legit theatre again; ALSO, updating our Jewish humor tribute as MORE Jewish humor comes to the stage

And in honor of even MORE Jewish comedy coming to theaters near you

"Put Your pain in the Hands of a Jew" (here with stand-up comedy tribute)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlzpDsd_q-k

As I'd been mentioning, I'd been so looking forward to seeing Helen Reddy in a legit theatre again, glad it was just postponed a week and that all is OK.  She did a club in NYC in the spring, but there was something about seeing her on a real theater stage.    To me, she epitomizes what this era needs - being able to have control and put it all aside, and triumphantly return when she felt the time is right!

LOOKING BACK:  

ECONOMIC PARODY MATERIAL, TRIBUTE TO HELEN REDDY'S CATALOG

AIG - AN 8-MINUTE MINI-MUSICAL /  featuring a Helen Reddy parody-tribute mix:

I AM LEHMAN, LEHMAN BABY, AIG AGAINST THE WORLD, AIN'T NO WAY TO TREAT ED LIDDY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUjCalZ7hiM

I NEED ME A LOAN (tune of the Helen Reddy pop hit LEAVE ME ALONE)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha8Q2KHzuME

AIG AGAINST THE WORLD (excerpt from the 8-minute musical, this video was excerpted in a Jeanne Moos report 3/17/09 on CNN's American Morning Situation Room and AC 360)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75daFChjAMw

Why Helen Reddy songs for this subject?  To me, it's because Helen Reddy was key to my musical growing up, and then in the 21^st century the great lady became an example of a person who very much set aside material aspects of fame to just concentrate on living her life, making her a source of admiration to me once again.  (She had taken up a new career as a hypnotherapist.)   Then when the audience demanded she return, she is these days making a joyous comeback.  I had also been inspired along the way by her remarkable performance on Broadway in BLOOD BROTHERS, and an album she had made in the 1990's with the extraordinary performer-turned-successful producer Bruce Kimmel.

Somewhere in there, the work Helen Reddy did in her biggest hey-day became very much a part of my associations with the positive aspects of conversing and commenting on this current turning point in 2008-2009.  The universality of Helen Reddy's gifts and spirit, as well as the material Helen Reddy had gravitated towards, became an important part of my conveying what I wanted to convey on a subject that felt very important from a storytelling point of view.  Lots of different writers being parodied, but I hope it feels all of a piece, and that everyone recognizes it as honoring Helen Reddy as she comes back after being a "pensioner" for a while. .

The "AIG videos (tributes to Helen Reddy catalog)" were #2 and #10 respectively on Prof. David Albrecht's Top Ten on BAILOUTS & POPULAR CULTURE 

http://profalbrecht.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/bailout-and-popular-culture-2/

Bette wants to do Mame, per the NY Times - not clear if play or musical would be best for Bette, but Patrick Healy had asked about musicals

Please also see the May 24, 2013 post if you're looking for this blog's 

extensive, pretty omprehensive, 2012-13 season highlight overview

http://music-and-comedy.blogspot.com/2013/05/highlights-of-2012-2013-season.html

Here's the Patrick Healy NY Times interview with Bette Midler
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/07/02/bette-midler-hangs-up-the-phone-on-eat-you-last/

OUR BETTE TRIBUTE YOUTUBE PARODIES:  (sung by the wonderful Jan Horvath)

Bette Midler "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" YouTube parody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-JxVU5tTxM

And more on "I'll Eat You last" - this is to tune of "The Rose" 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3Eu_V0npOA

(and a Mame lyric, tune of "We Need a Little Christmas")

Haul out the Herman

Let’s all have Bette come in and star as MAME today

We’ll use real ermine

Investors throw cash when we say her name today – wow!

Broadway seems a little listless

Right this scary minute

Actress field’s not crowded

Any way you spin it

Yes, the list’s a little listless 

Rush in, she could win it

If crowds get way too geriatric

We’ll cast Neil Harris as our Patrick

Or  -  What show can slip in?

PACIFIC OVERTURES with an all-Jewish cast

Put Bette in PIPPIN

An Encores KISS ME KATE with an all-Shrewish cast -now

‘Cause if Bette in OKLAHOMA overwhelms the Circle

Maybe Patti’s part in WORKING by Studs Terkel

Or a new show about DO-MA shared with Captain Kirk’ll

Make the list less listless now

[producers march on]

Call her for FOLLIES
Get her in BEACHES, let her spread her wings again
The best of DOLLY’s -
Make Jerry coax until Miss Midler sings again now

True, she needs a little distance
Right here at this minute
Tony snub was oddball
Thought that she would win it
Yes she needs a little distance
Any way you spin it

Find something showy and supporting
Producers all get set for courting

She'd kill with Williams
There's a great musical of GLASS MENAGERIE
She’s just the right age
But I would ask that we not get too badgery now

For she’s done a lot of gabbing
Done a lot of smoking
Everyone is grabbing
Her rep needs some stroking
Though the thought of her returning
Is so thought provoking
She needs a little distance now

John and Abigail Adams Family Theme ("1776" references are intentional)

Our John and Abigail Adams Family Theme ("1776" references are intentional)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bUcJKIYFyw

Happy 4th of July!