At the Cafe. Hey.

The title line is of course a nod to ‘At the Ballet’ from A Chorus Line (the best song in the show methinks). I always think that show gets so boring towards the end. It’s like listening to a bunch of manufacturing workers complain that their jobs are going overseas but not investigating the legislation that made that happen. A Chorus Line boils down to ‘wah – musicals are hard – dancing wrecks your body – there aren’t any more jobs – wah!’ And I can never get past the ‘Music and the Mirror’ sequence where it has that 16 measure porn music booty break. All you need is the music and the mirorr – and a regular paycheck with bennies, eh?

I giggle inside lately when I talk to my clients and colleagues in Canada. I’d always known about the ‘eh’ habit but never really understood it. It reminds of how Ron will talk to his friends and say diba? at the end of every other sentence – ‘isn’t that right?’ Or in English he’ll end sentences with no? I like how my Canadian buds say stuff like That would be a great time, hey? It’s so charming. In Uhmerka we don’t ask other people if our sentences are kerrekt.

I was thinking about digital delivery of movies versus going to movies at the theatres. I hate seeing movies in the theatre. Others say that they love the communal experience but somehow the presence of ill-mannered miscreants and their hair-lipped, half-breed offspring throw me off.

(Sidebar: And now CNN says that the FAA is looking at allowing cellphones on flights. Note to airlines: offer a ‘no cellphones’ upgrade or pleaese please allow cellphones only in the bathrooms or have a tiny cellphone lounge where everybody can scream at eachother in the same room. No way in hell am I going to endure a four hour flight with some Mamet-esque Gordon Gekko idiot shouting like The Donald into his Nokia. That or high schoolers spending the flight shouting into their phones: Nu ‘uh! Yuh hun!)

Anyway – I was thinking of digital delivery of movies and the Tivo phenom. The idea of timeshifting has taken over media (obviously). I think of that in terms of live performance. Live performance demands you show up on time and have a covenant with everybody else – the audience, the staff, the performers. Movie going is similar. I think that is one reason (along with cost) that theatre, ballet and opera and other live experiences are scarce and elitist. Could the same trend happen to movies? When I can have my own big and comfy couch with surround sound and a IMAX screen at home – why the hell would I ever entertain seeing a movie with the groundlings? Will movies never be released in conventional theatres and just be available for exclusive download at varying price rates?

And more importantly – how will the movie industry fight this – especially the theatre chains?

Mr. Zogby was on The Daily Show last night and said that all of the indicators point to John Kerry as the winner of the election. Though I wonder if this is the same company that usually does the exit-poll metrics on election day. My buddy Kevin predicts a landslide. I’m not so sure. I do know that it’s going to be hell on earth once the lawyers get more involved.

If Kerry gets elected I expect some kind of manufactured emergency that Bush, Inc. says they must guide us through – similar to Giuliani’s attempt to stay mayor longer than necessary after the WTC attacks.

Still haven’t seen Mr. Bin Laden. Part of me would love for Rove to engineer a King Kong style unveiling – or like in Titus Andronicus where he’s chained to a parade float and the stoned to death in a collisseum. Seriously – though – how long can this guy survive on dialysis? How do you get DSL into a cave?

Free business tip: with all of the airlines collapsing lately – there are hundreds and hundreds of instantly available serving staff. Think about it: these people know how to serve a seven course meal, they know international standards of food service and presentation. With all of Ron’s commendations for his service (he usually gets at least 1 for every flight he is one) I think he’d do a bang-up job in elegant dining. Matt used to work that – where you have one table or set of tables per evening and you totally clean up with tips and cash.


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4 responses to “At the Cafe. Hey.”

  1. Matthew Avatar

    What do you think of the video tape released today of Bin Laden admitting to the 911 attack ? Kerry says he will stop at nothing to hunt down and kill Bin Laden. Is a different Kerry emerging for a 3rd presidential candidate ? Last I knew the Kerry that was running was the same one pledging to bring our troops home and out of the international arena ? Well……all I can say is ‘Damn I hate panseys.’

  2. Orbicon Avatar
    Orbicon

    Matthew. What a terrible stereotype to propogate with your comment “Damn(,) I hate panseys (pansies).”

    BTW, I don’t recall Kerry ever saying he would just pull out of the war and bring everyone home. Perhaps you’ve had a little too much one sided Fox News? Do some more research. I’m sure you’d be truly surprised with what is easily at your fingertips.

    I wish you the best of luck.

  3. Jonny Avatar

    We share a mutual distaste of public theater gatherings, Andy. I’ll gladly wait out any DVD release so that I’m not directly exposed to the shenanigans of the unwashed public. Let them eat cake (or uh, Whoppers)!

  4. Andy Avatar
    Andy

    I’m all for elitist viewings of public performance – I just don’t like the high price the shows have to filter out the untouchables.

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