Welcome to The Kids From Fame Media Blog

I'm Mark & I've been a Fame fan since the beginning of the TV Series in 1982. This blog is dedicated to the incredibly talented cast of the show who have brought so much comfort and pleasure to my life over the last 40 odd years.

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Friday 30 June 2017

Tomorrow's Farewell - U.K. 35th Anniversary



1st July is the 35th Anniversary of the U.K. Broadcast of Tomorrows Farewell.

Here is a witty recap of the episode from TV of Yore Website

 
Recap: A group of students are clumped around the front entrance of the school.  Montgomery sees a cab pull up and yells, "Bruno!" then runs over. He starts gabbling about "a chick in biology", then abruptly stops when he realizes it isn't Bruno's father's cab. Two total uggos (a man and woman) climb out of the cab, and both are dressed in grey and have really bad hairdos. Montgomery apologizes and says he thought they were someone else, and the man shoots him the stink-eye and snarks, "Obviously." Someone from inside of the school calls out to the gruesome twosome and waves them over, and they rush past the gawking crowd of students and dart inside the building. Leroy sidles up to a bemused Montgomery and wryly says, "Those people are the man." Er...OK?

Miss Sherwood informs her students that there will be three observers roaming around the school for the next few weeks. They represent the State Board of Education and are there to check out how well (or not) things are functioning. Ms. Grant tells her dance class students that even though they're being evaluated, it's business as usual. She warns, "No showboating or clowning around." Incidentally, I notice that Leroy is still wearing short shorts to dance class, so I'm officially giving up hope that that Ms. Grant is ever going to convince him he should buy a decent pair of tights. Over in the music department, Mr. Shorofsky tells his class that certain students have been selected to answer the observers' questions...and when Bruno asks what he means by observers, Mr. Shorofsky bluntly replies, "We have three snoops." Hee!

Ms. Grant is bellowing at her class to dance harder! better! faster! The female snoop (I don't know her name, so I'll just call her Snoopette) is watching intently, and makes an oooh face when Ms. Grant gets fed up with her class and screeches, "You're hopeless!" She orders everyone to stop moving, then asks them if they have the Monday blahs and mockingly says they dance as though they're wearing hiking boots. Leroy retorts, "We ain't wearing no hiking boots, but we ain't got wings sprouting out our backs neither" and Coco chimes in and snarks, "It's legal for a dancer to have her feet on the floor once in awhile." Ms. Grant stares back at her with her usual oh no you diin't! expression, then contorts her voice as she says, "Oh...poor child. Is teacher being too hard on you, Coco baby?" Coco insists she can take it, and Ms. Grant snaps, "No you can't! None of you can!" Snoopette looks intrigued by the spectacle and takes copious notes. 
 
Picture
"Work it, you fools. Worrrrk itttt!!"

 
 
One of the male snoops (he's bald so I'll call him Bald Snoop) is questioning Mr. Shorofsky's music curriculum, and Mr. Shorofsky gives him a bitchy retort 'cause he's too old and crotchety to take any shit from anybody.

Miss Sherwood's class is taking a test while the music class next door is being very noisy with their instruments. Bald Snoop asks Miss Sherwood if she doesn't think the noise is distracting for her students, and she breezily says, "They're used to it." Bald Snoop makes a face and says he doesn't know how anyone could ever get used to such a racket. He suggests ear plugs, but Miss Sherwood snippily informs him that she can't teach students who are wearing ear plugs. Well duh, Miss Sherwood. I think maybe he was suggesting they wear them while they're taking tests.

Over in dance class, we get to watch a lot of superfluous footage of extras performing ballet moves. After the bell rings, Snoopette asks Ms. Grant where the students go to shower, and she says, "The second floor." Snoopette is all, "Wuh?" and says it's unusual to have a gymnasium located on the second floor, so Ms. Grant explains that the school doesn't have a gymnasium. Snoopette scrunches her face in surprise/disapproval/sympathy and and jots that down in her notebook.

Bruno's hiding out in a dressing room, playing on his portable keyboard, while Danny sits in front of the mirror and cakes makeup on his face to try to make himself look like an old person (for what purpose, I have no idea.) Doris and Julie sneak into the room and tell the guys they're avoiding the snoops, who are currently snooping in the cafeteria. A few seconds later, they hear footsteps in the adjoining theater and head over to check it out...and they find a drunk man stumbling around. He asks them if somebody named Leroy Johnson goes to this school, then proudly announces that he's Leroy's brother, Willy.

Coco runs into Leroy in the hall and tells him she has her interview with one of the snoops in a few minutes, then tells him to wish her luck. He scowls at her and barks, "Wish yourself luck. I have problems of my own." Me-ow. He enters the theater, and Willy looks him over and says he's all grown up. He mockingly asks him if he's studying to be like Gene Kelly, and Leroy ignores the jab and brusquely asks him what he wants. Willy chastises him for using such a rude tone with family, and Leroy snarkishly retorts, "We ain't much of a family." He reminds Willy about the robbery he committed and his subsequent prison term, then says he doesn't understand how or why he'd do such a dumbass thing. Willy mumbles something about getting into booze and dope after being discharged from the army, and says that all that substance abuse takes its toll on a man and makes him desperate. He tells Leroy he needs a place to crash, then guilts him about how they only have each other in this world. Leroy lets out a deep sigh and reluctantly offers to let his brother bunk with him until he gets his hot mess of a life sorted out. Willy's all, "Yippee!" while Leroy stares over at him concernedly.
 
 
 
Picture
(sigh) "You're more than welcome to move into my
cramped little apartment that barely has enough space for one person."

 
 
Coco is being interviewed by one of the male snoops, and for some reason he's sitting at the far end of the table and his entire face is obscured by a large shadow. Coco gushes about how much she loves attending the school, so he asks, "The academic part, or the fun part?" She chuckles and replies, "Dancin' ain't all fun." He asks her what she'd most like to change about the school, so she mulls that over for a few seconds and tells him that the showers don't always work.

Over in the teachers' lounge, the faculty is bitching about the snooping of the snoops. Ms. Grant derisively says, "It's like they came from Mars or someplace. They have no idea what we're doing" and Miss Sherwood says the snoops probably feel like they're the ones from Mars. Mr. Shorofsky  says he just hates anyone who stifles freedom and creativity, then advises his colleagues to appear friendly and cooperative. Bald Snoop suddenly enters the lounge and says he has good news: they're recommending money for the school to build a gymnasium. Mr. Shorofsky snarks, "Of all things, you're recommending that?!" Ms. Grant asks Bald Snoop if the money for the gymnasium is coming out of their existing budget, and he shrugs sheepishly and goes, "Um. Probably." She tells him they don't need a gymnasium, and he argues that State Board regulations call for an hour of PE every day. Ms. Grant cockily assures him that her dance classes are a workout and a half, and that every student is required to take some kind of movement class. Bald Snoop doesn't believe that a dance class equates to an hour of PE, and Ms. Grant haughtily declares, "There isn't a football player in this city who could make it through one of my dance classes."

Julie is now being interviewed by Shadow Snoop. She tells him that at this school, students are preparing for life - whereas in podunk Michigan, high school students are merely preparing for college. Shadow Snoop asks her why she plays the cello, and she dreamily says, "It's a timeless instrument." He asks her if she'd like to talk about her home life, namely her divorced parents, and instead of telling him it's none of his damn business, she says it's been a big adjustment now that she and her mom are on their own. Shadow Snoop then asks her what she'd do if she couldn't play cello or perform, and she just scrunches her face, stares blankly into space, and offers no response.

Miss Sherwood finds Leroy moping on a bench in the hall with his headphones on. She asks him if the guy who was stumbling around drunk in the theater is his actual brother...as opposed to someone he's just affectionately referring to as bruthuh. Granted, that can be confusing. Leroy gets all snarky and tells her that Willard (aka Willy) - who is, indeed, his biological brother - had been drinking 'cause he was celebrating his prison release and seeing him again. She's like, "Well, if that's true, then why are you sitting here and avoiding going home?" Leroy glares at her with his usual glarey expression and snarls at her to leave him alone.

Leroy arrives at his tiny, run-down apartment and finds an audio message from Willy on his tape deck. He tells Leroy he's getting "re-established" with his old crew, and will try to get lucky tonight - so it's doubtful he'll return until morning. Leroy ambles across the room and surveys the pile of clothes his brother dumped there, then opens a drawer filled with his brother's stuff. He feels around the drawer and discovers a handgun, and stares down at it in shock. Egads!

It's Doris' turn to be be interviewed, and we finally learn that she's a drama major. I guess I can buy that. She tells Shadow Snoop that her mom was an actress before she got married...then needlessly elaborates about how her parents were recently separated, but are back together now. Shadow Snoop asks her how she knows she'll succeed in this fickle business, and she says, "When I do a scene well, or get a good part." He asks her how she'd prepare to play a pregnant woman, and she jokes, "I'd get pregnant" then quickly adds, "That's ridiculous." Having listened to a few interviews, I really don't get what these State Board inspectors hope to uncover with their nonsensical lines of questioning.

Coco and Leroy are in the dance gym, stretching. She asks him if he'd like some advice, and he snaps, "No!" and she ignores that and barks, "Throw him out!" She says his brother has only been out of prison a few days and already has a gun. Leroy says he's the only family Willy has, and that he doesn't want to see him get sent back to prison. Coco points out that Willy is ten years older than him, and that he was nine when he was incarcerated, so he barely knows the guy. Leroy snarks, "He's my blood!" and Coco retorts that Willy's not treating him like blood - more like dirt. She urges him to order Willy to get rid of the gun 'cause it'll cause him nothing but trouble, then storms off.

Some jocks from a regular high school have arrived, and Ms. Grant discreetly tells Coco to round up all the dancers so she can prove to Bald Snoop that her students are way more physically fit than a bunch of football players. Both sets of students - who, incidentally, all look like they're well into their 30s - eye each other warily as they stretch and warm up...and Leroy makes his presence known decked out in a blue mesh top and a teeny tiny pair of short shorts. Ms. Grant leads the exercise-off with calisthenics, and Coco tries to psych out the jocks by singing, Watch My Smoke. LOL. The football players are unable to keep up with the dancers - but then, they're clearly at an unfair disadvantage since they're not familiar with the pre-rehearsed dance routine Ms. Grant has probably been teaching her class for the past several months...nor would they have developed the specific type of physical training one needs in order to perform advanced level gymnastics and mid-air split leaps. Leroy does a series of back flips (which was pretty dicey considering his short shorts) and another dancer follows that with several cartwheels.  Bald Snoop looks over at the demoralized football players and concedes to Ms. Grant that it doesn't look like the school needs a gymnasium after all.
 
Picture
 
"See? My dancers are better at performing a pre-rehearsed
dance routine than football players are."

 
 
Danny is now being interviewed by Shadow Snoop, and he earnestly tells him there's an art to making people laugh. He thinks it's something one is born with, and that he possesses this rare gift. (Bwahaha! The hell you do, Danny.) Shadow Snoop asks him where he's from, and he says the South Bronx, and Shadow Snoop asks him if there's anything to laugh about in the South Bronx, and Danny assures him that there's more to the borough than just crime and murders. Shadow Snoop asks him what he'd consider a big success, and Danny says he'd love to win the lottery and never have to actually work [heh...that too is a life goal of mine, Danny], then concedes that he probably won't win the lottery, so he's got to plan for some kind of career...and somehow he's gotten it into his head that he has the wit and skill to make a fruitful living as a comedian.

Leroy and Willy are hanging at a pool hall, and Leroy tells him he found his gun. Willy tells him he plans to sell it for some easy cash (that actually sounds like a sensible plan, considering his options), but Leroy orders him to get rid of it and  insists he's just looking out for him. Willy snarks, "I don't need no tip-toe dancer looking out for me" and Leroy scrunches his face in irritation and tells him to "back off with that" and explains that he's got a nice life going for himself: a part time job at the pool hall, an apartment he can afford, and the School of the Arts. He says he refuses to blow his shot as a dancer for something as stupid as guns or drugs, then once again orders Willy to dispose of the gun. Willy fishes the gun out of his jacket pocket and slams it onto the pool table. Leroy's like, "The hell?!" and quickly hides it in the pocket of his hoodie, then glances around the pool hall shiftily.

Leroy enters a dark alley, ambles past a homeless man, and drops the gun into a dumpster. The homeless man, who's actually an undercover police officer, yells, "Hold it right there!" Leroy tries to make a break for it, but gets trapped at the other end of the alley by the cop's partner.

Ms. Grant, who apparently is Leroy's emergency contact person, points out to the undercover cop that Leroy hasn't been charged with anything. The cop informs her that if the gun Leroy tried to discard in the dumpster was used in a crime, they could charge Leroy. The cop tells her she needs her to ensure that Leroy will show up for the trial if they decide to press charges against him, and Ms. Grant promises to do her best.

It's Bruno's turn to be interviewed, and he grumps to Shadow Snoop about all the cliques that have been formed among the drama and dance majors, then complains that no one understands music majors. He tells Shadow Snoop that his dream is to write music that makes people feel good...and that his dad is supportive of his career as a musician, even though it may not be the most stable way of making a living.
 
Picture
"I like playing music that makes people feel good."
 
 
Leroy is sitting in the dressing room, glumly staring at himself in the mirror. He picks up a tube of lipstick and writes a big X on the mirror in front of his face. Bruno interrupts his pity party and informs him that pretty much the entire school knows about his arrest. Some of the kids think it's cool he had a gun, others thought he was courageous for disposing of the gun - but, overwhelmingly, most of them don't think he should go to jail for a guy he barely knows.

Leroy mopishly strolls down the hallway and peeks into various classrooms, watching his classmates rehearse lines, play the piano, and dance. He continues his moping in Central Park and encounters a mime who does his best to cheer him up. After that, he lumbers back to his apartment and continues to mope there. Riveting TV. A few hours later, Willy arrives at the apartment, all happy 'cause he won $100 playing poker. Leroy informs him he's going to have to move out, then hands him enough money to find himself a place of his own. Willy goes, "That's cold, man. I'm your brother" but Leroy argues, "You're just my mother's other son. That isn't the same as being a brother." Willy chuckles bitterly and takes the money...then tosses Leroy his keys and says, "I'm dead to you, boy." Leroy explains that he has family besides him, but they all have different last names, and Willy's like, "Whatever, man" and stalks out.

Leroy shows up for his interview with Shadow Snoop, but finds Miss Sherwood filling in. Apparently, Shadow Snoop had a small accident. She tells him the police are dropping the gun investigation 'cause the writers had no interest in sustaining that dumb storyline, and he happily informs her that he finally got his deadbeat brother to move out. He says it was tough, and that Willy's not a bad person - it's just that he's never had a purpose in life beyond hustling. Leroy says that he, on the other hand, has a purpose at this school and says, "The working and the dancing - it's just something that I am." Miss Sherwood gives him an affectionate smile and tells him to get outta here, 'cause he just answered every question she was supposed to ask him.

After that, we're subjected to a superfluous dance performance with Ms. Grant enthusiastically leading the class...and Leroy is blissfully leaping and twirling about in his short shorts. OMFG, man - get some tights!
 



Friday 23 June 2017

Passing Grade - 35th Anniversary U.K.


24th June is the 35th Anniversary of the U.K. Broadcast of Passing Grade.

Here is a witty recap of the episode from TV of Yore Website



Recap: A group of male students are breakdancing in the hallway - it was the '80s after all - and a small crowd has gathered and is enjoying the impromptu show. Leroy bops to the beat and eventually joins in and starts gyrating suggestively. Some bearded guy in a leather jacket sneaks up behind Ms. Grant and tries to do the hands-over-the-eyes-from-behind thing on her, but she senses his presence, whirls around, exclaims, "Robert!" and hugs him. He gives her a smooch in return - and Leroy and Bruno raise their eyebrows at each other as they ogle the inappropriate public display of affection.

Danny Amatullo and his feathered '80s 'do enter Miss Sherwood's English class. He chides Doris for reading the trades and tells her it's something only amateurs do. Doris argues that actresses read the trades to keep up with what's going on, but Danny snarks that actresses should find out what's going on by meeting people. He pronounces, as though he's any kind of authority on the subject, "It's not what you know - it's who you know." He says if show business were purely about talent, he'd be on Johnny Carson's show tomorrow night, which made me laugh out loud for several long seconds because I've seen Fame before and am painfully familiar with the extent of his "talent". Danny tries to get Bruno to agree with him, but Bruno grumbles, "I'm not into show business. I'm a musician" then winks at Julie. She grins back at him, then tells Doris not to pay any attention to Danny's insane ramblings...but Danny continues to natter on about how pointless the trades are. Doris tells him she's about to prove him wrong, then springs up from her desk and sprints out of the room. Miss Sherwood yells after her that if she's not back in two minutes, she's assigning her an extra book report.

In dance class, Leroy has changed into a blue see-through mesh top and short shorts. Didn't Ms. Grant forbid him to come to her class unless he was wearing proper dance tights? He's flailing his limber limbs around and moonwalking while everyone else casually jigs. He then moonwalks over to Coco and directs her attention across the room to Ms. Grant, who's animatedly talking to Robert. He tells her he just got a job as director of a musical, and Ms. Grant looks very impressed and gushes, "My ex-boyfriend, the director." Robert frowns and says, "Did you have to put that ex in there?" He then says she'd be perfect for the lead role, then hastily adds, "You'd have to audition, of course." Doris suddenly bursts into the room, throws the trade newspaper at Coco and urges her look at page 12, then runs out again...and Coco quickly scans the page and instantly looks intrigued. Ms. Grant tells Robert she'll consider auditioning for his show, then says she has to get back to work and start her dance class. Doris races down the hall (she looks very odd when she runs) to return to English class, only to mistakenly burst into Mr. Shorofsky's music class...and everyone laughs as she sheepishly exits. Womp womp!


Picture
"Yay! I'm finally getting my big break!"

Ms. Grant is making her class do weird dance moves to some high energy African music. She barks at Coco to "work it" then snarks at Leroy to watch his form, not the form of the hot chick he's dancing next to. Coco takes a break from working it to read the trades again...and she looks even more intrigued.

Miss Sherwood tells Ms. Grant that the audition for Robert's show sounds like a great opportunity. Ms. Grant says if she gets the part, she'll have to quit her job at the school...but she really wants to audition 'cause she misses performing. Miss Sherwood advises her to go for it and says if she doesn't audition, she'll always wonder what might have been.
Bruno's in one of the music rooms, playing on a synthesizer, when Coco bursts in. He grumps at her for not knocking, and she retorts, "I don't have time to knock! This is business!" She waves the trade newspaper at him and blurts out, "We got a job!" and reads an advertisement that calls for talented ethnic actresses. Bruno tells her that ethnic could mean Jewish, and she chirps, "I'll convert!" LOL. She reads him the rest of the ad, then gushes, "Broadway - here we come!" She wants him to play the background music for her audition and assures him he wouldn't have to write any new music - he could just play something he already knows. Bruno stares at her in his I'm-so-over-evvvvverything manner and retorts, "Watch my lips. Noooooo way." What a joyless frump of a wet blanket he is.
Picture
"Hey Bruno - we got a job!"
 
 
 

In the next scene, Bruno's sitting in the back of his dad's cab, complaining that Coco is incapable of hearing the word no. His equally as grumpy dad agrees that he's not getting anything out of playing the background music for her audition...aside from doing a favor for a friend, that is. Mr. Martelli pulls over at the next intersection where Coco's waiting, and she climbs in and gives him the address of the theater. He's all, "The fuck? That's just around the corner!" so she explains that it looks better if she arrives in a cab...even though everyone she's auditioning for is already inside the theater and will have no idea how she arrived. When he pulls up in front of the theater a few seconds later, Coco dashes out of the car and rushes inside...and quickly finds the stage manager. She haughtily asks him if he can provide a synthesizer for her accompanying musician, and he wryly tells her they have an invention called the piano, and Bruno says that'll do just fine. After the stage manager wanders off, Coco gabbles about how exciting it is to be at her first real audition...but Bruno grumbles in his grumbly way that he'd much rather be at the dentist's right now. The performer who just auditioned exits the stage, looks at Coco with a yikes expression, and says that the people who are casting the show are a tough crowd.

Picture
"I'm so excited to be on a real audition for the first time ever!"



Coco is summoned to the stage, so she goes out, stands in the center, and squints toward the casting committee...but she's unable to see anything with the light shining in her eyes. They ask her to briefly talk about her past experience as a performer and who she's worked with, etc...and because she has zero experience and has worked with no one, Bruno deftly interjects and asks the committee if they can hurry this along 'cause he has another gig soon and doesn't want to get caught in traffic. LOL. He then starts playing, and Coco sings and dances to a lame sounding song called The Show Must Go On...and we get to endure the mediocre performance in its entirety. When she finishes, she looks very pleased with herself, and one of the people casting asks her if they have her phone number. She says she wrote it down on the sign-in sheet, and the person tells her they'll probably be calling her back...and as she and Bruno exit the stage, she exclaims, "I think we got it!" Suddenly, Ms. Grant appears - ack! - and she asks Coco what she's doing here. Coco says she just auditioned for the lead role...and then Bruno asks Ms. Grant what she's doing here, and she says, "I'm auditioning too. For the lead." The three stare at each other awkwardly until Ms. Grant is called to the stage.

Back at the School of the Arts, Ms. Grant checks herself out in the mirror as she leaps, frolics, and prances around the dance gym. Miss Sherwood enters and asks her how the audition went, and she proudly reports that she got a callback. She then spills the beans on Coco auditioning, and Miss Sherwood gasps and goes, "What was she doing there? She knows the school rules" but Ms. Grant breezily waves her hand in the air and says that half the student body goes on auditions, despite it being against the rules. She figures that Coco must be afraid she's going to blow the whistle on her, and Miss Sherwood bitchily retorts, "Maybe you should!" and points out that she'd have to drop out of school if she gets the role. Ms. Grant smugly retorts that there's no way in hell Coco will be cast as the lead, since she's 6-7 years too young for the part...then wryly admits that even though she's a shoo-in 'cause her boyfriend is the director, she's 6-7 years too old for it. She then wonders aloud if she's truly willing to quit her job for the role...then wails that she's not sure about anything right now.

Danny excitedly tells Montgomery that Johnny Carson is spending a week in New York, and it's well known that Gino's is his favorite restaurant. He's determined to approach the comedy legend and pass along his jokes to include in his nightly monologue (as fucking if), then says, "That's how careers get started, man." Montgomery refrains from laughing in his face and points out that Carson will probably have an entourage around him to prevent overeager morons like him from getting too close, and Danny scrunches his face in confusion and goes, "Entourage..?" as though he's never heard the word...which is weird for someone who's supposed to be so in the know about showbiz. Danny brushes off his cluelessness and says he plans to get a job at Gino's so he that he can "accidentally" run into Johnny Carson. He then tells a disinterested Montgomery that he plans to get a job at Gino's...and explains that his father and the owner of Gino's know each other 'cause they both belong to The Knights of St. Anthony.

Doris sidles up to Bruno at his locker and asks him how yesterday's audition went. He tries to play dumb, but she says she saw his dad drop him and Coco off at the theater...plus, his dad totally spilled the beans when she asked him whassup. Doris asks Bruno if he thinks Ms. Grant will report them for breaking the "no auditioning" rule, and he says he doubts she will. Doris frowns and says, "If I was Coco, I'd want to know what was coming up."

Ms. Grant is doing paperwork in her dance gym when Coco tip-toes in and asks her if they can talk. Ms. Grant dispenses with any awkwardness and tells her that whatever goes on outside of school stays outside of school, and Coco is surprised and pleased that she's not going to get reported. She says, "No matter what, no hard feelings" and Ms. Grant tries to hide her amusement at Coco's naïveté and agrees, "No hard feelings." Coco happily scampers out of the room, leaving Ms. Grant to stare contemplatively into space.

Danny's on the phone with the owner of Gino's, reminding him that he and his dad are both members of The Knights of St. Anthony. He scores a volunteer job as a busboy, then hangs up and excitedly tells Mr. Shorofsky he just found a way to meet Johnny Carson. Mr. Shorofsky shrugs indifferently 'cause he doesn't own a TV set and doesn't have a clue who Johnny Carson is.

Leroy is decked out in a yellow cable stitched mesh tank top (OMFG) as he buys his lunch, then joins Julie, Bruno, and Doris at their lunch table. Julie asks Bruno what the audition was like, and he says it was the same process as it was to audition for this school. They wonder if Coco will freak out if she gets the part, since it'll mean she has to drop out of school...and Doris says that Ms. Grant will also have to quit if she gets the part. Leroy's all, "Wha-a?" and puts his sad face on. Bruno says they shouldn't assume Coco won't get the role, since her audition went very well, and Leroy snarks, "Yeah, but her boyfriend wasn't directing the thing." Bruno's all, "Wha-a?" then shakes his head and says, "Coco's going to be wasted when she hears that. Who's going to tell her?" Doris looks past him and says, "You just did" and everyone turns around and realizes that Coco has been standing right behind them, holding her food tray and eavesdropping.
Coco goes to the dance gym and stares at herself mournfully in the mirror. Doris enters the room and goes, "Sorry", and Coco rails about being made a fool of. Doris agrees that it's soo not fair that Ms. Grant's boyfriend is the show's director, and Coco snaps, "It stinks!" and says she plans to confront the dance teacher.

Julie's in one of the music rooms playing her cello when Bruno enters and asks her if she's OK. She tells him that hearing about Coco's audition put her in "a bad place" (not sure why) and that she always feels better when she plays her cello. He agrees that music is good therapy and sits down and accompanies her on the piano.

Miss Sherwood runs into Ms. Grant in the office and asks her whassup. Ms. Grant says she's exhausted from teaching five classes a day and preparing for her audition...plus, she has a date with Robert tonight. Coco suddenly bursts into the room and asks Ms. Grant if they can speak privately...and Miss Sherwood and Mr. Shorofsky beat a hasty retreat. Coco reminds Ms. Grant that she told her "whatever happens outside of school stays there", and Ms. Grant says it still applies and credits herself as "one of the good guys". Coco asks her if she feels that way 'cause she knows that she doesn't have a chance at the part in the show, and Ms. Grant tells her that in an audition situation, every performer has a chance. Coco shoots her the stink-eye and snarls, "Even when one of the people in the audition situation is dating the director?!!" Ms. Grant says she's too tired to answer that question (LOL), and that it doesn't deserve a response anyway. She sassily adds, "That's all the answer you'll get" and Coco gives up on the conversation and storms out.

Ms. Grant and Robert are having dinner at Gino's. She tells him she's having second thoughts about auditioning for the show 'cause she may not want to give up her teaching job. Robert tells her there are only three people up for the role (her, Coco, and some other woman), then reminds her that he's the director and that she's his top choice. Danny suddenly appears at the table to deliver a  basket of bread, and Ms. Grant looks over at him and is all, "Wuh?" Danny then overhears the restaurant owner take a call regarding "Mr. Carson's party of six". He perks up as he eavesdrops and notes that the reservation is for tomorrow night at 7:00pm.

The next day in the cafeteria, Coco is nervously deciding which leotard she should wear to the audition: red or blue? She finally settles on the blue one, and everyone wishes her luck.

Leroy runs into Ms. Grant in the stairwell and asks her if she's really auditioning for a show. She says she is and asks him to wish her luck, but he sullenly refuses and explains that he doesn't want her to leave the school...and he doesn't give a rat's ass if he's being a selfish prick. He stomps off, and Ms. Grant stares into space contemplatively.

The host at Gino's tells Danny that the Carson party has arrived. Danny rushes in the direction of the table, which is conveniently obscured by a giant plant 'cause Johnny Carson doesn't actually have a cameo in this episode.

Coco is backstage at the theater, preparing for her audition. Ms. Grant arrives and says hello to her, and Coco asks her if she's nervous, and Ms. Grant says she is, but that it's a normal part of auditioning, blah blah. The other candidate performs, and she's actually not bad. While that's going on, Ms. Grant notices an important looking man (the producer?) arrive with a pretty young woman. He speaks with Robert...and Robert kind of waves his arms around and looks pissed off. The important looking man then tells the young woman something, and she excitedly jumps up and down and starts twirling around. Ms. Grant purses her lips and stares over at the exchange with a knowing expression on her face. When she's called to the stage, she asks to speak with Robert privately. She glares at him and asks him if she's about to audition for nothing, and he looks around shiftily and says, "I have no idea what you're talking about." LOL. She snaps, "The hell you don't!" and orders him to look her in the eye and tell her that the part hasn't been cast yet. He hangs his head sheepishly and says, "This isn't an easy racket" and reminds her that this is his first directing job and that he's only human...then finally comes clean and tells her there's no need for her to audition. Coco, meanwhile, is watching all this from backstage with a puzzled expression on her face. Ms. Grant rushes off the stage, grabs Coco by the hand, and tells her she'll explain everything once they get back to the school.


Picture
"I don't think we should see each other anymore."

Danny tells the owner of Gino's that he ran into Johnny Carson in the bathroom and spoke with him...and by spoke with him, he means that Johnny told him to buzz off when he tried to tell him his stupid jokes.

Coco wails, "It's not fair!" when Ms. Grant explains what just happened at the theater. She says she could have gotten the part, but Ms. Grant tut tuts her and says it was unlikely, and that she's not ready for a lead role until after she mentors her some more and she can sing and dance better. Suddenly, Ms. Grant starts flitting about, and their voices provide the background music in a cheese-tastic '80s song titled, I Still Believe in Me, which apparently scored an Emmy nomination that year. Go figure. Ms. Grant dances in her purple flowy outfit, and Coco joins her in her blue flowy outfit, and the two leap and twirl around the room in a superfluous performance.

Ebay of the week

Happy Birthday Erica Gimpel



Happy 53rd Birthday Erica Gimpel for June 25th

Thursday 22 June 2017

Lee Curreri - 10 Albums that Influnced him as a Teenager


Last Month Lee Curreri Posted the Following on Facebook.

#10albums that influenced me as a teenager:
(This was really difficult to narrow down)
 

Stevie Wonder, Talking Book
 

Carole King, Tapestry
 

Miles Davis, Nefertiti...
 

Wayne Shorter/Milton Nascimento, Native Dancer
 

Sly and the Family Stone, Fresh
 

Tashi Quartet, Messiaen: Quartet for the End of Time
 

Carlos Garnett, Black Love
 

John Coltrane, Giant Steps
 

Bill Evans, The Bill Evans Album
 

George Crumb, Music For a Summer Evening (Makrokosmos III)

Fame Wrap Party Pictures 1987



Friday 16 June 2017

Fame MP3 - Erica Gimpel


"Fame" comes from the season 1 episode "Metamorphosis". Written by Michael Gore and Dean Pitchford, it is performed by Erica Gimpel.

Download MP3


 
 
 
Baby look at me
And tell me what you see 
You ain't seen the best of me yet 
Give me time I'll make you forget the rest 

I got more in me 
And you can set it free 
I can catch the moon in my hands 
Don't you know who I am 

Remeber my name 
Fame 

I'm gonna live forever 
I'm gonna learn how to fly 
High 

I feel it coming together 
People will see me and cry 
Fame 

I'm gonna make it to heaven 
Light up the sky like a flame 
Fame 

I'm gonna live forever 
Baby remember my name 

Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember 
Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember 

Baby hold me tight 
Cause you can make it right 
You can shoot me straight to the top 
Give me love and take all I've got to give 

Baby I'll be tough 
Too much is not enough 
I'll grab your heart til it breaks 
Ooo I got what it takes 

Fame 
I'm gonna live forever 
I'm gonna learn how to fly 
High 

I feel it coming together 
People will see me and cry 
Fame 

I'm gonna make it to heaven 
Light up the sky like a flame 
Fame 

I'm gonna live forever 
Baby remember my name 

Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember 
Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember 

Fame 
I'm gonna live forever 
I'm gonna learn how to fly 
High 

I feel it coming together 
People will see me and cry 
Fame 

I'm gonna make it to heaven 
Light up the sky like a flame 
Fame 

I'm gonna live forever 
Baby remember my name 

Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember 
Remember, Remember, Remember, Remember

Remember my name 

Fame 
I'm gonna live forever 
I'm gonna learn how to fly 
High 

I feel it coming together 
People will see me and cry 
Fame 

I'm gonna make it to heaven 
Light up the sky like a flame 
Fame 

I'm gonna live forever 
Baby remember my name 

Fame 
I'm gonna live forever 
I'm gonna learn how to fly 
High 

I feel it coming together 
People will see me and cry 
Fame 

Metamorphosis - 35th Anniversary U.K.


17th June is the 35th Anniversary of the first U.K. broadcast of "Metamorphosis"



Here is a witty recap of the episode from Television of Yore Website.


Recap: It's audition time at New York City's fictional High School for the Performing Arts. On the auditorium stage is a vacuous looking baton twirler who somehow doesn't realize how badly she sucks. Mr. Shorofsky tells her that the purpose of the school is to prepare students for careers in the performing arts, then wryly asks her if there's a need for professional baton twirlers he's not aware of. The girl smiles brightly and chirps, "Sure!" and explains that baton twirlers could potentially become cheerleaders for professional football teams. Mr. Shorofsky stares at her in befuddlement until Ms. Grant brusquely dismisses the nitwit from their orbit. The next auditioner to take the stage is Julie Miller, a conservatively dressed blonde girl carrying a cello. Ms. Grant explains to Julie [and the viewers] that these auditions are held for new arrivals to New York City, then asks her what brought her to the Big Apple. Julie spacily stares back at her and says, "My parents got divorced" and Ms. Grant looks slightly confused by the brevity and dumbness of her answer, but then shrugs it off and says, "Any time you're ready." Julie begins playing her cello, and she's actually not bad. [Note: I Googled Lori Singer and learned from Wikipedia that she's a cellist in real life, so I guess we can assume that any footage of her cello playing is authentic.]

Miss Sherwood asks Coco how summer stock was, and Coco grins broadly and says, "Beautiful" then explains that she mostly worked behind the scenes. She was also an understudy, but unfortunately for her the actress was very healthy and never missed a performance. Miss Sherwood clucks sympathetically and says, "Sorry you didn't get to be a star" but Coco flashes her a smile that screams I am effervescent! and retorts, "I am a star. It's just that not enough people know it yet." Right. That must be the problem.

Julie's still auditioning with her cello. Bruno (with his luscious dark 'fro) is hanging at the back of the auditorium, staring at her with creepy intensity. Coco slips into the auditorium through the back, rushes over to Bruno, and starts nattering at him about her quest for stardom, but he shushes her so he can continue to listen to Julie's cello playing and gaze longingly at her blonde loveliness. Coco shuts up, but looks kinda put out by his obvious fascination with the Midwestern rube.
Picture
"Will you shut up, Coco?! I'm trying to listen to that hot blonde cellist over there."
 
In a cramped apartment, Julie's mom gives her money for cab fare so she'll arrive at school safely. (That will get expensive pretty quick.) Julie bristles at the idea of being seen by the other kids taking a cab to school, so her mom offers an alternative: she'll walk her to school each morning. In the next scene, it's clear that Julie has opted for the cab...and when she arrives at the school, she spills out of the cab and accidentally bumps into Coco. She blurts out, "I'm sorry!" and Coco glares at her and bitchily snarks, "You are...and blind too." Julie looks mortified and dashes up the front steps. Meanwhile, Doris is ambling down the hall, admiring a blonde boy who looks like he's already coupled up with a pretty brunette. Hey - it's a young Fran Drescher!

Miss Sherwood starts off her English class by featuring the word of the day: pretentious. As the students furiously jot down the word in their notebooks (LOL), Miss Sherwood sternly tells them they need to take English class as seriously as they take their dance/music/acting classes. I'm sure that'll happen. She then asks Coco to use pretentious in a sentence, so Coco smirks and says, "Coming to school in a cab is pretentious." Bruno assumes the dickish barb is directed at him and protests, "That's not fair. I come to school in a taxi every day." Coco hastily says it's different when his father is the one driving it, and doesn't explain that her sentence was intended to mock the new girl.
A dorky, prepubescent redhead named Montgomery carries Julie's books to her locker. She tells him she's having problems with the combination, so he offers to help and - voila! - is able to get it unlocked. He then offers her some unsolicited advice about living in New York: try not to invade people's personal space when walking down the street. He should probably also address her wardrobe, since she's currently wearing a tweed suit with a little ribbon bow-tie around the collar of her buttoned up Victorian style blouse. Yeesh.

Mr. Shorofsky is leading a class of piano players. Bruno suddenly goes rogue and starts playing a different melody, and Mr. Shorofsky orders him to just play the same notes and rhythm as everyone else.
Ms. Grant lectures her dance class on how she expects them to work their "little tights off". She then delivers the iconic speech that's included in the show's opening and also inspired me to become a dancer (just kidding): "You've got big dreams? You want fame? Well fame costs. And right here's where you start paying...in sweat. I wanna see sweat!" She adds that if they want their dancing to meet with her high standards, they're going to have to fight. And now that everyone's pumped up and mentally psyched to perform split leaps in the air, she leads the class in a blasé, low energy arm stretching exercise. LOL.
 
Picture
"Well fame or success in the entertainment industry is most often the result of dumb luck. So suck on that."
 
In the cafeteria, Montgomery is hanging with Julie and Doris, giving Julie more tips on how to get around in New York. Julie complains that the buses are always so crowded, and Doris tells her that the subways are no better - in fact, they can be deadly when mental cases push unwitting people into oncoming trains. In the next scene, the three of them are on a bus...and some strange man is pressing himself against Julie. Armed with her new-found street smarts, she kicks him in his nether regions, and he yelps and shrinks away.
Leroy, Coco, and a bunch of other students are boogying on the school's front steps. Julie accidentally bumps into Coco again and dumps coffee all over her. Coco glares at her and snarls, "Don't you have eyes?" and Julie just stares uselessly into space while Coco mops herself off.
The word of the day in Miss Sherwood's English class is deleterious. Coco volunteers to use it in a sentence and pronounces, "Coffee can be deleterious to some people's health and to other people's clothing" while Julie cringes with embarrassment. After that, a loud moron named Garci attempts to use the word in a sentence, but then starts rambling about how his uncle won the lottery. Fortunately, Garci's one of the half dozen or so pointless throwaway characters the show hastily dumps after the pilot episode.

Ms. Grant disapproves of the short shorts Leroy insists on wearing to dance class. She orders him to get a pair of tights so that the rest of the class can stop worrying about accidentally getting an eyeful of his nut sack. After that, she orders everyone to double up and practice the bizarre looking dance sequence she taught them during the previous class...and she can't help but be impressed with Leroy's taut, limber body. Julie tries to apologize to Coco for spilling coffee on her earlier, but Ms. Grant snarks at her to shut it and focus on her dancing.
Julie and Montgomery are sitting on the floor of the cafeteria, eating and people watching. He's giving her more tips on life in New York, and today's lesson is: don't wear jewelry in public. Julie fingers her gold necklace and says she can't take it off 'cause it's too much a part of her identity. Montgomery warns her, "The better you look, the bigger the danger." Eeek! '80s New York is scary..

Bruno is alone in one of the music rooms, playing piano with his eyes closed and looking positively orgasmic. Coco enters the room and stares at him longingly...but he doesn't see her standing there (or is brazenly ignoring her), so after a couple of minutes she tip-toes out of the room. That was a thoroughly pointless scene.

Doris, who suddenly has a mop of curly red hair, is staring longingly at the cute blonde guy again. When he smiles and winks in her direction, she excitedly tells Montgomery, "Michael Harrison winked at me! It must be my new hairdo!" Montgomery looks unimpressed and tells her that Michael winks at everyone, so Doris reminds him that Michael is the most popular guy in school. As Michael heads over, Doris murmurs, "He's coming over here...in person!" Michael stands in front of Doris, but then directs his attention toward Julie and invites her to a party on Friday night. Fran Drescher, who looks like she thinks she should be Michael's girlfriend, stands beside him and shoots Julie the stink-eye. Julie declines the invitation, and Fran Drescher says it's for the best, since she probably wouldn't like their friends anyway. After Julie ambles off, Doris lets Michael know that she's free on Friday night and that she's A-OK with being sloppy seconds. He doesn't respond, but Fran Drescher chuckles condescendingly and says, "That's OK. We already have enough people" and steers Michael away.
 
Picture
"OMG. The most popular guy in school wants me."


 
Coco tells Bruno they need exposure and that with his music and her singing/dancing/electric personality, they could "really go places". Bruno grumpishly informs her that the only place he wants to go to right now is the bathroom, then shuffles off like a middle aged man. Meanwhile, Montgomery applauds Julie for declining Michael's invitation, especially since he's the "it" guy in school. Julie explains that she's not interested in dating anybody here 'cause she has a boyfriend back in Grand Rapids. Montgomery scrunches his face in disappointment as though he might really have had a shot.

Coco is standing by the men's room, and when Bruno comes out, she starts blathering to him about how the two of them should start up a band, put their music out there and get rich, but Bruno grumps that he's not interested in performing or putting his music out there...which makes me wonder why the hell he's attending this school. Coco saucily says, "You haven't seen or heard the best of me yet" and offers to resolve that, like pronto. She glances around the cafeteria and says, "I don't normally work lunch rooms, but you deserve a break today" and Bruno just rolls his eyes in his annoying I'm-soooo-world-weary fashion.

Julie tells Doris it's obvious she has a crush on Michael, but Doris clucks at her condescendingly and says that maybe people in podunk towns like Grand Rapids get crushes - but that's not the way it is in New York City. That's right. In New York City, teenagers (who look like they're well into their 20s) do more sophisticated things like don curly red wigs and make arses of themselves in public.

Coco asks a group of musicians, who are conveniently set up with their instruments, to play a lame sounding song called Take Me Baby. Somehow the musicians are familiar with it and start playing...and as soon as Coco starts singing, Bruno grumpishly ambles off. Coco brushes off the snub and really gets into her performance - climbing atop tables and dancing while she sings. Leroy, who's still in his short shorts, also gets into the groove...and after a few minutes in, there's no one in the cafeteria who isn't wildly gyrating to the beat.

Julie decides to finally get a clue and ditch her tweed outfits, despite the mild pooh poohing she gets from her mother. Julie whines about how hard it is to fit in at her new school and says her dancing was OK for Grand Rapids, but not New York. Luckily, her cello playing is mildly OK in comparison, but then she laments, "I'm barely in their league sometimes." Her mom says it's a learning experience for both of them, and that she too is trying to find her niche: in the job market. Julie explains that she's not going to be able to fit in while wearing tweed, 'cause everyone just treats her like a nerd. Well, d'yuh. She wonders if she's tough enough for this school, then fingers the gold chain her boyfriend Lester gave to her. Her mom reminds her that she's in New York now...and that Lester is far away in Grand Rapids.
Leroy has headphones on during English class and is bopping to the beat. Miss Sherwood notices the headphones and frowns in disapproval.

In music class, Bruno is whining to Mr. Shorofsky about how string instruments should be abolished, now that someone's invented keyboards that can simulate the sound of a violin. Mr. Shorofsky looks aghast and insists that orchestras need actual string instruments. Bruno retorts that orchestras are an endangered species, and Mr. Shorofsky continues to look aghast, tells him to shut up, and orders the class to begin playing again.

Miss Sherwood is keeping Leroy after class for detention. He whines that he's "a working man" and has bidness associates waiting for him. Miss Sherwood reminds him that he still hasn't turned in his assignment on Romeo and Juliet, and that in general his work is the shits. She warns that he won't be able to stay in school if he keeps letting his work slide, and he snarls, "Ain't nobody makin' me walk unless I wanna." Miss Sherwood sasses him back with, "You'll be dancin' right outa this school" and admonishes his rude manners and low reading level. Leroy accuses her of being "racially discriminating", and she reacts by applauding his ability to pronounce so many syllables all at once. Hee! She tells him again that she expects him to turn in his assignment, and he nonsensically grumbles, "You'd better have more than your mouth ready when you go makin' my flight patterns" and storms out. Based on that conversation, I think Leroy could use a heavy dose of remedial English.

After that, we get a drawn out montage sequence featuring Julie, Bruno, and Leroy. Julie's sitting at her kitchen table, penning a love letter to Lester. She tells him she's not fitting in, that things are hard for her in New York...then reminisces about when he put the gold chain around her neck. Meanwhile, Bruno is in what looks like a dungeon, orgasmically playing his keyboard. Across town, Leroy is hanging in a pool hall, unable to make heads or tails out of Romeo and Juliet. He gets frustrated and tosses the book aside...but a few minutes later he thinks better of it and decides to give it another shot. Julie places her love letter inside one of her text books for "safe keeping", which ends up not being such a great idea. Bruno is in the afterglow stages of his music orgasm and continues to play his keyboard.
 

"I'm going to place my mushy love letter to Lester in my text book, 'cause what could go wrong with that?"
 
 
 
 
 
The next morning, Julie arrives to school late and sprints down the hall to get to English class...and for some reason she's back to wearing tweed. Miss Sherwood asks Garci to read something aloud from his text book, and since he forgot his, he grabs Julie's and finds her Dear Lester love letter. He reads part of it aloud to the class because he's a malevolent dickwad, and everyone giggles. Bruno grabs the letter out of his hands and snarks, "A person's privacy oughta be respected." He hands it back to a mortified Julie, who stares miserably at the floor.

After class, Bruno's at his locker, bitching to Montgomery about how dickish Garci was to Julie, who he considers a minority at this school. He says he thought this school was better than getting cheap laughs by picking on the hapless. Coco overhears his rant and looks contemplative.

Later, Julie's sitting in an empty classroom, playing her cello and looking mournful.

Leroy enters a clothing store that carries men's tights. The sales clerk asks him if he needs help, so he tells him he needs a pair of tights, and then the clerk asks him if he needs a belt to go with them. Leroy gives him a funny look and snarks, "You ain't talkin' to no fool, turkey" so the clerk hastily explains that by belt he means a jock, then takes one out of the package to show him. Leroy stares at the contraption in horror, goes, "Nooo..." and runs out of the store. What a weirdo.

Leroy shows up for dance class in his short shorts yet again, and Ms. Grant clucks disapprovingly and asks him where his tights are. He tells her he forgot them, then amends his story and says he washed them, but they got so tight they cut off all circulation to his testicles. Ms. Grant sighs and says if he brings the too small tights in tomorrow as proof he has a pair, she'll exchange them for a pair that fit. After that, she admonishes a girl for wearing earrings and reminds the class there's no jewelry allowed while they're dancing. She then notices Julie's gold chain and orders her to take it off, and Julie blurts out, "No!" so then Ms. Grant raises her eyebrows and is all, "Excuse me?" Julie tries to explain that the gold chain is not just a necklace; it's an expression of love...or some such nonsense. Some random girl in the class repeats what Garci read aloud from her love letter to Lester, and Julie wails, "Stop it!" and when she notices everyone's eyes on her, she bellows, "And stop looking at me!" LOL. She runs out of the room, and Coco stares after her looking sheepish. Julie heads to the bathroom to wash her face and stare sadly at herself in the mirror. Coco enters the bathroom to chide her for being into big emotional scenes, but Julie denies that and says she just wants people at this school to give her half a chance. Coco says, "Hey, nobody gives you anything, baby. You make your own chances." She tells Julie that everyone gets bad reviews at one time or another - but right now she's "in the hot burning center of the galaxy" (?!) and should want the spotlight. Julie insists she doesn't want it, and doesn't know what she's doing here. Coco assures her she's good, though not nearly as awesome as she is, then boasts, "I've got the sun and the moon in my hand, and I just need an opportunity to knock." She tells Julie she's either going to have to prove people wrong or quit - but she's pretty sure Julie's too much of a professional to give up on her dreams of fame. Coco leaves Julie to mull over her sage advice...and this time when she stares at herself in the mirror, she smiles.

Everyone's dancing around the cafeteria again, and Coco's on staging singing Fame. Julie enters the room, looking much happier now that Coco has set her straight. Meanwhile, Leroy approaches Miss Sherwood and hands her some tattered pages with writing on them, and I'll assume it's his Romeo and Juliet assignment. Incidentally, he's decked out in a yellow knit tank top and electric blue short shorts, and when he dances, he and his naughties jiggle suggestively. I'll keep my fingers crossed that Ms. Grant is able to persuade him to wear tights.

The next day, Julie leaves her apartment covered in tweed...but when she gets off the elevator in the lobby, she's changed into something more age appropriate. I'm not sure why she felt the need to hide this from her mother, since she didn't seem to put up that much resistance to Julie adopting a less stuffy wardrobe. As Miss Sherwood tells her English class that the word of the day is metamorphosis, Julie happily skips down the street, then joyfully leaps in the air. LOL.