Rabbi Jacob - The Musical

Don't ask me why, dear reader, but at the moment my life seems to be all musicals, detective novels and birthdays. How did that happen? :-) Anyway, sticking with that theme, look at this shocker which I found in the metro yesterday. Rabbi Jacob - The Musical. Whatever next? For those of you who aren't hexagonal (as we say here), "That Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob" is a French (my italics) comedy classic about a man who's forced to disguise himself as a rabbi, one of those films that's always on TV on high days and holidays (here's a quick synopsis - what DID we do before Wikipedia?) I know, I know, it doesn't sound that promising but it is actually quite amusing. But to make a musical out of it? As my friend Sandrine said yesterday: "I don't think it'll make it to Broadway."  Here's a little extract from the movie via the magic of You Tube (what DID we do etc. etc.) Anyway, suddenly my own scheme - with the lovely Nardac - to write a musical version of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" doesn't seem quite so outlandish. You have been warned.

Cyril in My Kitchen Part II

cyril in a pan, originally uploaded by rhino75.

After last year's failed attempt to get French TV chef Cyril Lignac round to Rhino75 Towers, imagine my surprise and delight, dear reader, when I came across these "celebrity" pans in my local department store. Admittedly, it's not quite the same as having him come round to cook for you, but at least you don't have to tidy up before getting him out of the cupboard. Plus, Kitty can sit on his face while I make dinner. So everyone's happy.

"Tell Me It's Not True..."

OK, that's from "Blood Brothers," but Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan singing Abba? In a movie? My darling Agnetha must be spinning like a top on her secluded island in the Swedish archipelago. Of course, I shall HAVE to see it as soon as it comes out (my italics) in order to confirm all my worst fears. On the plus side, Meryl sounds quite a lot like (pre-vocoder) Cher and we all love her, don't we? Don't we? (Is it just me?)
(with thanks to the wonderful Words Dept. for alerting me to this.)

Peter Petrelli...in LEDERHOSEN

Our prayers are answered. Click here (thanks to Saintloup for passing this on.)

BearForce1

Just when I was wondering what my next career move should be, I find these guys, who claim to be the world's "first true bear band." They also have a rather fab website. Marvellous. (via Absolument Gauthier)

On Yer Bike!!

I'm perplexed, dear reader. Try as I might, I can't understand WHY I'm so annoyed by the Paris bike rental scheme Vélib. Why does the whole thing irritate me so? There's no logical explanation. The dear Mrs. LOG suggested that it might be a reaction to a deep-seated fear that, one day, someone is going to make me get on one and I will have to do some real exercise. She may have a point. Whatever. Although I never felt this way about in-line skating (remember when THAT was fashionable?). Anyway, amazingly even without my backing, Vélib is a huge success. In less than a month, we've gone from crowds of people standing looking puzzled by the bike station just by Rhino75 Towers to a severe Vélib shortage. It's almost impossible to get your hands on one at the weekend, even if you wanted to. Which I don't. Why, it'll soon be easier to get a cab than a bike. Yet, I can't shake the feeling that the whole thing's a huge con, that we're all being taken in somehow, although I don't know in what way or even by whom. I remain convinced that it's the start of a very slippery slope. Harrumph.

Fame

I remember saying last night - during a "Murder on the Dancefloor" moment - how much I love Sophie Eillis-Bextor. Imagine my delight, therefore, on finding this fantastic pairing of SEB and Dame Edna Everage "doing" a cover of "Fame" (thanks to Matt over at fiftyfivehundred.org.) As he puts it: "I think you'll find surreal is the only word appropriate." BTW, I have seen only one of these two outstanding performers live...can you guess which one? ::shame::