Les Misérables - Je Fus Misérable

Okay...so I don't speak French. But the handy dandy online dictionaries translate "Je Fus Misérable" to mean "I was miserable". Anyway...you get the idea.

Les Misérables is my most favorite musical of all time. I believe the count is now up to 5 viewings (Pasadena in 1994, Long Beach in 1996, Downtown L.A. in 2000, NYC in 2003, and today's viewing in Hollywood). As you can see, I try to see the show whenever it rolls into town.

Unfortunately, this time I caught it on the same day as about 200+ high school students, substituting the outing for their Winter Formal. While some 6 and 7-year-olds can handle sitting in the theatre for 3 hours, there are some 16 and 17-year-olds that cannot. Two of these teenagers were sitting in front of me.

From them there was fidgeting, talking, and way too much cracking of the neck. Suffice it to say, it was really hard for me to devote my full attention to the performance. Ah well...maybe I should work my way over to London and see it there...maybe a trip out of the country will help cool me off a bit. Grrr...

Mary Poppins - Ages 7 and Up

A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but if you're under 7, you may have to just rely on the Julie Andrews movie to teach you that lesson. According to Playbill Online, the producers of the upcoming stage version of Mary Poppins have decided to ban children under 3...and suggest that children under 7 should not come either.

I don't know how the masses feel, but I say bravo! I don't know about you, but I'm not about to spend upwards of $100 to place a squirming 2-year-old in a seat and try to keep them quiet for 2-3 hours. And...for those toddlers who would sit quietly, an even smaller subset would remember that theatergoing experience.

I know that children mature at different rates, so I think it's also a good idea to put in the 7 and under advisory. At that point, it's the parents' decision to see if it would be a worthwhile experience for the child (and in the best interest of those seated around the child).

The question remains...why can't more shows implement something like this? I know at least the West End would be a much better place if they implemented a ban on people 120 years of age and younger from Jerry Springer - The Opera. Can someone please shut that show down?

USC - Orange Bowl Bound!

We were thwarted from going to the BCS National Championship game last season (yet still managed to pull off the AP National Title @ The Rose Bowl)...but not this time. The BCS poll has remained in our favor for the entire season. There should be no doubt that we're #1...as we shall see in Ft. Lauderdale on January 4th. Oklahoma...you had better start practicing now!

BEAT THE SOONERS!!!