Who's Funny Now?

Does gender play a role in humor?
Are men and women equally funny? 
Is humor a learned skill or is there an inborn ability that some of us have and some lack?
Do men or women (or both) rate humor as the most desirable trait in a friend or partner?

Such questions go beyond my mere mortal powers but they do make me think about what it is that tickles my funny bone. I'll take the last question first and say I love being around people who are funny (as in 'make me laugh,' not odd; odd has its place, but not in this post). However, I draw the line when humor is the only thing someone shares - it seems borderline clown-ish to me. If I get the feeling a person is using their wit as a block in getting to know them, I eventually move on because unrelenting humor has a shelf life. 

Connecting with people comes first; if humor helps get me there, then I am all in. 

Robin Williams, whose machine gun comedy antics are legendary and put him high atop my list of favorite comedians is a perfect case of someone who publicly shows only 'the funny.' (His "Good Will Hunting" performance does not count. Plus, even though I saw him in concert last year, the chances of my meeting him are so slim that I embrace his "all humor, all the time" shtick.)

However, being amusing is often a cover for something less jocular. The universal icon of the 'comedy/tragedy' mask precisely shows the thin line between a smile and frown.  Funny/Sad shares an emotional tightrope just like Love/Hate. What about humor being a product of gender? Are men or women funnier? A recent study from a postdoctoral researcher in the University of California psychology department, Laura Mickes, decided to look into if one gender is more humorous than the other.  Her reason for investigating this ticklish topic is even more of a curiosity to me but let's first look at what she found as noted in a newspaper article titled "Seriously, Men Only Think They're Funnier." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/fashion/seriously-men-only-think-theyre-funnier-studied.html

Male and female undergrads were asked to participate in a cartoon caption contest.  "Each was instructed to be as funny as possible coming up with 20 captions for 20 cartoons in - think fast - 45 minutes."  Participants then had to rate their choices for funny captions and score them.  The results showed that, "While men were deemed ever so slightly funnier (0.11 points out of a theoretical possible score of 5.0), they were mostly considered funnier by other men."  Hmmmm. 

Men used profanity and sexual humor more than women, "though neither sex necessarily considered those types of jokes funnier." The profane issue is one I wrestle with because done well, humor that includes profanity can be brilliant and inoffensive (for me, Chris Rock leads the pack). I recall seeing Richard Pryor's 1979 movie "Live In Concert." Anytime he would appear on television, I would enjoy his routine which is why the movie proved to be such a disappointment.  I thought he overused profanity until it smothered whatever point he was trying to make.  He allowed for no lulls and kept cursing with, what I thought, was a purposeless stream of filler. It was obvious and dull. I know he is revered by his fellow comedians, but that movie ruined it for me.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view
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Subtle humor walks a thin line because it still needs to hit the point, yet "bring the funny." It is so painful to hear someone being too understated with their humor. Their fear of failing to be funny beats their attempt, creating a cringe-worthy moment. I hate taking a spin in that arena.  Two comedians whose inventive observations succeed, in my opinion are Ellen DeGeneres and Jerry Seinfeld. (In sharp contrast, I also am a fan of Chelsea Handler and Kathy Griffin. What can I say? The layers of humor are complex.) 

And this brings me back to the first question - does gender play a role in humor?  The Times article described a second experiment to see if men were given more credit than women for their humor. Rating captions to cartoons, "both sexes misattributed the funny ones to male authors and the unfunny ones to female writers.  Moreover, females were far less confident about their gag-writing abilities than men."  Why is there an expectation that men are funnier than women? 

The answer, according to the Times article, is that men are cockier.  But what made women think the funny captions were written by men? Is there some predisposition to hand over humor to males? I doubt it. In my humble opinion, I think women use humor to diffuse situations and as a tool to relate to others, whereas men use it to draw attention to themselves.

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view
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The Times article alludes to a 2007 Vanity Fair article written by Christopher Hitchens titled "Why Women Aren't Funny."   There are several controversial points made by the author, but one that is gold addresses a biological need. "Why are men, taken on average and as a whole, funnier than women? Well, for one thing, they had damn well better be. The chief task in life that a man has to perform is that of impressing the opposite sex, and Mother Nature (as we laughingly call her) is not so kind to men."  Women, on the other hand, "have no no corresponding need to appeal to men in this way. They already appeal to men."  http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2007/01/hitchens200701

The dance of attraction for so many species is the same - the male has to come under the good graces of the female.  Our survival literally depends on it.  So, if women find humor a top trait vote getter, you can bet the men put in overtime to hone those skills.

I love the power of humor!

As most parents can attest, young children think we are funny until we aren't i.e. they become teenagers.  I am embarrassed to admit that I have said, "People think I am funny!" as my last impotent defense to an eye rolling teenage daughter.  This brings me back to the reason Dr. MIckes (the author of the University of California study) initiated her study in the first place. Funny enough, it came to mind after she received a teacher evaluation form completed by a male student with the comment that read, "She is not funny."

Crickets.

Here is an excerpt from Rudyard Kipling's poem "The Female of the Species"

http://www.potw.org/archive/potw96.html

But the Woman that God gave him,
every fibre of her frame
Proves her launched for one sole issue,
armed and engined for the same,
And to serve that single issue,
lest the generations fail,
The female of the species must be
deadlier than the male.

She who faces Death by torture for
each life beneath her breast
May not deal in doubt or pity—must
not swerve for fact or jest.

Before Twilight: Dark Shadows

As we walked to the car a few weeks ago, my daughter and I crossed Broad Street in South Philly in the warm autumn light of dusk.  Even in the concrete landscape, the soft glow of remaining sunlight tempered the harsh urban edges reminding me that this time of day is probably my favorite.  Twilight's moment is so brief and gorgeous no matter where I am.

As far as atmospheric changes of light go, I am a twilight girl.

As far as the Twilight films and book series go, I am not.

Last night I stumbled across "Twilight," the first movie created from author Stephenie Meyer's vampire sagas. With only 45 minutes left to go, I decided to have a look.  Here is what I found: there is lots of intense staring, tremendously high leaping, and lightening speed running. I even tried to read the first book in the Twilight series a few years back and could not make it to my self-imposed reading rule of giving any novel 100 pages of attention before I decide to continue or not. (I continue 99% of the time.) It had all the appeal (and imaginative writing) contained in the phone book. The angsty attraction that the movie and book contain for young viewers has been heard loud and clear. They have exploded on to the scene as publishing phenoms and box office smashes.  It is also clear that if I was a tween or teen today, I most likely would be among the throngs of Twi-Hards. Why? Because I had my spin in the vampire world when I was a tween, back in the day. 

Jonathon Frid as Barnabas

I was a huge fan of the gloomy, gothic television show - Dark Shadows. I remember rushing home daily from school to tune in to watch Barnabas and company wrestle with their conflicted, brooding lives.  It was campy and, yes - dark, at the same time. There was a veneer of family life that barely covered the underpinnings of bloodlust, revenge and desire all on after school TV.   I hung a poster of Barnabas Collins with multi-colored lights around it, appropriately enough, in the basement of my childhood home to pay homage to this unlikely hero. (My dad transformed our row house basement into a comfy den, but Barnabas still had a special spot). 

And just to up the show stakes, as it were, Barnabas was a vampire. Unlike Twilight's Edward, Barnabas actually bit people - imagine that in the mid to late 1960s daytime television!  Barnabas (actor Jonathan Frid) with his high collar capes and natty cravats; Angelique (actress Lara Parker) in her uber-laced gowns and those impossibly long lashes and green eyes; and the doe-eyed Josette (actress Kathryn Leigh Scott) all furtively moving from mansion, to forest, to dungeon, to wharf protecting the secrets they all passionately kept or desperately searching for those they wanted to unearth.  For thirty minutes every day, five days a week, the comings and goings of the Collinsport locals became the stuff of legend for my grade school girlfriends and me. 

Lara Parker as Angelique

Throughout it all, Barnabas ruled our emotions.  He introduced us to the possibility a of a good vampire who was twisted by circumstance and unrequited love. He rankled our notions of good and evil with charm (and those fangs). He opened a casket full of angst and we sucked it all in.  Come to think of it -angst ruled the day in Collinsport just as it does in Fork, Washington.  It was just layered in period costumes and stark settings (which could sometimes been seen wobbling) all within earshot of the ubiquitous organ music that moved us from place to place. The actors even played multiple roles and we unquestioningly bought it all.  It was ludicrous. It was forceful.  It was a feast for fermenting pre-teen fretfulness.

While the premiere of "Breaking Dawn-Part 1" rules this week's entertainment headlines, it is another premiere which is capturing my attention.  In May 2012, Dark Shadows the movie will hit theaters, starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas.  Directed by Tim Burton, the movie includes in its cast Helena Bonham Carter as Dr. Julia Hoffman, Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, and Alice Cooper as himself (love it!). The original Barnabas and Quentin Collins actors (Mr. Frid and Mr. Selby) will appear in cameo roles. 

When promoting another movie this year, Johnny Depp was asked about his characterization of the famed Barnabas, and here is how he honored the originator of this neck biting role: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0ywSz8jqtM&NR=1

This clip compares the 1966 Dark Shadows cast with the cast of the 2012 movie:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SZWuyAXV4A

The recent spin-off of vampire themed shows and movies swirl around us as the entertainment industry looks to capitalize on Ms. Meyer's popular books.  None has had much allure for me, proving the indelible imprint a single vampire can make on a tween girl.   Unlike Bella, I have a personality, but, like Bella, I am a one-vampire girl.

Fear Itself

"So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief

that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-

nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror

which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance."

Excerpt from FDR's first inaugural address, 1933 

Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in the depths of the Depression and his first speech as US President contained this well-known sentence.  FDR not only wanted Americans to know he understood the concrete weight of the Depression but that the fear it inspired had to be overcome so America could rise up and come back from the economic failure.

I admit to only being familiar with the first half of the sentence, but it is the second part that brings its power to bear.  It urges us to overcome fear so that any inertia it brings can be pushed back, allowing forward motion.

When fear is at the wheel, the driving is in reverse.

Photo by scottcan of Free Digital Photos

This, I believe, is the at the core of what caused Penn State's problems regarding the child abuse scandal.  The fear of what could happen to a revered, strongly supported, hugely successful athletic program had to have crept into the minds of university decision makers as witnessed reports of Coach Sandusky's destructive conduct were told in 1994,1998, 2000, and 2002.  http://www.npr.org/2011/11/08/142111804/penn-state-abuse-scandal-a-guide-and-timeline

Fear is not always an overt action like cowering in the corner or screaming in pain.  It often lurks in the corners of our psyche, urging us to take the quieter, safer route. I feel it is the thing that caused the catastrophic failure in decision making when college administrators and staff put athletics first and the victims last. 

It is a dangerously human catalyst that, if left unbridled, fails.  

I recall years ago reading a book titled, "Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway."  I forget any of the book's contents but the title has stayed with me because it so aptly sums up the book's premise. I catch myself restating the title as a mini-mantra when I am stalled by fear (which is pretty often).  Allowing ourselves to be fearful is a mighty impulse.  Some say it gives the edge we need to move beyond its primal vice grip.  But, all too often, we allow it to stop us from doing what must be done. 

Performers of all kinds are often heard to have stage fright just before they go on.  Heck, even presidential candidates note that fear rises up just before they debate live on television. It is ever present. Unchecked fear is sinister. It is duplicitous. While it reminds us that there are consequences to our actions, fear can handicap us by making us believe it is an answer.

Fear definitely sets off alarms.  How we respond makes all the difference. 

An August, 2011 article about fear appears in "Psychology Today" http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/reframing-change/201108/anxiety-self-help-experiencing-fear-and-performing-anyway

To read FDR's complete 1933 inaugural speech:  http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5057/

Don Juan's Reckless Daughter

*July 15, 1983.  It was a steamy night in Philly, perfect for an outdoor concert. I was, along with my brother, Vincent, and my concert pal, Ron, in an irrepressible restless state. We felt giddy with disbelief that here we were, at the newly named Mann Music Center, on the cusp of seeing Joni Mitchell perform live. 

Joni Mitchell. 
Poet. Painter. Songwriter. Musician.

Today's post is my shameless, diehard fan indulgence because it is Joni's 68th birthday. (Please see the added 07/24/22 note toward the end of this inital post)

I marvel now at the long ago concert's simplicity, confirming for me that the greater the artist, the more unencumbered their performance. Joni shared her songs and the stage with a remarkable cadre of jazz and blues legends - poetic and powerful:

Don Alias - Drums, Percussion
Michael Brecker - Sax (born and raised in Cheltenham Twp., PA)
Lyle Mays - Keyboards
Pat Metheny - Lead Guitar
Jaco Pastorius - Bass (born in Norristown, PA)
The Persuasions - Vocals

The humid summer evening balanced the smooth musical coolness as Joni glided through her song catalog, focusing on her mid-seventies transition from folk to jazz overtones. I equally felt so hip and so humbled in that crowd.

Joni recorded her first live concert album, "Shadows and Light," on this tour giving endless access to that musically fecund evening. 

You Tube reliably serves up many concert moments. This clip of the 1979 tour opener is laced with fifties movie footage shown that night and features Joni and the Persuasions creating a cathedral atmosphere with "Shadows and Light," and ending with Joni and the band offering up the jazz infused "In France They Kiss On Main Street." 

Then, Joni and the Persuasions took a spin back to the musical fifties with the unexpected cover of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love?"

Joni's writing is attached, first, to my soul. Sometimes I indulge in reading her lyrics minus the music just for the pleasing poetic experience it brings.   The fact that she can create music to push those lyrics further in meaning mesmerizes me and has kept me a fan since I bought my first Joni album, the 1970 "Ladies of the Canyon." 

It is her struggle with clarity and opaqueness in relationships that hits me hard.  Her soaring descriptions of restless travel and the striving to feed her calling as a painter, poet and musician equally satiate me and keep me hungry for more. This is a contradiction I love to feast on. 

She wrestles internally in "Don Juan's Reckless Daughter,"

Behind my bolt locked door
The eagle and the serpent are at war in me
The serpent fighting for blind desire
The eagle for clarity

And seeks to define herself in "A Case of You,"

Oh I am a lonely painter, I live in a box of paints

Unfrightened by the devil

and I'm drawn to those ones that ain't afraid

And urges us to push through difficulties in "Judgement of the Moon and Stars,"

You've got to shake your fists at lightning now
You've got to roar like forest fire
You've got to spread your light like blazes
All across the sky

And defines love in the aptly named "Love,"

Love never looks for love
Love's not puffed up
Or envious
Or touchy
Because it rejoices in the truth
Not in iniquity
Love sees like a child sees

 

Joni's title song from her 1991 album, "Night Ride Home," is performed outdoors in this next clip from Amsterdam and captures her divinely pure form.

Can you imagine? $12.50 to see Joni Mitchell?

While she wrote the song "Woodstock,"
Joni did not perform at the legendary '69 festival because she was booked to appear on "The Dick Cavett Show" the day after the close of the concert.  She penned the song as an ode not only to those who were there but to those who wished they were.  Images that resonate most for me are Joni's haunting lone performances of the classic song as a third encore in 1983 at the Mann.  The silenced crowd soaked in her smooth, thoughtful rendering as she meandered on stage. Joni delivered the final line of "Woodstock," strolled across the empty stage playing the closing melody, and then sauntered out of sight, keeping us spellbound as she continued, unseen, to play her guitar. This conclusion left us with a lasting sigh as the sonorous guitar playing lingered in the summer night air. It was a moment of pure satisfaction. 

I remember watching the 2008 Grammy Awards and hearing the Album of the Year award going to Herbie Hancock's "River: The Joni Letters."  I jumped up from my chair and clapped with girlish delight. Joni's songwriting is the foundation for the album's collection of guest artist performances and the award was another reminder that her music continues to be relevant.

My daughter, Ali, has a weekly radio show at college and, each week, I faithfully submit Joni song titles that fit the show's theme. Of course, there are always songs that fill the bill. Every once in a long while Ali indulges me and plays a Joni melody.  It is a lovely victory.

When asked who my favorite musical artists are, it is funny to think about my immediate reply: Joni Mitchell and Barbra Streisand. I may as well say peanut butter and riesling as my answer.  What could these artists possibly have in common aside from the fact they rose in popularity at the same time?  I think their singular musical talents show harmonic passion at the highest level. This is the thread that coils around my heart and makes me a fan. 

 As for the current crop of singers/songwriters, I love Regina Spektor's original style and lyrics. After seeing her perform locally twice, I plan on being in her audience any time she comes through Philly.  Her authentic sound meets the Joni litmus test for me.

Joni's songwriting will always warm the piece of me that yearns for exquisite expression.   

Happy Birthday, Roberta Joan Anderson. I hope the seasons continue to go round and round for you. 

*UPDATE 07/24/22: The stars aligned at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival when the final performance - cheekily titled "Coyote Jam" on the daily festival schedule board - turned into the grandest surprise of the iconic festival - Joni's first performance since she had a brain aneurysm in 2015. 

And thankfully, I was standing 20 feet from the stage with my concert buddy and daughter, Alison. (Our third visit to the Fort together)

I had resigned myself seven years ago that I would probably never see her perform again. To that end, in November 2021, Ali and I saw Brandi Carlile perform the entire album "Blue" in its 50th anniversary year at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It was a glorious way to celebrate Joni. I was grateful.

And then came the shock of Newport! I underestimated Joni's power of rebirth, a mistake I refuse to make again. 

When Brandi Carlile made the unbelievable introduction and Joni sauntered with support onto a stage set up to replicate her living room at home - my wish came true. I was seeing, hearing, and breathing the same air as my musical North Star - Joni Mitchell.

Sharing this moment with Ali sweetened everything forever. 

The performance began with some favorite musical artists (Lucius, Celisse, Marcus Mumford, Taylor Goldsmith, et al) surrounding Joni and playing drums, and guitars, and singing with her as Brandi lovingly guided the group, replicating star-studded 'Joni Jams' that had been taking place once a month in Joni's California living room for several years. 

Joni sang "Summertime" solo and we heard her deep, sonorous, timbre. That song was made for her. Joni and the gang dove further into her song catalog, along with some favorites from other artists, and incredibly she even played "Just Like This Train" on her guitar - solo! Sassy girl! 

Here is the setlist: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/joni-mitchell/2022/fort-adams-state-park-newport-ri-7bb23eb4.html

For 40 minutes, I tried to be fully present and to control my grateful tears so this moment would be honored accordingly.  I did an okay job. 

Joni performing at Newport Folk filled my heart, my soul, and my teenage discovery of her music. 

A twenty/thirty something young man stood on the other side of me and we shared how we came to love Joni. It pleased me endlessly to hear that he bought the vinyl copy of "Blue" in his late teens and understood what all the hype was about. His age, his sex, and his sensibilities reaffirmed that Joni' music resonates with e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e.  

Anthony Mason's (of CBS) report captures the moment:   https://www.cbs.com/shows/video/JjFu1NYaroqi83zjF_6s5YcfhkpN_dqd/

Thank you Joni.  

Thank you Brandi. 

Thank you Jay Sweet & Newport Folk Festival. 

Thank you to all that is good in the Universe. 

Thank you Ali for asking a few years ago, " Hey Mom, you wanna go to Newport Folk?" 

Folk on...

Here is a photo and two videos I took.

Finale: So much love for Joni.

Her "solo" in "Love Potion Number Nine" floored us all! 

A snippet of "Just Like This Train"

And from YouTube:

"Both Sides Now"

For a look at Joni's catalog of work visit: www.jonimitchell.com

For a brief review of the 1979 Robin Hood Dell West concert visit: http://jonimitchell.com/library/view.cfm?id=887

The You Tube video of "Shadows and Light" and "In France They Kiss On Main Street" was published by Nano63a.

The You Tube video of "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" was published by Superunknown373.

The You Tube video of "Night Ride Home" was published by Henhenstoll. 

Here Comes Crazy

The wedding celebration was extravagant.  The disgruntled groom filed a lawsuit. 
He now wants to reenact the big day.

And, the name Kardashian is not tied to any of it.

Weddings.

If ever there was a cauldron for crazy, weddings fill the bill. The TV show "America's Funniest Home Videos" regularly contains inevitable segments of fainting brides,  stumbling grooms, and the too painful to watch dancing guests' slips and falls. I am convinced that, while those frolicking on the tables do so at their own peril, the dance floors, where most of the missteps occur, are wildly dangerous (or perhaps it is the new footwear). Either way, I wince just thinking about the pain!

On a more genteel note, there is the sublime effort of this father and daughter's sweet dance routine at her Texas wedding reception which confirms the great possibilities weddings can contain. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u1FZhMA88g

A frivolous verbal dance of sorts that has grabbed my attention is one where a groom is suing his wedding photographer years after he and his bride said their "I do's." The 11/2/2011 NYTimes article titled "Years Later, Lawsuit Seeks to Recreate a Wedding" notes that the unemployed complainant, Todd Remis, filed suit in 2009 against H&H Photographers before the statute of limitation was to expire. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/nyregion/suit-against-photographer-seeks-re-creation-of-wedding-after-divorce.html?_r=1

Mr. Remis' suit alleges "infliction of emotional distress and breach of contract" by the photographer because the last 15 minutes of the wedding reception was not documented in photos or video.  Mr. Remis has had the 400 wedding proofs since weeks after the December, 2003 wedding.  Mr. Remis also wants the photographer to pay the $48,000 needed to recreate his wedding day so the "missing" photographs can be taken.

Photo by Salvatore Vuono
of Free Digital Photos

A NY State Supreme Court judge, Doris Ling-Cohen, in Manhattan has dismissed the more frivolous pieces of the suit (emotional distress) but has allowed the breach of contract portion to continue in the court system. Citing title song lyrics from Barbra Streisand's movie "The Way We Were," the judge noted in her opinion, "This is a case in which it appears that the ‘misty watercolor memories’ and the ‘scattered pictures of the smiles ... left behind’ at the wedding were more important than the real thing.”

Yes, I admit, the judge had me at her use of a Streisand melody.

Sadly, the attorney costs to pursue this suit has exceeded $50,000 for the photography business.  Mr. Remis' attorney fees were not mentioned in the article but, it was noted that his lawyer "works for Goodwin Procter, where Mr. Remis’s father, Shepard M. Remis, is a litigation partner. The younger Mr. Remis has testified that he is paying his lawyer himself."       

One even bigger hook for me was discovering where the bride is in all of this effort to relive the fated wedding day.  She resides in her homeland of Latvia.  Why? Because she and the groom divorced in 2009. The bride was unavailable for comment in the Times article. I wonder if she would respond by also invoking song lyrics and muse,

Can it be that it was all so simple then
Or has time rewritten every line
If we had the chance to do it all again
Tell me - Would we? Could we?

If the case ends in favor of the ex-groom, the former couple may get the chance.

Did I mention crazy?

The Nature of Sports & Dreams

Two sports items caught my attention this weekend and what makes this notable is that I am not much of a sports person. I rarely read the sports pages, I mute the sports portion of the news broadcast, and if I am zipping through radio stations, the sound of loud, rough edged guys berating, complaining, and Monday morning quarterbacking with an equally verbose DJ is equal to the sound of nails dragging across a chalkboard. 

Watching any sporting event live, however, is pure pleasure for me.  

Ice hockey will always astound me as the players manage to double up on skills by simultaneously skating and playing hockey. It is brutal and graceful all in one speedy gulp.  I love watching ice hockey.   Sitting in any arena or ballpark brings out the sports gal in me, so it surprised me that sitting in a theater in Malvern last Saturday night ignited my reluctant inner fan.   

People’s Light and Theater Company's (PLTC) current production “The Philly Fan,” is one hour of delicious hyperbole as its lone actor, Tom McCarthy, rolls seamlessly through the frustrating foibles of our hometown teams.    I hungrily took in every morsel of sports detail that McCarthy served up as he deftly invited us to join him at the corner taproom, the ballpark, and his living room and have it out.  It was a hardscrabble look at the passion and complexity of the Philadelphia sports fan.  Humor, excitement, disappointment laced the show as we traveled back through the highs (of which there were few) and the lows (of which there were many) in Philadelphia sports history. 

Gene Mauch, Pete Rose, Dr. J, Dave Shultz, Michael Vick are among the myriad of notable athletes whose efforts are woven into the psyche of McCarthy's "average Joe." Connie 
Mack stadium, the Vet, and Lincoln Financial field also receive pointed critiques.  Written by local playwright, Bruce Graham, the compilation of equally sensitive and harsh musings placed us in the sports fan's heart as we silently commiserated with him.

Connie Mack Stadium, Philadelphia, PA

McCarthy's character let his reflections meld his rough exterior with his soft interior as he recalled summer evenings 'down the shore,' hearing neighborhood radios all tuned into the play by play action of a Phillies game wafting through screened windows.  He paused, captivated by the wonder of such simple sounds and marveled at the cohesive nature of listening to "the game" when the weekday events were broadcast only on the radio.   His family life played a secondary but foundational role in his sports reflections too, with a precious sweetness saved for his memories of his beloved wife, Roe. I caught myself becoming a fan of the man.    

Some audience members even wore their favorite sports jerseys and caps to support the aptly titled show.  Truth be told, I have been a PLTC subscriber for 18 years.  Live theater is my thing.  So, it was an unexpected thrill to equally love the sports themed show - it is a winner in a city where winning comes hard. I am returning for a second time this week along with my dad - an unapologetic Philly fan.  I can't wait.

Sports memories were the focus of a famed Iowa ballfield in a 10/30/2011 New York Times article titled, "New Dreams for Field." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/30/sports/baseball/field-of-dreams-setting-tourist-magnet-in-iowa-is-to-be-sold.html?scp=1&sq=new%20dreams%20for%20field&st=cse

The fate of the baseball diamond carved from corn fields in the 1989 movie "Field of Dreams" was highlighted in an update about the property set to be sold. Current owners, Don and Becky Lansing are selling it to a Chicago investment group which plans to "keep the field as it is but to also build a dozen other fields and an indoor center for youth baseball and softball tournaments." 

The land has been in the Lansing family for a century.  Mr. Lansing grew up in the house in which Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, lived with his family for the movie.  The corn fields from which the Chicago White Sox team emerges in the film to rise above their 1919 scandel and play the game they loved continue to mystify visitors. It seems as though the purity of the film's intention has been alive and well for these 22 years since the it opened.  Apparently, the movie's premise, "If you build it, they will come" has staying power.  It is one captivating idea.

Visitors have traveled three miles outside the town of Dyersville, Iowa to experience the magic of this field and muse about their diverse, yet passionate sports experiences. Notables such as George Brett, Catfish Hunter, and Lou Brock have strode along the baselines taking in the mystical nature of youthful memories and opportunities lost. 

Photo by Meawpong3405 of Free Digital Photo

This speaks to me in every way.  How we live our lives has much to do with how our lives are formed in our youth.  In the movie, the simplicity of a man who addresses a yearning for something somewhat undefined drives Ray Kinsella on a search.  It culminates in the character playing catch with his long dead and very young father on the famed field. Shoeless Joe Jackson and his teammates also get to rekindle their passion for the game and play together once again, before the decision that banned the players from professional baseball became their eventual reality.  This goes to the heart of the movie. 

Unearthing our longings and discerning what it would take to release them takes guts.  The end result of this search may erupt into more questions than answers, but a sustained yearning must be answered nonetheless.  Self-awareness is all we have and to bury any of it creates fields of frustration. 

Who knew sports could speak so deeply to me?

For more info on "The Philly Fan" here is the PLTC link along with a link to a recent interview with playwright Bruce Graham and director Joe Canuso.

http://peopleslight.org/production/philly-fan

http://stagepartners.org/2011/10/the-return-of-the-philly-fan-and-more-an-interview-with-playwright-bruce-graham-and-director-joe-canuso/