It's all about keeping me entertained...

I knew someone once who actually thought that. She thought that was what the world was in existence for. She felt she was entitled. I've got $12.25 in my pocket right now says she still does.

Now, I don't have a real problem with that, I guess. It was her assertion that all such entertainment is supposed to come to her. Sort of like pizza. Except she doesn't want to tip. I figure that, like pizza, being entertained is something one should go on a quest for. If one wants pizza, one needs to decide on toppings, crust, how much one is willing to pay and then tip the delivery driver because they're probably making minimum wage and being treated like a Wisconsin teacher.

Being entertained is pretty much the same thing. One should figure out just WHAT will amuse, or entertain or interest you, then decide on how to get it, be it via television, books, Netflix or even going TO the entertainment as opposed to demanding it be dropped into one's lap. One should PAY for the entertainment, or at least tip the person who brings it to you.

I've been thinking of this because last Saturday I went into Hollywood and met one of my sons for dinner at a favorite pub. It's an Irish pub, which has nothing much to do with anything except that I can get Harp on tap and a really good shepherd's pie. BUT...said pub is about three doors down from the Pantages Theater. There was a big, new banner up..."Wicked" is coming for the holidays!

Just what I love to do for the holidays...spend a fortune seeing a show about a green witch and a blond bimbo who travels by bubble. WAY more fun than "The Nutcracker" or "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Twelfth Night". This, btw, is the ONLY entertainment said former friend is willing to actually go TO. She wants to BE Elphaba, the green witch. You know, the wicked one? The one who meddles, jumps to the wrong conclusions, wrecks havoc all over Oz and, in the world of the musical theater, ends up with the hot guy and living happily ever after. To that extent, my former friend is pretty much dead on. She meddles, jumps to conclusions, wrecks havoc wherever her perky green foot lands and is convinced that this will bring her peach, happiness and, I guess, a hot guy. She actually has a guy who always seemed pretty nice to me and frankly, I feel sorry for him. But then some guys get off on being whipped, or so I hear. I'm not a guy, so it's hard for me to be authoritative on that.

Well, in an effort to be entertained, I WENT to some entertainment last night. The hubster eschewed our plan to go see a high school musical and retreated to the sanctity of his club. The boys and I spent half a day on various forms of public transportation heading about 20 miles west and had a FINE time seeing a local high school perform "Barnum". Okay local if you're allowed to drive a car, which technically I am but the hubster, who doesn't drive, doesn't see the need to register the vehicle and the pounds of penalties piled up on the two years worth of unpaid registration bills, added to the hundreds of dollars he racked up in unpaid parking tickets during the time he DID drive don't interest him much. Did I say much? I meant at all.

I saw "Barnum" a million years ago, with Jim Dale. I saw it at least three times, I'm thinking it was 4 but I'm not positive about that. HELL of a show. No redeeming value, no witches defy gravity and trash Oz. It's about Barnum. There's a lot of circus and a lot of singing and a lot of dancing and juggling and tightrope walking and well, damn if it isn't just a wonderfully good time.

I was thinking about Jim Dale last night. He was such a dynamic Barnum that, for years, the show couldn't exist without him. Jim Dale moved on, the show? Not so much. But, oddly enough, this brought me full circle back to a couple of very trivial events that changed my life.

Back with Elphaba and I were "friends" I was heavily involved with an internet sight where the primary subject was Disney. The people on the chat boards were all Disney obsessed. And I DO mean obsessed. They would post where they had seen things called "Hidden Mickeys". Frequently they found them in their toilet bowls. Now, to get this straight, a "hidden Mickey" is an image of Mickey Mouse cleverly incorporated into something mundane. The image isn't readily visible, but it has been deliberately and thoughtfully worked in. See this? Look carefully at the store name.


THAT'S a "Hidden Mickey."

Anyway, these people who know everything about Disney would post pictures of a kid on Main Street at Disneyland wearing a Mickey Mouse hat and say 'LOOK! I found a hidden Mickey." And someone would point out that they were unclear on the concept and Elphaba's bestest friend in the whole world, who runs this board as the anarchy it is, would promptly suspend or ban the person who pointed OUT that the kid in the hat was not a "Hidden Mickey" in the interest of fair play in the coven. Or something like that, I never was really sure...

Anyway, back to Jim Dale. There was an entertainment thread and, a few years ago, some people were discussing the late, dear departed victim of the recent writers strike "Pushing Daisies." The narrator of that show was Jim Dale. One of the many "if it's Disney I know it" members posted that he had a great style but she couldn't find anyplace where he had done anything else, who was he?

Really? I mean, Ms. I know every thing Disney apparently had never heard of the Internet Movie Date Base. Because if she had used it she would have seen that, at the top of the list where notable roles are showcased, the #1 position is occupied by "Pete's Dragon". Yeah, that would be Disney. Also noted is his role in "Carry On, Doctor" but find me a British actor over 50 who hasn't appeared in a "Carry On" movie...

Anyway, I pointed this out and was immediately put on about 20 ignore lists as an insufferable prig and how was someone supposed to know about movies that were made before they were even born? Yeah, remember THAT the next time you turn on "Gone With The Wind," you twit.

This brought me to a recent event on said website, wherein someone posted something about "Annette" and several Disney geeks and experts then posted "Annette who?"

Really?

Not only that, but the several people who came to the defense of the poster who referred to Ms. Funicello by her first name only, assuming that a bunch of self-proclaimed Disney aficionados would KNOW who he was talking about was then publicly reprimanded by Elphaba's bestest friend EVAH...a thick, soulless woman who wears neither make up nor a pleasant countenance and pulls her bun so tight she can't blink her eyes, which only adds to harshness of her constant expression.

And this is what represents the "Happiest Place On Earth."

So...this is what keeps them entertained. Insulting people who call other people on being stupid. NO...not being stupid. There are legitimately stupid people who deserve respect. BEHAVING stupidly and then standing up defending your stupid behavior. That's what they LOVE. Makes them feel superior, I guess. Cole Porter once said "all people LOVE to teach" and I think this is true. There's is also a big part of the population who feel that learning is a sign of weakness. These are the people who seem to hang out on Internet message boards. And the Tea Party. And just how did all this change my life? Because they finally got so mean, petty and downright ridiculous I not only don't go there anymore, I have no desire to go there. And this make me very happy.

Anyway, they can entertain themselves their way. I COULD sit on my considerable azz and prowl the Internet for people to ridicule and insult but I don't really find that very amusing. I'll entertain myself my way. Last night, a bunch of fresh faced 15 to 18 year old high school kids had me on my feet, anxious to get in line and "Come Follow the Band" with them.

I'm good with that.