First, You Have to Crawl...

.... I guess... that is, if you are launching this super-ridiculously expensive Broadway show! If you haven't heard about the new Spiderman show, you should read this account of the first preview performance. It is pure chaos.

THEATER

‘Spider-Man’ Takes Off, With Some Bumps

By PATRICK HEALY

Published: November 28, 2010

Catcalls and technical problems marred the preview performance of the most expensive production ever staged on Broadway.

Whatever happened to just writing something that was witty and brilliant and then performing it?

What is with all this special effects hoopla?

I don't know about you, but for $150 or whatever Broadway seats cost these days, I don't want to have to worry about an actor falling on my head. Stay on the frickin' stage where you belong!

An All-Around Tragedy

From The NY Post: Qns. man run over twice on pizza run

This is one of those stories that are just so sad all around. Regular readers of this blog know by now how I feel about the incredible disadvantage pedestrians have in Queens when it comes to most all of their interactions with motorists. Queens Blvd. is a daily disaster where pedestrians have to hurry across lest they be struck down by one or another cars turning this way or that. And now this horrific incident on 108th St., and a previous one just recently on Yellowstone.

It's not really that hard to make our streets safer for pedestrians, is it? Not if the political will is there to take on the interests that are only concerned with the speedy flow of automobile traffic. We never did find out, by the way, who shortened the walk signals on Queens Blvd. a year or so ago so now it is virtually impossible to make it across without walking fast or even running. And no, new countdown clocks do not change the fact that there is not enough time for the average pedestrian to walk across with total and complete safety. The onus should not be on just the pedestrians, as it is now. And yet, not a peep from our local politicians about lengthening the time for pedestrians to cross Queens Blvd.

Why is that?

There is more to a city than just enabling cars to move as fast as they can. You have to make sure its people can move about safely on foot as well. They should not have to be risking life and limb when it comes to doing so.

Holiday TV Schedule

Yes, there is plenty to have angst about this holiday season - making sure you get that last copy of George Bush's memoir before they are all sold out, pre-flight pat-downs, Bristol Palin - but the one that really is in the back of my mind all holiday season long is did I miss Rudolph? Was the Heat Miser one on already?? Did I miss NBC's single showing of It's a Wonderful Life?! Of course, all of these holiday must-sees are available on DVD and have been for years. But you know it is only really good to see them when they are actually on TV. So, here is a list I stumbled across of the dates of these and other holiday shows:

"CMA Country Christmas," 9:30 p.m. Monday on ABC: Performances by Sheryl Crow, Sugarland and more.

"Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer," 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS: The classic about that reindeer, Santa and the Island of Misfit Toys.

"Christmas in Rockefeller Center," 8 p.m. Tuesday on NBC: annual celebration from New York City.

"How the Grinch Stole Christmas," 8 p.m. Tuesday and Dec. 23 on ABC: Boris Karloff narrates the one and only original (sorry, Jim Carrey).

"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town," 8 p.m. next Thursday on ABC: An animated classic about the origins of Santa.

"A Christmas Carol" (1938), 6 a.m. Dec. 4 with repeats through December on TCM: This version stars Reginald Owen as Scrooge.

"Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special," 8:30 p.m. Dec. 4 on NBC: For the kung fu kiddies.

"A Charlie Brown Christmas," 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and Dec. 16 on ABC: The Peanuts gang discovers the true meaning of Christmas.

"Prep & Landing," 8:30 p.m. Dec. 9 on ABC: From the Walt Disney Animation Studios, a tale of "an elite unit of elves."

"White Christmas" (1954), 8 and 10:45 p.m. Dec. 11 with repeats through December on AMC: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and some wonderful music.

"Meet Me in St. Louis" (1944), 5 p.m. Dec. 11 with repeats through December on TCM: The Christmas scenes in this set-in-1904 Judy Garland musical are a heart-tugger.

"It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), 8 p.m. Dec. 11 and Dec. 24 on NBC: Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey in the Frank Capra classic about a fateful Christmas Eve in small-town Bedford Falls.

"Holiday Inn" (1942), 1:30 a.m. Dec. 12 with repeats through December on AMC: Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire star in the movie that introduced the song "White Christmas."

"Prancer" (1989), 10:30 p.m. Dec. 13 on AMC: If you've never seen this charmer about a little girl sheltering a reindeer, do yourself a favor and watch it.

"Christmas in Washington," 8 p.m. Dec. 17 on TNT: Performances by Mariah Carey, Annie Lennox and Matthew Morrison. Hosted by Ellen DeGeneres.

"A Christmas Story" (1983), 24-hour marathon beginning at 8 p.m. Dec. 24 on TBS: In the 1940s, Ralphie goes on a Christmas quest for a Red Ryder air rifle and ... oh, you know the rest ("It's a major award!").