It's Nothing to Be Ashamed Of! (5/25/09)

There's a moment in everyone's life when they come out of the closet -- not necessarily that closet -- but rather when they realize that that thing they’ve always been interested in and fascinated by isn't something to be embarrassed about, but is something to be acknowledged and celebrated. In my own case, it was (and is) comic books. Even though I've been reading them for half a century, when I was in high school, it was worst sort of social embarrassment to admit that not only did you read and enjoy them, but you also collected them. When I got to college, I met men and women who were smart, funny, and who actually read comics -- and admitted it. Since then, I've been more than proud of my fanboy status -- even if some of my fellows are still stereotypically geeky. May 25th is Nerd Pride Day, a holiday that started (in Spain, of all places) in 2006, and is dedicated to allowing all of us the freedom to be geeks or nerds about anything we like -- no, not just like, but are really into. With that in mind, I polled my fellow Sparksters to find out what floats their particular boats. Robert: As far as nerdy and geeky interests, there's too much to choose from, so I’ll just go with role-playing games -- "Dungeons and Dragons" in particular; a game that even nerds call nerdy. I used to play "Dungeons and Dragons" back in the '90s when TSR was still around and supported the "Ravenloft" (gothic horror) and "Dark Sun" (kind of like "Mad Max") campaign settings. These days my D&D lust is satisfied by war games like "Warhammer" and board games (especially horror games) like "Arkham Horror," which is a perfect meld of board games and another nerdy interest of mine: H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu mythos. But, still loyal to my old passion, I keep a bad-ass "Dragons of Krynn" painting I got way back in high school hanging in my room. Sarah: I am a total history junkie. I will read, watch, or listen to anything involving history (as you can probably tell from my Sparks). I'm partial to European history, especially anything weird, corrupt, or scandalous -- and it’s even better if it involves the monarchy. But surprisingly, I've never been to a Renaissance Faire. Suzi: This Memorial Day, I hope to be sitting by the pool, soaking up the sun, enjoying a bevy of tunes from my iPod Classic, whilst reading some lovely literary selection on my Kindle. I'm sure I'll be in contact with loved ones, as my Blackberry Pearl never leaves my side. Yes, folks, I am an unabashed gadget girl. I wear my Nerd Pride badge, well, proudly. Richard: I became painfully aware of my status as a gay nerd while creating a spreadsheet of "Golden Girls" episodes that I wanted to rip to my iPhone, organized by season, disc, and featured musical number (where applicable.) Jessica: I am nerdy about snowboard construction. My own snowboard has a Kevlar core for strength and flexibility (and in case bad guys are after me on the slopes, a la James Bond). It's pretty new, but the latest in board tech is bamboo veneer, which, in addition to being sustainable and looking very board-like indeed, reduces vibrations on icy snow and at high speeds. So cool. Adrienne: I collect Japanese toys. Okay, I'm not a master collector, but I still spend too much money of ugly vinyl monsters and fanciful plastic windup toys. Source of neurotic nerdiness: Crying over Gamera's apparent demise ("Don't die, Gamera! Don’t die!") in a fellow 3-year-old’s Gaithersburg, Maryland basement. It's one of my earliest memories. Do manicured lawns spawn escapist fantasies? Chris: I am an unapologetic sci-fi nerd. A good sci-fi novel/movie inspires you to think deeply, often forcing you to consider possibilities that never occurred to you. The prescription for all closed-minded individuals who just can't show any empathy or sympathize with any unknown point of view is an assigned list of the best sci-fi. Mike: I am a Disneyland nerd and proud of it! Since I was 10 years old, I’ve been going there at least once a year. After my first son was born, I have shared my poison, I mean passion, for it with my family -- my eight-year-old son has been there 15 times. I know ... it's nuts. And that’s why it's the nerdiest thing about me. Suggested Sites... Wikipedia: Geek Pride Day - we call them nerds, they call them geeks -- and there's probably a subculture dedicated to determining the differences. Nerd Country - "your complete nerd resource." Wikipedia: Trekkies - for some, these are the ultimate of geekdom. 501st Legion - for me, it doesn't get any lower than this, though. Okay, you think Boba Fett is cool; we get it, already! Kelly's World of Airsickness Bags - see, there's nothing that doesn't have aficionados.

Directory categories: Comic Books, Consumer Electronics, The Golden Girls, Collectible Toys, Disneyland

Archived under: Authors, Board Games, Books, Celebrations, Collectibles, Comic Books, Comics, Counterculture, Cultures, Disney, Disneyland, Entertainment, European History, Extreme Sports, Fanatics, Fiction, Gadgets, Games, Gay Pride, History, Hobbies, Holidays, In Character, James Bond, Japan, Literature, Monsters and Creatures, Parenting, Royalty, Science Fiction, Sitcoms, Society and Culture, Sports, Star Trek, Star Wars, TV, Technology, The Spark, Toys, Winter Sports, Yahoo! Directory

Glorifying the American Girl (7/8/08)

Opening a Broadway show on July 8 in the pre-air-conditioned year of 1907 was an unorthodox move, but no one ever accused Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. of being conventional. Ziegfeld (pronounced "ZEEG-feld," if you please, not "Zig-field") began his career as a small-time showman, presenting Eugen Sandow, "The World's Strongest Man," at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Sandow scandalously performed nearly nude or in flesh-colored tights and soon became a leading attraction. Ziegfeld parlayed that success by importing French singer Anna Held to star in a smash-hit show -- and then marrying her. In 1906, Ziegfeld, who always had an eye for feminine beauty, decided he would emulate Paris' famous Folies Bergère and present his own Follies in New York, dedicated to "Glorifying the American Girl." He surrounded top comedians with lavish sets and costumes, songs by such writers as George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Jerome Kern -- and the tallest, most beautiful women Ziegfeld could find. The Follies became another smash and continued annually until 1927, when even Ziegfeld couldn't outrun the Great Depression. But in those years, such entertainment legends as Nora Bayes, Sophie Tucker, Fanny Brice, Ed Wynn, W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, and Eddie Cantor appeared in the Follies -- and Ziegfeld even managed to break Broadway's color barrier by starring Bert Williams, the first black performer to appear on an American stage with an otherwise white cast. If Ziegfeld had done nothing but produce his Follies, his place as an impresario would be assured, but his greatest moment came in 1927 when he presented "Show Boat," the greatest of all American musicals. Ziegfeld died in 1932, deep in debt, but an epic film based on his life won the Oscar for Best Picture in 1936. In the decades since, many have tried to emulate him, but no one has duplicated Ziegfeld's taste and success. Suggested Sites... Ziegfeld 101 - an introduction to the producer of the most lavish shows ever seen on Broadway. Internet Broadway Database: Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. - list of shows produced by Ziegfeld, with information on casts and productions. Florenz Ziegfeld and his Fabulous Follies - nice illustrated history of Ziegfeld and the Follies. You Tube: Eddie Cantor - "Makin' Whoopee" - watch Cantor sing his biggest hit from his biggest Ziegfeld show. Wikipedia: Doris Eaton Travis - profile of the last surviving Ziegfeld girl -- who still tap danced three times a week at the age of 105 before dying earlier this year at 106.

Directory categories: Florenz Ziegfeld, Musicals, Theatre History, Musical Performers, Shows on Broadway

Archived under: Actors, Anniversaries, Biographies, Broadway, Celebrities, Comedians, Composers, Entertainment, Musicals, New York, Performing Arts, Times Square, Vaudeville