Tag: comedy

FUN

Beaumont Studios: Keep Calm +  Murray On

NOT YOUR TYPICAL NIGHT OUT

Especially when your night is full of burlesque, paranormal chaos, booze and moments filled with Bill Murray classics. 

My friend Charna and I went to the preview opening night of  “KEEP CALM AND MURRAY ON”  and got immersed in the chaotic craziness of this multi-talented group of people at Vancouver’s Beaumont Studios.We didn’t know exactly what to expect but I had a bit of an idea because last year I went to “Shine” – a Steven King themed burlesque and cocktail bonanza at the studios.  This was different as they’ve since expanded their studio space to include a larger outdoor tented area with stage and seating. The stage is set at the same level as the chairs so try to get a seat closer to the stage if you go. It was a bit of a wait as they’re still sorting things out, but a weird, wacky and allover wonderful evening.  The artists do everything from designing sets and costumes, to performing magic tricks, acrobatics, burlesque, singing, dancing and bartending. You’ll never know what’s around the corner or what to expect next as you go from room to room.  Always a scary surprise.

Bill raises a glass as we descend the staircase.  Bill + Booze go together like Bees +Honey.

The only negative thing is that they need to work on streamlining the flow a bit more with less of a wait in between performances. Otherwise, it was excellent.  Mind you, this was the preview.

Why Bill Murray?  Why not?  He’s an eccentric character who has become somewhat of a cult figure.  He’s had some good lines in a diverse bunch of films like “Groundhog Day”, “Ghostbusters” and “Little Shop of Horrors.” Makes for a good pre-Halloween production.  But for me, it is kind of like groundhog day, since I’ve seen him in person recently in Toronto at tiff and screened two of his not yet released movies. Murray on…
Beaumont Studios is a multi-talented artistic community where you get to appreciate the creativity in a unique environment.  One of their mandates is to bring together artists, artisans, designers and small business owners as a united community to participate in public and private artistic events and opportunities.  And to advance the public’s knowledge and interest in the Vancouver art scene through participation in events and artistic exhibitions.

Photos: d. king

From their website (link below for tickets)

Starting October 17th, infused with only the charisma Bill Murray can bring, The Beaumont Studios presents KEEP CALM AND MURRAY ON. An immersive experience with all of the greatest Bill Murray moments. A mash-up of the classics. It’s spooky, ridiculous, clever and chilling. Guaranteed to keep you laughing and cringing all night long.

 Get submerged in multiple stages of Bill Murray inspired antics. We’re talking live performances ranging from the sexy to silly. Imagine vaudevillian Ghostbusters, WWF burlesque sass, opera, horror and just enough supernatural vibes to keep you wondering what the hell is next.

Cocktails? We’ve got you covered. Tickets include two signature drinks to take the edge off the craziness. Trust us. You will need one. Probably two.

 Tickets $75.  October 17th – 31st

https://www.thebeaumontstudios.com/

From “Shine” last year:

https://girlwhowouldbeking.com/2023/10/20/chills-clowns-cocktails/

The Beaumont Studios – 326 West 5th Ave.

Art & Culture

Feel-good Friday: In Good Company

“If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane.” – Robert Frost (way before Jimmy Buffett sang it).

The best thing is to laugh with friends. I was in such good company on Saturday listening to Carol Burnett reminisce about her successful career in show business, specifically hilarious stories revolving around her weekly TV comedy “the Carol Burnett Show.” 

carolburnettThe same show I used to watch with my parents. The one which set the bar for other comedians like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler but maybe not Amy Schumer .  And laugh we did.

Hopefully most of you remember it, or at least know who I’m referring to.  Carol Burnett is not only familiar but she’s a classic and a legend and a really warm person, in person.  She makes you feel like you’re a friend, which you are, even if you aren’t if that makes any sense. She reminds you of family.

On a style note, it was interesting to learn that Bob Mackie designed all the costumes for every single episode for eleven straight running years.  He’s the same designer who was responsible for the stunning gowns that Cher used to wear on her show.  Blah, blah, blah…yeah, lots of stories. Lots of famous names, sadly many no longer around. And lots of questions answered in a witty & wonderful manner.

And then just before you know it two hours later came the time Carol had to say good night.  Awwww…all good things come to an end.   I could have listened to her all night.

So thought I’d share a few of my favourite clips from the series.  One is a very short spoof from the movie classic “Gone With the Wind” (the one where Carol takes the curtain down literally to make a dress to greet Rhett Butler played by Harvey Korman) and the other is a full episode (I couldn’t find a shorten version) of a spoof from the old beach party movie “Beach Blanket Bingo” starring Annette Funicello.  But this one has Carol playing Annette and Steve Martin as Frankie Avalon – too too funny.  You can always skim through it.  The scene with Carol & Steve on a surfboard……………had me in stitches!

Let’s just say…we all can use a good laugh!

On that note, wishing you a wacky wonderful weekend!

Carol Burnett: Went with the Wind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTKhw-v5h2I

The Making of Beach Blanket Boo Boo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHEFepmIpsI

She’s 83 now. In Such Good Company is the name of Carol’s new memoir celebrating eleven years (and more) of laughter.  Available anywhere books are sold.

A good comedian is a treasure.  The challenge to make us laugh, a pleasure – d. king

 

FUN, Girl Who Would be King

Feel-good Friday: when there’s rain…

…there’s Rainbows

Lucky Dog!
Lucky Dog!

Jack, staring out his living room window is thinking one of three things:  Where did my humans disappear to?  What will I eat for dinner? Are there really rabbits, squirrels and mice at the end of the rainbow ? (as told to him by his mother as a young pup).

Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what’s on the other side
Rainbows are visions
But only illusions
And rainbows have nothing to hide

All of us under its spell, we know that it’s probably magic

I’m a big kid at heart.  I love this song performed by John Legend, Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy (another style icon), and Queen Latifah.  It is definitely Feel-Good.

On another Feel-good note:  The many faces of Carol Burnett.

carol1carol3I’m so glad we had this time together.  Fond memories of simpler times and fun clean comedy.

Tomorrow I’m really excited to see Carol Burnett at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver.  I have no idea what she’s going to do but that’s okay, she can just stand there for all I care.  I loved watching her Acceptance Speech for a well deserved Life Time Achievement at SAG Awards 2016.  If you haven’t seen it and you’re a fan you should google it.

I vividly remember watching the Carol Burnett show with my family and grandparents. I had the pleasure of meeting Harvey Korman when I was called to work on another popular TV series while living in Tokyo.  He was a regular on Carol Burnett and as suspected he was extremely pleasant.  When doing their live TV skits the cast tried hard not to make each other laugh but always ended up cracking each other up. They didn’t care so much about being overly slick. Show is SOLD OUT!

Photo of Bangkok Jack: by Took

 

 

 

 

FUN, Girl Who Would be King

Feel-good FUN: Carpool Karaoke

LAUGHING & SINGING is good for the SOUL

I wasn’t googling cars, pools or karaoke when these popup videos unexpectedly showed up on the side of my screen. 

Stevie Wonder & James Ca
Stevie Wonder & James Corden

But I’m so glad they did, because it was just what I needed to get out of a slump on a dismal day and I couldn’t stop clicking on the links to most of them. Have you heard of James Corden (The Late, Late Show with James Corden) before?  Have you seen any of his Carpool Karaoke videos?  OMG….you must! I laughed and laughed and sang along …because no one else could hear me.  Corden carpools to work by picking up a different singing superstar in each segment (some clips are longer than others) from Justin Bieber to Stevie Wonder –  It’s super funny and the songs are great.

with Adele - she's a riot!
with Adele – she’s a riot!

I started with Elton John because when I was living at home as a teenager one of the things I’d constantly hear from my father was “turn down the music, it’s way too loud” and “why do you think this guy is so great, you can’t even make out one word he’s saying” (I might have been playing Crocodile Rock or Benny & the Jets when he said it). But I remember playing a lot of Elton John.  I still love him as a musician and a person (he appears to be an amazing guy in all respects).  Next up was Chris Martin (hitch hiking on his way to appear in the half-time show at Superbowl) and Adele (how many times can you say hello?).  All have great senses of humour and the host of this crazy show is hilarious as he sings along too and sometimes stops for other escapades.

If you feel so inclined (like me, who was video binging – one right after another) you might want to check out:

Stevie Wonder (as he takes the drivers seat)

Justin Beiber, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson (as she sings for a takeout order), Carrie Underwood and Rod Stewart.

I hope it makes you laugh too.  You can let me know if you want.  XO   *(for those following via e-mail please click on the blue title above to see clips).

Elton John and James Corden

Adele & James Corden:

Chris Martin & James Corden:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SADub7W22Zg

 

FUN

Words – laughing with Chelsea Handler

chelsea1 (2)Here are some okay lots of my favorite quotes from Comedian Chelsea Handler.

Disclaimer: If you’re not okay with politically incorrect maybe end it right here.  I just saw her perform live in Seattle and while I don’t enjoy crudeness in general, when it comes from her it just seems so natural and acceptable and the lines become blurred between right and wrong. 

It’s been my experience that people who make proclamations about themselves are usually the opposite of what they claim to be. If someone is truly a loyal friend, then they wouldn’t need to broadcast it; eventually, people will figure it out. I have a lot of good friends and not one of them has ever introduced themselves by saying, “I’m a very good friend.— Chelsea Handler

“I went to Africa because I wanted to know where rappers come from.” –  Chelsea Handler, “Uganda be Kidding me.”

“I don’t like the word ‘alcoholic‘. I like to think of myself as an advanced drinker.” ― Chelsea Handler, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands

“I went out with a guy who once told me I didn’t need to drink to make myself more fun to be around. I told him, I’m drinking so that you’re more fun to be around.”
― Chelsea Handler, Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea

“Then a homeless man with a dog approached us and put his hand out. This happens to be something that I have a real problem with: homeless people with pets who approach you for food when they have a perfectly delicious dog standing right there?”

“I would rather sit next to a transgender person and discuss why every single one I’ve met smells like a bar in the daytime than listen to people tell my why I want to have children and that I just don’t know it yet. I do know, because I’m me and my feelings are the ones in my head. I don’t want to have kids, and it’s not a device to get attention or have conversations about it. I simply find children incredibly immature and, more often than not, dumb.”

Are you there vodka? It’s me, Chelsea. Please get me out of jail and I promise I will never drink again. Drink and drive. I will never drink and drive again. I may even start my own group fashioned after MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, but I’ll call it AWLTDASH, Alcoholics Who Like to Drink and Stay Home.”

“Obviously, if I was serious about having a relationship with some one long-term, the last people I would introduce him to would be my family.”

“My mother told me that life isn’t always about pleasing yourself and that sometimes you have to do things for the sole benefit of another human being. I completely agreed with her, but reminded her that that was what blow jobs were for.”

“You know you’re a hot mess when the only person buying you drinks all night is yourself.”

“My relationship with my father had been on the proverbial fritz since the time I was fifteen and called the police to report him for child molesting. He had never molested me, but I wanted to have a party that weekend and needed him out of the house.”

“I rolled over and picked up Us Weekly magazine off the floor. The cover had a picture of Angelina, Brad, and their little Eskimo son, Maddox. I sat staring at the photo, wondering why this little boy looks so pissed off in every picture.At first I thought he was just pissed about his Mohawk, but then I realized he’s probably furious. Maddox must have thought he hit the jackpot when some A-list celebrity rescued him from third-world Cambodia, only to discover that she was going to shuffle him back and forth to EVERY other third-world country in the universe. He’s probably like, ‘When the fuck are we gonna get to Malibu, bitch?”

“Our relationship finally ended when he took to waking me up in the wee hours o the morning when he would go surfing. He thought it might be fun to have me come watch. “Fun for who?” I wanted to ask. i had never asked him to come to Happy Hour and watch me drink.”

“Laugh loudly, laugh often, and most important, laugh at yourself.” ― Chelsea Handler, Lies That Chelsea Handler Told Me