Sean's Space

"Sean's Space" in a new place

2010-09-30T20:44:00.005-04:00

If you've clicked this Web address and haven't seen any new content in almost two months, there's a reason...

For reasons out of my control, I (and my fellow Poughkeepsie Journal bloggers) have had to move over to a new publishing application. With the switch, the individuality of the "Sean's Space" design and ease of use on my end have unfortunately been limited.

It's still the same "Sean's Space" content you've come to know and (hopefully) love, just at a new Web address and without most of the secondary fun (i.e.: title banner, widgets, videos, polls, etc.) of the old blog. I hope you'll head over here anyway.

Yanks take up a Beautiful cause

2010-08-18T11:49:00.005-04:00

The defending World Series champs will bring a little HOPE to an Orange County group after tomorrow's game.
As part of the New York Yankees' HOPE Week, the Yanks' players, coaches and staff will play baseball with kids from Beautiful People, a Warwick-based group that works with children with physical and developmental challenges.

Last year, the Bronx Bombers similarly helped make dreams come true for campers from Camp Sundown, located in nearby Craryville.

The Force was with Mickey & Co.

2010-08-18T11:45:00.001-04:00

This shot, taken this past weekend, might be the most amazing photograph ever snapped! For this one picture captures in one spot two of my biggest loves in life: "Star Wars" and Walt Disney World. (If the backdrop inside Disney's Hollywood Studios looks familiar, click here and you'll see why.)

Yes, that is George Lucas, creator of the "Star Wars" saga, and R2-D2 posing alongside the Disney gang, draped out in "Star Wars" garb. Over the weekend, Jedi fans and Sith supporters alike converged on Orlando for "Star Wars" Celebration V, an annual convention for everything Lucas-like. From exhibits, autograph signings and entertainment, among other attractions, the annual Celebration gatherings offer ~~geeks~~ fans like me everything they could ask for. Think of it like "Star Wars" Weekends under one roof. Though I've always steered clear of comic-book conventions (although I do enjoy the occasional baseball card show), I would love — l-o-v-e — it if New York ever hosted a similar Celebration.

Anyway ... Lucas made his way to the aforementioned (and nearby) Disney's Hollywood Studios for a few photographs, including the above shot which has now overtaken this shot of Lucas as my favorite of all-time.

"Judge Judy" rules, case closed!

2010-08-17T14:49:00.007-04:00

This is a shameless plug, I admit, but please indulge me for a few seconds...
Just in case you missed this past Sunday's "Our Turn" column, I highly recommend it. Sure, I wrote it, but more importantly, it's about one of my favorite celebrities: Judge Judy, seen here.

Afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m., her honor is appointment television at my house, as I often DVR her show and watch it later at night after work.

More than just another court show, "Judge Judy" is about common sense ... or more precisely, people who don't have it! Between some of the nonsensical cases that are brought before her to the way some litigants act in front of the judge, many times I finish watching the show thinking, Is this where we're headed? Are there really people like that out there?! Not only that, while Judge Judy might be harsh at times, she's always right! If you're an idiot in front of her 10 million daily viewers, she's going to let you know it. In four words: I love Judge Judy.

So, go ahead, check out my column but more importantly, watch her show!

It was a Steve Carrell weekend!

2010-08-16T20:29:00.008-04:00

Having already proclaimed my affinity for "The Office," I spent a recent weekend giving one of the show's stars some of my money. Within a 48-hour span two weeks ago, I took in a pair of Steve Carrell's summer films, spanning the best and not-so-best he's got to offer.

The first was "Despicable Me," which had some good moments but kind of left me asking, Why did they make this movie? There was nothing really special about it, though the three little girls — Margo, Edith and Agnes — were totally adorable ... yes, even as CGI characters. Still, the story was sort of lacking and there was really nothing so special that, in my opinion, would have made studio heads say, "We need to make this movie!" Additionally, Steve Carrell's character could have been voiced just as well by any number of actors; there was nothing particularly good (or bad, to be fair) about his performance. I'd give the movie a solid C grade.

But what a difference just 24 hours can make!

The following night, we took in the opening night of "Dinner for Schmucks," which is easily Steve Carrell's best work since "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" back in 2005. I don't even know where to begin: Perhaps that we laughed from the opening credits all the way to the end credits! From rodent taxidermy to supposed mind control, this movie has everything. I was expecting the actual dinner, which is touted in the title, to take up the majority of the screen time, but it's actually a small portion of the movie at the end, but it's totally worth the wait. By far, this was the funniest movie I've seen all year — partially because I actually know someone eerily similar to Steve Carrell's Barry Speck character — and easily earns an A+ in my book.

Of course, these flicks just make me want the new season of "The Office," Steve Carrell's last on the show, to get here sooner!

Two "30 Rock"s down, two to go...

2010-08-13T10:16:00.005-04:00

It happened at 1:19 this morning, but I finished watching the second season of "30 Rock."

It took just over a month since I after I finished watching the first season of the NBC hit show for me to complete Season 2. And let me tell you: The show gets better and better. In fact, it makes me regret not watching these earlier episodes the first time they were on the air. In my defense, though, you might remember when "30 Rock" debuted on NBC, a show with a similar premise, "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip," debuted on CBS. I remember trying to watch the latter once or twice when it came out, but it was just a horrible show. Hence, painting with a broad stroke, I lumped "30 Rock" along with the CBS flop and simply dismissed it. Big mistake! Now, I'm paying for that gaffe, as I try to catch up on the first four seasons I've missed before the fifth season starts on Sept. 23rd.

Here's the problem: It's taken me roughly a month each to get through the first two seasons. I'll have to double up my efforts, likely watching two or even three episodes per viewing to catch up before Season 5 begins.

Once more, wish me luck...

And now a word from our sponsor...

2010-08-09T20:16:00.014-04:00

This is now my new favorite TV commercial of all-time:

Long a fan of Geico's TV ads, I sang the praises of their cavemen back in 2007 as one of my very first posts here on "Sean's Space." This lil' piggy, though, makes me literally laugh out loud every time I see him!

Maybe it's a nod to my love of animals, that Geico piggy commercial replaces my old favorite TV commercial of all-time, seen here:

Seriously, as if this lil' "pooper" wasn't cute enough, just listen to what he's saying about his dog food — and look at how proud he looks! — and try to tell me this isn't one of the best ads ever.

Marky leaves his Mark on H-wood Blvd.

2010-08-06T16:10:00.010-04:00

Caught up in all the Chelsea-mania last week, somehow I missed this one...

Yes, that is Mark Wahlberg, accepting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on July 29; his star is located at 6259 Hollywood Boulevard. Back in early 1992, I remember seeing him — then known as Marky Mark — as he came to Poughkeepsie on tour with his Funky Bunch (that's $72 I'll never see again!) and now he's getting a star on Hollwood Blvd.?! Not only is he the brother of New Kids On The Block member Donnie Wahlberg, but Mark was also an original member of the New Kids before leaving the group because he wanted more of an urban, street sound.

Last week was a busy one in Tinseltown for the acting Wahlberg brothers.

A day before Mark's ceremony, Donnie took part in this panel discussion with co-star Tom Selleck during a press tour for "Blue Bloods," their new cop drama set to debut on CBS this fall.

Prez gives away auto before daughter

2010-08-06T14:50:00.008-04:00

And I thought I hit the celebrity jackpot in Rhinebeck last weekend prior to Chelsea's wedding!
Well, turns out my 10-year-old buddy Andrew outdid me, hitting the mother load leading up to Chelsea Clinton's wedding. His "get?" Oh, just the father of the bride ... and a former president of the United States!

Click the video and watch Andrew being interviewed by Fox News after he got the John Hancock of Bill Clinton. Really, though, look at Andrew ... who can say "no" to that face?!

Brand gives "Arthur" one Moore try

2010-08-05T16:07:00.003-04:00

Ever the celebrity hunter, "someone I know" came up with this latest gem earlier this week...
That's actor/comedian Russell Brand (center) on the set of the remake of the 1981 film "Arthur" outside Grand Central Terminal.

The movie, set to be released next year, also reportedly stars Jennifer Garner and Nick Nolte. Brand will star as the title character first played by Dudley Moore.

Recording tunes is fair with Mayer

2010-08-05T12:45:00.015-04:00

It's a musical math equation. Follow me here:
John Mayer > The Doobie Brothers

If you remember this classic "What's Happening!!" episode, you'll remember the Doobies got all mad when Rerun was caught bootlegging their concert with that bulky 1978 tape recorder under his trenchcoat.

Well, Mr. Mayer takes a more fan-friendly approach to recording his performances.
Check out my ticket to last night's John Mayer/Train concert in Sullivan County. Now look two lines behind John's name: Audio OK. How cool is that?!

So, of course, I took advantage of John's generosity!

Always the quick thinker, I set my cell phone to RECORD, placed it with the microphone facing the stage and went on to record the next 90 minutes or so of the concert. Thanks, John Mayer! Between hits like "Heartbreak Warfare" and "Waiting On The World To Change" — not to mention a really good cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret" — I got 'em all on my phone. Considering how far we were from the stage, though, and the quality of the sound reproduction, the actual music sounds like it was recorded by Rerun back in '78.

Still, it was pretty cool that when many musicians fight against file-sharing when it comes to their songs, John Mayer is good enough to let fans leave his shows with a free souvenir.

Where everybody knows Chelsea's name

2010-07-31T18:35:00.033-04:00

Hey, TMZ ... are you ready for me???
I just finished my first shift as a celebrity photog/reporter, covering "the wedding of the year," the union of former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky in Rhinebeck.

My biggest celebrity "get" of the day: former "Cheers" star Ted Danson and his Academy Award-winning wife, Mary Steenburgen, who I've been a fan of since I first saw her in Ron Howard's 1989 comedy, "Parenthood."

Yes, after almost being trampled by media from all over the world as we walked down the street with the former Sam Malone and the mother from "Elf" (seen here), I was able to snap the picture above when they spoke to us before the ceremony.

But that was only part of the fun we had in Rhinebeck!

After that, I braved the hundred or so spectators (media and locals alike) surrounding Gigi Trattoria — yes, the very restaurant where former President Bill Clinton ate yesterday — where actress Kate Capshaw dined earlier, and where designer Vera Wang and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were eating ... presumably at separate tables, with separate checks. Having soon tired of the pack mentality, I wandered into the parking lot, where Vera, who designed Chelsea's dress, soon followed. Looking for her car, she turned around and I was able to snap this picture. (Feel free to click here to see more of my pics from the day, which I diligently tweeted as part of the Poughkeepsie Journal's coverage.)

And if you thought the media were stalking the Clintons and their guests, then think of me as stalking the stalkers. (That's with tongue firmly planted in cheek, btw.)

Since my main assignment was to write about the media coverage on the big day, I took in all the sights and sounds on Route 9 — everything from this "Insider" reporter outside Gigi's, as well as watching "Entertainment Tonight's" Diane Dimond tape her pieces across from the Beekman Arms, to talking to "Extra" special correspondent Lauren Sivan for tomorrow's story; I even quoted Ted and Mary in my story. (How many chances does a sports reporter get to talk to such famous thespians?! I'll tell you: not many.)

Not that it was all roses, as I got blown off by a certain network news correspondent, whose name and show will not be mentioned here, when I asked her for a quick comment about covering the wedding.
Indeed, as this picture demonstrates, the wedding was at least the story of the summer here in the Hudson Valley.

That being said, I can't imagine what it's like in L.A., chasing down stars like Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie. But for at least one day in our backyard, I had a fun time!

One "30 Rock" down, three to go...

2010-07-09T21:26:00.008-04:00

Three years after it aired on NBC, I've just now finished watching the first season of the hit show "30 Rock."

Having already admitted I'm a big Tina Fey fan, I had just never been able to get into the show the first time around. After investing 30 minutes each Thursday night to NBC's "The Office," I just couldn't invest another half-hour of my life to Liz Lemon and the gang, ya know ... 'cause I just have so much going on in this hectic life of mine! (Note the sarcasm) Sure, I'd tried renting the first season on DVD, only to pay for it and never watch it. Only when I recently bought my Playstation 3 and was able to stream the show to my TV through Netflix did I start to watch the reruns on my time.

And, just as expected, "30 Rock" is a great show! Between the witty, urbane writing and the fine acting of Tina, among others, it's becoming one of my favorites.

With the fall TV season starting soon, my goal is to watch the other three seasons of the show before the new episodes premiere. Wish me luck!

He's a "Blue" Kid On The Block

2010-07-01T00:22:00.005-04:00

Prior to both New Kids On The Block concerts last weekend, we got a preview of the new TV season.
The big screens at Radio City Music Hall displayed the above preview of CBS' new police drama, "Blue Bloods," starring none other than New Kid Donnie Wahlberg, among others.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Donnie will portray New York City cop Danny Reagan in "Blue Bloods," airing Fridays on CBS this fall.

From the preview, we learn that Donnie plays an NYPD detective, the son of the police chief played by Tom Selleck. The Reagan family also features a younger son who's new to the force, as well as a daughter who's an assistant district attorney.

The previews got a good response prior to each NKOTB show (of course!), and it'll be fun to watch a New Kid on TV each week!

New Kids next to 30 Rock

2010-06-23T00:23:00.036-04:00

Talk about going out with a bang!!!
As if meeting my favorite group of all-time wasn't cool enough, I was lucky enough to be in the audience for the New Kids On The Block's final two shows of their "Casi-No Tour" at Radio City Music Hall last weekend.

Unable to attend the first of their final three shows, I made sure to snag tickets for the last two.

Originally scheduled back in January as the New Kids' lone Radio City Music Hall show — this was their first time at the famed theater, btw — Friday's show turned out to be the penultimate show of their brief tour, one of only 16 concerts that Joe McIntyre, Jonathan Knight, Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg and Jordan Knight performed in all of 2010. With so few dates, and a few so close to home, I had to be there. As a fan of the guys' since 1988, I was glad I was there!

The music was amazing (as always). The ambiance of seeing them in the 78-year theater was great. And each night was an event, not simply a concert.
During Friday's show, for example, the guys even presented the Komen Foundation with a check for $110,000, which they raised from all their work supporting breast cancer research since they got back together.

From the opening lyrics of "Single" straight through to the final bows after "Hangin' Tough," you could tell the New Kids appreciated the Big Apple crowd, even getting visibly emotional when talking about what it meant to play Radio City some 20-plus years after they first hit it big. You could tell the moment meant even more since it was the culmination of their comeback. As a fan for more than two decades, it was great to see them enjoy the moment and share it with all of us.

As big of an event as Friday was, Saturday's tour finale was even more eventful.
As memorialized in this publicity shot released by the New Kids, the guys welcomed the Backstreet Boys to the stage for two songs. Though never a BSB fan — and there were many fans sitting around me — I liked hearing the guests thank the New Kids for paving the way for groups like them.
Between the famous venue, the historic nature of the shows and (oh, yeah!) the music, it was a great weekend in the Big Apple, well worth the train rides via Metro-North.

Putting the "Toy" in "Toy Story 3"

2010-06-22T14:16:00.004-04:00

Just in case this past weekend wasn't enough fun and games, here's another example of the great time I had.

After meeting the New Kids On The Block, I had a few hours to kill and walked downtown to Times Square. Toys R Us is always a popular stop for me — I peruse the "Star Wars" action figures there ... so sue me! — but this caught my eye even before I got to that second floor. You (yes, you!) can be a "Toy Story 3" toy at the Times Square store by simply stopping by and standing inside the life-size action figure box. Big enough for adults to fit inside (though I didn't), the packaging is an exact replica of the box that the actual action figures come in.

Being that the movie came out the same day I was at the store, there was a definite Buzz (Lightyear) about the chance to get your picture taken here.

A new chance to meet the New Kids

2010-06-20T21:11:00.026-04:00

Meeting your favorite singers of all-time, who you've listened to for years, never gets old. Believe me!This weekend, before my first of two New Kids On The Block concerts at Radio City Music Hall, I was one of a few lucky fans who got to greet the New Kids as they entered the building.

You can have $375 pre-show meet-and-greet packages with the New Kids, but I find it much more satisfying to meet the guys — for the uninitiated, that's Jordan Knight, Jon Knight, Joe(y) McIntyre, Danny Wood and Donnie Wahlberg — for free on my own.

Thanks to dedication and patience, a couple dozen of us fans were outside Radio City when the New Kids arrived for Friday's performance — Joe, Danny and Donnie first, as seen above...

...followed by the Knight brothers just a few minutes later.

Ever gracious, the New Kids were kind enough to spend a few seconds with their dedicated fans. And we appreciate it!

Look, I know it's never going to get better than my first meeting with the New Kids, so any chance to see the guys, like back in January, is a bonus. I look at it as the payoff for "Hangin' Tough" with the New Kids since 1988!

Hearing the "Glory" in their "Voices"

2010-06-13T18:10:00.011-04:00

Just got back from seeing Highland's favorite singing siblings, the Voices of Glory.

The Coles (seen here from left, Michael, Nadia and Avery) performed their second show in Dutchess County in less than 24 hours, singing at the New Hackensack Reformed Church in the Town of Wappinger; they sang in Rhinebeck last night. The shows were part of the Rhinebeck Choral Club's 65th anniversary celebration, and the Voices of Glory were the club's guest artists. The Voices of Glory, who were competing on NBC's hit show "America's Got Talent" this time last year, proved why they finished fifth overall out of some 100,000 acts that auditioned for the competition.

Having interviewed the Voices of Glory several times over the past year, including earlier in the week for a story promoting their local appearances, I'd never seen the trio sing in person. Sure, I'd watched them perform on "AGT" last summer, but seeing them in person was a totally different experience.

Between belting out Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" to a stirring rendition of "God Bless America," among others, each of the singers displayed their powerful voices, which filled the room.
Earlier in the week, Nadia told me of all the songs the group performs, "Greatest Love of All" is her favorite.

"I just enjoy that song," she said. "It's telling people never to give up, and that you have to love yourself and don't let anyone else bat you down."

Listening to the Rhinebeck Choral Club sing uplifting tunes — everything from John Lennon's "Imagine" to "The Rainbow Connection" — a treat enough. Add in the inspirational Voices of Glory, and we had a great afternoon for a great cause, as today's performance (as was last night's in Rhinebeck) benefited the Cole family.

With the Coles traveling the country, pursuing their careers and soon to release their debut CD, it was great to take in one of their appearances and see firsthand how Michael, Avery and Nadia touch so many of the people for whom they sing.

Raising their "Voices" for "Glory"

2010-06-09T15:45:00.012-04:00

Of all places, I found this flyer in the break room here at the Poughkeepsie Journal today.

In case you missed my earlier post, Highland's Voices of Glory will sing at a pair of local performances this weekend. The shows — Saturday's is in Rhinebeck, Sunday's is in Wappingers Falls — will mark the first time the group (17-year-old Michael Cole, 14-year-old Avery Cole and 10-year-old Nadia Cole) has been back in the Hudson Valley since March. The shows are part of the Rhinebeck Choral Club's 65th anniversary celebration; they will also serve as benefits for the for Cole family, which has moved to Branson, Mo., to pursue their singing careers. The Voices of Glory, you might remember, placed fifth overall in last season's edition of the NBC show "America's Got Talent."

I spoke with the Cole siblings earlier this week, and they were thrilled to come back to the Hudson Valley.

"They're still our No. 1 supporters," Michael told me. "I just can't wait to get back."
Check out tomorrow's edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal or our website to read my full story on the Coles and this weekend's upcoming performances.

Party like a Rock (Band 2) star

2010-06-04T17:50:00.004-04:00

If I look tired these days, there's a reason: I'm a rock star!

After years of resisting, I entered the video-gaming realm over the weekend and bought my first system since the late '90s, when I bought the original Sony Playstation.

Making up for lost time, I splurged and treated myself to the deluxe "Rock Band 2" bundle, complete with a wireless guitar, wireless drum kit, a microphone and ... oh, yeah, the actual video game.Let me just tell you, I cannot put this thing down! Wake up in the morning, I can play music. Late at night before bed, I can make even more music. This thing is soooo addictive!

Sure, the game has been out for almost two years, but it's still new to me, and I'm lovin' it! Admittedly, the whole "Rock Band" phenomenon was one of the main catalysts for me shelling out the money for a new gaming system — not to mention the prospect of buying "The Beatles: Rock Band" in the coming days — and so far, it looks like it was definitely money well spent.

I might even go on tour — just me, my "Rock Band 2" game, guitar, mic and drums!

Celts vs. Lakers brings out hit-makers

2010-06-03T20:15:00.023-04:00

Need some music to get you pumped for the NBA Finals? One of my favorite singers has got ya covered!

Boston native Donnie Wahlberg, one of the leaders of my fav group of all-time (New Kids On The Block) and a devout Celtics fan — he's even in the front row of Game 1 tonight in L.A. — has just released his "Lakers vs. Celtics Mixtape," a collection of music to get you ready for tip-off.

From some of his own music to some tunes from his protégés, Donnie's released 49 minutes, 59 seconds of free jams to accompany what he hopes will be a Celtics series win. You can just click here to download the mixtape.

Can't get enough of D-Dub (as he likes to call himself)? Come fall, you can catch Donnie every Friday night at 10 p.m. as a police officer on "Blue Bloods," a new drama set to begin airing on CBS, which released this promo picture. On the new series, Donnie plays a cop — it's a familiar role for him — and he'll star alongside Tom Selleck on the show, which is set in New York City. Next July, he'll star in "Zookeeper," a movie shot recently in Boston's Franklin Zoo, in which he'll star with Kevin James and Rosario Dawson; stars like Adam Sandler, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Favreau will lend their voice talents to "Zookeeper."

Until then, enjoy Donnie's free hoops tunes!

(PS: Am I the only one who remembers making actual mix tapes? Ya know, those cassette tapes that you'd spend hours creating on your cool stereo, adding a song from this CD and another from that CD and on and on 'til you had all the best songs on one tape. Ah, the good ol' days! Of course, iTunes and CD burners made those obsolete and now Donnie's made even those CDs passé with his downloadable "mixtape.")

Must've been hard being Half-Pint

2010-06-02T15:11:00.006-04:00

Let me just say it: I would have died growing up in olden times — no doubt about it.

Having gone just a couple hours without power this morning, I can't imagine how the Ingalls clan survived back in the "Little House on the Prairie" days. With nothing but a Walkman that picked up AM radio to "entertain" me — and I use that term very loosely — this morning, I was all but lost without my 21st-Century comforts. After some 90 minutes, I had to leave the house. God only knows how Ma and Pa Ingalls, let alone Mary, Laura and Carrie made it through those rough days in Walnut Grove lo those many year ago.

With that short lack of electricity this morn, I had no TV, no DVD player, no Playstation 3, no phone ... you see where I'm going with this. I can't imagine what it must've been like living during the "Prairie" days.

I used to have a joke that went like this: "Oh, this is my favorite episode of 'Little House on the Prairie' ... the one where the Ingalls endure some kind of hardship!" For me, just living in the olden days would have been hardship enough.

"What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?!"

2010-05-28T15:30:00.014-04:00

Just got the sad news that Gary Coleman passed away this afternoon at the age of 42.

Even before he played the iconic character of Arnold Jackson on the '80s hit sit-com "Diff'rent Strokes," I became a fan of his work on a 1979 TV movie called "The Kid From Left Field," in which he played the young son of a San Diego Padres player (portrayed by Robert Guillaume) who eventually takes over the managerial duties of the team, leading them to success on the field and in the standings. It was one of the roles — along with those big, adorable cheeks — that springboarded him to stardom. Between guest appearances on shows like "Good Times," "The Facts of Life" and one of my personal favorites, "Silver Spoons," Gary was seemingly everywhere on the TV dial when I was a kid.

Of course, playing Arnold is the role for which he'll always be most memorably known. Perhaps you've heard of Arnold's catch phrase? A little something goes like this...Never gets old, does it? Some three decades after it was first uttered, it's still as funny as the first time we heard it.

"Diff'rent Strokes" was must-see TV in my house every week when I was a kid.

One of my favorite "Diff'rent Strokes" episodes was the classic when, to impress the girl that he and Dudley both liked, he dressed like another '80s icon, Mr. T, when the Drummonds let NBC tape an espisode of "The A-Team" in their Park Ave. penthouse. Then there was the one when Muhammad Ali meets Arnold. And, of course, there was the "very special episode" when Arnold met First Lady Nancy Reagan during the "Just Say No" days. All the "Diff'rent Strokes" success spawned "The Gary Coleman Show," a Saturday morning cartoon that aired on NBC during the 1982-83 TV season, in which Gary played (ironically) an angel.

For all the problems (financial and the like) in his later years, Gary Coleman really did live a hard life, requiring two kidney transplants when he was a kid and daily kidney dialysis.

Like the theme song said, "Everybody's got a special kind of story/Everybody finds a way to shine," and Gary did indeed have a special story and he still found a way to shine.

Readers: Crystal Bowersox wins "Idol"

2010-05-26T20:02:00.009-04:00

More than 1,600 "Sean's Space" readers have christened Crystal Bowersox as the Season 9 "American Idol" champion!
For the past month-and-a-half, I'd been running a poll asking "Idol" fans to vote for their favorite contender; perhaps you've seen it in the right sidebar here (right above me and the New Kids On The Block). Since Day One, Crystal has been the clear favorite, easily earning more than half the votes.

These results, however, are clearly unscientific and not necessarily a representation of who will win the title later tonight.

Two seasons ago, for example, "Sean's Space" readers correctly predicted that rocker David Cook would beat teeny-bopper David Archuleta by garnerind almost twice as many votes as his younger runner-up. (Cook, as it would turn out, later came to Poughkeepsie, where I got to meet and interview him.) That's the good news when it comes to "Sean's Space" readers choosing the "American Idol" winner.

Almost 3,300 fans voted in last year's poll, with differing results, however.

Seemingly everyone's favorite to take the title, Adam Lambert, overwhelmingly won my "Idol" poll, receiving more than 2,200 of the votes. Of course, as luck would have it, who won the championship? Yes, Kris Allen! (Though in another ironic twist, Adam is coming to town, and we're working on an interview with him.)

So, what have we learned from all this?

While Crystal is the winner in the unofficial "Sean's Space" tally, Lee DeWyze might very well walk away with the "Idol" crown and the $1 million contract. We'll all have to wait an hour until the season finale begins. Stay tuned...

New Kids on cruise control

2010-05-14T13:04:00.007-04:00

So, my favorite group of all-time has again hit the high seas.
Yes, the New Kids On The Block have just left the dock for their second annual, three-day Caribbean cruise out of Miami, following last night's pre-cruise concert there.

Last year's jaunt on the sea offered fans concerts and even a "Family Feud"-style game show with the New Kids — that's Donnie Wahlberg, Danny Wood, Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight and Joe McIntyre — and gave them more of a chance to meet the guys.Videos and stories from last year's cruise made the event seem like a blast, though tickets for each were way out of my price range, let alone the airfare to South Beach.

But it's all good: Each of the times I've met the New Kids on dry land — both here and here — have come for free, so I'm hoping that streak continues.

YOU can ask Adam Lambert a question!

2010-05-12T12:42:00.005-04:00

We at the Poughkeepsie Journal are going to interview Adam Lambert, and we're letting his fans in on the action!

Fellow Journal reporter John Barry is working on setting up the phone interview with the "American Idol" runner-up, and I'm going to supply him with one question for Adam — one that I'm asking you, Adam's fans, to supply! (Adam is coming to town next month for the annual K-Fest concert.) Just as I did before when I interviewed the Jonas Brothers, "American Idol" champs David Cook and Taylor Hicks, "Idol" finalists Kellie Pickler, Clay Aiken and Blake Lewis, as well as "Celebrity Apprentice" star and Posion frontman Bret Michaels, I'm giving you a chance to ask Adam a question when we interview to him! It's my way of bringing fans closer to their favorite celebrities.

Now, all you've got to do is e-mail your first name, your hometown and your question for Adam to me at journalsean@aol.com by May 25. (Please do not post your questions in the comment section below, because they won't be read, published or counted!)

I'll pick the best one (and only one) out of all the questions I receive and ask it to Adam we speak to him. Then, I'll post his answer to your question right here at "Sean's Space."

Be creative! Ask the Adam a question that no one else has ever asked him. Then, check back here to see if he answered your question!

NKOTB doubles down on tour

2010-05-06T22:47:00.015-04:00

The New Kids On The Block are back!

Yup, my favorite group of all-time kick off their "CasiNo Tour" tomorrow night in Las Vegas, the first of just 16 shows they'll have this year. If their last two times out — both their 2008 reunion tour and last year's summer tour — are any indication, this "non-tour" is going to be amazing!

And tomorrow's show at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas is just the beginning.

The guys — that's Donnie Wahlberg, Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre and Danny Wood — are playing mostly arenas inside casinos, mostly on the weekends from now through mid-June. (Hence the "CasiNo Tour" moniker.) But ... the New Kids end their string of shows June 17-19 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City; a handful of tickets remain for only that first RCMH concert.

Until then, though, they'll be "Hangin' Tough" through the "Summertime," taking things "Step By Step!"

From Bayside to Barnes & Noble

2010-05-05T11:45:00.011-04:00

His famous character, A.C. Slater, might have only gotten a 1050 on the (old) SAT test, but actor Mario Lopez has just released a third book.
My copy of "Extra Lean" here was signed by the former "Saved By The Bell" star recently at a book signing Mario held at Foxwoods Resorts Casino. Yesterday was the official release of the book.

Being a huge "Saved By The Bell" fan — I still watch re-runs every day, either on TBS or DVD — I just had to get a signed copy.

Loyal "Sean's Space' readers know I have an ever-growing collection of autographed books. Additionally, I'm now trying to collect the autographs of the entire "Saved By The Bell" cast, having already snagged the signatures of Lark Voorhies — she played Lisa Marie Turtle on the show — and Dustin Diamond, who I met when he tried stand-up comedy after his days playing Samuel "Screech" Powers on the show and its spin-offs came to an end. Mario's autograph now brings me half-way to my goal! (Not counting Mr. Belding ... or Tori Scott, who only spent half a year at Bayside and didn't even graduate.)

"Extra Lean," which teaches readers better ways to burn fat, is actually Mario's third literary offering, following an earlier work-out manual and a children's book. Not bad for the captain of the Bayside Tigers' wrestling and football teams!

In between his current duties hosting the nightly "Extra" entertainment show, Mario will he holding a handful of more book signings in support of "Extra Lean," including one tonight in White Plains. You can click here to see more of his dates, so you can add his signed book to your collection. Go, Bayside! Beat Valley!

An HMS Bounty-ful afternoon

2010-04-28T18:48:00.016-04:00

We took a trip back in Hollywood history this past weekend without ever leaving the Hudson Valley.
Hundreds braved Sunday's cold, dreary weather to tour the HMS Bounty II, as the ship used in the 1962 Marlon Brando movie "Mutiny on the Bounty" was docked along the Newburgh waterfront.

It was also used in several of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean," starring Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley.

There seemed to be, however, some confusion as to this ship's part in the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films. Though a flyer advertising the ship as being used as the Black Pearl in the "Pirates" trilogy, if you click here, you'll read the ship played a smaller role in the Disney flicks. (Inside the ship, there was a pic of Depp and Knightley on the set, which spoke to the fact it was indeed used in the films.) That being said, it was still pretty cool to know that we were walking on the same ship that such famous actors walked on in such famous movies.

As for the "Pirates" connection, I actually liked the gloomy day's dark clouds, as it made me feel like we were really in the Caribbean, fending off the Flying Dutchman and Davy Jones.

For the ship's sailing schedule throughout North America, including Canada, click here.

"Voices" will share their "Glory"

2010-04-26T16:17:00.010-04:00

From Highland to Branson, the Voices of Glory are definitely on their way to stardom.
The Ulster County-based group (Michael, Nadia and Avery Cole, seen here from left to right) will release their debut, self-titled CD on June 6, and they'll begin their show in Branson, Missouri, and subsequent national thereafter.

The Coles will also be performing locally at Rhinebeck High School and New Hackensack Reformed Church on June 12 at 8 p.m. and June 13 at 3 p.m., respectively. General admission tickets will cost $10 each, while students will get in for $8 apiece. Their performances are part of the Rhinebeck Choral Club’s program, “Music For A Better World." (You can click here for information on the shows.) I'm working with the Voices of Glory's management to speak with Michael, Avery and Nadia before the release of their CD, so stay here for the latest on the group.

If you've missed any of my "Sean's Space" coverage of the Voices of Glory — from their rise though "America's Got Talent" to the recording of their CD — simply click here to catch up!

A Fey-vorite face in my favorite place

2010-04-23T14:24:00.012-04:00

One of my favorite actresses is currently vacationing in my (definite) favorite place on earth.

I just came across this publicity shot, snapped today by the fine folks at Walt Disney World, of Tina Fey sharing a malted with Goofy at the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater inside the Disney Hollywood Studios park. Looks like Tina's moved on after her "Date Night" with Steve Carrell — a movie that was hilarious, by the way — and has a new leading man. (Actually, she's married with a young daughter, and the entire family is at WDW for vacation.) A fan of Tina's since her days co-hosting "Weekend Update" on "Saturday Night Live" with Jimmy Fallon, I've loved her in flicks like "Baby Mama," as well as her amazingly hilarious Sarah Palin impressions on "SNL." Ironically, though, I've never been able to get into "30 Rock," but I'm going to try to catch up past seasons through Netflix.

Loyal "Sean's Space" readers know I'm a huge Disney World ~~geek~~ fan, and it looks like "the World" is also a favorite destination for other celebrities!

The shirts of their/his/her back

2010-04-20T12:30:00.006-04:00

I've never been on stage with thousands of adoring fans screaming my name. But this has little piece of cloth has...
Yes, that is indeed a piece of the New Kids On The Block's wardrobe from the guys' "Full Service" summer tour. (Click here and see if it looks familiar?)

I got this unique, one-of-a-kind collectible when I was one of the first to pre-order the New Kids' "Coming Home" DVD back in December. The encased swatch came as part of the deluxe DVD package.

Lest you think collecting event-worn swatches is new, I've been adding to my collection for almost a decade. Baseball card manufacturers have been affixing swatches of players' uniforms — either jerseys or pants, depending on the card company — for years. Back in Christmas of 2000, for example, I got this "Goose" Gossage card from Upper Deck which contains not just a pinstriped piece of his jersey, but his signature, too! Since then, I've collected dozens of such jersey cards — from Hall of Famers like Dennis Eckersley and Rod Carew, to stars like Joba Chamberlain and CC Sabathia.

Even the New Kids' swatch, which arrived with the DVD back in February, wasn't the first one in my collection from a singing star.
After Britney Spears filmed this Pepsi "Now and Then" commercial that ran during Super Bowl XXXVI, the singer donated three of the outfits she wore in the ad.

Those outfits were then sliced and diced, affixed to these trading cards, encased in protective, hard-plastic slabs and put on sale for eager fans (like me!) to snatch up online, with the money going to charity.To me, it's just cool to know whether my favorite singers or my favorite athletes wore them, I've got a piece of clothing (small though it may be) they wore when they did that they do that makes them famous.

"What did I just watch?!"

2010-04-16T14:29:00.005-04:00

That's what I asked myself the other night when I turned off my DVD player.

With Disney's "TRON Legacy" coming out at the end of the year, I figured I'd watch the 1982 original movie so I'd know what to expect when I see the new flick in December. (I'd vaguely remembered seeing the original "TRON" when I was a little kid, but didn't remember anything about the movie other than that they played with a light-up Frisbee® — as I recalled them — and rode on those awesome Light Cycles.) After watching the movie again earlier this week, I don't understand much more than that!

For a movie that came out just five years after George Lucas changed the way sci-fi movies are made with "Star Wars," it was amazing to see the computer graphics used in "Tron." That said, they kind of overshadowed the story, which I'm pretty sure I still don't comprehend.

Still, considering the technological advances in the 28 years since the original "TRON," I'm dying to see how the sequel turns out ... at least I think I am.

"Idol" hopeful with Marist ties gone

2010-04-14T21:55:00.007-04:00

So Katie Stevens, the "American Idol" finalist with ties to Marist College, just got voted off the show.

Still, that doesn't mean the path to stardom is over for the 17-year-old from Connnecticut. Just by reaching the show's top 10, she's guaranteed a spot on the annual "American Idols LIVE!" tour, in which the top 10 play arenas across the country. Not only that, but many "Idol" also-rans have done on to successful careers without winning the title — Jennifer Hudson, Chris Daughtry and Clay Aiken, among others. (Don't forget last year's runner-up, Adam Lambert, who's coming to town in two months.) Needless to say, Katie's got more career options than most high school seniors her age.

As Ryan Seacrest hugged Katie just now, he told her, "Your parents should be proud," and they showed a vignette that included her mom, a Marist grad — her brother is a current Marist sophomore — as well as her dad and grandmother.

No doubt people around the Marist community are proud of the "Idol" connection.

Lambert coming "For Your Entertainment"

2010-04-12T15:41:00.004-04:00

Adam Lambert is the latest in a string of "American Idol" stars who've made stops in the local area.

The runner-up of Season 8 "Idol," Lambert is one of the headlining acts at this year's K-Fest, put on by radio station WSPK, that's 104.7 on your FM dial. Among others, Lambert will share the stage with Ludarcis, Train — they just played The Chance in Poughkeepsie two weeks ago, btw — and Orianthi for the June 6th show at Fishkill's Dutchess Stadium. Tickets for the all-day concert at the ballpark range from $44 to $100; you can click here for more information about tickets.

Lambert's first post-"Idol" CD, entitled "For Your Entertainment," currently ranks No. 133 on Amazon's list of CDs.

During last season, Lambert's fan base was evident as I learned here on "Sean's Space." I put up my annual Who will win "American Idol?" poll and Lambert got 70 percent of the vote, with almost 2,300 fans voting for him to take the "Idol" title. A Lambert victory on "Idol" seemed an inevitability, according to the fans voting here, before more of Kris Allen's fans flooded the phone lines to make their fav the champ. Since then, Lambert's gone on to play at the American Music Awards and at Z100's annual "Jingle Ball" concert, among other high-profile shows.

In the past, I've interviewed "Idol" champs like David Cook and Taylor Hicks, not to mention finalists like Kellie Pickler, Clay Aiken and Blake Lewis — Lewis, in fact, performed at the 2008 K-Fest — and they've all had great things to say about their time on the hit FOX show.

Hootie: "I Only Wanna Be With" Mickey

2010-04-10T18:42:00.001-04:00

Darius Rucker went from hanging out with Goofy to hanging out with Mickey Mouse earlier this week.There's the country-music superstar, formerly the front man of Hootie and the Blowfish, riding shotgun on the "Magic Carpets of Alladin" at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The folks at WDW snapped the picture.

Last year's Country Music Association New Artist of the Year was visiting Mickey & Co. with his three kids and one of their friends on Tuesday.

That visit came almost five months after I snapped this Goofy-looking with Darius after he played Poughkeepsie three days after Thanksgiving. That was a cold, dreary night when Darius was good enough to pose for pics and sign autographs outside the Mid-Hudson Civic Center following his concert. He was a good sport, to say the least, accommodating his fans.

From the looks of his enjoyable ride in Adventureland, it's nice to see Darius was able to escape to the warmth of the Magic Kingdom!

The new CD by the V.O.G.

2010-04-09T05:30:00.013-04:00

While perusing the Internet just now, I came across the next chapter in a local feel-good story.

I was reading the most recent post on the Voices Of Glory's official Twitter page when this pic caught my eye. The group — that's the Highland siblings Michael Cole, Avery Cole and Nadia Cole — is using this pic as their Twitter avatar, and it looks a lot like what might be a CD cover ... perhaps their upcoming debut release? (As I mentioned two months ago, the group has been recording their first CD, which the Cole told me they expected to release this summer.) Turns out, a glimpse at the Coles' official Web site revealed indeed this is their first album.

In case you missed any of the Coles' success story — from their background in Highland to their skyrocketing rise to fame on "America's Got Talent" — just click here for a refresher course.

Snooki: $200 per episode

2010-04-08T16:37:00.005-04:00

They say you can't put a price on fame, but in the case of one local resident, it's $200 per episode.

Marlboro HS grad Nicole Polizzi — known now to the world as "Snooki" of "Jersey Shore" fame — earned just $2,200 for the first season of the MTV reality show, which translates to $200 per episode. The numbers come from PARADE magazine, which will publish its annual "What People Make" issue this Sunday. "Snooki" (seen here in an MTV publicity shot) is one of six New Yorkers mentioned in the salary report; rapper Kanye West ($25 million) is among the other five from our state mentioned. Considering the "Jersey Shore" cast signed on for thousands of dollars per episode for the second season, filming now in Miami, "Snooki's" compensation will increase exponentially this year, especially when you add in her personal appearance fees.

Salary per episode of "Jersey Shore": $200.
Fame and upcoming fortune: Priceless.

It's not slime ... it's mucus!

2010-03-31T18:18:00.003-04:00

So I sat down the other night to watch Disney's "The Princess and the Frog" for the sixth or seventh time.

Having already seen the flick three times in the movie theater, I had to buy it when it came out on DVD a few weeks ago, as you can see here. In short, this is the best animated feature that Disney has put out (not including Pixar collaborations, of course) in more than a decade, since 1994's "The Lion King." The best part of this new classic: There are jokes and gags for kids and grown-ups, and both can enjoy the film on different (or the same) level. Like, when I saw it in the theater, each time I saw kids laughing at parts, and then their parents laughing at other parts, with their kids looking at them like, WTF?

In short, though, it's a movie for everyone — young and old, boy or girl. I highly recommend it!

Really in a league of their own

2010-03-30T11:52:00.018-04:00

Having made numerous trips to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, I encountered a first there this weekend.
That's because my GF and I actually met real-life baseball players there when we visited the Cooperstown landmark. We got to meet (in no particular order) Gloria Elliott, Sarah Jane Ferguson, Joanne McComb and Dolly Brumfield, all of whom played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

You might remember the AAGPBL from the 1992 film, "A League of Their Own," which chronicled the way the league kept baseball alive in American during World War II.

Before the foursome gave a lecture about the league at the Hall of Fame on Saturday — that was a ticketed event — they were on hand to share their stories about playing back then. This Kalamazoo Lassies uniform belonged to pitcher Gloria Elliott (seen above directly to the right of the uniform), who played in the league from 1950-54. A Staten Island native, Gloria learned to pitch from her older brothers and even developed a knuckleball, a pitch that most men find hard to throw to this day!

Just the brief chat was both informative and entertaining, making us both remember the movie, which focused on the Rockford Peaches.

As depicted in "A League of Their Own," the women talked about how each team had chaperones which had to approve the players' social commitments, including dates. As one of the former players told us, by the time the team's chaperone and manager were done interrogating a player's prospective date, it was too late as the team had already moved on to the next town for another series of games. Not to mention the fact that the league's by-laws said the players must act like ladies at all times, on and off the field, among other antiquated regulations.

The Hall of Fame has an entire exhibit dedicated to women in the game, including those from the AAGPBL.

This, for example, is an actual uniform worn by a Rockford Peach when the league was in existence, from 1943-54. Actresses like Geena Davis, Lori Petty and Rosie O'Donnell portrayed the Peaches and showed what it was like to try to compete for fans' attention in a time in which many of the top major-leaguers were sent off to fight the war. It's a great movie — one I own on DVD — and one that's definitely worth another viewing, particular since the Major League Baseball season starts on Sunday night.

As if fighting to draw a crowd to the stadiums wasn't enough, the AAGPBL's players had other obstacles to deal with.

Even the costumes from the film (seen here from another section of the Hall of Fame that focuses on baseball movies) showed how many players altered their uniforms so as to make playing easier. As Gloria explained, she had to take in the skirt on her uniform to make pitching easier. She said before she had to do it because she'd often drop the ball during her wind-up, as it would get caught in her skirt. Similarly, sliding in a skirt wasn't easy or comfortable, they said, thus making similar alterations necessary.

Again, particularly after meeting the women who actually lived it, "A League of Their Own" is must-see movie watching.

And if you do watch the flick, look out for this: In the same section of the Hall of Fame dedicated to baseball films, they have this baseball card on display which depicts actor Tom Hanks portraying Jimmy Dugan, the washed-up big-league who ends up managing the Rockford Peaches in "A League of Their Own." For a collector like me, it's one of the coolest baseball cards in the place, one of the few I can't buy on eBay.

Can't get enough about baseball movies? Check out this book by my fav professor of all-time!

This "House" used to be "Full"

2010-03-22T20:03:00.015-04:00

Admittedly not a huge "Full House" fan, I still couldn't pass up a chance to seek out a lil' piece of TV history.

Yes, that is the house in San Francisco that the whole Tanner family — Stephanie, DJ, Danny, Michelle, Uncle Jesse, Rebecca, their twins and, of course, Joey Gladstone — lived in during the run of the show! (Note the cable car cables overhead.) During some down time in the Bay Area following a work assignment, I made it a point to find the Tanners' abode, the same one that was seen on many of the exterior shots, often transitioning between one shot to the next. (Longtime readers of the "Space" here will remember I've also been to such iconic homes as that of the "Friends" gang and the Huxtables of "Cosby Show" fame, as well as Carrie Bradshaw's stoop from "Sex and the City.")

Always one to make the most of free time in a new city, I made sure my the Tanner-ific trek didn't end at the family home.
No, I even managed to find the row of houses seen in the opening credits, a neighborhood known to locals as "The Painted Ladies," for obvious reasons. To boot, I snapped this pic from the park that the Tanners picnic in during the credits ... though I hope they watched where they stepped, 'cause half of it is a dog park with lil' puppies frolicking all over the place.

Again, I wasn't a die-hard "Full House" enthusiast, but how could I not like any show whose theme talks about newspapers not being delivered?!

They came up with "Up" here

2010-03-19T20:49:00.008-04:00

I love Disney movies. (Maybe you've heard?) And Disney/Pixar movies rank right up there toward the top.
So I can't even tell you how amazing it was to drive past the Pixar Animation Studios here in the Bay Area this afternoon, while driving back to my hotel from a work assignment. Dude, this is where awesome flicks like "Finding Nemo," "The Incredibles" and "Cars," among others, were born.

Of course, 1995's classic "Toy Story" started it all for John Lasseter and the gang, as that was the company's first feature-length, 3-D CGI masterpiece. (Can't wait for "Toy Story 3" to open this summer, btw.) Think of this as the house Woody and Buzz built.
As cool as seeing the Pixar gate in Calif. was, I felt like I'd been there before. That's because at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World, they've created Pixar Place, where "The World's" latest greatest ride resides: "Toy Story" Mania. (Seriously, ride it just once and tell me I'm wrong!)

Still, finding Nemo's birthplace has been the early highlight of my trip west so far.

Two peas in a podcast

2010-03-12T14:34:00.010-05:00

As the biggest Walt Disney World enthusiast I know, I've recently come across the best way to re-live the magic of The Mouse all year-round.

For the past few months, I've spent countless hours listening to "WDW Radio," a free weekly podcast put out by Lou Mongello, one of the biggest Disney World fans I know of. His weekly podcast, available on both iTunes and his own WDW Radio Web site, brings listeners insight on The World, interviews with Disney execs and tips for guests — Disney World always calls their visitors "guests" — from other WDW experts. From top-10 lists and chats with Disney Imagineers, to trivia conests and even an interview with "Mary Poppins" herself, Julie Andrews (a personal fav of mine, you might remember), Lou brings WDW fans like me a weekly dose of The Mouse's magic!

Here's the best part: Listening to "WDW Radio" is a snap! I often burn it to a CD, pop it in the car and head out on the open road. You'd be amazed how much time we all spend waiting at red lights or in traffic, because I can listen to each of Lou's podcasts — usually around an hour each, if not longer — within a day or so as I drive around town.

If you're a Disney World fanatic like me, but you can't always make it down to Orlando, Lou's podcast is the next-best thing. Check it out!

Ever eaten a Wookiee Cookie?

2010-03-10T21:04:00.010-05:00

Perhaps wash it down with a little Yoda Soda?

The ultimate "Star Wars" ~~geek~~ fan, now I can do both as I can refer to the amazing "Star Wars Cookbook," that a certain special someone got me recently. Unfamiliar with a Wookiee Cookie, for example? Well, they were first introduced in the horrible "Star Wars Holiday Special" back in 1978. (In fact, having eaten a bunch of Wookiee Cookies, I can attest that they were the very best part of that terrible, once-aired, made-for-TV special.) They're like a combination of a chocolate-chip cookie and a snickerdoodle, and it was twice as tasty! So far, the Wookiee Cookie is the only delicacy from the cookbook I've tasted, but if they're any indication of what the rest of the cookbook has in store, I can't wait to try to the other concoctions!

In fact, I've got a bunch of recipes to sample...

...that's because not only did I receive the original "Star Wars Cookbook," I was also given the "sequel" to the original, the "Star Wars Cookbook II: Darth Malt and More Galactic Recipes." (Think of it as the "Empire Strikes Back" of Coruscant cuisine.) As if the recipes and their names (things like "Protocol Droid Pasta" and "Pickle Jar Jar") weren't enough, each of the dishes is displayed with a full-color photo, each adorned with old-school "Star Wars" action figures. If you're a fan of The Force like me, you've gotta take the phone off the hook, makes some "Star Wars"-inspired grub from the cookbooks, and watch the trilogy on DVD.

But as far as that "Star Wars Holiday Special" ... stay away!!! Stay far away!

"American Idol" hopeful has Marist ties

2010-03-09T17:08:00.006-05:00

As I've mentioned before, I don't watch "American Idol" until they narrow the field to the final 12, but I may have to tune in this week.

That's because Katie Stevens, seen here in an "Idol" publicity shot handed out by Fox, is the daughter of a Marist College alum (Clara, Class of 1985) and the younger sister of a current Marist sophomore (Ryan, Class of 2012). A senior in high school back in Connecticut, Katie can already list singing at Carnegie Hall among the credits on her résumé. Ryan has set up a Facebook page where fans of his sister can follow her progress — you can access that page by clicking here — and the 17-year-old has already got 5,390 Facebook fans. Katie has sung hits like Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On" and "Feeling Good" by Nina Simone on "Idol" so far. Check out the show this week to see if Katie is voted in as one of the top 12 finalists.

For more on Katie and her Marist connection, click here for the school's official news release.

A "Tonight Show" from years ago

2010-03-01T17:18:00.004-05:00

With tonight's of Jay Leno to the "Tonight Show," I'm reminiscing about my appearance on "Tonight" years ago.

No, seriously: I was on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno! Well, actually ... someone sent in one of my stories for Jay's "Headlines" segment and lo and behold, it made it to air. The story was actually about a softball player from John Jay High School ("Jay" for short) who was going to attend Yale University, and her last name is pronounced "co-LONE." But, when a former Journal copy editor tried for a snappy headline, this is what Leno's national audience on NBC saw. If I remember correctly, Jay made a quick joke to band leader Kevin Eubanks about his colon (as in, large intestine) traveling to Connecticut.

For a better glimpse of me (and my GF) on NBC's late-night airwaves, check us out on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon," which celebrates its first anniversary tonight.

I'm really sour on this "Brady" hour

2010-02-25T12:17:00.017-05:00

Here's the story ... of a horrible, horrible TV show!
Let me just get this out there: I love "The Brady Bunch." Can't get enough of it! I grew watching every re-run countless times, got 'em all on DVD, even own five Barry Williams (aka "Greg Brady") autographs, including a signed copy of his book, "Growing Up Brady."

That said, I spent two hours of my life I'll never get back watching a simply terrible "Brady" product.

Filled with ill-conceived jokes, so-called "water follies," guest stars like Rip Taylor (no, seriously), cheesy song-and-dance numbers and plenty of sequins and rhinestones (like the one reflecting off Mike Brady's vest here), "The Brady Bunch Variety Hour" was a short-lived (thank God!) variety show, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft of "H.R. Pufnstuf" and "Land of the Lost" fame. I rented a DVD with two episodes of the show the other night, and I'm still trying to burn the memory from my mind.

The premise: For some reason, the Bradys have been given their own variety show — yes, Mike gave up his lucrative and successful architecture career — and they've moved into a new house. The best part? The "new" house they live in during the first episode is different than the "new" house in subsequent episodes! Oh, and Alice shows up now and then.

This variety show seemed doomed from the start, as "Jan Brady," played on the real show by Eve Plum, didn't even sign on for it. As such, the producers had to find "Fake Jan" (seen here with "Peter Brady," Christopher Knight), as she's now known. Eve, it turns out, had already inked a deal to star in a movie and couldn't commit to this show ... she was one of the lucky ones!Listening to the cast talk now, they say the show was a big mistake. As such, it lasted just nine episodes from 1976-77.

Now, I'd heard about this show for years, but to actually watch it was a whole other story. I mean, the first episode gave us both swimming and roller skating! (Another episode featured H.R. Pufnstuf, himself, signing and dancing!)

Admittedly, "The Brady Bunch" creator Sherwood Schwartz had nothing to with this abomination ... like Eve, he was also one of the lucky ones.
So, if you're strolling the aisles at your local video rental store, steer clear of this rotten tomato and stick with the original "The Brady Bunch" we all know and love.

I've "Unleashed" a passion for reading

2010-02-23T20:00:00.001-05:00

Trying to read more books in the new year, I've got a logjam of a few, including this one...

Now, try to follow this: I recently began reading "Star Wars: The Force Unleashed," which is the fictitious back-story of the popular video game of the same name. That's right: I'm reading a book based on a video game that's based on a popular movie franchise. Got all that?! And here's the kicker: The story in the book (and the video game) take place in the span between "Episode III: Revenge of the Sith" and "Episode IV: A New Hope." That's right, the book based on a video game based on a popular movie franchise takes place in between two of the popular movies! Only in the world of "Star Wars" could this happen.

Admittedly, I've never been into "Star Wars" fiction. Head into any Barnes & Noble or Borders and you'll find slews of books based on the movies' characters. I literally have one other "Star Wars" novel, of which I've only read one chapter. Again, I'm a "Star Wars" ~~geek~~ fan but even I have to draw a line in the Tattooine sand, right?

"U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!"

2010-02-22T14:21:00.002-05:00

If nothing else, yesterday's USA-Canada game gave me some reason to watch any Olympic competition held on ice.

Now, I'm not getting overly excited about our country's 5-3 win — let's see that outcome in the medal round, and I'll be more than happy to cheer! — but it's nice to see our guys take Round 1 of the North American rivalry. While I've never been a big hockey fan, I can appreciate a win like the US's 1980 "Miracle on Ice" win over Russia 30 years ago today. Even before that, former Army head coach Jack Riley went on to lead the American hockey team to a gold medal in the 1960 Winter Olympics. And ... thanks to our success at the recent "Man Show" in Poughkeepsie, I added this Jack Riley bobblehead to my collection. (You can't see it, but behind that WPDH insignia, Riley is actually on skates. How cool is that?!)

For more on Riley, and this awesome bobblehead, click here.

I had "Hysteria" for "Electric Youth"

2010-02-15T11:41:00.006-05:00

Since I'm recalling iconic '80s music, here's another stroll down Memory Lane...

I don't know why this came to me over the weekend, but I was reminiscing about how the first two CDs that I ever bought were Def Leppard's "Hysteria" (seen here) and Debbie Gibson's "Electric Youth." How's that for eclectic taste in music?! Sure, I'd owned records and cassette tapes (remember them?!), but these were the first compact discs I ever bought. And it get better: I bought them on the same day when I bought my first CD player back in '88, and I bought both CDs at the music mecca ... wait for it ... wait for it ... Sears! Oh, and this was back when Sears was over at the ol' South Hills Mall. Again, I have no idea why this memory came to me over the weekend.

Now, this was just a few months before "Please Don't Go Girl" was released by New Kids On The Block, catapulting them to stardom and soon making them my favorite group of all-time.

Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" was the main reason for buying their break-out CD, while the image of Debbie here bopping around in her videos for songs like "Only in My Dreams" and "Shake Your Love" made her sophomore release (seen here) a must-have when I was 13 years old. Admittedly, looking back now, it's like What was I thinking? but honestly, I still listen to some of the songs from both CDs whenever I stumble across them either on my iPod or the radio. And, really, I'm sure we've all bought music that years later makes us think, Seriously?!

So now that I've shared, what was the first CD that you ever bought? Still listen to it? Still even have it?

"The movie star and the rest..."

2010-02-13T21:32:00.009-05:00

Ginger made it off "Gilligan's Island," and she landed in Poughkeepsie earlier tonight.

Yes, "the movie star" herself, Tina Louise, was one of the celebrity guests at a fund-raiser along the east bank of the Hudson River the Grandview. The best-dressed of all the castaways was in town to help raise money for a camp in Putnam County that helps out inner-city kids, among other programs. Tina has been volunteering to teach reading to NYC kids for more than a decade. You can read more about the event in Sunday's Poughkeepsie Journal. I grew up on "Gilligan's Island" reruns as a kid and, of course, Ginger and Mary Ann were my favorites. (And by the way ... where did the Howells get all those clothes? Did they not know it was a three-hour cruise?! But I digress...) And as I grew older, Ginger and Mary Ann remain my favorites, for obvious reasons, if ya know what I'm sayin'. The Ginger/Mary Ann debate has going on for almost a half-century, since the show debuted in 1964.

So, who ya got: Ginger or Mary Ann???

Has it really been 25 years?!

2010-02-13T15:31:00.005-05:00

Not to sound like an old fogey, but ... where has the time gone? Seriously!
The 2010 remake of "We Are The World," dubbed "We Are The World 25 for Haiti" (above) debuted during the Olympics last night, and it made me think, Has it really been a quarter-century since the original song and video came out?

I remember watching the original video (below) in my TV room when I was in middle school, when our class collected money to send to Africa to help the starving Ethiopians. A decade into the new millennium, some of today's biggest voices came together to help the Haitians affected by last month's earthquake.
Having watched them both now, I've gotta say I'm a fan of the 1985 version better. Every now and again throughout the years, I'd play a little game where I'd watch the video and try to name all the people singing in it. (Remember Kim Carnes or the guys from Toto?!)

Regardless of which version you like best, it's just nice to see celebs banding together — no pun intended — to "make a brighter day."

New Kids offer a memorable "Tonight"

2010-02-10T18:48:00.003-05:00

Sometimes even when you lose, you win ... if you keep "Hangin' Tough" and you've got "The Right Stuff!"
You might remember me lobbying last month for the New Kids On The Block (my fav group of all-time) to hold their screening of their new DVD, "Coming Home," to Poughkeepsie. Well, our fair city didn't win, but my persistence paid off.

I was able to attend an exclusive, fans-only screening of "Coming Home" recently, one of only three in America the guys held. And the best part: The New Kids — that's Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Danny Wood and Donnie Wahlberg — watched the DVD in the theater with us and they held a Q&A afterwards.

Seriously, the New Kids actually sat in the audience with us, as they watched themselves on the big screen, recounting their amazing comeback and ensuing tours ... and they sat right here in these seats! Think of it as seeing a movie with the stars of the film sitting two rows behind you. Who gets that chance?! Surely you know I'd already met the New Kids back in 2008, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. This was just as cool at that first meeting, but totally different since this was such a rare event.

Again, there were so many cool things about the screening event, I don't even know where to start...

After driving almost two hours and arriving to the theater five hours before the scheduled start — and yes, there were already a a dozen NKOTB fans already there! — I got to meet all the guys again, including Jordan Knight here. High-fives and handshakes abounded, as the guys were genuinely as excited to meet their fans as we were to greet them.

Even though I already had their autographs, I came prepared and hoped to grab a few more signatures.

Grabbing a seat in the front row, with a handy Sharpie marker ready to go, I was able to snag the signatures of three of the New Kids, turning this picture...
...into this picture, thanks to Joe, Danny and Jon...
But those weren't the only only autographs I walked away with that night, since the experience got even better!

Remember me talking about having "The Right Stuff" earlier? Here's why...

The gods were smiling on me as just prior to the screening, the guys' management gave away three copies of the "Coming Home" DVD that were signed by the New Kids and guess who won one? (Wait for it ... wait for it ...) I won one! Yes, even before I got to watch the DVD — and a week before it was even released for sale — I had a copy in my hand, and it was autographed by the guys! And, as this was the third and final such screening and they gave away three of these autographed DVDs at each event, I was one of only nine people in the whole world to have one of 'em! I couldn't wait to put it up for sale on eBay. (Kidding!)

During the actual screening, everyone was singing along with the songs — there was even a lil' dancing — and the New Kids interacted with fans, even tossing popcorn about the theater.

After the final credits, the New Kids made their way down to the front of the room and sat down for a half-hour to answer questions from me. It was really cool to see the guys just "Hangin'" out with us fans — no host like a talk show, no script or anything like that — and just being themselves. From thoughtful to funny, the guys gave honest answers about their 20+ years together and, in particular, the past two years that led up to everything in the DVD.

Throughout their reunion, the New Kids have made everything fan-friendly — from using Twitter and YouTube to communicate with us, etc. — and this was the epitome of that, and explains why even two decades (and lots of razzing by friends) later, I'm still a fan.

"This Was Going To Be It"

2010-02-09T16:24:00.000-05:00

For the second time since its release, I was blown away by the posthumous documentary, "This Is It."

I'd seen the Michael Jackson documentary when it first came out last summer then just rented last week, and I was left with the same reaction: Wow! Put aside the allegations, the lawsuits, all the tawdry headlines and his general weird-ness for 2 hours, and watch this film, and you can't help but walk away from it amazed with both Jackson's talent (both singing and dancing) and his attention to detail for his performances. The movie is as close as we'll ever get seeing inside MJ's persona, and it's a rare glimpse into what goes into planning and then pulling off a concert tour, particularly one on the scale that his 50 sold-out UK shows were going to be. From "Thriller" in 3-D to Jackson's unbelievable exit from the stage at the end of the show (check out the DVD's special features for that), it was going to be a great concert.

As I've mentioned earlier, I've never seen Jackson in concert and I really stopped viewing him as relevant years ago, but after watching "This Is It," it made me wish we could've seen how "This" really would have turned out.

"Voices" warming up their voices

2010-02-06T23:30:00.009-05:00

They might have just recently signed a record deal, but the Voices of Glory sure look comfortable in a recording studio.
Yesterday, the Coles' manager sent me this pic of Michael (left), Nadia (center) and Avery (right) in the studio, no doubt getting ready to record their album, which is scheduled for a summer release.

In case you missed the story about the Voices of Glory and their busy 2010 schedule in today's Poughkeepsie Journal, feel free to click here to read it.

To keep up with the Coles, you can check out their official Web site or their very own Twitter page.

Yankees Doodle Dandy

2010-02-06T13:49:00.015-05:00

As a sports reporter, I've gotten to do a lot of cool things.

I get to spend time in the Yankees' locker room and dugout — even on the field — at Yankee Stadium before games, but this morning was a whole new (amazing!) experience: I got to stand next to the Yanks' 2009 World Series trophy! That's right: I "met" a piece of hardware today, the same trophy that Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez proudly hoisted back in November, the same trophy that just traveled halfway across the globe to Japan.

Having had my picture snapped with celebs like Darius Rucker and the guys from Air Supply, among others, is cool, standing alongside this World Series trophy was a once-in-a-life time opportunity.A baseball fan since birth who's been to several Fall Classics, both as a fan and as a member of the media, being able to snap my pic with this piece of history was simply awesome!

Think about it how long Red Sox fans waited for a chance like this. Heck, what about Cubs fans?!

The Yanks brought the crown jewel of the Fall Classic to the Westchester County Center, where a dozen or so people lined up before me this morning; they even let us in a few minutes early! We all got to snap pictures of and with the World Series trophy and spend a lil' time with "No. 27," as I call it. It was a really cool experience, and one every fan should get a chance to do. You can meet players, you can get their autographs, but how many fans to stand this close (no touching allowed, which was understandable) to the one prize their diamond heroes all strive for? Not many, I think, so I was glad for the chance to add my name to the short list.

Yeah, being a sports reporter may mean a lot of late night, but this opportunity was well worth a rare early morning!

Hemme? She hardly knew me!

2010-02-05T15:14:00.003-05:00

Big shout-out to the folks at WPDH (101.5 FM), as well as Paul Lloyd and everyone the Mid-Hudson Civic Center for a great party!

Those two entities hooked up on Sunday to present their annual "Man Show" at the City of Poughkeepsie arena. Never been to a "Man Show" here in town? Think of it as a reverse bridal expo: There's everything for guys — food, beer, sports, music — and they even let us bring our GFs and wives to share the fun! For my GF and me, the best part is the Bud Carnival, where you play games (everything from fooseball and poker to basketball and even rock, paper, scissors) to win Bud Bucks. You collect as many Bud Bucks as you can, and then trade them in for valuable prizes.

When we went to the inaugural "Man Show" at the Civic Center, we won enough Bud Bucks to trade them for two tickets to a "Sex and the City" bus tour in New York City. Sunday's trip to the "Man Show" was just as fruitful.

Among the prizes we left with was a bobblehead of legendary Army hockey coach Jack Riley, who went on to coach the U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal in 1960. (In case you didn't already know, I love bobbleheads, like this one of Dave Price, co-host of the CBS "Early Show," who graduated from Poughkeepsie High School.)

This year, the "Man Show" even brought in a celebrity guest as part of the festivities.

Former World Wrestling Entertainment Diva and current Total Nonstop Action interviewer Christy Hemme (pronounced "Hem-mee") stopped by to sign autographs and take pictures with fans. Whilie I don't have many wrestlers' signatures in my collection — though I do have those of such titans as Hulk Hogan and "The Rock" — I couldn't help but add Christy's to my collection. Admittedly, I gave up watching pro wrestling back in the early '90s — if ya want more on sports entertainment, check out this blog — but it's hard to pass up the chance to get a celebrity's autograph.

For your own chance to meet Christy or some other pro grapplers, check out Northeast Wrestling when they come to the area over the next few months.

Look! It's the Voices of Glory story

2010-02-04T16:49:00.009-05:00

Be sure to check out Sunday's Poughkeepsie Journal for my story on the Voices of Glory.

I interviewed Michael, Avery and Nadia Cole last month, and they were extremely excited about the future that lies ahead of them. The Highland siblings' successful stint on NBC's "America's Got Talent" last summer — they placed fifth overall, btw — established the ground work for several opportunities that will take the Coles' singing skills to thousands of fans ... if not more! The singers have already played several venues throughout the East Coast in recent weeks, and they have even more (and bigger) plans in the works, and you can read all about them in Sunday's Journal.

In case you missed any earlier "Sean's Space" posts about the Voices of Glory, you can click here.

Voices of Glory hitting the road

2010-02-03T19:14:00.005-05:00

Check out Sunday's edition of the Poughkeepsie Journal for my story about the Highland singing group, Voices of Glory.
After meeting both Michael and Avery Cole last September, I was able to talk with all three of the Voices recently, including 10-year-old Nadia, about their future plans.

“We have to just enjoy it while the time is here,” said 17-year-old Michael, seen on the left. “We want to do this while the iron is hot.”

In case you missed my recent post, the Voices of Glory have a jam-packed 2010 scheduled, coming off their successful summer on NBC's talent competition, "America's Got Talent." Following a fifth-place showing on "Talent" in which they became America's feel-good story of the summer, the Coles will get to perform live for thousands of their new fans over the coming months. Pick up Sunday's Journal for the latest details.

One of the Coles' fans, my mom, took in a recent local concert of theirs. She said she had a great time, and even got to meet the Voices after the show!

Got my head in a (word) cloud

2010-02-02T17:17:00.013-05:00

Want to know what the most popular terms on "Sean's Space" were last month? Here ya go...

created at TagCrowd.com

They're listed in alphabetical order, and the larger the word, the more prominent it was here on the "Space" in January.

Tay trotting way around the globe

2010-01-22T16:03:00.012-05:00

Just got off the phone with former local hoops star Tay Fisher, now a member of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.

The former Kingston High School and Siena College standout, now nicknamed "Firefly," and his new teammates bring their high-flying act to his old stomping grounds, Albany's Times-Union Center, on Feb. 7th. "I'm just blessed," Tay, who's already been to Qatar, Libya, Spain and Tunisia, among other exotic locales, said. "Just when you think it's good, it gets better and better. ... I want to be a Globetrotter for a long time." For my story, which will appear in the Poughkeepsie Journal next week, we talked about playing for the world's most recognizable hoops team, playing more than 260 games between December and May, not to mention all the hard work he and his teammates put in to make their skills look so flawless.

Sure, it's Super Bowl Sunday, but if you can make it to Albany, I highly recommend it! The Globetrotters came to my alma mater, SUNY New Paltz, in 1998 and it was a night I still remember fondly to this day. It was the most amazing sports display — half-court shots, a guy who dunked from 2 feet above the rim — I've ever seen. They put on a must-see show!

"Learning all the different moves and seeing the smiles that I'm able to put on the faces of kids, moms and dads when we play in every city — it's remarkable how much they enjoy it," Tay said, when I asked him about the best part of being a Globetrotter. "I'm happy I'm able to do that."

For more information about the Globetrotters' game in Albany — I'm guessing they'll beat the Washington Generals ... that's just a hunch! — click here.

Poughkeepsie is still "Hangin' Tough!"

2010-01-21T19:07:00.009-05:00

Forget Tuesday's special election between Scott Brown and Martha Coakley. The real election for Massachusetts ended earlier today.
Let me extend a BIG THANKS to the more than 120 people who voted to bring the Boston's own New Kids On The Block to Poughkeepsie for a screening of their new concert DVD, "Coming Home." The guys will announce the winning town(s) on Friday. Stay tuned for the results...

When I started my one-man campaign earlier this month, you could count the votes for Poughkeepsie on one hand, as our fair city ranked No. 152 in the country. At last count, we'd garnered 125 votes, and Poughkeepsie ranked between No. 50 and No. 52 in the nation, out of more than 3,100 towns that voted. We beat out cities like Baltimore and Syracuse, just to mention a couple!
In short, that's amazing(!) and we couldn't have done it without everyone who voted. Thanks to everyone who responded to my pleas for Po-Town either through my tweets or this blog, making the case for why we should host Jordan Knight, Jonathan Knight, Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg and Joey McIntyre!

Again, the guys came here for a pair of shows in July 1989, and it would be great to bring them back some 20+ years later for a command performance. Keep your fingers crossed!
If nothing else, we've proved Poughkeepsie is still Hangin' Tough when it comes to its support of both the New Kids and just plain ol' fun!

Who's got their "Pants on the Ground" now?

2010-01-14T21:19:00.014-05:00

He's 62 years old. He's a veteran. He speaks the truth.

Anyone who watched "American Idol" last night has been singing "Pants on the Ground" all day today. And here's a clip (compliments of the good folks at "Idol") of "General" Larry Platt signing his original, hit song. In only the second episode of Season 9, we've already got the newest reincarnation of William Hung, though I like the "General's" song better.

And let's just get it out there: The kids today and the way they let their pants sag is just ridiculous! I know, I sound like an old fogey like my buddy Pete, but it's the truth ... and the "General" lets 'em all now.

Good luck trying to get this song out of your head!

(Due to the popularity of the clip, you might have to refresh the page for it to load properly.)

Their Glory-ous "Talent" is rewarded

2010-01-07T16:31:00.012-05:00

The feel-good story of 2009 has continued in the opening days of 2010.Highland's Voices of Glory — the Cole siblings Michael, Avery and Nadia — have been signed to the Tate Music Group a record label, the first step in an ambitious schedule that will take them all across America.

"Our partnership with Voices of Glory will definitely make an impact," Brianne Webb, TMG's director of music acquisitions, said in a statement, "and we are excited to see what the future of this partnership produces."

The Voices of Glory shot to stardom this past summer, reaching the final round of NBC's "America's Got Talent" show. I spoke with Michael and Avery back in September when they were home for a few days before flying back to the West Coast for the season finale, in which they placed fifth overall. Just as much as their singing ability, the Coles won over America's hearts with their back story: They began singing together after their mother, Felicia, was hit head-on by a drunk driver in 20007.

In addition to setting up both their own Web site and an official Twitter page, the Voices of Glory have more opportunities ahead of them.

According to TMG officials, the Coles will sing the national anthem at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 18th before the NY Knicks host the Detroit Pistons; they'll embark on a 48-state tour in the spring; they'll likely release their debut CD over the summer; and they'll headline their own show in Branson, Missouri, home of countless other wholesome, family-friendly acts like the Oak Ridge Boys, the Osmonds and the Dutton family, who also gained fame on an earlier season of "America's Got Talent."

Bring "Coming Home" to our hometown!

2010-01-07T12:35:00.023-05:00

I don't ask for much, but I need (as my pal Pete would say) "a solid" to start the new year right.
The New Kids On The Block are my favorite group (perhaps you've heard ... or seen) and the guys have a new concert DVD coming out next month. But Donnie Wahlberg, Jon Knight, Danny Wood, Joe McIntyre and Jordan Knight also have a cool contest going on:

The New Kids are asking their fans (like me) to "demand" them to come to fans' hometowns for a screening of their "Coming Home" DVD and a Q&A session. An avid fan, I've been plugging away, trying to get the guys to come to Poughkeepsie. Here are Donnie and Jon giving the details...

Here's where I need help: Please click on the image above and vote for Poughkeepsie. Simply hit the button and, if prompted, enter the ZIP code 12601 or 12603 or just type in Poughkeepsie and help bring the group here.

Right now, Po-town ranks No. 152 in the voting, which includes 2,743 cities. Poughkeepsie is ahead of towns like Ann Arbor, Mich.; Reno, Nev.; and even Baltimore, Md.! Voting ends two weeks from today (that's Jan. 21) and the results will be announced the next day.

Thanks in advance!

And as always ... tell 'em Sean sent ya.

MERRY CHRISTMAS from "Sean's Space!"

2009-12-23T07:56:00.003-05:00

My traditional, two-week Christmas vacation began just hours ago, so I thought I'd share this year's Christmas card with my loyal "Sean's Space" readers.

He knows if you've been bad or good ... trust me!

It's been quite a 2009 for "Sean's Space," including meeting singers like"American Idol" champ David Cook , '80s super-group Air Supply, local sensations Voices of Glory and most recently, former Hootie and the Blowfish front man-turned-country music star Darius Rucker.

We started the year by meeting former "Saturday Night Live" star Jimmy Fallon (and we even made an unexpected cameo on his "Late Night" show — well, kinda — in the spring) and got to hang out with "Hannah Montana" co-star Moises Arias.

Among other "Sean's Space" highlights in 2009, I got to see my favorite group of all-time once more in concert, and even made a trip to the West Coast which included a week in La-La Land.

So thanks to everyone who's stopped by the "Space" in '09, and I look forward to sharing more memories with ya in 2010. In the meantime, feel free to check out my Twitter page and have a Happy New Year. But until then...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

I'm "berry" intrigued by this

2009-12-16T16:15:00.000-05:00

Speaking of being a fan of a particular singer, for example...

I've never tried this beverage, and I always stand there with a quizzical look on my face: It's put out by the Jones Soda Co., and it's called Strawberry Manilow, an obvious homage to the best singer of this or any other generation, Mr. Barry Manilow. Now, over the years, I've spent hundreds of dollars, if not more, for tickets to the 10 (count 'em, 10!) Barry Manilow concerts I've seen in four states. Still, I'm not willing to plunk down a buck or two for the soda named after my fav singer. I've never been a fan of strawberry-flavored beverages (I can't even fathom chugging that Quik strawberry milk), let alone blackberry or raspberry, so I'm pretty sure I'll never be trying this stuff.

I'll still enjoy Barry's music, including his upcoming CD, but this soda ... not so much.

It's finally "Coming Home" to my home

2009-12-14T12:33:00.008-05:00

Everybody's a fan of someone — an actor, a singer, an athlete — and everyone's got a story about freaking out as a result of our fan-dom. Here's mine...

See this? This is the new "Coming Home" DVD from my favorite group of all-time, New Kids On The Block. The New Kids tweeted about the DVD (with special, limited-edition bonuses) going on sale last Wednesday and the website taking advance orders crashed. All day! Now, I'd thought I was one of the lucky ones who was able to order: I'd created an online account early, submitted my payment but never received any confirmation — not an e-mail, not on the Web site — nor the link to the download of the guys' new, unreleased song. So, freaking out, I proceeded to call the company marketing the DVD and taking orders several times over a span of several days, worrying Am I in the system to get the bonuses? and Should I cancel my order and buy another to be assured I'll get the bonuses? only to be reassured by customer service reps on the other end of the line.

Turns out, they were right: My fears were for naught.

Less than two days after my final frantic phone call, I got a confirmation for my order, making my Christmas a little less hectic.

Now you can stuff a Sith

2009-12-08T22:23:00.013-05:00

A giver by nature, I love this time of year. Come Christmastime, I'm a shopping machine.

So I couldn't help but find these "Star Wars"-themed bears from Build-A-Bear Workshop some of the most adorable presents waiting to end up under the Christmas tree. Admittedly, the "Star Wars" geek in me shined through, too, when I saw them. (For more info on these bears and more, click here.) I mean, c'mon! They're cute lil' bears, filled with fluff, complete with amazing "Star Wars" costumes ... who could want more? (Yeah, being a giver by nature, I've created a few bears at the Workshop in my time. I'm a fan of that place.) If nothing else, they'd make a great way to get young kids (like, really young kids) into the 32-year-old pop culture phenomenon known as "Star Wars." Start with a bear, move on to action figures and then work up the actual movies ... starting with the original 1977 "A New Hope," of course.

But, what's that you say? You're not a big fan of the Dark Side? Not a problem.

The good folks at the Workshop also have Jedi customes for your favorite bear. Honestly, I've always found the lure of Darth Vader and the Dark Side much more appealing than the likes of Obi-Wan Kenobi here — maybe it's because of the awesome red lightsabers, as opposed to the blue or green lightsabers ... I don't know — but to each his own. Luckily, the people at the Workshop have both sides covered, no matter who eventually wins the battle for ultimate supremacy of the galaxy!

Saving big bucks "Step By Step"

2009-12-05T19:48:00.008-05:00

I collect autographed memorabilia. I like to save money on autographed memorabilia. The New Kids On The Block are my favorite group of all-time. Where am I going with this?

Well, take a look at this: It's an authentic platinum record of the New Kids' break-through 1998 release, "Hangin' Tough." It commemorates the guys selling 1 million+ copies of the album. It's comes framed and signed by all five of the New Kids (that's Danny Wood, Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan Knight, Joe McIntyre and Jordan Knight), and is limited to just 100. You can buy it (or a similar signed platinum record of the guys' self-titled, 1986 album) by clicking here. The price: $625.

Don't get me wrong, if I had the discretionary income, I'd cough up the dough. But ... I don't have to!That's because I've already got all five of the New Kids' autographs on this 8x10 photo the guys signed for me when I met the group back in May '08. And here's the best part: I got the autographs for free when I met the New Kids!

And ... other than a signed baseball with all five New Kids' autographs that's been listed on eBay for $247.49 (originally $449.00), I can't even find another item online with each of the guys signatures, which makes my free autographed picture (which is now framed and hanging in my living room) even more valuable in my book!

This certainly is cheesy

2009-12-04T12:57:00.008-05:00

No matter how hard you might try, there's no escaping "Hannah Montana!"

Now, in the past, I've written about finding Hannah in the cereal aisle and also in the refridgerated section of my local grocery store, but this one blew me away: Yes, that is "Hannah Montana"-branded macarconi and cheese! While the scrumptuous stuff doesn't come in the shape of Hannah's/Miley's face, it does come in the shape of a microphone (which Hannah uses to belt our her hits), a musical note (duh!), a guitar (which she strums on occasion) and a star ('cause ... well, c'mon! It's Hannah!). At first, I thought it this was a version of my beloved Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, but nope — the Disney folks are now delving into the mac-and-cheese biz! And apparently (I get this info from reading the front of the box here), it's a good source of iron and contains no preservatives.

Oh, but it gets even better than that...

As if eating "Hannah"-themed mac-and-cheese wasn't enough, if you flip the box over, you can cut out a collectible "Hannah Montana" trading card. Clip 'em! Save 'em! Trade 'em with your friends! Add 'em to the collection of "Hannah Montana" merchandise you already have! (Of course, it's probably a wise idea to cut out the card after you eat the mac-and-cheese, so neither the "mac" nor the "cheese" spills out.) Makes ya wanna boil up some water, grab a wooden spoon and start making some mac-and-cheese, doesn't it?!

Hootie — the Blowfish + me

2009-11-29T23:35:00.018-05:00

This is either the worst or most hilarious photo I've ever taken, depending on your point of view. I opt for hilarity! Yes, that's me and former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman Darius Rucker after his show here at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in Poughkeepsie. And the picture is the result of my GF doing her best with the red-eye reduction feature I'd inadvertently turned on.

Still, it's a unique memento from a fun night out, where we heard some of my favorite songs from college mixed in with some of the songs that made Darius the CMA's New Artist of the Year just a few weeks earlier.

Now, avid readers of the "Space" here might remember I've got a few rules about listening to country music, but for the exception of two or three songs, I didn't really feel like we were at a country show. Instead, it was just like listening to "Hootie" (and, c'mon, who didn't just call Darius "Hootie" back in the day?!) singing some cool songs. It was the same voice doing some new songs, many of the ones that drew a pretty diverse crowd with fans of all ages ... some of them even wore cowboy hats, there weren't as many cowboys hats as at last year's Gretchen Wilson show here. (For the record, I did not wear a cowboy hat.)

Even though we'd only heard a few of his country hits, we weren't disappointed, as Darius sang a few of the tunes that made him famous some 15 years ago.
Now, I'm not old, but I felt it when, in the days leading up to the show, I'd learned two people I know — one a sophomore in college, the other a senior in high school — had never heard of Hootie and the Blowfish, let alone their hits like "Hold My Hand," "Let Her Cry" and "Only Wanna Be With You," all of which Darius played and all of which we loved.

As you can see from the ticket he signed for me (not to mention that amazingly horrible/hilarious picture he posed for), Darius was extremely fan friendly. Toward the end of his final encore — he played "Purple Rain" by Prince by the way ... how cool is that?! — the guy even traded his mic for a Sharpie to sign autographs for fans in the front row. A good friend of Tiger Woods' and an avid golfer himself, Darius finished his show by taking off the Tiger Woods hat he wore all show long, signing it and tossing it into the crowd in my direction; sadly, being a Tiger Woods fan, I wasn't lucky enough to catch it. But don't worry about me; it's all good.

'Cause nobody snagged a better picture with Darius than me after the show!

New Kids do "The Right Stuff" for tots

2009-11-28T17:13:00.005-05:00

Since I'm mentioning the New Kids On The Block's recent charitable acitivities, here's another:
My favorite group of all-time are holding a one-night-only show at Boston's House of Blues to raise money and collect toys for Toys for Tots. The $60 tickets for the event sold out in 2 minutes when they went on sale.

Sadly, work commitments preclude me from going, though I'm sure fans will post video of the show online shortly after.

That being said, don't think I've forgotten about the tots! Toys for Tots has long been one of my favorite charities: "The tots need toys," as I often say, and it's important for all kids to have a happy holiday. You can click here for more information on the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

Rachael's "stoup"-pendous recipe

2009-11-19T20:24:00.006-05:00

Don't ask me why, more than two years after we attended a "Rachael Ray" show taping, I just thought of this now, but here goes...

When we were in the audience, Rachael made a "Cacciatore Stoup with Turkey Sausage Meatballs" — a "stoup," she told us, is "thicker than a soup, but not as thick as a stew." When we got home, my GF made it and it was de-lish! (That's a Rachele term, btw.) Anyway ... I stumbled across the recipe and thought I'd share it, 'cause it was some good eating. Just click here for the recipe, and you can be making some food that's definitely yum-o! (And yes, yum-o is another Rachael-ism.)

Picky eater that I am, I just went through the recipe myself and crossed off about half the ingredients that I won't eat, thus making the recipe even simpler!

Fight against cancer just got "Stronger"

2009-11-16T12:45:00.028-05:00

Of all the hundreds of compact discs I've amassed since I got my first CD player, this one might rank as my favorite. Yes, that is a new CD hand-signed by Danny Wood, a member of my favorite group of all-time, the New Kids On The Block! I got it directly from Danny's company, with the proceeds going to a great charity.

Just in case you (like my best friend) doubt the authenticity of the autograph, here's the short story behind it:

Here is the regular, unsigned "Stronger: Remember Betty" CD, released earlier this month. Notice it is not signed in silver Sharpie. The CD is a tribute to Danny's mom, Betty (seen on the cover here), who lost her battle with breast cancer a decade ago. The proceeds of the CD benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the work they do to battle the disease. Each of the songs is both an homage to his mom, as well as great therapy for anyone who's lost a loved one. At $15 (plus $3 s/h), it's a great purchase, even unsigned.

But ... Danny was cool enough to sign 300 copies of his new CD and then send this tweet, letting us know we could buy them at no extra cost! Mine arrived in less than a week.

This cause has long been an important one to Danny and the rest of the New Kids as I wrote last year, when the guys sold special tanktops with this logo at their reunion tour with the proceeds again going to the folks at Komen. Additionally, fellow New Kid Donnie Wahlberg recently released his new single, and announced he'd give money from the sales of "I Got It" to the Komen cause.

Lemme tell ya sumthin’, brother...

2009-10-29T12:57:00.018-04:00

As I've stated here on "Sean's Space" before, I'm a reformed Hulkamaniac. Used to be. Long time ago. Can't stress that enough.

Sure, I gave up on pro wrestling when I started high school, but I've still got a soft spot for the Hulkster. I remember trainin', sayin' my prayers and eatin' my vitamins, just like Hulk Hogan implored us to do as lil' kids. Add to that to my growing collection of signed books, and you can see why this latest treasure is certainly a prized possession. Yes, that is a hand-signed copy of Hulk's new memoir, "My Life Outside the Ring," which the grappling legend autographed early Tuesday afternoon at a book signing in New York City to celebrate the tome's release.

Sadly, I just missed the end of the Hulkster's actual signing by mere minutes, yet I was still able to walk away from the Barnes & Noble on 5th Avenue with a signed copy!

Rushing several blocks to reach the book superstore, I had one thought in mind: I'm going to meet the Hulkster! This was the same larger-than-life superstar I'd been lucky to see once in person when I used to watch the then-World Wrestling Federation's TV tapings as an elementary school kid in the mid-80s here in Poughkeepsie. And here he was in New York City, the same metropolis where I found myself this very same day! So when I arrived at B&N, hurriedly opened the door and asked the security guard, "Where's the Hulk Hogan book signing?" sounding like (admittedly) such a geek, you can imagine how crestfallen I was when he said, "Oh, you just missed it."

Luckily, I wasn't down for the three count just yet...

Turns out, Hulk was in the back offices at B&N, signing a few extra copies of the book for them to sell after he left. Waiting patiently, I only stood around for about five minutes before a small cart of 20 or so of the Hulkster's books made its way to the cashier counter. Oh, they looked like the very same unsigned books on the shelves — they even ran up for the same price as ones without Hulk's John Hancock — but they had this lil' green sticker affixed to the lower, right-hand corner, telling the world: Yes, Hulk Hogan had indeed signed the title page!

Sure, I'd missed out on meeting Hulk, but I was still as happy as a fifth-grader sitting ringside at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center in 1985.

No DVR? No VCR? No problem!

2009-10-22T15:29:00.001-04:00

When you're forgetful (or just plain lazy), you learn to have a newfound appreciation for your computer.
Case in point: When I forget to set the timer to record my favorite TV shows, I can watch full episodes of "The Office" (seen here) or many more online through each of the networks' respective Web sites.

By clicking here, for example, I can watch any episodes of "The Office" I might miss for free. When new episodes air on Thursday night, they're available online the next day! My other must-see TV show, "Family Guy," can similarly be seen for free by clicking here.

Sure, sometimes you have to sit through a commercial or two between segments to watch, but that's a small "price" to pay for watching the first-run shows for free, as opposed to plucking down good money to download them to your portable device, let alone buying a DVR. It's just good economics!

What’choo talkin’ ‘bout, radio?

2009-10-20T18:07:00.017-04:00

Obviously a longtime fan of television, I've recently become enamored with a more primitive medium: talk radio. (No, not “Talk Radio,” the Broadway show we saw in 2007.)
Be it in my travels as a sports reporter or even on the way to and from a pair of recent get-aways, I've found comfort in listening to other blab on the AM dial while I drive. ('Cause, really, how many New Kids On The Block or Britney Spears CDs can you listen to in one sitting?!)

For example, your problems never seems so bad when you listen to the people who call in and seek advice from Dr. Laura Schlessinger. Even the all-news radio (the audio equivalent of, say, CNN or MSNBC) helps keep ya awake and alert on long drives.

All of those, however, rank behind sports talk radio, which I grew up on while listening to New York's No. 1 sports talk station, WFAN. That said, ESPN Radio is also starting to gain popularity in my car, especially when "The Michael Kay Show" hits the air from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. most days. From midnight to noon then back to midnight, sports nuts can listen to (and even take part in) the discussion around the clock.

Still, given all the time I'm surrounded by sports (work, etc.), Dr. Laura and her fellow radio shows — be they nationally syndicated or local — are a nice alternative, too.

You can actually taste Adam's apple

2009-10-18T22:32:00.011-04:00

So I've already mentioned passing by a few Disney-themed cereals in the supermarket aisles, but these are just as cool!

Bringing my love of both snacks and one of my favorite childhood board games, the good folks at Kellogg's have come out with "Operation" fruit snacks. I couldn't help but snap a pic of them when I saw them one of the grocery aisles the other day. Yes, the game we all loved at kids — the one that taught us how to carefully remove such ailments as water on the knee, the bread basket and (my favorite) writer's cramp — has now been immortalized in a handy, yummy, fruity snack that lets you eat what used to be little, white, hard-plastic game pieces. I haven't tried them, but I'm pretty sure they taste better than their plastic predecessors.

What's next? Maybe "Hungry, Hungy Hippos" hummis? "Connect Four" fortune cookies, perhaps? Ah, the possiblities boggle the mind (no "Boggle" pun intended)!

Donnie's new single? Yup, I got it!

2009-10-17T15:59:00.008-04:00

A few months after the New Kids On The Block wrapped up their "Full Service" summer tour, one of the New Kids has satiated fans' thirst for new music.

That's 'cause Donnie Wahlberg released his new single yesterday, "I Got It," which features former Danity Kane singer Aubrey O'Day. Toronto radio station CHUM FM world-premiered "I Got It" yesterday morning; and soon after that, Donnie tweeted his fans (like me) on how to purchase the song for download. Of course I bought it, not only 'cause it's a fun song but because some of the proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a foundation with which the New Kids have worked in the past.

As for the song itself (not to mention "Rise N Grind," the other single that came with "I Got It" for just $1.99), it's great to hear Donnie striking out on his own, making some super music. It's a nice way to transition into what might be a long time before the New Kids get back in the studio again.

The Wahlberg/O'Day pairing also works very well, and for me, it's a neat mixture, considering I saw both of them on the same bill last spring. At Z100's Zootopia 2008 (at which I actually met Donnie and the rest of my favorite group), the New Kids made their first actual concert appearance after Danity Kane, the product of MTV's "Making the Band 3," took the stage to perform their hit at the time, "Damaged." In the year-plus since, Aubrey (seen here with Donnie at the premiere of his film, "A Righteous Kill," last September) has left Danity Kane, while the New Kids put together a pair of successful tours — their 2008 reunion tour, followed up by "Full Service."

To download "I Got It" (with part of the money going to charity), and tell people you got it, click here.

Even a Jedi can't answer 'em all

2009-10-14T12:49:00.005-04:00

Regular readers of "Sean's Space" already know of my my ever-growing collection of signed books as well as my affinity for everything "Star Wars." I've recently found (almost) the best of both.
This, "Obsessed with 'Star Wars,' " is the most amazing book ever, even though it's not even signed on the inside. As the cover says, it contains 2,500 questions cover all six "episodes" of the "Star Wars" saga — from "The Phantom Menace" to "Return of the Jedi" — as well as an electronic scorekeeper that randomly picks questions for you to answer!

I just gave myself this book as a birthday present, and let me tell ya: I've spent countless hours trying to answer some of these questions, questions like what was the name of the manufacturer that produced the Rebels' speeders?

Seriously?! Yoda, himself, couldn't get some of these correct. Still, it's fun trying.

"You ... are ... a ... TOY!!!"

2009-10-08T14:53:00.005-04:00

There is literally nothing in the world that should keep anyone away from a movie theater for the next week.

That's because everyone should go and see Woody and Buzz Lightyear (seen here in a publicity shot from the good folks at Disney) in the "Toy Story"/"Toy Story 2" 3-D double feature that's playing in a limited engagement; the movies opened together last Friday and will be in theaters for just a two-week run. My GF and I caught the double feature over the weekend, and loved every minute of it. Even at $13 apiece for the evening show, the ticket prices were well worth the money we paid.

Now, we'd each seen the original "Toy Story," but not the sequel. Seeing it on the big screen, let alone in 3-D, was a whole new experience, though. In between films, there's a 10-minute intermission in which "Toy Story" trivia questions and behind-the-scenes vignettes are shown on the screen. "Toy Story 2" was just as incredible in 3-D, and again, seeing it in 3-D makes you ask: Why aren't ALL movies in 3-D?!

Even for a Disney World veteran who's seen countless 3-D flicks at the various WDW parks, I was thoroughly impressed with the new "Toy Story" presentation, and I can't recommend it highly enough!

It's like Christmas in September

2009-09-16T20:54:00.014-04:00

Santa Claus visited me early this year, and he brought Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Chewbacca and Bea Arther (yes, Bea Arthur!) with him...

That's because almost 31 years after its one and only airing, the "Star Wars Holiday Special" has now found a home in my DVD collection! Sure, it hasn't been officially released by George Lucas or anyone else associated with either "Star Wars" or CBS, the network which broadcast it on Nov. 17, 1978 — probably 'cause everyone involved has tried their best to forget it — but that couldn't stop a true "Star Wars" ~~geek~~ fan like me. Make no mistake: This hastily produced "Star Wars" tie-in, made to capitalize on the success of the then-recent release of the movie that started it all, was horrible from the onset — the story stinks, there's no flow to the plot and the first 8 minutes of the thing are just Chewbacca's wife, son and father talking to each other ... in their own Wookiee language, not English! (Yup, just 8 minutes of grunting and growling.) Still, having heard how bad it is, I had to see for myself.

Don't get me wrong, the DVD was the best $11 (including s/h) I've ever spent, if for no other reason that I now possess a piece of "Star Wars" lore that many people don't even know about, let alone own.Another reason this was such a great buy: The only thing I love more than "Star Wars" is Christmas, and while this "holiday special" centers around Life Day, who are we kidding(?), they're talking about Christmas.

There are, however, some redeeming gems found (deeply) within this almost-31-year-old, once-aired, two-hour holiday special. It includes, for example, a 9-minute cartoon which introduces us to bounty hunter Boba Fett ... a full two years before the rest of the world met Boba Fett (seen here in the animated short) in the second film of the "Star Wars" saga, "The Empire Strikes Back." This first appearance almost makes up for the rest of the terrible content contained within. (Well, not really.)

Oh, and the cameos! The "Star Wars Holiday Special" guest-stars "Honeymooners" veteran Art Carney, comedic actor Harvey Korman (playing a trio of horrific characters) and a singing Bea Arthur. Yup, Dorothy Zbornak of "Golden Girls" fame belts out a tune in between tending bar at the Mos Eisley Cantina. Does it get any better than this?!

Yes, it does, as the whole thing ends in style with Princess Leia Organa sings a delightfully off-tune diddy commemorating the Life Day celebration. (Needless to say, I wouldn't invite her to go carolling with me.) It's a fitting finale to what are, for better or worse, two hours of "Star Wars" history that whoever watches them will never be able to forget. Anyone with two hours to kill (and a strong stomach) can scour the Internet and find the "Star Wars Holiday Special," in bits and pieces.

If you've got the guts to watch if, may The Force be with you.

May The Force be with collectors

2009-09-15T18:15:00.013-04:00

Strolling the aisles of a local toy department earlier today, I couldn't help but do a double-take when I came across this.

Seriously, how could I not take notice of this ugly mug?! Yes, that's Darth Maul, the fearsome foe of the Jedi Knights during the first of the "Star Wars" pre-quels, "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," but more important is the deal his face represents. This logo was on specially marked "Star Wars" action figures, plugging the latest chase for rare figures which are only available through a mail-in promotion from manufacturer Hasbro.

In short, if you buy five "Star Wars" action figures, send in the UPC codes and $6.99, you get two figures (a Jedi Master and the animal he rides around on) that you can't get anywhere else. While not interested in this promotion in the least, I did take part in what I believe was the best such mail-in offer they've ever had.

Three years ago, Hasbro had its "Ultimate Galactic Hunt," in which you had to buy five specific "Star Wars" figures and similarly send in the UPC codes. The catch here: I couldn't find all five figures in the same store! No, instead I had to spend an entire Saturday covering about 40 miles, round-trip, to find and buy the five figures at three different stores: Two at one store, two more at another and the last one at yet another store.

Seems like a lot of work, right? (Particularly for a guy in his early 30s.) Yes, but it was soooo worth it!

That's 'cause for all my hard work, I received what I believe to be the most amazing "Star Wars" action figure ever produced: Yes, that is "Star Wars" creator George Lucas himself, immortalized as a 3.75-inch action figure, disguised as an Imperial Stormtrooper just like Luke Skywalker and Han Solo when they escaped from the Millenium Falcon inside the Death Star in the original "Star Wars" film, "Episode IV: A New Hope." (Yes, I do know how geeky I sound, thanks.) Seriously, how do you top that?! Such a payoff was more than worth a day's worth of traveling from mall to mall, following by snipping UPC codes and mailing them in.

To this day, I cherish this collectible: It's still in the box in which Hasbro mailed it to me, and it only comes out once or twice a year, when I glance at it (still in its protective plastic case) only for a minute or two until I return it to its dark, cool hiding place.

It's been a Glory-ous summer

2009-09-04T20:30:00.008-04:00

I just got to talk with two-thirds of Voices of Glory, less than two weeks before they compete for the "America's Got Talent" title.After singing the national anthem at tonight's Highland H.S. football game, I chatted with Avery (left) and Michael Cole (right) for a few moments — lil' sister Nadia was at home — about their summer on the show.

"It has been really exciting, just going this far," Avery said. "We're looking forward to the rest of the show."

The singing Coles have become a national phenomenon, reaching the talent competition's finals, which will be televised live on NBC on Sept. 14th. Michael, Avery and Nadia are headed back to Los Angeles on Tuesday to prepare for the championship round. They're not sure what their final song will be yet because "there's a lot of collaboration" between the acts and the show's producers, said Michael, a senior at Highland H.S.

If you know about the Coles' back-story, you can't help but root for them to win. They've been inspiring millions of viewers since this fourth season of the show debuted earlier this summer.
Michael said it's been great to hear so many encouraging words, especially when they come from those close to home in Highland.

"It's been really heart-warming to come home to a nice environment, such as Highland," he said, "and be able to see a lot of familiar faces who are supportive of you."

I'll be writing a full story about Michael, Avery and Nadia next week in the Poughkeepsie Journal, so be sure to check out our Web site.

Jon — Kate + me (and 18,000 others)

2009-09-01T22:58:00.011-04:00

And this is Twitter is the most amazing thing on the face of the planet:

Just moments ago, I became a Twitter follower of Jon Gosselin — yes, the oft-maligned father of eight and soon to be ex-husband of Kate is now updating the world on his comings and goings! Jon's hosting a pool party in Las Vegas? Now I'll know about it. He's in Newburgh, hanging out with the Teutels of "American Chopper" fame? I'll read all about it first. Which cheesy Ed Hardy T-shirt is Jon wearing today? I'll know before anyone else. Ah, technology! Ain't it great?! My only regret: More than 18,000 Twitter users beat me to it and became a follower of Jon's before me (though I did sign up as soon as I learned he had set up his Twitter page.

I've always been a member of Team Jon (see poll at right), even before he and Kate separated earlier this summer. To see the way Kate would bicker at him, you couldn't help but feel sorry for the guy.

Sure, Jon's made some questionable decisions since separating from Kate (including his 22-year-old "girlfriend"), but he really seems like a better parent than his wife. Just look at this tweet: goodies from the Sugar Factory ... what kid wouldn't want that?!

Now, whatever happens to Jon post-Kate, his Twitter followers like me will be the first to hear about it!

Chairman, schmairman

2009-08-31T04:47:00.013-04:00

On her Twitter page just hours ago, Lacey Schwimmer posted this picture.

It's a publicity shot of the "Dancing With The Stars" hottie (formerly a "So You Think You Can Dance" hottie) posing with her newest "DWTS" partner, Mark Dacascos; you might know him as "the chairman" on the Food Network's wildly popular "Iron Chef." I don't wanna say that Lacey's just going through the motions when she's dancing with this guy, but seriously: Look at the look on her face. Does she look the least bit excited to be dancing with him? I think not. Heck, she even looked happier last autumn when she got teamed up with former *NSync-er Lance Bass. (Although, really, I think she was faking it there, too.)

But if ya want to see Lacey at her hottest, check out this pic from a couple years back:
Seriously ... how happy was Lacey to have met me after her first show on the "SYTYCD" tour? (Quite honestly, I just look for any occasion to show off this picture!) But c'mon, who makes a better pair: Lacey and me, or Lacey and "the chairman?" Exactly!

So good luck, Mark. Not only in the competition, but also in trying to make a better-looking pair than me and Lacey!

A fair supply of Air Supply

2009-08-26T00:34:00.013-04:00

Any of my friends, or even anyone who's ever visited "Sean's Space" already knows this: I'm a sucker for a sappy love song.

So it should come as no surprise that not only did I drag my GF to the Dutchess County Fair to see Air Supply (they of such hits as "All Out Of Love," "Even The Nights Are Better," "Lost In Love" and the like) on Tuesday, but that we had a fun at the concert and even met the band after the show. After years of listening to the Australian duo on the radio, it was great to hear Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock live, playing all the hits I've grown to love.

The Aussies played 'em all: "Every Woman In The World," "Even The Nights Are Better," "Two Less Lonely People In The World" and more, for 90 minutes straight! (Not bad for free seats in the bleachers.) They both sounded just as good live as they do on their "Greatest Hits" CD, though there was no lip-synching here.
The pair even walked through the crowd (including the grandstand) for a song, making more of a personal connection with the fans. Moments after the finale, my GF and I got to meet Russell (seen here) and Graham, and added two more to our series of bad pictures snapped following concerts at the fair.

Even after decades of shows — not to mention leaving Dallas at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning and a long day of travel to reach Rhinebeck — the singers were extremely gracious, autographs for my GF, who even snagged a guitar pick from the group's manager.
With many of the fair's acts each summer being country musicians, it was nice to take advantage of one of this year's pop acts, especially one whose songs I've enjoyed for years.

For a group that's had countless hits and that's been making hit music for decades now, it was great to see the Air Supply guys didn't see playing a county fair in upstate New York beneath them. On the contrary, Graham and Russell embraced the Dutchess County Fair crowd, calling such county gatherings around America what makes our country great.

For at least two fair-goers, this night was better for having spent a few hours at the fair!

Yeah, that's the (free) ticket!

2009-08-15T15:19:00.004-04:00

Just while I'm reminiscing about the New Kids On The Block's summer tour (seen previous post), I thought I'd share one last tale...
See this ticket to the New Kids' June 16th show in Saratoga? Know how much it cost me? Get this: nothing! In fact, I got it directly (well, almost) from New Kid Donnie Wahlberg himself!

Throughout the tour, Donnie used his Twitter page to message us fans and tell us where we could score free tickets the day of the New Kids' shows. Donnie would give us a time and place to meet, and he'd send one of the guys' managers armed with stacks of free tickets.

For that June 16th show, Donnie sent out this tweet, telling us 200 free tickets would be up for grabs at the Wilton Mall, just across town from the concert venue. A loyal fan with time on my hands, I drove to the mall (even though I'd already bought a great seat near the stage) where I eventually ran into four or five more New Kids supporters. At the appointed time, Donnie's rep showed up with fistfuls of tickets, giving us as many as we needed. I only asked for one, as a souvenir of the scavenger hunt.

Sure, the tickets were probably unsold and it was an easy way to get more people in the building and buy concessions, etc. Still, it was some pretty cool interaction with our favorite group and a great story to share!

"Sean's Space" has "The Right Stuff"

2009-08-14T16:23:00.001-04:00

So I was lamenting the end of the New Kids On The Block's summer tour the other day when I stumbled across this gem:
That's right! I got a personal mention on the official Web site of Joey McIntyre, the youngest member of the New Kids, my favorite group of all-time!!! They do know I exist ... who knew?!

There I was, checking some of the New Kids' individual sites when I came across both my name and "Sean's Space." That, coupled with my once-in-a-lifetime meeting with the New Kids, makes my two decades of fan-dom all worth it!

Latest purchase: bought on a Lark

2009-08-12T13:11:00.005-04:00

Feeding both my collection of celebrity autographs and my love for a certain TV show, "Saved By The Bell," I just had to make this recent eBay purchase.

Yes, that is a "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" trading card signed by ... wait for it ... wait ... former "Saved By The Bell" star Lark Voorhies!!! Apparently in 1995, the former "Lisa Turtle" of "SBTB" fame guest-starred on exactly one episode of the "Star Trek" spin-off, and more than a decade later, she was subsequently immortalized with this autographed card inserted into packs of the "DS9" cards. A huge "Star Wars" ~~geek~~ fan, I've never been into "Star Trek" — let alone any of its later incarnations — but I've got no problem adding this card of Lark, the only certified autograph of hers on the market, if it means adding to my collection of all things "Saved By The Bell."

Ironically, "Lisa" here will find company in my collection alongside someone she couldn't stand on the show.

Yup, frequent visitors here to the "Space" are well aware that I met "Screech" himself, the one-and-only Dustin Diamond, a few years back when he brought his stand-up comedy to Poughkeepsie. While he might seem like a jerk to some now, given his recent reality TV gigs, Dustin was very nice to fans following that stand-up gig, posing for pictures and signing one of my "SBTB" Season 1 DVDs.

For now, "Lisa" and "Screech" are the only "SBTB" autographs in my possession ... and it's only taken 20 years to get those! (That's — what? — an average of one autograph per decade?!) But it's alright, 'cause I've got patience and until then, I'm saved by the bell!

Beat Valley! (Again)

2009-07-29T12:25:00.005-04:00

Moments ago, the good folks at Saved By The Bell: Now! post this on their Twitter page:

It's the cover of the August 10th issue of "People" magazine, featuring an amazing picture (and apparently story inside) about the show that remains a classic today, two decades after its NBC premiere: "Saved By The Bell." Two things struck me just now when I saw this pic: I can't wait to read the accompanying story; and where's "Screech" Powers himself, Dustin Diamond? For months now, I've been monitoring the efforts of "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" to get the ol' Bayside gang back together, most notably (and recently) when Mark-Paul Gosselaar reprised the role that
made him famous.

Adding to today's "SBTB" hoopla, that cutie Tiffani Thiessen (yes, Kelly Kapowski herself) tweeted about this video earlier in the morning, explaining why she's yet to take up Jimmy's cause.

Sir Paul was un-Beat(le)-able

2009-07-19T02:31:00.002-04:00

Just got back from history: We saw a Beatle!!!

How often do you get a chance to see Sir Paul McCartney play the second concert ever at the New York Mets' new stadium, Citi Field, right?! Sure, he christened the new ballpark Friday night as part of his three-show "First Play at Citi Field" stint, but we figured if we went to Saturday night's show, we could make a day of it in Flushing. It was soooo worth it! An avid fan of the Fab Four, my GF made sure we got tix as when they went on sale to Sir Paul's fans first, and I was happy to go. (If for no reason than — ironically, as a sports reporter — I'd yet to go the Mets' new ballpark.) Considering the Mets' 2009 season, it was the best night anyone will spend in Citi Field's inaugural year.

Admittedly not as big a fan as my GF, I was still aware of the Beatles' greatness and all their hits, hence my excitement about the show. Even for a novice like myself, Sir Paul didn't disappoint.

While playing almost two-and-a-half hour nonstop — not bad for a 67-year-old guy! — Sir Paul mixed Beatles hits along with songs from his Wings tenure and his solo stuff. He also added a tribute to former Beatles John Lennon ("Here Today") and George Harrison ("Something") as well as to his first wife, Linda ("My Love"). From the time he hit the stage and kicked off the show with "Drive My Car" til his second encore finished with "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band," it was like stepping into a time machine and watching music history.

For the uninitiated, the Beatles' played Shea Stadium in August of 1965, which was pretty much their biggest American show to that point. Some 44 years later, Sir Paul often reminisced about that show during tonight's dig, calling Citi Field "the new Shea."Even when Sir Paul played songs I'd never heard of (like "Here Today" which someone posted on YouTube), it was still cool 'cause A.) I got to see my GF have the time of her life bobbing around to the music; and B.) I was just sittin' there thinking, That's a frickin' Beatle up there!!!

Then when he did sing songs like "Hey Jude" and "Yesterday" and "Let It Be," I pretty much lost my (stuff)!

Again, we were seeing a member of the most amazing band ever (and only two who are still with us) playing some of the most iconic, not to mention influential, songs ever performed . When do you get a chance to see/hear that?! Not to mention that for all intents and purposes, we were watching him do that on the same spot when he, Paul, John and Ringo first played those songs almost a half-century earlier. Wow!

Even hours before Sir Paul took the stage, we heard hints that we were in for an amazing evening.
Just minutes after we arrived at Citi Field in the afternoon — some four or five hours before Sir Paul started his set — we could hear part of the headliner's soundcheck from inside the ballpark. That's when it hit me: There's a Beatle in there!

The day only got better from there.

In short, Sir Paul's show was history in the making: the first time (OK, technically, the second time) he returned to the place (OK, technically, right next to the place) where he and his bandmates played an iconic concert more than four decades ago. He was nothing short of brilliant, especially for a first-timer like me who never thought he'd get such an amazing shot to see him. Not every day does an opportunity like that come along, especially at such a reasonable price! (It would have cost us more to watch a Mets game from the same seats we had for the former Beatle's concert. Weird, huh?!) It was an amazing night I and likely the thousands of others inside Citi Field won't forget.

This event might Bowl you over

2009-07-08T12:11:00.015-04:00

Long-time "Sean's Space" reader Lisa asked me to pass along an announcement about a fund-raiser this weekend that will help a local lil' guy and might nab you some sweet swag!
Want to win one of "American Idol" champ Taylor Hicks' harmonicas, like the one he's using in this video from his Poughkeepsie show in 2007? What about some more autographed prizes, all to benefit a 6-year-old boy in need?

Then stop bythe Holiday Bowl on Route 9 in Wappingers Falls this Saturday for a bowl-a-thon and raffle to help Frankie Flora, who sustained severe facial injuries in a recent pitbull attack. (Check out more about Frankie and his progress at the "Frankie's Fund" Web site.) The fund-raiser will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Two hours of bowling, pizza and soda will be just $13, with proceeds going to Frankie's fund.

More than just bowling, the event will also host a raffle to win a slew of prizes, including a drum skin signed by 3 Doors Down lead singer Brad Arnold (seen here) and the rest of the band. Also up for grabs will be an original photograph by "America's Next Top Model" judge/photog Nigel Barker; an autographed poster from Alice Cooper; and an signed CD from Stephanie Powers of the '80s TV show "Hart to Hart."

And because I know that Taylor Hicks' fans frequent "Sean's Space," I saved the best for last: There will be two of Taylor's harmonicas and photos signed by the "Idol" Season 5 champ raffled off to benefit Frankie!

Lisa says more prizes, including local gift cards, are coming in daily. Raffle tickets will cost just 50¢, and you can buy as many as you want.

For even more information, you can e-mail Lisa and as always, tell her Sean sent ya!

Death of a salesman

2009-06-28T17:51:00.011-04:00

It's hard to believe we'll never hear these words again: "HI! BILLY MAYS HERE FOR (insert product here)," as the world's most recognizable salesman has died at age 50.

I'll be honest: The first time I watched Billy hawk OxiClean years ago, I thought he was just a black-bearded, blue shirt-wearing loud mouth yelling about some more overpriced garbage. A few months ago, though, I started watching "Pitchmen," the Discovery Channel's weekly show which showcases Mays and Anthony Sullivan take products from inventors' sketchboards to market on TV across the country. With this seek behind the scenes, you can really see the Billy Mays behind "BILLY MAYS!" Not only did he care about making money from the products, but he also cared about the people who put their time, effort and — in many times — life's fortune into developing. In a recent episode of "Pitchmen," we even saw Billy as a family man, nurturing his young daughter. The show is a great glimpse into both Billy and the industry he dominated.

Check out more about "Pitchmen" and Billy by going here, and don't forget the man behind the beard.

The "Thriller" is gone

2009-06-25T18:03:00.008-04:00

Wow! The news is just breaking that Michael Jackson has died at the age of 50 from cardiac arrest.

Like everyone in 1982, I owned Michael's ground-breaking "Thriller" album here (I actually had the cassette tape, remember those?), the one that transformed him into a superstar. From "Billie Jean" to "Beat It," and "The Girl Is Mine" to the title track, this album was the biggest one of its time, making Michael a household name ... at least in my household, when I was in third grade. I still occasionally listen to songs like "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)" and "The Girl Is Mine" today on my iPod.

Soon after watching Michael introduce the world to the moonwalk in spring 1983 while performing "Billie Jean" at the "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" televised special, I remember quickly learning how to do it, starting me on the way to break dancing. (Did I share too much there?!)

The one sequinned glove, getting his hair burned taping a Pepsi commercial, taking Brooke Shields and Emmanuel Lewis to the 1984 Grammys — everything the guy did was major entertainment news. Seriously, watch his "Thriller" music video and tell me that wasn't a landmark piece of pop culture by 1980s standards. I remember being too young to attend his 1984 "Victory" tour with the Jackson Five, but that was that was supposedly the biggest concert of its time.

After that, I admittedly never had the same interest — never bought "Bad" or any of his subsequent releases — and the later court proceedings, as scintillating as they were, never piqued my interest.

Still, Michael was an musical icon — one who influenced many and will, no doubt, be sorely missed.

Will sing for food ... or books

2009-06-24T00:02:00.001-04:00

As if the music on the stage at last week's concerts wasn't enough, I got more music that made the shows worthwhile.At each of the concerts, I got a card like this good for a free music download just for a small donation — three canned food items at the Chicago concert, and one children's book at the New Kids On The Block show.

Sweet deal, right? You give a lil' something; someone in need gets something they need (food, books, etc.); and then you get some exclusive music as a lil' thanks.

Throughout the New Kids' "Full Service" summer tour, for example, Joe McIntyre is holding a book drive at each venue through his newly formed foundation to benefit kids. (Yes, the youngest New Kid is now the father of an almost-2-year-old son ... feel old?) One new kiddy book got me this card good for a free download of Joe's new song, "5 Brothers and a Million Sisters," which can only be had online — totally worth the price of the book!

Musical greats Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire are similarly helping local people at their concerts this summer, giving fans a chance to pitch in.

Just three cans of food or a $3 donation will score fans this card, which entitles the bearer to three exclusive songs which can be easily downloaded — one by Chicago, one by Earth, Wind & Fire, one by both the bands together. Chicago has covered "I Can't Let You Go;" EW&F has recorded Chicago's "Wishing You Were Here;" the two groups collaborate on an original song, "You." Think about: Three cans of Chef Boyardee ravioli cost $3, the same amount you'd pay for three song downloads online. You get good music, and someone in need gets to eat. Everyone wins!

Now, these weren't the first shows I've walked away from with a free music download in my pocket.

The first time we saw The Police, Sting's son and his band, Fiction Plane, served as the opening act. Just for showing up, we got a similar card with a code for a download of Fiction Plane's single, "Two Sisters" off the CD the band was promoting. Sure, the song wasn't really my style. But, hey, it was free, right? Getting a free song made the $100+ tickets a bit more palatable ... just a bit.

Last week's food/book drives, though, helped people and yielded music enjoyable to a wide spectrum of fans, making them win-win promotions!

Jon & Kate + wait

2009-06-22T22:18:00.008-04:00

UPDATE (2:57 p.m. Tuesday): TLC has put "Jon & Kate Plus 8" on hiatus, and new episodes (other than next week's hour-long retrospective) will not air until August 3rd. Read more here.

If you tuned into "Jon & Kate Plus 8" tonight thinking Jon and Kate Gosselin were going to announce they're filing for divorce, you'd be wrong. That's the good news.The sad news, though, is that the parents filed for a legal separation this morning, meaning more tabloid headlines like these are going to abound — if not even more if/when they do finally call it quits.

A fan of the show since its inception, I was extremely disappointed with tonight's news, though not the least bit surprised. (Still, though, the optimist in me that hopes this separation is just a cooling-off period, one that will end with Jon and Kate reuniting their family.)

If you watched the Season 5 premiere last month, let alone any of the episodes since or the media coverage surrounding the family, you could tell this was coming.
It's been pretty evident from the past month of shows that Jon and Kate have been living separate lives apart from each other (if not in separate residences), making DVDs like these containing happier times seem like collector's items.

Again, watch a couple of the previous seasons' episodes, and it's pretty easy to form an opinion as to who to blame for the split. (Got a favorite Gosselin parent? Vote in the poll to the upper right column.) Sadly, it doesn't really matter now, as the damage is done ... though hopefully not irrevocably.

While they appear in our living rooms every week, the Gosselins (all 10 of them, including 8 adorable children) are real people, and it's for their sake I hope this separation can be a wait-and-see period that can bring the family back together for everyone's sake.

New Kids bring it "Full Service!"

2009-06-17T02:02:00.024-04:00

It's without any exaggeration or hyperbole that I say this: I just came back from the best concert I've ever seen!!!My favorite group of all-time, the New Kids On The Block, just brought their "Full Service" summer tour to Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and it was nothing you will ever seen on a stage! It was even more amazing than the New Kids' earlier reunion tour, which I saw four times last fall.

Don't believe me? This picture should say it all...

Yes, that is Donnie Wahlberg, performing the guys' song "Single" in the middle of thousands of fans! Making his way through the crowd with the help of a few security guards, "DDub" here (that's his Twitter nickname) risked life and limb to sing amid the thousands of faithful fans (yes, like me!) who have waited for the New Kids to reunite since they disbanded in 1994. Even if I meant sprinting 20 rows behind me to get to where Donnie was singing, I wasn't going to let a chance to get this close to a New Kid pass me by! (Though, you know I met the New Kids last year, right?)

Lucky me, I was able to document the experience with this video, shot just inches from Donnie as he sang:
So dedicated to the fans is Donnie that he ran up to the edge of the seating to the front of SPAC's lawn area, singing and dancing the whole way. I even got to pat him on the back as he made his way back to the stage.

For two full hours, the New Kids played all their hits, from their 1986 self-titled debut album to "The Block," their most recent CD, which came out in September.

No outdoor summer concert is complete without pyrotechnics, right? Well, how's this???Here's a scene from the guys' performance of "Dirty Dancing." As Donnie would put it: Saratoga was fire!

A special treat was watching the youngest New Kid, Joe McIntyre, sing "Popscicle," one of the best songs on that 1986 CD. Having known the set list since the tour's opening night, I made sure to take video of this song, one the guys haven't sung since 1990.

And yes, Joe's clothes are supposed to be dated, from the mid-'80s! (This video is for my buddy, Danielle in N.C.)

But, yeah, from the minute the guys took the stage til they took their final bows after encores of "Step By Step" and "Hangin' Tough," they put it all out there for us fans, hence the "Full Service" tour name!

Just like last year's tour, you could easily tell how appreciative the New Kids were to still be drawing thousands of fans a night, more than two decades after they first burst on the scene and became international stars. For two hours, it was 1988 again and all us of — the five New Kids on stage and the thousands of us in the crowd — were all teen-agers, enjoying the music and not caring what anyone else thinks.

Even after the success of these two tours after a 14-year hiatus, there's been speculation — even from one of the guys on his Twitter page — that this tour might be the New Kids' last ever.

If that is the case, one thing's for sure: Both the group and everyone who watches them this summer are happy this reunion has been so positive, going strong for more than a year. We've goto great music — both old and new — and we've got great memories of the ol' days and this second time around. Just like hangin' (tough) with old friends!

Saturday in the Park

2009-06-15T00:42:00.009-04:00

OK, so it was actually Saturday. And we weren't in a park, as much as an outdoor concert venue; but you'll see where I'm going here...
We just got back from seeing a great concert: Chicago with Earth, Wind & Fire at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. It was a show I'd been wanting to see since these groups starting touring together two summers ago.

I first saw Chicago play Poughkeepsie's Mid-Hudson Civic Center in early 1992 (I believe it was '92) and I still tell people it's the best concert I've ever seen that wasn't one of my top three musical acts: those being, in order, New Kids On The Block, Barry Manilow and Britney Spears.

This CD, which chronicles the band's best songs from the '80s, has long been a staple of my musical collection; even before the CD, I owned the cassette tape (remember them?). It's got some real gems, both while after lead singer Peter Cetera was with the band. From "Hard Habit to Break" and "You're the Inspiration," to "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" and "If She Would Have Been Faithful," this CD has got them all. It's great listening!

With almost two decades of great memories from both that first — they played for more than two hours during that '92 concert — and amazing music, I'd tried in vain to attend Chicago's local concerts each of the past two summers.This year, however, I was able to snag a few tix to see the show and both bands were well worth the wait. For almost three full hours, we were treated to one set of EWF, one set of Chicago, and still another the two groups finished the show playing together. It was almost like three concerts in one! (And in these hard economic times, can you beat that?!)

Perhaps it's the wordsmith in me, but I've long been a fan of Chicago's lyrics. How can you not enjoy songs with lines like It's a paradox, full of contradiction (from "If She Would Have Been Faithful"), or ...another illusion I chose to create (from"Hard Habit to Break")? So I knew what to expect Chicago and they didn't disappoint — simply amazing from the first song to the last.

As was EWF, who got us dancing from the opening song. Having traveled to Sullivan County solely for Chicago, I viewed EWF as a bonus: Whatever they played, I'd have been happy with. But between "September" and "Sing A Song" and "After the Love Has Gone," among others, I was singing their songs as much as Chicago's on the drive home. Now, I'd known a few of their songs, but my GF and I were amazed how many times during their portion of the show we turned to each other and said, "Oh, I know this song!"

Not as familiar with Chicago as I was, not to mention EWF, she was amazed how many of the songs she heard last night she recognized. Each group played almost all of their hits, making it a fun night for both of us.