If you watch NBC on Monday night, you might see "Chuck," the comic series about an amiable computer geek who works in an electronics supermarket and drawn into a wild world of international espionage. The show is co-written by Chris Fedak, a frequent visitor to S.F. In fact, Chris managed to pick up on the twenty-something lingo & mannerisms by hanging out at the 540 Club on Clement St. for three months, picking up on how the young people who frequent the place, mostly USF & UCSF State students, speak and act. For example, Chuck's best friend, the hapless & often helpless Morgan, is based on a 540 regular, Richie Rich of the Richmond. That's what calls himself. The real Rich is not really hapless, he's a bright fellow ..."The character of Captain Awesome is based on Nate, the bartender at the 540," confesses Chris. "Nate's every-other word is 'Awesome!' I think you could tell him that your grandmother died, and he'd say, 'Awesome!'"
That's awesome.
Also awesome is the fact that the inimitable Dame Cleo Laine returns to San Francisco with her equally legendary husband, Sir John Dankworth, to open the new cabaret club at the Nikko Hotel, the Rzazz Room, on Jan, 2008. I first saw Cleo Laine, who just turned 80, at the Mason Auditorium in 1972. I hadn't heard of her then, and I have never forgotten the show. She's an incomparable singer, and an amazing, that is, an awesome, musician, as Dankworth is. This is a rare chance to see England's first lady of jazz. Awesome. Also coming to Rrazz later in the year are the wonderful Maureen McGovern and Lainie Kazan.
The birth of the Rrazz Room spells the end of The Plush Room, which is like an old friend. Located in the York Hotel on Sutter Street, the Plush has been a fave spot for cabaret singers from all over. I think the Plush is more famous in New York than it is here. That's sad. The club, with the rich red velvety drapes and curtains, and the comfy decor, is going out in style with some really talented players who appeared last month, this month, and right to to the end, fittingly with Wesla Whitfield and Mike Greensill with their New Year's show, Dec. 27-31. It will mark Wesla's 27th year at the Plush.
During the last week of October Terese Genneco brought her new "Drunk with Love: The Sequel" show with her Little Big Band. She tore up the place, she's one of the most exciting performers around. ... Linda Kosut makes Oscar Brown Jr. come alive with her tribute show 'Long As You're Livin'. She's reminding many how important this songwriter was and is. Tim Hockenberry, a real talent, gave a great show at the Plush, as did Sony Holland. ... Connie Champagne, who sounds more like Judy Garland than Judy Garland, will join the cast for Cabaret for Humanity at the Plush Room, Dec. 7 & 8. Also on the bill, the great Meg Mackay ... Irene Soderberg ... and Veronica Klaus, and many others. It's a benefit for Habitat for Humanity, San Francisco. ...
The tall, lithe, smooth, sweet Lorna K's having a her first CD release party at The Plush Room on Monday, Dec. 3, at 8 p.m. The album is called "In My Room", by Lorna K and the Dunes -- Kurt Ribak, bass; Greg Sankovich, piano & keyboards: Tom Griesser, Sax & Clarinet; and drummer Bryan Bowman. ... Tickets are on sale through the Plush Room's website, which is www.theempireplushroom.com. Tix will be $30, which includes admission & a copy of Lorna K's CD. There's a singer around town named Lisa B., right? That's Lisa Bernstein. ... Chantootsie Rebecca Griffin joined Suzanna Smith os stage at Savanna Jazz on Mission, backed by the trio, Beep! No, no horns in Beep!
Oh, the Humanity: Sasha Stolz says the planned Safe Needle Zone that's being set up by the City to save people from overdoses or dirty needles, that is, save people from themselves, reminds her of Boyd Stevens, one of the great San Francisco coroners of the past. If you recall, back in the 80s Stevens created a scandal when he offered classes to those who wanted to engage in auto-eroticism (hanging someone or yourself for pleasure) without actually killing themselves. He said it was a matter of public safety. Then-Mayor Dianne Feinstein was furious when she heard of it, and put the kibosh on it pronto. It's funny. I'll bet Sen. Feinstein sees plenty of people hanging themselves in Congress these days. ... Sharon Anderson has come up with a way to save time: get a BMW so she doesn't have to stop at red lights. ... That's a driver's joke. I haven't driven a car in over twenty years, so I'm not quite sure what it means. I don't look forward to riding Muni buses in my senior years, they're perilous enough for me right now. Perhaps I should file my injury claim against Muni in advance to avoid the rush. Cosmo Sostenuto has an idea for a get-rich quick scheme: greeting cards with apologies in advance in case you do something bad in the future. He'll be sorry. ...
Valley of the Heart's Delight, the feature film written and produced by Pacific Heights resident John Miles Murphy opened in Oakland last month, and will debut in San Francisco at the Four Star on Nov. and the Roxie on Dec. 7. It's based on the true, horrific story of the lynching of two men in San Jose in 1933 after the kidnapping and murder of Brooke Hart, the heir to a department store fortune. Of the film, Murphy says that he broke a cardinal rule: he put his own money into the movie. The topic of hanging keeps coming up in the column, and I'm not sure why. ...
Our old friend, Ian Whitcomb, the composer, historian and uke player par exellence, is back on the radio -- Internet Radio, that is. Ian's new programs starts Nov. 7 at 10pm and ends at midnight. "It will continue thus every week for ever after," says Ian is that clipped Brit manner. Go to LuxuriaMusic.com. "You'll never know what you're getting, except me!"
Harry Shearer was in town last month to promote his new book and CD. He said he loved his visit to the Booksmith bookstore on Haight Street. "I have never seen a bookstore anywhere in the world that had a special section for Altered States. So it must really be in San Francisco." ... Standup comic Norm Goldblatt played the Pleasanton Hotel the other day. Strolling down Main Street Norm couldn’t help notice all the ads for street fairs, arts and wine, etc. One was called “Bon Apatite! -Toasts and Tastes of Fall! Pleasanton? I live near Sunnyvale. Beautiful names. Sunnyvale? Sounds more like a nudist colony. My 5 year old daughter asked if for vacation we could all go to Sunnyvale. Sounded nice to her." ... Charlie Mandel just got back from Vegas. He had one of those stories that can't possibly stay in Vegas: "I was in a bar when a good-looking woman, about 60 years old, sat down next to me," Charlie says. "We had a few drinks, and she suddenly said, 'Would going to bed with a mother and daughter at the same time interest you?'" So Charlie said, "Sure," and he followed her to her house, which was nearby. The lady entered the hallway and she shouted up the stairs, "Hey, Mom, are you sleeping?"
Awesome. Maybe it should have stayed in Vegas.
Bruce Bellingham is a columnist for the S.F. Northside and for the Marina Times. He has no plans to go to Las Vegas anytime soon -- expect maybe only to visit the Liberace Museum. E-mail him a bruce@northsidesf.com
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