Since We're Speaking of Lauren

Harry Potter? No way. Another Spiderman? Nyet. Scientology's take on Hairspray? Wait until DVD.

However, come August 10, I may just have to go to the UK to seeing "The Walker". It was already screened earlier this month in Cambridge, but we've got to wait until December 7 to see it. Is there not justice! Well, apparently not in this country. Rumors of it even being made or released have been bubbling for a few years. Plenty have predicted it to be a roaring dud. But make up your own mind with these seven minutes from the opening. We'll see how long they stay up. Even if it's downhill from there, I'm already hooked.

Remind me to tell you sometime about my mother's eight second encounter with Lauren Bacall in 1993. It was her life-defining moment.

Twitchy, Bitchy -- and Manic

"Partly Jane Fonda and partly Jane Fonda!" Oh, JunkThief, what are you talking about, I've heard many a youngster ask. Well, back in 1971, my grammy took me to see this musical (complete with the Oh Calcutta! bare assed reference edited out of the CBS broadcast). Grammy P just loved the show and said she felt it embodied a world where I would one day reside and thrive. I pleaded to have her take me to THAT bar for a Shirley Temple, but she drew the line there. I did make it there eventually "It's just too groovy to believe!"

And you know what, Grammy P, I agree that it's dull to be too sane. Thank you for opening that first window all those years ago.