Congrats to all the Freddy Award Winners!

Hey, did you happen to catch “The 2011 Freddy Awards” Thursday night on local station WFMZ? (Or maybe you out-of-area readers watched it on WFMZ.com. In fact, you can still can, click here!)  Started in 2002, the Freddy Awards honor area high school musicals with various awards for singing, acting, production quality, stage design, and so on!  While I can’t attend the ceremony at the prestigious State Theater, I love watching some of the best performances of the young stars of the Lehigh Valley.  It’s like “Glee” with real, live high school kids, not actors in their 20′s.  Oh, and this isn’t a show choir competition;  it’s like the Tony Awards for high schoolers.

Photo nabbed from Facebook: Morgan as Christina Colgate in "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." She in the middle, wearing yellow.

One of my favorite performers over the past few years has been Parkland High School’s Morgan Reilly.  I mean, can that girl belt it out or what?  (To prove it, watch her sing as Christina Colgate from Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Check it out here.) My friends Ann Marie and Janette Krulick have both been involved with Parkland’s theater productions, so I’ve caught a show or two.  Three years ago, I saw Morgan (only a sophomore then) give a jaw-dropping performance as Eponine in Les Miserables: High School Edition.  Last night, Morgan won the prestigious MVP award.  The senior will is headed to NYU in the fall to further her theatrical aspirations in the Big Apple.  I’m sure we’ll see her on Broadway in a few years, winning Tony Awards, and hanging out with Kristin Chenoweth.

Not only are the performances good, but the student actors acceptance speeches are hilarious!  They run up on stage with their acceptance speeches written on crumpled papers (probably from nervously toying with the speech during the awards ceremony), talk too fast to be understood, and have the idealism of youth plastered all over their faces.  I want these students to stay that way forever–to always be genuinely surprised by an award, to always be themselves (or a theatrical version.  I mean, these kids are actors, who have a flair for the dramatic), and to use their energy to change the world. 

Congratulations Freddy Class of 2011!  Whether you took home a Freddy Award or not, know that you have already changed your little corner of the world, for good. (Hey, if that kid could nick a line from Wicked in his acceptance speech, then I can also use it as a killer closer to this post.)

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Apparently Oprah Winfrey likes high school musicals, too, because OWN has acquired  “Most Valuable Players,” an award-winning documentary about the Freddy Awards.  Chalk one up for the Lehigh Valley.  Our teen thesbians, not Billy Joel’s song, “Allentown,” will now be our claim to fame!

Season Premiere of “IN PLAIN SIGHT” Sunday 10/9c on USA!

Rumor is that this season, Marshall’s getting a girlfriend!  I wonder if Mary will get along with another lady in Marshall’s life…  What do you think?

Emma on “Glee” and Mentally Ill Me

In Tuesday’s extended episode (“Born This Way”), “Glee” tackled self-image, including appearance, sexual orientation, and mental illness. While this made for an interesting mish-mash of self-awareness, I found myself relating most to Emma Pillsbury, McKinley High’s neurotic guidance counselor. Since the beginning of the show, Emma’s been a bit (OK, a lot) of a “neat freak.” Early on, I got the joke, “The guidance counselor needs guidance.” Hilarious. I find it especially funny given that I’m a gal with a Master’s degree in counseling who suffers from mental illness.

In episode after episode, Emma frantically sterilizes her environment, and the audience laughs. Ha, that smartly dressed redhead! Each week I pretended to laugh along thinking that “Glee” just makes fun of everyone (especially Christians and virgins.) But last week, the show took a major turn—it started to address the issues associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Though an imperfect representation of mental illness, at least “Glee” is bringing the issue into the public eye, and not in the “funny” and endearing way that shows like “Monk” and “House” and movies like As Good As It Gets and Matchstick Men have addressed mental illness. “Glee” shows that Emma suffers from mental illness, that she suffers.

Mental illness is a strange beast—either it is portrayed as “not a big deal” (“Everyone gets a little down sometimes”) or as a monstrous disease that overtakes the lives of its sufferers (think sociopathic killers on crime dramas or the aforementioned dramatizations of characters with OCD.) Then there are celebrities like Catherine Zeta-Jones and Demi Lovato, who are willing to admit they struggle with mental illness, but they’re OK now. And, of course, Charlie Sheen who clearly has a mental problem, which he won’t admit. But where are the people like “Glee’s” Emma who live in spite of mental illness? Few and far between.

No one wants the stigma of mental illness. I certainly don’t want it to plague me my whole life. I am keenly aware about how much I say, wonder if I revealed too much, and ponder if I should just shut up about my severe depression and anxiety. I don’t enjoy the sideways glances I get from acquaintances that read my blog or hear a rumor about me. They wonder if I’m in my right mind, if I’m OK, but no one dares to ask what is really going on or how they can help me. I know the stigma; I live it every day. And like Emma, it keeps me sick. Someone rightly told me that secrets keep you sick. What if the secrets are about how you are sick…mentally?

Towards the end of “Glee,” Emma finally seeks professional help and is given a prescription for a SSRI, which she takes in her office (because who doesn’t want to down her first psychiatric medication at work?) With that swallow, Emma spoke for a lot of mentally ill people who have been kept silent. Yes, we suffer. Yes, we go to weekly therapy. Yes, we know we are mentally ill. But like Emma, we are not our illness. Emma does not equal OCD anymore than Amy equals depression, anxiety and the rest of the stuff my therapist writes on my diagnostic sheet. Emma is a person with OCD, not an illness, just like Amy (that’s me) is a woman who lives with depression.

And I bet you thought “Glee” was just a show about a bunch of underdog kids who sing and dance. In reality, “Glee” is becoming more of a phenomenon that is making outsiders (homosexuals, fat girls, the mentally ill, and more) insiders, which encourages all of us to be a little more honest about who we are.

For an interesting behind-the-scenes look at the Glee episode “Born This Way,” head on over to the Glee homepage (link).

Updated Review Policy and My Love Note to the FTC

Hear ye, hear ye!  I have updated parts of Backseat Writer’s Review Policy and added a bit of plain speak to my FTC Disclosure.  Read on, you know you want to…

REVIEW POLICY

Request for reviews/interview/marriage proposals can be sent to amy@backseatwriter.com.

Why, yes, I would love to review your album, book, movie, or product!  Due to time restraints, that book I’m eventually going to write, and my personal preferences, I may not be able to honor all requests for reviews, interviews, or Nigerians who want to wire me money.

Before you hit me up with your latest and greatest, please note that I will only accept music for review (and artist interviews) that is downloadable or send to me via snail mail.  Additionally, I will only accept books that are readable on Kindle or sent to me in hard copy format (again, in the mail).  My reasoning?  I need my music and reading material to be portable—to go with me where I need to go.  That’s how I live life and that’s how I review materials.  I cannot be chained to my computer listening to music or reading books.

Additionally, I retain the right to accept or reject all materials based on quality of content and whether or not I believe the materials fit in with the vision of Backseat Writer.  Usually I can tell whether or not something is a good fit by the press release and I will tell you so before you send materials, so feel free to send your queries to amy@backseatwriter.com.

I also added this to that terribly interesting FTC Disclosure or what I like to call “My Love Note to the FTC”…

I do not get paid to do reviews or interviews (though if anyone wants to hire me for freelance work, I’m listening.)  I do not accept money in exchange for posting press releases or endorsements.  All content is generated for the pure love and joy of writing!

Links included in posts are for informational purposes only and are never composed for the purpose of including advertising.

No record company, publisher, publicist, band, artist, hobbit, or gnome will ever influence the content, topics, or posts made in this Backseat Writer, though they may inspire a few!

Any time you want to review parts of my publications policies, you can click on the “About Backseat Writer” tab and read your little heart out.  It is slightly more interesting than watching paint peel.

PSYCH. New Episodes. New Night.

The fourth season continues with guest stars John Cena, Robert Patrick, and Rachel Leigh Cook returns as Shawn’s girlfriend. Other guest stars in the second half of season 4 include: Judd Nelson, Chris Sarandon, Miguel Ferrer, Bruce Davison, Ally Sheedy and more. USA will launch a national sweepstakes giving away a Grand Prize trip to Vancouver, Canada to visit the set of Psych. James Roday & Dule Hill will be the guest hosts on WWE Monday Night Raw on Jan 25th and USA will be doing a live webchat with fans during the day from RAW featuring, James, Dule and John Cena.

And if you just can’t wait that long to catch Shawn and Gus goodness, watch a scene from the premiere of PSYCH on the show’s YouTube page, returning to USA Network on a new night, Wednesday Jan. 27th at 10pm! Visit the official fan page http://facebook.com/psych . Follow Psych on Twitter! http://twitter.com/psych_usa

Personally, I like the “Private Eyes” music video.  Except for the mullet.  No good can ever come from mullets, even on guys as cute as James Roday.

Win PSYCH stuff!

OK, there are contests all over the web to win “Psych” merch like the much-coveted “Psych: Season 3″ DVD set (I WANT IT!!!) Now you guys know that I have a sad and unnatural obsession with the show…it’s true.  Anyway, I can get an extra entry if I tell you fine folks about a contest running over at Raked: Television In Review. Go here and win “Psych” or “Monk” merch (but we really just want the “Psych” stuff!  Keep checking back for more ways to win “Psych” stuff, and maybe the powers-that-be at USA Network will let me conduct my own giveaway.

*If you’re on Twitter, follow @psych_usa for additional giveaway information!

True Confessions Friday:: Whenever I see a little blue car, I imagine that Shawn and Gus from “Psych” are driving it.

Shawn souped up Gus' company car and Gus is none too pleased.

Tonight “Psych” is ushering in its fourth season with a guest appearance by Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Glory).  In celebration of “Psych” and all its pineapple-y goodness, I’ve decided to confess this—whenever I see a little blue car, I imagine that Shawn and Gus, “Psych’s” dynamic duo, are driving it.  Sick, I know, but playing can-you-spot-the-little-blue-car on road trips is mucho fun.

Those who watch the show know that Shawn and Gus can often be seen traveling around Santa Barbara (actually Canada, since that is where the show is filmed) in Gus’s work car, which Shawn renamed the “Psychmobile.”  He also gave it some extra dubs, which were later removed by a horrified Gus. The vehicle in question appears to be a 4-door Toyota Echo, but I’m thinking a Chevy Aveo looks pretty darn close, too.  If it’s little and it’s blue and it’s on the road, it’s the Psychmobile.

Now, if I just kept my discoveries to myself, I’m sure my friends would be fine with my little obsession.  However, as the season premiere edges ever closer, I’m in a near “Psych”-frenzy ready to scream out to any LBC (that’s “little blue car”) I see.  See, that’s just not normal.  And don’t even get me started on pineapples, which are not only nature’s perfect fruit, but they also make unique presents for housewarmings, birthdays, bah mitzvahs, and that hard-to-shop-for somebody special.

Dear friends, if you think it’s bad now, just wait until I finally get Season 3 on DVD.  You just wait.  In fact, I’m gonna add a bunch of “Psych” merch to my Christmas list right now.

By the way, if you’re on Twitter, don’t forget to follow three hilarious Twitterers:: @psych_usa, @psychwrites, and of course, @psych_lassie. (Lassie is one cranky Twitterer, but he’s still darn funny.  Yes, I follow fictional characters on Twitter).

Fox Teases Millions with “Glee” Pilot

Like millions of Americans, I am enchanted by Fox’s newest show “Glee“.  Although, I am terribly disappointed that the network teased us with the pilot episode after the second-to-last “American Idol” this season and isn’t promising any new episodes until the Fall.  It was brilliant marketing to be sure, but definitely disappointing because I want my “Glee” now.  I also discovered via random Twitterer that Kristin Chenoweth will be appearing in a couple of episodes, which only whets my appetite for more NOW!

But we can watch the pilot episode ALL SUMMER LONG (watch it now)!  Yippee!  However, this could backfire and make people sick of the show before it actually starts.  Hmm…

Anyway, here’s a clip from the show with the “Glee Club” singing doing their own rendition of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’.”  You can watch this all summer long and even download the cast version of this song on iTunes, which I did immediately after watching the show.

“Little Miss Perfect” and Pageant Moms

Have any of you checked out WEtv’s new show “Little Miss Perfect“?  It’s a look at the (often frigtening) world of children’s beauty pageants.   I caught the show last night and found myself horrified and amazed all at the same time.  I’m going to say it up front–pageant moms scare me.  It seems like these women will do anything and everything to make sure their child is crowned the winner.

I flipped on the show just as young Ashley’s mom talked about reactions she gets from non-pageant parents.  “I guess you would think we’re doing something wrong if you have an ugly child,” she said with a straight face.  Of course, I snorted with laughter.  Yeah, everyone who thinks it’s silly to spend $1200-$1500 on outfits for a pageant where little girls prance around wearing too much make-up has an ugly child.

See, I have no problem with little girls, teenagers, or adults competing in beauty contests.  I don’t think they are horrible events that objectify women and ruin the women’s rights movement.   There are scholarships and other rewards for winners of beauty pageants.  I don’t particularly like them either because they do seem to value beauty above everything else (even with the talent and question portions, an ugly girl wouldn’t have a shot).   What troubles me is that the beauty all seems so fake.

Fake tans and hair pieces and glizty make-up and glittery costumes all give these little girls a look that is truly out of this world.  I mean, seriously, why on earth does a 9 year-old need to wear a wig?  And more make-up than Joan Rivers?  These girls are beautiful without all that other junk, so why hide the natural adorableness behind a mass of curls, frills, and false lashes?

The mothers of pageant participants argue that the little girls like it.  I guess they do, but then again, most 6 year-olds like wearing make-up and dressing up like princesses.  Some of these little girls started competing in pageants at the age of three!  What happened to the good ol’ days when a kid could be a kid?

And there were times when the girls on last night’s episode–Ashely and Brandi–clearly were not having fun.  One of the girl’s kept messing up her dance steps for her talent routine.  Her mother “encouraged” her little girl by yelling, “You’re gonna do it until you get it right.”

The girls didn’t really seem to care if they won (of course, their houses were already overflowing with trophies and ribbons.  One mom was even making a quilt of award ribbons for her daughter).  The mothers, however, were frantic as they primped and coached their daughters through the various elements of competition.  If these wasn’t a reality show, I would have thought the whole thing was a spoof on the stereotypical pageant mother.  I was scared to know they really do exist.  Ack!  Should you or anyone you know get attacked by a pageant mom, just throw a can of aerosol hairspray in the opposite direction and RUN!

(Then again, pageant directors seem pretty scary, too.  Check out the video below.)

Power to the People (Make that the Gov’t)

Like many of you, I watched President Obama’s first prime time press conference this evening.  The first thing that caught my attention was the foliage surrounding the podium area, which seemed hilariously out of place.  Who sets plants side-by-side creating a grassy box for the President to stand in while addressing the press in the East Room of the White House?   Wide angle camera shots made me giggle every time despite the seriousness of the topic at hand.  Admittedly, the plant arrangements certainly helped to set the President apart from the press, and gave me something at which to snicker.

The other thing I found amusing was how the reporters asked five-in-one questions like this, “Mr. President, how do you think the crisis in Iran will affect our econonmy?  If it does affect the economy, how will you plan to address it?  Speaking of plans, what are you doing later tonight?  And can you answer the age-old question–briefs or boxers?”  Uh, what?  Are we talking about Iran, the economy, or underwear?  If I tried this tactic with the artists I interview, we’d get nowhere fast.  But their answers would be much funnier than the President’s.

Watching the President made me think, “Omigosh!  If we don’t get this bill passed, our country is headed into financial ruin.  It’ll be worse than the Great Depression…and I’ll have to burn my books just to stay warm.”  This is the worst crisis since the Great Depression, right?  Well, that’s what President Obama said anyway.  Fortunately, for now, the President is mistaken.  The late 70′s and early 80′s were much worse, just ask Wall Street.

Something needs to be done–that much seems obvious (although I do wonder what would happen if the economy would rebound if we let it take its course). And while I think building new schools and making government buildings more energy-efficient are both great ideas–they will not immediately stimulate the economy.  If the government wants to spend close to a trillion dollars on this project, which it claims will create 4 million jobs, then I think we need to slow down and make sure it’s done right.  Let’s not impulsively throw money at problems just because we’re scared.  Plus, according to several sources, if we gave the money presented in this bill to 4 million unemployed workers, each individual would be taking home a hefty $300,000.  In that case, let’s just give 40 million people $30,000 or 400 million people $3000.  That would mean $3000 for every man, woman, and child living in the U.S. (which is roughly 306 million folks).  Or we could just dole out $50 to everyone which would cost a mere $1.53 billion dollars.

Hmm…money in the hands of the people or in the hands of the government.  I wonder who knows how to best spend it.  Obviously, the government because they’re done such a bang up job already.  If money is power, then our government is getting more and more powerful as the economy plummets.   In fact, President Obama said it himself–the government is the only institution strong enough to shoulder this dire economy.  In essence, he’s saying that only the government can save us (*see full quote below.) Our heroes are a bunch of corrupt elitists who spend all day arguing with each other?!  Is this for real?!

Look, I don’t know about you, but I’d probably spend my $50 on something silly like a car inspection.  But there are people out there that need money now so they can feed their families, put gas in the car to get to work, pay their rent, and so on.  These are the people who need to be saved from financial ruin.  Maybe I should care more about the ecnomonic maze of investment, but I don’t.  I care about my friends in Michigan who no longer have unemployment trickling in.  Stop throwing money at the problem and fix the fundamental problem…and if you can’t do that, then send the cash directly to us (we, the people) because we’ve got a few bills to pay.

*(Full quote from the President’s opening remarks:: “It is absolutely true that we can’t depend on government alone to create jobs or economic growth. That is and must be the role of the private sector. But at this particular moment, with the private sector so weakened by this recession, the federal government is the only entity left with the resources to jolt our economy back into life.  It is only government that can break the vicious cycle, where lost jobs lead to people spending less money, which leads to even more layoffs. And breaking that cycle is exactly what the plan that’s moving through Congress is designed to do).