The Rosie O'Donnell Show

I once knew a friend of Joni's who I have (sadly) long lost touch with - but she invited to accompany the Joni Mitchell party for her taping at the Rosie O'Donnell show. I LOVE Joni and was excited and grateful to be there. Joni was a great inspiration. I used to write her love letters when I was 16.

Backstage I was given the option to sit in the audience and leave the green room - which I did - as the green room was filled with stuffed shirts and I had no conversation or interest in them. I was really thrilled to be in the audience because I LOVED Rosie at the time. I laughed when it said laugh and applauded when it said applaud - at least I think I did.

You know how she used to fling foos balls into the crowd? Suddenly during the second segment I noticed that they were all aimed at me. Honestly. She was pitching foos balls at me. I would pick them up and give them all to the excited people around. It got kind of scary. In the next commercial break there was a heated conference with the director and Rosie. Then the house comedian came up to me and asked the crowd to 'Cheer Me Up! Come One Everyone Cheer Him Up!" Honestly and before God I don't remember looking so glum. It was embarrassing and actually pissed me off. I guess I was on camera briefly because Rosie's brother was sitting next to me - and some how I was not smiling enough. Ha. How could that be?

Anyway I left with the crowd and got back to the green room. Rosie loves Joni and we were all ushered back to her dressing room for a grin and grip and a photo. I stayed in the background as this was not my party. Rosie took pictures and smiled and there was general happy talk but near the end Rosie saw me in the doorway - charged up to me and said: "So who are you?" I said Mark. She stared for a couple minutes and without any ceremony kicked us all out. I have no idea what I did to offend.

This is a great music video

I've got nothing against the star of this video. I really don't know her or her music though I saw Hole do an amazing show on the 'doll parts' tour.. This is a little video about dissipation and the death of belief. She made a document of her own dissolution. Like the photo of a ghost. Characters like this always exist in the twilight. The queen drifts through the room and her minions remind her of her dread duties. A guitarist gets her to rehearse, another disappears into his cell. As if it was hard to breathe in the room. She sings the song indolent and bored as some minion films. Like songs can't touch her. She puts her make up on and sings 'Look me in the eyes and tell me that I'm satisfied'. Beyond all care. The death dance of vanity must continue because otherwise it falls apart. Beyond irony. Beyond it all, fixed in the amber of her importance. Like leaves rustling in the chamber of a mausoleum. Another show to give, another appearance to make, yawn.

Ha. Made my day.