“Smile Darn Ya, Smile.” Ok… combining two song lyrics from two different musicals:

• “Put on a Happy Face” from the just revived for the very first time on Broadway…Bye, Bye Birdie starring John Stamos.. not as the title character which 20 years ago, I could have envisioned given his character Uncle Jesse from Full House and his status as a drummer in the Beach Boys

• The second is from some other show I must have forgotten somewhere along the line… if it comes to me, I’ll list it in the tags.

Ok, a few weeks ago we had Talk Like a Pirate Day.  Today, just happens to be World Smile Day.  What is it that makes me smile?  Just a few things, really.

• I love to be with my friends and family no matter what the occasion: game nights are always fun and road trips are a blast, watching crazy fans enjoy watching their favorite teams play (I thought my mom got wild when she watches Yankees baseball but seeing Chris watch a Bears game… now THAT is a sight that could bring a smile to anyone).  However, just being with them to lend a hand, ear, shoulder, foot, eye, back, or finger really is great, too.  Sometimes, even more rewarding than the frivolous.  On occasion, I have also used them for guidance and support, as well.
• Coming in very close to number one is… well, most people who regularly subscribe to my rantings and ravings know this.  Even when I am being constructively (of course) criticized, I can always find something to smile about on stage.  Except of course, when the moment does not call for it.. that’s when acting (for me) is difficult.  I guess in the moment when the unforseen happens and (perish the thought!) I donut get a part, I do tend to be optimistic and try to learn and try to move on.
• In a big way, music can be an extension of my love of the stage.  Musicals are of course my favorite genre of theatre.  I do enjoy most types of music but there ARE exceptions (c)rap being chief among them.
• A great, big scare.  Ok.. maybe the adrenaline getting the heart racing, the blood rushing creates a nervous smile and chuckle but I love to be scared.

Ok… that’s three things. that can usually make most of my nothing days all seem worthwhile.  So remember…. Light up your face with gladness and hide every trace of sadness because I feel sad when you’re sad I feel glad when you’re glad.

Do you remember the days gone by when jingles in television ads contained familiar samples of famous songs?  Some of these included women “Washing the Grey Right Outta Their Hair” or using window cleaner to “Put On A Windex Shine.” Last night while watching Cars while sitting four terrific kids (although two of their overnight sleeping habits…), there was a State Farm insurance add that included lines from “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” to promote their partnership with the Disney Channel to increase teenage driving safety.  My concern with that is I could not recognize the TUNE at all.  I realize that decades have passed since South Pacific, Bye, Bye Birdie, and The Sound of Music were considered cool.  And, unless radically changed to fit today’s teenage tastes, the music from these shows even less cool.  A few years ago, Gwen Stefani sampled “If I Were A Rich Man” in her aptly titled “Rich Girl.”  At least with the old ads, the tunes were familiar instead of dressed up to make them SOUND like something they are not. But I suppose companies and artists(?) have to advertise to their target demographics.  Sorry I did not try harder to come up with clips of all the ads.