Happy Halloween!

The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival was as much fun as ever tonight!

I've seen these guys before and they always have terrific costumes -- this year was no exception.

McCain - Palin.

Uh, wrong season.

Quite elaborate.

Financial commentary.

Smurfette.

Dinosaurs walk among us.

This was my favorite costume.

There were lots of Heath-Ledger-as-Jokers walking around -- this was the best I saw.

I'm not certain this Aunt Jemima costume is politically correct.

With the People

While my car was in the shop for 8 days to repair the convertible roof and fix some scratches I either walked or took the bus. I'm glad to have my car back now.

Not a very good picture on my part for an excellent movie -- "Happy-Go-Lucky." A delightful Mike Leigh (who we haven't seen since "Vera Drake") film about a woman who goes through life absolutely happy. It's infectious.

"Appaloosa" is one of the most enjoyable westerns I've seen in a long time. Set in the very small town of Appaloosa in the New Mexico Territory, Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen are gun men hired by the town to ensure the peace. Renee Zellweger shows up and the balance is thrown off when "feelings" are introduced into the mix. Ed Harris also does an impressive job as Director.

Signed A Blogger in the Front Row

Went to the Pasadena Playhouse Saturday night to see "The Lady with all the Answers" -- a one-woman show about Ann Landers written by David Rambo.

Mimi Kennedy -- best known as the "hippie" mom on "Dharma and Greg" -- does a spot on portrayal of Eppie Lederer, better known as Ann Landers.

It's a sweet show that looks at a lady who got mail by the sackful and claimed to answer every letter that came with a return address.

I didn't know Lederer got her start as a Democratic County Chairwoman in Wisconsin and her friendship with Senator Hubert Humphrey (and efforts to defeat Senator Joe McCarthy) introduced her to many famous people and it was her Rolodex that most impressed the editors of the Chicago Sun-Times and resulted in an offer for her to take over the paper's advice column after the first Ann Landers stopped writing it.

The show also includes some details about her lifelong rivalry with her identical twin, Popo, also known as Dear Abby.

How odd twins end up as competitors as America's most read advice columnists (and don't think they weren't each aware of the other's circulation numbers).

Sunday afternoon I took in "Porcelain" at the Celebration Theater in West Hollywood. This show, directed by Michael Matthews, is very innovative in it's presentation style -- a young Asian man accused of committing a murder in London is interviewed by a jailhouse psychiatrist and the voices in his head, along with all other roles, are played by five actors who remain on the stage throughout the entire 80 minute show.

It starts slow, but as the details of the killing are revealed the show is truly gripping.

Love Me Now?

Had a chance earlier in the week to catch Oliver Stone's new movie "W." I found it to be a pretty entertaining look at the Bush family, especially the father-son relationship between the two Presidents with a little sibling rivalry from Jeb mixed in.

But mostly I found myself considering how well each actor was doing playing the well-known personality they were portraying.

Celebrity Sighting: Saw Matthew Perry driving a convertible Porsche down La Brea this morning.

Jump-Starting Halloween

Last night I went with a group of friends to "Halloween Horror Nights" at Universal Studios Hollywood. I had a lot more fun than I expected to.

When I was much younger I went to "Knott's Scary Farm" for about 10 years in a row. I've never tried any of Knott's imitators.

Universal does a really good job with their Horror Night. Lots of characters to jump out and scare you as you're walking around. Plus some really well done "mazes" that you walk through and scary creatures lunge at you.

We were walking through "Friday the 13th -- Camp Blood" which had an outdoor camp/western town theme. One spook came at me from a blind corner, but instead of walking towards me he was seated. In a panicked reaction I screamed at the top of my voice, "WHEELCHAIR." I didn't mean it as an insult, I was just completely unnerved by the unexpected difference.

Lots of the characters were carrying chain saws. Just hearing that "onnnggg, onnngggg, oonnnggg" noise is scary, let alone someone running at you with one.

Imagine you're walking along and all of a sudden this comes running up next to you?

Is this how the Easter Bunny makes a living during the off-season?

A scary sight to see at the real fake Bates Motel.

I don't know that this guy was so "scary," but he made a lot of noise with that trash can that was startling!

This poor girl had been "kidnapped" and was tied to this filthy commode. At least she got to sit down for her shift.

Such a pretty bride!

A "disaster victim" awaits assistance after an airplane slams into a town on the backlot.

I wouldn't be caught dead on this Glamour Tram.