Thursday, October 29, 2015

What The Bleep Here We Go Again


Barry went on his iMac then headed over to Facebook. Once on the homepage he saw a post up at the top from Enid. It was her named Enid Ginsberg next to that Barry Manilow's name. So he knew she had put that post on his page. Enid was talking about Barry Manilow's "My Last Legs Tour." My Last Legs tour? thought Barry. I'm doing a three month run at the London Palladium next summer.  This is what the London Palladium will look like next year between June first and August thirty first. How can I be on My Last Legs Tour when I'm not slowing down thought Barry. Unless the My Last Legs Tour was something  that Brian Murphy was doing. Barry had heard through the grapevine that Brian Murphy was going on tour next year. I don't have bad hips. I don't have atrial fibrillation said Barry. Have all of my hair. No receding hair line. No bald spots. Unlike Brian Murphy who has all of those things. My only problem if you want to call it that is I wear reading glasses. Just then Barry's phone rang. Hello said Barry. Hi Barry it's Marc. Don't forget we're leaving Saturday morning at eight thirty to catch our flight to London. I have that marked down on the calendar said Barry. I know some fan said on Facebook said that Barry Manilow always "Flies the friendly  skies" of United. Man are they wrong. I've always flown Delta Airlines. Yes said Marc you, me and Garry have always flown Delta. I think that's Brian Murphy who always flies United. Oh by the way my credit card got hacked said Marc. I called the credit card company and canceled my card. I didn't have an charges on it.  I'm actually thinking of switching credit card companies.  So which credit card do you have? asked Marc. I had a Capitol One Venture One card. It got hacked at the same time as my fans were having their cards hacked said Barry. I called Capital One told them I didn't make the fraudulent purchases. After it was taken care of that I canceled that card. I asked  a lot of people that I knew what type of credit card they had. American Express's Blue Sky, Delta Gold, Delta Platinum, Everyday, Everyday Preferred, Bank Of America cash and travel rewards, Capital One, Venture, Venture One, Chase Double cash back, Sapphire Preferred, Discover and United Mileage Plus Explorer. And yes I even asked Carly which credit card she used. She used to have my Manilow Fund For Health and Hope Visa by MBNA. Then it went to being backed by Bank Of America. In two thousand thirteen the Manilow Fund Visa was totally dead. She got  the Manilow Music Project Visa card backed by Bank Of America. Vikki Thomas who runs the Manilow Music Project said she'd never heard of UMB. Chris Marin who works with Vikki has a friend Ken Wasabe  check out UMB. He said he'd never heard of them and didn't trust them at all. Ken suggested to Vikki and Chris that they should see if Bank Of America would back the card.  Since Bank Of America backed the Manilow Fund card why wouldn't they back this one.  She gave Bank Of America a call with  the  information on my music charity. Bank Of America said yes and even gave a check for fifty thousand dollars to the charity.  Then Bank Of America said fans can get the card with either cash or two with travel rewards, Carly's has the travel rewards. When I talked to Garry two weeks ago he  had suggested for a credit card the American Express Delta Gold  or Platinum cards. I told Garry I hate the color gold. He said then just get the platinum one. Said to Garry are you nuts. The platinum is fee four hundred  and fifty a year. Yes I have that kind of money. Three hundred and fifty five is the difference between the gold and the platinum. I can find better uses for that then to spend it on annual credit card fees. Maybe Donald Trump can do that since he's so filthy rich.  Also since I have you on the phone said Marc. You have the Facebook group that is raising money for MMP. Yes what about them? asked Barry. Well there was some in fighting between two of the administrators. Both administrators emailed me privately with their beef-a-roni. I basically told them to shut their group down. Then I told the administrator who did the paintings that I saw. That I was sending the paintings back unsigned. Which I did this morning when I went to FedEx said Marc. I said to her when I emailed her Barry doesn't need that kind of drama. Just then Carly came in and asked Barry if he had a minute. Barry said to Marc I'm going to let you go. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Marc said ok and bye. Ok sunshine what's up. Well it's finally finished  Carly said. Can you help me put it on the floor so you can see the whole thing. Sure said Barry. So they unfolded the quilt and placed it on the floor. Barry said Oh Wow. Now that's my square said Carly pointing to her square. I had you autograph my square with a black sharpie then
 Vicki Smith's mother who does embroidery embroidered over your autograph. Carly went to the large box and pulled out a picture frame. She handed it to Barry and said this is yours. It's actually a bigger version of my square that I did for the quilt. I had it framed so you can hang it on your office wall. That's what I learned to do years ago painting on canvas said Carly. Actually it's good for keeping the fingers nimble.

Monday, October 26, 2015

How It All Began


It was the late 1960's early 1970's when Barry Manilow  got asked to write a commercial jingle. His jingle was used for the product. Then he was asked to sing on a commercial. Doing these jingles for commercials was how he met Ron Dante. Barry showed Ron four songs he wrote Could It Be Magic, I Am Your Child, One Of These Days and Sweet Life. Ron suggested they make a demo record with these four songs on it. Ok said Barry and they split the eight thousand dollar recording fee in half. Ron said to Barry you sing the songs since you wrote them. Barry sang the four songs and Ron did backup along with a few other singers. They peddled the demo record to different labels. The last record label they went to was Bell Records. They showed the demo record to Larry Uttal the head of Bell Records. Larry Uttal told them he had just signed a new singer named Brian Murphy. Now these songs would be just perfect for Brian to sing said Larry. So Barry gave his four songs to Bell Records while retaining the publishing rights. Barry would get paid every time one of those songs was played on the radio. Barry called his friend Bruce Sussman to tell him the news. Say what said Bruce. Don't tell me you got a recording contract. No I didn't get a recording contract said Barry. I gave my four songs to Bell Records for their new artist Brian Murphy to record. Then Larry Uttal the president of Bell asked me and Ron Dante if we would produce Brain Murphy's album. We said yes we would produce Brian Murphy's album. You and I can still create musicals for Broadway said Barry. Right now I can use all the money I can make.  Barry Manilow was able to do what he always wanted to do write Broadway musicals. Barry was totally nuts about Broadway Theatre, classical music and jazz music. Country, pop and rock and roll didn't interest him. Now he sort of liked rhythm and blues and gospel. Some of Barry's favorite musicals were The Most Happy Fella, Company, Carousel, Gypsy, Pacific Overtures and South Pacific Then some of his favorite Broadway songwriters were Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein and Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. Being a Broadway songwriter was something Barry always wanted to do. The first musical that was a huge success on Broadway was the musical Copacabana in 1979. Copacabana was story of Lola Lamar who came to New York to make it big on Broadway. Anthony Stern (Tony Starr) who wanted to be a Broadway songwriter. Rico Castilli who was looking for the next pretty young thing to headline at his Tropicana night club in Havana Cuba. So Lola meets Tony on a radio show called Sing That Song. You had to know the words to the tune being played. Now actually Copacabana had a back story. The back story was about a Broadway songwriter named Stephen who was creating a musical about a girl named Lola. Lola she was from Tulsa Oklahoma. Two suit cases in hand a dream in her heart.  Lola came to New York to get her big break on the great white way. That's where she meets Tony a struggling Broadway songwriter. They fall in love. Then along comes Rico who see her and thinks she would be the perfect head Tropicana girl. After Rico sprits her away to Havana Cuba he falls in love with her. Tony goes to Havana to get back his one true love Lola. He brings her back to New York where he marries her. Sam Gropper who runs the Copacabana night club makes Tony and Lola his club's headliners. Their first night on stage is the evening after they got married. Because Lola betrayed him Rico come to the Copacabana for revenge. That's where they wrestle for the gun and Lola accidently kills Tony. Copacabana opened on Tuesday September eleven, nineteen seventy-nine. Copacabana was a huge success on Broadway. The next year Copacabana got nominated for a whole batch of Tony Awards. On Sunday June eight nineteen eighty Copacabana swept the Tony Awards. Winning every award  they were nominated for. Best Broadway Musical, Best Score, Best Book/Lyrics, Best Costumes and etc. That was the first of many Tony Award winning musicals Barry got on Broadway. Like Here Comes The Night, One Man In The Spotlight, Harmony, Fifteen Minutes and his latest Here At The Mayflower. In nineteen eighty-three Barry and his songwriting partners wrote some jazz songs. However they could not come up with an idea for a musical using those songs. So to get those songs heard Barry recorded them. He titled the album 2:00AM Paradise Café and put it out. He put 2:00AM Paradise Café out on Arista Records. That was the same record label Brian Murphy was on. Barry didn't think the album would do anything. Boy was he wrong. It went straight to number one on Billboard's Hot Two Hundred album chart. Stayed at number one for four months. Went to straight to number one on Billboard's Jazz chart. Stayed at number one for five months. When October Goes the first single off the album debuted at number one on Billboard's Hot One Hundred singles chart. Stayed at number one for four months. Bam Barry now had a career as a jazz recording artist. The other thing that Barry had to deal with  was everyone talking about him. Especially fans and the press talking about him being gay. So why did most everyone think he was gay was beyond him. Yes he worked at the Continental Baths for two weekends. Yes he met Bette Midler there. Produced her first two albums. Went on tour with her as her musical director. He and Ron Dante produced albums for Brian Murphy who was gay. But NO exclamation point he was gay. Barry gave up trying to tell everyone he was not gay. Mainly because they weren't listening to him when he told them no he wasn't gay. Girlfriends he had his share of them. Maxine Horn junior high, Susan Dexiler senior high. After high school he married Susan and a year and half later divorced her., Lorna Luft, Adrienne Anderson, Loraine Mazola, Linda Allen, Roberta Kent (who was a lesbian), Danna Robbins, Kyla Burk,  Abigail Stern, Julie Berkovic, Skylar Hertzbach and Carly Simon. Carly Simon was the dynamo in the small package that he fell in love with.  Barry met her back in November of two thousand eleven on GMA. He proposed to her on black Friday November two thousand thirteen.  Barry married Carly on Sunday July  twelfth of this year. As far as Barry was concerned he as off the market. He was now a very happily married man. However some of his fans and friends still thought he was gay. Especially Scott Nevins and Suzie Q.  Scott Nevins had the major hot's for Barry. Which made his flesh crawl just thinking about it. What got Barry was that Scott wouldn't leave him and Carly alone. He tried to stop them from marring each other. He tried to ruin their Montreal/Quebec honeymoon by showing up at their fake hotel. He tried to scare Carly into thinking she was insane. Scott thought if he could get Carly into a mental hospital  he could have Barry to himself. Well that didn't work but who knew what other tricks Scott had up his sleeve. Right now Barry had finished a US road trip from Seattle to Philadelphia. A week in New York doing a benefit concert at Carnegie Hall for his Manilow Music Project. Doing PBS's Great Performances at the Metropolitan Opera House on his birthday. Taking part in his international fan clubs New York City Rhythm Convention July seventeen to July twenty first. Songwriting one  zero one with him and his songwriting partners. Doing a fan club members only concert at the Delacorte Theatre in Central Park Saturday July twentieth. Then the brunch on Sunday July twenty one with a Q&A with Barry afterwards . Last year Barry put out New York State Of Mind and album of songs all about New York City. This year Something's Coming Up songs recorded by Brian Murphy that were given jazz arrangements. 2:00AM Paradise Café II the sequel to 2:00AM Paradise Café which was released in 1984. Next year. Barry Manilow was putting out Barry Manilow Putting It together The Songs Of Stephen Sondheim. Barry Manilow was going to be Live In London June first through August thirty first at the London Palladium. Then in November it was going to be Cruising With Manilow and Friends Royal Caribbean cruise from November eighteen Tianjin China  to November twenty ninth Singapore Singapore. Barry invited Brian Culbertson,  Dave Koz, Michael Lington, Lorna Luft, Melissa Manchester and Diane Schurr to perform during the cruise. Then a little Barry and Carly time together. Barry hadn't figured out where he and Carly would go on their together time.

Monday, October 19, 2015

DETAILS PLEASE

Carly went to Book Court bookstore on one six three Court St.  Carly went there to preorder Rachel Ray's new cookbook Everyone Is Italian On Sunday. That was to make sure she got a copy. Also to pick up her preordered copy of Bobby Flay's Brunch @ Bobby's cookbook. After Carly preordered Rachel Ray's cookbook she went looking around. She headed over to checkout the magazine racks. There among the men's style magazines was the October issue of DETAILS men's magazine. Who should be on the cover but Barry Manilow. Carly picked up three copies one for herself, Vicki Smith and Gabby Robbins. She then went to pay for the magazines and Bobby Flay's new cookbook. After paying for everything Carly went out to go meet Vicki and Gabby at Brooklyn Heights Deli. Once she got there Vicki and Gabby were waiting for her. The three of them went in and the waiter took them to an empty booth.  He asked them what they wanted to drink as he left them menus to look at. Once he brought them their diet colas he asked the what they wanted. Vicki ordered the tuna melt, Gabby ordered the Corn Beef and Carly ordered the Tex Mex. After the waiter left Carly pulled the magazines out of her tote bag. Look who made the cover of the October issue of DETAILS magazine said Carly. Ashe gave each of them their copy of the magazine. Barry never told me he was going to be in the October issue of DETAILS magazine. The article starts on page forty-five with a head to toe shot of Barry in our kitchen. He's wearing an apron that says Chef Barry The Man The Myth The Legend. Even the cover title is cute. Barry Manilow "The king of Broadway, Jazz and the kitchen." There is two more photos of Barry with the article. One is Barry up in his at home studio. The other is Barry in the backyard with all four dogs. Oh did you see the Facebook fans fans who are complaining about their credit cards being hacked? said Vicki. Yes I saw that said Gabby. Fans are getting their cards canceled but are they getting new card numbers? asked Gabby. Barry and I got our new Bank Of America travel rewards credit cards with the chip. The chip protects your credit card from fraud  when you use it in stores and at restaurants.said Carly. Oh and did you see Jackie's drawings that she got signed by Barry Manilow? asked Gabby. She's selling them on eBay. Really said Carly Jackie's selling her drawings of Barry on eBay. Just then someone said hi ladies. Can I sit with you? asked Barry. Carly, Gabby and Vicki looked up to see Barry standing there. Sure you can said Vicki. Gabby scrolled on her cell phone till she found the picture. Here it is she said as she showed everyone the drawing on eBay. Barry said can you make that bigger Gabby? Gabby said sure I can which she did and then let Barry hold her cell phone. Can you send that to my cell phone so I can send it to Marc. He needs to see that. Because Jackie is not supposed to be selling her drawings on eBay. But she says she's doing it for the Manilow Music Project said Gabby. Doesn't she know my name and likeness are copyrighted by Hastings, Clayton and Tucker said Barry. How ever  did she get my autograph on those drawings and paintings  when I didn't sign them? asked Barry. I never approved of what she's been doing. I was on Facebook one day and saw one of her posts. In the post she was telling fans that her black and white drawings were two hundred and fifty dollars each. Her color paintings were five hundred to one thousand and five hundred dollars a piece. Jackie then said I got to make money so I can't just give them away for nothing. I wait till I tell Marc what she's doing. He won't be at all happy about this said Barry. What will end up happening is Jack McCoy my lawyer will be contacted. Then he will be given Jackie's address so he can send her a cease and desist letter. I remember how fans bitched when they got one from Garry Kief. You do something wrong what do you expect a pat on the back. No you get chewed out for doing something wrong said Vicki. The waiter came back with their sandwiches. He saw Barry and asked him if wanted a menu. Barry asked Carly what she was having. Carly said the Tex Mex sandwich. Barry said to the waiter bring me one of those, a side order of barbeque potato chips and a diet cola. When the waiter came with Barry's food Barry said put their bill on mine. I'm paying for everyone he said. Also when I was on Facebook I saw a new message from Brain Murphy telling fans about his up coming US tour. His post listed the cities and dates he would be doing next year. His tour starts Thursday February fourth two thousand sixteen. That's is interesting said Vicki. What's he calling his tour? asked Gabby. He's calling it One Night Live One Last Time said Carly. Oh you saw it too sunshine said Barry.  Actually I saw it over on Google under Barry Manilow. It was put there because you and your songwriting partners wrote songs for him said Carly. Then while on Facebook Rub Shuter posted on his Naughty But Nice page that he and Bruce were at the movies last night. Some of your fans asked Rob to take a photo of Bruce. Then this one fan said Bruce was shy. Bruce Sussman shy really? I no he's not said Carly.  Also they want him to get a Facebook page like you have. Bruce has a Facebook timeline. Why would he need a page like I have?  asked Barry. So your fans can pester him. Bruce doesn't need is your fans bugging him said Carly. We sure  have some strange fans out there said Gabby. Barry just has a new crop of fans who want everyone Barry is connected with to have a Facebook page said Vicki. Adrienne. Enoch, Jack, Marty and Bruce all have Facebook accounts with timelines. I'm friends with them, Dave, Lorna and Melissa. I'm  not friends with Suzie Q or Scott Nevins said Carly. In fact Barry recently unfriended Scott Nevins. Also he hasn't talked to Suzie Q. since before the National Enquirer article came out. Barry's basically ignored her after she opened her mouth on Andy Cohen's Bravo show said Carly. Yes Carly correct that I haven't talked to Suzie Q. since February said Barry. Why she claimed I was gay and married Garry is beyond me said Barry. Garry got remarried in two thousand five to Deana.
I think Suzie Q. has always thought I was gay since the beginning of our friendship said Barry. Ok so I do have gay friends like Bruce, Dave and Rob. But I also have straight friends like Adrienne, Bette, Lorna Melissa and Jack. Earlier today I was over at the graphic designers looking at my London Palladium banners. One's a rectangle that's going to go across the top of the awing. The two others are hanging between the columns. I also was over on Facebook said Barry. US fans wanting to know when I'm touring again state side. I just tour here in the US between February tenth and June thirteen. I'm going to the UK in early December to promote 2:00AM Paradise Café II. After that I'm finished for the year. Then in January and February I'm going back to the recording studio for a very special project. The project is called Barry Manilow Putting It Together The Songs of Stephen Sondheim. It's an album that will contain twenty songs written by Stephen Sondheim. Fifteen are music and lyrics  Stephen Sondheim. Five are music Stephen Sondheim lyrics Jule Styne and Leonard Bernstein. I asked Barbra Striesand if I could use her version of Putting It together from Sunday In The Park With George. She made her version sound like a songwriter was singing about putting his song together. The original was about a painter painting his masterpiece one dot at a time. That's how painter George Seurat did his paintings one dot at a time. Then in two thousand seventeen I'm thinking of doing a third run on Broadway. I will most likely be either in March, April or April, June.


Sunday, October 11, 2015

More Interesting Stuff On Facebook

Carly got up went into the bathroom. Then came out and got dressed. She went downstairs to take the dogs out. Once they did their business they all came in. Carly's phone rang and she went to answer it. Hello said Carly. Hi Carly it's Vicki. Have you been on Facebook yet? No I haven't said Carly. I just came in from taking the dogs out. So what's up over there? asked Carly. This one fan Jackie posted two black and white drawings of Barry Manilow. With the two drawings she posted a message telling fans she was selling prints of these for fifteen pounds I believe. Or twenty-two seventy-six US money said Vicki. Doesn't she know that Barry Manilow's name and likeness are copyrighted by Hastings, Clayton and Tucker? said Carly. I guess she doesn't know that said Vicki. Her actual drawings and paintings are two hundred or more. She better watch it because if Marc sees her post he'll email her a private message like Garry Kief use to do when fans did stuff they weren't suppose to do said Carly. So what's on your plate for today? asked Vicki. I'm not sure said Carly. You haven't been getting any more phone calls from Scott Nevins? asked Vicki. No said Carly. We got an unlisted landline number and got rid of the one that was in the phone book. The only people who know our new number is our families and close friends said Carly. That's good said Vicki. Well I'll let you go said Vicki. They said goodbye to each other then hung up. Carly went into the kitchen to get herself some breakfast. After breakfast Carly went down to get on her computer. She checked her emails and replied to a couple. Then Carly went over to Facebook and she saw Jackie's post about her prints and how much they cost. Carly thought she better watch it in case Marc was checking Facebook. Marc would send her a cease and desist letter just like Garry did. Carly knew a couple fans who got cease and desist letters from Garry. Scott Nevins was also hanging out on Facebook. He was asking fans if they knew where Barry was. A couple fans said most likely Barry's at home in Brooklyn, Actually he is on his way home from London. Barry went over there to house hunt. Barry decided to rent a house next year while doing his Palladium run. Carly got off her computer and went upstairs to take the dogs out. So after the dogs did their business Carly brought them in. Once back in the house Carly made herself some lunch. Carly heard the phone ring so she picked it up. Hello she said. Hi Carly it's Marc. How are you doing? he asked. Fine said Carly. You heard Scott Nevins was trolling Facebook said Marc. Yes I saw his post over on Facebook said Carly. If he only knew that Barry was in London. The other thing I saw on Facebook was fans bitching about the credit snafu. They are blaming Garry Kief for that happening said Carly. I don't know why said Marc. When Garry's retired, Kristen runs Stiletto and I manage Barry Manilow. Well I better take my dog out said Marc. Ok said Carly. Right after Marc called Carly got another call. This one was from Gabriela. Hi Carly said Gabriela. Hi Gabriela said Carly. So new? asked Gabriela. Not much said Carly. I'm sure you saw Scott Nevins post said Gabriela. Yes I did said Carly. I didn't comment to his post. It was worth my time and effort to respond to him. Carly heard the front door open. Barry said hello is anyone home? Carly said to Gabriela Barry's home so I'm going to let you go. Ok said Gabriela In the living room said Carly. Barry came into the living room went over and gave Carly a kiss on her cheek. So what's been going on while I saw gone? asked Barry. Scott Nevins was over on Facebook asking fans where you were. I didn't comment on his post. Didn't want to waste my time and effort said Carly. Also there was the credit card snafu and fans are blaming Garry Kief for that. He doesn't run Stiletto anymore said Barry. Maybe they don't know that he doesn't run it anymore said Carly. So how was your trip? asked Carly. Great said Barry, I found a house to rent in Bloomsbury neighborhood of London. Also while I was over in London I ran into some of your UK buddies said Barry. Oh you did said Carly.  Yes I went into this one record store and saw PJ Nelson, Kim Andrews, Stacy Kenny and Jamie Burns. They didn't see me but I saw them. I went up behind them and said boo! You should have seen them jump said Barry. When they turned around and saw me the yelled  Barry. I said hi ladies what you up to? PJ said it was a girls day out. Oh ok I said. What are you doing in London? asked Jamie. I told them I was house hunting for next summer. Now I'm headed to the Palladium to check it out. Do you ladies want to tag along? They are you kidding? I said no I wasn't. So your friends and I went to the Palladium to check it out. There was a piano on stage. I told the ladies to sit down in the front row and I'll play and sing a couple of songs for you. So I did Could It Be Magic, Who Needs To Dream, a jazzy version of Rain and Let Me Take You To The Paradise Café from 2:00AM Paradise Café II. Your friends were thrilled to get their private mini concert. I asked them if they were coming to the Palladium shows and going to the convention. Which they all said yes they were. I said one more thing before we leave. You know me I'm always prepared. I went into my back pack and pulled out five vinyl copies of  2:00AM Paradise Café II. I autographed a copy for each one of them. Then I got the stage guy to take a photo of the six of us. He used mine and Stacy's cameras. Then he took a photo of each of the girls and me. I told Stacy after she got the photos developed to give each girl her photo with me standing next to her. I told them it's kind of like a platinum without paying the platinum price. Yes they each got a hug and kiss too. So I'm sure your friends are in sweet heaven. Sorry for the pun said Barry. Have you eaten yet? asked Barry. No said Carly I haven't had dinner. Ok what do you say we go out for a burger? Sounds fine to me said Carly. Barry went and made quick stop to the bathroom. Then they went out and got in Carly's Beetle. Barry drove to the Burger Club in Astoria Queens. Once there Barry parked in a parking space. They got out and went to the entrance. Barry and Carly went inside. The waitress showed them to a booth. She asked them what they would like to drink. Barry said they wanted two diet Cokes. Also he said I'd like the braised short ribs and fries appetizer. The waitress went to put in their order and get their drinks. she brought back their drinks. Then she asked them if they were ready to order. Barry said we are and we'll have two classic cheeseburgers with an order of onion rings. Also on Facebook Carlos posted that someone on the network said you were playing Havana next year said Carly. I'm going to have those social network sights taken down said Barry. There's way to much rumor spreading going on over there. Some fans think they own the network so they think they can run it. I've heard that fans who don't go along with certain others get kicked off the network buy the administrator. So I'm going to get rid of MMN, Manilow UK, Maniklow Australia and Manilow Europe. Some fans really don't know how to play nice. Or be nice for that matter. And no I'm not playing Havana Cuba next year. I'm doing the three month run June to August at the London Palladium. Then in November I'm going cruising with my friends and fans on Royal Caribbean. That's it for next year said Barry. So I don't know who's telling fans I'm playing Havana Cuba next year said Barry. Just then Carly's cell phone rang. Hello she said. Hi Carly it's Vicki. What's up? asked Carly. Well Jackie is selling her waist up naked painting of Barry Manilow with the towel around his neck on eBay. Just a minute said Carly. Barry what's up? It's Vicki Smith and she said the waist up naked painting of you is on eBay for fans to bid on. Jackie doesn't get it does she that my name and likeness are copyrighted said Barry.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Very Interesting Stuff On Facebook

Carly went on her computer. She checked her email and answered her parents and sister back. Then she headed over to Facebook. Once on Facebook she poked her friends back who poked her. She checked a couple of Facebook groups. In one group one of the members had posted a head shot painting of Barry minus any shirts. Oh gees said Carly. Why do these fans think it's ok to paint my husband half naked. That doesn't even look like Barry thought Carly. Carly went into her photos on her computer. She posted a photo she took of the painting Richard Young did of her husband Barry. With the photo she posted "This is what a painting of Barry Manilow really  looks like. Jacqueline's painting doesn't look like Barry at all. The actual painting which is by Richard Young is on my wall in my Barry Manilow inner sanctum. It's my room filled with all things Barry Manilow. Barry came into Carly's Barry Manilow inner sanctum. This was where Carly kept all her Barry Manilow stuff. Shelves with stuff from Barry Manilow's Broadway songwriter career. Stuff from Barry Manilow's jazz recording artist career. Binders with BMIFC Barry Gram newsletters. Photo albums with photos of Barry Manilow on stage during his concerts. Totes in the closet with tee shirts. Posters of Barry Manilow's Broadway Musicals and actual Barry Manilow posters on the walls. Her most prized pieces were her autographed Copacabana and Harmony programs autographed by the cast and songwriters. Her autographed vinyl copies of 2:00AM Paradise Café, Showstoppers, Here At The Mayflower and New York State Of Mind. Her autographed Night Song CD. Carly made sure that she traded with veterinarian Jeff Warner to have next Tuesday off. That's so she and her Barry Buddies Susan Barrett, Vicki Smith, Kathy Thacker and Anita Lyles could camp out in front of Rough Trade records for the album signing on Tuesday. Look at this said Carly as she showed Barry Jacqueline's painting of himself naked from the wait up. What do you expect when their minds are in the gutter said Barry. Beside that painting doesn't even look like me. Just to remind you Susan Barrett, Vicki Smith, Kathy Thacker, Anita Lyles and I are camping out in front of Rough Trade records Monday night for Tuesdays album signing said Carly.  Call me about seven am and tell me how many fans are camped out at Rough Trade records. I'll have Louie from The Bagel Store send one of his delivery guys over there with breakfast for everyone said Barry. Fresh bagels, cream cheese, coffee and milk for non coffee drinkers.   That's very nice of you said Carly. Fan friendly Manilow at your service mam said Barry.  How's your wrist doing? asked Barry. Much better said Carly. The week of October fourth through the tenth went by real fast.  It was already Thursday October fifteenth. Barry was in the bedroom packing his suite case. Carly had already gone to work and had said goodbye to Barry. Barry  finished packing his suite case. He made sure the dogs had gone out and done their business. He took them inside and fed them. He left Carly a note letting her know where he was going to be. Barry was headed across the pond for some business. He was going over to London England to sign the papers on the house. Barry decided that instead of renting  an apartment for three months he would buy a house. Barry found a house in the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London. He also located an orthodox synagogue he could attend on Saturday mornings. Central Synagogue in Greater Portland 36 Hallan Street London W1N 6NN.  Rabbi Barry Marcus was Central Synagogues rabbi. Barry was going to London at the beginning of May. That was so he could get a feel of the area near his house in Bloomsbury. Plus rehearsals started two weeks before  the June opening. Barry was taking his Novara Gotham bicycle with him. Barry figured he could bicycle most everywhere he wanted to go. Carly got home and saw Barry's note. She checked the answering machine to see if there were any messages. There were two one from Suzie Q. and one from Garry. Carly called Garry to see what he wanted. So how are you holding up? asked Garry. Fine said Carly Barry's across the pond.  He went over to London to sign the papers on the house he bought. Barry bought a house said Garry. Yes said Carly. It's in the Bloomsbury neighborhood of London. It has a basement with the mechanical and laundry room. The next floor has the kitchen and dining room. With sliding glass doors to the garden. The parlor floor has the living room. The second floor has a guest bedroom , bath and the at home studio. The third floor is the master bedroom and bathroom. Barry figured instead of renting a place he's buy one.  I texted Barry to tell him Suzie Q. called and left a message on the answering machine. I told him after he listens to it let me know he listened to her message then I'll take it off the machine. I don't want to listen to what she had to say said Carly. Has Scott been bugging you lately? asked Garry. No he hasn't said Carly. That's good said Garry. You , Marc and I are the only ones that know Barry's over in London. That way Scott won't bother him while he's over there. The other thing we did was to get rid of the phone number we had that was not unlisted. Now Scott can't call us here at the house. That's the only phone number Scott knew said Carly. He doesn't know our cell phone numbers or our unlisted home phone. You and Suzie Q. were the last two phone calls on our listed phone number before the phone company shut it off. Here is our unlisted phone number said Carly. Marc, Lorna, Dave, my family and a few others have this number. They all know what Scott's done and won't give him our numbers. Last week went fine for Barry said Carly.  Did you catch Rachel Ray on Monday? asked Carly. Yes said Garry we did. Boy was Rachel totally in shock when Barry said he was cooking "What's for dinner." said Garry. Barry made sure he typed up the recipes for Rachel so she can put online. Well I'll let you go said Garry. Ok said Carly. Garry and Carly said goodbye to each other before they hung up. Just then Carly got a text message from Barry telling her he listened to Suzie Q's message on the answering machine. So she could delete it off the answering machine. Carly went upstairs to take a shower and get ready to go out. Carly, Vicki and Anita were going to Smokey's Place a new jazz club in Brooklyn that everybody was raving about. Tonight was open mike night which meant anyone could get up and sing with Smokey's band. Anita and Vicki showed up at Carly's house so they could go. The girls went outside to get into the cab to go to Smokey's Place. Tonight was open mike night which meant anyone could sing with Smokey's house band. The girls got to Smokey's Place and went in. The waiter showed them to their table. They each order a drink.  After the drinks came they ordered their food. One guy got up to sing and wasn't  too bad. Then some girl got up and she was awful. Most of the open mike singers were good. It was getting late so the girls left to go home. They hailed a cab and gave the driver Carly's address first. While in the car Anita mentioned that Brian Murphy was going on the road next year. He must be doing much better after his hip replacement surgery he had earlier this year said Vicki. I'll have to text Barry about that said Carly. The cab got to Carly's house and she got out. She said goodbye to her two friends and went up the front steps. Once in the house she called for the dogs and let them outside one more time. Once they were all in Carly went upstairs to put her pajamas on. Then she came downstairs to look at the mail. Carly had already sorted the mail and put Barry's up in his office.  Among the mail Carly got was her two thousand fifteen BMIFC membership kit. Dang Barry got creative this time said Carly. Carly got up and went to get the home phone. She called Vicki  to see if she got home ok. Also to tell her she got her two thousand fifteen BMIFC membership kit. What did you get? asked Vicki. I got a membership pin, membership card,  a photo postcard with all the contact information. You know addresses and phone numbers and a welcome to club CD. It says this is Barry welcome to the club message. On the CD is Barry's welcome message to the members. Plus a song that's just for us members to hear. The BMIFC logo got changed. It's really classy said Carly. That's great said Vicki. Carly and Vicki said goodnight to each other. Carly went to bed.