Every so often, I hear about a theatrical production in another city that sounds so intriguing, I momentarily mull if there's a way to jump on a plane and go see it. The only time I ever acted on it was when Jerry Lewis debuted on Broadway in Damn Yankees. My friend Paul Dini and I decided to spring for the cost, I ordered opening night tickets for the show…and then, just before I called the travel agent, a comic convention in New York that coincided with that date called and invited to fly me back to be a guest. I said, "I'll do it, and I'll bet I could get Paul Dini to come back, too." The convention organizer said, "Really? That would be great." So Paul and I got someone else to pay for our air fares and, just to make it really weird, the convention put us up at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Times Square. Damn Yankees was playing in the Marquis Theatre located inside the Marriott Marquis.
I don't expect that to happen again. I don't even expect to go see this. But I must admit that I'm intrigued at the prospect of Patty Duke starring as Momma Rose in a production of Gypsy. She may not be able to sing like Ethel Merman but she knows a thing or two about the ruthless exploitation of child stars.