Tomorrow evening, of course, is the big Stan Freberg Tribute…and I don't mind telling you that an awful lot of hours have been spent planning it. More will be spent today, mostly on finalizing video and prepping the Egyptian Theater. My co-producers are Howard Green and Arthur Greenwald and we've divvied up what has to be done. I, the non-green co-producer, don't have to deal with installing lights, testing audio, coordinating with the theater's staff, etc.
This is a wise division of labor because I'm a ninny at that kind of thing. If you left it to me, we'd wind up running the whole evening off one Kenner Give-a-Show Projector. Stan and his work deserve better than that.
One hard part has been deciding which of his work won't get in. We have only so much time and Stan has done oh so many things. I suspect that one big "takeaway" from the evening will be that folks will be amazed at the man's versatility. Shortly after it's over, I may have to begin slapping people who come up to me and say, "Why didn't you show my favorite thing of his?" Because we didn't have nine hours, you cloth-head!
We are, of course, sold out. There seems to be a slight chance that about ten seats will become available. If that happens, I'll tell you about it here and you can all mud-wrestle for them. We have at least one person who is flying over one thousand miles to be there and to get Stan to sign a couple of his treasured Freberg records.
I would tell you about other things going on in my life lately but there don't seem to be any of them. Look for other topics to resume on Monday, though I will have a long Tale of Something or Other for you tomorrow. You'll like it. It involves a TV star and a stripper.