Harry Shearer Guest Appearance?
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Carlotta
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Since I've gone to see Emo Philips there several times, I was on the CFI mailing list and had been surprised to see Harry Shearer's show on the schedule. What kind of Christmas/holiday sing-along show would be at that place? I was extremely hesitant about attending but did want to see Harry Shearer in person. It was great, far better than I expected.
This is a tradition that grew from Harry Shearer and wife Judith Owens' Christmas sing-alongs at their home, and with the couches, Christmas decorations and the family dog on the tiny stage, it was like a party at a regular house - if a regular house event would have 200 guests sitting in neat rows. Judith Owens was a wonderful hostess, encouraging the audience with Welsh charm and enormous smiles to sing many traditional Christmas carols and some secular favorites like White Christmas.
Al did indeed appear, which got the biggest cheers from the audience, along with fantastic a capella group the Bobs. The Bobs songs included Cream's "White Room" a capella, Fifty Kilowatt Tree, and a Hannukah song to the Beatles' Eight Days a Week. If you haven't heard them, try bobs.com. More in the background than I expected, Harry Shearer sang a song about Jesus and St. Paul being "dreidel-spinners" and his Spinal Tap character Derek Smalls made a brief speaking appearance.
Al sang the Night Santa Went Crazy, and it was clear from the reactions that some people - especially some horrified ladies in the front row - had never heard it before.
Al joined in with the rest on singing carols. I recall thinking how nice of him it was that he, big star that he is, took the time to appear and stay for the whole 2-plus-hour event, apparently for charity to help the New Orleans' music scene. I don't know how foolish we looked to them onstage as the audience was divided into groups to act out the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I'll never forget my fellow "partridges". Judith owens said that some audience members would get Harry Shearer's autographed big red...um, tree ornaments, and those went to the most enthusiastic folks who really got into the act!
My phone took some bad pix, etc., since there were friends of mine who did not plan on attending but who, I figured, might want to see part of the show. If this happens again next year (the 15th? annual one, I think), it's definitely worth making a Christmas tradition - with or without Al - if you're in the LA area!
Nice to meet Al fan Tina who was hesitant to sit in the first or second row, but who got pointed out by the hostess anyway as she and I sat on the third row. Sorry, Tina!
This is a tradition that grew from Harry Shearer and wife Judith Owens' Christmas sing-alongs at their home, and with the couches, Christmas decorations and the family dog on the tiny stage, it was like a party at a regular house - if a regular house event would have 200 guests sitting in neat rows. Judith Owens was a wonderful hostess, encouraging the audience with Welsh charm and enormous smiles to sing many traditional Christmas carols and some secular favorites like White Christmas.
Al did indeed appear, which got the biggest cheers from the audience, along with fantastic a capella group the Bobs. The Bobs songs included Cream's "White Room" a capella, Fifty Kilowatt Tree, and a Hannukah song to the Beatles' Eight Days a Week. If you haven't heard them, try bobs.com. More in the background than I expected, Harry Shearer sang a song about Jesus and St. Paul being "dreidel-spinners" and his Spinal Tap character Derek Smalls made a brief speaking appearance.
Al sang the Night Santa Went Crazy, and it was clear from the reactions that some people - especially some horrified ladies in the front row - had never heard it before.
Al joined in with the rest on singing carols. I recall thinking how nice of him it was that he, big star that he is, took the time to appear and stay for the whole 2-plus-hour event, apparently for charity to help the New Orleans' music scene. I don't know how foolish we looked to them onstage as the audience was divided into groups to act out the Twelve Days of Christmas, but I'll never forget my fellow "partridges". Judith owens said that some audience members would get Harry Shearer's autographed big red...um, tree ornaments, and those went to the most enthusiastic folks who really got into the act!
My phone took some bad pix, etc., since there were friends of mine who did not plan on attending but who, I figured, might want to see part of the show. If this happens again next year (the 15th? annual one, I think), it's definitely worth making a Christmas tradition - with or without Al - if you're in the LA area!
Nice to meet Al fan Tina who was hesitant to sit in the first or second row, but who got pointed out by the hostess anyway as she and I sat on the third row. Sorry, Tina!
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Orthography Enthusiast
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I would think TNSWC would be fairly horrifying if you first encountered it unprepared at a holiday concert. 
But CAGZ would have been worse. Was there a recorded backing track or a house band or did Al do it "Acapulco" style?
I do envy you the opportunity to sing Christmas carols with Al, even at a slight distance.
And just think, now you can tell people you were a member of the Partridge Family.
But CAGZ would have been worse. Was there a recorded backing track or a house band or did Al do it "Acapulco" style? I do envy you the opportunity to sing Christmas carols with Al, even at a slight distance.
And just think, now you can tell people you were a member of the Partridge Family.
"Weird Al" has a charisma that's all his own. The awkward, the misshapen, the socially inept flock to his banner.