And action! Try as I might to deny it, I’m a celebrity stalking whore. I’ve come to that realization after I pimped out my dogs to stalk the set of Nurse Jackie. Ok, maybe “pimped out” is a bit of a misnomer, but let’s just say I decided to take them on an extended walk to watch Nurse Jackie being filmed at “All Saint’s Hospital,” aka Baruch College. I figured a walk with the ladies could justify my leisurely pace and basic refusal to move and I knew that they would love making friends. My ladies became best-friends with the extras. Note to self become an extra, it seems fun! Scratch that, become a star!

I admit I became a fan of Nurse Jackie via a free Netflix preview, but because I don’t have cable I decided that sadly I would have to wait until the series came out on DVD. That is until I learned how to watch it online for free. Talk about feeling like a kid in the candy store. I may have watched the entire first season on a rainy Saturday. Ok, I confess, I did watch it all in one day. I was almost as addicted to the show as Jackie is to pain pills and infidelity. I can’t quite figure out why I like the show, but maybe it’s because it’s full of misfits and shows how complicated life can become and how flawed we all really are. Or it could be because I’m a not so closeted TV junkie. Whatever its draw, I was like a strung out junkie in desperate need of her next fix, I couldn’t stop hitting the play button on my laptop after each episode ended. And don’t even get me started on Jackie’s husband (who btw is uber hot in real life, much hotter than he is on TV).

After watching a few episodes, I could tell that Nurse Jackie was filmed near me because of the outdoor shoots that they do. Matter of fact, I could also tell that they messed with a subway sign in one episode, which really got my goat because I knew that there was no possible way there could be an N/R train station based on where they were standing. I wanted to go all Joe Wilson and shout “YOU LIE” to the TV for all of America to hear. Yes, I can be that anal. Inaccurate depictions stick in my craw!

Imagine my delight when my street was plastered with signs indicating that it was verboten to park on my street today due to the fact that Nurse Jackie was filming in the area, which to me, instantly meant the trailers would be parked on my street. Sure enough, all the cast’s trailers are parked right outside my front door (now if only I could find the catering truck). I’m not sure if Jackie’s trailer is incorrectly marked since there’s no “Jackie” trailer, but there is one trailer that says “Wackie’s trailer” and another that says “God,” not sure if “God” is code for the leading lady or what. If MJ could be Whacko Jacko, then maybe she’s Wackie Jackie?

One last thing about the shoot. In a few episodes there’s a guy who lives across the street from “All Saint’s” and he’ll stand in front of an open window in his robe and yell out crazy things. Well crazy guy’s apartment is located in this dumpy building, which I refused to enter to look at what looked like an amazing apartment from the NYT website, because the building is such a dump. Small world.

As they say in showbiz, I think this is the point where someone yells “cut, that’s a wrap!” Applause , applause, fade to black!

Pat Kiernan from NY1

So, it was with perfect weather and with the backdrop of the Manhattan skyline that I saw the Prince enter the Polo grounds wearing white pants and a blue blazer. He walked in with an entourage and only mingled with the VIP section (lawn seats went for $500 and a seat at a table went for a cool $1K). Evidently 5-10 Benjamins got you complimentary Veuve and a private audience with one of the world’s most eligible bachelors. It was slightly annoying that he did not give any face time to the commoners camped out in the free section, which is where yours truly could be found (hey it’s a recession give me a break). Riddle me this, how is a girl supposed to land a prince if he’s surrounded by body guards and other people’s body guards? Hello Harry, it’s not like you’ll need to worry about abdicating the throne a la Edward VIII to marry an American. That’s William’s problem, pas vous!

A little bit of bubbly...yummy!

Prince Harry breezed in and out of Manhattan. He was here for a grand total of 36 hours. They kept the wild child and international playboy on a tight leash. He was basically here to visit kids in Harlem, lay a wreath at ground zero, dedicate a garden, and look sexy in a polo outfit. I think the only bar he hit while in Manhattan was the hotel minibar at the St. Regis or Carlyle or the like.

Polo playin Prince!

Harry taking break.

Hi, I'm the Prince and I'm kinda hot.

Although I didn’t see Madge et co, I did see Nacho Figueras, famously hot Argentinean polo player and now face of Polo Black. Aye Dios Mio! Talk about muy guapo! Somebody get me a glass of champagne because I need to cool down. He’s outrageously gorgeous. He played opposite Prince Harry’s team. PH’s team was named Sentabale, in honor of the charity he and another prince started to benefit orphaned children suffering from AIDS in Lesotho. Nacho’s team was named Black Watch (or as I like to call it “Team Crazy Caliente”). I didn’t really care which team won, but it was Sentabale who won 6-5 after four abbreviated Chukkers.

Nacho Caliente, er, Nacho Figueras

The play was outrageously funny, but it took awhile for me to warm up to it. I think I was more distracted by the two guys behind me laughing at every frackin line the first 15 minutes and they weren’t that funny to justify that kind of laughter. It’s a short 90 minute play, sans intermission, and it’s about two sets of New York parents trying to sort out a playground brawl between their two sons (basically one son got a serious beat down). The play A.D.D.ed at times to other subjects which ultimately made it more interesting and hysterical. At times I was doubled over in laughter-the kind where you just can’t speak and are silently laughing because it’s so funny. So, my advice is catch it if you can.

I knew going into it, I was going to celebrity whore it out and wait for them all to come out, take pics and get autographs (got all 4 btw, but for the life of me, I couldn’t tell you which is JD’s or which is JG’s). For those who have never done it or who aren’t from New York basically you wait behind police barricades until they come out of the theater, sign some playbills, and are escorted by security into their SUVs.

FAVORITE post-stage interaction was with JG. I didn’t ask JG the question I was dying to ask, which I’m sure he’s been asked 1,000 times. I don’t think I need to tell you what it was, but for those slow on the uptake, I was DYING to ask him what he thought happened to Tony. Did he or did he not get whacked? Instead I asked him what was in the “Rum” they were drinking on stage. At first he said “nuthin,” and then smiled this killer Tony Soprano smile and then said “ice tea,” which is what I suspected. I can totally see how Tony got the ladies. He falls into my “sexy ugly category.” He’s super charming in person and out of all of the stars, he’s arguably the biggest and he was by FAR the coolest! He posed for pics with people (of course I didn’t ask for one-totally should have). He even hugged and kissed an old lady and was like “hey ma, hope you have a good night.” Then some old lady stood on her tippy toes and kissed him on the cheek. Now if I see Carmela one day, my sighting of the Soprano nuclear family will be complete as I was once at a private birthday party of someone I didn’t know who knew Meadow and A.J. and they were there. Meadow is rail thin and A.J. is on the pequeno side.

JG has lost a lot of weight (still a big guy, but he’s took off some serious poundage). But here’s one thing I noticed, the man has no back fat. I won’t say which actress had it because I’m not willing to throw either one of them under the bus as they’re both thin and sweet, but I could tell one had back fat. It’s not fair, not only do men not have to give birth, but they also don’t get back fat! Death to back fat, I say! You can save Venice, save the whales and save the children all you want, but my goal is to eradicate back fat for women of the world! FU, back fat, FU straight to the bowels of hell!

Moving on to Marcia Gay Harden. She’s is fifty and FABULOUS! I want to look that sexy at 50, hell I want to look that sexy NOW! I’ve been in love with her since she started playing this messed up, but powerful lawyer who plays in the big boy’s league on Damages (highly recommend that show). Anyway, she was the one person not to use an SUV, which I thought was cool because although she lives in New York since Damages is filmed here, the woman still had the option, but instead she wandered off into the New York night.

Fifty and Fabulous!

Hope Davis was also sweet and I had a bit of a conversation with her.

Hope Davis is a sweetheart!

In fact the only person I didn’t have a conversation with was Jeff Daniels, who barely spoke to anyone and could not have looked anymore pissed off to see people. Sadly, the only good pic I got of JG was when he came out the same time as JD. So, JD plays this self important uncaring lawyer who is glued to his cell phone. Ironically, he was my favorite character of the lot, but perhaps that’s because that’s the industry I have lived in for the past 8 years and have seen a lot of “Alans” in my day. However, I must say he was my least favorite off stage. It’s like dude, get out of character and suck up 10 minutes of signing playbills and if you’re still “in character,” then think of it as doing the work that lawyers due, which is push paper. Anyway, I’m posting a picture of him that shows his general demeanor during the signing.

JD's general happy demeanor during the signing.

But go see God of Carnage, if you can! Tell Tony M. Madison sent ya. Bada-Bing!

After much delay and with the help of a very nice friend, the long awaited blog is finally ready to debut.   I intended to launch the blog a few weeks ago, right after I went to SNL as I thought a recap of SNL was a fitting way to tip my hat to the featured city of this blog.  So, I present you with my delayed recap of my night at SNL.

I was lucky enough to score a ticket to an SNL dress rehearsal with my friend “H.” Jon Hamm, a/k/a Don Draper of Mad Men was the host (if you haven’t seen the show, it’s the best show on AMC that you’re not watching).  The musical guest was Coldplay (the only cooler pairing would’ve been if U2 was the musical guest).  I was torn over whether to go because I had a college reunion that I would be missing.  However, a ticket to a pre-election SNL this season was golden! With the possibility of Tina Fey playing my girl Palin hanging in the air and in light of my undying love for Don Draper, the philandering 1960′s ad executive, there was clearly only one sensible choice, so I booked my date with Don Draper and headed to 30 Rock.

God was smiling on us that night because we were 2 of 10 people randomly selected to sit on the floor.  My immediate reaction was “OMG Don Draper is going to be 10 feet away from us!”  It became even cooler to sit on the floor after I realized that everyone else on the floor was either in the “industry” or somehow connected to someone who was.  For example, there was a journalist in the front row who I couldn’t place at first.  Then it dawned on me that it was none other than NBC’s own Chris Hansen from Dateline…you know him as the guy who busts all the online child predators.  What was even cooler was that Joe Scarborough of MSNBC’s Scarborough Country (you know the guy who recently dropped the f-bomb on live tv) tried to sit on the floor with his family, but he was denied!  Joe et co. were forced up into the nosebleeds.

So, on the way inside, H made a little illegal taping in the hallway and we passed a very grumpy Daryl Hammond (no idea what was up with that).  Oh and it should be noted that H kept saying “suck it monkeys” to no one in particular and everyone in general because our seats were so awesome.  So, the hightlights of the night:

1) Don Draper himself.  I realize this isn’t his real name, but it’s more fun to say.   And P.S. Don Draper is not just “tv hot,” he’s hotter and boy can that man wear a suit!

2) When Don Draper announced Coldplay the first time he was so close to us we could touch him (yes I know I sound like a love sick teenager, forgive me).  My personal fav highlight was when he looked at me and smiled..it was a genuine smile because you know he’s famous, but he’s not Brad Pitt famous so it hasn’t all gone to his head yet.  For example, he actually tried to stay to watch Coldplay, but his SNL handler wouldn’t let him.  Speaking of the handler, I want her job!  She got to lead him around by the hand and take him to wardrobe.  Getting Don Draper into wardrobe? Yo quiero that trabajo!

3)Although my girl Palin didn’t appear via the Fey incarnation, it was an SNL political powerhouse as Biden, Obama, Clinton, Pelosi, Ayers and the Reverend Wright showed up.  We missed the real Palin appearing on SNL by a mere week.

4)There was a guest appearance by John Slattery, the guy who plays Don Draper’s boss at Sterling Cooper.  You may know him as Carrie’s politician boyfriend on SATC.  They called him “Silver Fox” on the show, which quickly became our favorite code word for the night.  Incidentally, Silver Fox appears to be a hardcore Coldplay groupie.

5) Speaking of Coldplay.  I’ve seen them in concert before, but this was even better!  It was like we were at our own private Coldplay concert (like we had been invited to Lorne Michael’s kids bar mitzvah…oh and Lorne, as I like to call him, is a midget…what is it with these show biz types being pequeno?).

All in all an awesome night!