“We’re singin’ in the rain, just singin’ in the rain. What a glorious feeling, we’re happy, again. We’re laughing at clouds, so dark up above. The sun’s in our hearts and we’re ready for love.”
For the “Singin’ in the Rain Birthday Party,” we’re splashing up the historically swank steps of The Algonquin Hotel and handing our umbrellas to the doorwoman. Our party is in the main dining room at the famous “Round Table” and one of that clique’s founding wits, Dorothy Parker, is sipping on a whiskey highball and waving us to join her.
The Algonquin Round Table was a famous collection of writers, show folks and wits who started as a casual, lunchtime gathering one day in the summer of 1919 and had such a good time, it continued every day for years. Dorothy Parker, a wonderfully acerbic poet, short-story writer, critic and wit was joined by Harold Ross, the editor of The New Yorker Magazine, playwright, Alexander Woollcott, one of America’s greatest humorists and screenwriter, Robert Benchley and a sprinkling of lesser known, but hilarious others. Often, luminaries visiting New York City would be invited to pull up to the “Round Table.” Among them were Noel Coward of England, Tallulah Bankhead of Alabama and Harpo Marx of the “Brothers.”
JOIN US…
You can feel the joy as you enter the Gatsby-esque, “Roaring 1920s-era” lobby of The Algonquin. Teasing the famous hotel cat, Billy, are funnymen Dave Chapelle and Paul “Pee-Wee Herman” Reubens. And, taller than the potted palms is basketball showman, Wilt Chamberlain, with show folks, Gene Kelly and Leonard Bernstein. America’s greatest puzzle-guru, Will Shortz, is filling in the blanks at one of the oak-grained desks.
HOORAY FOR THE JOY-GIVERS! (Note: The comments attributed to these famous joy-givers come from words they have written or said.)
PLEASE GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR THESE JOY-GIVERS CELEBRATING A BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK:
Aug. 21—WILT CHAMBERLAIN (Wilton Norman Chamberlain) was a professional basketball player, a center and widely regarded as one of the best in that sport—ever. The 7’11”, 300-pounder, played for the University of Kansas and the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the Philadelphia Warriors as a rookie. His main nickname was “Wilt the Stilt,” but he preferred his childhood moniker, “The Big Dipper” which friends called him because he dipped his head before entering a doorway.
He is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and also the International Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.
Aug. 22—DOROTHY PARKER was a poet, writer, critic, screenwriter and satirist. She was best known for her razor-sharp, cynical wit and one-liner wisecracks. She was a regular contributor to “The New Yorker Magazine” and a founding member of the much-celebrated “Algonquin Round Table” of American joy-givers.
Aug. 23—GENE KELLY is credited with almost single-handedly making the ballet form commercially acceptable to film audiences. The suave actor, dancer, singer, filmmaker and choreographer hailed from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His energetic, athletic dancing style, good looks and likable characters made him one of America’s great movie dancers in such films as “Anchors Aweigh,” “On the Town,” “An American in Paris,” “Brigadoon” and “Singin’ in the Rain.” Kelly received an Academy Honorary Award and the Kennedy Center Honors.
Aug. 24—DAVE CHAPELLE (David Khari Webber Chappelle) is a stand-up comedian, actor, writer and producer. He has won four Emmy Awards, three Grammys and the ultimate recognition for comedy in our country, The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. “Esquire Magazine” called him “THE comic genius of America.” His film work includes: “Robin Hood: Men in Tights,” “The Nutty Professor (1996 remake),” “Con Air,” “You’ve Got Mail” and “A Star is Born (2018 remake).” “Rolling Stone Magazine” ranked Chapelle No. 9 in their “50 Best Stand-Up Comics of All Time.”
Aug. 25—LEONARD BERNSTEIN was a music conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author and humanitarian. He was the first American conductor to receive international fame. His best-known compositions were for the stage and film musical, “West Side Story.” Lenny wrote three symphonies and the original score for the Oscar-winning film, “On the Waterfront.” His works for theatre include “On the Town,” “Wonderful Town,” “Candide” and his “MASS.” He won a television Emmy Award for his “Young People’s Concerts with the New York Philharmonic.” He won a Tony Award, 17 Grammy Awards and the Kennedy Center Honors.
Aug. 26—WILL SHORTZ is a puzzle creator. He is the crossword puzzle creator/editor for “The New York Times” and has been the “puzzle master” for National Public Radio since 1987. Shortz was born and raised on an Arabian horse farm in Crawfordsville, Indiana. In the eighth grade, he wrote a paper titled “Puzzles as a Profession.” He earned a law doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law but opted to begin a career in puzzles rather than take the bar exam. He is a member and historian of the National Puzzlers’ League.
Aug. 27—PAUL REUBENS (born Paul Rubenfeld) is an actor, comedian, writer, producer and children’s entertainer. He is best known for his character, “Pee-Wee Herman.” Between 1986-1990, Reubens starred in the CBS Saturday morning children’s show, “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse.” His feature film, “Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure,” directed by Oscar-winner Tim Burton, was a critical and financial success.
Here are some joy-giving, Pee-Wee Herman one-liners:
“Shhh, I’m listening to reason.”
“That’s my name, don’t wear it out.”
“That was so funny, I almost forgot to laugh.”
“Merci…blah, blah, blah.”
“I know you are but what am I…Infinity.”
“Everyone I know has a big but. Let’s talk about your big but.”
“Just tell ‘em, Large Marge, sent cha.”
“Make you? I don’t make monkeys; I only train them.”
“We all have big dreams. I dream of rolling a big donut.”
“Your mind plays tricks on you. Play tricks back.”
COMMENTS OVERHEAD AT “THE SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN BIRTHDAY PARTY:”
“I believe that good things come to those who work.”—Wilt Chamberlain
“The first thing I do in the morning is brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue.”—Dorothy Parker
“You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams.”—Gene Kelly
“No matter how old you are, if a little kid hands you a toy phone…you answer it.”—Dave Chapelle
“I’m no longer sure what the question is, but the answer is—YES.”—Leonard Bernstein
“As human being, we have a natural compulsion to fill empty spaces.”—Will Shortz
“I’m just trying to illustrate that it’s okay to be different—not that it’s good, not that it’s bad, but that it’s all right.”—Paul Reubens
“Everybody pulls for David, nobody roots for Goliath.”—Wilt Chamberlain
“Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.”—Dorothy Parker
“Any man who looks sissy dancing is just a lousy dancer.”—Gene Kelly
“The only way where the line is, is if you cross it.”—Dave Chappelle
“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time.”—Leonard Bernstein
“Try to pick a profession in which you enjoy even the most mundane, tedious parts. Then, you will always be happy.”—Will Shortz
“Everything is habit-forming, so make sure what you do is what you want to be doing.”—Wilt Chamberlain
“I don’t know much about being a millionaire, but I’ll bet I’d be darling at it.”—Dorothy Parker
“I never wanted to be a dancer. It’s true! I wanted to be a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates.”—Gene Kelly
“I support anyone’s right to be who they want to be. My question is: To what extent do I have to participate in your self-image?”—Dave Chappelle
“Music…can name the unnamable and communicate the unknowable.”—Leonard Bernstein
“With a crossword puzzle we are challenging ourselves to create order out of chaos.”—Will Shortz
“People say my ego is grand. I think it’s in proportion to me.”—Wilt Chamberlain
“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.”—Dorothy Parker
“I may be rancid butter, but I’m on your side of the bread.”—Gene Kelly
“You know you must be doing something right if old people like you.”—Dave Chappelle
“We’re neither pure nor wise, nor good. We’ll do the best we know. We’ll build our house and chop our wood and make our garden grow.”—Leonard Bernstein
“A lot of ladies found me attractive because I was different, and I acted on that in a way.”—Wilt Chamberlain
“Chivalry is dead. Women killed it.”—Dave Chappelle
“A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”—Leonard Bernstein
“I hate writing and love having written.”—Dorothy Parker
THE MENU FOR “THE SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN BIRTHDAY PARTY:”
APPETIZER—Gene Kelly Umbrella-Pick Appetizers (partycity.com for the picks)
SALAD—Will Shortz Harusame (Spring Rain) Salad (cooks.com)
ENTRÉE—Leonard Bernstein Honey-Mustard Chicken Baton Skewers (chow.com)
SIDE DISH—Paul Reubens Pee-Wee Potatoes (myrecipes.com)
BREAD—Wilt Chamberlain Whiskey Highball (see below)
DESSERT—Dave Chappelle Block Party Cupcakes (delish.com)
ONE TO GROW ON—The new book “Dave Chappelle and Philosophy: When Keeping It Wrong Gets Real” was published just last month and is already out of stock on Amazon. Chappelle’s comedy is fearless and often shocking, not so much because of his comfort with vulgarity, but because he is willing to talk about delicate subjects like: race, gender, the ethics of humor, the problems of cancel culture, etc. The philosophers gathered here by Mark Ralkowski promise to give fresh insights into what makes Americans laugh during these oft joy-challenged times.
At the end of “The Singin’ in the Rain Birthday Party,” The Algonquin Hotel staff helped each attendee slip on a bright yellow rain slicker and gave each an umbrella. Gene Kelly met the others on the sidewalk in front of the hotel and the group splished and splashed as Leonard Bernstein conducted members of the New York Philharmonic while they sang this tune:
“Let the stormy clouds chase everyone from the place.
Come on with the rain, I’ve a smile on my face.
We’ll walk down the lane with a happy refrain;
And, singin’, just singin’ in the rain.”
WILT CHAMBERLAIN WHISKEY HIGHBALL
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz whiskey
Ginger ale or club soda
DIRECTIONS
- Pour the whiskey into a tall glass filled with ice cubes
- Top with ginger ale or club soda and stir a couple of times to combine
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