Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. II No. 12 (172)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

March 1, 2011

Philadelphia Daily Record

No Monster

JANINE DiVITA lights up a Delaware Valley stage as Young Frankenstein’s fiancée. See interview page 5. Photo by Robert Mannis

Pa. Housing Advocates Slam House Budget Cuts The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, adamant supporters of government fiscal responsibility, is questioning whether federal HR1 – the House budget-cutting bill – achieves that goal.

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“The fact is, our federal government is in the business of protecting every American’s access to a safe, decent place to live, and has been doing so since the Great Depression. Witness the mortgage income-tax deduction, FHA and VA mortgages,” said Housing Alliance executive director Liz Hersh.

The Housing Alliance sees HR1 as a one-dimensional approach to the federal budget; an approach that families or businesses would not take to balance their own budgets.

“If your family had a budget crisis, you would prioritize your spending cuts, starting with the biggest items. In the case of the federal budget, these are military spending, debt and entitlements,” said Hersh. “Yet these items are held sacred. Not only have they not been cut, in some cases they actually receive increased funding in HR1.

“Your top priority would be securing the necessities: food, clothing, shelter. Yet HR1 significantly cuts these essential items for the very lowest -income people.

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Translation/Interpretation

“You would come up with a debt elimination/payoff plan. Yet there is no plan for addressing the crippling US debt.

“You would do everything in your power to increase revenue – get a second job, try to get a raise and get more out of your investments, collect on all debt owed. Yet HR1 does none of these things.

“As a government, the federal budget is a little different from a family’s plan and needs to also address waste, fraud, abuse and efficiency. HR1 does not.

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“If HR1 is really about balancing the federal budget, it falls short as a comprehensive, responsible and balanced approach.

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3 MARCH, 2011

“What it does do, quite well, is undermine the social safety net for the most vulnerable and powerless people by cutting food, housing, and services that are a lifeline for the poor and for communities with harsh pressures for these providing basic services.

“Cutting those programs will, in many cases, end up costing us more money. Homelessness and housing instability for children, the elderly and the disabled all end up costing more than investing in these services up front, as we eventually end up paying for hospitalization, incarceration and remedial services. Housing programs have a proven economic generating impact.

“Finally, HR1 costs jobs. Maybe some in Congress would agree local social workers shouldn’t rely on public funding as part of the broad funding mix we use to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in the community, but that is the system that has evolved over the past 80+ years.

“Charitable giving cannot provide this safety net, as we saw during the Great Depression. During tough economic time, charitable contributions shrink across the board, both to religious and secular agencies. The private market doesn’t step in where there is no money to be made. Simply eliminating programs that, in fact, employ real people to solve real problems, is not fiscally responsible.”

Fattah Announces Health Grants For Phila.

Congressman Chaka Fattah (DPhila.) announced today Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will receive about $2 million – the first installment on a grant of nearly $8 million – for a pediatric care measuring and testing program from the US Dept. of Health & Human Services.

The Congressman was a leading advocate for the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009, under which the CHOP program is funded. CHOP will be pooling data from numerous children’s hospitals to measure quality of care and identify best practices in pediatric care.

In addition, the University of Pennsylvania and Covenant House Inc. will receive HHS grants of more than $300,000 each.

The University of Pennsylvania is receiving $324,597 from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at HHS for training in pulmonary immunology and lung diseases research.

CHOP will develop a Pediatric Quality Measurement Center & Testing Laboratory, one of five national recipients of this highly competitive grant among dozens of applicants. The first-year research demonstration grant for $1,993,294 is expected to be renewed for the ensuing three years.

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Covenant House Inc., at 251 E. Bringhurst Street in Germantown, provides primary health-care services for community members in Northwest Philadelphia from prenatal to geriatric. It will receive $326,074 for continued operation THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

of this program this year, with additional funding expected through 2015.

Casey Honors Robert Bogle Of The Tribune US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) yesterday hosted a tribute honoring Robert W. Bogle, president and CEO of The Philadelphia Tribune, in commemoration of Black History Month. The Senator’s events included delivering a floor statement, convening a symposium with panelists and hosting a reception to honor Robert W. Bogle’s achievements.

“Along with Bob Bogle’s family and many friends with us today in Washington, we pay tribute to his leadership and his commitment to |

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Mar. 2Petition party for Mayor Michael Nutter at W. Phila. YMCA, 5120 Chestnut St., 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Mar. 3Reception for Council candidate Verna Tyner and Councilman Bill Greenlee at Ceisler Media, 1525 Locust St., 6th fl., 5:30-7:30. For info (610) 271-5365.

Mar. 4Happy Hour with State Rep. John Taylor at Head House Craft Beer Café, 122 Lombard St., 5:30-8 p.m. $75/person, $125/couple. For info (215) 5452244.

Mar. 6St. Patrick’s Day Parade Fundraiser at Springfield C. C., 400 W. Sproul Rd., Springfield, Pa., 3-7 p.m. Adults $25, Children $10. Live music and stepdancing. For info Linda Bradley (610) 449-4320.

Mar. 7Fundraiser for Councilman Bill Greenlee at Cobre Restaurant, 812 N. Broad St., 5-7 p.m. Donation $100.

Mar. 10St. Patrick’s Day Parade Luncheon & Sashing of Grand Marshal at Doubletree Hotel, Broad & Locust Sts., 12 m.

Tickets $50. RSVP Kathy McGee ZBurns (215) 872-1305.

Mar. 10South Philadelphia Business Association annual Scholarship gala at Galdo’s catering, 20th & Moyamensing Ave., 610 p.m. Honoring DA Seth Williams, and Row Home magazine’s Dawn Rhoades and Dorette Rota Joackson.

For info (215) 336-1108.

Mar. 10State Sen. Anthony Williams hosts foreclosure-prevention workshop at 4|

the Philadelphia African American community as well as the historical role of The Philadelphia Tribune in preserving the black press,” said Casey. “Bob, as well as The Philadelphia Tribune under his leadership, are role models and leaders not only in the newspaper industry, but in the African American community as well.”

The Tribune is at the forefront of newspapers continuing to serve the African American community.

Under Bogle’s leadership, the

NNPA honored the Tribune five times in a decade with the Russwurm Award, its highest honor, for “Best Newspaper in America.”

Panelists for the Symposium, “Robert W. Bogle and the History and Future of the Black Press”, included CBS 3 Eyewitness News anchor Ukee Washington as moderator, Philadelphia School Reform Commission Chair Robert Archie, entrepreneur Samuel Patterson, historian Lonnie Bunch III and financier Manuel Stamatakis.

Bryan Lentz To Lead Gun-Violence Task Force District Attorney Seth Williams is pleased to announce former State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D-Delaware) will now be supervising the city’s Gun Violence Task Force.

“I have known Bryan for decades now,” says DA Seth Williams. “He is not only a tremendous leader; he is also an innovative visionary.

The Gun Violence Task Force has done outstanding work since its inception in 2006. In the past, Al Toczydlowski has provided great leadership for this unit, and with Bryan now leading the charge I look forward to continued and even greater efforts from the Task Force.”

year, when he ran unsuccessfully for Congress against Pat Meehan.

While in Harrisburg, Lentz advocated tirelessly to close the so called Florida loophole that allows people who are denied a gun permit in Philadelphia to receive one from Florida. Research has shown many of those guns have found their way onto Philadelphia streets, and have been involved in numerous crimes in the city.

Before becoming a legislator, Lentz was in private practice and he also served the Commonwealth in the DA’s Office from 1993 to 1999. While he was an Assistant DA, he specialized in gang and violent crime prosecution. He offiLentz was a Democratic State Repcially became the Chief resentative from 2006 until last Supervising Special Assistant DA THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

3 MARCH, 2011

for the Gun Violence Task Force yesterday.

Since it began in December 2006, the Task Force has opened over 1550 investigations involving the illegal transfer of firearms, made over 500 arrests, and seized close to a thousand firearms. In addition, the Task Force has assisted Philadelphia Police in solving numerous shootings, burglaries, robberies, and homicides. To date, the Task Force has convicted over 330 individuals of straw purchasing and other gun trafficking offenses.

With funding from the State Legislature, the Gun Violence Task Force was launched to attack the proliferation of illegal guns on city streets. Composed of veteran investigators and seasoned prosecutors, and working in close coordination with the Philadelphia Police Dept., the Task Force began operations in Southwest Philadelphia and has since expanded into all six of the city’s police Divisions.

Under Pennsylvania law, a convicted felon is prohibited from purchasing a firearm. Licensed gun

dealers require proof of identity and perform a record check prior to making a sale. Unable to legally purchase firearms from a licensed dealer, felons use false identification or hire “Straws”, citizens with no criminal record, to purchase guns for them. The “Straw”, after buying the gun and delivering it to the felon, frequently reports the gun as stolen in an attempt to avoid criminal responsibility when the gun is later used in a crime.

Felons also illegally purchase weapons “on the street” – most often guns stolen in burglaries.

Talent Without Sleaze: Barrymore Nominee Janine DiVita Returns In Young Frankenstein

FULL OF delicious slapstick as well as delicious music, Young Frankenstein is a comic classic. Here Elizabeth (played by Janine DiVita), or rather her fur, tempts Igor. Photo by Paul Kolnik 3 MARCH, 2011

by Adam Taxin Predictably enough, Sunday night’s Oscars telecast left audience members discussing, more than anything else, one particular example of the ongoing trend toward “yeah, well I’ll outdo that!”: crassness in modern American popular culture. Melissa Leo, winner of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress (an award won previously by Donna Reed, Rita Moreno, Ingrid Bergman and Meryl Streep) for her portrayal of the money-challenged, Machiavellian mother of the title character in The Fighter, summoned her inner Chase Utley and broke new ground by pseudo-spontaneously saying “f——ng“ during her acceptance speech. It was hard not to be reminded yet again that the era in which we live is one in which popular images of women are increasingly defined by exaggerated self-caricatures such as “Snooki” of Jersey Shore and the “stars” of the currently seven iterations of the Real Housewives series on the ironically-named cable network Bravo.

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That Leo’s Oscar will now forever be remembered by many not for a performance few question as outstanding, but rather for her banal boorishness, still has something of a constructive effect. One thus comes to appreciate all that much more today’s female performers who combine no-question-about-it gorgeousness with a full range of vocal, acting and dancing talent, not to mention, when off-stage and unscripted, a refreshing amount of wit and insight.

Along those lines, Janine DiVita returns to Greater Philadelphia this week in the touring production of Young Frankenstein, in an eight-performance run at Wilmington’s DuPont Theatre starting tonight and running through Sunday afternoon. Philadelphia audiences may remember the Kansas-raised, University of Michigan-graduate DiVita as Nancy in Walnut Street Theatre’s late 2009 production of Oliver!, a portrayal which earned her a Barrymore nomination for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical.

Young Frankenstein, which debuted on Broadway in 2007, is a musical version of the 1974 Mel Brooks cult-classic, horror-genre-parodying movie, starring Gene Wilder as the title character. DiVita’s character, Elizabeth, like the character for which Leo won her Oscar, is technically supporting yet given all sorts of potential for stealing scenes. Elizabeth, the fiancée of Young (Frederick) Frankenstein, has “movie star syndrome,” according to DiVita. “She just walks into the room and thinks her life is a movie of which she’s the star. Elizabeth just kind of takes over the stage. Oh, and she’s a total tease … and very sexually repressed.”

DiVita is featured in three songs in the show. In “Please Don’t Touch Me,” Elizabeth is “basically teasing Frederick, saying ‘please don’t touch me’ but really meaning ‘please do.’” DiVita describes that number as “Gilbert and Sullivan-style, in which I get to break out an Ethel Merman belt.”

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Later, when Elizabeth shows up, unannounced, in Transylvania and throws a flag on Frederick’s affair with Inga, his new ingénue lab assistant, DiVita sings “Surprise,” which she compares musically to Judy Garland’s “Get Happy.”

DiVita’s third song is “Deep Love,” whose not-exactly-for-the-children plot details are not mentioned here. According to DiVita, “That’s kind of a spoofing of ‘I’m Wishing / One Song’ from Snow White in which I get to belt it out Merman-style again. It’s basically one big risqué double-entendre which I expect your readers who come to the show will be able to figure out.”

The actress carefully distinguishes her embodiment of the Elizabeth character from those of the now-deceased Madeline Kahn of the film version and of Megan Mullally (of “Will & Grace” fame) of the original Broadway version. “Nobody told me to imitate Madeline Kahn. Nobody told me to imitate Megan Mullally. When a role is written for a certain person, there are going to be things in there that you just can’t help but take in that direction, because they were written specifically for somebody else. As a replacement, you have to be loyal to that. You can add your own flavor to it and your own energy to the part.

But out of respect for telling the story, you do need to make sure that you fit.”

Nevertheless, DiVita admits, “There are moments in which I definitely draw on Madeline Kahn.” DiVita indeed prepared extensively for her often-quirky role by studying Kahn’s performance, but in addition by effectively researching “a ton of 1930s movies, especially with Katharine Hepburn, the screwball comedy kind of movies, just to capture that style.”

DiVita also was precise about getting in sync with the rhythm of the show. “Mel has a rhythm to his comedies. Things come in threes. So there was a lot to do

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with just getting the timing and rhythm down with everybody in the cast.”

The actress reflects about aspects of the show beyond the performers. “When you look at the photos, it looks like it might not be a visually stunning show, but it actually is, even though the sets are scaled back, obviously, because we’re on tour. And the costumes are gorgeous and glamorous, but the show still has Transylvanian, Eastern European-looking garb.”

Given Brooks has the credit for the show’s lyrics and co-credit for the show’s book (he also is the show’s composer and producer), the peppering of frisky innuendo throughout the script should surprise none. As pertains directly to DiVita, one detour from the movie version is Elizabeth’s physique is a much greater source of bawdy commentary than was the case in the movie, where titillation only tended to involve the character Inga. DiVita recalls feeling a certain amount of awkwardness the first time her conservative father came to see the show: “I had to give myself a pep talk.”

Nevertheless, even the subject of the show’s certain mammary obsession somehow becomes a demonstration of DiVita’s appreciation of the history of stage and film. Upon hearing the breaking news last night about the passing of screen legend Jane Russell, who in the late 1940s became synonymous with feminine curves, DiVita offers an opinion: “Such a confident and beautiful woman. I love how proud she was of her body and how she flaunted it while remaining classy. Just a great revolutionary attitude, with a strong sense of self. You know, I probably even owe her a sort of thanks for the undergarments that made her look so great, because I’m sure in some indirect way, she helped inspire the current undergarment costuming in our show ... which makes women like me, who were dealt a less generous hand, still look deliciously voluptuous.”

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DiVita advises female potential audience members Young Frankenstein is a show to which “they can bring their husbands, and they’ll actually like it.” Yet DiVita makes clear, as much as “naughty men” in particular will appreciate, among other things, the show’s consistent provision of cleavage, as well as the way the choreography of Susan Stroman (also the show’s director) uses tall, leggy showgirls to maximum effect, the show really is one that can be enjoyed by everyone, except maybe the most puritanical, human-version-of-The Muppet Show’s“Sam the Eagle” audience members.

DiVita stresses above all Young Frankenstein’s lighthearted sense of fun: “If you go in with an open mind and no judgments and just wanting to have a good time, you can’t help but have that good time. It’s not going to change your life. It’s not going to teach you a big lesson about the world. But it’s definitely going to let you escape.”

Asked about how she and her co-performers deal with a grueling travel schedule, which included, for example, Greenville, S.C. two weeks ago and Madison, Wisconsin last week (“yes, that was interesting,” she says) and which includes Memphis next week, DiVita turns reflective about her role as an actress: “I used to think acting was a little selfish, but the more I do it professionally, the more I realize it’s really not. Most of these people are seeing the show for the first time, and many may have had pretty stressful, even awful, days. So while they’re watching us and applauding for us, I feel great about having trained my whole life to give them my instrument, my body and my performance, in this case eight times a week. This is who I am. Let me do what I can while I can. There’s a quote that I return to a lot when I need motivation: At the end of my life, when I stand before G-d, I hope that I can say, ‘I used everything that you gave me.’”

Adam Taxin is an attorney in Center City.

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