Why I Write Reviews

Someone recently asked what my status in the Performing Arts and Entertainment is.  That is not an easy question to answer, because I perform many functions very well.  Hence, it has always been difficult for me to sit out toiling away at only one thing, which is both a good thing and a not so good thing for me or anyone.
I happen to be one of those people whose mind must be kept busy with a variety of  activities and functions, that is why I am different, and as result it is why I have such deep respect and admiration for people who limit themselves to one career or goal.  That kind of commitment is what gets them places faster.

My problem is that I am only one person with the desire to do many things.  I sing, I am a photographer, a graphic designer, a web designer,  I am a realism oil painter, I compose and write music (with two of the songs that have been copyrighted, registered with BMI and are currently sold on iTunes and http://www.ReverbNation.Com/CarmenAmoros as downloads - which by the way, also support Oxfam, a company that helps fight against global hunger).

I am an article writer and soon to be author and to confuse myself more, I dream (notice I said dream) of starting a clothing line (since I studied fashion design at New York's famous F. I. T.  - the Fashion Institute of Technology) and have designed a lot of my own personal wardrobe and some pieces for weddings, fashion shows and sweet sixteen events.

Even with all my skill sets I prefer to try and behave with a bit of modesty and rarely toot my horn, to the point that few people (friends and industry professionals) know the breath of my talents and abilities.  The fact is that I love doing all the wonderful things that I do as an artist.  It is about the love. God has given the talent,  so of course, I use them in gratefulness to God, but here is the thing that motivates me and sets me back sometimes  -  I am not one to hoard my gifts.

I have experienced the taste of the inner joy that one gets, when one reaches out in support of others.  Not that I believe anyone needs or has to ask.  I am just compelled to be a source of support and nothing gives me more gratification than when I interview an artist, write a review of the artist's performance or attend their rapturous performance.  Rather than reveling at the thought of tooting my own horn (to me that gets old and boring fast), I find myself celebrating the talents and accomplishments of dozens of other great talented people.  During the performance of a new up and coming artist, I luxuriate in envisioning them as I think they might dream of being seen, what they want to become and where I sense they may want to go with their talent.   I strongly believe that  supporting the work of fellow artists by attending their venues is important.  You benefit from soaking up the wonderful energetic vibrations they release that inspire to inspire and they benefit just by your being there.  That is me, I am inspired to inspire by watching really great talents at play.  It is titillating, because I know what it's like to have a dream and a platform to express yourself from, through your own creativity.

Ira and I attend many concerts and comedy events, mostly because we get real personal enjoyment out of it, but for me, being a sort of energizing force in the life and work of another artist is vital, to feeding my own hunger for seeing the story of true success unfold.  I enjoy the work of established artists, but there is nothing like being present at the Genesis of an artist's career.  Just being in the audience makes me relish the artist's development, acquiring excellence over time, as his or her career life grows and unfolds through leaps and bounds right before my eyes.  It's like watching something beautiful take flight.  That is my reward, watching people soar and at times even supporting then perhaps just a little, if they should welcome it.   Again, it is all about the desire to see people grow.  Whether accolades come or not is of no consequence to me.  If my role comes in the smallest of ways, simply by buying the ticket and sitting at their venue and enjoying their performance for example, that is a reward to me. My just being there in the audience when they come out from behind the curtain seems like a somewhat magical thing and a privilege, especially when you know that a person's dreams are wrapped up in the sum of all that they are doing to bring excellence to you, there on that stage.  A reviewer has to respect that, whether he enjoys the production or not.

I see the performer's great significance to the audience, but ahhh, the audience is that place from which the artist's work is loved, cherished, appreciated and reviewed.  Respect for someone's work, for their person, for their creativeness, their intelligence, their confidence in themselves, their drive and their ambition, are all too important to the reviewer and it is what actually kindles in me the inspiration to write an earnest analysis of someone's performance.

So in answer to the question about my status as a multi-tasking, multi-talented person in the field of the Performing Arts and Entertainment, I'd like to believe that I am an artist who is a friend of the performer rather than a fan and -

For the sake of clarity I thought I would share just a little history about why I love to support the arts so much.  Reason number one:   I earned the SAG-AFTRA union membership because way back in the 1980s I sang as a soloist with a Grammy Award winning group and we toured and sang in churches, at conventions and conferences, but earlier in my life I sang as part of a quartet with my younger sisters and sang in churches, rallies, visited jails where we sang to inmates and we sang at City Hall.  In some small way, I feel this put me in the rather minute position of wanting to support the music of artists, comedy and the entertainment arts, with interviews and appraisals.

Having had such a rich musical history of my own.  I never had to chase, stalk an entertainer or annoy people for favors to earn my way, other than to sing and do some acting work.  Someone loved my voice, blessed me to sing as a soloist and soon I learned I could become a member of AFTRA, which later merged with SAG, making me a member of SAG-AFTRA (two for the price of one membership).  I had prayed that I could become a member of both unions at the start, but did not have the finances for it, but I wonder at times if maybe, just maybe, God heard my prayer and made them merge.  Ha ha ha!  I will never truly know, but I am still tickled at the thought of the coincidence of this great occurrence.  Seriously, God HAS BEEN amazing to me.  I suppose my faith had much to do with it, because I had done little for it, but God looks at the heart.

Reason number two:  I have a podcasting program that has a surprisingly high listener base on which I have had the honor to interview great talents and review them. I see other artists as people that should be honored and supported.

I have had mostly great experiences and out of those experiences I have been blessed with beautiful friendships, well, except for -

One rock and roll guy (who shall remain nameless) that backed out of an interview with me, which made me laugh. He needed the PR, because at the time he was having a hard time wondering why his fan base was not growing, but he was worried that I might be after his contacts, casting directors or to get details about who or what he was auditioning for.  I laughed. I couldn't believe how insecure this guy was. I had to flip out my SAG-AFTRA Membership Card and my other Entertainment resource membership cards to prove to him that my agent list was saturated with hundreds more agents, than I could ever get from him.

"I do not need to chase you or anyone to try and satisfy my own personal agenda and work interests," I told him,  "I don't need your interview, nor do I need to try and snatch your two casting agents or directors from you or take your casting call information to beat you to a casting call.  I already had those agents in my contact database since 2003 anyway, from when I began to do background work and began to subscribe to proper casting agent list resources. I mean, what is wrong with you" I asked him.

New people in entertainment don't realize that the "cheese" (the money and the work) gets moved around quite a lot in entertainment and that work does not come from just one place, agent or resource.  It takes lots of waiting, auditions and lots of call backs and spending lots of cash printing head shots and resumés to mail out to hundreds of agents.  You are lucky if one agent likes you enough to call you regularly too. So I felt sad that this guy thought I was after his two agents by asking him to do an interview with me.

I never bothered to check, but I have no doubt that his casting directors were already in the contact list that I had to pay for, out of my pocket from when I was actively auditioning.  I would never chase a celebrity down to do an interview just to try and get any favors out of them, that as a SAG-AFTRA member,  I already have full access to.

So, to make my point and wrap this article up, I will end it by stating that I do what I do in support of fellow Thespians and artists. Sure I worked as background on seven major films, a bunch of Law and Orders, the Sopranos and other TV shows, but I got paid and that makes me a professional and it got me my SAG-AFTRA membership. To God be the glory.  Whether as an actor, a designer, as a professional photographer, a writer and a professional singer, there is absolutely no need for me to try to bottom feed off of other artists or professionals.  I am not saying that it never will happen, because it is known to happen in many cases and people bottom feed until they hit gold get tired and quit, but shifting back to what I do (mundane as it may seem to many) for all intents and purposes what I currently do, however small in scale it is right now, began as and still is, a fun hobby which has turned into something really productive and beneficial for dozens of artists, something that benefits me only by feeding a pure desire to support and enjoy being a peer, more than a competitor to them.

Whatever I do in support of our fellow artists and citizens comes straight from my heart and it comes with no interest in controlling their circumstances or becoming some part of their act, although, as it turns out people have been wonderful enough to ask us to open for them with music and we are so grateful for that.  My husband Ira, a talented pianist himself after learning piano at age 8 and getting his Masters in Music Education (he has paid his dues believe me), shares my sentiments also and it is why we love to be out there taking in the sites and sounds of great performances in New York City and if we happen to attend an artist's performances with frequency, you can bet that it is because we really respect and enjoy the work of that person and they may even count on a potential review being written about their work at some point.  To write something favorable about an artist, you have to like what you see and hear them do on the stage, in a movie or a concert.  I hope I never have to write a bad review, but which ever way a review goes, there has to be earnestness in a review and a lot of respect to go along with it.

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Uncle Floyd [Floyd Vivino]: He Still Has the Magic!

  Concert Review by Carmen Amoros

     July 29, 2017

Uncle Floyd - Floyd Vivino 

UNCLE FLOYD: THE POPE OF COMEDY

We went up to the San Martino Ristorante at 12 Young Avenue in Yonkers, NY, which recently celebrated their 42nd Anniversary and where we knew that Uncle Floyd would be performing last night and we had the most amazing, exciting, savory evening and one that was filled with uproarious laughter.

The night began with a bang when TV Comedian Actor Impersonator Bob Greenberg had the distinct honor of opening the program, thanks to Stuart Hersh who booked and promoted the Uncle Floyd Show at this venue and asked Bob to open with the introduction.  Bob gave Uncle Floyd one of the funniest, most powerful introductions that I have ever seen in show business.  Bob has appeared on TV shows such as SNL (and others) and movies, such as Maid in Manhattan with J-Lo and is famous for his flawless impersonations of Jackie Gleason and Oliver Hardy of Laurel and Hardy and his most recent stage performances in Old Jews Telling Jokes, which has played in several states.

Then, the real fireworks began, when Uncle Floyd took the mic and started his routine. The crowd at the restaurant began to applaud spontaneously and so began the uncontrollable laughing and chuckling.  He walked up with a kind of lost stare, his eyes scanning the room, wearing his signature plaid sports jacket and plaid hat, neither of which matched the other and already the audience began to bowl over. It's a formula that is ridiculous and in some way zany, but it worked, spontaneously setting the most unsuspecting persons off into hysterical cackling with glee. The man has it all figured out. Everyone got up and began clapping and he had not even opened up his mouth.  It was like the 1970s all over again, only it is now 2017 and Uncle Floyd has become like the pope of comedy or something.

It was unreal to see this. One woman, Gina, said it best at the end of the show, she said she took Uncle Floyd shows in, at some of the larger venues of New York City (one at Five Towns Performing Arts Center and others) and she said "Uncle Floyd always kills audiences in the large venues, but being in a small intimate setting like the San Martino Ristorante, where you find yourself up close and personal with this comedy icon, no large hall experience matches up to that," she said and she was right.  Those were my sentiments exactly. Something changes at smaller venues.  It is quite a different and much better experience and even to those who might have seen his routine before, his firing one liners in rapid succession, seemed to make some of us forget we'd heard it once before and we began to break down in stitches and soon our abs began to contract and get a workout and the calories from the pasta dish we had just devoured seemed to literally start burning away.

Uncle Floyd began to share stories of his childhood, in an Italian household in Paterson and he shared hilarious scenarios about his father, wife and children.  Then he began to deliver those classic lines from the Uncle Floyd TV Show which was seen by millions on UHF from the 1970s to the 1990s and now it was over. That was it.  We lost complete composure.  Even if we thought we would not be moved, he began to tear us up in increments, bit by bit. There was no resisting.  It's impossible.  He is this comedian in a hat and suit that don't match, but is suited for top knotch VIP audiences.  He delivered pure unadulterated comedy that, no doubt, left the audience remembering the night he appeared at this venue.  I sure as heck will not forget my night at the San Martino Ristorante.

Floyd Vivino wowed us with his piano playing and song requests, that the audience pleaded that he play, such as "Shaving Cream" and he played his Honky Tonk style piano that left the audience in deep uncontrollable chuckles and better, he brought the audience into his act, while he played famous jingles from TV commercials featured throughout the ages.  People of all ages began to sing along in chorus that came to crescendos.

This was not just your average, biding time, comedy routine folks. This was magic.  It is a game that this comedian played to amuse himself at times, it seemed. The music man brought the audience into the game and sure enough the audience was compelled to follow, losing themselves in this warm, clean, childlike game and at times slightly suggestive comedy that culminated in thunderous applause and laughter and then, Uncle Floyd brought us to our feet. It was a magnificent show and those feel good, warm and fuzzies that we left with, made us so happy that we came to the San Martino Ristorante last night.

Half way through the show Floyd introduced a wonderful Tenor, Anthony Siciliano, who mesmerized us with a touching and awe inspiring rendition of a song he made his own -- "O Sole Mio."  He sang it with an intensity and an emotion that seemed to cast a spell and sent its wave out to the entire room and when he was done singing the song, he received a standing ovation.  What a treat that was.  I would love to hear him in concert.  He reminded me of Perry Cuomo.

Who would think that after doing The Uncle Floyd TV Show from 1974 until 1995 and continuing to play to large audiences across the country, that this man still has the capacity to captivate us with the same stamina and energy that he did in his early years, but he does and he still does it with punch, great timing and excellence. The stamina and the timing were all still there and he fired his one liners like projectiles at us and we did not want to duck down.  We just let them hit us, as we laughed wildly and we left wanting more and feeling happy.  This was one great show at a top notch restaurant with two of many great restaurant hosts in New York City.

I recently learned that Rock Star David Bowie once immortalized Uncle Floyd in one of his songs titled "Slip Away." released in 2002's Heathen, which goes to show the extent of Uncle Floyd's magnetic appeal. It is said that John Lennon might have introduced David Bowie to "The Uncle Floyd Show," hence Bowie was inspired to write the song's lyrics:

"Oogie waits for just another day ... " the haunting, dream-pop tune begins, referencing Floyd's trusty clown puppet. Fellow "Floyd" character Bones Boy is also mentioned throughout.  The chorus continues: "Sailing over Coney Island / Twinkle twinkle, Uncle Floyd / we were dumb / but you were fun, boy / How I wonder where you are."

Uncle Floyd...what a legend and what show and on a different note oh what a night and --

What better than to have come and meet the wonderful, warm, welcoming hosts and producers of the Uncle Floyd Show at the San Martino Ristorante -- Alfredo Loparo and Gino Poli. The experience was a wonderful one from the moment we stepped into the restaurant and saw that The San Martino Ristorante showcases a lovely glass sun room at the front of the establishment, which is connected to a spacious main dining area, decorated with colorful, bright and  lovely paintings of beautiful vistas of Italy.

When TV Comedian Actor Impersonator Bob Greenberg, Pianist Ira Allen and I arrived, we were greeted by the lovely Teresa who is also the beautiful wife of Gino Poli.  Teresa brought out several important ingredients before the meal -- a beautiful smile and warm conversation that made us feel like we were longtime clients.  She helped us relax and also brought out something to delight our palates, the most delicious breaded fried zucchini appetizer, with two different types of marinara sauce, one with garlic and the other one, a sweet onion marinara.  Our eyes were rolling to the backs of our heads as we dipped and knoshed on it.  We were in zucchini marinara heaven.

The menu was filled with great selections of beef, poultry, seafood and pasta dishes that made it very difficult for me to choose from. My mouth watered, as I poured through the menu trying to find something to awaken my taste buds even more.  I finally decided on the lasagna which was absolutely savory and delicious.  It has that wonderful chewy gooey consistency and the pasta flavor was cheesy with a delicious marinara sauce that popped my taste buds back to life.  My husband enjoyed his lasagna to the max and he is someone who rarely eats foods with sauces, but he was so impressed at how delicious it was and talked about the great hospitality on our way home.  Bob Greenberg totally enjoyed his huge plate of spaghetti and meatballs, with two of the largest meatballs I have ever seen this side of the east. I don't have Bob's review, but I could not help study him and I mentally recorded his every moan of delight, as he cut into each meat ball with a smile and he took his first few bites.  I almost thought we had Oliver Hardy (from Laurel and Hardy) sitting at our table, chuckling and moaning to himself as he enjoyed his dish.

I called Gino today to thank him again, for such great food and service and he said, that they definitely plan to have Uncle Floyd back at the San Martino Ristorante again.  So please keep an eye out and visit their website at the link below.  Also, visit Uncle Floyd's radio website and tune in.

Keep your eyes open, but between now and then, when you feel a bit hungry on a weeknight, visit the San Martino Ristorante and say hello to Gino, Alfredo and Teresa.  You are going to leave feeling really satisfied and feeling oh so good!


Floyd Vivino's Radio website:  http://www.unclefloydradio.com/

San Martino Ristorante:  http://www.SanMartinos.com




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Announcements 

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Tenor Anthony Siciliano:  You might also want to keep an eye open for 
Anthony Siciliano's music, which is coming to iTunes soon. A Tenor to 
sing on your radio program, wedding, retirement, concert or social event?
  Contact Tenor Anthony Siciliano at (914) 423-1940

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Comedian Actor Impersonator Bob Greenberg on: 

Actor Bob Greenberg is in the National Touring Company 
of Old Jews Telling Jokes, soon to play at the
 PGA Arts Center in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  
You'll find his Facebook link below.  Facebook

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Stuart Hersh is booking classic TV stars to meet their
fans, in the upcoming Chiller Theatre Expo in Parsippany, NJ
at the Hilton in October.

Http://www.ChillerTheatre.Com

COME JOIN THE CHILLER THEATRE EXPO in PARSIPPANY, NJ !  Click the link or the image to visit the 
website and find out all about the upcoming Chiller Theatre Expo!  This is going to be an amazing event!  
Don't wait!  Join us!

Comedian Impersonator Bob Greenberg in The Finkel Brother's LIVE at the Metropolitan Room

Review by Carmen Amoros

 

Comedian Actor Bob Greenberg at the Metropolitan Room

BOB GREENBERG TELEVISION COMEDIAN IMPERSONATOR

On July 15^th, 2017 a wonderful thing happened at the prestigious and elegant Metropolitan Room in New York City. 

For the second time in less than a month the room was filled with the Latin rhythms and classical flavors of the world’s greatest Xylophonist, Ian Finkel and his virtuoso pianist brother, Elliott Finkel, along with their exceptional band, Martin Fisher on drums, Ed Sterbenz on Bass and Jay Berliner on Guitar.  The proof of the Finkel Brothers’ genius, was evident when they had Comedian, Impersonator, Actor Bob Greenberg perform in The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room.

Comedian Actor Bob Greenberg at the Metropolitan Room

An amiable, charming, yet powerful Comedian and Impersonator, Bob Greenberg infused his comedy with skits, jokes (most taken from personal experiences) and with impersonations of many movie and television classic comedy greats.

During Bob’s performance the audience was already gasping for air from the chuckles, but then came the big surprise, when Bob replaced the characters from a few serious period movies with the hilarious personalities of classic comedy movie characters.  It was then that I saw members of the audience, hands on their bellies, unable to contain their roaring, riotous laughter.  

Comedian Actor Bob Greenberg at the
Metropolitan Room

Bob made it all seem easy, but it takes great brilliance, excellent timing and mastery for him to ingeniously create the vivid comedy stories that made everyone at the venue feel that we were in fact watching Jackie Gleason, Lou Costello, Curly from the Three Stooges and other legends  on the stage.

Bob’s clean, brilliant comedy and performance hooks you and takes you on the wildest, hilariously exciting, comedic amusement ride and it leaves you feeling charged up with delight and so happy and thrilled that you did not miss one second of his performance.

Visit Bob Greenberg's Facebook page for updates and please make sure that you catch The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room, on August 3^rd 2017.  

Bob Greenberg on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/we334223es

Listen to the podcast below with Bob Greenberg.  I interviewed him while he was performing in "Old Jews Telling Jokes."

For tickets visit Findel Brother's LIVE at:  http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=264119&cart

The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room

Review by Carmen Amoros Goldberg

Ian and Elliott Finkel

The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room

With all of the amazing talents that leave their mark on the prestigious Metropolitan Room stage in New York City, a stage where only the finest music and comedy talents bring the sparkle of stardust and leave their signature magic, you would think you have experienced all that the best of the best have to offer. Then one evening on July 15^th, you walk through the room’s doors again only to be mesmerized and thrilled by the hot, spicy Latin rhythms and classical flavors of the world’s greatest Xylophonist, Ian Finked and his virtuoso pianist brother, Elliott Finkel, together, with their exceptional band, Martin Fisher on drums, Ed Sterbenz on Bass and Jay Berliner on Guitar.

Elliott [Left] and Ian Finkel [Right]

The Finkel Brother's famous Father, Hollywood movie and TV Legend Fyvush Finkel passed away in 2016 at the age of 93.  He may be gone now, but he left us the gift of being greatly delighted and cheered by the sounds and happy rhythms of two stellar musicians, Ian and Elliott. 

Ian Finkel on the Xylophone at the Metropolitan Room

The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room turned out to be such a blast that at times I found myself literally dancing in my seat.  The evening was filled with the majesty of Gershwin and a wonderful upbeat, spirit lifting, foot stomping, yet heart rendering medley of “I Got Rhythm," “Oh, Lady Be Good.” “Summertime," “Who Could Ask for Anything More," all beautifully mashed with “Rhapsody in Blue,” a number that provokes the full awakening of those hidden emotions that sweetly and unexpectedly emerge.

The way that Ian hammers his magnificent sticks on the Xylophone keys is purposefully entrancing, a complete seduction that is happening, making the shoulders sway, the body move and the audience cannot keep from stomping their feet. You are no longer in control and you must give in.  

Elliott Finkel on Piano at the Metropolitan Room

Elliott’s piano wizardry is astounding. He plays and then suddenly you are connected to every note, roll and swell and the notes coming from his finger tips elevate your spirit with every crescendo and now you're sure that both of the Finkel Brothers have conspired to have their music rapture the audience, inspire and carry their senses completely away. You just want to go along on this wonderful melodious journey.

TV Comedian Impersonator Bob Greenberg was literally a whirlwind in The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Room, bringing a clean, hilariously powerful comedy program that completely blew me and the audience away.  The man does the greatest impersonations of Jackie Gleason, Lou Costello and Curly from the Three Stooges (and others), that I have ever seen.  A master of his craft, Greenberg has a way of leaving the audience wanting to hear more.  

The Finkel Brothers will be back at the Metropolitan Room, August 3^rd, 2017, so please make sure that you come and take the journey and this time with Three Time Emmy Award Winner TV Comedian Dave Konig, who will be joining the Finkels LIVE.  They will have a new repertoire.  You don’t want to miss it! Watch The Finkel Brothers at the Metropolitan Room Video below.  It's Sensational!  Buy TICKETS for The Finkel Brothers LIVE on August 3rd below!

The Finkel Brothers LIVE at the Metropolitan Tickets::

http://metropolitanroom.com/event.cfm?id=264119&cart

Bob Greenberg on Facebook:

 https://www.facebook.com/we334223es