Initial thoughts on The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again @RockyHorrorFOX #RockyHorror

I just finished watching both The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again Fox TV Reboot, followed by the original on Logo the #cocktailsandclassics version where guest stars share their impressions during the movie breaks. My mom mixed up a batch of cocktails, and it was fitting we watch it together as she introduced me to the original movie. (Don't be jelly because I have the coolest mom eva!)

The Re-Boot Cast:

Laverne Cox as Dr. Frank-N-Furter

Victoria Justice as Janet Weiss

Ryan McCartan as Brad Majors

Annaleigh Ashford as Columbia

Adam Lambert as Eddie

Reeve Carney as Riff-Raff

Christina Milian as Magenta

Staz Nair as Rocky

Ivy Levan as Trixie, the Usherette

Ben Vereen as Dr. Everett von Scott

Tim Curry as the Narrator/Criminologist

Jayne Eastwood as The Butler

Kelly Van der Burg as Betty Hapschatt-Munroe

I have to admit I watched it setting it out to *hate* it. I just don't like re-boots, so far they have *all* disappointed me, until now.

I have watched the original so many times I didn't think anyone would do any of it any justice. And let's face it, as a New Yorker, could anyone play it better than a NYC Midnight Screening Audience? Probably Not! Barry Bostwick who played Brad Majors in the original movie, was interviewed on Logo last night during #cocktailsandclassics and he described what the scene was like at the NYC midnight screenings to a tee.

My impressions of the cast performances? I'm so glad you asked:

Tim Curry - seeing him as the Narrator/Criminologist was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It just didn't feel real that he wouldn't be Dr. Frank-N-Furter but I was so glad he was there in some way. I can't help but think it must have been hard to watch the reboot for him on so many levels.

And I have to put a flashback photo of Tim Curry in his iconic role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter:

Ivy Levan as Trixie, the Usherette - She opens the re-boot with a good deal of sass and energy. Trixie was the original Usherette for the Rocky Horror Show and sang Science Fiction/Double Feature. Patricia Quinn (who played Magenta in TRHPS) was also Trixie for the original stage version.

Here's a throwback to the original:

Laverne Cox - If this makes sense she made the doc somewhat less 'dark' - she brought a lighter touch to the character which was surprisingly refreshing! Tim Curry's Dr. Frank-N-Furter is a bit darker than the doc in this version.

Victoria Weiss - There is something funnier about her Janet being led to the 'dark' side of lust and life, somehow Susan's Janet struck me as an undercover freak so her antics never fully surprised me!

Ryan McCartan - Ryan gets his traction as Brad more toward the middle of the movie for some reason but overall I enjoyed his portrayal.

Annaleigh Ashford as Columbia - She should look familiar if you watch Showtime's Master's of Sex as Betty Dimello. She is honestly my FAVORITE of the cast. She literally plays Columbia to pure perfection. But then again she rocked it in my fave play Kinky Boots as well so I should have known she would dominate the role.

Laura Elizabeth "Little Nell" Campbell was the one who played Columbia in The Rocky Horror Show - In 1986 she opened the nightclub Nell's on W. 14th St in Manhattan and it was one of my fave clubs, did you ever hit Nell's? It was pretty much Webster Hall, Paladium and Nell's for me back then!

Here is a throwback photo of Laura as Columbia:

Reeve Carney as Riff-Raff - I wasn't living for his performance, they nail the look, but I didn't totally feel it with Reeve.

Christina Milian as Magenta - I think she over did her performance to be honest. Reeve underwhelmed me as Riff Raff and Christina was just plain trying too hard and because of that comes up short.

Staz Nair as Rocky - I can't tell you how much I love that he played Rocky as being 'in on the joke'. And I knew he looked familiar and Viggle Trivia confirmed it, he was Qhono on my favorite show Game of Thrones (GoT). He was one of the Dothraki that was contemplating raping Daenarys, I hated him so much on GoT, and love him so much in Rocky Horror.

Adam Lambert as Eddie - Adam definitely brings the right energy to the role, and all of ya'll saying this was Eddie after weight watchers, you are all just plain mean! LOL

Ben Vereen as Dr. Everett von Scott - I did not like him in the role. I like the actor, but he just added nothing to the role. In an interview with Today, Vereen talked about the mission of the remake, saying that:

"It’s a tribute to the original, you cannot reinvent, you cannot touch the original, so we are paying homage to those who went before us." ~ Ben Vereen

My Take:

This has to be one of the most respectful reboots that I have seen in awhile. I think Ben Vereen did describe it best, it's a 'tribute' to the original it's an homage, the movie can't be re-invented, but this an enjoyable reboot in my humble opinion.

Fox got this one right!

And watching it with my mom who introduced me to the original, us throwing stuff at the screen, dancing the time warp and sipping cocktails was another great memory I will always have of the movie.

It was pure fun and silliness for me last night!

Did you watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again? If so, what did YOU think of it?

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Compensated Post, (while perhaps it should be), all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Things that lure Ascending Butterfly out of her hermit hive: Electronics, Jewelry, Appliances, Bubbly/Spirits, Foodie/Restaurants and Travel. And remember Ascending Butterfly does NOT have children, please do not pitch her toys. If a campaign doesn't pay, this butterfly probably won't want to play. Smile if you got this far, twirl around twice and sing Mariah Carey Butterfly. Still here? Now go make someone happy today.

{#MotivationMonday} @TheMoms @Ford @WarriorsinPink @KChenoweth #MoreGoodDays Luncheon @TheCarlyleHotel

Although I am not a parent I am a long time member of The Moms Network and in October 2012 they hosted an event for Breast Cancer Awareness where Martini Rossi gave $10,000 to actress/singer Kristen Chenoweth's Foundation Maddie's Corner, to be allocated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Right Action for Women. You can see my coverage of the first event HERE.

Things came full circle when they hosted the event again, this time hosted by Ford at The Carlyle Hotel in New York City, where current Cancer Warriors including this time Denise Albert, co-founder of The Moms Network, who is herself now battling Breast Cancer.

Instead of just describing events I thought I would share the video taken at the event instead:

This also saves me days of trying to edit, optimize and watermark my own photos which feels like hours of hell considering the FLU has knocked me on my butt for the past two weeks! So thank goodness for venue photographers right? You can see The MOMS coverage with more photos from the #MoreGoodDays Mamarazzi event HERE.

Here are a select few of my own photos that sum up the range of emotions:

Now I've got a ton of 'ugly cry' photos that I will spare you of, the video is enough to give you the feels, but if you really want to see those let me know and I will try to make a pinterest board for this event when my fever goes somewhere below boiling.

MY TAKE:

I think the one thing readers appreciate about me is my 'good, bad and ugly' approach to everything, when it comes to the truth you will definitely find it here!

As even handed as possible, here is my rundown and personal feelings:

GOOD: You already know my mom is a Survivor which is why I attended the first event with her, and you know what I have been going through personally when it comes to Cancer (although my cancer color would be teal not pink for what I went through which I actually didn't know until very recently). So I take the cause seriously and brands that support it. Ford has supported Warriors In Pink for 22 years now. The courageous women who shared their cancer battles/journeys were definitely an inspiration. Denise catching her Cancer early and using the media as a platform to share her story with others is also an inspiration, and I am glad she is courageously sharing her story.

BAD: Sorry but there were things I can't exactly gloss over. While the Carlyle is certainly a prestigious venue, it was a very small room for the amount of people, and when folks butts are rubbing across your back for an hour it felt a bit more confining than it did 'intimate'. I think the first venue, while also intimate, gave a bit more breathing room.

UGLY: And my last but not least sorry not sorry is that I usually feature the gift bags when I attend an event, and on the outside they were lovely but the contents were all a size small. I did reach out to the PR firm and ask to swap the items but they refused to do so. UM, color me confused, but wouldn't you want two cancer survivors wearing the clothes in their own size and talking about "More Good Days"? We were happy to send the items back to exchange them. But that was a no go. I also wish Kristen Chenoweth's new CD had been in there. The PR firm was lovely enough to tell me where I could buy all of them. (As if I didn't know. ahem. let's just leave that there.)

Besides this specific event, here are my feelings when October rolls around as a Cancer Warrior Myself:

I take on very few Editorials during October for Breast Cancer Awareness, everyone slaps something pink on their site and then think when they reach out to survivors that we are required to give them a free product placement. Warriors have bills people and we can't pay our mortgages, car note or buy food with a picture of your pink product.

Sorry Not Sorry, but the legit reporter in me has questions the moment your emails hit my inbox:

• How much of the proceeds are being donated to the cause?
• What do you do throughout the year, not just October?

And of course who gets labeled the "B" of Blogging"? Me! Maybe I should change my blog's name (or is that name already taken?), I was considering a re-branding anyway. Sorry darlings while I like Wool during these long, cold North East Winters, I certainly don't like Wool over my eyes.

Now back to the event, I loved hearing other survivor's share their journey, there is a vein of similarity in so many stories, humor and music is what got so many people through their battles and chemo/radiation, and I loved that this event combined both, yes there were moments with 'the feels', and 'ugly tears' (thug tears folks!) too, but being given one more good day really is a gift.

And the reminder that having a 'bad day', and having one more 'good day' really isn't the same thing, put your perceived problems into perspective and on this Motivation Monday let's take a moment to send Good Vibes to both MEN and WOMEN everywhere battling Cancer and hoping for One More Good Day.

Giveaway Alert:

Ford Warriors in Pink is giving away a FORD FUSION, so don't forget to take a moment to ENTER. And Ford Warriors in Pink Gear that Gives can be purchased HERE.

Happy Motivation Monday Butterflies!

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FTC Disclosure: This is NOT a Compensated Post, (while perhaps it should be), all thoughts and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255 - Guides Concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising, you may check our Giveaway and Disclosure Page for additional information regarding Ascending Butterfly Disclosure. Things that lure Ascending Butterfly out of her hermit hive: Electronics, Jewelry, Appliances, Bubbly/Spirits, Foodie/Restaurants and Travel. And remember Ascending Butterfly does NOT have children, please do not pitch her toys. If a campaign doesn't pay, this butterfly probably won't want to play. Smile if you got this far, twirl around twice and sing Mariah Carey Butterfly. Still here? Now go make someone happy today.