Wendy Brandes Jewelry Blog

Never Is the Next New Thing

I’m Only Anti-Work

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Reading gorgeous blogger Miss Karen’s I’m Not Anti-Social, Just Short-Sighted blog has caused the Officer Krupke song from West Side Story to become permanently lodged in my head. I sing it to myself every time I read her blog.


A clip from the movie version of West Side Story
Miss Karen’s line comes at 4:35

Damn you, Miss Karen! Look at her, pretending to be all innocent here.

Secretly plotting her next show-tune attack.

I am intrigued by the guy in the movie clip who says, “Hey sergeant! Come on, quick, we got a 10-13.” You barely see the dude’s face. I wonder if that was the highlight of his acting career. That would be okay with me. I’d love to have the opportunity to facelessly say, “We got a 10-13” on Law & Order someday. That’s my new life dream. Well, while I’m on set I’d like to get my picture taken with Sam Waterston’s eyebrows. I might as well dream big.

When I first saw the movie version of West Side Story, I fell madly in love with the character of Anita, played by Rita Moreno. Behold her sassy short hairdo; tight, low-cut bodice; and swirly skirt as she sings “America.”


“I like the island Manhattan.”
Me too, Anita!

I was very flattered when 20-something years later, my friend Charles Nolan called me “Anita” while I was having a sassy moment.

A bilingual version of West Side Story is coming to Broadway next year so that’s on my must-see list. Frankly I don’t care what language it’s sung in, but anyone who changes Anita’s hot hairdo will feel my wrath.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Don’t I’ll be singing the whole damn set now today. I once got thrown out of a pub for doing America on the table – some people have no sense of theatre.

    Happy New Year x

  7. I love the train of thought in this post.

    Rita does a great “Anita.” I just saw that number two nights ago on tv, and really enjoyed it.

  8. Wow, I LOVE this blog! She’s everything I’m not make-up wise and I love it!

    Thanks, Wendy

  10. OOoh, West Side Story, you are just.so.awesome. I spent many a Friday night fannying about my bedroom, cooing into a hairbrush about how pretty I felt.

  13. Be warned…Wendy’s wrath in 2009 lol! Better take cover! ~Wishing you the sweetest 2009, beautiful!

  15. We’re embarking on a new year rife with possibilities! Maybe this will be your year for the Sam Waterston eyebrows photo op.

  16. An acquaintance at a holiday party told me she danced in a revue on a cruise ship in her student days. One night a glamorous woman asked to be taken backstage to meet “Legs”, as she identified Susan before they met. Susan was thrilled to be introduced to Rita Moreno, an idol of hers even after she joined the National Ballet of Canada.

  18. Great clip! Now I want to go Peurttto RRRRRReeeco so I can learn to trill my r’s like that. My tongue just won’t do that, dangit!

  22. Aww thanks for the shout out! I think a fair amount of the Officer Krupke song can be applied to my life hehe. And how fabulous is Anita!

    I hope one day you land that Law and Order gig, you can go down in faceless history alongside Charlie from Charlie’s Angels

  23. Happy New Years, Anita!;-)
    p.s. Please tell Charles I love his clothes. I have a sweater/pants of his that I will wear to death and even then I might be reincarnated just so I can wear them again.

  24. I agree one hundred percent about Anita’s impact, WendyB. For me, too, I liked watching George Chakiris dance! I can’t remember where or who he was backing, but recently on TV I saw him dancing with three other guys behind some female entertainer. He was a talented guy. By the way, I loved Rita Moreno on “The Rockford Files” back in the day.

    Portland Oregon Daily Photo sends you heartfelt wishes for the new year. May your 2009 be filled with good health, riches of the mind and heart, loved ones returning home, an increased respect for our fragile planet, and the cessation of wars across the Earth.

  25. First off, thank you so much for introducing me to Karen’s blog – I know have a mad girl crush.

    And thanks for implanting West Side Story’s soundtrack in my head. I love everything about this musical. In fact, it’s the only one my husband will watch. He loves it too.

    I’ve always daydreamed of West Side Story told through Anita’s point of view.

    sigh. the costumes in this film are so fantastic – men’s and women’s – that I could scream. You made my day Wendy!