Happy Friday!

I hope you've had a good week. Truth be told, I didn't get to much this week as it's been a difficult time for me. If you live in the Bay Area, I'm sure you've heard by now about the death of broadcast legend Ray Taliaferro. We found out last week that he'd been reported missing in Illinois. On Sunday, it was reported that his body had been discovered in a wooded area in Kentucky.

I'll be honest and tell you that this has hit me hard. I started on KGO way back in 1991 filling in for Ray on the overnight show he'd hosted for decades. I started listening to him (and calling his program) back in high school. It was surreal to get to know him, host his show and get to know him as a friend and colleague. His kind shall not see his kind pass this way again.

Got to just a few things this week...

READING

Started The Woman In The Window by A.J. Finn. I'm about halfway through and enjoying the unique premise of this thriller with a housebound agoraphobe as protagonist. I'll give you a more complete assessment next week.

WATCHING

Earlier this year, I told you about the podcast Dirty John, the true LA Times based story of a wealthy Southern California woman taken in by a violent grifter with deadly consequences. Bravo has adapted it into a miniseries that airs on Sunday nights. It's great! It stars Connie Britton (who I'll watch in anything) and Eric Bana in the lead roles.
WATCH.

SAW

My African American family took a few car trips across the country when I was a small child in the early 70s and I remember Grandma talking about the Green Book that black motorists relied on for over thirty year in order to know where they would be welcome to fuel, eat and lodge in segregated America. These practices became illegal with the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act thus making the travelers' guide obsolete so, by the time I was cruising America with my family it was a thing of the past.

I went and saw the movie Green Book, based on the true story of celebrated black pianist Don Shirley and the white New York bouncer he hired to drive and protect him as he embarked on a road trip of the deep south in the early 1960s. Marhershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen are wonderful as the antagonistic duo, who go on to form a bond over greater racial understanding over the course of their journey. It's being hailed as one of the best films of 2018 and I can see why!
GO.

THEATER

Got a couple of events to tell you about.

THE JEWELRY BOX
I'm performing my Christmas play, The Jewelry Box, tonight at 8 at the Marsh San Francisco and Sunday at 7 at the Marin Center in San Rafael. It's the true story of my quest as a six year old to raise the money to by my mother a jewelry box from the old Oakland White Front store during the 1970 Christmas season. It's a funny play about hope, dreams and Christmas miracles  that the critics have hailed as, “The Bay Area's Christmas story!” It's my favorite play to do. At the end, there isn't a dry eye in the house. Including mine.
Tickets:
The Marsh - Marin Center

THE GREAT AMERICAN SHIT SHOW
Charlie Varon (Rabbi Sam, Rush Limbaugh in Night School) and I had such a great time with our sold out experimental show Thanksgiving weekend that we're doing it again by popular demand. Charlie and I are both doing a series of short monologues on life in the Trump era that we call The Great American Shit Show. We take on #MeToo, what to do when someone you love is all in for Trump and you loathe the man, Charlie's adventures canvassing in the central valley to flip a red congressional seat to blue, and more! The show is Sunday December 16 at 5 PM. Tickets are $30 to $100 but if you purchase by midnight tonight with the code RuleOfLaw, you pay only $20. Hurry, we're almost sold out!
Get your tickets here.

EATS

Sorry...no restaurant this week. Haven't had much of an appetite. Will resume my quest for the Bay Area's best cheeseburger soon so, keep your recommendations coming to copie@briancopeland.com.

LIGHTEN UP FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE

I'm back at the San Leandro Performing Arts Center on December 31st with a great line up of 10 (and counting!) of the funniest standups around to say goodbye to 2018. Showtime is 7 PM and we finish by 9:30 so you have time to go elsewhere for midnight or, just get off the road before the drunks come out. Tickets are $65 advance and $75 at the door. Purchase by noon this Sunday with code CopiesChoice and pay only $55!
For tickets, go to: lightenupforlaughs.brownpapertickets.com
Or call 1-800-838-3006.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Copie

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