=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= B E T W E E N T H E L I N E S [tm] Volume 8, Issue 2 - February 12, 1996 DDDDD D D D D GGGG D D G DDDDD G GGG G G GGGG A Debbie Gibson Discussion Forum =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CONTENTS =- ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES INTRO BY BOB PURDON - Bob Purdon DG RETURNS TO THE KTLA MORNING NEWS - Myra Wong UCLA DAILY BRUINS ARTICLE - Kazuto Okayasu THE ONLINE MUSIC AWARDS - Shannon Muir THE DRIVE HOME - Kazuto Okayasu/David Lemons DEBBIE GIBSON 1996 CALENDAR REVIEW - Ray Wong D.G.I.F. HOTLINE UPDATE - BtL moderators ERRATIC THOUGHTS FROM BIRMINGHAM - Richard Evans CLOSING REMARKS =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DISCLAIMER =- Between the Lines (ISSN 1201-4826, electronic publication ISSN 1201-4834) operates on a non-profit basis. Distribution is permissible only under the condition that no part of it will be used for profit. "Between the Lines" and "BtL" are trademarks of Between the Lines. Copyright 1996, Between the Lines. This forum does not necessarily reflect the views of Deborah Gibson, GMI Entertainment, Inc., Electric And Musical Industries (EMI), or any organizations to which members belong or represent. Opinions expressed in Between the Lines are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the entire forum. All lyrics by Debbie Gibson are copyrighted by Deborah Ann's Music (ASCAP) or EMI April Music, Inc./ Possibilities Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= ADMINISTRATIVE NOTES =- Between the Lines has a central account and e-mail address. Please send all administrative requests and submissions to: BtL@btl.org To submit articles by postal mail, please proofread and send them to the postal address listed below. Submissions should be typed or written legibly. To submit articles by FAX, please call (604) 322-5936. We reserve the right to edit, defer, or reject submissions without notice. Submissions become the property of BtL. BETWEEN THE LINES 2137 Qualicum Drive Vancouver, B.C. V5P 2M3 CANADA For those of you who do not have access to electronic mail, you may subscribe via postal mail. Issues are printed with a laser printer which allows six pages of text to be printed on both sides of one sheet of paper. Back issues are also available on one MS-DOS 3.5" or 5.25" high density disk (please specify disk format when ordering). Prices are at cost and are subject to change: Canada $4.25 Cdn. for 5 issues / $2.50 Cdn. for back issues on disk United States $4.25 U.S. for 5 issues / $2.50 U.S. for back issues on disk International $6.00 U.S. for 5 issues / $3.50 U.S. for back issues on disk Please make a cheque or money order payable to Felix Ng and mail it to the postal address mentioned above. We are not responsible for cash lost or stolen in the mail. Issues are always mailed via first class. -= BtL moderators =- Myra Wong : mkwong@ucsd.edu Felix Ng : fng@btl.org =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= INTRO BY BOB PURDON =- Bob Purdon - Tasmania, Australia (bobp@mpx.com.au) February 4, 1996 Well, I've been sitting here silently reading BtL for several months now and figured it was time I should make myself a little more known... I'm 24 years of age, currently working as a computer systems officer for our state's largest bargain store chain. I live by myself in a two bedroom unit close to the centre of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania. I've been a fan of Debbie Gibson's since the late 80's when I heard "Lost In Your Eyes" for the first time. I bought myself a copy of the _Electric Youth_ album at the time, both on vinyl and CD and listened to it endlessly for months. I was hooked. Deb has such a lovely voice - one that only seems to get better with time. Her music is so positive and easy to relate to. Shortly after buying _Electric Youth_, I acquired a copy of _Out of the Blue_ and became equally hooked, especially on "Foolish Beat" which still rates as one of my favourites. Listening to this album I realised that I'd in fact heard Deb long before LIYE was released - back when "Shake Your Love" was getting a lot of airplay down here. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it to the Electric Youth concert when Deb was in Australia - I was a poor college student at the time and simply couldn't afford to fly interstate for the show. Relatives of mine that were fortunate enough told me that the show was awesome. My next Deb acquisition was the _Anything Is Possible_ album, which I had mixed feelings about - I really liked the Mood Swings section, but the NRG^ section didn't do a lot for me. I "survived" for quite a few years with the three albums and the two OOTB videos. Record stores here in Tasmania don't seem to stock Deb's stuff anymore - at least not in a place where you'd find it. More recently I decided it was time to get onto the Internet - I'd been dabbling with it for a while, but it was time to take it seriously. One of the first newsgroups I subscribed to was alt.fan.debbie.gibson, where I found references to BtL and a few other lists. It was also through this newsgroup that I met my best friend (she knows who she is). It was through the net that I learned of the existence of _Think With Your Heart_, _Body Mind Soul_, the _Greatest Hits_ album, and various other recordings. Myra did a wonderful job in sending TWYH over to me, and Andrea with BMS, the _Greatest Hits_ album, and various other collectibles, Belinda with BMS and a few other tracks and video clips, and Jennifer who sent me the D.G.I.F. application form (I should have joined years ago!) Thank you all! I mostly like BMS, I love the _Greatest Hits_ album, and am positively hooked on TWYH. I'm definitely of the opinion that TWYH is Deb's best work yet. Well, that's about it for me. E-mail correspondence is most welcome. Bob. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DG RETURNS TO THE KTLA MORNING NEWS =- Myra Wong - San Diego, California (mkwong@ucsd.edu) February 6, 1996 While "Grease!" was playing in the Los Angeles area (in Cerritos), Debbie Gibson made a return appearance on the local morning news show on Thursday, January 25th. After a few brief mentions during the second hour of the news broadcast (with some playful comments about Edwin, one of the show's interns, being excited that she was there), she finally appeared at 8:45 A.M. One of the female anchors interviewed Deb. They introduced her as playing the character "Rizzo" but jumped right to the reference of the assumption that many people think Debbie Gibson would be playing "Sandy." Deb responded by saying that she looked like "Sandy" that morning, "but, once I put on that wig, and those lips and lashes, I'm Rizzo." They added that it was more than just the look, but also the attitude. Part of Deb's attitude, she says, comes from that fact that, "I've been in the business publicly for 10 years; I've gotta have a tough side...I do have a tough side, I do have a sassy side." The anchor teased, "And I don't know where we would all get that impression of the sweet Debbie Gibson..." Debbie acted shy, answering, "I don't know..." "There are things that happen to you, that people will think oh well Debbie Gibson, will always be really sweet and all that but it's not true... for instance, how you met the man you're dating," the anchor continued to tease, with a serious tone. Deb bursted out with, "Oh! You are just so cynical! It's too early to be this cynical! Yes, I met my boyfriend at Disneyland. If that isn't cute..." The short interviewed was followed by Debbie's stunning performance of Rizzo's solo song "There Are Worse Things I Could Do" accompanied on the piano by Grease's assistant conductor, Robert Webb. After the song, they asked Deb if she could stay and sing a song from her album. Unfortunately, due to an extensive high-speed car chase covered earlier that morning, there wasn't any time to roll the program's end credits, much less another song by Deborah. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= UCLA DAILY BRUIN ARTICLE =- Kazuto Okayasu - Irvine, California (kokayasu@uci.edu) February 2, 1996 GIBSON DONS LEATHER JACKET, SHEDS LOVELORN TEEN IMAGE Singer and actress applies adolescent energy to role as rebellious Rizzo in Grease By Rodney Tanaka Daily Bruin Staff Debbie Gibson's image is that of a perky teen singing about love and loss. Sandy, from the musical "Grease," also spends her days singing about her affairs of the heart. The singer and the character seemed destined to intertwine. However, in the current production of "Grease," at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, Gibson defies conventional wisdom by taking the role of Rizzo, the rebellious Pink Lady who ridicules Sandy's squeaky-clean image. "(Rizzo is) a more colorful character than Sandy," Gibson says. "Sandy was more about controlled energy and with Rizzo you can let loose like you do in a concert. "She's a sassy, troubled high school girl who needs to get attention in all the wrong ways and doesn't quite know where to focus her energy," she continues. "Although I wasn't a mischievous high school student, I did have a lot of that kind of energy and so I can relate to it on that level." The role of Rizzo has attracted an eclectic array of stars to the various stage productions, including Brooke Shields and Rosie O'Donnell. "You can be a comedian, or a model/actress or singer/actress, and come at this role from so many different angles and put so many different elements into it," Gibson says. "Anyone can take this role and make it their own." The popularity of "Grease" has spanned several decades and included stage and theatrical renditions of the story. What about Danny, Sandy and the rest of the students of Rydell High appeal to viewers? "People who were living in the '50s want to relive it, people who grew up with the movie and the musical want to relive it, and their kids rent that darn movie all the time and can relate to the energy," Gibson says. "Everyone knew the characters. Everyone had those characters in their school." Gibson stands close to the tape recorder in order to protect her voice. She is visiting Planet Hollywood in Santa Ana, one of many stops for her during the last two days. The balcony overflows with movie memorabilia, and the restaurant has just added a "Grease" leather jacket to its collection, courtesy of the cast members. The cast treats patrons to an a cappella rendition of "In the Still of the Nite," [sic] a tribute to the '50s theme of the day. The festivities continue with a bubble gum blowing contest that is a bust. Gibson then signs autographs in this tribute to the Hollywood dream factory. "Only in my dreams as real as it may seem it was only in my dreams" Gibson's dream of a music career became a reality in 1987 with the release of her album, "Out of the Blue." The record reached multi-platinum status and yielded the number one single, "Foolish Beat," making Gibson the youngest artist to write, produce and perform a chart-topping song. Fame at the age of 16 resulted in adjustments to her daily life. "I had been doing so much theater as a child that I was familiar with the performing part of it, I was familiar with the discipline," Gibson says. "I was not familiar with the fame part of it. "I was kind of in denial that I would get recognized in the street," Gibson adds. "I'd think, 'Oh, I can go Christmas shopping in the mall,' and then get mobbed. I was trying desperately to have a normal life and I think I kept it as normal as I could under the circumstances." Gibson's music, from her first album to her current "Think With Your Heart" album, focuses on the trials of love and maintaining a positive attitude. Her musical influences have remained the same: Billy Joel, Elton John and Barbra Streisand. Her desire to portray a rebel like Rizzo may hint that the singer is leaning towards a darker image. "I personally love a good melody, but I can relate to artists that focus more on the groove or more on attitude if it's coming from the heart," Gibson says. "For me, that doesn't seem to work because that's not really part of my roots, but I can be more open-minded overall." Perhaps the future will not contain a darker, angrier Debbie. Her past will always be available for herself and her fans to relive on CD and video. "I look back on it as a really fun, crazy time," Gibson says. "It's kind of funny to have all your awkward moments documented on video, but it'll be something to show the grandkids. "I'm so glad I started when I did," she adds. "It's really fun to look back on that stuff and it all led me to the place I'm at now, and I feel personally and professionally, I'm exactly where I want to be." That place can be summed up in one word, and "Grease is the word, is the word..." STAGE: "Grease" at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts through Sun., Jan. 28. For more info call (800) 300-4345. The caption to the picture at the top of the article: (PATRICK LAM) Debbie Gibson plays Rizzo in "Grease." If you'd like to see this for yourself on the World Wide Web: http://www-paradigm.asucla.ucla.edu/db/issues/96/1.26/ae.gibson.html =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= THE ONLINE MUSIC AWARDS =- Shannon Muir - Cheney, Washington (s.muir2@genie.com) February 6, 1996 In early 1996, America On-Line (a major on-line service provider in the United States, just starting to reach out to the rest of the world) teamed up with the shoe manufacturer Reebok for a major promotional event. Its name: the Online Music Awards, or OMAs. The call was put out for America On-Line (AOL) subscribers to suggest the artists they felt were worthy of recognition in various pre-defined categories. The top six folks from each category would become the contenders for the OMAs. It soon became clear than many of the areas were very broad, and the odds of anyone not already dominating the charts to break through was very slim. However, there was one small ray of hope... the Best Rock/Pop Female Artist category. It was instantly clear that four people in this category had spots nailed -- Madonna, Mariah Carey, Melissa Etheridge, and Alanis Morissette. But all the other nominations in this area were across the board, including Joan Osborne, Janet Jackson, k.d. lang, and others. So a couple of us on the Debbie Gibson mailing lists and also on AOL started spreading the word, trying for what seemed like the impossible... seeing if we could get Deb on the ballot! I personally went into this with a lot of realism. Deb's chances of winning were very, very slim. Even her chances for just getting on the ballot didn't seem strong. All I wanted to see happen was for Deb to make the ballot, so that nearly 5 million people -- the current AOL subscriber count, according to President Steve Case's latest letter -- would see her name and realize that Deb is INDEED still in the business! With all the publicity AOL, Reebok, and others are certainly going to give this venture, it definitely couldn't hurt Deb. And after nearly three tense days of waiting for the counting to be finalized, I logged on (using my AOL account, ShanEMuir@aol.com) to see the voting ballots and to my surprise, beyond all my hopes, there was the name "Debbie Gibson," right up there with Alanis Morissette, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Melissa Etheridge, and k.d. lang! On February 5, 1996, I attended the OMAs broadcast "live" on AOL's Center Stage (which was, interestingly enough, was being done in real life from the House of Blues in Los Angeles). When I showed up at straight up 6:00 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, lots of people were present but nothing was happening. The ball got rolling at about 6:06 with some disclaimers and stuff from the AOL folks, then nothing happened again for about 5 minutes. The category Deb was in wasn't even coming up until about 7:30 P.M., but I wanted to get a feel for how things would be. Thomas Dolby (of "She Blinded Me With Science" fame) was the emcee, and opened it with the usual thank yous and some announcements of who won free OMA T-shirts. Rather boring stuff. This was followed by the Country winners (Reba McEntire and Garth Brooks cleaned house, and Shania Twain walked away with the rest, if anyone cared), then an almost half-hour chat with Country nominee Linda Davis. I could have split, but I considered myself a "member of the press" for _Between the Lines_, and besides it was a great time to proofread the opening of this article and grab a snack. After Linda wrapped up, I anxiously waited for the Rock/Pop categories to come next. Unfortunately, I was disappointed by having to see the Rap winners next, then the R&B ones. I wanted to get the Rock/Pop categories over with! Maybe Deb could still win it... anything is possible, especially in cyberspace. But I was STILL going to have to wait to find out, because not only were the Jazz nominees next, but there was also a chat with Russ Freeman and the Rippingtons! Don't get me wrong, I was a jazz DJ in college and the Rippingtons do some way cool fusion. But I'm here to see if Deb won! The Rippingtons turned the stage back over to Thomas Dolby, who gave away some free online time before FINALLY getting to the Rock/Pop categories. Best Cybersite went to AOL's Music Message Center. The next award was for hottest single, which was given to Deep Blue Something's "Breakfast At Tiffany's." Hottest video turned out to be "Free as a Bird" from the Beatles, followed by the category I'd been waiting for. A deep breath, held... and the winner was... Mariah Carey. Breath released. It was over. A small pang of disappointment, but acceptance set in. If it's any consolation, Jimmy Buffett got lots of nominations (apparently he has a LARGE cyber-following) but could only get one -- "Most Active Artist Online." He's not exactly burning up the charts himself, either. I think we as fans can give Deb a lot of things, like birthday cards and charity donations and other stuff that's been done for her in the past. But there's something to be said for giving her a "People's Choice Award"-style nomination alongside some of the chart-toppers of today. It's a VERY public way of showing how much we really do believe in her. DEBBIE GIBSON, NOMINEE, BEST ROCK/POP FEMALE ARTIST, FIRST ANNUAL ONLINE MUSIC AWARDS. I like the sound of that. Deb, who loves ya, baby? We do. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= THE DRIVE HOME =- Kazuto Okayasu - Irvine, California (kokayasu@uci.edu) David W. Lemons - Diamond Bar, California (dwaynel8@aol.com) February 9, 1996 A Conversation About Grease In Cerritos Note: This conversation didn't actually happen, but the descriptions of events are real, and the drive during which this story takes place actually happened. *thunk* *thunk* David: It's really starting to rain out there! Thanks for coming here to drive me home. Kazuto: No problem. Considering what just happened, I would've been foolish to have not shown up. David: We'll get to that later. Kazuto: Yeah. So what did you think of the show? David: I thought it was very good, although all the hype leading up to it from everyone did make the show come off a little flat. And, to put it frankly, I didn't think it was as good as everyone said it was. Kazuto: You've seen a _lot_ of theater, right? I suppose you have some basis for comparison. David: It has it's high points, though. Hey, it says the freeway's that way. Kazuto: Right. Remember, I went on opening night. Sutton Foster _was_ great. I could only imagine how it was with Debbie as Sandy... *squints* No, that says west. We need to go east. David: I agree. Sutton Foster was a pleasant surprise. She played the innocent role very well, although being 20 doesn't hurt... And about Deb in London, I've seen bits and pieces of the London show, and to me, it looked like she did a great job. Kazuto: I can't argue with that. Deb's theater background really shows. I have one small gripe; she's definitely cast-against-type. Admittedly, I've got a limited knowledge of Grease, but I think her Rizzo was a bit more "cutesy" than it could've been, although not really through any fault of Deborah's. I just can't say exactly what it is. David: Well, I think it might be that we all have such an extensive knowledge of her personality, and know that that really isn't her, being Rizzo and all. Although she has said over and over again that she's part Sandy and part Rizzo, I tend to think it's balanced 80/20. I also think that _that_ took away from the experience, too. Since we know Deb so well, we knew that the role of Rizzo was somewhat of a stretch; no matter how much Deb's said in interviews about having a tough side, I just don't think it's the same thing. Kazuto: I actually liked the fact that, even though there are 3 headliners in the show, they kept it pretty much an ensemble piece. They didn't purposely "stuff" the 3 stars' parts; not too much anyways. David: Yeah. It was a good ensemble cast. Too bad I couldn't meet the rest of the cast after the show. Kazuto: Speaking of that, I thought the meet'n'greets afterwards went really well. What'd you think of Tuesday? David: I thought it went great, after we got inside. It wasn't that big of a crowd. It was about what I expected. Kazuto: Uh huh. That long wait out in the cold was getting, uh, _cold_. It being L.A., and opening night, I actually expected a lot more than the 15 or so people who were there. David: Yeah, so did I, but in this case, "the less the merrier." *grin* Kazuto: I didn't think it was anything "spectacular". I don't know. Maybe meeting her as many times as we have recently, it's become sorta... well... "routine"? You know, the typical autograph-signing and picture-taking. David: Right. I wouldn't categorize it as spectacular. I think what happened at the "Step by Step" taping would be considered "spectacular" if anything. I think with us meeting her a lot this year, it made it kind of less exciting. But were getting a chance to meet DEB!! I shouldn't downgrade it any. Oh, and Diane was there Tuesday. [David is biased about what happened at "Step By Step." See BtL 7.18.] Kazuto: That's right. Different from tonight, huh? David: There was much less security. No one was even out there with her. At one point I started to get a bit concerned for her, but I realized it was under control. Tonight was completely different from Tuesday. Heck, she even drove herself! Kazuto: The sight of her climbing into the driver's seat and driving off looked really strange. I kept picturing the "We Could Be Together" video. *laughs* David: I could never picture her driving a car unless she's bouncing up and down to "We Could Be Together". Kazuto: I'm glad we didn't have to wait so long this time. The drizzle was beginning to worry me. David: It did seem like she was in kind of a hurry. By the way, what did she say when she first walked out? Kazuto: Oh. Something about feeling irritable and it showing towards the end of the show, or something like that. Because of that, I thought she'd keep it real short with us, but she was out there for a while. David: She was worried about that friend of hers holding her keys. Kazuto: "Yeah. He's got my rental car keys and he doesn't even drive!" What a riot! *laughs* David: Hey, was that really a cigarette pack she was signing?! Kazuto: Oh yeah. That was great. That girl didn't bring anything for Deborah to autograph, so she picked around until she found her pack of cigarettes. Deb sees this and says, "I'm the only Rizzo who doesn't actually smoke. I'm the only one in the cast who doesn't. Through the show I always have a reason for putting it down somewhere", so she signs: "I really don't smoke this stuff!" on the cigarette pack. David: That was really funny. You know, I wondered how she'd respond to the bootleg CDs. [The following refers to Kazuto's giving Deborah the "Out At The Blues" CD set. See BtL 8.1 for a review of the set.] Kazuto: Dude, I almost waited too long. She was ready to leave. At first, I just sort of held up the jewel box for her to see, and asked her if she had seen it yet, telling her I already knew she'd gotten a tape of it earlier in the tour. Then, she looks at it, and says she wants one of them, so, what could I do? I held it out to her and told her she could have mine. David: I had my copy there with me, but I didn't know if I was willing to part with it. Kazuto: Maybe one of these days, I'll be able to get myself another copy. David: If not, would you dare ask for it back? *chuckle* Hey, get off at the next exit... =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= DEBBIE GIBSON 1996 CALENDAR REVIEW =- Ray Wong - Hayward, California (negativl@best.com) February 7, 1996 About one week into the new year, the "Debbie Gibson 1996 Calendar" began arriving at the doorsteps of anxious fans. While D.G.I.F had been trying for a December arrival, this still represents a good step forward in timely delivery of seasonal items for the fan club. I think 1995's calendar was a few weeks later, more towards the end of January. Also, D.G.I.F. has begun using a new type of mailing envelope, a protective plastic made from recycled materials, but more significantly, tear and weather resistant. Considering the wet weather so common this time of year, this is a welcome move. The calendar is similar in format to previous years, with front and back pictures, in addition to one for each month, with one exception. This year's calendar features quoted thoughts from Deborah herself! Last year's inside cover picture has been replaced by a page full of "Thoughts for 1996..." Additionally, each month also features a quote of its own. Some quotes are inspirational messages: "Do not let anyone be an obstacle in your journey to achieve your goals. You must radiate so much belief in yourself that they simply have no other choice than to become a supporter." Some offer modest advice: "Never look down on someone else. You have no idea how far they've come and what it took to get there." Others share some personal feelings: "Sometimes a cynical journalist will assume that they can judge my personal happiness by a chart position or sales... little do they know that during a sold out concert a relative passed away, and at a time of particularly low sales my niece took her first steps. They haven't got a clue!" And others, well, "I've learned to have a sense of humor about myself. Lord knows everyone else does!" Where the 1995 calendar seemed to be trying for more of a slickly polished image, the 1996 effort is a more personal expression for fans with which to note the passing of the year. The photos in the 1995 calendar, while overall very good, looked too generic to some fans, with many images looking like they were taken in a photographer's studio, as if for some model's portfolio, as well as being heavily retouched. While the result was some nice photographs of an obviously attractive woman, them being of Debbie Gibson seemed of almost second priority to the effect. In keeping with this year's theme of being more "personal," the photos this time around appear much more natural. Most were taken on location at various activities, such as the filming of the "For Better Or Worse" and "Didn't Have The Heart" videos, and such, rather than the "studio" look of 1995. Photographs this year are by Alberto Tolot, Kevin Mazur, who returns from last year, Ron Wolfson and Carol Rosegg. Deb manages to look relaxed and natural, with the quiet strength of her personality showing through. Her hair, which looked rather chemically stressed last year, has now recovered. The harsher tones of a recent-dyed blonde have been replaced by the more familiar soft blending of blonde tones. Personally, I'm also glad her own eyebrows have returned, as well. Last year's "painted on" look really just seemed too artificial. February, April, August, September's Grease photo, October and November show her strong, willful, side well. March, June, July, December and the front and back covers allow her to express a range of heartfelt emotions. If I have to pick least favorites, January and May are a bit too "close up," though January's warm smile is still pleasant, and the quiet steadiness of May also keeps my opinion favorable. My favorite would have to be June, which hints at some greater mystery, with the antique items featured prominently, the picture just pulls the mind in to wonder. February manages to present her as tough and strong, but with a wonderfully gentle demeanor of sweetness. The deeply introspective March and December also score highly on the personal appreciation meter. While I think I wouldn't mind a small border strip at the top, to avoid having the hanging hole in her head, I'm glad the side borders of 1995's calendar have been removed. Last year's extra "special days," such as January's "Hat Day," have also gone away, which I actually do miss, though the continual inclusion would have lacked the fun spontaneity of discovering them in looking in last year's calendar. The previous three typefaces on the calendar pages themselves have been replaced by a more consistent, single understated one. Overall, this is a calendar that manages to excel by keeping things simple and dignified, while still expressing that unique Debbie Gibson personality. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= D.G.I.F. HOTLINE UPDATE =- BtL moderators (BtL@btl.org) February 10, 1996 Lately, the fan club hotline has been changing frequently due to detailed updates concerning the 1996 Charity Fundraiser. They are offering daily prizes such as promotional videos of "Shock Your Mama," a crew-only Electric Youth Tour Itinerary Book, an autographed Les Miserables program, a rare _Anything Is Possible_ promotional 8-Ball, and more. The deadline for the Level 2 prizes has already passed, but the deadline for Level 3 is coming up this Friday, February 16th. A total of $13,000 of orders have come in so far, which translates to more than $3,000 money raised for charity. The other news on the hotline is that D.G.I.F. 7.4 is still being worked on. Also, an answer to a membership question: D.G.I.F. membership numbers that have been previously signed are never given to another person. If you renew later, you can still use your old number. Deborah recorded a message on February 1st, which is transcribed below. Hey there! It's Deborah. I'm on the road. I'm out in Palm Desert, and, um, the shows are going really, really great. L.A. was a little bit crazy 'cause we all had friends, and things, and whatever. Um, I just got a fax from Karen telling me all about the fundraiser and how everyone's working really hard for charity. That's really, really cool. I'm sure that, um, all the people over at St. Mary's and Childrens' International really, really appreciate it 'cause its basically how they stay afloat. Um, and I can't wait to see whoever ends up coming to Minneapolis! Um, let me see what else I could tell you... Hmm... I didn't write anything down so this is kinda off the top of my head. There were a lot of you guys in California last week in L.A. Um, Cerritos area and all that. It was great to see everyone. And, um, we're firming up ideas for the pilot. I've got all kinds of meetings while I'm here. Um, so I'll let you know as soon as I know anything about that. And, um, its very relaxing here so I'm having a great time. And, um, what else... what else... I guess that's really about it. I can't believe I'm almost done with Grease. I'm done in about 4 weeks. I'm gonna go through a little emotional trauma when I leave because I've been having a great time. The cast is just, has just been amazing. Um, and thanks again. I hope to see everyone soon, and that's about it. If you have anything to say, leave it at the beep. Bye. The D.G.I.F. Hotline phone number is (212) 803-5424. There are no additional charges beyond regular applicable long distance charges (outside of New York City). Thanks to Kazuto Okayasu and Ray Wong for originally transcribing these hotline messages. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= ERRATIC THOUGHTS FROM BIRMINGHAM =- Richard Evans - Gainesville, Georgia (neppie@mindspring.com) February 10, 1996 Saturday, December 2 (my 28th birthday!), 1995 Walking toward the complex of auditoriums that comprise Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center it struck me that this might be the same Birmingham venue Buckingham-Nicks sold out just before joining Fleetwood Mac. I'd blasted Fleetwood's live CDs on the drive from Atlanta, perhaps earlier making the association subconsciously. It didn't take long to locate the stage door (a handwritten poster pointed the direction) where Gibson would later be signing autographs. With echoes of "Rhiannon" still reverberating through my skull, I returned to the hotel adjoining the civic center to rest until the show started. Instead of whiling away time in my usual manner (with a book), I found myself reflecting on Mick Fleetwood's autobiography that I'd read years ago. Particularly the chapters on Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in their early career. Rather than accept lucrative offers to play Top 40 in clubs, they had chosen to preserve the artistry and integrity of their own music, even though it meant scraping by on bad checks. It was during this time that some of their biggest hits (released later as members of Fleetwood Mac) were written. Would Debbie Gibson's music benefit similarly by life's struggles? In interviews Gibson has said she was inspired while living own her own in London. Those experiences make _Think With Your Heart_ stand out as her best effort to date, no matter what a vitriolic ipse dixit review published in a trendy rag claims. No doubt the Debster is also a dedicated professional, working harder in one week than I probably do in a year. She's been juggling careers as singer, songwriter and actress, but never focusing on one aspect long enough to reach her potential. I'm skeptical (now I'm the critic) of the slated ABC pilot. Is a T.G.I.F. sitcom the best outlet for her talents, or is someone cashing in on the Debbie Gibson name, possibly at the expense of her career? The series is guaranteed to draw viewers but not likely to help her reputation as a musician or even an actress. Back to Birmingham. "Grease!" was better than expected. I'd overplayed on the movie soundtrack as a teenager and expected to be desensitized to its effect. Still I couldn't help getting caught up in the production. The excitement inherent to any live performance combined with the audience interaction bits to make it enjoyable. Gibson really does make the role her own, delivering Rizzo's insults more convincingly than I could have imagined. Afterwards she was absolutely radiant meeting fans at the stage door. I hadn't planned on asking for an autograph, but at a fellow Debhead's encouragement (many thanks to him!) I did. As Debbie signed my program I recognized another on-line fan from a photograph on his web page. When I acknowledged him Debbie commented that we must know each other from our computers and went on to state she was computer illiterate. A proper response would have been to say that she had other talents to compensate, but I was too starstruck to even reply. So if Debbie happens to read this at least she'll know that, given hours to consider each response, I can be quite a conversationalist. From there I said goodbye to the fans I'd met and floated back to my room. Later, too keyed up to sleep, I went out for ice and a coke before watching a movie. Returning with my caffeine fix, I found myself face to face with Debbie and co-star Robb McKindles in the hallway. Never at a loss for words, I managed to smile and say "hey!" as I passed by. Deb returned the greeting and the smile. She was so personable I was tempted to turn back and try to force a conversation, but didn't want to risk spoiling the chance encounter. The experience made a nice birthday memory and reinforced my belief in the ideals Debbie represents to me (honesty, charity, and an innate kindness, to name a few). Whatever direction Deborah chooses to take her career, it's only important that she enjoy each moment and remain true to herself and her artistry. Her personality and professionalism are an inspiration in any field, and I'll always be there cheering from the 22nd row. Let the poet address her as Rhiannon, "Great Queen"... -- Robert Graves =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -= CLOSING REMARKS =- According to Yu Jin Lee , a yearly EMI compilation CD entitled _Beautiful Love Songs 5_ has been released in Malaysia. Track 15 is Debbie Gibson's "For Better Or Worse." BtL moderator, Myra Wong, gave Deborah the last issue of BtL (8.1) on Tuesday, February 6th, opening night in San Diego, California. Debbie Gibson continues in the U.S. Touring Production of "Grease!" in the lead role of "Rizzo." The following is a list of remaining show dates as announced by D.G.I.F. and individual theatres. All dates are subject to change. Call individual theatres for tickets and more information. Please note the confirmation of Deb's last week with the show. Tickets are now on sale for the Minneapolis dates. Thanks to all who informed us of this update. Feb 13 - Feb 18 Tempe, Arizona Gammage Auditorium Feb 20 - Feb 25 San Antonio, Texas Majestic Theatre Feb 27 - Mar 3 Minneapolis, Minnesota Historic State Theatre