Jesus: The Musical!

Its starting. Every shop, mall and store has already decked their halls, spiked their egg nog and trimmed their trees and its driving me insane. Yes, I know that the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday shopping day of the year, but many Chicago stores were decorated for Christmas nearly a week BEFORE HALLOWEEN. Apparently, The Almighty American Dollar is urging us to celebrate the holidays two months out of there year instead of one puny day. "Just one day to celebrate the birth of Christ? That's SO pagan."

Don't get all Cindy Lou Who on me. I'm not a Grinch. I just think the rules for visiting someone's home should apply to holidays: Don't arrive early and Don't overstay your welcome.

Next year, I'm going to start a grass roots movement - - maybe I'll call it Christmas Blackout. Any store that has holiday decorations up or that plays Christmas carols prior to the third week in November will be put on a Blackout List, and members of my movement will not buy any holiday items from those stores - - not cards or decorations or presents or even a discount Andy Williams Christmas cd! Those stores who don't inundate us with sleigh bells ringing when we're in our Halloween costumes will get all our money! As my Dad says, "Money talks and bullshit walks."

Since this year's craze has already begun, so have commercials for the movie that all Christians have been waiting for - - the prequel to THE PASSION. Yes, here comes THE NATIVITY MOVIE.

When I saw SUPERMAN RETURNS this past summer, there was a trailer for THE NATIVITY MOVIE in the previews and it drove home all the Christ imagery in the Superman mythos. But that didn't keep me from lusting after Brandon Routh's monster of a package in his supersuit. "I Spent the Night with Superman," indeed.

Since movies lead to stage musicals and then those stage musicals develop into screen musicals - - all with the same name - - here's a sneak peak at the upcoming musical based on THE NATIVITY MOVIE. I smell an Oscar...