…are now the same weight, then it stands to reason that I have a swimmer’s build. I’m just sayin’.

Television-loving child that I was in the ’70s, I still somehow managed to completely miss Mitzi Gaynor’s specials. How deprived was I? Quite, it seems, after watching a PBS pledge-drive program tonight: “Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years.” Wow. Good stuff.

Paul Benedict, 1938-2008

I was saddened to read the obituary for Paul Benedict, the actor who played Mr. Bentley on “The Jeffersons.” Benedict made the strongest impression on me, though, earlier than that — as the Mad Painter on “Sesame Street.” This is my favorite sequence: the one where he uses condiments to paint the number 3 on Stockard Channing’s (who knew?) sandwich bread.

The American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors has announced the results of the 2008 Excellence-in-Feature-Writing Competition, and I’m thrilled to be the 1st-place winner (Division IV) for headline writing. (My personal fave from my entry: “In the Toilet, Too: NBC’s Ratings for Larry Craig Interview.”) Other Post honorees include Gene Weingarten (1st place, general feature) and Ann Hornaday (1st place, arts/entertainment commentary), as well as David Montgomery (2nd place, short feature), Hank Stuever (3rd place, arts/entertainment feature), William Booth (honorable mention, arts/entertainment feature) and Suzanne D’Amato (honorable mention, feature specialty reporting). Thank you, AASFE!

Well. Would you look at that? If it isn’t July already… You might say that I’ve been closed for renovations. Yes, I know — the site looks the same. But, if we were to run into each other for the first time since December, you might notice that I’m 87 pounds lighter. That little project has absorbed much of my attention. (And I’m not done yet.) It’s been suggested that a new photo may be in order. Perhaps I’ll put that on my To Do list… Hopefully a new photo will illustrate my progress… In Sunday’s Post, you’ll see that criticism of “musical”-ly inclined theatrical titles includes one that’s close to my heart. But I’m proud to say that when tasked with the headline — the Sunday Style & Arts section has lately been a specialty of mine — I didn’t flinch: “DEPT. OF TIRESOME TITLES — Hey, Here’s an Idea: It’s Not a Musical!” Sunday’s Post also includes my byline, on the feature “WALL-E, ‘Dolly!’ and the Universe of Musicals.” You know, don’t tell anyone this, but I kind of have a thing for musicals…

After three decades, perhaps this is the step I had to take for closure on the Bionic Beauty Salon issue. Read “You Call That a Gift?!” (from the December 24 edition of The Washington Post).

Visit my YouTube channel to watch “The Blue Lagoon: A Musical,” presented in 11 episodes. You can also watch Episode 1 below. Enjoy!

(Wagner. Who else?) In the September 9 edition of The Washington Post, I consider NBC’s “Bionic Woman” series in relation to the ’70s original and its gay fan base, many of whom are less than thrilled with the addition of a certain “f”-slur-slinging actor to the new show. Read “The Bionic Woman’s Toughest Mission.”

In the July 29 edition of The Washington Post, I examine my favorite “mini-dress-wearing, Egyptian-goddess-channeling, golden-amulet-powered superheroine”: Isis. Read “Fly Like an Egyptian (Goddess).”

“Lovely melodic themes, two goofy performances and an inflatable baby pool as the lagoon in question — how Fringe is that?” Nelson Pressley includes “The Blue Lagoon: A Musical” in his Fringe roundup in today’s Washington Post.