Took the kids to see “Hairspray” this morning. I’d been a bit lukewarm about going to see it, but everything I’ve read or heard about it lately has been positive, and the kids persuaded me to take them. Its great fun …we of course liked the scene where Tracey’s father had to sleep on a bed of whoopee cushions (you’re never too old for fart jokes *). I’m still wondering why John Travolta was cast as Tracey’s mother …. umm, why not hire a woman to play a woman – interesting choice, but he was good in the role. And Nikki Blonsky, as Tracey, was fantastic. I also thought Amanda Bynes’ character was good (and Alison Janney as her mother) as was Michelle Pfieffer’s – I didn’t know who was playing that part until the end credits (must be a while since I’ve seen her in anything).

My children were very surprised by the racism portrayed in the film, with the segregation of white and black people in early 60′s USA (never mind the bad hair, the goofy dancing etc).

* speaking of fart jokes: Whats the heaviest thing in the world? A fart, once you drop one you can never pick it back up.