Category Archives: Dazzler of the Day

Some people were born to be Dazzlers of the Day, while others beg, bother and bemoan to the point that I just give them the title to shut them up. Both cases are partly true today, as Jeff Urbanczyk – a fellow Amsterdam High School alum – finally and blessedly earns his first Dazzler of the Day crowning, fulfilling a years-long quest, with a life-long body of first-responder work as a firefighter to justify it. He recently retired as Battalion Chief of the Amsterdam Fire Department, where he had the distinction of being the longest serving executive (union) board member in Local 2825 history. As someone who honors and appreciates those who risk their lives to help others, this is a small bit of gratitude for everything he’s done for my hometown. Congrats Jeff!

PS – You can stop sending pictures now.

Having charmed and entertained audiences for decades, Jean Smart is currently riding on a career high, having recently earned her sixth Emmy Award for her celebrated turn in ‘Hacks’. I still remember her fondly from ‘Designing Women’, and in addition to enthrallingly-varied appearances in ‘Frasier’, ‘The District’, ‘Mare of Easttown’ and ‘Watchmen’, she’s tread the boards of Broadway in ‘Piaf’ and ‘The Man Who Came to Dinner’. This marks her well-earned debut as Dazzler of the Day.

It’s a rarity to have two people named as Dazzlers of the Day at the same time, but sometimes a package deal is the very finest deal. Dennis Setteducati and Andrew Boza first met on a production of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, and have been in a self-described show-mance ever since. They have taken their love of crafting and holidays and turned it into a full-fledged career, fueled by a theatrical flair that informs their presentations and sets them apart from more staid crafters. Check out their website here, as well as their charming and refreshingly-candid social media presence. 

She was the effervescent injection of fun energy into this otherwise-lackuster season of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ but she will always hold a special place in my heart for her Oscar-nominated turn in ‘Bullets Over Broadway’. Jennifer Tilly has been thrilling audiences for years, and based on the glimpse we got of her fabulous life this past season, she’s made her daily existence into a work of art, hence this Dazzler of the Day crowning. 

A fascist dictator requires a populace that allows such a monster to usurp power at every turn. As we watch our country under such an attack from within, I applaud those who resist against what is happening rather than letting it all unfold without speaking out. Case in point is Amanda Rheaume, who was scheduled to perform at the Kennedy Center in April. When the current FOTUS decided to install himself on the Kennedy Center Board (straight-up fascist move to those asking where’s the fascism) Rheaume withdrew from what could have been a career-highlight performance. That sort of sacrifice is monumental especially when compared to the cowardly actions and inactions of the Republican Party today. For that courageous act alone, Rheaume earns this Dazzler of the Day  honor, and I am happy to point you to her website here for a rundown of all her musical accomplishments and upcoming tour dates. 

“In Rheaume’s music, songs of resistance and resilience travel centuries. With a gentle yet unflinching touch, Rheaume has grown to be a chronicler of stories and people whose acts – out of necessity and opportunity alike – cascade through time and space, from the 18th century Red River Settlement to her own doorstep. With curiosity and empathy, Rheaume has become a bearer of history, unearthing and preserving Métis stories in song. In her gutsy guitar-driven style, punctuated with lively Métis fiddle, Rheaume’s heartland rock is built to last, resolute in rhythm and unswerving in purpose.”

Janet Mills, Governor of Maine, spoke truth to felonious power when she handed Trump his asshole the other day, and for that she earns this Dazzler of the Day. I wish more people in elected office had half as much courage, bravery and basic human decency in standing up for all of us. Here’s part of her statement followed by her gloriously-savage put-down of “See you in court” that effectively ended him on that day:

“No President – Republican or Democrat – can withhold Federal funding authorized and appropriated by Congress and paid for by Maine taxpayers in an attempt to coerce someone into compliance with his will. It is a violation of our Constitution and of our laws, which I took an oath to uphold.

“Maine may be one of the first states to undergo an investigation by his Administration, but we won’t be the last. Today, the President of the United States has targeted one particular group on one particular issue which Maine law has addressed. But you must ask yourself: who and what will he target next, and what will he do? Will it be you? Will it be because of your race or your religion? Will it be because you look different or think differently? Where does it end? In America, the President is neither a King nor a dictator, as much as this one tries to act like it – and it is the rule of law that prevents him from being so.

“I imagine that the outcome of this politically directed investigation is all but predetermined. My Administration will begin work with the Attorney General to defend the interests of Maine people in the court of law. But do not be misled: this is not just about who can compete on the athletic field, this is about whether a President can force compliance with his will, without regard for the rule of law that governs our nation. I believe he cannot.”

When you reach the zenith of musical entertainment in your 20’s, there’s an expected downward trajectory of all that follows, but rather than following the self-destructive trajectory of so many who came before, Darren Hayes has actually only grown more interesting and relevant to those of us who still care about such things are artistry and integrity and honesty. For that alone, he earns this Dazzler of the Day crowning. As the lead frontman for Savage Garden, Hayes crafted such unforgettable classics as ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’ and ‘I Want You’, marking the soundtrack for many of us in our twenties at the time. Taking us along for the behind-the-scenes turmoil and tumult of his life in the memoir boldly titled ‘Unlovable’, Hayes illustrates with words how he has carved out an existence that reveals how an artist endures, both in legacy and in how they live each day. Check out his website here, where you can order a copy of ‘Unlovable’. {Also check out the powerful voice he has become on Threads in a world where speaking out is increasingly in jeopardy.}

My favorite Dazzlers are those people whom I have actually met and known for years – see Suzie Ko, Karel Barnoski, Susan Brumley, Joseph Abramo, Woody Woodbeck, and of course Andy VanWagenen. That’s why crowning Theresa Nellis as Dazzler of the Day gives me such great joy. As the author of the ‘School for the Magically Insane’ and ‘Keeper of the Mirror’ series, Nellis has carved out a literary name for herself, but I remember her as a sweet and quiet classmate as we navigated the grade school journey of R.J. McNulty elementary school. Reconnecting with classmates from our youth is a reassuring way of grounding ourselves with a shared past – a reminder that we did come from somewhere, that it was real, and that good people can remain as good as we remember them. Her latest installment of the ‘School for the Magically Insane’ series – ‘The Witch’s Gowan’ – is out today – and be sure to visit her website here for more written enchantment.