Breaking Bonaduce

[pablo]

Question: Has anyone of you ever met Danny Bonaduce?

Let me explain...

I spend too much time between gigs sitting in hotel rooms watching cable TV. My favorite show is Entourage on HBO, but this weekend while killing time in my suite at the Holiday Inn in downtown Peoria I caught a few episodes of Breaking Bonaduce on VHS.

This is a "reality show" about the former child star of The Partridge Family TV show who is now all grown up with tattoos, addictions, a shrink, a wife, 2 kids and more problems than you would wish on your worst enemy.

Breaking Bonaduce is like watching a really bad car crash in slow motion. It's difficult to watch, but you don't want to change the channel because you know it's going to get worse.

Has anyone seen this show or met Danny?

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

Peoria???

That is my home town. Family still lives there. In between gigs i'd visit Big Al's, not watch Bonaduce!!lol

[pablo]

Bada Bing!

Okay, okay... I did visit Big Al's on Friday night.

Another member of p.net was also there, but I won't say who.

I had 3 or 4 beers. I met Chloe and had an interesting conversation with her. And I almost bought a Big Al's t-shirt.

I'll probably be back. Bad habits die hard.

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

ha ha

12 years ago I used to bartend at the club in the Hotel next door and at a club on the other side of Big Al's. I was also a guest bartender ( as a juggler, I also do flairtending, back when it was young) at Big Alice's ( upstairs of Big Als) I don't know if any of those places even exist anymore.

I hung out with Pauly Shore when he was on tour with Sam Kennison . We had a blast in Big Al's. They both never came out of character. Sam's father was a preacher at a church in East Peoria. And my best friends second cousin.

Sam would often come to town and just walk into the Madison Avenue Comedy Club and try out new material.

Man, those where the days.....

[gav]

Would it be wrong to assume that Big Als is a strip club or some such place ?

[pablo]

Peoria, Peoria...

"The hotel next door" is the Pere Marquette Hotel, the swankiest place in town.

Big Al's still has an upstairs bar where the selection of beer is better than downstairs. And there is another club next to Big Al's, but I didn't go there.

I also met the great Sam K back in the day, after a show in Milwaukee. He was a lunatic, and I think he used to preach before he went into comedy.

R.I.P. Sam.

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

yep

Big Al's is THE strip club!!!

HBO did a segment for "Real Sex" back in 1990. It featured a husband and wife dance duo that called themselves Ken and Barbie. On that special I am behind the bar saying " Welcome to Big Al's!! (while spinning a bottle).

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

oh.....

I must addthat i spent quite a few hours in the stairwell of the Pere Marquette with girls from Al's.

All the way at the top of the stairwell is a big window with a beautiful view of the city.

Man, those where the days....

[The Amazing Beaumanz]

back to your subject...

Who would have guessed, the cute little red headed kid would end up looking like a troll with a serious anger problem.

i love the bit where he's showing those dudes in the restroom how to head-butt the door!!!

[pablo]

Danny Bonaduce

This show is very addictive & compelling, especially if you are a performer yourself.

Danny obviously craves attention at the expense of his own privacy, sanity, family & friends.

I have little sympathy for his wife & friends, who seem to bask in Danny's reflected fame. I do feel sorry for his kids, who should not have to grow up with TV cameras in their faces.