“Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.”

That’s the advice Judy Garland gave Liza Minnelli, and I think we can all agree that dear Liza took those words to heart with great success. At the moment, though, La Cieca is wondering how Judy would feel about a “first rate version” of her own legendary self, because that’s what the podcast The Entertainment Beat with Frances Gumm offers on a biweekly basis. A self-described “fellow in his 20s” identified only as “Billyboy” channels the Jack Paar/CBS era raconteur Judy, stutter, popped p’s and all, in freewheeling patter about popular culture and witty interviews with guests ranging from Carol Channing to Gollum. “Judes” also unleashes her pipes every now and then to belt out tunes written since 1969, e.g., Stephen Sondheim‘s “Putting It Together.” Production values and (especially) pace for this solo spectacular are excellent, and, on a personal note, it does La Cieca’s heart good to see that Camp is alive and well chez Billyboy.