Dan Cirucci: Bigger Than Life

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Bigger Than Life

I've just finished reading Brian Kellow's wonderful new biography of Ethel Merman, the legendary star of Brodway. This is the third book that I've read on Merman (including her own autobiography with George Eells) and it is the best because it depicts a fuller, more three-dimensional Merman and not just the tough, acerbic broad who belted show tunes, fired managers and occasionally insulted costars.

Say what you will, she had a remarkable work ethic. She also held herself to the same high standards she imposed on everyone else and she could spot a sycophant a mile away.

Here's what Kellow says: " . . . the wised-up, straight-shooting, and sentimental musical heroine she [Merman] represented had passed out of fashion by the time of her death, supplanted by the creations of Sondheim and his musical age of anxiety, and by the bland, cardboard figures of Andrew Lloyd Webber, who exist only as pawns in a mammoth visual spectacle. The great age of personalities had long since faded . . . "

So, the Broadway of great personalities moved on - to be replaced by what? An age of spectacle, anxiety, vulgarity and deformity?

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About Dan Cirucci

He's been cited by the late Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed across all media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, a Save Jersey blog columnist, frequent guest on the Matt Rooney radio show and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post, Broad and Liberty and other print and online platforms.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include all things Italian, politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

He and his wife Carole have two grown children and seven grandchildren.

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