How Do You Get To Pyongyang? Practice, Practice, Practice

Apparently, Kim Jong Il is a classical music lover as well as a [despot]. Either that or he felt left out when the [NY Philharmonic](http://nyphil.org/about/) played Rachmaninoff and Beethoven in the South last year.North Korea’s usually [Blublocker](https://store.blublocker.com/catalog/prescription/starshield.html?CartID=00594CE9-203BDABD)-rockin’* leader recently sent the United States’ [oldest symphony orchestra](http://www.korea-dpr.com/pmenu.htm) an open invitation to play the [DPK](http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1336869620070813).

The Great Leader has a penchant for private engagements that have been said to include an imported [pizza chef from Italy, a sushi chef on loan] from Japan, and other luxuries like his [10,000-bottle wine cellar](http://www.conjecturer.com/weblog/?p=3503). Then, of course, there's the “Mansions Special Volunteer Corps,” a [harem](http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/12/13/bloomberg/sxpesek.php) large enough to overtake [Barker’s Beauties](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barker%27s_Beauties). So if America signs off on the gig, it will probably be for Kim and pals only.

Eric Latzky, a spokesperson for the New York Philharmonic, said the 106-person orchestra will not accept the surprise invite without [Uncle Sam’s blessing]. For some reason, we don't expect that to be happening any time soon.

*The sunglasses Mr. Kim favors look custom-made and actually resemble [Ambervision] shades more than Blublockers. But “Blublocker-rockin’" definitely sounds better than “Ambervision-rockin’.”