A Lethal Weapon

It is the most interesting role Mel Gibson has ever played. Even his acting skills--which are one-note performances-- can't compare with his latest, fascinating character. He is playing a psycho, a man on the edge of madness, someone who will do bodily injury to either himself or someone else. A ticking time bomb ready to do fatal damage. And, as we all have heard, he is playing his real- life self.... Now, I have never been a fan of Mel Gibson. I do not dislike him or am jealous of his looks , as many men are [ jealousy ain't in my DNA, folks]. I always found him to be a bland actor. Once in a while I would like a movie he was in but, rarely for his acting. He always has seemed too jittery for my tastes. A nervous guy who made me nervous watching him. But, for most of his career, he banked on his good looks to drive him to stardom. And, it sure did. I have never met a woman who did not have a serious case of the hots for the man. Many a girlfriend would drag me to his films so she could feast on him. I didn't mind. Everybody should have the right to gaze lustfully at your favorite sex object. Plus, I benefitted from the experience of her being turned on, if you know what I am saying. So, Mel Gibson was just another actor I tolerated while waiting for a good performance from a real actor. This is not a criticism of him, but, I always liked real acting as opposed to movie star acting. Mel Gibson sure has qualified as a movie star, I grant you that. From the early 80's until, oh, the early part of this century, he was a top dog in Hollywood. Money and adulation flowed from his loyal fan base and he successfully maintained a series of career moves. He went from actor to producer to director. He even picked up an Oscar for his overpraised movie ''Braveheart''. He was riding high all these years and making money for himself and the studio. With that, he seemed to be a Teflon actor. Nothing could stain his reputation... Now, we know there was a demon side to him. One of the tricks of Hollywood is to hide the real person from his or her adoring public. This is not new. Most performers are vastly different people than what their public believes they are. And, that is ok also. It is not necessary for a performer in any field to lead a life of virtue. We are all human beings with human being faults-- and, that applies to our stars. As long as they are not horrible, abusive human people, then how they are personally is of no importance. The only thing that should matter to the public is the product they give you. If you are satisfied with it then the job of the performer is done.... Mel Gibson, and his real self, slips away from this point. We have all heard the tapes of his rantings. He seems like a man at war with himself and the world. His screams seem like the screams of someone in physical agony, of a man screaming in madness. It goes beyond a mere cry for help. The man seems to be the type of people we hear about after a tragedy. You know, the person who shoots up the workplace because the torment in his soul has been unleashed. I would be very leery to let someone I care about anywhere near his presence. The rage that seems to be in his soul comes out in frightening intensity. I hope I am wrong about this, but, one day it could prove to be fatal... I saw him the other night on the ''Tonight Show''. He was promoting his newest project, whatever it is. The audience seemed on edge watching him, as did Jay Leno. We have all heard so much of his behavior in the last few years I guess I was expecting anything from him [ and, I must admit I watched him to see what his behavior would be like, normally, I would not have watched him ]. He tried to be cute and joking about his most recent breakdown. This is another trick a performer has when they have an audience watching: to manipulate the crowd and put them on his side. Gibson tried to spin his latest escapade into a comic story where he was the victim being taped in his house. He does have a point because he didn't know he was being taped, and, legally, there could be an issue. The tape, made by the son of a screenwriter that Gibson was fueding with because of a movie script, showed Gibson screaming at the Heaven's again about how he has been wronged. I am not sure Mel Gibson was successful the other night with the ''Tonight Show'' audience in swaying them to his side. There was a few nervous laughs, but, no great marching to his side of the audience's sympathy... How this madness could have been kept hidden all of these years is amazing. One trip I made to L.A. in the mid-90's, I met , through a mutual friend, Mel Gibson's personal assistant. I  his name was Doug and he seemed like a good guy. I was with other friends who worked for stars so I was enjoying the stories of people who worked for the Rich and Famous. Doug worked for Tom Cruise and Jodie Foster before Gibson. He said Mel was a good guy. Real done to earth man who loved his family and was very religious. Also, very funny. Doug liked my sense of humor and said that Mel and myself would hit it off very well together, bouncing thoughts off each other. Doug invited me on the set of Mel's newest movie he was filming, ''Conspiracy Theory,'' to have lunch with him. I was flying out of town the next day, so, I had to decline. I am curious now about if I had been able to make that lunch date. Would I have seen the madness lurking there? Sometimes a complete stranger sees a person more clearly than a close friend. Maybe I would have seen a man gripped by his demons and crying out for help. Maybe I would seen a man severely filled with self-loathing and hate for the outside world. Maybe I would have seen a complete phony who has fooled everyone else around him and his audience... Had I gone to that lunch my guess is I would have seen a charming guy playing ''Mel Gibson'' to the world. It is a role he has played for a few decades until it caught up to him. Now, he must face who he really is. If his family and friends truly love him then they will get him the help he desperately needs, perhaps, even being placed in an institution. This does not seem extreme to me. He is crazy. Whatever therapy he has had obviously is not effective. He needs help immediately and forcefully... Otherwise, think of that scene in ''Lethal Weapon'' when he is sitting in his trailer, drunk, playing with a loaded gun. That image is close to reality...

The Rebel At 75

He came at us grinning wildly from underneath a football helmut, riding on top of a Harley. He waved at the camera-- meaning us, the audience-- while he was on that motorcycle. At that moment, in the film ''Easy Rider'', in that year of 1969, Jack Nicholson became a star. And, the world of film--and, pop culture-- has always been grateful.... Jack Nicholson turns 75 at the end of this month. It seems almost unbelievable that this iconic rebel and personality and symbol of the freedom of youth will be that age. Like Frank Sinatra before him, Jack [ beloved icons only require one name because they are so beloved, like Frank] is eternally young and rebellious in the publics mind. This man of swagger and vitality is in the autumn of his years, and certainly, has slowed down with time. But, Jack is ageless. Gracing life with a gusto of living life to the fullest that has always amused the public. His characters on film seem to be a window of whom he is off-screen. A no-bullshit guy from Jersey who takes life on his own terms. Not wanting to hurt anyone except the phonies who control us all. That spirit of rebellion inflames his work and his personal life. He is that rare combination of superb actor and Movie Star.... I obviously do not know the man. My perspective of him comes from closely studying him for years, for he is my favorite actor. Whether he is or is not his characters in private life is not important . He projects his likability through his actions on us and we project them back. It is that surrender of our feelings to him that creates that wonderful bond we have with him: therefore, We Know Jack... For my younger friends reading this who only know his work from his recent films, where he has played on the ''Jack'' persona instead of getting into a fresh character, I urge you to go back into the past and discover his genius from his 70's period. Before ''Easy Rider'' propelled him to the forefront of acting, Jack spent a good 10 years slugging it out in the Hollywood trenches, through some God-awful ''B'' movies, looking for his break. This period can be excused : you have to take whatever role you get to pay the rent. Start then with '' Five Easy Pieces'', his first film after ''Easy Rider''. In ''Five Easy Pieces'', released in 1970, Jack was a mirror for a lost generation just finding its way out of the turbulant 60's. The Baby Boomers needed an actor to express their dissatisfaction of what life had become. The deep divisions in this country over civil rights and the war in Vietnam had found a voice in music, but, not in the movies. Youth needed an actor to show it was throwing off the shackles of the previous generations ideals. Jack sang, with his acting, all of those hopes and dreams and anti-establishment feelings that was in the core of the Boomers. Take his classic moment in the diner in ''Five Easy Pieces''. Every serious film fan knows, or, should know this movie moment. It involves Jack simply trying to get toast for his order. The snotty waitress-- representing the establishment of doing things ''our way''-- rudely tells him he can't get his toast and just has to except what the menu tells him he gets. With precision type authority, Jack tells the waitress off . I will not ruin the moment if you have never seen it. YouTube it. It is priceless.But, that moment shows, as in many Nicholson movies, that he is speaking up for us up there on-screen. We have all been through those moments of authority telling us we can't do something, even though it is hurting no one, and we have earned the right to have our damn toast anyway we want it. Jack is our Fighter, voicing our rage at outrage.The blue-collar guy fighting our battles for us... Bad Ass Jack on-screen also shows a soft, caring heart. Witness the tender moment in ''Terms Of Endearment'', when after rejecting Shirley Maclaine, he shows up unannounced to hold her and comfort her when she needs him the most. Witness the sweet moments in ''As Good As It Gets'', when after learning to care for his gay friend whom he has always rejected, Jack takes him into his home and shelters him. Or, the moment at dinner when he tells Helen Hunt that he is taking the pills he hates for her, so, he can become a better man for her. Or, in the underrated movie ''About Schmidt'', where he plays a lonely man haunted by his wife's death and his inability to bond with his estranged daughter. These moments in these fine movies show a tender heart beating beneath the swagger, something many of us have. These moments  poignancy and human caring forever cement our audience relationship with Jack.... The great actor Gene Hackman once said that the reason he goes to a Jack Nicholson movie is that he feels that Jack knows a secret about the world, or, about relationships, or, about being the essence of cool, and, Hackman believes that every movie Jack makes he will impart that secret to all of us, the audience. He never does, says Hackman, and that is why Hackman will watch his movies over and over: to find that secret of life.... Part of Nicholson's charisma comes from his much discussed personal life. That image of him that spices up his performances. By all accounts, Jack spent most of his adult life as a swinging bachelor who constantly draws women into his orbit. With his pals Marlon Brando and Warren Beatty, they were the most notorious Hollywood ladies men of the last 50 years. These famous and rich men-- who were neighbors, inspiring the Beverly Hills police department to label their street ''Bad Boy Lane'' because of the endless parties and women--- enjoyed with relish all of the trappings of success. Beatty eventually settled down, Brando, of course, died, but, Jack still keeps the hedonistic flame burning up there on Mulholland Drive. Women report that he takes care of them, both in the bedroom and out. He has had many children with many women, and, seems to be a doting father. The Rascal Jack still remains, though. Every once in a while, you will hear of a lady he is dating--usually several decades his junior. The flaw in his relationships with women is his inability to stay faithful. He never hid this fact from them, but, his carousing of thousands of women [ by his own account] has stopped him from having a serious, long term companion at this stage of his life. Jack still enjoys playing the Rogue. Maybe, it is tied into his characters in his movies: you can't control a Rebel. As a fellow guy who loves women I give Jack high marks at his age, still in there pitching..... It is not necessary to enjoy the person and their personal exploits in order to enjoy their work. That is the ultimate statement of any artist. The work. And, Jack Nicholson has the largest canvass of quality work of any film actor for the last 40 plus years. A review: a drifter who embodies a lost generation in ''Five Easy Pieces''. A career sailor bent on showing a poor soul one last good time in ''The Last Detail.'' Private eye Jake Gittes plowing through corruption, and finally learning, a secret that shocks his soul in his best movie, ''Chinatown.'' The ultimate rebel against the establishment, McMurphy, in his second best movie, ''One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.'' A madman on the loose in ''The Shining''. '' That astronaut who loves Shirley Maclaine in ''Terms Of Endearment.'' The dumb, comic hitman in ''Prizzi's Honor''. A bum haunted by his past in the great ''Ironweed''. A wild comic turn in ''Batman''. His few good scenes in the otherwise laughable ''A Few Good Men''. A blistering performance as Jimmy Hoffa in ''Hoffa''. The father who seeks revenge against the man who killed his daughter accidentally in the interesting Sean Penn directed movie ''The Crossing Guard''. That angry and isolated artist who learns about friendship and love in ''As Good As It Gets''. A retired man who finds himself, late in life, in ''About Schmidt''. And, his no-holds barred performance in Martin Scorsese's ''The Departed''. These works brought Jack 3 Academy Awards and the respect of the industry. He is, by common consensus, the most admired and popular man in the Hollywood community. When he comes down from Mulholland Drive to work, a ripple runs through the industry and the public. He is Our Jack, the beloved symbol of the times we have lived in.... In closing I do have a Jack story. I was an extra on ''Hoffa'' in 1992, when it filmed in Chicago for 2 weeks. It was a night shoot, so the actual work started in the wee hours. One night, I saw Jack, uh, ''altered'' from the ''spices of life''. I was standing next to him and Danny DeVito, who was directing. DeVito asked Jack if he was ok. Jack smiled that killer smile of his and said yes. I did not talk to Jack that night, my error, but, it was fun to be in his presence and to see him work. The nights I saw him act he was flawless. Never a mistake. Prepared and punctual. Except for one night he was late... You see, the Bulls were playing Portland in the championship and we were waiting for him. This was the time before cell phones, so, one of the extras called home on a pay phone and spoke with his wife. The man said, yes, we were waiting for Nicholson. Nobody knew where he was. The wife then told her husband that she was watching him at that moment on T.V. He was sitting in the crowd, shades on, with a beautiful woman next to him. High on life. Rebel to the end.... Happy Birthday, Jack!!!!!

Random Thoughts: April 2012

Several people have asked me if I am going to write a blog about the case of Trayvon Martin. My response is, in due time. I am old-fashioned. I want to hear the facts in the case and know the whole story first before I venture a opinion. That is how I am-- and, how all people should be-- in a case like this that seems to have many layers to it. We should know ALL of the facts before we start passing our own judgments. There will be plenty of time for people to take sides and to throw rocks. What does gall me is, once again, we see the professional hustlers and publicity-seeking maggots who immediately jump on any story to further their own personal careers. Not just the race-baiters like a Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, but the always on-the-make media types who spin and manipulate a story for their own personal power. People like Nancy Grace and Piers Morgan and the vile TMZ show and website. These people claim to keep us ''informed'', that is their mantra. What they do is create more divisions by playing the juicy side to any story. These jackals, like Jackson and Sharpton, are usually exploiting the real problems of race and inequality in society, for again, personal career gain [ which translates into profits for them]. It is a form of grave robbing when death is the central issue in the story. But, they will spin it for themselves. I just want to be there when they try to explain their actions to God.... And, speaking of Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton: this sad case is the latest example of a lifetime of these two shysters picking their battles when they should be fighting the real problem of the disease of violence. These two show up wherever, stir up whomever, threaten the powers that be with the barely veiled threat of violence and retaliation, and, usually claim victory when a settlement has been reached. Also, as with any shady and questionable deal, there are pockets being lined close to them [ check the famous hustling act Jackson did when he went after Budweiser years ago. His sons ended up with a distribution deal with the company].  The real problem that should be addressed is the appalling murder rate in the inner-city. Decent , innocent families are losing children to the problems of gangs, and, the no-value  feeling placed on a human life. Drugs fester in an alarming rate. Drive-by shootings happen every week. It is like the lawless Old West. The police are not welcome, so, it falls on the internal population to take charge-- peacefully and through communal action. There is where Jackson and Sharpton should be if they truly did care about people. Solving the horror of an ever-expanding world of crime and murder. Alas, there is no glory for them here. Also, there is a different kind of threat to them that would finally see the light of day: that they will fail and be exposed for the charlatans and exploiters of human misery that they are. I just want to be there when they explain their actions to God.... Charles Manson was denied parole again. It is sure to be his last time for he is 77 years old. He will die in prison. I have noticed that our old friends in the media call him ''Charlie'', almost in an affectionate manner. Like he is a favorite drinking buddy, or, a rascal who does cute, harmless things. His name should be announced properly, for as we know, he is no friend to mankind. That we utter his name at all is obscene,  that is what he always wanted. For some strange reason, in the last 40 years, he has attained a strange level of celebrity. Bands write songs about him, misguided kids think he is the ultimate symbol of anti-establishment. I have a deep knowledge of him and I do not know why, for I certainly do not admire him. Perhaps, it is because of the fascination with evil that we all have. We must study it, of course. If we do not, and just dismiss it, then it has the chance of reappearing again in some form-- the old saying of those that do not learn from the mistakes in history are doomed to repeat them. It seems obscene, though, to remember his man while I am sitting calmly and peacefully and safely in my home, away from the madness and horror that the world can be, but, I do. I can't help thinking Sharon Tate felt that same comfort and serenity and peace sitting in her home that terrible night. The killers then broke into her house and shattered that feeling. Let us remember those final moments for her : she was eight months pregnant, begging for her life and the life of her unborn son. And, these monsters, on the orders of Charles Manson, held her down and took turns stabbing her. Her last word was ''Mother''. She was calling out for her Mom. To have this scum alive, while Sharon Tate and her unborn son have missed out on life for forty years, is beyond obscene. Manson and his people were given the death penalty when convicted, but, it was overturned one year later by the California Supreme Court. The sentences were changed to life in prison with a chance for parole, which is where the farce of their parole hearings happen every few years. I wish I could be there when Manson and the killers face God. I think we all know what will happen... So, it looks like Mitt Romney will be the candidate to go up against President Obama. Excited? I am not. But, he will do battle with the President in November, so, look for both parties to, once again, tell us they have the right guy to solve all of our problems and lead us into the promised land. That is nice of them because I know every politician sits around worrying desperately about me and my life. Just the other day, the White House personally called me and asked if I am in good health and if I am eating a lot of cheddar cheeseballs. That these candidates have my well being foremost in their minds fills me with a swelling pride. Here is what they can really do for me, whichever one of them wins in November: Leave me and my loved ones alone. Keep the government away from my life. I will live it honestly and without harming anyone. I do not need the government to tell me how, and what my life should be. Stay away from all of us because we are tired of the same bullshit of some new politician selling us the same bill of goods every election. Too many lives have been lost in the political agenda that they ALL have. Too much of our treasure has been spent. And, our childrens future- the most important issue out there- is no longer secure. If you truly want to do something, Romney or Obama, then secure this future for them. Work together and stop the schoolyard arguing and name calling. Fix the debt and keep us safe. Get us out of unwinnable wars before more blood is spilled. Give us a strong economy where we all have a chance to find our spot. For the last dozen years, we have experienced a world none of us ever imagined would happen. Politicians and world leaders created this world, therefore, you have the ability to solve the problems that exist. I am no naive rookie. I know some will not go along with this plan, but, most must. Dignity of an honest way of living has gone away. Bring it back, along with the ability of being kind. Come together for our children and your children. Then, when it is the time, I would like to be there when God tells you that you did well....

Spring Forward

I once heard the reason we love baseball in our culture is because it takes us Home. Home being the symbol of comfort. Home is the place where we get away from the madness of the world. Home is where we love and are loved back. You are Safe At Home. That is the whole purpose of a baseball player--- to go Home... Spring always brings that same sense of the comfort of Home and the renewal of life. Baseball can be also called the sport of that same renewal of life. We have made it through the stormy tempest of Winter. Through the cold and lifeless feeling that those months entail. Like a bear, you just want to hibernate. Do not wake me until life starts up again in the Spring. I do not want to expend much energy and effort because of the bleakness of these surroundings. I will renew in the Spring. And, then, the magic starts... Start, obviously, with the nicer weather. That first really NICE day!!! The sun shines. The birds sing. There is an extra step in a person's being. Smiles come easily and often to your face. You feel life entering your system again. And, that feeling you had as a kid makes a welcome reappearance. That feeling of endless possibilities that the day will bring to you. The next six months will be good to you because you have earned it. You will smell the freshly cut lawn. You will enjoy the aroma of charcoal while a barbecue is near [ I much prefer the old-fashioned way of charcoal cooking than a gas grill] The cooking of steaks and burgers and brauts--- ask yourself this, do you eat brauts anytime in the Winter? The heavy clothing gets put away in a drawer or the back of the closet to be forgotten until the late Fall. Out comes the short-sleeve shirts and the shorts. And, if you are like me, you have put on some pounds over the last few months, so, you are left with the nagging question: do I go on a dreaded diet or do I just buy new clothes in a bigger size? I try a diet at the beginning of Spring, but, I cheerfully fail to succeed and end up buying the new clothes, or, try stuffing my Greek-like physique into my existing clothes. I sure have popped a lot of buttons doing that.... Spring brings back the memories of youth. Middle-age adults join softball teams and other outdoor sports. This is fun, to be sure, but, also to channel the memories of playing ball with your friends so long ago. The fun you had as a kid of being active and having no worries jumps back and swims into your soul, albeit in a much slower form... Sitting outside with my parents when I was a kid has always stayed with me . It was simple, but, very satisfying. We had a patio outside our house-- this is when houses had patios and not decks like today-- and, we would talk, laugh, argue, and, most importantly, feel the joy of being with each other that only family can inspire. The weather seemed nicer then, the air filled with life and times together that would last forever. We were living the moment with each other. All was well. Safe At Home..... I still love to sit outside and enjoy the prospect of doing next to nothing. I enjoy the tranquility. Sometimes, I may be with a large group of people having a great party. We sit around and bullshit to nothing in particular. We play games. We swim. We have some tasty food and some good beverages. And, sometimes, I am sitting contently on my balcony at home, chatting with the neighbors, smoking a good cigar, having a glass of wine or three, with a female friend as my co-pilot. Sometimes, I am alone. These special times all are flowing together in the good times that Spring inspires. I enjoy this speed. I suppose, in some form, I am calling on the past with my departed family members. I feel their presense strongly at moments like this in this Spring weather. They are singing to me in the wind... And, Spring brings me baseball and the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs were my first love as a child. We all know that you never get over your first love. I knew all the players and their numbers. There is a blog from a year ago that I wrote talking about my memories and history with this club. Now, well meaning friends of mine, who are not fans of this team, often ask me, being as smart as I am, how can I continue to follow a team that has always been the laughingstock of sports? Why put myself through the pain of this madness year after year? It is a valid question, I grant you. No sports team in the history of sports has done more for the art of losing and breaking their fans hearts than the Chicago Cubs. My answer? Well, I guess it is tied a little into my feelings of Spring. That promise and renewal of life. That seeps into my feeling for the Cubs. Unlike when I was a kid, I know that the winning or losing of this team is not tied into my own personal happiness and self-worth. There are some sad, misguided adults who still carry that cross with them, but, not me. I believe in the redemption of this team, just as Spring redeems us all from the horror that is Winter. I am not conned easily, my dear reader. I know that they are not going to be good this year. Realism and common sense do exist in most of us Cubs fans. We see the mountain they have to climb. I don't care. The simple fact is this team gives me pleasure. I have always rooted for the underdog-- since I am one, and, I am guessing you all are also. The Cubs are the beaten down people who still rise and begin anew every year. They plant the seed of life and hope for life growth. Just like Spring....  So, we have all made it through the darkness of Winter. Spring has sprung and we reap the rewards. Summer will be here soon, but, Spring must be enjoyed. It is the new-born baby of seasons. All is new and all is fresh. Get out and enjoy it. Sit outside in a nice comfortable chair while your loved ones are around you. Close your eyes and feel the breeze and the warmth of the sun. Enjoy the calm and the goodness of being alive. The world spins around you, but, this is the important world for you. I will send you my love in that wind as I am enjoying it also.... Safe At Home....