Just.... Go Away

Now that the final days of the year are counting down I must give a few comments. This is the time of the year when there are lists of people who have died, mostly famous, but, some who are not generally known to all of us. These lists remind us, ''Oh, yeah, I forgot he died in this year''. So, it is with great relish that I give a few moments of my time to the people who I wish would go away forever. Now, mind you, I am not advocating their deaths---- for I am all love. But, rather, I just state my irritation that they continue to suck up favorable oxygen and are complete wastes of skin. So, here were go...... Any Politician. It is sure easy to want nothing good to happen to these shysters who pretend to have our--- ha, ha,---- best interests at heart. However, I do wish them some success because it trickles down to us when they do well. But, they aren't doing well. I never heard the term''Fiscal Cliff'' before [ sounds like a Pink Floyd album]. Apparently, this means that we are going fast over an possible economic collapse. The major players in this, the President and Speaker Boehner want the best for us. They wanna save us, but, those darn rascals in the other party won't cooperate!!! So, they are in a stalemate. Which could bring everything crashing down. To see the leader of the free world, and, his Republican opposite argue about who is wrong shows us, once again, the pig-headedness of politics. These stooges got us into this muck, now, they wanna save us. And, how are we going to be saved? Well, dear class, through more money leaving all our pockets, to be put into theirs. The system is so screwed up that we can no longer blame a single party, or, economic plan. Share the burden, boys. Fix the problem with the decency of a human being. And, then Go Away...... Tom Cruise and John Travolta. Come on, guys, we all know that you are closet dicksmokers. The rumors about the ''Scientology Boys'' have been prancing around since they became famous. Rumors usually die after a year or two, but, with these two, the rumors have only gotten stronger. Travolta was the subject of two lawsuits this year from people who were paid to give him a ''massage''. Now, to be fair, both lawsuits were thrown out of court. That doesn't mean that there wasn't some merit to what was alleged, only that there was no, ahem, hard evidence. A more reliable witness to the life of Travolta comes in the form of his good friend, Carrie Fisher. She stated a couple of years ago that all of his friends know of his behavior and have no problem with it. So, Fisher says, he should come clean [ stop giggling]. And, Tommy Cruise? Our Top Gun in Hollywood still tries to play macho with his toy movies. Once again, Cruise is saving the world for the good of Scientology in his latest film, ''Jack Reacharound'', or, whatever it is called. I made a Facebook joke several months ago about how auditions for his new ''wife'' must be a hot ticket for any actress with ambition and no self-esteem. Well, I wasn't far off!!! Several reliable publications have stated that he is, in fact, searching for his new wife. Good God!!! Is this poor son of a bitch screwed up!!!! Both actors should come forward and say the truth. Their days of matinee idol status are long gone. Their movies bring in a fraction of what they used to, so, obviously, the public is not buying their fiction. So, come out of the closet, boys. And, then, Go Away.... The Kardashians and the Jersey Shore casts. I know. This is a slam-dunk. What more needs to be said about this brainless lot? Well, not much about them, but, a lot about their audience who continue to watch this mental train wreck without seeing the light of knowledge. Yes, I understand the theory of many people who say that they watch knowing full well that it is insulting to anyone's intelligence. They see the joke, so, that is why they do not take it seriously. Ok, I will grant some people that, for the sake of the argument. However, what these people do fail apparently to understand is that network executives do not care why you watch, just that you watch. They are making money regardless of the audiences intentions. Why anyone would willingly sink to the level of this trash is beyond my scope of understanding. They are being used, just like the morons who watch and believe they are seeing unscripted, ''reality'' TV. Most of the audience fails to grasp the manipulations that go into programs like this. It is the equivalent of acting like a moron because other people act that way, ignoring the truth that they all a re in the same cesspool and should be judged as one. Many people I know and love watch this dreck and it stumps me of why they do it. So, the best thing is for these cretins on the show-- and, their makers--- to just Go Away..... How about people on Facebook who post EVERYTHING AND EVERY THOUGHT that they have? There are some great thinkers on FB. But, I do not need to hear about how you just had a great political thought, or, about your most recent bowel movement [ the case can be made that these two thoughts can be one in the same]. Another thing that frosts me is when people steal well-known thoughts of famous people and use them as their own without giving due credit to the author. So, if you must be an egotist and share every brilliant thought and reflection on life, please, do not do it on FB. Do it the old-fashioned way: write a blog. Go Away...... Jimmy Fallon. I have to scratch my head until I am bloody to figure out if this shithead has ever done anything even remotely funny. He sure thinks he has. Every once in a while a performer will rise to the top of the entertainment world without any scrap of talent. Fallon is this generation's symbol. He was not funny on ''SNL'' when he was on, with his smirking and ''look how funny I am in this sketch because I can't keep a straight face'' way of performing. His talk show is not really a talk show. It is just a way for him to go from one bad impression to another with a occasional stop with talking to a hapless guest. And, his commercials should be used by medical people to induce vomiting, so painful that they are. I don't get it. I have a fairly strong knowledge of comedy. Even some comedians I do not like I concede have talent, like Billy Crystal or Mike Myers. But, Fallon stumps me. Why Lorne Michaels put all his faith into this guy is an open question. Lorne, who still produces the comatose ''SNL'', has long lost whatever ability to spot funny people. Maybe, because of Lorne Michaels standing in the show business industry, Fallon flourishes. I don't know. I do know that Jimmy Fallon needs to Go Away...... Finally, the year ended with an unspeakable tragedy in a school in Newtown. Nothing more needs to be said about this horror. What needs to be said is how every year we seem to sink more and more into the abyss of murder. Society has become a killing machine, as never before in our history. Why? Well, partly--- and, it is a big part---- because of what we watch. I am one of those who blame Hollywood and video games for adding to the mind of a psycho with the endless displays of violence and destruction. I saw the great director, Quentin Tarantino, recently interviewed on the subject. As much as a fan I am of his work I also concede that he just does not get the link between movie mayhem and real-life mayhem. He defended the right of the artist to express himself in any way that he wants. Well, that is true in terms of artistic license, but, he fails to make a convincing case for society not being influenced by it. Tarantino is on the other side of life, so, part of what he says can be excused as someone living in a bubble of comfort. But, he is very wrong about the influence violence has on society. Walk into any mall and hear the talk, or, see the wardrobe being worn by young adults. It is out of any movie or hip-hop song. Popular movies and music nowadays, more often than not, express rage and disrespect at all society. There has always been that speck of rebellion throughout the generations of youth, but, never more deep and never more hateful, than we see now. The biggest influences on teeneagers and young adults is music and movies and video games. And, most preach some kind of violence on society. Is it any wonder that deeply disturbed individuals, after being constantly exposed to all this madness and dark impulses, break down mentally and lash out. Some do it verbally. Some physically. And, some take out a gun from somewhere and fire at the innocent. I have never believed in censorship across the board because it does curtail originality to some degree. Still, the mindless violence should be policed. Never before have we had this problem. As I write this, there is a commercial playing advertising the remake of ''The Texas Chainsaw Massacre In 3D''. I guarantee that some disturbed minds will find this movie to be an outlet for their horrible thoughts. And, somewhere in these misguided minds, a seed of violence is being planted. This type of entertainment cannot be tolerated anymore. It needs to Go Away...... Remember, I am still all about love. These thoughts are just a few nuggets of what sticks in my craw from time to time. I'm sure that you have yours. However, let me wish you all ''Happy New Year'', full of good health and wealth and good memories. I will see most of you throughout the year and let us all have good times. Cheers!!!!..........

I Will Always Believe

The children were waiting patiently. As patiently as children can wait. They lined up with Mom, and, or Dad. They were waiting for HIM. The Big Guy. The big, fat guy with the beard and the red suit. He only comes once a year, as they very well know, so, this visit was very important in their young minds. I'm sure each child wondered if they had been naughty or nice the past year. HE knew. As we learn, naughty does not get presents from Santa, only nice. From my untrained parental eye I would put these kids who were in front of me in the ''nice'' column. They sure had a lot of energy and smiles. The only truly great line for a person to wait in is for Santa Claus. I got in line..... Perhaps, because of the recent horrors inflicted on children, I felt the need to be in that line. It was a shopping mall. Recently, a mall was invaded by a madman who destroyed lives. And, the searing horror of an elementary school being the scene of unbelievable carnage and mayhem involving children. This time of the year is for children. There should be no sign of life flexing its cruelty on them. Innocence and sweet joy should be experienced. Not death. We are only young for a blink of an eye and every drop of that youth should be enjoyed to the fullest. Santa Claus has always been the universal sign of that sweetness and joy of life. That glorious, faraway figure in the sky who descends down to bring what he or she most desires, a present. And, wrapped in that present is the spirit of love. Every child is entitled to feel it...... I remember fondly my belief in Santa. I have golden memories of lying in bed and listening closely to the sounds of the roof on our house. There were times when I thought I heard the reindeer land. Santa must be there. Now, I was told to stay in bed all night because you were not supposed to see Santa. That part was magic. He was a phantom, a wonderful image on a childs mind. But, I must confess to falling to curiosity of seeing him in the flesh. I would sneak downstairs and try to catch him. I do not know if we left cookies and millk for him. Knowing my family, it was probably cheeseballs and pizza and gnocchi. I would tiptoe around the presents that were already laid out by my parents----- usually bumping into my brother who was doing the same thing as me---- and see if Santa had been there yet. Alas, the rascal had not shown yet. Up the stairs and back in bed I went, giving him a little more time. He had to be close!!!! The TV news showed his sleigh on the radar!!! He just had to be close!!!!....... Santa was always good to my family. But, even at my young, tender age, I was aware that other children were going without. My Mom and Dad, those angels of good heart and soul, always told us that there were kids in the world who were too poor to receive gifts. I remember watching the late, great Johnny Carson read actual letters from little kids requesting what they wanted for Christmas from Santa. Many of these letters were hilarious, but, many were small cries of pain for any gift from Santa. There was not a dry eye in the house as Carson read these sad pleas, including Johnny himself. I always wondered if Santa would give them gifts. My Mom and Dad skittered around my questions of why these children couldn't get gifts like we all did. It was very wise of Mom and Dad to do this because the truth would be very painful to learn for a child. I thank them for keeping me in blissful denial of reality. However, my parents always made sure that we had those poor kids in our thoughts and prayers. And, typical of Mom and Dad, they gave to charities and organizations who helped the poor and needy. In my childhood, my parents always stressed helping out those less fortunate. Children were front and center to receive help...... Back then, we opened gifts on Christmas morning. We could each open one gift Christmas Eve, but, that was it. Which made sense because Santa came in the middle of the night. It must have happened when I fell asleep for that short time, I would tell myself. I missed him again!!!, Somehow, Santa got in the house and quietly left our gifts and slipped back out without anyone noticing. He would have made a great CIA agent.... In time, the magic and wonder of believing in Santa goes away. Perhaps, this is the first sign for the child that the world is filled with disappointment. That realization that Santa is not real. I was told the full story at whatever age, that Santa was Mom and Dad after all. Somehow, that eased my disappointment because what I did was replace one fictional hero with two very real and more important heroes.....What we have experienced recently with the shooting of children shocked us all to the core of our beings. The senseless and tragic loss of life, all life. The rest of the year is filled with death and bleakness, somehow, someone dying around Christmas seems obscene. Especially, a child. This time of the year is for them. Little kids should be with their friend Santa and not going to funerals and memorial services. The only innocent time in life is when you are a child. There is that wonderful bubble that a child should live in. You are protected, or, you should be. Santa is your reward for being in that bubble..... I'd like to think that a small part of my soul still believes in Santa Clause. The optimist in me, who brushes off the madness that the world can so often bring forth, still holds dear that this far away knight in shining red suit, will grant us our fondest wishes. He will always have us in that protective bubble of youth and fairy tales. Santa Claus, the figure, of course, was not real. Santa Clause, the symbol, will never die in my heart..... The line at the mall moved fairly quickly. Soon, kids were jumping on the lap of Santa's helper and telling him what they wanted for Christmas. Dolls. Trains. A bike. A horse!!!! And, some poorly dressed kids just wanted any gift to open. The spirit of the season was very real that day I went. No death. No shootings. No prejudice or hate. Just the feeling of life. That spirit that flows through all of us everyday. When my time came, obviously, I did not sit on Santa's helper's lap. There were a few jokes exchanged among the adults around us. Humor is one of God's finest creations. Finally, Santa asked me what I wanted for Christmas. The answer, especially now, was simple...... ''Peace On Earth. Goodwill Towards Man''.......

My Sister Lisa

We were sitting on the couch as the sad people slowly filed by. You know, that terrible last walk by the casket before you say goodbye to a loved one. It is the final procession for the morners before the casket is closed. My sister and I sat there for our Mom. The line was long with much crying, both Lisa and myself, and the people who had loved our mother. As we shared our tears for the woman who gave both of us life, Lisa turned to me, and, with much love, said, ''Its just you and me, now''.... My sister Lisa was born on October 1, 1956. She was the first child for my parents after trying to conceive for a few frustrating years. There was some concern that my Mom could not have children. So, when little Lisa brightened the world on this great day, a little miracle arrived in my family. Pictures and family video from that time show a beautiful little girl with a twinkle in her eyes and a zest for life. She has never grown out of that look. Now, if you were ever to view our family video [ of which, my brother is in some, and, I, in a blink of an eye ] my sister sure exhibited the flair for the camera. Cut the bullshit: she was a show-off!! She seemed to be the center of any event, always smiling and dancing. Lisa was always close to my Mom's side of the family and there were sure tons of kids to play with on that side. The video shows them all clowning and romping around for any willing audience. There is no sound, but, had there have been, you would have heard the sound of laughter and love. That has always been front and center in my family. We always had a good time with each other. And, in the company of my sister, the fun times were multiplied by her energy and sweet goodness. It is still the same with her today..... A girl on the Scoleri side of the family is very rare. We are all males. I know my sister has always wished for a baby sister to confide in, but, she was saddled with two brothers. And, the word ''saddled'' is written with a smile on my face. Lisa has never minded sharing the family spotlight with her brothers. My brother, Tommy, arrived in 1962, and, Lisa, at the tender age of six, took to him immediately. She helped bathe him and changed his diaper and rocked him. I am no expert on children. I know from first-hand experience with my brother that the realtionship between one child and another can be tricky. Lisa escaped this label. Maybe, she was practicing for her future role as a mother. But, she had endless patience with us boys and became a welcome buffer between me and my brother when we two argued. Lisa always stood up for me and was not afraid to fight my battles. It had to hurt her deeply that her brothers could never get along, but, she never played favorites. Lisa developed the family gene of always fighting and rooting for the underdog...... She loved ''The Mickey Mouse Club'' as a little girl. My parents would always tell me how she would always sing the closing song to the show every day. You may know it. Spelling out the words to Mickey Mouse. '' M-I-C-K-E-Y-M-O-U-S-E''. [ I hear you singing them softly to yourself ] Lisa would sit in front of the TV everyday singing her little heart out to her mouse friend. In a sweet, little girl's voice sent from Heaven. It must be said that Lisa has the only good singing voice in the family. I like to think that somehow, Mickey and The Mouseketeers heard her...... As a teenager, Lisa became a little rebellious. Not a problem--- she never has been---, but, she smoked a little and ditched class some. Actually, it was only gym class when she had to do bowling. Yeah, bowling. Somehow, this sport brought forth a problem. My parents were informed and she was punished. She was the first-born and received all the attention of a first-born, but, she also took the brunt of family punishment. One of the benefits of being born third is that your parents have been trained by your older siblings. Lisa took the hits for me and had to deal with curfew and getting a job and cleaning the house. Oh, I hear about it often, and, I tease her about it. I'm sure Lisa looks at this period as a learning experience. She has always been smart, a lot smarter than she realizes..... Her teeneage and early adult years remain a bit cloudy to me. She graduated from the famous Forest View High School and went to Community College. I really do not know what she wanted to do in life beyond always wanting to be a mother. Whatever career path she could have chosen would have been successful for her. She is smart and industrious. Motherhood, however, always called from her heart. She thought her first love might be the future father of her children. His name was Joe. From what Lisa told me, Joe was the man for her. First love is like that. All consuming and emotional. I was little back then, so, I do not really remember this relationship, but, I know she fell hard for him. And, he was in love with her. He also had the untamed lust of a young man. His attentions and feelings for Lisa, however strong, also found other women. In time, Lisa, as much as it hurt her soul, realized that they must part for life. It was something Lisa never got over. Love found her again, but, never like the love she felt for Joe..... Lisa married in 1980, after being courted and loved by a great guy named John. They were together for a few years before they became husband and wife. John became like a brother to me and fit easily into our family. In 1984, they blessed our family with their first born son, Johnny. A little golden-haired angel from above. Lisa, as a Mom, was as successful as anything she has ever attempted. More so. She gave our own Mom a run for the Best Mom In The World. Lisa fretted over Johnny and worried about his every move. She handled out the discipline when necessary, but, that was not very often because Johnny was a model child. Lisa has always loved children, as most women do, but--- and, this is not always universal with women--- she loved all children. She is as warm and gentle with a strangers child as she is with her own. The innate goodness that flows through her system sparkles mostly with kids. And, in 1989, she and John blessed the family again with the arrival of son number two, Joey. This boy is all Scoleri, while Johnny was a lot like his father. Joey was a moody child. Christ, he was a miserable son of a bitch!! Joey did not like to be held by anyone except Lisa. Joey sensed, at that precious age, how wonderful his Mom's embrace was..... Events unfolded as the years sped by. The horror of the 90's, when sickness and tragedy and death overtook our family. Lisa did handle it well, but, she took our family vanishing before our very eyes as hard as I did. I was on the front lines because she had her own little family to take care of. Lisa always came through when my parents and myself needed her. A simple phone call always brought her running. Plus, she had an added burden to deal with, unbeknownst to me and everyone else: she was dealing with a long-term marriage that was slowly ending..... This shocked what remained of my family. I know it did me. Lisa told me about her marriage ending in 2004. By that time our parents and brother were gone. Ironically, around this time, I also was ending a long-term relationship. There we were, two victims of love, sitting in her living room, crying on each other's shoulders. Lisa had more heartbreak than me because we were talking about her marriage that had ended after almost twenty-five years to someone who was [ and, still is ] a good man. The reasons for the split will reamin private here. There was pain, though. Love brings happiness when it spread its wings, but, we also know that it brings crushing sadness when it ends. From my perspective, things were amicable between her and my now former brother-in-law. Lisa got custody of the kids, who were almost men now. Johnny was twenty and Joey was fifteen. I was sad to see Big John depart the family, even though I knew it was the best for both of them. Lisa was my concern. She had never really been out on her own. Financially, John was very kind to her in the settlement. My worry, though, was when Lisa would decide to start dating. I did not want the wolves out there to prey on her. Lisa has never been the go to a bar and pick up a guy type. I just worried for my sister because I loved her and did not want her hurt. Who would be the next guy in her life became an open question.... Then, like a fairy-tale come to life, the answer came in the form of her first love, Joe. It shows you how one door closes and another one opens. Lisa was divorced for a few months when she went alone to a wedding. At this wedding, she came across someone who knew her lost love. They talked and it turns out that Joe was a free man who had never gotten over my sister. He realized what he had blown and he deeply regretted his loss of her. Lisa became intrigued. Could you go back and try again? She got Joe's number from this person and cautiously debated whether to call him where he was living in Wisconsin. Eventually, she did. Joe was thrilled to hear from her and the past came back for both of them. Whatever worry she may have felt in contacting him melted away as she felt the old stirring of true love again for him. Long story short: from that day forward, they are together  and in love. The old adage that you can't go home again proved, in this case, to be wrong. You can and she did!!!..... This is where she is right now in life. Various people have asked me when I would write a blog about my sister. I hesitated until now because Lisa is so normal. There is no juicy gossip about her. No drama or tempermental behavior. No arrests or violent, selfish episodes. She is no saint, but, she is darn close!!!!..... She is a Grandmother now. Three times. She adores this role in life and, believe me, her Grandchildren sure adore her. And, why not. She has the man of her dreams by her side, with loving and wonderful children and Grandchildren. Many friends and admirers. And, a brother who loves and looks up to her. We have always had a great relationship with each other, partly, because we do not interfere with each other's lives. I am sure she is occasionally wondering which woman I am dating and if I still howl at the moon in the wee hours.  I still am a little protective of her because, as she said at our Mom's funeral: it is just us now..... So, there, my big sister. This is your blog. It is a little taste for people to know a little about you. There is so much more to you than what I have written. My space is limited here. But, my love for you will never be.......

Little Big Man

The word dignity rarely is mentioned nowadays because it seems like very little of it is practiced by human beings. Every show seems to be about exposing whatever behavior is the most outrageous for the sake of a little notoriety. So, when someone does exhibit a touch of class they should be applauded and treasured. And, for the behavior to come from a Hollywood star, then, brother, it borders on being a small miracle.... Michael J. Fox has always been an agreeable actor. He has no special ability other to be very likable in any performance. That is acceptable. Not every actor shows the tremendous range of a Brando. We need the ''likable'' people to watch because after a long day of fighting the world we need someone to put a smile on our faces. Fox has filled that role since coming to prominance in the 80's with the ''Family Ties'' program. The show was mostly fluff, but, it was well done fluff. He was the conservative son of aging hippie parents, with two sisters who ran the gamut from wacky to sweet. The show was conceived to be about the parents, but, Fox rang the bell of teenage popularity. The show shifted its focus more towards him. It was a nice shift. It became more about the family and less about political positions, which it was in danger of becoming. For seven seasons, Fox was ''America's Son'' and first crush for many young girls. Nothing was expected from the show, or, from Michael J.Fox other than solid, wholesome entertainment. The cast did their jobs and the show is a pleasant memory from the 80's.... T.V. success led to movie success for him. ''Back To The Future'' became a tremendous hit in 1985. It was a sharp and whimsical comedy about time travel. Michael J. Fox became a movie star and throughout the late 80's and early 90's, he made a series of soft-entertainment films that played on his likable image. Off-screen, there seemed to be no dirt on this man. He worked in a notoriously backstabbing industry, where truth and reality rarely are joined together. Still, he was spared this hateful, jealous gossip. By all accounts, the decency he displayed in his ''reel'' life was no act in real life..... Around 1991, by his own reckoning, he developed a tremor in his right pinkie. At first, he dismissed it, as we all would, but, in time, the tremor persisted and he went for a physical checkup. The diagnosis was Parkinson's Disease, usually a disease that strikes older people rather than the young. While there is medicine to keep it under control, the long term affects are sobering. You slowly lose the ability to control your body. People have lived for years with this disease, but, like all diseases, it is an unwelcome intruder and monster in your body that will not leave..... Michael J. Fox kept the diagnosis private, at first, by telling only his family and close friends. His wife, Tracy Pollen [ a former co-star on ''Family Ties'' ] and his children formed his support group for his morale. The industry was blissfully unaware of his medical condition when he starred in the T.V. show, ''Spin City''. He kept America smiling while he secretly fought his illness. He did remarkably well. It wasn't until in the late 90's, when the Parkinson's got stronger, that he came before the public and told the full story. This coincided with his decision to leave his hit show. He wanted to spend more time with his family and concentrate on battling his disease. The public, shocked by his condition, rallied around him and sent best wishes from all over the world...... Now, Michael J. Fox, like Christopher Reeve before him with his paralysis, is playing the role of his life. It is a role he did not ask for. For whatever reason, he was chosen by fate to be the face of this cruel disease. This is where his class and dignity come together with his innate decency. He could have hidden behind closed doors [ which everyone would have understood ] , but, he has bravely put his body and soul on display for all to see. He wants to show the world that having Parkinson's Disease, or, any disease, for that matter, is not something to be ashamed of. He is front and center with his affliction, to be ridiculed by the cruel, and, admired by the sympathetic. I count myself in the latter group, as most people will. This brave, little man, has gone before the Big Chiefs in Congressional committees and pleaded for funding into research to cure this disease. His face is now associated with his going to war for not only his life, but, for those not rich and famous enough to be in his spot. He does not need to do this. Certainly, living at home quietly, surrounded by his family, would be easier on his suffering. But, he does not hide from the battle. When he wants his life to be normal and quiet, he lets it. When he knows he is needed for a public event, he goes and furthers his cause. He handles it all very well, but, it must wear him down tremendously. I cannot imagine the days when he struggles to make even the simplest tasks doable. He must know how his appearance makes many uncomfortable, and, how many well-meaning people feel sorry for him. I would guess he does appreciate the concern and sympathy, but, he does not want their pity. He wants to be treated normally, as all victims of illness want. While the disease is very much the elephant in the room, he handles it with aplomb and grace..... While fools parade around on T.V. in the insulting ''reality'' shows, acquiring instant and undeserved fame and fortune from the uniformed public, Michael J. Fox has shown the way an adult should behave. He wants to live, for himself and his family and friends. And, he wants others to live. He is a hero in my book. Not because he is some plastic celebrity who only cares about his own persona, but, rather, because he is a real human being facing life's biggest challenge. I wish him all the luck in the world conquering this cruel twist of fate. At the very moment I write this I hope a medical breakthrough is happening that will cure this bastard disease. I hope he lives long enough to benefit from such cure...... Michael J. Fox won some Emmy Awards playing Alex Keaton on ''Family Ties''. But, his finest work has no trophy. Just the well-deserved title of a good human being and class act......

The Stones At 50

I gotta admit it. I never thought they would last this long. Not their music, certainly, which is the spine of rock and roll, but, rather their bodies. The abuse that they have inflicted on their central nervous systems would have killed many a community. They are survivors, however. The best example of the outlaw spirit of the music that flows through their systems. Unclean, unruly, unhinged---- they are also unchallenged in the arena of music. They are The Rolling Stones and they are a half-century old... The Bad Boys Of Rock. You know them. They seem indestructible. Well, maybe they are. Even a quick viewing by an outsider leaves a person staggered. How indeed have they managed to live so long and so raw and with such a vengeance, and, still keep walking among us? There are many jokes about their age and looks. Pretty, they never were. There have been many glamour boys in music, but, the Stones always defied this label. They had swagger and a menacing sneer. If you look at the definition of what rock and roll should be--- music your parents hated and society railed against because of its sexual innuendo--- then they are the poster boys of Bad..... Mick Jagger never had a great voice. Artists from Sinatra to Sting could sing him off any stage without effort. But, Mick never pretended to sing well. He is all showman, with his bizarre version of dancing and prancing for his audience. Part of his act is just that: it is an act. There is a smile on his face along with a wink towards the audience. He seems to be saying, '' Look, both you and I know that more talented people should be up here singing for you, but, I won the lottery in luck, so, here I am!!''. And, that is the heart of who he is. A charming con man who belts out the music. A tremendous salesman. Now, to just dismiss him with just that description would be a disservice to him. He is so much more. He is the last of the great stage performers from the mid- 20th Century. Frank is gone, along with Elvis, James Brown, Hendrix, and, Morrison. Jagger is the sole carrier of the bad-ass banner. Yeah, you may laugh at his moves, but, just try to take your eyes off of him. With his average voice [ not much range, but, a perfect blend with the music engulfing him ] he may be rock's finest hustler...... His fellow ''Glimmer Twin'', Keith Richards, just keeps getting stronger. The man of a thousand riffs. A damn fine, if anything, underrated musician, who could play with any band in the world, be it jazz to classical. He is also the best example in human history of a walking corpse. I read his autobiography a few years back, and, GOOD GOD, MAN!!! It is astonishing that he can do anything. A longtime heroin junkie and abuser of every drug in Schedule A, Keith just continues to defy genetics. Keith has kissed The Dark Side so many times that whenever we hear about his lastest escapade, we shake our heads in a certain wonder of how he has survived to now. I think Death fears him.... And, now the music. The hallmark of The Rolling Stones. They burst onto the scene in America in 1964, along with other bands in the British Invasion. At first, they had a tough going. They were advertised as the ''Anti-Beatles''. If the Fab Four were cute and beloved, the Stones were the rough boys that you warned your daughter to stay away from. They played up the image with a vengeance. Misbehavior went into their public lives, but, also, most crucially, seeped into the music. They started out idolizing American blues music [ the band name comes from a Muddy Waters song ]. The first albums and singles showed that influence. Every artist starts out a career like this. You take what you have always loved and inspired you, blend it with your life experiences, and, then you create your own work and sound from the results. It wasn't until 1965 when the Stones came into the sound from which we love them for. ['' I Can't Get No] Satisfaction'' blasted away on the radio and the public's consciousness. The song's creation came when Keith Richards woke up one night with the riff in his mind. Now, Keith sleeping is hard to comprehend, but, he grabbed his guitar by his bed and committed the riff on a tape recorder he had by his bed. Then, he went back to sleep. When he awoke the next day, he said he heard a few minutes of his riff playing on the tape followed by 45 minutes of snoring. Taking the song into the studio, he and Mick added words, and, the other boys in the band, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, and, the doomed Brian Jones, pounded out what has been called rock's anthem and the greatest rock song ever. I will leave that up to you to decide if you think so, but, what can't be denied is that the song perfectly expressed what rock and roll should be. Defiant. Sexual. Outlaw behavior. It became their signature song and took them to where they are today.... More great singles followed in ''Satisfactions's'' wake: ''Lets Spend The Night Together'', '' 19 Nervous Breakdown'', '' Mother's Little Helper'', ''Under My Thumb'', and, the brilliant ''Paint It Black''. Strangely, though, these strong singles were hand in hand with weak albums. The albums seemed to be mostly filler music-- occasionally, a good song or two would be on one of these albums, like ''Dandolion'' and ''The Last Time''--- but, the Stones were still tuning up to make their first great body of work. That finally came in 1968 with ''Beggars Banquet''. The songs on this disc became classics. ''Sympathy For The Devil'', ''Street Fighting Man'', and the wonderful bar sing-along-song, ''Salt Of The Earth.''. The consensus from both the public and the music industry was with this recording the Stones were going long distance.... The following year, 1969, the Stones lost Brian Jones, who actually was the founder and leader of the group in the early days, to a mysterious death in his swimming pool.  Rumors have remained strong all of these years that Jones was murdered when he was found drowned. The Stones had fired him months earlier because of his drug addiction and erratic behavior. His place in the band was taken by Mick Taylor, and, it was with Taylor that the band reached its greatest creative heights. Starting with ''Let It Bleed'' [ which has my favorite Stones song, ''Gimme Shelter''] to ''Sticky Fingers'' to ''Exile On Main Street'', the Stones forever cemented a place in history. The songs during this era: ''Brown Sugar'', ''You Can't Always Get What You Want'', ''Wild Horses'', ''Honkytonk Woman'', rival any creative period from any artist in any time..... The dawn of the 70's started dark for the Stones. In December 1969, they played the famous Altamont concert, where one person was stabbed to death right in front of the boys as they were playing. The controversary dogged the band for years, but, it was unfair. No performer from the stage can control what is going on in any show, neither can the security. However, in time, the uproar subsided and they gained a fresh steam in their strides. The stage shows grew in complexity and originality. Mostly, they brought sex on stage with them. Many shows, Mick rode a giant penis on stage. They also fell in love with women's makeup. It was the glitter period for rock, and the Stones adopted the influence of the bizarre. Free love, which they practiced with such gusto in the Swinging Sixties, became all-obsessive for the boys. Mick went from Bianca to Jerry Hall, with stops along the way to dally with Linda Ronstadt and Carly Simon [ which was ideal, since they both look alike]. Keith continued his reckless dance with the Devil, using and abusing every drug to get him through life. But, by the mid-70's, their all important music seemed to take a dip in quality. Mick Taylor had enough of the craziness and left, to be replaced by Ronnie Wood. Charlie and Bill, the most normal of the Stones, became second-class citizens in the band. The friendship of Mick and Keith, which stretched back to childhood, began to unwind in arguments and musical disagreements. Every once in a while, an album would emerge, but, it was hardly vintage Rolling Stones. Many wondered if the band was done..... But, never count them out. They are survivors , remember, and, survivors find a way out of the abyss. In 1978, came the album, ''Some Girls'', which begat the hits, ''Miss You'', and ''Shattered''. While neither the album nor the singles could compare to their best work, it did seem to rejuvenate the band and give them the jumpstart they needed. Sales leaped, as did their popularity. They were now the elder statesmen of rock and roll. Most inportantly, Keith overcame an almost decade long addiction of heroin-- but, first, in typical Keith fashion, the cops busted him for possession of the drug. He was off smack, but, our Keith still drank like a fish and snorted the substances of life. Mick ''settled down'' with Jerry Hall. However, a stable relationship never interfered with Mick's bachelor fun. He was still a dandy with the ladies and haunted Studio 54 looking for some action. As they approached middle age, they were tamed a little, but, the fire of rebellion still burned in them.... The 80's started strong with them with the albums, ''Emotional Rescue'', and ''Tattoo You'' [ featuring another anthem for them, ''Start Me Up'']. The world tours became even bigger and wilder. They were now anointed legends in the rock world. They also still burned the midnight oil with a frequency which left many younger followers dead in the street. The only thing that brought them down was internal discord, primary between Mick and Keith. It got to a point that these two would not speak to each other unless necessary. It was inevitable that they would split, and, they did in 1986, after the release of ''Dirty Work'', perhaps their worst work as a unit. Mick and Keith traded insults in the press, as all good partners do. What brought them all back together was their 1989 induction into ''The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame''. The wounds healed and they started working on a new record, ''Steel Wheels'' and the follow-up tour. Both the tour and album were rousing successes and the Stones stormed through the 90's as a great example of a golden oldies act. The concerts now were where they played to their fans memories and good times. This happens to every artist if they are fortunate enough to last. No longer do they take the creative risks. They play it safe and easy. In a way the Stones, of all artists, sold out by playing to their audiences expectations of them. This can be forgiven, though. Like McCartney, Elton, Springsteen, and The Eagles, they have earned the right to play whatever they damn well want to.... So, now, they are fifty. It is still astounding to me that they are still going strong. I have never seen them in concert. I would like to and I am sure I will try to get tickets if they tour next year. A friend of mine, Pete, shelled out some big money to go see them in Jersey this month. If I ever do see them live, I will, of course, love the music they play. I will also go to see them moving and breathing..... Congratulations, men!!! You certainly have earned your stripes!!!!!