Scoleri's Island

Like most people, when I stop to fill up the gas tank, I buy a Lotto ticket. It is almost automatic that I buy one. Sometimes, I pick up the scratch -off with the promise of a thousand dollars a week for life, other times I play the Big Boy games of Mega Millions and Little Lotto. And, there is always the slight optimistic thought that this is the winning ticket that I have been waiting my whole life for. The ticket that will finally even out all of the tight financial living that myself and my family have had ever since we were created. I do not come from a family of means, just love. I prefer the love over the money any day. But, the money would be a nice chaser with the drink. I delay any look into if I have won that week's prize. Let myself dream a little longer. Also, even though it is the rule of most religions to not ask God for that gift of winning [ though the church is not shy of asking for money at the collection plate] I still say a silent prayer for the deliverance from money worries. Finally, I will jack up the nerve to scratch that ticket or check my  numbers. And, I lose, every week. Maybe, I will win a free ticket with the scratch off but no great money intake will come my way. So, I have my disappointment, and, the next time I fill-up, I will repeat the pattern....... I would be a fun, rich guy!! I have seen my whole life people struggle and complain about what a hardship it is to have money coming out of every corner. Where is this corner? Because I want to be a hooker on it and earn big money. I'm not asking for the moon here, just a taste of financial high-living. My first act upon receiving money would be the sensible act of paying off all of my bills and the  bills of people whom I care about. And, then, I would stow away some money for that elusive rainy day that we all have heard about. I would not be one of these idiots--- usually, show business bozos--- who earn a great fortune and then piss it away on foolish behavior. Nah, I would build a solid foundation against any financial hardship. One must always be aware to pay the rent and have food on the table...... And, then, it would time to play!!! I would pull a Marlon Brando here and buy my own private island. Now, Brando had his in the South Seas. The weather is next to perfect there but they do have a tendency to have typhoons and other natural weather disasters that blow away paradise. Plus, recently, that area has been a haven for missing Malaysian jets. I would not want some corpses to wash up on my island when I am sleeping the well-earned afternoon nap. If I wanna sleep next to a corpse I will call some ex-girlfriends....... So, I would have to pick the next location for my island. The Caribbean seems logical. Great weather, nice people, ah, natural stimulants to while away the days and nights. However, there is a largely unreported crime element that roams in the area. A lot of tourists are beaten and robbed of their money by the locales. And, recently, professional pirates have taken over a lot of the free trade. I don't like pirates. I have never met one but I'm pretty sure they would look at me like I should be greased up and passed around the poop deck........ Because of my heritage I would probably follow my heart to the homes of my ancestors, Ireland and Italy. Ireland holds appeal because of the lush green lands that I imagine stretch thousands of miles. There is the beautiful countryside mixed in with the even more beautiful local pubs to quench one's thirst. There is the Irish lasses, who make every Italian male's heart run a Dublin mile. But, whenever I see the Irish country, laddie, the sky always looks like it is about to thunderstorm for the next two weeks. The panoramic view is ruined by this. If I want constant rain I can stay in Schaumburg........So, Italy would be the next stop. And, it would be the best stop for me. Why? Well, the weather is not perfect but it is a shitload better than Schaumburg, Illinois, 60193. You have history there, perhaps, the most interesting history in recorded, ah, history. The architecture alone makes one want to cream. In the mainland, you have the high mountains that cry out for a long walk or a ride on a motor scooter. Along the way, you will encounter my favorite part of any trip, the restaurants and cafes that serve endless food and endless red wine. Now, because of my healthy appetite, and, my equally healthy apathy to anything involving exercising, I would surely pack on the pounds, so, getting my own island would be wise....... My island off of the coast of Italy would be simple, for I am a simple man. There would be a small landing strip for either a plane or a helicopter to bring supplies and my chosen visitors. There would be huts all around the beach--- not to close because that would ruin the view--- with running water and the modern conveniences  [I am no fool, I would not live without certain creature comforts]. There would be very few clocks on the island because I would want to control the time according to my living speed. The ocean water is blue, of course, because the natural pollutants that make up a normal beach visit would not be a concern. I want clean water. Now, I normally do not want to swim in the ocean because there are things that could kill you [ever see a piranha or an octopus walking down Michigan Avenue?]. It is the world of the fish and I am no Jacques Cousteau. But, my visitors would be tempted by the beauty, therefore, I must have the ocean looking as well as I can. The sands would be white, clear white, with small little tables by the lounge chairs for you to nosh on your favorite food and tropical beverage. Fresh coconuts would be on the palm trees, ready for the picking. The crabs would be crawling along quietly, eyeing suspiciously the seashells. There would be a gentle wind blowing on this perfect day with a temperature a nice 82 degrees. The sun shining, the sky ever so blue........... I would be surrounded by my chosen people. My family and friends. There would be no party crashers to the island. I invite my crowd. So, there would be laughs and good times. Lets string a volleyball net up and play! Wanna play some baseball? Well, that field that I just had plowed is awaiting your first home run. The bar would be close by for any activity. I would hire the best bartender to make you a proper drink. Not a drink that knocks you on your ass but a drink that soothes your soul and takes you on a nice, mellow trip to Drunkland. Sorry, my female friends, but the bartender would be female. They make the best bartenders and it is my fuckin island. You want men, go win your Lotto prize!! But, the bartender would be nice and sweet and personable for all to get to know. I want good feelings at Scoleri Island, no hard feelings or petty feuds. We are all there to push the world away with all of its insane problems. Smiles are the daily wear....... The nights would rock with my own private club. There is the dance floor for those that want to shake their booties. Another bar to curl up in. And, music, sweet, sweet music for us to groove to. Paradise needs a soundtrack. Bob Marley and other reggae music is needed, but also the other sounds of the world. To me, Sinatra's ''Summer Wind'' is just a vital to hear as Marley's music. The old hippie ''Summer Of Love'' music, with Scott Mckenzie and The Mamas and Papas and The Lovin Spoonful. Slow dancing with your love, or, with your drink, is allowed. At some point, the music and alcohol and good feelings meld into a perfect whole....... You are hungry, you say? Lobster and other wonderful fish await your mouth. Now, if fish is not to your liking, I am batting around the idea of a Wendy's restaurant behind the bar if you have the 3am munchies. And, yes, to the faithful: there will be cheeseballs. You cannot have paradise without fried cheese........ I don't want to hear airplanes. I don't want traffic and congestion. I don't want the pushy public to walk all over me and my guests. That is the point of an island. So, I want people there to have the right attitude. You are there to have a good time and to turn off the world. The world and all of its problems will be there when we go back to it...... If we go back...... So, I have the plan for my paradise . Now, all I need is the winning Lotto numbers. Sadly, this is the hard part to accomplish.......

Love Among Green Bay Packers Fans

Unlike many Chicago Bears fans I do not dislike the rival Green Bay Packers. I concede their heritage of Super Bowl winning and the famous that have passed through the gates of that historic franchise. There is an old saying that you do not hate your enemies because it will cloud your judgment. Plus, it is football, nothing more, like all sports, than entertainment. It is a diversion for Sunday afternoons when the fall is around us and our prayers are wishing for a mild winter. So, when I encounter a Packers fan, I will bow my head in sympathy for them, give them a few barbs as only a rival can do, pat them on the back, laugh, and lead them to the bar to watch our respective favorite teams slug it out. It is all good-natured fun, with a touch of evil.......... However, there is always that evil part. Humor mixed with a shot to the heart of a true-fan. You have to bring them down to Earth at some point and get the blood pressure points up a few notches. God knows, Cubs and White Sox like to give each other the business when the topic of the better baseball team in town is raised. Usually, that involves the history of your favorite team losing, plus, mention is made about the physical appearances of that teams fan base. The fan base is usually split in the Chicago area about our baseball teams. But, when we all unite in the glorious fall to join the Bears Nation, our venom turns up north, to the land of cheese and people not bathing on a regular basis. The Wal-Mart crowd that makes up the State Of Wisconsin. And, the latest thing I have learned today is there is a new dating site for lonely Packers fans. It is called GreenBayPackersLovers.com........ I heard this tasty tidbit from a favorite radio show I have. WSCR [the ''Score''] is devoted to talking sports. Since I am work during the day, I usually cannot hear much of the Dan MacNeil show, which is on from  9 am - 1pm every morning during the week. When I have the day off, like today, it is required listening. Well, this AM, they broke the story of this website. Like any other website devoted to those looking for love [or, lust], the site is trying to fix up people with the most in common. And, this site disregards such minor details as personality, appearance, job position, children, etc, and, concentrates its marketing on the most important thing for a Packers fan: finding another Packers fan to share their love of their favorite team. Much hilarity was  given out by MacNeil and crew about the quality of said Packers fans. And, it was all grounded in truth, which is the backbone of human observations...... Well, I went to the site to check out what all of the fuss is about. And, it is pretty much like you would imagine. Packers fans, dressed in their teams colors, looking for love in all of the wrong places. As with every website they showed fans from around the globe that loved the team. Some of the women were attractive, some looked like they could play linebacker for the team. One thing I thought was interesting is that the good-looking women portrayed on the page lived nowhere near Green Bay. There was a L.A. woman, someone from Hawaii. Not bad-looking lasses. My question to myself was, how come these attractive girls could not find love in the paradises that they live in? Why advertise there?.......... Then, there was the flipside. The men on the website. They looked like much of the livestock that I have seen driving through Wisconsin. Big, beefy-looking guys, who look like they would not like to enjoy anything better after a Packers game than to have sex with their sister. Now, you say, ''Jimmy, many male Bears fans are not very toned and fit, either. Why pick on the Packers men?'' The answer is easy: it is my fuckin blog and I can write whatever I want........ Like most dating sites the average date is not between two models. It is usually between two average-looking people who want to find someone as a partner. The same would apply on an average date on this Packers lovelorn site. So, lets us eavesdrop a little on the first date between a male and female Packers fan......... They would be at a bar somewhere near Lambeau Field, the home of the beloved Green Bay Packers. The parking lot would be made of one of those lots made entirely of gravel, no concrete. The smell of romance would be in the air, along with the smell of brauts. The male would arrive first: his name would be Cletus and he just finished his job of extracting dead goats from fences. He would amble out of his 1973 Charger vehicle, with a cigarette dangling from his greasy lips and flannel shirt on with the Packers logo. Before he rolled out of his car, he reached into his glove compartment and slapped on his expensive after-shave lotion, Brute. After farting one last time[ this is a first date, mind you, and one does not pass gas on the first date. That is for the second date], Cletus waddles into ''Perl's Diner and Gas Station''. He thinks he is getting there early, because that is the gentlemenly way to get into a girl's pants on a first date. Alas, Cletus is in for a shocker. Already sitting at the bar is his date. Her name is Cathy Jones, whom everyone calls ''Butch''. Butch has just finished her third portion of beans and brauts and already has a buzz on because she has been drinking since sun up. Butch arose with the cows to milk them and watch them have sex, so, she could get some kind of idea of how the evening will end with that Cletus fella from up north in the big city. This is a special night for Butch. At 45, this is her second date in life [Butch, being of the lively sort, loves to quote her age to strangers. She proudly points out on how her age and waistline have melded into one]. Butch is clean shaven, from head to toe, with two little scars that no one would notice unless they got intimate with her. One is under her chin where it is always the toughest to get every bit of hair. The other is under her left testicle, next to the tattoo of Brett Favre. Butch has just farted one last time before Cletus walked in because she believes it is not appropriate to fart in the first hour of the first date. When Cletus walks through the door with the broken doorknob, their eyes lock and immediately lust is in the air, along with the cigarette smell and the flying gobs of saliva........ They choose a booth near the bathroom. On the dating form they filled out, they both discovered that they are in love with the sounds of strangers going to the bathroom. It takes a good five minutes for both of them to squeeze into the booth. The introductions are brief and touching...... ''Me, Cletus........ Me, Butch''...... Immediately, to hide their self-consciousness, they grab the menu, which is the size of a phone book. They mumble to each other that they don't care what food they get as long as it has some cheese in it. Fortunately, every item on the menu does. The waitress soon takes their order and leaves to order the crane to bring the food. Then, the uncomfortable silence of a first date has settled on them. They look at each other and size up the others appearance. Cletus thinks that Butch has a pretty mouth. But, what really captures his fancy is when Butch smiles. Her eight remaining teeth give off the power of great human warmth and good sucking action. Butch, for her part, eyes this Cletus boy. He seems clean [but, she is willingly to overlook that annoyance], has the expensive cologne that she likes, and, when he laughs, he shows a lot of teeth, especially, after telling a joke, the teeth came flying out of his mouth and landed on her shoulder [ the good one with bones in it]. But, perhaps, the most touching moment of this date, the moment that is often told among the regulars at ''Perl's'', is when, right in the middle of the story that Butch is telling about how she lost her virginity to a pelican, Cletus leans over and picks the dead bug from the bald spot on Butch. They look at each other and realize, not only is he prone to heroic feats, but, the dead bug is bright green. Green Bay Packers green!!! After the moment, they looked into each other's good eye and found love. Their calloused hands were being held under the table. They both knew that they had found love with the right person, the type of person who lives for the glorious Green Bay Packers, and, whom would never leave this team for another for all of the bars of Dial soap in the world. The two kids, Cletus and Butch, romantics to the bone, found true love. And, they owed it to that website. One final act was necessary for this perfect night. The stars were out as they walked to their cars, their hearts alighting with the possibilities of love. Only one thing would seal this union. The melding of their bodies together for eternity. So, they farted......... Perhaps, this is the average date among Packers fans. Or, maybe, I'm being too critical. Maybe, the first date between Green Bay Packers fans is a union between two normal, good-looking, intelligent people. Two people who are joined together to do good things in life, to advance the love and good tidings that is the core of the human condition. Maybe, just maybe, the dates consist of people who will change the course of history for the better, who will lead us from the dark times that make up our daily lives and bring us, finally, together to be a loving people. Maybe, this is the real Green Bay Packers fan!!!!!........ Nah.........

The World Of Dave

The show started off like any other show in the history of David Letterman. Dave came out and delivered his monologue, the usual tidbits on what is happening in everyday life around us. The politicians got skewed, as only they should. There was some wacky comedy bits, and then, Dave went to commercial. When he came back from the break, the soon to be 67 year old man addressed the camera. This is where David Letterman excels. He just talks. He is not-----nor, ever has been-----the traditional stand-up comic. He is a storyteller, an explainer of life's humorous moments and our place in them. He is the chronicler of our times, the man who has always been on the pulse of the population. So, like any other night, millions of Americans settled in for the lively art of Dave. But, this night, April 3, 2014, we were all in for a surprise. David Letterman was announcing his retirement. He would leave his throne as King Of Late Night sometime in 2015. At first, there was no response from the audience. Dave has made a career at throwing loops at the audience, so, there was a silence from the audience. They clearly were waiting for the other shoe to drop, the comic punchline to go along with the stunning announcement. But, David Letterman was serious. He would be gone soon. In a few minutes, the audience got the fact he was serious. Stunned disbelief quickly turned into a well-deserved standing ovation. Not for the announcement, of course, but for the man and all he has done...... In the history of television there are very few pioneers of the tube. The type of person who comes into this medium and immediately goes the opposite way from anyone else. For all of the greatness of Johnny Carson, he was no pioneer. He was simply the best at a formula that goes back to old-time radio: interviewing the famous and non-famous. Carson was a survivor, the kind of person you felt comfortable ending your day with. He will forever be the gold standard any broadcasters will measure themselves against. David Letterman always knew this. He could not compete with the poise, charm, and good-natured feeling that Johnny gave off. So, Letterman did the classic role-reversal. Instead of copying, he would go the other direction. David Letterman became a comedian in the 1970's, the time of the anti-comic. The anti-comic was not the traditional show business comedian who told mother-in-law jokes and told non-threatening humor. No, rather, the anti-comic made fun of the whole idea of taking show business seriously. The anti-comic mocked establishments traditions and everything that it held so dear. The anti-comic was not afraid to get their hands dirty, to provoke and antagonize the audience with topical humor, especially, sex and drugs. Carson and his compatriots in his generation would never touch this type of humor. But, Letterman, influenced like he was by George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, etc would go down this route. He was no- angry- at- the- establishment- type, like the gentlemen mentioned above, but, he shared their contempt for the status quo of show business. Show business had always taken itself too seriously, always believing that they are on a higher rung of importance than us mere mortals who go about the 9 to 5. The new comic of the 70's showed its refusal to play by the rules, and, it was this feeling that David Letterman took with him to NBC in 1982 to do a talk show different than what had come before......... He actually tried this in 1980, this new format. But, some bonehead at NBC made the huge error of putting him on early in the morning, opposite soap operas and game shows. This audience, mostly middle-aged housewives, was the polar opposite audience he needed to try his new invention. Dave needed the young and hip audience. Those people were at school or working. The housewife crowd would never get his humor and what he was trying to innovate. And, they didn't. After ninety shows, he was canceled at the end of 1980. In poetic justice, the canceled show would go on to win Emmy Awards, a sign to Dave and the industry that he was on to something, if only he could get the right spot. NBC knew this, too. They kept Letterman under long-term contract with the network. They were holding him, waiting for the place to put him. Finally, it was decided that NBC would cancel Tom Snyder's ''Tomorrow Show'', which ran right after Carson, and put Dave there. Johnny Carson, one of Letterman's biggest supporters, would produce the show along with NBC. Clearly, even at this early date in 1982, Johnny Carson was telling the world whom he thought was his natural successor if he should ever leave the ''Tonight Show''........ That first show, February 1, 1982, ''Late Night With David Letterman'' blew the door open on the new comedy that would shape a generation. It was coined ''ironic humor'', humor born on the natural thought that the rest of the world, except us watching Dave, was one-step behind in common sense. That first show featured a wild and crazy Bill Murray. Murray really set the tone by coming out gangbusters, eventually taking over the program with a hilarious rendition of the then popular song ''Let's Get Physical''. Murray danced with technicians and the audience followed along. It was bizarre humor, something that would never be seen on stale old-time talk shows like ''Merv Griffin'' or ''Mike Douglas''. Bill Murray took the spirit that was in the air that night, the spirit of invention and unconventional humor, and ran with it.  Letterman gave him free reign to do whatever he wanted. With that first show, David Letterman was putting the blueprint of what his show would be out there for the public to embrace........ And, the public did. David Letterman immediately grabbed the audience that was awaiting him. It was the college crowd and young adults, the prized demographic for advertisers. The young audience, who grew up embracing the trailblazing humor of the original ''Saturday Night Live'', now was embracing the next step in comedy. This audience did not care about celebrities and their inane life, with their talk about Malibu houses and trips around the world. The Letterman audience would not be of that world, the phony world of show business. Basically, Letterman and his audience would always be like the kids in the back of the classroom in school. They were not the best athletes or the best-looking or the most popular. Rather, they were the class cutups, the people who made fun of the snotty kids who got all of the breaks in the world. And, Letterman was the guide of this humor. He was the Wizard Of The Absurd. In essence, David Letterman became America's Number One Smart-Ass........ The show was a hit immediately, and, surprising, the critics fell in love with it. They got the humor. Dave was experimenting with the stale medium. He did remotes from the street and talked to the people. He put cameras out in the public and made everyday people be the subject of his humor. He threw food off of buildings for no reason other than to see how interesting it looked hitting the ground. He put a camera on the back of a monkey and let the animal roam freely around his studio. He dressed in a suit of Velcro and threw himself against a wall to stick to it. He let the audience vote of what he should do next [ one awesome moment, the audience wanted him and his guest, Jane Pauley, to talk like they were on helium. Letterman went along, Pauley was not amused]. He invented a character named ''Larry 'Bud' Melman'', played by a sweet old man named Calvert DeForest. Memorably, when NBC was sold to General Electric, he went to the GE building with a basket of fruit and was kicked out by security!! And, mostly, Dave went after show business with a vengeance. The highlight of any program would be if a celebrity, who should have known better, came on his show and projected show business airs. Letterman would zero in on the pomposity and arrogance. The guests, most of them, did not realize how pathetic they were being made out to be by Letterman exposing them. He wasn't being mean to be mean, but, he was just bringing them down to Earth. Some grew quite pissed, like Shirley Maclaine and Natassia Kinski. And, in time, there would be a group of people who did not want to do his show, which made for more comic material for Letterman. The best thing to do would be to just go on his show and go along with him. Do not try to match wits with Dave, for as the late Gene Siskel used to say, David Letterman had the fastest wit in show business........ Jay Leno started out in L.A. on the comedy scene around the same time as David Letterman, circa 1975. They became friends, and as Letterman always stated, Dave based his stand-up comedy on Jay's. Leno was very funny, razor-sharp in his impressions of the world. He also admired Letterman's ironic view of the world and they became a mutual admiration society. So when Dave got his show in late-night, Jay Leno became his frequent guest. And, Leno always hit a home run with Letterman. The highlight of any appearance would be ''Jay's Beef'', which consisted of Leno talking about what pissed him off in life. These appearances greatly helped Leno. His career skyrocketed and soon he was asked by Carson to be the permanent guest host for the ''Tonight Show''. Letterman was happy for his old pal. Also, he was not threatened by this move. Dave had his ultimate sights on succeeding Carson on the ''Tonight Show'' when Carson was ready to step down. He knew Carson personally wanted Dave to take over. While Dave was in no hurry to move Carson out, he was waiting in the wings, having fun on ''Late Night'' and biding his time until Johnny retired...... But, behind the scenes, Leno and his aggressive manager, Helen Kushnik, had other plans for Carson. They were slowing acing Johnny out, with threats to NBC that they would lose Leno if they, NBC, did not give the ''Tonight Show'' to Jay. These threats, based on the very real courting of Leno by rival networks, finally came to a head in 1991. The ultimatum was given: either give Jay the show or he would walk. NBC wanted Leno as host. They did not trust that Letterman, who regularly skewed the network on his show, would be controllable on the ''Tonight Show''. Leno was nicer, and they felt, more accessible to that audience than Letterman. So, they gave the show to Leno in secret, without telling Carson or Letterman. Soon, Carson found out about the backstage dealings. He was fed up with NBC with not treating himself, or his protégé, Letterman, with any respect. In 1991, Johnny Carson announced he would be leaving the ''Tonight Show''. NBC then announced that the new host would be Jay Leno. This is how David Letterman found out he did not get his dream job. In the papers.......... That started the Great Late Night Wars. Letterman was very unhappy, both at NBC for lying to him throughout the years, and, at Leno, who seemed to backstab him in the grab for the ''Tonight Show''. Letterman's unhappiness became public knowledge. Dave's contract with NBC was scheduled to expire in 1993. After that, he was a free agent. So, then, the very public courting of David Letterman began. All the major networks, along with cable channels, went after this very hot prize. He was offered the moon by everyone. Finally, after months of being wooed by Hollywood, David Letterman decided to go with CBS. They would give him the time slot at 11:30 [10:30, Central Time] to go head-to head with Jay Leno's ''Tonight Show''. In  August of 1993, ''Late Show With David Letterman'' went on the air with great fanfare....... The first guest was, appropriately, Bill Murray. Murray was wild again, spray painting Letterman's new desk and taking Letterman out onto the street to ''introduce'' him to the public. The first year and a half of his new show, Letterman slaughtered the ''Tonight Show''. Once again, David Letterman had the show everyone was talking about. This Letterman, however, did adjust his comedy for his new time slot. Gone was the crazy antics and experimentation of the NBC show. He was reaching a broader audience, so, his humor had to open up. He was friendlier and more personable. He still retained the cranky smart-ass feel that made him famous, but, a more mellow David Letterman came through the TV. But, in 1995, he lost the title of Number One to Leno and his show. Maybe, NBC was right: the vast audience in America wanted nice, clean, non-threatening humor before it hit the sack. It got that from Carson, and, Leno consciously, molded his comedy to be more like Johnny [ that didn't stop Leno from ripping off a lot of Letterman's act on the ''Tonight Show'']. Night after night, the two former friends would battle for the hearts of America. Most nights, Jay won...... David Letterman's finest moment as a broadcaster came in the aftermath of 9/11. TV, especially, comedy, was in no mood for entertainment. Tragedy had intruded in our lives. One week after the attacks regular programming started up again. And, it was led by David Letterman. Comedians took their cue from Dave. When he was ready, they would be ready. That first night, the show started without the usual introductions and big sounds. It started with Letterman sitting quietly at his desk addressing the camera. Again, this is where he has always been his best. This Dave, wounded like we all were by the horror of the attacks, spoke from his heart. He talked about New York and the devastation. He talked about the bravery of its citizens and the honor they showed the world. This show was a special show because all the rules of show business were put aside. He spoke for all of us, one human being to another. He was articulate and sincere. After this show, it would not be unfair to say this, America began to slowly get back on its feet and live again. And, David Letterman, once again, was one of the Pied Pipers who led us..... The last few years, David Letterman became a father and husband. He also became a gossip subject, something he never could have imagined way back in the NBC days. His affairs with interns that worked for him became public knowledge after he was the victim of an extortion plot. To his credit, Letterman did not shrink from the scandal. He told us directly and honestly, sitting where he should have been--- from his desk and telling the world all about. While certainly not a golden moment to be admired, he did show courage in admitting his mistakes and the pain he caused.......... And, now he says he is leaving. His legacy, enormous in scope, is to be best measured against his competition. From Jon Stewart to Jimmy Kimmel and any stand-up who has come along, David Letterman's reach can be most felt with them. Their shows now have the anti-comic feel to them. It is the standard for a talk show now. Perhaps, soon, someone will come along and shake up this formula like he did so many years ago.........

''Have You Heard The One About....'' Part 2

Hollywood, being Hollywood, attracts the glamour and excitement of dreams coming true. That is why we, as a public, foster our attention on Tinseltown. We have unfulfilled dreams of being a big-shot, of everybody knowing us, and, having fabulous wealth and power. If we cannot achieve this dream, we follow the stars whom seem to have the most in common with us. Also, the stars we lust after. There are different configurations about following the goings on about show business. We are interested. Therefore, we should also be interested in Hollywood gossip and lore. Here are a few famous stories about the original Sin City. As always, I must state these stories are rumor, not fact. So, the words ''apparently'' and ''allegedly'' must always be around the following tales...... Rod Stewart likes bachelor parties. Yes, this story has been making the rounds since the 70's. It seems like Rod, a known ladies man, was attending a party thrown in someone's honor. A bachelor party. Now, as we all know, bachelor parties are attended by men, with an occasional visit or two by some strippers and, in some cases, women of a ''scarlet nature''. Ok. Dirty dealings abound. No surprise there. But, in this story it seems like more happened and Ole Rodney Stewart was the center of attention. What happened? Well, according to legend, Rod ''serviced'' most of the males at this party orally. Or, in street slang, he sucked off the whole crowd. Yes, not only are you in Mr. Stewart's heart and soul, but, also his stomach. The story continued with him being rushed to the emergency room and having his stomach pumped, where the huge amount of semen was said to be found. Now, Rod has always denied this story for years, since it has become almost a Rock and Roll Royalty Tale. He has joked and addressed it as a bullshit rumor. It probably is not true. He is a notorious ladies man who has had a penchant for stunning blonde woman. But, anything is possible. As a side note, this story about blowing guys at bachelor parties seems generational. Whomever is the hot male star music star in a decade seems to have this story sticking to him, so to speak. I have also heard this about Elton John [ which may have happened because of his notorious lust for men in the 70's], Jon Bon Jovi, and David Bowie. One last thing, a female has not-too-long-ago entered the ranks of the alleged stomach pumpers: Britney Spears. With her inclusion, the story is now shooting down the throat of the fairer sex. Its nice that we are growing in society that we can slander both sexes........ Speaking of David Bowie. A story about him is just as popular as the bachelor story. In the 1970's David was married to a stunning model named Angela Bowie. In show business language, the word ''stunning'' usually means that no one in the outside world finds this person attractive except for the fashion industry. At this time, David, also, was a bisexual. He publicly stated his preference for both males and females. And, he was very loose with his ass, sleeping with anyone, male or female, that came in his eyesight. So, as the story goes, Angela, or Angie, comes home to the house she shared with David. And, whom does she find curled up in bed naked with him? Why, Mick Jagger!!! Apparently, these two friends were more than friends, according to her. However long this may or may not have gone on is unknown, but, according to Angela, when she and David divorced, they had it in their divorce decree that for ten years she would not tell any tales about their life together, nor would he. Both sides went along with this silence for the ten years. As soon as the gag order was lifted, Angela spilled the beans about Jumpin Jack Flash and Major Tom. The strange thing is both Mick and David have never laughed off the story or denied it. Its possible it may be true. Angela Bowie claims the famous Stones song, ''Angie'' is about her and Mick's longing for her....... Tom Cruise loves auditions. Now, its almost too easy to write about the weird antics of this weasel. A cottage industry seems to have developed about Mr. Top Gun and his sexual leanings and bizarre behavior. A few years ago, he ''married'' the very cute Katie Holmes, a young, naïve girl many years his junior. Nothing new there, Hollywood loves to play the age thing. In a refreshing twist of switching, older women are jumping all over younger man [ I am a VERY BIG fan of cougars!]. Anyway, back to Tommy, because of his notorious bizarre behavior--- and the endless stories about his closet gay lifestyle--- his handlers have been scrambling for years to cover his escapades with pairing him up with various women. The marriages of Mimi Rogers and Nicole Kidman have been open debate for the gossip industry. Both seemed to sign on the dotted line with his management to go along with the charade of marriage with him so they could advance their careers. So, after these two marriages came to a shocking ending of divorce, Mr. Save The World went after another wife. Apparently, because the public is not being fooled by all of this, Tom Cruise found this mission impossible to find another actress to take his hand in matrimony. What does he do? Well, he turns to the Church of Scientology to help him audition actresses to play Mrs. Tom Cruise. Yes, just like when you audition for a play or movie role, actresses, young and naïve, were sent to the Church and met with the heads of this organization. When they passed muster with these refugees from the cast of ''Rosemary's Baby'', they were sent to Tom, where he interviewed them and weeded out the bad candidates [ these must have been the women with dignity and minds of their own to think]. Among the actresses brought in were: Jennifer Garner, Scarlett Johanson, Jessica Alba, and Katie Holmes. Finally, he selected Katie to fall in love with and live in a blissful state. They even ''conceived'' a child, which further gives credence to the Rosemary's Baby analogy. After a few years of the perfect couple, alas, this third trip down the aisle did not last. The public was not fooled, of course. But, it became a bitter divorce, which must have stunned Tom and his Cult Of The Damned. Katie went on her way and is raising the child pretty much on her own, a wise move. But, this story about the auditioning seems to have the most legs in terms of currency.......... Natalie Wood was a star we remember quite fondly. From her career as a child star to her adult roles, and, finally, to her mysterious [and, still unsolved] death in 1981 at the age of 42, Natalie still has a lot of people who still follow the flame of her memory. Her private life was quite active, with many men in and out of her life. But, there is a story, a horrible story, about how she lost her virginity at the age of 16. She was raped by an older man. A famous actor. One of the biggest actors in movie history. This man, apparently, seduced her against her wishes as a teenager, getting her drunk and finally, well, it is stated above what happened. Because this actor was so famous--- and powerful-- he was able to skate any kind of prosecution for his dastardly deeds. Natalie's account seems to be strong in reality. She did not make the story up, by most accounts. The name of the famous actor is well-known throughout the years in the Hollywood culture. Natalie never publicly announced whom he is but most insiders there are aware of his identity. Lana Wood, Natalie's sister, has said she will announce his name when the veteran actor dies. He is still among the living. The actor is believed to be Kirk Douglas...... So, those a few more stories about Hollywood. I posted one blog about a year ago with different stories. I will post more in the months ahead. Perhaps, you have heard some of these tales, maybe, in other forms with other names attached to them. Let me state again that these are rumors, not fact. Well, some are but I have to say this to be fair and to save my ass in court. Rumors, folks......... Perhaps........

Great Movie: ''Brian's Song''

The key moment in the movie, ''Brian's Song'' comes in the closing moments. It is the death scene, the final exchange between its two lead characters, Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo. Piccolo, as we know, is dying of his cancer. Sayers, leaning over his bed, is saying goodbye to him without uttering the words. They are holding hands, as two teammates, and, most importantly, two friends will do. Suddenly, Piccolo is gripped by pain. His face contorts and his grip on his friend's hand locks into a plea to hold him for support. Gale Sayers grips him tighter, giving him the support that a friend gives when needed the most. This one moment conveys the backbone of their friendship. Brian Piccolo soon dies after....... ''Brian's Song'' is on the list of every filmgoer who wants to cry for a movie. It was a TV Movie Of The Week in November, 1971, on ABC. From its first airing, it has attained a love by the public, one of those movies one must see over and over again. It tells the story of a friendship between two football players from the Chicago Bears, Gale Sayers and Brian Piccolo. One was a great football player, perhaps, the best open field running back in NFL history. The other, a hard-working, but, mediocre player, who had he lived, would not have gone down in NFL history in anything other than his supreme good character. Truth be told by their many mutual friends, they were close friends, but, not the best of friends that the film depicts. Hollywood, being Hollywood, embellished the closeness of their friendship for dramatic purposes. The film is by no means factually accurate at points of the story. But, it doesn't matter. A film is designed to entertain and hopefully, teach and inspire. This movie succeeds greatly in this aspect. We know from the beginning of the film that Piccolo will die, the narration over the opening credits tells us it will end in tragedy. If anything, though, knowing this adds to the poignancy in the story. We know, even in the movie's funny scenes, that there is a dark cloud hovering over, waiting to drop down. And, when the story does take that sad turn, the filmmakers have us firmly in their grasp. We are willing accomplices in the arc of the tragedy story......... They meet in training camp in the year 1965. Sayers, a star at the University of Kansas, was the Bears Number 1 draft pick that year, one of the most sought-after college prospects in the nation. Gale Sayers had star written all over him. He was a painfully shy man, one of those guys that just mumbled more than talked. His talking was done on the football through his playing. He was fast, very fast, with the ability to break a tackle and run into the open field. And here, when he did break loose, his beauty came to full fruition. He had the misfortune of playing at the same time as Jim Brown, who garnered all the media and fan attention. Sayers, because of his shyness, would always be in the shadow of the great Brown. Perhaps, if he had blown his own horn a little he might have been the legend Brown, and, later on, Walter Payton, would become. But, that wasn't in his nature to brag. He did his job on the field, made friends on the team, and, quietly lived his life....... In that same first training camp was also another running back named Brian Piccolo. Piccolo went to Wake Forest, where, through hard work, he led the nation in rushing and scoring in his senior year. Nobody would confuse the talent of Piccolo's and Sayers'. Sayers was a gifted athlete. Piccolo succeeded because he wasn't given the gifts others had been given by God. Through his tenacity, he made a name for himself in college. Still, when the NFL draft happened, no team selected him. He was a free agent trying to make the team. In personality and demeanor, Piccolo was an all-star. He was funny, friendly, everyone's pal. Meeting Sayers that first day in training camp, he sized his rival [remember, they were both going for the same running back spot on the team] up and decided to have a little fun at Gale's expense. Sayers had yet to meet the legendary coach of the Bears, George Halas, so Piccolo told Sayers to always talk in the left ear of Halas, since that was his good ear. This was nonsense, of course, but Sayers did as suggested, and there is an amusing scene at the beginning of the movie where Gale is hopping around the room trying to talk into Halas' ''good ear''. Soon, Sayers realizes he has been duped by the prankster Piccolo. A few scenes later, Gale gets his revenge when he slides mashed potatoes on Piccolo's chair while he is singing. Naturally, Brian sits down on the potatoes. They look at each other. They are now even........ Gale Sayers makes the team easily, for he is the star running back the Bears have been waiting for. Brian Piccolo, barely survives the cut. What he does to make the team is work like a dog beyond his lack of pure natural talent. This appeals to Old Man Halas. They keep Brian around but do not hold up much hope for him. He will play backup and play on the return team. However, his importance will soon come because the Bears have a radical notion for the times. This was the mid-Sixties, with the white-hot Civil Rights movement going strong and tempers and emotions running high. The Bears want to get with the times and have the first black-white roommate arrangement in the NFL. This pairing, stunning in today's world, is revolutionary for its time. Both Piccolo and Sayers think nothing of the arrangement --- the fact they are roomies is proof Piccolo made the team--- but, they are warned of how explosive this will be in the outside world. They will receive hate mail from both sides of the aisle. And, they do. Both sides gets their licks in. In time, it will be accepted, but, the first year is rough for them. They treat the racism with dignity. Also, with humor. There is a loud laugh in the movie when Piccolo is asked by a reporter about the roommate controversy. Piccolo replies, with his great humor, '' There isn't much problem as long as he doesn't use the bathroom.'' The reporters laugh........ With being roommates comes the natural bonding between the men. They meet each others wives and the four all become close friends. It is hard to tell whom brings more to the friendship. The movie tilts towards Piccolo with bringing Sayers out of his shell and helping him with his rehab when Sayers breaks his leg during a game. The important thing is they are bonding, forming a friendship that is beyond football. There are confidences shared and good times taken. In time, they will also share the backfield together during a short span of the season. Then, illness comes into the story..... Brian Piccolo was born with the cancer gene in him. That is what the doctors all say. He has a tumor taken out of him, and, later part of his left lung and breast. Clearly, the cancer has spread all over his body, attacking all of his organs. Finally, on June 16, 1970, Brian Piccolo will die of his cancer at the appallingly young age of 27. The movie tells us over the closing credits that he had three daughters and many friends. The final words on the narration are, ''When his friends think of him its not about how he died, but how he lived. How he did live!!'' And, the haunting swell of the sad music [you have the theme playing in your head right now, I know] comes up. With these final moments, most of the movie's viewers will have tears in their eyes. If you do not, then, you missed the whole point of the movie and its message...... James Caan and Billy Dee Williams play their roles very well. Neither of them can ever be considered a great actor, but, they are two, solid journeymen performers, who, through hard work and diligence, bring the real-life exploits of these two friends to the screen successfully...... Hard work and diligence. Brian Piccolo would be proud........ The legacy of this movie is that, for pure entertainment, it rings the bell. There are laughs and smiles, but, there are also the deep emotional wells of sorrow. This movie earns them, through the solid storytelling and the fine acting. Death, in any story, always presents a built-in sympathy for its characters. Many movies exploit this tactic and it becomes shoddy and self-serving for the filmmakers. It is easy to shoot a dog in the movie and get a rise out of the audience. But, a well-made movie earns the right to get that rise. The backstory of the dog before the shooting is the key part. If you know about the trials and tribulations of the dog and have real affection for it, then, its shooting becomes more personal. And, that is what ''Brian's Song'' does, it earns it merits through the very real story surrounding the tragedy. You care for these men and their friendship. Even though there is that sorrow cloud above them, somehow, on repeated viewings of the movie, you want that cloud to go away and the men continue their friendship for years to come. It doesn't happen, of course, but the feeling of wanting good for these men never leaves....... There is that final image of them holding hands on the deathbed. Two friends saying goodbye. Two men coming from different worlds and backgrounds. Two men with different personalities and views of life. And, two men doing what all of humanity should do. Caring for each other and accepting each other for whom they are. Unity of the human spirit........ Not a bad message......

When Jim Met Pat: Forever In Love

The old man was lying in the casket, his journey in life had ended. His name and background are now lost to history. He must have known love, though. His wake gathered the many who knew him, approved of him as a person. Young and old came out for the final salute. It was the final tribute to a life ended. But, somewhere in that vast crowd, two young and extraordinary people were about to meet their fate. They would meet in this unlikely arena. The love affair that would blossom on this night would have long-term ramifications, forging a union and a family that flourishes today. And, creating a son who is writing these words for you to read....... James Martin Scoleri liked to work the room. He had the natural ability to do so. With his good-looks and sweet demeanor came the remarkable ability to meet someone and be instantly liked by that person. James, well, Jim or Jimmy by those who know him, had a legion of friends and admirers. They saw his good heart and spirit shining through that warm personality. Jim was the type of person who you went out with for a good time, but, also, the type whom you told your problems to. He was a terrific listener who gave sound advice. And, he had that great smile!!! All teeth that proclaimed his goodness. You just wanted to be around him. He was twenty-three in 1951. His childhood had been marred by sadness and tragedy at times. His beloved father had died in 1943 at a very young age. Jim's mother, Mary, had recently given birth to Jim's brother, Tom. So, at the age of fifteen, he became the man of the family. He grew into the role like fitting into a pair of comfortable shoes. His natural ability to be liked and take charge suited this time, for Jim had a mother that could be very controlling and unstable. She was old-fashioned Italian, from the old country where Italian sons took care of their mothers. Jim loved his mother and was the good son, but, it was never enough for her. He had to be her whole life [ a practice her sisters used on their children ]. Throughout his childhood, Jim tried to please his parents. While his father was still alive, he witnessed the intense fights between them. They ran the gamut from the typical marital squabbles, to his father, at one point, chasing his mother around the home brandishing a gun. Jim knew his father would never use the gun, for he was a peaceful man. But, the moods of Mary would bring dark forces into the family. While she would be a terrific grandmother in the future, she never stopped the mind games with the people around her. When his father passed, Jim became the center core of the little family. He had dreams of being a musician. He loved music and wanted to follow the natural creative instincts that surged through him to become a professional musician. However, when death came to his father, Jim put his dreams and ambitions in the drawer and starting working to support his family. He finished school early [ he could have gone to a fine college had circumstances been rosier ] and got a job working in a factory. Now, his family on his father's side where, ah, not afraid to be on the other side of the law. This was Chicago, mid-forties, where the ''Outfit'' ran everything. The Scoleri family was not afraid to get their hands dirty. But, they never wanted this for their kids. The elders did what they had to and never let the kids in the family into the family business. Jim was always encouraged to stay away from the garbage and be clean. It was obvious, also, that he would never would have what it took to be a gangster, his persona was of a kind and honest man. So, he worked the good work, honest and proud. He kept his eyes on the family and took care of his mother and his younger brother. His dreams of music would come later. And, Jim also kept a busy social life. He loved to dance and be the life of any party. Naturally, this charisma would draw in the ladies. From what I have heard, Jim was quite the ladies man. Women were obsessed with him. According to family lore, one woman was threatening to kill any woman who would marry him. By 1951, when he went to that wake, Jim was leading the average life of someone his age. He wondered what his future would bring, and whom he would share it with......... Patricia Elizabeth Grimmer was a pampered child. The youngest of two girls born on the North Side of Chicago, she grew up, not rich, but, with the comfort of a few bucks in the bank. She was a beautiful child, with a shy and warm smile. She and her older sister, Gloria, grew up in the shadow of Wrigley Field. They became rabid Cubs fans [ unusual for girls in the thirties and forties ]. Patricia, whom everyone called Pat, idolized her father. He was an architect who very much doted on his daughters, It would be fair to say that the girls were somewhat spoiled in their youths. This was Depression time, when men and women were roaming the streets begging for work and food. Pat's family always gave where they could, but, they never felt the pangs of the Depression. The girls, who were always very close, went through their childhood like children should: unaware of the horrors of the world. They lived in the bubble of innocence and good times. Pat was introverted. She was shy in class and with strangers. Never rude, mind you, but, if a group of people were gathered, she tended to play the quiet onlooker. She lived in her own quiet world of her own thoughts and feelings. She never minded being alone. Growing up, because of her shyness, she had only a few close friends. But, she exhibited then the ability she never lost in life: strength of character. Underneath that shy girl was a strong emotional system. She was the rock for her friends [ and later, for her family ] who always calmed a tense and volatile situation with her sweet goodness. She had that soothing way that all mother's have even then. The world was going crazy and everything seemed to be going helter skelter, but, there was sweet Pat, a calm oasis in the storm. She would need that strength in time, starting with the death of her father when she was 19. He died suddenly of a heart attack. Pat never got over the loss of him. He was the family idol, the person she most admired in life. Now he was gone, creating a void in her life that was never filled. Her mother, sister and her grew even closer. But, the financial situation was gone and she came face to face with the reality of the world. Her shyness kept away from the world but now she had to join it. Pat had grown into a beautiful blond young woman. She was proudly Irish.She had the wholesome looks of the Land Of The Green, which, of course, attracted the opposite sex. But, Pat, despite her shyness, exhibited that strong sense of character, and was very picky on whom she dated. She did not date much and certainly did not sleep around [ she proudly always stated that she was a virgin on her wedding night ] and while she had many suitors who wanted to court her, she dated sparingly. Her life by the age of twenty one, when she went to that wake, was of a young girl working in a bank. She was wondering what was in store for her in life and if her Prince Charming was out there....... Now, here comes the gap in the story: no one, including Jim and Pat, can remember the exact moment of introduction. It must have happened the typical way with someone saying, '' Jim, this is Pat.'' However the exact exchange went, sparks flew immediately between the young people. It is easy to imagine the feeling in the air. Jim charmed her, like he charmed everyone. Pat listened and was shy, like with everyone. But, something happened. It was that instant sparking between two people that destiny brought together. They must have felt embarrassment because they were hitting it off between each other while some guy was dead a few feet away. At some point in the evening, Jim asked Pat for her number. She was a little hesitant because of her shyness, and also, she was a good girl who did not give out her number to strange men. But, Jim was persistent, in a way that a man is when he hears the bell ringing in his soul of a woman who interests him. Finally, Pat gave him the number. Jim wanted to call her right away but, Pat, always independent, was already drawing the lines in the sand. He would have to wait........ A few weeks later, the date came. They went out to dinner. It is the sign of the times back then in the year of 1951, but, he took her to an Italian restaurant to have pizza. Pat had never had pizza before. Pizza was only confined in that world of Italian people. The Irish had their own food. Pat gamely went along with trying this foreign food. She picked up a knife and fork to cut into it. Jim smiled that beautiful smile of his and gently admonished her, ''Pat, you do not use a knife and fork on pizza.'' She smiled back at him. And, it was in that moment, that small moment, that they became one. A look and feeling passed between them. It was the seed of affection that was starting to sprout into love. The eyes of these two grew warm and loving. If there was that one moment that they fell in love, it was here, over, of all things, how to eat pizza. The love affair had begun for the next forty years. And, Pat always ate pizza the proper way with her hands...... They were married in 1953. They were gloriously in love. Jim was embraced by Pat's small family. They loved him, as the rest of the world did. Pat was also loved by the Scoleri family, with one notable exception. Jim's mother, Mary, did not approve. The fact that her son now had someone else that was number one did not sit well with Mary. Plus, Pat had the added insult to be Irish. Anyone who was not Italian was thought of as not existing in the world. Pat tried always to get along with her mother-in-law. It was always an uphill battle. In time, Mary would accept Pat, but, never with any real affection and feeling. Throughout the marriage, Pat would always be on guard and defensive towards Mary, awaiting the knife in the back. Jim tried to play peacemaker, but, it was an uphill battle. Finally, Pat would demand he make some kind of decision since Mary was destroying their marriage. Firmly, Jim told his mother that this was the woman he loved and wanted to spend his life with. If Mary would not treat her better, then, he would cut off all contact with his mother. Pat was his life. He loved her furiously. Mary retreated but never surrendered the battle. While a terrific woman in many way, Mary was fighting her demons. A fragile truce would mark the years ahead........ Lisa was born in 1956. Tom came along in 1962. And, James Patrick [ a marvelous union of the names of his parents ] would arrive in 1965. Jim and Pat had the normal marriage. They knew joy and pain, success and setbacks, tremendous love and unbelievable heartbreak, like any couple. But, throughout it all they never stopped being a team. They never grew tired of being with each other. His friends became her friends. He took her on business trips  and never wanted her away from his side. As Jim made his way in the world, Pat managed the home front, with raising the kids and taking care of the domestic situation. There was always great joy when he came home, the house would be bustling with energy and laughs. They both wanted that. While they would go out socially and throw parties at their house, the prime feeling between them was being with the kids in the house. They passed their love and caring down in the bloodlines of the children. When you walked into the house, you were greeted with the feeling that you did not want to be anywhere else in life. It was the kind of house where people ate pizza with their hands....... Jim developed cancer in 1991. Bladder and colon. There was a feeling for a few horrible weeks that he would not survive. But, he fought the battle and survived. However, he was never the same person again. His body betrayed him and grew steadily weaker. Pat was by his side always, the steady rock she had always been. The next few years there was the unspoken feeling between them. It was the feeling that he would leave her soon....... Then came the horror of horrors in 1995. A call in the middle of the night from Ohio. The youngest son took it and heard the terrible news. Tommy, the second child, was dead. The police said it was suicide [ that is debatable] . Jimmy, the youngest, told his parents that their son was gone. The shock and grief was overwhelming for Jim and Pat. Pat broke down but Jim held up. He comforted her as only the love of someone's life could. While they held each other and wept their grief, the youngest child saw the shadow of grief settle over them, never to leave....... Six months later, Jim and Pat had their last night together. After the calamity of their son's death, Jim went down in spirit. This once vital and proud man, who embraced life and all that it gave him, suffered the overwhelming grief of losing a child. It sapped his spirit and he gave up. That final night together, March 21, 1996, his body and mind were leaving him. He sat in his chair. Pat was sitting on the couch nearby. Suddenly, Jim asked Pat to come hold him. He felt like he was dying. He wanted to be held by her one last time. And, she held him. There was no suffering. He was leaving her and wanted her close....... That night, in his sleep, Jim passed...... Pat discovered him the next morning. Before the tears came, she saw his expression. He was smiling....... Pat would be alone. Her son and daughter were there always but she was alone. Gone was her husband, partner, companion, lover, father of her children, and her inspiration. And, six months after he left Pat began her own health issues. A quadruple bypass would go wrong in the recovery room, stopping her heart three times and destroying one kidney and damaging her other one. Dialysis kept her alive for the next year and a half. Pat exhibited that Irish strength through it all. But, she needed Jim. She always talked about him as if he was still around, just in the next room. Despite the medical treatment she was getting, it did not help her much. Her youngest son found her dead, after she woke up and got dressed, curled up in the fetal position. A little angel lying in no pain....... So, they are now together again in Heaven. I picture them always together, as in this life. They have my brother with them and their parents and relatives and friends. There is always a grand party happening around them. Good times. And, there are two people, forever in love with each other, smiling and holding each other..... And, eating pizza...... With their hands, of course......

The Tonic: The British Are Coming!!!

The horror and crying for that fateful day was still hanging over the people, a shell-shock that would stay in their souls forever. The news had come around lunchtime. The President had been killed. For the rest of the long weekend, the world was glued to their TV's, a mass visitation by the grieving public. Once the funeral was over, it was very difficult to return to the routine of everyday life. The United States seemed to be going through the motions. The months of December and January were months of grim mourning. Coupled with the depression of winter, America was in a sadness coma, awaiting rebirth. By February of 1964, we wanted something happy in our lives again, something to get the human spirit alive and kicking again. America desperately needed a happiness tonic. And, one was found. But, strangely, that tonic was not given to us by an American. But, rather, that tonic, that cure for America's blues, was four young men from Liverpool, England...... For the entire year of 1963, while The Beatles were becoming a sensation in England and the rest of Europe, they could not crack the American market. Their record company, EMI, owned Capital Records in the States. But, Capital would not jump on the bandwagon of this gimmick from England. We had American artists, they smugly told Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager, we do not have any need to go across the water for a band who had come from the backwoods of some English town. So, for the year of 1963, while Beatlemania broke all over Europe, the largest market in the world turned a deaf ear. In desperation, Epstein made small record deals with small record companies, hoping that these would be the entry he needed to break the band. The first couple of singles released in America were the first couple released in England, ''Love Me Do'', and ''Please Please Me''. Both flopped, barely making a dent. Then, ''She Loves You'', a monster hit in England, was released in America. Another flop. Finally, the small record labels terminated their contract with Epstein. Capital Records seemed to be correct: there was no future in the U.S. for this little band......... But, Brian Epstein was a determined man. He had taken these four on a couple years earlier when no one else would. He had made the grueling climb with them from obscurity to national obsession and did not take ''no'' easily. He still doggedly pursued the Capital Records executives, pleading with them to get behind his ''boys''. Just look at the sales they were generating, he told them. Enormous profits for them in England. In Novenber of 1963, three weeks before Dallas, he met with the big shots in New York, and played them the new song that the band had made especially geared to the ''American Sound''. It was called ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' and it had all the hallmarks of breaking wide. Just push it a little. Plus, Epstein proudly stated, the band had just been booked by none other than Ed Sullivan to be on his show in February of 1964. It seems that Sullivan, stopping off in Sweden, had witnessed the pandemonium that their airport reception had been. Later on, Sullivan had stopped off in England and witnessed a replay of what was happening in Sweden. Checking into this group a little, Ed Sullivan had learned that this group was shattering music records and audiences all over Europe. Being the master showman that he was, Sullivan immediately booked them for his show. All of this was told to the executives by Brian Epstein in that meeting. Finally, almost grudgingly, the Capital executives gave in. They would release this '' I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' song in January of 1964. And, they said they would throw a little promotion behind it, too. Happy, Brian Epstein returned to England. He had done well........ By January, the rumblings about the band had begun to be heard in America. A little clip of the band performing had been shown on the ''Steve Allen Show'' and NBC news had run a story on them. Gingerly, Capital Records released ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' to record stores and the radio stations. Almost overnight, the record exploded. In three weeks, it rang the bell at Number 1. Capital Records executives, caught off guard, immediately went into promotion overdrive. Soon, Beatle stickers and banners were blanketing the country, heralding the call ''The Beatles Are Coming! The Beatles Are Coming!'' The country, caught off guard by the events in Dallas, went crazy with joy. Finally, something happy had been given to us. Parents, while disapproving of rock and roll music, seemed to put their criticism of the music aside. Teenagers, the backbone of the record buying public, went crazy for them. Especially, the girls........ Some of the strongest images of the 1960's are of teenage girls pulling their hair and screaming their lungs out for The Beatles. Obsession for a performer is not new. Recently, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley had experienced this obsession, with teenage girls going mad over them. But, The Beatles screaming was even more intense. It was a scream born out of an overwhelming need to hold them, hug them, sleep with them. The average teenage girl fan was in love with at least one member of the band, usually Paul. He sang the love songs that melted their hearts while being the most attractive one in appearance. But, the others had their legions of followers, too. Ringo was the Everyman. He appealed to the ugly ducklings in the audience, the ones that weren't pretty or weren't the most popular in school. George was the quiet one. All mysterious. He, of the four, was the one that looked like he needed to be sheltered and cared for. And, there was John. John was the funny, intelligent one, the artist and poet. John also seemed dangerous, which appealed to the girls that wanted to be naughty. All of them had their base fans. That was one of the greatest things about the band: they appealed to every one. And, that was what caused the screams. It was a primal scream to keep them and never let them go. But, it was also a release of joy and fun. No words were necessary, just a scream would do. The screaming was once monitored by scientists, They said that the sound of that screaming at a Beatles concert was like standing next to a 707 while taking off.......... ''Why would America want us? They have everything over there. Why would they need The Beatles?'' So said Paul McCartney on the flight over in February. The Beatles had never been to America, except George, who had a sister living in Illinois he visited the previous year. The Beatles, despite hearing of the record sales of ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'' were still unsure of whether they would be accepted in America. Yeah, yeah, yeah, they had heard about the promotion and the building up of their popularity, but, this was America, the place they had dreamed of their entire lives of visiting and making it big. Why, indeed, did they need them there? Brian Epstein kept trying to assure them, but, the boys, cocky and confidant though they were, still were quite scared of what awaited them. Then, the pilot of the plane announced as they approached New York that a massive crowd was gathering. The Beatles thought someone else, maybe, the President, was landing at the same time. No, came the word back: there were thousands of teenagers waiting for THEM!!....... When the door opened and they stepped out of the plane on February 7, 1964, it was hard to tell if the incessant, air piercing scream was of the airplanes overhead or the crowd greeting them. Soon, it became apparent it was the crowd. Stunned, the boys marched down the ramp from the plane---- with Phil Spector and the Ronettes behind them--- and walked into America's arms. The giddiness on their faces was a look of happiness mixed with satisfaction of having their dreams come true. They waved to the crowds and posed for the reporters. Then, they went into the airport, where a press conference was pending. The New York reporters, hip to the fact that this could just be the gimmick for the moment, were geared to slam them. They knew pop stars were not very intelligent, so, they decided to go for the jugular with the band. But, these old pros had never encountered the Beatles. The band had been doing press conferences for the past year and had developed a brilliant way to conduct it: they treated a press conference like a comedy routine. All four of the lads were very funny, especially bad-boy Lennon, who never let anyone get the better of him, and answered the questions that the New York reporters tossed at them with grace and well-timed one-liners. Example: Reporter:'' Will you sing for us?'' John: ''No, we need money first!'' Reporter: ''Will you get a haircut while you are here?'' George:'' I had one yesterday.'' Reporter: ''What do you think of the drive to stamp out The Beatles in Detroit?'' Paul: ''We have a drive to stamp out Detroit!'' Reporter:'' What do you think of Beethoven?'' Ringo: ''I love him, especially his poems.'' Reporter: '' Why do the young fans act crazy about you?'' John: ''If we knew we would form another group and be managers.'' By now, the most hardened and cynical reporter had been charmed by them. Soon, [ too soon, lamented some reporters] they were whisked off-stage and sent by limo to their hotel rooms at the St. Regis. The poor hotel had booked them weeks earlier, not knowing what it was getting. Soon, hordes of teenagers were camped out, wailing their desire for the band. From the Friday they arrived, until the Monday they departed, the band was watched by thousands of fans in the bitter cold....... George Harrison had been feeling the effects of the flu for a few days. By Saturday morning, the 8th, he was running a high fever. While the other boys were out visiting New York and drumming up publicity--- with the now charmed New York press following them like their fans---- George Harrison was quite ill. There was some alarm about whether he would be able to perform on the Sullivan show the next day. All Saturday the nation was kept alert about George Harrison's flu. Finally, it was decided he would perform but watched closely. He also had, not disclosed to the public, a doctor shoot him up with vitamins and speed to get him on his feet. By the actual performance, he struggled through, barely able to play his guitar.......... That Sunday, the 9th, there were two shows the Beatles had planned for Sullivan. The first performance was taped in the afternoon, to be shown at a later date. The second was the live show in the evening. The ticket requests from the famous and non-famous was enormous. The little theater held about 700 seats. The ticket request number was about 50,000. The Beatles would headline the show [ among the other acts on the show was a young Davy Jones performing in the musical ''Oliver''. In time, he would be a ''Monkee'']. They would be first out of the gate and sing three songs. Then, mid-way through the show, the band would come back for two final numbers. The Beatles had decided to play their hits, like ''I Wanna Hold Your Hand'', ''She Loves You'', ''I Saw Her Standing There'', and ''All My Loving'' Now that they were the hottest act in show business, all of their ''old'' music, which was less than a year old, was being released and hyped. All of these singles, which had bombed months earlier, were now hot sellers. The band also would include a cover of ''Till There Was You''. This song, from the musical, ''The Music Man'', was a calculated concession by the band to appeal to the older audience that was watching. At 8pm Eastern time, ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' went on the air. Families around the country and in Canada turned in. One benefit was that heavy snow had blanketed most of the country, so, people were watching TV rather than be outside. It was later estimated that the size of the audience was 75 million, about two-thirds of the viewing public. The show would go down in history as the most highly watched show television had ever had......... Standing backstage, the nervous and excited Beatles heard a peculiar thing in the introduction. Ed Sullivan had announced that Elvis Presley had sent the band a congratulatory telegram wishing the boys well on their performance. The Beatles were thrilled, because Elvis was their hero, the prime inspiration for them being in show business. It wasn't until years later that the band found out the Elvis did not know anything about the telegram. His manager, the huckster Colonel Tom Parker had sent it to cop a little publicity. In fact, as the Beatles later sadly found out, their old hero Presley despised them...... The big moment arrived. Ed Sullivan, dressed smartly, as always, in a conservative suit for his conservative audience, announced the main attraction. He started by saying how the city had never seen excitement like this. Then, winding up his delivery like a master of ceremonies in a circus, he exclaimed, ''And, here they are!! The Beatles!'' The TV screen was then switched to an image of a vast stage with four little men on it. The camera slowly came in on them, as did tens of millions of people across North America...... What the people saw was a revolution brewing in front of their eyes. The Baby Boomer generation, the biggest in human history, was seeing themselves represented. The soundtrack to this generation was off and running as these four young men started with ''All My Loving.'' A seed began to grow in the psyche of a generation that would soon flower in trying to take over the world. A similar seed was being planted in the souls of men and women who now saw their destiny in music. From Bruce Springsteen to David Crosby to Jimi Hendrix to Janis Joplin, aspiring musicians around the country now saw what they must do. It was a call to arms for these men and women to pick up the spirit of the times and follow your dreams in music, as these four young men were doing. Not only the music struck a chord, but, the whole idea of doing music as a way of life was sent shining across the television image right into the hearts and minds of these people. The Beatles would be their standard bearers, the inspiration to form a band and make the music that was seething in their DNA........ As the boys went from song to song onstage, a most remarkable display was happening in the audience. The girls in the audience were shrieking their lungs out at the band. This was nothing new to the lads, but, to the American and Canadian audiences it was a stunner. Girls were literally losing control of themselves wailing out at the band. The Sullivan people cut back and forth between the stage and the seats. The energy and excitement rocked the tiny theater, never seeing pandemonium like this again......Truth be said, the performance the band gave that night on the Ed Sullivan Show was not that great. It was good, and, it did what it was expected to do: introduce the band to the biggest audience in the world. But, in terms of musical ability, the Beatles had more glorious moments onstage in their career. Again, though, it served its purpose. Introduction, and more importantly, impact. It was the Perfect Storm of the melding of a generation and its musical and social leaders...... After their fifth and final song, the Beatles were called over by Sullivan to take one last bow for the people watching in the theater, and at home. Screams of joy were heard that night, in the theater, and across the vast continent. The Beatles and Ed Sullivan had, unknown to them that night, made history in these less than fifteen minutes combined of network exposure. A historical moment was just made, forever cemented in the people who were watching........ The fallout afterwords was obvious. Not only the huge viewing numbers, but, the impact on the public. The next day, Monday the 10th, boys in school started growing their hair long and forward like the band. It could be said that long hair started growing during the performance that night, never to go away. The girls also talked about the band, but, in more loving ways. Every girl had a ''favorite Beatle.'' It was a surprise to everyone that the most popular member of the band in America was not the cute Paul, but, Ringo. Perhaps, it was the ugly duckling theory. He was everyone's little puppy that you hugged....... Fashion, hair styles, language, musical influence, all changed from that night. Soon, other areas in show business and Madison Avenue would ride along the wave that was ''Beatlemania''. And, in doing so, would set the future course of how a person lived their everyday lives. How you ''did your own thing'' and tried to better the world. Protesting the evils of government, and being on the better side of a moral and ethical cause. Be-ins, bed-ins, protesting against unfairness in society, can all be traced to that famous Sunday night........ Finally, the music influence. Even the music casual music fan cannot deny the Beatles influence. Every band or artist that has followed in their wake from the early 1960's on owes a tremendous debt to them. Long after the band broke up in 1970, the flames of their red-hot passions still burned brightly. From the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin, to the bands of today, feel their fingerprints. No other musical entity from the 20th Century comes close to the magnitude of the Beatles. Yes, Sinatra and Presley had their power, but, in terms of a long term legacy, the Beatles look down from the mountain at what they harvested..... It is fifty years later. Long-gone are the screams and the massive riots that the band received. Their music still is alive and kicking, even if John and George are long gone. The Beatles music still sells more now than almost any new band in existence. I see the Beatle shirts and hear the music playing at the school I work at. They have the real chance of being forever played, long after Paul and Ringo and the rest of us have gone. Of course, they broke up at the top of their musical inventiveness and never reunited. That, in terms of a musical legacy, is the best you can do. By going out on top, they never got old and made bad music. They remain supreme in the publics mind....... The theater that housed ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' now houses '' The Late Show With David Letterman''. Dave, for over twenty years now, has made his magic memories and special moments. But, I would imagine, when his show is over, and the last light is turned off for the night, ghosts from the past are still roaming around. Ghosts of sweet times and times forever gone. Somewhere, in that vast theater, there are four young, fresh-faced Englishmen. They are playing the music sent down to them from Heaven, to be unleashed on a grateful people. There are echoes of screams. The Beatles are young and full of life......... And, so are the rest of us.......