Exene Cervenka may have Jumped the Shark

1980's Los Angeles punk rock icon Exene Cervenka front woman of the band X may just have lost her mind. Cervenka is claiming that the Santa Barbara shooting this May was a hoax as well as the Newtown, CT school shooting. She claims that these have all been elaborate hoaxes perpetrated by anti-gun activists. She also has her doubts about the September 11th attacks. Cervenka wh has move to Texas as she feels more at home there with her "liberal" views may have become the punk rock Victoria Jackson. Exene's Twitter messages go on and on and on with her new "liberal" views. 
Maybe Exene might want to relax and quiet down or she may soon start to see her record sales go down. 

Marsha P Johnson

There are figures in history that are starting to be forgotten. Marsha P Johnson is one of those figures and this is a shame. If you don't know Marsha's name you have heard about one of her most historic fights. She was at Greenwich Village's Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969 when the infamous riots began. There are those (sometimes Marsha herself) that claim that Marsha started the riot by throwing a drink or rock depending on who you ask. If she did or did not start the riot is really of no matter what does matter is Marsha was a presence in the early gay movement.
Marsh P Johnson was born in Patterson, New Jersey on June 27, 1947 with the male name of Malcolm Michaels Jr. Marsha was a drag queen and transgender activist when nobody was saying anything about much about either topics in "polite" society. Marsha was in your face and a lot of fun. Often sleeping in friends with jobs apartments during the day and out all night on the streets of Greenwich Village. Marsha was a Warhol model, an actress, a sex worker and an activist. Johnson along with fellow transgender activist Silvia Rivera started an organization called "Street Transvestite Action  Revolutionaries" or STAR.  In a house in Manhattan's Lower East side they gave clothes, food and support to young drag queens and transgender youth. 
Marsha was no saint but was not a criminal just living a life that was outside of society. Once when arrested and in front of a judge she was asked what the "P" in Marsha P Johnson stood for her answer was as per usual "Pay It No Mind".
Marsha P Johnson's life came to a sad and tragic end when her body was found floating in the Hudson River not far from the West Village Piers shortly after the 1992 Pride Celebration in Manhattan. The NYPD declared her death to be a suicide but that notion never panned out with those who knew her. She was not thought to be at all suicidal and is believed to have been harassed and thrown into the river. 
To learn more about Marsha and see interviews with her and her contemporaries the documentary "Pay It No Mind, the Life and Times of Marsha P Johnson" by Michael Kasino and Richard Morrison is a must see. The nearly one hour documentary gives a wonderful window into her life and her times.

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Theft

On March 18, 1990 the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum was entered during the night by men dressed as security guards who stole several of the most valuable paintings in the world. A Rembrandt, a Vermeer, a Manet some Degas drawings among other masterpieces were stolen. 

No trace of the paintings has ever been clearly found even though a 5 million dollar reward has been offered for information and the theft. Until just recently. The FBI has said it has three persons of interest although two have died one man is still alive and they believe he has the paintings and they are in Connecticut. 
Could one of the greatest and boldest art thefts in the world be solved soon? The FBI is keeping their cards close to their chests. Let's hope this could be true.

Jane and Michael Banks

Who are the two cutest kids ever in movies? Jane and Michael Banks from the movie "Mary Poppins" have to take the cake. They "Won't hide your spectacles so you can't see. Put Toads in your bed or pepper in your tea." The 1964 movie made the two most adorable children in the world stars. Their real names are Karen Dotrice and Michael Garber and they really are English.
Dotrice is the child of Shakespearean actors and Garber's parents were also English stage performers. They had worked together previously in another Disney film called "The Three Lives of Thomasina". It was Poppins that they will always be remembered for. They were paired one final time in yet another Disney movie called "The Gnome-Mobile".
Karen Dotrice worked for many years as an actress and married twice. She has three children and decided to take time away to be their mother. Occasionally she would appear on stage in London as well as in Los Angeles. She also did some voice over work. Dotrice at one time vowed her career was over but in recent years has made appearances especially as the 50 year anniversary of Poppins has come up as well as the new film about the movie "Saving Mr. Banks".
Sadly, Michael Garber died in 1977 at the age of 21. His career stopped after his last Disney appearance and he travelled with his parents. It was in India that contracted hepatitis and by the time he was able to return to london for treatment he had developed pancreatitis and died.
The Banks' children may have aged in real life but they will always be flying a kite, hopping in and out of chalk pictures and loving to laugh with Mary Poppins.

The Fussbudget

The nervous man, put upon husband, the silly servant and the distinct voice are all phrases that describe actor Edward Everett Horton. Horton was born in Brooklyn in 1886 and started his career working on the New York stage while he was studying at Columbia in 1907. He then was hired by the Dempsey Light Opera Company to perform Gilbert and Sullivan operettas on Staten Island. Horton moved to Los Angeles and rented a theater where he produced and acted in plays. He was also available to take movie roles in the 1920's. His career took off when talkies came into being and his distinctive voice and deadpan delivery made him a very popular character actor. He appeared in films with Fred Astaire, Miriam Hopkins, Carey Grant and Katherine Hepburn. 
Edward Everett Horton was also very popular on television appearing on scores of television shows. It was for his voice over work that most people remember him best. He was the narrator of "Fractured Fairy Tales" on "The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show". Horton never had a studio contract always working free-lance. He was known to be very frugal and through his frugality he and his brother bought several acres of land in Encino where Horton built a series of houses for himself and his family. His property was in the path of the Ventura Freeway and had to be sold cutting his street short. After his death the shortened street was named after him. He lived in Encino with his long time companion actor Gavin Gordon who was 15 years his junior. Edward Everett Horton died in 1970 at the age of 84.

She was Betty Rubble

Voice actors are usually never given a second thought. One of the most instantly recognizable voices is that of Bea Benaderet. Bea played not only the owner of The Shady Rest Hotel on "Petticoat Junction" and she also was Jethro's mother on "The Beverly Hillbillies". She is always going to be remembered as the voice of Betty Rubble the Millis Helper of the "The Flinstones".

Benaderet  had a long career on radio where she was able to develop her voice. On Radio she was a star during rodio's hey days. When television emerged Bea not being a fool knew this was the way to go, the wave of the future and jumped into it. Bea was originally supposed to be Ethel Mertz on "I Love Lucy" having done a very similar role on the radio version "My Favorite Wife".
Her work in cartoons wasn't only limited to to betty Rubble she was also the voice of Granny in the Warner Brother's cartoons with Tweety Bird. 
Bea Benaderet died in 1968 of lung cancer, she was 62 years old and in the height of her career.

Is Donatella Versace Really a Muppet

Once upon a time Donatella Versace was was a normal looking and some could say attractive woman. Then one day all her drugs, Clicout and plastic surgery caught up with her. She went from being a human into a human muppet. She is now the spitting image of Janis the rocker chick from the Muppets band. At least if she doesn't look 100% human she looks like a puppet who does!

The saddest part is that Janis looks ever so much more human.

The Party Monster Is Out

It has been seventeen years since Michael Alig was sent to New York state prison for the murder and dismemberment of Angel Melendez. Alig one of the original club kids in Manhattan during the 1090's was famous (of a sort) for being outrageous and on the edge of what was happening. He was one of the people who said what was happening. What was happening was coming out of his drug addled mind and it didn't turn out well. His story can be found in the book "Disco Bloodbath" (later renamed "Party Monster") written by James St James. 
Alig was a friend/client/business partner to Melendez who was staying at his home in 1996. Alig apparently owed Melendez money and along with his boyfriend Freeze Riggs bludgeoned, smothered, poisoned and dismembered him. Melendez's body was found of the shore of Staten Island. There was an investigation and in the end Riggs and Alig plead guilty. 
Michael Alig was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Gave up drugs and has done his time. There was one previous patrol hearing that was turned down because of the movie version of St James' book starring Macaulay Culkin. This week Alig's parole was granted and he is now a free man.

Chatting With Cat Woman

I was able to meet one of Hollywood's great beauties this afternoon, Julie Newmar. Ms Newmar was giving a talk in a hair salon in the Fairfax neighborhood in Los Angeles. We arrived a little early for the talk and ran into Ms. Newmar in the stylist's chair. She welcomed us in and asked us to sit down. Her stylist worked on her hair and she just held court. She is absolutely charming and witty. We discussed her hair and how she was so happy with the color and how it is finally natural. 
Her talk was about beauty and being beautiful. Something she, in her 80's, clearly knows something about. When her talk was over she opened the floor to questions. many were of course about Batman and being Cat Woman. She also spoke about working on "To Wong Foo, Thank you Julie Newmar" and how when she heard of the movie she wanted to see the script and was eventually given a cameo in the film. I was able to ask her about one of my favorite of her roles, that of Rhoda the robot on the sitcom "My Living Doll". She was clearly pleased to be able to talk about playing Rhoda and how she got into character. She said it was one of her most difficult roles. 
Julie Newmar is a delightful woman and it was an honor to be able to have a private chat with her.

Thing T. Thing

"The Addams Family" had some amazing characters; Uncle Fester, Lurch, Gomez, Morticia but the most unearthly was Thing. The hand appearing from a box to light a cigar or answer the phone was Thing T. Thing. The "T." stands for Thing.

Thing was created by illustrator/cartoonist Charles Addams in the 1930's for his "Addams Family" cartooons in The New Yorker magazine. On of Thing's first mentions was a cartoon of the family's mansion with a sign out front reading "Beware of The Thing". Thing was also a member of the family on the 1960's television series. 

Thing was always helpful holding yarn or collecting the mail. Thing also snapped its fingers in the opening theme music. Thing is known as a hand servant and is always helpful. In one episode Thing meets another hand servant known as Lady Fingers.
Thing was usually played by actor Ted Cassidy who also played the other servant Lurch. When scenes involved interaction between Thing and Lurch thing was played by assistant director Jack Voglin. In the movie adaptations Thing can walk on his finger spider like. He also had the ability to drive a car.
Thing T. Thing everyone's favorite disembodied hand.

Reta Shaw

There are actresses who are always remembered for play certain types of roles. Reta Shaw is one of those actresses she was always a tough as nails housekeeper. Her career started in Boston n the stage and eventually she was in New York on Broadway playing in the "Pajama Game" as Mabel the bossy woman at the factory. She moved onto television and the movies. She played housekeepers and busy bodies and bossy wives. She is remembered at playing one of the singing domestics in "Mary Poppins" and Housekeeper Martha on "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir". Shaw worked all the time appearing on sitcoms and in small rolls in movies until her death in 1982. Reta Shaw was 69 years ols at the time of her death