Welcome To My World

Thank you for taking the time to make a part of my world … a part of your world today!  Whether you agree or not with my outburst and opinions etc.,  concerning my personal view of the world as I see it,  but leave with a smile, a little happier, or mad as heck at me…. or anything in between …. then my mission is accomplished.    I wish you a monster successful day today and everyday!

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I started this blog 6/6/11 (and your support is appreciated).  I also invite you to visit my blog in Blogger .  My last entry was in April.  Going forward, I’ll be right here, so drop by anytime!)

Silence Is Golden … Just Ask Oscar

Last night was the 84^th Academy Awards show. .  Billy Crystal hosted the awards, which is the best thing that has happened since the last time he hosted.  Ok, well since Bob Hope, anyway.

As usual, everyone was dressed to the “nines” and expressed gratitude, and … for some … genuine surprise at being selected as the best in their category.  I have to say, however, that I don’t think many were surprised when Michel Hazanavicius’ “The Artist” was named best picture.  “The Artist” is a look at the earliest days and beginning of Hollywood.   Jean Dujardin stars as silent film star George Valentin.   Berenice Bejo stars as the young girl who becomes a silent film sensation.   But, it is Uggie, the Jack Russell Terrier, who steals the show in his portrayal of Jack …. Valentines dog.

 I’ve yet to see the film, and it is on my to-do list.  But to me, the real message of the movie is “loud and clear.”  It is still true that … in many situations …. silence really is … golden.  Just ask Oscar.

EVERYBODY LOVES DEAN … ALL THE TIME

According to Dean Martin …. “Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime.”  In Dean’s case … everybody loved Dean Martin …. all the time.

I had so much fun talking with Neil Daniels (Former NBC Network VP Liaison, at NBC) and former Gold Digger, Patty Booth-Julius, at On The Grid Internet talk Radio, recently.

I didn’t know that Dean had quit school in the 10^th grade, and that he had an array of jobs before the age of 16.  He had been a shoe-shine boy, a store clerk, and a steel worker, among other things.  He had sold illegal lottery tickets, and illegal liquor, and had been an amateur boxer.

He was also as funny, if not funnier … during the run-through of his show (he never rehearsed), as he was on stage.  And, surprisingly enough, considering Dean’s early background, and being in the entertainment business … he never used profanity in front of his Golddiggers.  He was always the perfect gentleman.  (According to Patty Booth-Julius.)

Dean left us on Christmas Day, 1995, but he left behind a legacy of work that would make him one of the most beloved entertainers in the world … forever.

In my opinion, Dean Martin will always be the classiest act in the entertainment world … bar none.

I’ve been listening to Dean’s songs a lot recently.  He still makes me swoon when he croons.  And, I am now a proud member of the Dean Martin Fan Center.  I don’t think that Dean really left his fans that Christmas in 1995.  Just watch one of his movies or videos of past shows, or listen to one of his songs … and you feel like he’s in the room with you … smiling back at you.

“Everybody Loves Somebody Sometime” belongs only to Dean Martin.  And without doubt …in Dean’s case … everybody loved Dean Martin …. all the time.

~Listen to “Remembering Dean Martin” now~

 On The Grid Internet Talk Radio

 

You Can Ask Marti Rulli About The Mysterious Death Of Natalie Wood – Case Re-opened.

In November 1981, a beautiful legendary Hollywood star was lost forever. But the mystery behind Natalie Wood‘s untimely death lingers on to this day. Just when one thinks the case has been closed forever as an accidental drowning, the case has suddenly been re-opened. Marti Rulli, author of “Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour” will be joining the Debbie Barth and Joyce Bagley at On The Grid Internet Talk Radio just hours before her interview segment on the television show, 48 Hours Mystery, being aired that evening. She and the boat captain, Dennis Davern, have been trying to get this case re-opened for 25 years. In 2009, Ms. Rulli and Mr. Davern co-authored the aforementioned book, hoping that it would bring new life to solving the mystery surrounding Natalie’s death. Recently, others have come forward with information so compelling, the local police department has announced the re-opening of this case.

It has brought not only new life to the case, but controversy as well, as lines are being drawn between those who believe the case should be opened and those who believe that the media is simply wanting to cash in on the 30th anniversary of Natalie Wood’s death.

But neither side can deny that there are questions that are begging for answers.  Why would Natalie try to go out alone at night on a dinghy when she had a terrible fear of the water.  Why wouldn’t Robert Wagner allow Dennis Davern to turn on the search light and immediately radio for help upon announcing that she was missing.  And who heard a women’s cry for help that night from a boat anchored in the vicinity of the Wagners’ boat?

Ms. Rulli tells her story about what really happened prior to Natalie Wood’s death, and how the truth to what really happened took on a very distorted spin, with the help of the misinformed media, bad police investigating, and Hollywood influence.

You will have your opportunity to ask your questions this Saturday morning, Nov. 26 at 10:00 am EST.   Call in to talk with Ms. Rulli at 323-792-3071, or visit the chatroom at www.blogtalkradio.com/onthegrid, and ask your questions there.

Joe To Go But No Hike For Mike?

Joe Paterno, 84 yr. old football coach of 46 seasons (counting this short one), was fired Nov. 9, 2011 by the Penn State Board of Trustees.  He was fired because of a child sex abuse scandal involving long-time coach assistant and one-time heir apparent, Jerry Sandusky.  Sandusky has been charged with molesting eight boys in 15 years.  Some of the alleged abuses were said to have taken place at the Penn State football complex.

Paterno was fired because he did not take more action, when in 2002,  Mike McQueary notified him that he saw Sandusky in the Penn State Showers with a boy (reported to be 10-years old at the time).  While Paterno did report McQueary’s allegations to the athletic director, Tim Curley and a vice president, Gary Schultz, the police authorities were never notified.

In the wake of these scandalous allegations, Paterno is fired, Schultz has stepped down, and Curley has taken a leave of absence.  But there is one player on this “infamous team” that, at the time of this writing, remains seemingly unscathed and is likely to be standing on the sidelines, come game time this Saturday in the game vs. Nebraska.

When Mike McQueary saw Sandusky in the Penn State Football Complex shower with this boy, why didn’t he yell for Sandusky to stop, get that young child out of the shower, and then notify Paterno?   And, why didn’t he go to the boy’s parents … and then notify the police authorities, once he realized that nothing was being done about the incident?

Actually, in my opinion, nothing that McQueary would say in his own defense would excuse the fact that he did not try to save that young child and that many more boys would endure the same treatment at the hands of Sandusky because of his silence.

For me, the better question when it comes to McQueary is …. Why is he still standing on the sidelines of Penn State as an assistant coach?  Isn’t it time that Mike … takes a hike?

Morning Coffee with an extra Dean Martin Please!

Image by cote via Flickr

One of the really great things about being my age (yes … there are benefits!) is being around when singers/entertainers were not just stars, but super stars.  They were on stage and in our living rooms purely because of their talent and their ability to make you fall in love with them.  And, they had something very hard to find these days.  They had class …. true … unadulterated  … class.

Undisputedly, one of the classiest  (my way of spelling this) acts back in the 50’s and 60’s was the Vegas show featuring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, (aka the Rat Pack).  My favorite was then and now … the incomparable … Dean Martin.

When Dean crooned … women swooned.  He was “heart be still” handsome; his voice had the ability to melt the coldest of hearts, and …. according to a close friend of mine, and a former Golddigger on the Dean Martin Show, he was not only a gentleman, but a gentle man.  He was carefree, funny and sexy.  He was the definition of class.

It’s hard to say which Dean Martin song is my favorite.  Certainly I love “Everybody Loves Somebody” and “Your Nobody Till Somebody Loves You.”  But there are so many wonderful songs and it would be hard to choose just one.

I’ve been watching some of the old video clips of Dean Martin and listening to his music all week because I’ve been on the phone recently with my friend Patricia Booth-Julius (aka Patty).  She was one of the original Golddiggers who danced and sang on his show.  She shared some of her greatest memories and thoughts of Dean with me.  Last night, we shared a call with my co-hosts at On The Grid.  Seriously …. you would have loved to have been in on the tele-chat last night!

And, I’m happy to say that she is going to be our guest caller this coming Saturday morning.  Patty was blessed to sing with Dean, but as far as being on the show itself, she worked hard for a very long time, and that hard work over the years paid off.  She deserved to be there.  She was also the lead singer at the Folies Bergère in Vegas, as well.  Patty is another one that radiates class and draws people to her the instant they meet her.  I am blessed to call her my friend.

I’m really looking forward to this Saturday morning, pouring myself a good strong cup of java, and chatting it up with the ladies.  Till then, I think I’ll just listen to another Dean Martin song and do a little swooning of my own.

Meet Patricia Booth-Julius: Sharing Her Memories of Dean Martin and So Much More!

This blog post gives me much pleasure, for several reasons.  One being that I am blessed to be sharing the spotlight with two other very classy, savvy, and a bit … ummm … unconventional ladies, at On The Grid, a Blog Talk Radio internet talk show.  Secondly, because the first two shows have been celebrated with wonderful reviews and huge support.  Thirdly, because the show coming up this Saturday, 15, 2011 at 10:00 am ET will be with singer/dancer/entertainer Patricia Booth-Julius (aka Patty Julius).  And fourthly, because I am privileged to know Patty personally and I know for a fact that she is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside.  (And she is beautiful).  So, without further adieu …. please read below.

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Patricia Booth-Julius had performed over 32 different musical comedies and light operas before she ever left her home in St. Louis, Missouri, to find her career as an entertainer.

This came as no surprise to those close to Patricia. She started voice and dance lessons at the very early age of three, and received her Actors Equity Card when she joined the St. Louis Municipal Opera (“Muny”), while still in high school.

Her talent, drive, and determination at the “Muny” lead her to work with Broadway superstars like Ethel Merman, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Eddie Albert, Florence Henderson, and John Raitt. She has danced with Tommy Tune during an audition, and was not only immediately hired to perform with The Gene Kelly Show in Las Vegas; she performed a solo dance with the legendary Gene Kelly, as well.

Patricia went on to become one of the original “Golddiggers” on the Dean Martin Show. Then, while the show was on hiatus, she performed as the lead singer for the Folies Bergere at the famous Tropicana in Las Vegas. What was to be a summer job … became a two-year success story. She eventually returned to the Dean Martin Show as one of the “New Golddiggers.”

To date, Patricia hasn’t missed a step and is still performing … doing concerts, print work, and commercials.

Join Debbie Barth and Joyce Bagley  On The Grid … Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 at 10:00 am ET …. as Patricia talks about what it really takes to be successful as an entertainer, her own experiences … and her memories of Robert Goulet, Frank Sinatra (and more!) and of course, the very beloved, Dean Martin.

Join us in the chat room at www.blogtalkradio.com/onthegrid, or call in at 323-792-3071 to listen by phone or to speak with Patricia Booth-Julius, personally. On The Grid is, after all, where real life happens!

Order In The Court

Image via Wikipedia

Earlier this month, I found myself in the Court House.  No, not for any misdemeanors or felonious criminal offenses, but because I had received my very first jury duty summons.  If you knew my age, the fact that it was the very first summons might surprise you.  In fact, if you knew my age …. that might surprise you as well … but that’s another story.

My first reaction was not one filled with patriotism and eagerness to fulfill my civic duty.  That I will, shamefully, admit.  No, it was more like ….. “holy crap, I so do not have time for this.”  This is not something I am proud of, but I do believe in telling it like it is.

After a few days of thinking about how men and women have fought for our freedom to have the right to a fair trial by one’s own peers, I came around.  Ok, that, and the fact that it would give me something new to blog about.

I found my way downtown and to the “court-appointed” parking garage (free ticket validation, don’t you know.)

I entered the elevator of the parking garage and met my new best friend (at least for the day). She was the “button-presser” and asked me which street I needed. I told her and explained I had been summoned for jury duty.  Suddenly I felt proud and very civic-minded. Her reply was “I’m following you.”

We walked several city blocks (the cost of free parking) and by the time we got there, we were fast friends. (And my hair was totally frizzed …ugh)  We put our purses in the little baskets and walked through the line.  I had one scary moment when the “inspector” took my purse out of the basket to hand to me and said “wow, this is really heavy, what do you have in there?”  I responded, “You would be surprised.” …  and then I had this vision of being knocked to the ground, told to spread eagle, and having my rights read to me.  I mean … everyone is so sensitive these days.

We finally found the floor and the room in which we would spend the next eight hours.  Of course, no one thought we would be there that long; we were told later in the day that the process was taking longer than normal.  Apparently, there were several courts in sessions on this day, and the process of a court session actually going to trial, the random selection of the jury pool, and then the actual selection of the jury for each trial … and alternates … took quite a bit of time.

After it appeared that the last person who had been summoned had strolled in, a very gracious lady … Gwen … called us to attention and went around the room zapping the bar code on each person’s summon.  She gave directions to the bathrooms, another jury room (smaller, with 2 computers and 1 gaming computer, and a T.V. that looked to be about 20 years old (everyone in the picture looked like they had been slimed), and the coffee area.  And I do mean coffee … just coffee, as there was no creamer or sugar.  The vendor had not delivered the creamer or sugar for that week, so far.  Gwen then put on a video explaining the jury selection process, and what was expected of us as jurors.  After that, we were left to our own devices … and required not to leave the floor without permission.  I was extremely impressed with Gwen.  She was very firm, and yet very respectful of each person and was, again, very gracious in her demeanor.

Finally, Gwen called us to attention.  It was time.  Some of us were about to be called outside and told to form a line.  As the names were called, I could see panic in some eyes and in some …. just blank stares.  I don’t know why …. but, I instantly thought of the movie “Schindler’s List.”  While those left behind looked through the glass partition, we could see someone giving them instructions … and then they were herded away.

The concern for those whom had disappeared from the hallway dissipated as Gwen, once again, called for our attention.  We were told we were free to go to lunch.

And, this was truly the highlight of the day.  Courtney and I went to one of my favorite places, downtown.  Nico’s is an Italian Restaurant, serving fresh-baked bread and pastas.  We spent an hour truly getting to know each other, and I hope that it is a friendship that will continue to grow.

By 2:00 pm, we found ourselves back in the “waiting/jury room.”  By 3:00 pm, it was apparent that the “natives” were getting restless.  I noticed that some of the ones who had been pulled out of the jury pool for selection were coming back in the room.  I considered this “proof of life” that there really is life after disappearing from the dreaded hallway.

And then it happened.  Just when I (and everyone else in the room, surely) thought that we would be told we were free to go home … Gwen called us to attention.  It got so quiet you could hear a judge’s gavel 50 miles away.  Gwen announced that yet another set of jurors and alternates were needed.

I imagine we all held our breath with each name being called.  Then I heard my friend Courtney’s name.  Our eyes locked and I could see the terror in her eyes.  She stood up and walked toward the hallway.  She seemed to be moving in slow motion (you know like one of those great playbacks of Plaxico Burress catching Eli Manning’s touchdown pass in the last 35 seconds of the game to win Super Bowl XLII … only not as great.)  I wondered if I would see my new-found friend again.

It was after 4:30 pm when Courtney came back into the room.  Like two old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years, I greeted her with a heartfelt welcome and a rush of questions.  She had not been picked for jury duty and speculated as to why she hadn’t.  That’s when Gwen, for what would be the last time that day, called us to attention to let us know that we were no longer needed (for a least two years) and we were free to go home.  It is amazing how many people can sandwich themselves in an elevator in anticipation of being set free.

Courtney and I casually walked back to the parking garage discussing the day, and all the things we had learned from the experience.  We speculated on all the reasons one does not get picked by a jury, based on her experience in the courtroom, as well as others we had talked to during the day.  We hugged and said our good-byes with promises of staying in touch.  I truly hope she does.

I learned that when the selected members of the jury pool went into the courtroom.  Each one was called upon and asked (in front of everyone else) a series of questions from each side (prosecution and defense).  And, something as simple as a specific work experience would excuse one from serving.  I learned that we can be called back as often as every two years for jury selection.  I learned that my eight-hour day earned me a $12.00 check.  Had I served on a jury for four days, I would have received $20.00 per day.  If I were to serve longer, starting with day 5, I would received $40.00 per day.

But as far as the dollar amount is concerned.  Serving on a jury really isn’t about me and what I can earn.  It really is about doing my civic duty for a right that has been granted us … and that is a fair trial by one’s own peers.

As far as my “valuable time” is concerned, that isn’t about me either, but the valuable time spent on jury listening and processing information that I would then take into a room and …. with 11 other jurors … make a decision that will forever change the lives of not only the person on trial, but the family and friends of that person.  It very well could be the most valuable time someone has ever spent.

So, even though I was not selected this time (and I will still admit relief,) next time … if there is a next time … I won’t be so anxious about the “unknown,” and focus more on the reason why I am actually there.  I will make a concerted effort not to be self-centered and to be more selfless (this may be easier said than done … but anyway.)

And besides ….  it will give me another piece to write about.  Maybe an “Order In The Court-Part 2.)  But again, seriously …. this isn’t really about me.