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Hunk of the Month
Steve Sandalis has graced the covers of over 600 romance novels and is a household name to over 70 million romance fans worldwide. He will star in the new mini-movie Santiara, bringing his heroic character from his romance novels to life. Other movie credits include The Courier, Christmas in the Clouds and the remake of Where the Red Fern Grows also starring rock musician Dave Matthews.
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Hot Topics
Joy Ride on Ventura Blvd.
Dec. ‘99, while driving to the Farmers Market, I saw police lights in my rear view mirror. Feeling the rumble of what I thought was a squadron of WW2 P51 mustangs diving in on Ventura Boulevard, I knew I was about to get a ticket. To my surprise, that Police motorcycle was the first of 700-plus road hogs and fifty vintage fire engines delivering Christmas to the needy children of L.A.
Last month I wanted to get a better view of this wonderful event. My buddy and I loaded my truck with camera gear and, with the help of a few safety cones, parked on the small island at Ventura and Ventura Place in Studio City. We grabbed a few city barricades and set our cameras facing west in the middle of Ventura Blvd. and waited.
It seemed that we were the only ones that knew what was coming. As I am impatient, I called Johnny Rockets on Balboa to ask if the bikers and trucks had come by. We were told that they had been passing for the past 15 minutes. I'm thinking, this is bigger than last year. Ten minutes later I called Mel's Diner, and they had just passed. Then, moments later, we could feel the rumble in our feet and hear the sirens of the old vintage fire engines coming past Jerry's Deli, now we can see them.
A line of motor cycles and fire engines two miles long, American flags flying from the handle bars and Santa Claus in the lead on a big Harley. At the end of the line is a forty-foot tractor-trailer filled to the brim with toys for children once with less and now with a little more. It took a bit of time and a lot of heart to touch those less fortunate.
-Ed Roane, West Toluca Lake
VEDC Introduces New Entrepreneurs
The Valley Economic Development Center graduated 61 students from their Microenterprise Business Training Class last month. Radio and TV personality Mother Love was on hand to speak to the graduates.
L.A. Family Housing, an agency that helps the homeless by sheltering them and preparing them for self-sufficiency, had seventeen clients in thed graduating class. Their business ideas range from Day Care to Tax Preparation, and the graduates are hoping that this class, along with the assistance that LAFH provides, will be their chance at a new life. Other agencies participating in the classes include LA Mission College and The Housing Authority. Most participants are either in the Welfare to Work Program or qualify as “low income” participants.
Both the City of L.A. and County Community Development Commission fund VEDC’s Microenterprise Business Training Program, which serves as a model for similar programs throughout the country. Participants are provided with the motivation and the business assistance needed to take them through a dynamic 10-week training program that provides them with the basic knowledge needed to start and be successful in a business.
The Valley Economic Development Center is the leading non-profit business development corporation providing finance, consulting, training, and workforce solutions to businesses thu-out So. California. VEDC 5121 Van Nuys Blvd. 3rd Flr., Van Nuys 818-907-9977 (Kerry Aubry). -LR
Studio City Car Wash
The pink corvette will be up on the hand again soon - engineers are moving it back from the street per city codes. 11514 Ventura Blvd. 818-980-8999.
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Greta Blackburn’s Happy Campers
unstoppable at staying fit and having fun
interview with Anna McWillie
Our own fitness and health columnist, Greta Blackburn does all the things I want to do, namely, staying in top shape herself, beating the clock against aging, and helping other people do that, too, reaching new heights in their career and personal goals. Says one happy camper after attending Greta’s FITCAMP©, “FITCAMP catapulted me out of a rut, and I left a dead-end career of 9 years.” Another says, “My body fat is lower,” but the most amazing thing that Greta does for her campers is push through fears to face challenges and succeed.
So much can be said about the amazing Greta - how does she do it all? Raised in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, as a teen she had her own radio show and was featured in numerous local tv shows and commercials. She attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, Indiana University, and Hunter College, studying Communications. After graduation, she began appearing in off-Broadway productions until her half-German, half Cherokee Indian exotic looks got her "discovered" and placed with the Ford Modeling Agency for testing. Travel to Paris and Milan soon followed.
A turning point in her life occurred when agency honcho Eileen Ford declared that Greta looked "like an actress, not a model." Greta packed her bags and headed to California to pursue acting again. She immediately landed the co-host spot on the NBC pilot Roadshow with John Candy, Julie Brown and Rick Overton. The show was intended as a replacement for Saturday Night Live during a ratings dive. Plans for the show were scrapped when Fred Silver-man, the producer and a major proponent of the show, left the network.
Disappointed, but undaunted, Greta began to guest star on numerous TV shows. In commercials, she starred as the Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut girl and the bathing beauty for Eclipse sunscreen commercials. Greta was featured in the super popular sci-fi mini-series V: The Final Battle as Lorraine, a good lizard. Even now Greta is frequently invited to sci-fi conventions where there are actually people dressed as her character, complete with blonde hairdo and nuclear encoder. Greta was a hit in the hit movie 48 Hrs, and as Jennifer, the hardhat on Dex's oilfield on Dynasty. Greta has guest-starred on most top TV shows, most reccently on Lois and Clark.
But Greta caught the fitness bug along the way, even though she was not athletic or into sports as a child. She has studied and worked with the best anti-aging gurus in the country. Here Greta clues me in on what makes her tick.
A You started FitCamp for adults 9 years ago, right?
G Yes.
A Did you go to camp when you were growing up?
G I went to camp for about 3 days when I was growing up. It was the funnest time I’ve ever had. I was actually sitting in a doctor’s office and there was a Kids or L.A. Parent or some magazine there, and I was glancing through it, and there were all these fabulous camps for kids. You know canoeing, computer skills, and I sat there thinking, I want to go to camp, why can’t I go do this? So I made one up, I basically just went, ok, what would I like to do at camp as an adult. And I made up this formula and started advertising it, and I thought, I think this is something that...at that time it was only ladies... and we ran off and did a camp in Big Bear and they loved it, and it worked. And I was right, every woman wanted to do it.
A Can men go to the camp too?
G Yes, we have co-ed camps. First of all a lot of the women came and said, “Oh my boyfriend, my husband, they’d love this, I wish men could come.” And men would call and say, “Why can’t we come.” And we said, ok, if they behave, we’d let them in.
A How many people are normally at one of your camps?
G It varies. The Malibu Camp can be as high as 150 - that’s a lot. The satellite camps, the Maui, the Baja Cruise, Catalina Hell Hike, - usually 40-50 people.
A Would you say it’s a single’s thing, or a couple’s thing or what?
G The co-ed camp is almost a 50-50 split of singles and couples. I have women who are addicts to the camp who bring their husbands now to all the co-ed camps, so I have couples now come to all the co-ed camps and singles that come too.
A When did you become interested in fitness, were you a tomboy growing up, what happened, did you get sick and have to rehabilitate yourself?
G I was unable to walk for 10 years (Laughs)...actually, growing up I was totally non-athletic. I was the kid who sat...the bookworm in the corner reading books. Not athletic at all, although privately I was.
A What do you mean by that?
G Secretly. There wasn’t anybody encouraging me. There were people encouraging me to be smart and study and be a straight A student and be in theatre, there was nobody encouraging me to be athletic. And I secretly would look at the people doing gymnastics or sports, and I was jealous and I couldn’t do any of it. And then I moved to New York and started modeling, and in the course of that, I got athletic. I went to work part time teaching excercise classes, what they were called then, at Jack LaLane in New York and became a jock. I discovered I was fairly athletic, and all the people who were studs in school are now couch potatoes and I can beat them to the bomb shelter in a dead run. So it’s kinda revenge of the nerds, truthfully.
A Well, you look great, you look like you really take good care of yourself. And you are not only into fitness you are into nutrition. Did you start into nutrition when you were working at Jack LaLane’s, cause he was a big nutrition buff?
G Yes, it was an off shoot of that. There was this vigorous manager there, I hear she’s still around doing this stuff, her name is Gabrielle, she’s this big German, she was this healthy...she knew a lot about working out and nutrition and all that, so I got a little bit of it there. And then I started antedocetly traveling around, I like to joke that that time I was on the cutting edge of quackery. I would just go off on tangents and test things, you know from vegetarianism to making my own yogurt to experimenting with things. And then eventually taking some courses and getting various certifications.
A This is back tracking a little. When you did go to camp when you were little, what were your favorite activities at the camp? What stands out, what’s the first thing that comes to mind, like the 3-legged race, the hike or what?
G What comes to mind is lying in the bunk beds at night having fun with the girls in the little bunk house. We had so much fun ...we goofed around with curlers and make-up, and it was just fun having that bonding...the big sleep over aspect, it was the funnest, which we have at the camps. I’m always running around peeking in the windows at the camp and I’m continually shocked at what those women are doing... We actually have a lot of people who want to be competitors, fitness competitors, so they’ll come and bring their wardrobe that they want to wear, so they will try on their dress, and people will help them pick the dress that looks the best for that round or whatever. It’s just really fun, it’s goofy, we run around in the woods with our flashlights. We instituated an actual weenie roast last year...
A (Laughs) I won’t ask too many questions about that.
G Oh, we’ll get to the weenie part in a second. But this is very important...people who come to the camp... the first question anyone ever asks on the phone when they call is, “Am I going to be the only one who is not in shape?” And the answer is, “No.” Most of the people are normal people, that is to say they are not hugely overweight or hugely buff, they are normal people. And to that effect I have nicknamed myself the Head Camp Weenie cause at the camp we are all weenies. Whether someone is at the camp because they are a fitness competitor and total stud to the person who has never worked out at all, we all have something to learn, we are all a weenie in some aspect of this. I am the Head Camp Weenie and every one who comes to camp is a camp weenie.
A What is the best thing that people come home with? When they leave, what brings them back?
G I like to say that they come to camp thinking they are going to get a better looking butt. And they leave with the lights behind their eyes. Either that look of someone who is really excited and motivated about something...it’s almost like they are lit up, there’s like a light shining behind their eyes. So that’s what they get. People report...that when they go home, everyone says, “My God you look completely different, you are a different person, what did they do to you at that camp!” People come back with just renewed enthusiasm for everything from the workout program to their career to their relationship or whatever. It really dramatically shifts people’s lives in very good directions.
A Do you have repeat campers?
G Yes.
A How many would you say are hooked on it, that want to go once a year...?
G I have campers who come to every camp. If there are four camps that year they are at all four, if there are two camps they’re there. I have a hard core contingency, I’m going to say 15 to 20 women. If they know there is a camp coming, they have to be at it. And sometimes we’ll joke, like they’ll call and say, “Oh I can’t make it this time, money is tight, or time or whatever.” and I guarantee two days before the camp they go. They call and say, “Alright, you know I’m coming, so did you same me a space?”
A With longevity approaching extraordinary boundaries...health, fitness and nutrition and all these fabulous medical discoveries, killing cancer and different things, so with longevity approaching extraordinary boundaries, what do you think the repercutions will be on the economy?
G Well, there’s all types on conjecture about that stuff. It’s funny I’m heading off on Friday to the A Forum, which is the big anti-aging show, where a lot of the cutting edge stuff will be there and a lot of the top scientists from around the world will be there presenting the latest greatest stuff from immortal cells...Many of us have heard of Dolly the sheep, the sheep that they are cloning. The reprecussions...you know, it’s potentially scary when you think of things like people living to be 200 and the burden it puts on all kinds of business and structures in society, but the flip side is these people are healthier, and they are living longer than...you know, maybe it balances out a little bit. So who knows at this point. It’s all hi-sci-fi stuff and very real and happening as we speak.
A Do you think a woman in her 50’s can find happiness with a mate in his 30’s?
G I don’t know, maybe I’ll let you in a little while? Yeah, it’s funny I was talking to a girlfriend today, she was talking about her boyfriend, and she’s, I’m gonna guess, she’s in her 40’s, and her boyfriend is like 28, and a lot of the women I know who are in their 40’s anyway, and certainly probably 50’s are dating younger men.
A Twenty years younger?
G Yeah, I mean why not, guys do it all the time.
A Well, that’s a whole other issue. Rich guys date beautiful young women, and the women tolerate their oldness because they get a great lifestyle in the package. Is it the same, flipping the coin, does a woman in her 40 or 50’s have to maintain a boyfriend in his 20’s...
G Are you talking about financial stuff now?
A Yes, well I’m asking you, I mean that’s how I see young women with 20-25 year older guys is only if they are supporting them.
G Well, I don’t really see it that much, Anna.
A The other way around you mean, or a young man with an older woman, a young woman with an olderman?
G I see this, ok, here’s my role model for this...here’s who I think has been just amazing...is Cher. I mean, a lot of people will discount her ‘cause her image is kinda light and fluffy and “you and me babe” and all of that, but the fact of the matter is, she is a woman who has always dated men who she was attracted to because she was attracted to them. It wasn’t about the money it wasn’t about...it wasn’t guys necessarily living off of her or mooching off of her...
A Cher never dated a man older than her.
G No, she didn’t.
A Ok, and also Cher is a very rich woman and leads a really cushy life style, any man of any age would like to be her boyfriend.
G No... that’s true.
A So that’s exactly the category I’m talking about.
G So let’s remove Cher from the conversation. But for the most part, the guys she dated that were younger were guys that could hold their own. They were musicians, they were in bands, like that. I see it as completely changing, and I see it as shifting in our generation or lifetime.
A So then, an older woman can be with a younger man more as an equal, not as a sugar(mommy)...
G So here’s the deal. Younger guys like older women for a variety of reasons. And younger women like older or younger men for whatever reasons. I think it’s changing, the boundaries on all that stuff is changing. And we are in the midst of it, and who knows how it’s gonna shake loose.... all that old thinking is so over.
A So do you think a person in his 100’s can make a living?
G Well, I hope so.
A Is the 100’s only for people who have saved a big retirement...in other words longevity isn’t for everybody?
G Well, hopefully as all this new technology is made more available, this stuff that keeps us perkier and younger and all of that stuff, we’ll be capable in that wage earning way for many many more decades. I certainly can’t imagine not working. I really can’t imagine that.
A At any age?
G At any age. I’m just a hyper person, and I’m always gonna want to be engaged in something. I think there are a lot of people like that, and I think that’s a function to some degree of how healthy you are...your energy level and that respect. So who knows, this is all shaking loose as we speak and we’ll be around to see. You’ll probably still be publishing NoHo>LA 2050.
A I’ll have 5 or more publications by then, right? (Laughs)
G And I’ll be running NoHoSoHo (laughs) and we’ll have our wheel chairs (laughs)...
A You’ll have Afghan fitcamp - they need it.
G Cave hopping, cave jumping, I don’t know. (Laughs)
A Tell me about this new thing?
G I started the camp...part of the whole reason I did it was there was a technology that I’ve been involved in a lot of teamwork courses and exercises and ropes and break-through and that kind of thing, and I wanted to really bring that to the everyday person ‘cause it was the kind of thing that I, as a person living in California and going to seminars - all kinds of airy fairy seminars - could be exposed to, but the average person couldn’t. So part of even creating the camp was to have this as an aspect of the camp.
So we created this whole thing, ropes and break-through, people swing from trees, people jump off power cords, a woman with a fear of heights climbing 55 feet up, stuff like that. So after you face that physical fear, have pushed through it, it’s all about facing what other fears you have with the same amount of just sorta ignoring the fear and walking through it. So people create goals, things they’ve dreamed about doing but didn’t have the balls to do. Ok. So on this “dreamteam” night, where we create the support that’s gonna help you over the next year and help push you towards your goals, and you come up with goals - people decide they are going to become a personal trainer, and we help support them in doing that - and I realized I’ve been a real pussy in my life about this rock band that I wanted to form, so out of that I created my own goal for myself which is my band The Bitch Kitties. So The Bitch Kitties are happening. We are working right now on a CD.
A Whoa!!!!
G So the Bitch Kitties is my project that came out of my camp as part of our dreamteam night. The Bitch Kitties are what I call PMS Rock, and it’s really a bunch of hot sexy chicks singing and dancing, - so the guys can enjoy visually - but the message is really girl power stuff. It’s a lot of fun.
A Do you have a sample?
G I don’t, but we are working on that as we speak. Scotty G (formerly reviewed music for NoHo>LA) was instrumental in this too. He’s doing music now.
Here's what will be going on in Maui Valentine's Co-ed
FITCAMP, Feb 13-17 combining the spirit of Hawaii with the magic of nine years and counting! - the FITCAMP fitness formula - from about 6am-10pm every day, you’ll want even more! The camp is geared to all levels of fitness and will be customized to fit every camper’s needs. You will meet new friends who will remain lifetime buddies and return with you to future camps for a “reunion.”
Activities include:
•Sweat lodge! Native American tradition with the added benefit of Hawaiian herbs and remedies - fun, detoxifying, energizing and enlightening
•Unreal spiritual hikes on private properties that can't normally be accessed - gorgeous hikes that lead us to secret waterfalls and swimming holes and sunset view ridges
•Amazing beach workouts including sports conditioning and Power Yoga
•Fun and funky low impact classes designed to shape and sculpt while learning dance moves
•Lots of great informational seminars including "High Tech Secrets of Fat-Burning" and "Supplements That Work," as well as "Finding Motivation for Fitness and Career Changes"
•Core training classes to improve your sports
•Snorkeling, whale watching, and sightseeing
•Triathlon 101: swimming, biking, and running for all levels of fitness (even non-swimmers!)
Your personal goals and dreams will be assessed when you arrive and a plan designed for you to take back home, to hit the ground running - no more wasted workouts or gym time. The food at FITCAMP is always amazing and healthy at the same time - you will not go hungry.
I'm trying to figure out a way to get someone else to publish this paper so I can go to Fitcamp in Maui next month. Anyone who wants to volunteer so that I can go to camp, call me right away.
To go to camp yourself, reserve your space by calling Greta and send a $500 deposit to: FITCAMP 15030 Ventura Blvd. Ste. 471, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. The balance, about $1000, is due Jan 15. 800-727-2888 www.fitcamp.com.
Greta is bringing the message of health and fitness to the people of America. While she was Editor-In-Chief of Natural Body and Fitness magazine (88-90), she co-founded Fitness Against Drugs, an anti-drug foundation that promotes physical fitness as an alternative "hip" lifestyle for teens. FAD's message to kids is that it's not cool to be a gang member, drug user or school dropout. By using celebrity role models who advocate a healthy lifestyle, FAD gets a positive message across to kids. She has served as Editor of California Health magazine, a health supplement to the LA Times, sponsored by a large group of independent pharmacies bringing health and information to the So. Cal. public. She is founding Editor of Ms. Fitness magazine, which promotes physical fitness to women across the world and is "sister" to the widely televised Ms. Fitness USA specials. As a proponent and judge of these contests, Greta serves as an ambassador of health and fitness to females of all ages and backgrounds.
As a writer on health and fitness issues, Greta has covered topics ranging from ways to help prevent breast cancer to eating disorders to high-tech strategies for fat-burning. She co-authored the book Cory Everson’s LifeBalance and is currently working on a FITCAMP Scrapbook and Recipe File for pub in ‘02. The FITCAMP book comes out of Greta’s work as Founder/Director of Greta Blackburn’s FITCAMPS, which take place in Malibu, Maui, Mexico, Canada & soon, Australia and serve as training symposiums for fitness professionals and other interested men and women from all over the world.
Her charitable work involving fitness includes production and creation of several televised celebrity sports events, including the Pro-Celebrity Sno Games benefiting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society; the Pro-Celebrity Winter Games benefiting the Special Olympics; and the Tennis Tournament of the Stars benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Greta has been called "The Most Glamorous Editor In The World" due in part to her appearances on Entertainment Tonight, EXTRA, Hard Copy, Good Day LA, and dozens of other television and radio shows. The Jenny Jones Show has showcased success stories at Greta’s camps by sending guests to attend and then doing follow-up appearances on the show describing their successful programs. Greta also works as a consultant to hotel chains in developing their fitness programs and spas. "Greta Blackburn's Fitstops" are published internationally and are travel reviews featuring resorts with fitness facilities. She is also a spokesperson for Great Earth Vitamins. She is a founding member of Southern Touch Food Products Health Council, The American Association of University Women; and is featured in the 1999-2000 Edition of Who’s Who of American Women.
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Book Review: Old Gods Almost Dead:
The 40 -Year Odyssey of The Rolling Stones
by Stephen Davis
Sex, drugs, rock-and-roll - The Rolling Stones have seen and done it all. The saga of the band’s unprecedented musical successes and personal excesses is one of the most riveting in rock mythology, complete with rivalries, addictions, scandals, madness, betrayals, death, and some of the best rock music ever written. All that drama has kept the Stones rocking and rolling, they have outlived many of their colleagues to keep seeking their rock-and-roll Holy Grail in the 21st century.
In the first new Rolling Stones biography in nearly 20 years, Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40 Year Odyssey of the Rol-ling Stones (Broad-way Books), bestselling rock-and-roll biographer Stephen Davis brings the myths and music together as never before. Davis, a respected journalist and author of the bestselling biographies Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga and Walk This Way: The Autobio-graphy of Aerosmith, has covered the Rolling Stones for more than three decades. With serious rock-and-roll attitude and a wealth of detail, he now traces their extravagant journey into music history, from their debut as the intermission band at London’s dank Marquee Club in 1962 to their out-of control days as rock gods in the early ‘70s to their current arena-sized popularity as ticket sales record-setters.
Drawing on interviews with the band, former wives and lovers, critics, and contemporaries and featuring more than 40 stunning photographs (including some never-before-seen shots), the book is a complete guide to the life and times of the Stones, including stops in Swinging London, sold-out stadiums, and dreary tour buses, and sketches of famous friends such as Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, Tina Turner and The Beatles. It is the first Rolling Stones biography to bring readers up to speed with the 21st Century Stones, and to cover all of the bands members and their circle, including oft-overlooked players such as jazz-fan and family man Charlie Watts and prolific love machine Bill Wyman.
Stephen Davis leaves no stone unturned as he examines the band’s trailblazing music and rough-and-tumble private world, writing with a vibrancy and enthusiasm that suits his larger-than-life subject. - LR
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Bit on Hollwood
Academy Award winning actor Martin Landau was honored with his *STAR* on the Hollywood Walk of Fame December 17 in front of the new Kodak Theatre. Attending were comedian Buddy Hackett, director Mark Rydell, actress Sally Kirkland, actor Peter Lupus, who starred with Landau on TV's Mission Impossible, Arthur Hiller and Joe Jackson. Martin Landau can now be seen in the movie The Majestic starring Jim Carrey.
Hollywood was in its glamour and glory during December with many movie premieres on the big screens. Vanilla Sky, The Majestic and Ali premiered one night after another at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. The El Capitan premiered The Royal Tenenbaums and The Egyptian Theatre premiered Charlotte Gray.
In celebration of Walt Disney's 100th birthday on December 5, 2001, Disneyland and Disneyworld in Florida will celebrate for one year!
Another 100th birthday celebrated was for Lee Strasberg, hosted by his wife Anna Strasberg, on November 17, 2001. To mark the historic occasion a statue of Lee Strasberg, created by Douglas W. Randall, was unveiled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in West Hollywood.
“George Hurrell: The Lost Photographs, the public debut of a recently discovered collection of images taken by perhaps the most famous of all photographers of motion picture stars will open at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum 7021 Hollywood Bl, 323-465-7900 January 3 and run through March 3. The exhibit of 40 photos include images of film queens Greta Garbo, Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, Joan Crawford, Merle Oberon and film kings Ramon Navarro, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Paul Muni and Franchot Tone.”
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Annual Fiestaat the Campo
52nd Annual Celebration of theSigning of the Treaty
On Sunday, January 13, the San Fernando Valley celebrates its historical legacy with an authentic fiesta and reenactment of the signing of the Campo de Cahuenga Treaty. The event, held annually, commemorates the legendary meeting between Lt. Colonel John C. Fremont, in command of the California Volunteer Battalions, and General Andres Pico, in command of the Mexican forces in California, on January 13, 1947, which ended the fighting in California during Mexican-American War and paved the way for California and other western territories to join the Union. There will be a monologue by actor Roberto Garza portraying Governor Pio Pico; Ray Herbeck’s Frontier Legions will perform the reenactment in authentic uniform dress, and there will be a firing of an 1847 Howitzer by Cap Cresap; entertainment will be by Yesteryear Dancers - Mademoiselle Irene and Company, Carolina Russek Fiesta Dancers, Gablelino Indian Dancers and Chumash Dancers. There will also be a presentation of new archeological discoveries presented by Greenwood and Associates. Campo de Cahuenga 3919 Lankershim Blvd. (across the street from Universal Studios and north of the Universal City-Campo de Cahuenga Metro Redline Subway Station) at 12:30pm, and is free and open to the public, on Jan 13, refreshments will be served. For info 818-762-3998.
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Cecily Speaks
by Cecily Knobler
Love your Agent, even?
I am sitting in the passenger seat of, (oh let’s call him Ryan’s) 88’ Honda Civic. He has seemed oddly distant all night and had hardly touched his food, even though we had been served his favorite, The Potsticker. Even when I had tried to run lines with him for his featured role as the pizza guy on Reba, he hadn’t perked up. He pulls up to a fire zone outside of my apartment and I believe to know what is about to take place. I attempt to create a diversion.
“Hey what’s that over there?” I shakily ask, pointing to a Gelson’s grocery bag that has broken free and is floating down the street as casually as my sex life. The moment he looks, I scramble for the door and proceed to bolt out. “Bye, Puppy! See ya later...” “What? Wait,” he snaps, “I need to talk to you.”
I attempt to continue my new status as oblivious girl. “Ooh, I’m so super sleepy, monkey. Can’t this wait?” He takes pause, closing his eyes for a moment like someone does when they have just seen a gruesome murder on the news. He opens them and the blueness is piercing. “This-really-can’t-wait,” he insists, punching every word as if they could stand alone.
Uh oh. I make a mental bet with myself as to which out he is going to take. Will it be the blameful “I’m feeling smothered ” or the more sensitive, but overused “It’s not you...it’s me.” Or worse, the nauseating “I’ve met someone else.” I look at him, scared and ready.
“I think I should change agents,” he finally blurts out and then immediately looks down at the steering wheel in shame.
“You...what?”
“I just don’t think my agent is doing anything for me anymore. He sends me on all of these “character-actor” roles and I’m sorry but I really think of myself as a leading man type.”
He continues his diatribe about how the true craft of acting has been lost and how sick he is of the “process,” and then I’m unsure as to what he said after that because my brain became some sort of receptor for Joni Mitchell’s Blue album, specifically, “The River.” cont’d at top right
Then it started thinking...
As we slide ever so quickly into the year of the palindrome, I can’t help but reflect on this past year and ponder, “should we all be digging a little deeper?” In a town like Los Angeles, full of lovely and creative people, we should pull it together and prove to the world that we are not the vapid and vacuous lot that is the perception. On the contrary, we are a town full of funny, dynamic leaders whom I truly believe can set an example for the country. We have our own brilliant, insane energy that just so happens to be bottled inside of a 1:30am last call, but we can still raise our glasses and give toasts. And so I implore you fellow Angelinos. I challenge you. Be kind to your neighbors. If you see a car parked at an empty parking meter, feed it. Let a nice signaling SUV merge into your lane...even wave them in with a smile. Run lines with your significant other when he/she asks nicely, even if it is only for a bit part.
And love each other well as we start this year. We deserve good things now, and we can make them happen.
- Cecily Knobler is a stand-up comedian and the morning host on KZLA.
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Memories of Bill Coffman
Co-Owner of The Old Town Music Hall
by Michelle E. Malik
Bill Coffman was a sometimes-cranky, always witty doll of a man who loved off-color jokes, classic films and the fullbodied sound of a Wurlitzer pipe organ. Along with his sidekick and confidant, Bill Field, this red-suspender local hero who lived for nostalgia, owned an operated the Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, California for thirty-three years and introduced legions of new fans and helped old ones to reminisce a bygone era.
I first met Bill when I joined other members of the Al Jolson Society to see the 70th Anniversary of The Jazz Singer in 1997. He was sharp, kind, and obviously very popular with all the people that came in, calling them out by name. With that kind of personal touch in mind, I knew I'd be back to this charming place, and something told me I'd become a friend of this man. My intuition was right.
I started frequenting Old Town, about a half an hour drive from my home in the San Fernando Valley, with my friend Kyung, and in no time, we became good pals of Bill's. He would often single me out in the crowd and crack a joke at his opening monologue with something like, "Is that you again, Michelle. If you don't keep quiet, you will have to leave." I would shake with laughter, knowing that he was just teasing me.
Bill Coffman was always the showman and began each film with his classic schtick like "How many of you are here for the first time? How many are here for the last time?" or "Get your prescriptions filled at the candy counter." As many times as we had heard it, we laughed just the same. He then would play the organ with a medley of songs from the period of the film playing that evening and lead us into a sing-a-long with lyrics listed right on the pull-down screen.
In 1998, I became the president of The Eddie Cantor Appreciation Society and started to attend the theater with small groups of society locals. My friend Dave Greim became close to Bill as well and regularly advised him on the film schedule, eventually getting a few Eddie Cantor movies on the docket. I began creating mini events in honor of the Saturday evening show of a Cantor film. One of the most memorable nights was in September of 2000 when we invited dancing legend and good friends Fayard Nicholas of the Nicholas Bros. and Eddie Cantor's youngest daughter Janet Gari to a screening of Kid Millions starring Eddie. There was a large turnout and Bill had a nice repartee with them from his seat on the stage.
At the end of 2000, times had gotten very tough for the theater, and "the Bills" feared that they would see an end to their collaboration when rent was raised to an astronomical amount. In a touching gesture, many patrons and a few celebrities donated funds and pledges to see that this would not happen. Fortunately, the strong-willed men refused to see their theater just die out, even if they had to change locations, and managed to work out an arrangement to keep Old Town moving along for at least another year. We all breathed a sigh of relief.
The last major event that the Cantor and Jolson Societies attended at the theater was a musical concert starring my friends Richard Halpern (Mr. Tin Pan Alley), Rick Rogers (The Baron of Boop), and Dean Mora on piano on October 21st. We were in our glory, enjoying ourselves as the men thrilled us with a variety of songs from Jolson's musicals. As always, Bill was gracious and funny and accommodated our group, but was noticeably exhausted by the end of the evening. I saw him one more time on the afternoon of November 18th for a screening of the Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy film, Rose Marie. Bill was looking very frail and weak and I told him that he should rest himself.
When the news came that he died in his sleep on Friday, December 7th, indeed a memorable date for America, a part of me sank, and I had a good cry knowing that I wouldn't see him again goofing on us in that theater or telling a dry-humored joke outside. However, I am happy in the knowledge that I did get to share the last stage of Bill's life and participate in his love and respect of old-time films and entertainment. I am not alone in saying that he will be greatly missed.
Bill Field will carry on the theater the best that he can in absence of his friend because, he says, that is what Coffman would have wanted.
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God Bless Americana
Part 2
For one evening, visitors to the Petersen Automotive Museum will be transported back in time, to the sights, scenes and events of the 1960s through an amazing collection of 35mm slides, humorous observations and historical commentary called “God Bless Americana - Part 2.”
On Thursday evening January 24th, Charles Phoenix, pop culture historian of the mid-20th Century, will narrate a slide show composed of his intriguing collection of family and travel transparencies, gathered from thrift shops, garage sales and flea markets. The images - everything from the first flight of the Spruce Goose to the last voyage of the Queen Mary - are a fascinating look at the way we were, how we lived, where we played.
“I’ve always been fascinated with Americana,” says Phoenix. “As a kid growing up in Ontario, California in the 1960s and 1970s, I became interested in those ‘50s American cars visiting my Dad’s used car lots. From there my fascination with the period expanded to art, fashion and architecture.”
While enjoying a career as a designer, Charles Phoenix began collecting and trading classic cars. While combing the Southern California countryside for classic cars, he discovered hordes of vintage amateur family and travel slide photography and began entertaining friends with his colorful images and witty dialogue. This led to the first of many “God Bless Americana Part 2” slide shows hosted in the Los Angeles area.
The one-evening only presentation of “God Bless Americana Part 2” starts with a Museum reception at 6:30pm, with the slide show beginning at 7:00pm. Visitors will be treated to famous Hollywood landmarks, a trip to a nuclear power plant, the gun-toting neighborhood kids of Suburbia and a Swinging Sixties pool party. See Art guide for listing. - LR
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From Hollywood To Greeting Cards
If Denise Evangelatos’ life were a movie, perhaps this might be the part that would have violins playing in the background. Replacing one career for another at 32 was mortifying enough for someone who would organize her sock drawer at 2am because it was on the day’s list of things to do.
She was really good at what she did. Her directors didn’t want to see her go. She started out as a script supervisor and ended up being the executive assistant for two of the hottest young directors of the MTV generation - Michael Bay and Alex Proyas. Denise says, “It was all great when you’re young enough to be thrilled by just being there, but when you don’t want to parlay it into something bigger, you’re screwed. And I realized I didn’t after my comfort zone had been sufficiently challenged spending a year in Australia making a film that had effectively sucked the life out of me. I didn’t mind the hard work and long hours, but it was all for someone else and that wasn’t good enough anymore. So, it was either time to move up or move on. And how tragic it was to walk away. If felt almost wasteful because I had put in my time.
Considering the consequences of staying or gambling with her own creativity, she decided the gamble was worth it and started Polished Pearl Greetings. Why greeting cards? Denise said, “I love cards, plain and simple. They’re a personal way to share yourself with someone else. I was confident I could create a line that would be a vehicle for people to go further than just ‘Happy Birthday.’ And, to say the least, it felt good to put my Trojan education to some good use. Polished Pearl’s voice is different. Saying things people might not express in a card but want to. Most cards out there are either mechanical and boring or blank and leave too much space for a person who doesn’t know what to say to begin with. Cards need to be more of an experience instead of a chore and Polished Pearl Greetings is just that.
Unpredictable and not spoon-fed. Specific to the changing nature of people. Some will make you think, some are crass and some are simply sweet, but all of them are honest.
“I’ve been doing this now for 3 1/2 years and it’s been more of a challenge than anything I’ve ever done. I’ve learned more of myself than any therapist could ever reveal to me. I’ve learned that I’ve changed. I’ve learned that sometimes it’s a lot easier for someone to tell you what to do than to be disciplined enough to do it for yourself. If I don’t work, nothing gets done. If I don’t sell, people won’t know the company exists. If I’m not all things at once, I can lose my way. I’m an artist who has become an entrepreneur. Polished Pearl Greetings might leave me searching my wallet but not my soul.”
Cards available at Scentsabilities
4336 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City 818-761-7727 Polishedpearlgreetings.com. - LR
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Local Artist
Daniel Wooster Born in Philadelphia in 1963 as the oldest of four children, Los Angeles-based artist and sculptor Daniel Wooster first used his talents to gain the respect of his younger sisters. He later relied on artwork as a way to stand out when he transferred to new schools during the family’s many moves. Today, his pieces command attention with their intoxicating scale. Many are created on four or five-foot canvases, and sometimes, risky subject matter. Throughout the colorful “other worlds” of Wooster’s candy-coated compositions, figures struggle with their vices, faces are transformed by cubist details, and still-lifes leap into action.
Daniel says, “ When I started realizing at 8 years old how my joy in life could be expressed through pencil or paint, I was totally hooked. I made a promise to myself that I would always do it. The magic of making an image is what always inspires me, the observation of reality around me. What keeps me going is my belief that I will add to the world’s progress in art. I need to stay immersed in the art world around me. When I forget my focus, I get reminded when I see art again.”
Daniel’s new exhibit 2001 will be at the Lankershim Arts Center starting January 4th. See Art Guide for listing.
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Capoeira More than Just a Martial Art
a Tool in the Art of Activism
by Juan Maldonado
In the middle of the Santa Monica Airport, in the middle of almost nowhere emanates the sound of drums from a quaint studio located in the Barker Hanger. The drums are accompanied by the sound of three berimbaus, a single stringed instrument that is said to have it's origins in Africa, and a lone voice singing,”Eu sou Angoleiro, Angoleiro e que eu sou.” A chorus of about 20 people immediately greets the lone voice, Eu sou Angoleiro, as two combatants flip, kick, dodge, and move in the middle of the circle. Welcome to the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center (BBCC), home of Mestre Amen Santo's Capoeira academy, Capoeira Batuque. Mestre Amen has been a fixture in the Santa Monica community for quite some time, teaching his art there for well over a decade. Amen has seen his academy grow from it's humble beginnings when he can recall training as few as three students to it's present day, which now boasts roughly 100 students. Amen's students range in age of 4 years old to 55 years old, many different people of different nationalities converge in his studio, and it's a place where both men and women work equally as hard to get to the next level of their jogo (game).
After all, it was Mestre Pastinha, one of the most venerated mestres (masters) in Capoeira, who said "Capoeira e pra homem, menino, e mulher." Translated the phrase means "Capoeira is for man, woman or child." Overseeing that many students is a great challenge as well as a great deal of responsibility for any one person. And Amen takes both the challenge and responsibility of teaching his students the art of Capoeira very seriously. That challenge and responsibility is not just limited to his academy however, that same sense of responsibility has translated for Amen, into respon-sibility for the community as well. Further, his sense of community is not confined to just the city of Santa Monica. No, Amen looks at the world in a holistic manner and ponders how to attain solutions for social con-ditions globally.
Amy Santo, who is Amen's wife and co-director of the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center, explains, BBCC was funded with the goal of uplifting Afro-Brazilian culture through the arts, “We are committed to reducing the risk factors caused by racism, sexism, poverty, xenophobia and homophobia that limit the development of healthy communities and the ability for all people to enjoy the benefits of cultural citizenship.” Amen and Amy have set out to on their mission by providing many different programs to the community. The BBCC puts on public performances and arts education in public schools and libraries, they offer scholarships for a limited number of low-income youths so that they may participate in the youth program practically for free, and have even allowed me to start a monthly poetry night at their studio entitled Nommo. Nommo has quickly become a space for young poets to come and express themselves and a vehicle for intelligent, community minded discourse. In speaking to Amen he stressed the importance of providing a forum for free thought and discussion, through those ideas come actions and through actions comes change. Furthermore, Amen stressed his commitment to providing a safe place for children to come and practice the art. It is not surprising that Amen Santo would have such a mind frame, however. Since its beginnings Capoeira has been a revolutionary and liberating force for the people of African descent in Brazil. There is much controversy as to whether this martial art was actually developed in Brazil or whether it was imported there by the African people who were transported there as slaves. The most widely accepted theory is that slaves incorporated dance into their martial arts training in order to fool the slave masters into thinking that they were just playing a game or practicing some sort of ritual. Hence, the introduction of instruments and rhythms into the martial art. There are many songs in the art of Capoeira telling of the plight of the slaves and the art form’s role in their struggle. It is said that capoeiristas would use the art to free themselves from their masters and run off to quilombos, freestanding slave communities, for safety. The most famous of these quilombos was called Palmares, which was headed by a charismatic and now legendary Ganga Zumba, who is credited as being the first capoeirista. Ganga Zumba and his successor, Zumbi, are now honored in hundreds of Capoeira songs for their efforts in freeing their people from slavery in Brazil.
Once slavery was abolished in Brazil, Capoeira continued to be used by the lower classes to fight off an oppressive government, much like the farm workers and country folk used Kung-Fu in China. They used it to struggle against a government that outlawed Capoeira declaring it an aberration of decency. During this period of time Capoeiristas were heavily oppressed, anyone seen practicing Capoeira in the streets was immediately arrested if not beaten or killed instantly. In an August 1936 issue, the Brazilian newspaper A Tarde reported an incident involving police and a well-known Capoeira mestre named Bimba. The newspaper reported that a group of policemen where causing trouble in Engenho Velho (possibly a town in Bahia, Brazil) and without reason grabbed a young boy. Mestre Bimba (another mestre of legendary status), not being one to stand around and watch, became involved in the incident, rescuing the boy using Capoeira techniques to defend himself. This is just one example of how Capoeira was used in times of oppression as a liberating and dynamic force for the movement of the people in Brazil. It was through both Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha’s efforts that Capoeira later became accepted as a legitimate art, which is second only to soccer as the national pastime in Brazil.
Although Mestre Amen’s views and philosophies are not unique to the philosophy of Capoeira and many other different martial arts, they are unique in this day and age - a day and age when most studios, dojo's, Sensei's, and Mestres are out looking for a quick buck, a day and age where martial arts are more about the money than supporting and teaching the original philosophy of the art. However, it is important to point out that there are martial artists out there that share the views and philosophy of Amen Santo and are making a difference in the community.
If you are thinking of entering the world of martial arts, I suggest you do a little research on the teacher at that particular school and see if he or she is doing anything to help out in the community. If not, support those that are, if you have an interest in the community yourself.
For more information on the Brasil Brasil Cultural Center call (310) 397-3667 or log onto www.capoeirabatuque.org.
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Oliver's Bakerei Fine Gourmet Artisan Breads
In the vast metropolis of Los Angeles, a tough business market where the quest for the best often carries a high price tag, Oliver's Backerei has grown into one of the area's leading artisan bread companies. Owner Todd Murray has accomplished this feat through a combination of a lifelong love of baking, show business flair and savvy business acumen.
Oliver's Backerei offers the finest gourmet artisan breads and rolls affordable for restaurants, caterers and the retail customer. The names read like an exotic trip around the world: Sweet French, Italian seeded sourdough, Chile Cheese, Pane Pacifica (with shredded coconut and a hint of curry), Bavarian pretzel. Among the bread products are baguettes, artisan loaves, square loaves for retail, larger sliced loaves for the commercial kitchen, rolls, hamburger and hot dog buns, breadsticks and Bavarian pretzels. There are 4 sourdoughs, 5 types of French, Golden 6-Grain, 3-seed Raisin and Walnut, Herb and Onion, Cranberry and Walnut, Brioche, Roasted Garlic and Thyme, Rustik Olive and more. Many of the products, including the delicious Raisin Walnut Wheat, are labeled Vegan, as they contain no animal products, not even honey. A new feature is the unique Bachelor Loaf which contains seven or eight slices, so you won't have to worry about freezing it or have it go bad. And it's made in three different varieties: Whole Wheat, Country White and Seeded 6-Grain.
Oliver's Backerei breads have been served at film openings, celebrity weddings and Paramount Pictures Catering. They are featured at many fine retail establishments like Trader Joe's, Wild Oats Markets and his first client, Erewhon and restaurants like Starbucks, Marmalade Cafe, Cafe D'Etolle and more. And they are a main donator of their bread to Angel Harvest, a six-year old non-profit food rescue organization that collects food from events, caterers, hotels, etc. and delivers it directly to agencies that need it, providing over 1200 meals a day in Los Angeles. "Bread is a creative process, and emotional. Bakers are artists," says Murray.
-LR
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Astro Alice.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) A confab with another savvy Capricorn may prove profitable regarding that long term investment you've been tossing around. What seemed right at first is still right so follow that gut feeling. Those winter storms will pass quickly from your doorstep.
Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) The call of the wild becons you, and leads you to some exciting daredevilry. This appeals to the restless phase you're in. Go where the wind takes you and enjoy the grand adventure. There will be other fires to sit by at home in the future, but not now.
Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) Don't blame Santa for what was missing in your stocking this year. It was all that egg nog that made you forgetful. Start resolutions early as the season carries you away a bit further than decency permits. Cool those strong desires for greener pastures.
Aries (Mar 21-Apr19) You'll be butting heads with another ramming Aries unless you learn to zip the lip and let the other guy have the last word. What you think is worth dying for is only illusion. Bigger and better surprises are just around the corner, so do an about face and profit.
Taurus (Apr 20-May 20) Playing Santa was not a difficult role for some of you natural born good- deeders. Give the role to someone else next year and play a disappearing act instead. Start the new year by enjoying colder climates. When the bells stop ringing you may find a new romance.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Go for the gold. Anything less is not worth the struggle. You know what it takes to get in training, it's just that you've been goofing off for a while and maybe forgot some basic rules. It's time to shake off those clinging vines and get in shape for the big game.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) The workplace is no place for hanky panky yet that's where some intense romance will be brewing regardless of whispering voices. Many sweet moments can be enjoyed without making waves. But be sure to keep the spotlight away from your playing field.
Leo (July 23-Aug 22) Time to reveal those passionate feelings you've been waiting to share with your main attraction. What better time than when the New Year rings out the Old and new beginnings are awakened. No time for pride, show you're true feelings. You're prospects look rosy.
Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22) With the mad holiday rush over you can sit back and enjoy the candle light and loving arms. But be prepared for interuptions as party time never stops at your house. Make things simple. Too much of a good thing will destroy all those lofty resolutions.
Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22) Mars and Pisces are messing things up for you in the romance department. Take special care in the diplomatic skills you've learned. But not to worry. That good old natural charm of yours wins the tug of war, and you'll find your bold moves end in check mate.
Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 21) Chivalry is not dead, so be prepared for some good old fashioned wooing. The planets are all lined up in your favor and it's time to get on that primrose path before things in the upper hemespheres reconvene going off in other directions. Don't lose it.
Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) Bravery is never the cure for what ails you. Time to stop trying to cover up what is really hurting. Things are not as bad as they seem, and ones close to you are ready to give you a hand over those bumps in the road. So let them, and relax that stiff upper lip.
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Politicians, Parties, and Playmates in NoHo
The PLAYBOY Archives
by Quentin Dunne
On a quiet street in Toluca Lake, there is a place where several decades' worth of movie stars, rock singers, and esteemed artists of all fields mingle with some of the world's most beautiful women. This same location houses some of the most extravagent parties of this century... or any other. If one is priviliged enough to be admitted past the unassuimg exterior, they can watch glitterati and literati mingle, as well as observe countless fundraisers and charity events attended by celebrities and politicos alike.
I am speaking, of course, about Keep It Self-Storage (KISS) Media Vault at 4444 Vineland Avenue, where all of the above are preserved on film at the behest of Playboy Entertainment Group.
Since its first published issue in 1953, Hugh Hefner's Playboy Magazine has played a key role in reshaping American sexual and cultural attitudes. It has been a source of praise, rebuke, and endless curiosity. Within its pages such stars as Marilyn Monroe, Drew Barry-more, and Cindy Crawford have shed their clothing, while future presidents have given interviews, and writers ranging from William F. Buckley, Jr. to Camille Paglia to Vincent Bugliosi have opined. Along the way, there has been vast coverage of all things Playboy - the magazine, the mansion, the publisher, the clubs, the Bunnies-come-Playmates, to name but a few - both by the outside press and by Playboy itself. For the past several months, Playboy has stored their filmed archival footage (everything from Sixty Minutes profiles to private home movies to) right here in NoHo's backyard. A separate KISS facility, also located in Toluca Lake, houses their videotape footage as well.
KISS owner Ben Dalby says he's both happy and honored to have Playboy as a tenant. "They used to have two other vaults elsewhere before consolidating with us. They felt they got better service from us," Dalby says. "They obviously have a very large collection, and they're continuing to grow," he notes, but is confident he's prepared for the growth with a present film archive area of 1500 square-feet and a 3000 square-foot video storage facility.
The following is a portion of a telephone interview with Alan Ferguson, a seventeen-year veteran of The Playboy Entertainment Group and now their Director of Post-Production Services, in which he spoke about some of the issues involved in keeping such a detailed collection of materials.
Q What was the motivation behind starting the Playboy archives?
F Well, Hefner is a real record keeper. He loves keeping records of everything. Playboy started in 1953 and we literally have material since then -- interviews, documentary footage of all the parties, you name it. And we’re very thorough. We have a reciprocal agreement with news organizations that anything they air about us, we get a copy of. All of that’s in the archives too.
Q Why did you choose KISS, and what kind of measures do you take to preserve the archives?
F It’s a state-of-the-art facility as far as I’m concerned. They know what they’re doing. Film needs to be kept at a colder temperature than videotape, so the conditions our materials are kept in are monitored very carefully... to avoid problems of decomposition. Every ten years or so, we have to replicate, or duplicate, things on an updated system, such as transferring the footage onto optical disk. It's an involved process. [To avoid erosion of print quality, film must be kept in room temperatures of 45 degrees with 25% relative humidity, while videotape must be kept at 68 degrees with 50% relative humidity.]
Q How would you describe your relationship with KISS?
F Great. Ben Dalby has been very cooperative and has a helpful team. We wouldn't be there if they weren't.
Q How often do you actually deposit new archive materials or look through old ones?
F We go in and out of the vault every day.
Q Are the archives available to researchers or other interested parties?
F From time to time, we’ll get a request and let someone take a look. We do cooperate with researchers, but not with the general public.
Q Say three hundred years from now, social historians are looking back at the latter half of the 20th century, and one of their tools of study is the Playboy archives. What conclusions do you think they’ll draw regarding the impact of Playboy on American society?
F We’ve had a tremendous impact, I think. A lot of people would like to deny it, but I think it’s true. In the sixties, in particular, we had a huge subscription base and, at one point, we had the most recognized trademark [the “bunny” ears] in the world. God knows we spawned a lot of imitators, but Playboy Magazine was the first. And we hope to keep our archives in conditions so that three hundred years from now they WILL be accessible to social historians and they can observe the degree of impact we had.
Keep It Self-Storage (KISS)
Media Vault 4444 Vineland Ave,
No. Hollywood adj. to Toluca Lake
818-769-KISS (5477).
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Fashion Update:
Anna McWillie reporting
East Comes West
Is it our fascination with the enemy? Or do we want to identify with pre-industrial revolution man, the Afghanis, and all of the Muslim world for that matter, whose roots lie in Persia - heck, it doesn’t even have to be Muslim, but it does have to have that exotic mysterious “Eastern,” “Middle Eastern” hand-crafted 10th century look. Veils, heavy black eye-liner, long black hair, hand-beaded, hand-dyed, hand-woven, drapery, long skirts and dresses, silk, wool, cotton, metallic threads, and jewelry that looks like it came out of a Pasha’s treasure chest.
The look of richness found in castles and caves, in consorts’ caches is bubbling to the surface. And the Persian culture is rich indeed, with romantic histories, struggles against oppressors, illicit trading of costly spices, jewels, rugs, drugs. Take the 3 wise men, for instance. They were not Muslim because Mohammed was born a few 100 years after Christ, but they came from The East, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh. What is myrrh, anyway? Someone gave me a candle for Christmas scented with myrrh. It smells really rich.
You can go to Bloomie’s or SFO and find purses, shawls, belts, blouses, but have fun hunting down the real treasures to accessorize the look. Shown above is one in a collection of a 19th Century Persian bracelet, painted on mother of pearl, illustrating a famous Persian poet’s saga of a colorful folkloric conquest - $80-155 from Serendipity on Magnolia 3414 W. Magnolia, Burbank 818-843-7944.
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cebergs and Diamonds An Interview with
George Butler by Hannah Bering
George Butler is the producer-director of 2 new films about the perilsome, heroic 1914 Shackleton expedition to walk across Antarctica – The Endurance: Shackleton’s Legendary Antarctic Expedition and Shackleton’s Antarctic Adventure (IMAX). Led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, the expedition’s 27 men (and 1 stowaway) miraculously survived for almost two years after their ship was trapped and crushed by pack ice in the Antarctic. The Endur-ance is probably the first historical documentary ever to be given wide theatrical release. It was just named Best Docu-mentary by the National Board of Review.
George Butler is attractive, charming, sophisticated – think James Bond, with a dash of Kennedy thrown in for kicks. He photographed Arnold Schwarzenegger as a young body builder, then made a documentary with him called Pumping Iron (1977), long before Arnold became a movie star. It was the beginning of what George describes as a “complicated, interesting relationship.” (Schwarzen-egger is going to re-release Pumping Iron next spring, along with an HBO “making of” documentary.) George subsequently made Pumping Iron II (1985) about women bodybuilders, and a film about hunting in Africa called In the Blood. He has worked as a photographer, journalist, and filmmaker, has published a number of books, including The New Soldier with his friend Senator John F. Kerry, and in recent years has collaborated extensively with his partner Caroline Alexander, author of the best-selling book The Endurance.
H How did this movie come to exist?
G The first winter Caroline and I stayed in New Hampshire, she suggested I read Apsley Cherry-Gerrard’s Worst Journey in the World. I thought it was terrific. It was the first thing I read about the Antarctic. Then I was having a conversation with a friend of mine Julian Krainin [a very distinguished documentary filmmaker], and he said, “Oh yeah, but there’s a better Antarctic book.” But he couldn’t name it. A couple years later I was in a bookstore, and as I went to the cash register, I saw this paperback with an image of a ship leaning out of the sea in the Antarctic. It was called The Endurance by Alfred Lansing. So I took the book back to the apartment and I got about thirty pages, and Caroline came in from the library, and I said, “This is a great story.” And she took it away and read it in one sitting, which is easy to do. And then she owed Knopf a book, and so she said, “I’m gonna write the story of the ship’s cat for Knopf.” And in researching that, she went to London, to the Royal Geograph-ical Society, and she asked for the card catalog file on Frank Hurley [the expedition photographer]. And they said, “It doesn’t exist.” And she said, “What do you mean?” And they said, “We have no card catalog file for Frank Hurley.” So thereupon she went into the stacks, and she found an archive of photos which were moldering away in the RGS. She brought a lot of these photos back, and we looked at them together, and I said, “This should be an exhibit,” and she said, “Yes, it should.” And so she ended up taking them to the Museum of Natural History and getting the exhibit. And while she was writing the catalogue for the exhibit, her editor, who had rejected Mrs. Chippy (the book about the cat) for Columbia/Harper Collins said, “I think this would make a good book for Knopf.” So she wrote the book in three months, being Caroline. Then what happened is at every step of the way I said, “I want the movie rights.” So all this worked out fairly well, and the rest is history, except for one thing. I ran into my friend Julian Krainin [again] and said, “Thanks for giving me this great idea.” And he said, “What great idea?” And I said, “Well you recommended this Shackleton book.” And he said, “Shackleton? Who’s Shackleton?” And I said, “But you recommended this book about the Antarctic.” He said, “I did?” I said, “Of course you did.” And he said, “Well, I don’t remember what it was.”
H Did you know before you went there that Antarctica was so beautiful?
G I didn’t know anything. I was very uninformed. I went down there on a scouting trip in January of ’99 and I was completely buffaloed by what I saw. I thought, “This is the most dazzlingly beautiful place I have ever been.” And it is. It’s a little like looking at Arnold Schwarzenegger – people can’t believe that you can look at Arnold Schwarzenegger – they don’t want to do it. And people can’t believe that the Antarctic is beautiful. They don’t want to accept it. But it is. And those icebergs, when they’re lit up by the sunlight are, I mean they’re like diamonds.
H Did you light the icebergs in any particular way?
G You can’t light an iceberg. It’s too big. But I did find you can tow an iceberg, which is quite good fun, behind the boat.
H Did that come in handy?
G Of course, ’cause we could turn the iceberg so we could film the right part of it…
H Weren’t you worried that you would end up with your own Shackleton expedition?
G We almost did a couple times. We were very lucky. What we did was very dangerous. We were out filming in very big seas. And if you tip over, you’re in major trouble, and there were a lot of times when the wind was blowing so hard and the waves were so high that the boats were out of control. And all you need is for the wave to break over the boat and you’re done. Dead. And there were crevasses that we could have fallen into, there were rocks we could have hit, there were things down there called “williwaws” which are like water spouts – little tornadoes of water – and the wind speeds are very high, so it was dangerous.
H How long were you down there?
G I made three trips. In January ’99 and then in October and November ’99 to shoot the movie, and then I went back there in April of 2000 with the top mountain climbers in the world to do the Shackleton traverse, for the IMAX. On the October/November shoot I had a hundred people in the Antarctic. And it’s probably the biggest, most remote documentary, or maybe even movie shoot ever.
H Bigger than getting the IMAX cameras to the top of Everest?
G Getting a camera to the top of Mt. Everest is a single big achievement. Ours were more sort of spread out in various places.
H Did you anticipate those difficulties?
G I had a death on my African film. A wildfire burned up a member of my crew and a lot of equipment, so I was very determined to run a safe ship.
H What filters did you use to photograph endless glaring whiteness?
G I don’t know. You’d have to ask the DP [Director of Photography]. I never use filters for my photography.
H Do you consult a lot with your DP?
G No. What I tend to do more is to get good material in front of him, and then let him do his angles and cut-offs. If something is going wrong I know it, and if something is going right, I don’t interfere…[I remember] when I went down to cover John Huston when he was filming Under the Volcano. And I watched him direct, and what he would do is sit. For instance, the bar scene in the movie where Albert Finney goes to the whorehouse. John Huston would sit in the middle of the floor, and the camera was set up, and the assistant director would get the actors into position, and then John would say, “Action,” and things happened, and more often than not there’d be one take or two takes at the most, and that was it. And everything was just very well organized. And he had a lot of faith in the people he was working with. And I would not presume or even remotely compare what I do to what John Huston does, but the principle is probably the same, that you set up the movie well in advance, and do a tremendous amount of research on it and then let it take place.
H What research did you do?
G Well I knew the book backwards and forwards, I had been to the Antarctic in advance of my crew, and we’d spent a lot of time doing costumes and boats, and storyboards and stuff like that, so it worked out. It’s a spectacular story and a spectacular background, so you go into that and you turn on the camera and you get great stuff. I have the advantage as a director of cont’d nxt. pg.
knowing what I’m going to get. I think other people have trouble knowing that. But I know enough about light and depth of field and the focal length of the camera so I can tell if you click your picture what you’re going to get, most of the time. You get some surprises too.
H What is it about this story that grabs us? Do you understand that?
G I think it’s got to do with the fact that a lot of people are fed up with computers and sick and tired of telephones and batteries and electronic notepads and all kinds of other things, and they just want to know that basic man with a head and two hands and two feet can out perform nature and do something really extraordinary.
H Could anything like this be done today?
G I don’t think so. I’d go back to the Mount Everest example where 9 people died on Mount Everest one night in 1996. You know, I don’t think people can do it and I think part of it is because Shackleton’s men had all been to British boarding schools, which were very rigorous and very tough, and it’s something with which I’ve had some experience, and I think that that’s a very important part in setting the stage for a successful expedition like the Endurance expedition, that right from the age of 6 these men had learned how to take responsibility and to take care of themselves. As a friend of mine used to say about British boarding school: “You eat the most execrable food, so after that all cuisine is exquisite; you wear the most uncomfortable, least practical attire, so ever after all raiment seems pleasant; you are surrounded only by hideous women so all women afterwards are attractive; and you sleep in uncomfortable beds, so anything else is an improvement.” He claimed it was “The perfect preparation to become a traveler.”
H The Endurance was funded by Morgan Stanley. Was there a particular reason they were interested?
G Yes, it’s a good story. In January of 1976 I was running out of money to finish Pumping Iron. I had a friend from college whose brother-in-law was a young investment banker at Morgan Stanley named John Mack. I invited him to a screening of the rough cut. And I remember very clearly it was a very cold January night outside the screening room, and he was impatient to get home and he said, “Kinda nice movie, I can sort of get the deal on Schwarzenegger, but how do I know that anyone is going to pay money to see Arnold Schwarzenegger on the screen ever?” So I went to the Whitney Museum, and I said, “Can we put a body building show on in your museum, cause Arnold Schwarzenegger should be seen as living sculpture,” and they agreed to it.
H You mean live Arnold?
G Live Arnold. And the Whitney, on leap year’s night 1976, set up chairs for 300 people, and I thought we could get (maybe) 500 people, so I was very pleased, and the night of the event there was a snowstorm in New York which turned into a blizzard, but at 8 o’clock that night there were 3,000 people outside the museum, and by the end of the evening 5,000 people were trying to get in, and when John Mack walked in at 8 or 8:30, the cash registers had overflowed, and money was spilling out onto the floor on either side. So I had proved my point, that people would pay money to see Schwarzenegger. And it got in all the newspapers and People magazine did a double page spread: Candy Bergen sitting like that looking up at Arnold with a camera in her hand afraid to take a picture of him. So what happened was John Mack invested in Pumping Iron. Not a lot of money – $9,000. So I went back to see him in 1998 and I couldn’t get him on the phone, I just couldn’t and he’s very good about returning calls, and what happened was Christmas went by and he called me up and he said, “George, I’m sorry I didn’t return your call, I’ve had a bad back, I’ve been in the hospital, but I want you to know that six CEO’s gave me Caroline Alexander’s book for Christmas, and one of them was Steve Jobs…so you better come in and see the top people at Morgan Stanley, and if I can get them to sponsor your film I will.” So that’s how I got my money.
H He came to you?
G Yeah, which was great. And that kind of money is the hardest money of all for a filmmaker to get, but it’s a revolutionary idea in filmmaking history, ’cause normally that money would have gone to PBS, and instead I got it before PBS.
H Was it difficult to arrange for an historical documentary to be released as a motion picture?
G It’s the first time it’s been done. It was difficult because, in part, of my deal with PBS. I gave them the TV rights, and I think that Miramax would have distributed this film if the TV rights were available. So that’s where it remains. It’s distributed by a company called Cowboy: it’s a bunch of former Miramax people, and they’re doing a very good job.
H Other Shackleton projects loom on the horizon, and you are at the leading edge of this deluge, and I presume many of them were inspired by the book or the exhibition. Is that flattering?
G Very much so. You know The Wall Street Journal did an article called “Get Ready for Shackleton Mania.” Caroline’s book has sold 600,000 copies. That’s a lot of books…about $9 million in sales. It’s in the 15th or 16th printing now. No one was sure the book would be a best-seller, but once it became a best-seller it was clear that we were onto something all the way across the board.
H What makes a good story for a documentary?
G I have always said that a film should transport you to a place that you cannot imagine, whether it’s Gold’s Gym or the Antarctic.
H What particular stories capture your imagination?
G The exotic. The original…I’ve always been involved in difficult subjects, because no one ever really believed in anything interesting, and even when the books and the movies were done, people didn’t want them. It’s just one of those things. If you deal with profoundly original material, it’s going to be foreign to most people, and people are not normally accepting of bizarre new ideas, but in order to do anything original in life you have gotta take real risks by dealing with things that other people are not willing to deal with.
H What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
G Boy, I’ve taken a lot of risks. You know I don’t go to Las Vegas to gamble, but I gamble every day with my life. Probably the most dangerous stuff I ever did was in Detroit. I was there as a Vista volunteer. I was trying to avoid the war in Vietnam and I joined Vista, who sent me to Detroit in an act of pure wisdom, and I ended up publishing a newspaper in the inner-city which was very successful for a while until it got taken over by real bank robbers. [Detroit] was called Murder City, USA when I was there…and I watched a lot of people get knifed and shot and stuff like that. It was very violent, but very exciting. The music was exquisite. Motown had not moved to Los Angeles. I loved it. I had a wonderful time there. There were a lot of Black Panthers. In the week the astronauts landed on the moon, there were something like 13 armed robberies in my block…it was kind of the opposite of progress.
H So what’s next? You’re talking with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory?
G It’s the beginning of a new project, and it’s very exciting! It’s major stuff, you know. Going to Mars. That’s what it’s about. That’s 100 million miles away. That’s a long way.
H Would you go?
G It’s 8 months…No one’s going to land on Mars for 30 years. Of course I’d go.
www.endurancethemovie.com
www.schwarzeneggerbybutler.com
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