Gasp!

Book Review: The Mysterious Death of Michael Jackson by Rob Simone

The Mysterious Death of Michael Jackson
by Rob Simone
Lulu, 39 pages, 2009. $10.88 paperback, $5 ebook

It's very possible that Rob Simone's book, "The Mysterious Death of Michael Jackson" is the first publication on the pop star's death. Rather than being a retrospective of  his life, Simone has written a 39-page tome on why he thinks Jackson died.

Under most circumstances, such observations or thoughts would be irrelevant. After all, the coroner has yet to speak. The toxicology reports haven't come back. 

Rob Simone is a Los Angeles talk show host. He discuss all subjects on his show, including the unexplained. Leonard Nimoy, Janeane Garofalo, Charlie Sheen, and former CNN anchor Cheryll Jones have appeared on his program. Simone has connections in Hollywood, and he's outside the mainstream media. Not a bad thing these days.

Simone alleges that Jackson had a condition called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a genetic disorder which can show up in young adulthood. It can cause early-onset emphysema. If it becomes severe, it may require a lung transplant.

Though he says his source is a doctor who treated Jackson, Simone is not the first person who made this claim. Ian Halperin made similar statements in an interview with In-Touch magazine. The Jackson camp denied that Michael had a health condition.

After further describing the disorder, Simone pieces evidence together media reports of Jackson's doctor visits. He believes that Jackson wore a surgical mask in public because he had this genetic disorder.

Simone believes that this deficiency, along with an addiction to prescription painkillers, is what caused Jackson's demise.

Considering the fast turn-around time of this book, anybody would have low expectations. Perhaps Simone is just trying to make a quick buck off a dead man. But there are two things that Simone does well: He doesn't disrespect Jackson and he shatters the veil of silence. For too long, people around Jackson were silent. If he was addicted to painkillers, then that silence only enabled him to continue.

The people around Jackson were doing him a disservice. Many times, family and friends of addicts would prefer the addiction to continue. Stoned and drunk people are far easier to manipulate and control. Like many other cash-cows and idols, Jackson had far too many leeches glued to him.

I strongly suspect that Simone has had pieces of this booklet in his back pocket for a while.It feels more like a radio show than a book. That's not a bad thing. After all, the guy is a radio show host. And this booklet might help satisfy grieving fans who are beginning to crave answers. If Simone is right about the genetic disorder, it will cast a whole new light on the life of Michael Jackson.

For more info on Rob Simone's show

"The Mysterious Death of Michael Jackson" by Rob Simone, available in print and ebook editions on Lulu. 

Farrah Fawcett's Early Life

It's hard to believe Farrah Fawcett is gone. Stranger still, to look through newspaper archives and see her life before she went out to Hollywood. If you are lucky enough to access the Corpus Christi newspapers, you occasionally glimpse old pictures of Farrah.

• October 28, 1959: The cheerleaders of St. Patrick's School Shamrocks, in green and white costumes, will lead the yells at 2:30 p.m. Saturday when their team meets the 'eleven' from Our Lady of Sorrows. Farrah is the one on the far left.
  
• February 14, 1965: Farrah is voted the most beautiful girl at Ray High School annual favorites dance.
  
• April 1, 1965: "Four W. B. Ray seniors will be honored at a punch party from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today at 352 Palmetto. Hostesses will be Mrs. Louis J. Wehmeyer and Mrs. Edward P. Thomas." Farrah was listed as a member of the house party.
  
• May 17, 1965: Farrah is listed on the permanent honor roll at Ray High School.
  
• April 2, 1967 in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times: "Miss Farrah Fawcett, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Fawcett, the Cliff House, left Saturday for Acapulco. She will spend her ten-day spring vacation from the UofT with classmates in Mexico. She has been named Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps sweetheart at the UofT. Mrs. Fawcett will join the group in Acapulco Monday."

• July 3, 1970: An ad for the film Myra Breckinridge, playing at National Twin I in Corpus Christi lists Farrah as one of the stars, along with Rex Reed, May (sic) West and Raquel Welch.

• August 30, 1970: "The Houston Astros seek a new "Miss Astro" to represent the ball club today in final ceremonies at home plate at 1:30 p.m." Farrah and Kristina Allen, each a former Miss Astro, received movie contracts. Clearly this position is a stepping stone.

• January 23, 1973: From Dorothy Manners: "I was on their first date together so it is of particular interest to me that Lee Majors and Texas beauty Farrah Fawcett, after five years of togetherness, will be married on June 28th. Both are doing very happily in their careers as well as in private life. Farrah recently appeared in "The Great American Beauty Contest" (20th-Centurty Fox) and Lee is finishing a pilot, "Cyborg," about an astronaut.

• March 15, 1974: On an episode of The Six Million Dollar Man, airing at 8 p.m. in Corpus Christi: "Seems Steve (Lee Majors) is assisting the first female to go into space as an astronaut. She is played by Farrah Fawcett Majors, Lee's wife. There is a problem in space, so they must rendezvous at Skylab. Turns out Steve is no longer .invincible up there. Some good effects,  realistic dialogue and science editor Jules Bergman as himself to add authenticity."

We tend to remember life in moments rather than spans of time. When I think of my life in San Francisco, I think of walking down Market Street in the late afternoon, dodging pigeons and homeless people. I remember the crisp air and  slanted sunlight on brick buildings. It's spooky to think that when I die, I might feel all that again, for one more fleeting moment.

Farrah's death is a reminder of a lost world. Maybe it's hit me harder because of my Dad's recent death. I've spent a lot of time lately, considering death. What  happens when we die? The more I think about it, the less I'm inclined to think of time as a rigid construct. I'm also thinking that the live people are less alive than the dead.

Farrah Fawcett in Corpus Christi, 1964

In the May 3, 1964 edition of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times is an advertisement for the Lichtenstein's Hootenanny and Teen-Age Style Show. The Greenwillow Singers were the headliners. But if you look closely, you'll recognize a famous name...

Farrah Fawcett, 17 years old,  beginning her career in show business. Good luck, Farrah.

Dom DeLuise is Dead

Celebrity Dom DeLuise died today. According to major news outlets, he died in his sleep. In movies, DeLuise was most known for his work in Blazing Saddles, History of the World - Part One, and The Cannonball Run. 

What I remember most about him was his laugh on the Burt Reynolds blooper reels. 

He was 75 years old. 

Book Review: Priceless Memories by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl

Priceless Memories
by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl
Center Street, 256 pages, $24.99.
Scheduled to be released April 6, 2009.

The best celebrity autobiographies offer something more than cocktail stories. Famous people have access and privilege, enabling them to witness history in a unique way. A successful celeb memoir offers a window into the world, rather than just a recounting of one's life. Which is why "Priceless Memories" by Bob Barker with Digby Diehl, is a pleasant surprise. Not only does Barker write about his days on the TV game show, "The Price is Right," he also touches on broadcasting's golden age, animal rights, the end of World War II and American life in the '50s.

Rather than telling the story chronologically, Barker begins by recounting what he believes to be the most important moment in his career - a phone call from t.v. legend Ralph Edwards. The broadcasting giant needed a host for his show "Truth or Consequences" and Barker fit the bill. After a tedious audition process, he became host of the show. He recounts his relationship with Mark Goodwin, another powerhouse game show producer, along with how he began hosting "The Price Is Right."

These stories are to be expected, after all, Bob Barker was on television for fifty years. He has seen technology change, prices increase and legends pass away. As he notes about his audience, "Then, of course, we had the long hair during the hippie period. There were times I would point over to someone in the audience and say, 'What about this girl?' And a man would stand up, with his long hair, and say, 'What do you mean, girl?'"

The memoir contains a few surprises, such as Barker's childhood on a South Dakota. He is one-eighth Sioux and grew up on a Native American reservation. Both his mother and his former wife, Dorothy Jo, are spoken of in glowing terms. Dorothy Jo passed away in 1981 from inoperable lung cancer. Barker doesn't dwell on her death, but astute readers will sense his profound loss. He touches briefly on his "on-again off-again" girlfriend who shares his passion for animal rights.

His work in the animal rights movement extended beyond his admonition to 'have your pets spayed or neutered.' Barker got 'The Price is Right' to stop using fur or leather prizes. They also stopped featuring fishing equipment and aquariums. "Out of my respect for my beliefs and my vegetarianism, the staff stopped putting meat on the grills and barbecues that we gave away." He was less successful in getting the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants to stop using fur coats, so he quit those lucrative jobs. 

In the early-'80s, Barker and Mark Goodson decided to feature American-manufactured cars on 'The Price Is Right', rather than foreign imports. Despite corporate pressure, this practice continued for the duration of Barker's tenure.

Despite Internet reports to the contrary, Barker never gives readers the impression that he seriously considered roles in porn movies. As a funny aside, he tells readers that as a young man he went to meet a photographer for a modeling assignment. The photographer ended up being a porn director. Sensible readers will understand that these things happen all the time in the entertainment business, and there is no implication that it is anything more than a humorous story.

Indeed, it is Barker's humor and voice that readers will find most appealing. From the first sentence of the preface, "If you are fifty years old or younger, I have been on national television your entire life, and I would like to begin this book by telling you how I got there," you understand that this is Bob Barker talking. And he still worth listening to.

Kenny Rogers' music helps stroke victims

Freakonomics reports that a team of London neuroscientists believe that the music of Kenny Rogers can help stroke victims recover. But The Gambler is still dead.

Book Review: Bye Bye Baby: My Tragic Love Affair with the Bay City Rollers by Caroline Sullivan

Bye Bye Baby: My Tragic Love Affair with the Bay City Rollers by Caroline Sullivan

Bloomsbury Publishing, 1999 256 pages

 

Exciting girls everywhere with their tartan costumes and pop-sap songs, the Bay City Rollers ruled Britain in the mid-70s. Their single, "Saturday Night," crossed the ocean in 1975, topping the U.S. charts. By 1978, their immense fame faded. They closed that year out by starring in The Bay City Rollers Meet the Saturday Superstars, alongside a character named Witchiepoo. So much for rock respect.

 

Caroline Sullivan's memoir, "Bye Bye Baby: My Tragic Love Affair with the Bay City Rollers" isn't about the Scottish group. Instead, she focuses on herself and a gaggle of girls who served as groupies to the boy band. It's a fun, memorable and breezy glimpse at growing up the 70s.

 

Sullivan skillfully structures the book by setting up a question in the opening chapter. Just how did she - a teenage girl from New Jersey - end up serving them beer and cigarettes in a Detroit hotel room. It wasn't as easy as it might sound. From the time they landed on American soil, Sullivan followed the group by any means necessary. The chases, turnarounds and trickery involved are captivating. Throughout the book, the question isn't whether Sullivan and her Tartan Tarts (as they called themselves) could catch up with the group. They did, more often than not. Rather, the reader is left curious what will happen when they finally get members of the band alone in a room. Will she have the courage to act on her convictions?

 

Throughout the book, it is assumed that the reader knows that Sullivan is one of Britain's leading rock critics. In between getting fired from jobs and questioning her sanity, Sullivan straddles between her love of all things Roller and punk music. These hints of the future serve as a brilliant counterpoint, putting the Rollers and even the 70s in a colorful pop context.

 

The band beds them and brushes them off, but the payoff comes years later. In 1994, Sullivan interviewed Les McKeown for Radio 1's show "Soundbite." McKeown is trying to revive a stagnant career. She is doing a segment on fading teen idols. The game is reversed, and now he tries to impress her. This power shift underscores how the times have changed. Thank goodness for that.

 

Caroline Sullivan's book was a hit in Britain. At one point the film rights were optioned by Courtney Love. For those of you who don't know about the book, it is a perfect way to shoot a weekend. Once you pick it up, you won't be able to put it down.

 

Further reading on the Bay City Rollers:

 

A recent profile of Les McKeown in the Scotsman.

 

Complaints of missing royalties

 

Watch them perform their hit: Saturday Night

Arlo Guthrie and Billy Preston

In order for someone like Arlo Guthrie to succeed these days, he would have to:

a) Sing with computerized "help," even though he doesn't need it.

b) Write songs that proclaim his hotness.

c) Have a relationship with a famous actress, preferably from a former hit tv series.

d) Pretend he was better than his audience.

e) Stay the heck away from politics.

f) All of the above.

Arlo and Billy may know sound, but something terrible has happened to music since then. That's for sure.

P.S. Some info on Billy Preston from Fox 411 today.

Reading it for the Articles

It would be very wrong to say that I collect vintage Playboy magazines. I do – in a way – but it would be very wrong to say it. You would probably take it the wrong way. You would assume that I’m some kind of pervert or worse.

I don’t mean to mislead you. I don’t have a vast array of Playboy magazines. But while I was living in Austin (circa 2005) I bumped into a vintage knick-knack dealer who specialized in 1970s artifacts. Sitting on a harvest gold TV table was a stack of Playboys from the 70s and 80s. I found more on the floor near a coat rack.

The old joke is that people read Playboy for the articles, but it’s not really a joke. Important news articles were mixed with pictures of naked women, ads for sex toys and expensive porn vacations. And let’s not forget men’s fashion.

In the 70s, Playboy employed some of the best writers of the day. Robert Scheer interviewed presidential candidates for Playboy. John Luis Borges and Paul Theroux were published within its pages. And, of course, many famous and emerging actresses stripped for its photographers. The components, melded together, created a magazine that was ultra-hip and edgy for its day.

I sorted through the stacks, looking through the collection of memorable articles. Since they were $5 each, I had to be selective in what I chose to purchase. There’s the issue featuring an interview with Jimmy Carter, in which he admits that he’s lusted in his heart. In another edition, there’s an interview with “America’s No. 1 fugitive: Abbie Hoffman.” The country is introduced to the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” in another issue…

So you see, it’s not about the porn. Though I will admit that I couldn’t help but notice it. And I will tell you this: Playboy from the 70s is soft-core – sort of like Maxim or any other current over-the-counter men’s magazine. Like the rest of the country, Playboy in the 80s became something very different. It moved away from its “natural approach” and featured more glitz and tackiness. Perhaps it was only natural: as the US went, so did Playboy.

Rather than explain it any further, let’s take a look at the non-porn that Playboy featured in the 70s…. Starting with an ad for Johnny Carson Apparel.

Who knew that Johnny Carson could host America's favorite late night talk show, play tennis, scuba, and parachute out of a plane? Not me. I love how he says that he would like it "with the look of denim." Me too.

I really miss Johnny Carson.

Phil Donahue's Fainting Episode

Since I put up something original earlier today, I figured you could indulge me on this one. I stumbled upon it on YouTube. It's the famous episode where Phil Donahue's audience members began fainting en masse. It's worth a chuckle.

The fainting was a prank, of course.

A good casting choice

Did you know that "Real People," which aired in the early 80s, starred Sarah Purcell, Bryon Allen, Skip Stephenson, Bill Rafferty, Mark Russell, Peter Billingsley and that wacky 14th Century Poet, John Barbour?

I didn't either.

Toys from the Time

I know this is going to sound really weird, but after my Nana's death I was really hoping I'd inherit a typewriter eraser. Sure enough, I got my grandfather's old desk and all the contents but there was no typewriter eraser. Now I'm left to troll for it on ebay.

I can't even find the red American flag plastic pencil boxes we used to have when we were kids.

My sister was a big fan of Lite Brite. A few days ago, I found that there's a Lite Brite you can play while at work.

As a kid, I loved Sea Monkeys. Too bad Jethro thinks that the ads are creepy. In his words, "When I was a little kid, I thought that's what they looked like. I thought when you ordered them, they'd look like little humans. I thought you'd have little humanoids looking out of your fish tank."

My father ruined Sea Monkeys for me. He told me the big secret: They're Brine Shrimp. Since he was an avid fisherman, he told me that he'd buy me brine shrimp. Somehow, Brine Shrimp wasn't as cool as Sea Monkeys.

I learned multiplication tables on Dataman. I think Merlin was too expensive. I think I wanted Q*Bert but didn't get it. I did have Pac Man, this version, and I wish I still had it.

Of course, who didn't have a cap gun? And loose caps that you could hit with rocks. My parents also gave me a dull pocket knife, which freaked out the neighborhood Moms. Dumb, in the end, because it was so dull and nothing bad could've ever happened.

Parents are so stupid sometimes.

Brett Somers 1924-2007

One of my all-time favorite people... Even if she was also my competition for Jack Klugman.

Merv Griffin R.I.P.

LAURA: I was never into Merv Griffin.

JETHRO: He was never into you either.

The Electric Company

Hey, it's Rita Moreno, Morgan Freeman and that famous character actor whose name I don't know!

Remember, to get the power: Knock Knock Rock and 35A.

E. Howard Hunt & JFK

A fabulous Rolling Stone article on Watergate conspirator E. Howard Hunt's possible role on the JFK assassination. It'll take a few minutes to read, but it's worth it. Very well written, I'm willing to bet that the film rights will get snatched up shortly.

As mentioned in the article, Hunt was also a prolific novelist. I have two of his spy paperbacks in my collection. What a guy. Heh.

Forgotten History - Gerald Ford

I don’t like being cynical, not for the shiny New Year. Yet, the coverage of Ford’s passing has me watching Cops instead. And I’m a history buff.

The thing is, I liked Ford. It bothers me that Robert Dallek neglects Ford on his Portable Professor series. I’m annoyed that Nixon’s history has been rewritten, but Ford gets short-shrift. The Republican media doesn’t want claim a man who had to clean up after one of their own.

Commentators will repeat the mantra that “Ford healed the country,” but he didn’t. Not in that way. Pardoning Richard Nixon taught a generation that a US President could lie and get away with it. All Nixon had to do is be patient and history would be redrafted in due time.

Forgotten history. The most challenging aspect of writing historical dramas is getting beyond the “I know it already” attitude of the audience. The history taught in high school has been politicized and spun. The news you see on television is the same. What makes you think you know anything?

Ford’s death is a reminder that history is constantly being reframed, then forgotten. So much coverage on Watergate, so little details about the “healing.” Ford did the best he could with what he was given, and squandered less than his predecessors. But all we hear about is the pardon, and how he lost the election to Carter. As if it was his problem that we couldn’t elect him.