Charles Karel Bouley2013-05-24T17:42:36-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=charles-karel-bouleyCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Charles Karel BouleyGood old fashioned elbow grease.mun2 Upfront Move Forward as Grammy Museum Honors Rivera (SLIDESHOW)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.32595852013-05-11T13:47:49-04:002013-05-11T13:47:55-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
And I realized the two are linked. mun2 is a cable channel that is geared towards young Hispanic America with many of the older demo coming to the table for certain shows: shows like Jenni Rivera's I Love Jenni; a show which remains on the mun2 schedule as she was already filming when a freak plane crash took her life on December 9, 2012. Everyone was shocked at the tragedy, and mun2 had the risky job of being a network heavily invested in the Rivera's. General Manager of mun2 Diana Mogollon remembers the day well.
"When the horrific events evolved in December we were all in shock," she recalled. "There was no playbook to tell us what to do next. We deferred to the family and they reached out to us to touch base and regroup. We were all so close. We all met and decided together. The family wanted us to do what Jenni would have done -- finish what we started, honor her legacy by not stopping and seeing the show through."
Of course mun2 is more than the Rivera network, it has a host of other popular shows returning and some pretty interesting ones on the horizon. They, like the other networks, have been rolling them out at upfronts, which is why news of TV shows' fates has been in the news of late; high profile cancellations as well as new adventures for all the networks on cable and broadcast and now the web.
The road is long and hard for a show to even get that far, the upfronts. It all starts with an idea. That idea is then pitched, either to a manager, agent or to executives at various networks (if you can get a meeting). Very few items are "bought in the room" meaning there's a pitch, they turn and say yes, let's do this, and away you go. No, if the person you're pitching likes it, then they have to "pitch up" the corporate ladder. After a few more pitch meetings, a pilot or a sizzle reel is ordered. A reel is a three minute look at what the show will be, shot professionally, with a budget. These pilots, reels and their stars are then presented to advertisers in various cities (New York, Los Angeles, Miami and others) to see if they'll bite. If they do, a series order of a certain number of shows is placed. If they don't respond well but the network believes in the show, it can still get green lit. Others that don't make the cut and older shows are cancelled at upfronts (not renewed announcements). It's the seasons of the TV biz. Pilot season (beginning of the year) when shows are pitched. Upfronts in April and May, when pitches have been shot. Then production and debut usually in the fall.
"I'm exhausted just by hearing you go through the process," Magollon told me on my radio show as I went through the above for her to make sure I had it right. "Yes, you know exactly how this is done. The process can be very daunting, but it does let an idea be cultivated and fostered and eventually be a success. The batting average for most is very low but at mun2 we are almost 100 percent. What we develop and bring is connecting and working."
"The new stuff is building on the genre of reality, pioneering the genre of Celeb-reality, " she continued. "We have Larry Hernandez, he's amazing. He's coming later this year. Fernando Vargas the boxer lives in Vegas with his wife and four kids, and that's another show we have coming this year. And we have Horoscopos, about two incredibly talented sisters in regional Mexican music, very much like Jenni, and it's really amazing. We have more music, more fun. It's a special mix that mun2 has for that young audience."
And the audience is young indeed.
"We have the fifth youngest median age in all of cable, an age of 29, that's young! And we deliver to the most bilingual audience out of all cable. For now we are staying laser focused on this demo across all platforms," Mogollon concluded.
And mun2 isn't the only one having upfronts. TNT's just had theirs and announced "one of the best police dramas ever made" (their statement) will NOT be renewed, Southland. That's a mistake and hopefully another network will see that. The legacy networks, ABC, NBC, CBS have all been busy adding, subtracting, as well as cable, and web. This includes YouTube announcing new programming on subscription channels. It's a busy time in the TV business as it is the business of television that is being done.
Back at mun2 there's no doubt Rivera's show and any spinoffs (already there's been Chiquis 'n Control featuring one of Rivera's daughters) are still important because Rivera's stardom has only increased and her position galvanized in both the Latino culture and world wide. It's that stardom, that interest, that led the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles to launch Jenni Rivera: La Gran Señora opening Mother's Day, May 12 (free to all mom's) and continuing for a year.
Prior to opening, the family viewed the exhibit and I was lucky enough to sit with two of Jenni's siblings, Juan Rivera and Rosie Rivera. The rest of the family will see the exhibit on Mother's Day, the kids, again prior to opening.
Rosie and Juan walked through the exhibit on the third floor of the Grammy Museum. Costumes and memorabilia from Michael Jackson, Dionne Warwick, Whitney Houston, CeeLo Green and so many others fill the floor. And an entire wall is Rivera. The media was not allowed to film while Juan and Rosie saw the exhibit. And I was there as a supporter, a friend. When I saw Rosie, crouched down to read a note, tears falling from her eyes, I knew that was THE shot. But I didn't take it, because some things are better left alone.
"It's overwhelming," Rosie later told me. "To see the costumes, full life, you want to break through the glass and just hug them and smell Jenni and remember her. She was a strong woman, such a great entertainer, but it's her heart, her soul, her living the philosophy that it is better to give than to receive that is on display here as well. And that is what is important."
Juan couldn't agree more. "Some of the things I haven't seen before myself, and I'm always so interested in how she found time to do things," he told me in between media outlets filtering in a private room where we sat for hours as press came in and out. "She worked 24/7 and yet, she'd answer a fan letter. There's one out there that says 'Pete (Salgado, her manager), see what the label can do for him,' she wanted to help this fan, she took time to care. That's just how my sister was."
This love is echoed in the questions from the press that come in and out, from the majors, ABC, CBS, AP, Telmundo, Televisio on and on questions about Rivera and her connections to the fans.
And behind the scenes, in the room, is a family. A brother making fun of his sister and her soon-to-be-born baby (Rosie is seven months pregnant) by posting a picture of a baby dinosaur and labeling it her ultrasound. A sister making her brother say his REAL full name and then laughing, "Did mom hate you?" And the politics. What outlets get interviews, who has to be cut for time. Hanna Bolte from mun2 in the room along with Jenni's long-time friend and manager Pete Salgado, making sure journalists stay on topic, the exhibit, and don't drift in to waters the family may not be ready to address yet. (One wanted to know if Jenni appears to the family in dreams and if so, what she says. Really? You now want footage or a recap of their dreams?) It's a media day for sure, but an emotional one.
"Of course it's hard," Rosie told me. "I mean, it's my sister's stuff, and she's only been gone months. But for Grammy to approach us... you know, Jenni almost gave up singing once. She said, that's it, I'm done. And then she and her kids were watching the Grammy Awards and her kids said to her, you can do that mom, that could be you. So she vowed to start again, to live their dream of seeing her at the Grammys. Now, there's a whole exhibit for a year at the museum next to her idols, Michael, Whitney... she would be so honored, so filled with joy at all of it. So, it's mixed emotions for sure. So happy to be seeing this, to be a part, to continue my sister's legacy, but also, missing my sis a little more today," she added.
And then the press junket is over, Salgado off to conduct the business of managing an artist who has passed, Bolte off to more upfronts, Rosie and Juan off to mom's for lunch and then back in production next week on the final season of Rivera's show. A show mun2 is hoping not to recreate in the coming years, but find stories as compelling as Jenni's to bring to the network. Given what I heard all day from family, media and fans, it's going to be tough. Magic like Rivera's happens rarely, lighting in a bottle so to speak. Capturing lighting is what the upfronts are all about, bringing to TV the next big thing.
And Grammy Museum is making sure many will remember the very big thing that Rivera was, and remains.
The exhibit is up for the next year opening Mother's Day, free to mom's that day. For more information go to Grammy Museum to see what mun2 has in store go to mun2 and to get all the breaking news on what shows are picked up and which are being cut do what I do and subscribe to Deadline.com
Photos by Karel
To hear The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android. Karel's books are available at Amazon and his upcoming comedy album will be available in iTunes.]]>On Coming Out: Mr. Prez., Where's My Call?tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31888442013-04-30T20:08:54-04:002013-04-30T20:09:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
"Honey, of course you are. And just know, that if you ever get to Bert Reynolds, he's mine first... " a smile, arms welcoming.
It was the front seat of a blue Oldsmobile Cutlass S on Lemon St. in Long Beach, Calif. I was the 17-year-old high school senior on his way home from school, who had spent weeks crying at night and years dealing with the urges because I knew I was different and I would be an outsider. She was my mother, my 4'9" devout Catholic hell-raiser of a woman who just saw any hopes of a grandchild from her boy, her son, her shining star, a woman who probably wanted it to not be true but there it was, so she opened her arms.
I didn't get a call from the President of the United States. I didn't get letters of support from dignitaries. There weren't press conferences, news channels didn't debate the impact of the decision on anyone, tolerance was not preached. We hugged and went in the house and the "you'd better tell your father" part started. He was fine as well.
That moment galvanized an unapologetic life of being out. If my mom and dad could love me, if my friends accepted me, well then, the world be damned. I've been called every name in the book (still to this day), I've had to run faster, jump higher, I've broken barriers (being gay in the pre-Modern Family world, being out in the '80s, '90s and beyond wasn't a piece of cake) and been the "first openly gay" this-or-that countless times. I've even had to fight for the right to sue in a wrongful death case when my partner died, to make the state acknowledge we mattered. A few laws got rewritten after all of that thanks to my suit. Being gay, and coming out, becomes a part of us, especially if you're a public figure or entertainer. Ask Ellen, I'm sure "openly gay" was her first name for years.
Millions of kids have repeated the scene between me and my parents... long before and will long after. For some it doesn't end the same. It ends with get out, you're not my child, how could I have raised you, where did I go wrong, we'll pray it away, we'll fix you, you are dead to me. Others have to deal with parents that think it's a phase, it will pass, just haven't met the right man or woman. Some never tell their parents, having it go unspoken forever; never sharing such an important part of their life. And then lucky ones, like me, have parents that love them still; even if they don't understand or sometimes wished it wasn't so, they still loved right through it.
Coming out, personally, publicly, it doesn't matter, it's all the same. Today, the dangers are less. Yes, dangers. Remember there are still many states where it is legal to fire someone for being gay. Sitting here in Long Beach, Calif., I still couldn't get married to another man (should I ever find a date). People still feel free to hide behind religion to be bigoted and say hateful things in the name of their distorted view of an ancient text written by men in ancient times in Aramaic.
But first, it's personal. Telling those you love. Then, it's public. Telling people where you work, people in your world, even strangers should you have a partner to introduce (or spouse in some states). Or, if you're a sports star or entertainer, telling the press.
But it took as much courage in the front seat of that Cutlass, and takes as much courage in living rooms, bedrooms, and homes across America and the world for people young and old to tell those they love that they are, in fact, something other than straight, as much as any sports star can muster. And the only accolades they get are the joys that come with living and open life unencumbered by lying about who you truly are.
No one comes out to be first, to get phone calls from presidents, to blaze a trail or burn down a wall or build a bridge, to make a social statement... we, they, us, we come out to simply be honest with ourselves and those we love. It's harder for some, and some never do it. But once you do you realize how much of a big deal it isn't.
So congrats to Jason Collins and to all that choose to live openly and honestly and shame on those that would tell them to do otherwise based on any belief system or profession.
And Mr. President, I'm waiting for my long overdue call.]]>Celebrities Get Fast and Real on the Streets of Long Beach (VIDEO)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.31252502013-04-21T08:50:24-04:002013-04-21T08:50:31-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/Wood Rules Toyota Pro/Celebrity Grand Prix
These celebrities aren't pretending and this is not make believe. This is 10 laps of 1.97 miles each at 100-mile-per-hour plus speeds. It's fast, and things can go wrong. And while it's all done for charity and in good fun, a competitive mood fills the air in the People Magazine celebrity paddock where the drivers gather before getting in their fancy 210 HP Scion FR-S cars and ripping up the streets.
Rutlledge Wood, from TV's Top Gear USA, won the pole position on Friday, April 19th as his lap time of 1:45.505 proved the fastest of a lineup that includes Mark Steines (Hallmark Channel's Home and Family); actor Michael Trucco; Brett Davern from MTV; Medal of Honor Winner Dakota Meyer; actor Jeremy Sisto; comic Wanda Sykes; Olympic Gold Medalist Jessica Hardy; actress Jenna Elfman; Twilight movie star Jackson Rathbone and Latina star Kate De Castillo.
Wood's Charity, a camp for special needs kids Victory Junction started by Kyle and Pattie Petty in honor of their son Adam, received a check from People Magazine for $15,000 for his fastest lap win.
Last year's winner Adam Carolla (The Man Show) was excited to be back, this time in the "Pro" division. The Pros are just that, celebrity pro racers and once a celebrity wins the Celebrity Grand Prix they turn "pro." Carolla won last year's annual Toyota / People Magazine Celebrity Grand Prix.
"This year, it's about cutting loose, letting go and just going fast," the talk show host and TV personality stated. Wood echoed his sentiments.
"Now, it's about having fun and going fast. Everything else from here is just gravy," Wood said after getting the check for his pole win. "Sure, I want to win, but really to get more money for the Junction. At least three or four kids will be able to go to one of the greatest places you can imagine, and that's what counts."
Win is just what he did as the star-studded race got underway on a gorgeous April 20th in Long Beach, CA. And as celebrity races go, this one was exciting. Veteran Dakota Meyer provided thrills when he did a complete 360 degree spin and recovered from it without hitting a wall to continue the race. Andy Bell (Nitro Circus overturned a corner and ended up running head on it to the tire barrier, damaging his car and leaving the race ("Oops!" he exclaimed leaving the car upon return). And many of the celebrities were battling it out for the win.
Except one.
"You know, after a while, I just waived them by," joked Sykes. "It's a beautiful day, I'm in a pretty car on a great track, why not enjoy the ride? Besides, I wanted to get home safely, you know, like when you're driving to church," she laughed. Asked if she would do it again, "No, I've done it now. I don't see myself doing it again, it's a blast and has been a great experience, but it's one I've had," she joked as she posed for fan photos.
There can be no doubt Kate Del Castillo (telenovella star) enjoys the race. She plays a race car driver on her show, but acknowledges this is much different.
"This is real, this is great, it's something I feel very comfortable doing," this Latina sensation said as she was being swarmed by media and fans after the race. Throngs pressed against the People Magazine Paddock fence to get a photo or an autograph from the star, and one has to wonder what it's like being the center of that storm.
"It never gets old," she said as she signed a young boy's arm with a Sharpie. "Maybe it's because I'm the only Latina in the race and this is Southern California or, well, who can say really," as five photographers pulled at her for shots. Look for Del Castillo to make a larger presence in the American market if this response is any indication of future success.
People Magazine has had an ongoing commitment to the Miller's Children Hospital of Long Beach CHOC, Children's Hospital of Orange County.
"It's incredible to be a part of something that has donated over two-million dollars for charity over the years," the handsome Jackson Rathbone told me right before the race. He was kissing his wife and baby and about to get in to the car. Rathbone is part of a cultural phenomenon with the Twilight movies and as such has legions of young girls (and a few boys) worried about him in the race, particularly, harming his face.
"That's hysterical," he laughed. "I hope I don't hurt any part of my body at all! Look, we had no idea vampires without fangs who lived in the woods basically was going to become what it did. Even when the first movie came out, we all just sat back with wonder and watched the phenomenon explode. It's been quite a ride, much like this," he concluded as he kissed his baby one more time before strapping on his helmet.
After the race it was all smiles and hugs, and the friendly spirit of competition surfaced again.
"Heck ya, I'd do this again. I'm ready to go do it again right now," an exuberant Elfman exclaimed.
"Why is it every time I get involved in something, I end up doing something 'first'?" Meyer questioned when he was told no other celebrity had spun a 360 and continued on the race. "Hey, I'm a Marine, we don't quit," he proclaimed while getting lots of hugs from fans and friends.
And Carolla was, well, Carolla.
"Not sure what's next, maybe LeMan's," he laughed, beer in hand after the race. "Since I'm the first celebrity to come back the year after winning and then win the Pro, we're in total uncharted territory, who can say, but if they let me, I'm back next year."
He also puts the visits to the hospitals and the charities in perspective.
"I say this a lot, but I go visit for the parents. The kids are five, they weren't even conceived when the Man Show was on. But the parents who have sat and watched their child go through such adversity, they need a hug,they need a release, a break, a laugh. I go for them as much as the kids," he said on a more serious note.
Celebrities spend two weekends in a race school out in Willow Springs, CA before hitting the track in Long Beach and then lots of practice runs. Schedules sometimes get in the way.
"I wasn't able to make it to all the sessions," Jeremy Sisto recalled after the qualifying. "Not that it would have been so much better out there," he laughed.
People Magazine in conjunction with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach has created a race that's almost as popular as the main Grand Prix races themselves. Over 170,000 people are expected in Long Beach over the weekend of April 19-21 for race and drift competitions in an event that dumps millions in to the economy of Long Beach, all told. Rocker Brett Michaels performs Saturday night the 20th and the weekend features Tequila Patron American Le Mans Series at Long Beach race, Firestone Indy Lights, Team Drifting Challenge, the SCCA Pro World Challenge and the IZOD IndyCar Series. There's food trucks, an exposition inside the convention center and various activities for all ages.
For more information on the Grand Prix go to Long Beach Grand Prix and for information on People Magazine go to website, or get the App for iOS or Android. Karel's books are available at Amazon and his upcoming comedy album will be available in iTunes.
Toyota Pro / Celebrity Grand Prix Part 1
Toyota Pro/Celebrity Grand Prix Part 2
]]>Ireland From Coast to Coast in Four Daystag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.29763952013-03-29T13:16:07-04:002013-03-29T13:16:11-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
Photos by Daniel Charleston and Brandon Crispo
The winds in Dingle Bay are whipping about, waking me at the Skellig Hotel in Dingle, Ireland at 5:00 a.m. And I can't help but wonder, is Fungie all right? You see Fungie is the town mascot of sorts, a dolphin that has been here for the better part of 30 years, guiding boats in and out of the bay, living a solitary life entertaining the people of this parish in the Western most part of the emerald aisle in the North Atlantic. Fungie is known to sleep with his head out of the water, on a rock with seaweed on it (most dolphins sleep just under the water, their blow hole automatically closing if a wave splashes them, and I'm told, sleep quite soundly). I can't help but wonder if the winds woke him up, too, head on a seaweed covered rock just yards away.
It's all right though. This quiet time, this time when the rest of the city is asleep as the winds whip through, gives me time to reflect on yet another incredible whirlwind trip to this country I have grown to love over the last 13 years since I first came in 2000. Each time I come, seven now, I find something new, something extraordinary, something, well, life changing.
I wonder why so many of my fellow Americans don't travel abroad more. Some statistics have the figure as low as 3.5 percent of Americans travel abroad, as stated in this HuffingtonPost article and while almost 45 percent of Americans have passports, it may be that is just wishful thinking since many accept the figure of less than 10 percent get out of the country. I've been lucky enough to see England, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, Mexico, Canada... well, yes, I get around. I'm an entertainer. And each trip changes me profoundly.
I started this trip to Ireland in Dublin, as everyone should. It's cosmopolitan, it's got great hotels, night life, restaurants, world class entertainment; it is their Gotham. But like traveling to any country, you must get out of the city to really see the people, the land, the real country. And I like to do it on motorcycles. I've ridden across this island several times, side to side, top to bottom, and each time my breath is taken away, the beauty, the grandeur, the sights.
This time was no different. Paul Rawlings, owner of the award-winning Celtic Rider in Dublin saw to myself and my traveling companion Brandon Crispo getting on the best BMW Adventure 1200 bikes around, while friend Daniel Charleston would follow in a vehicle with the bags and climate control. Rawlings stuck out the Great Recession and is now seeing an upswing in business thanks in part to his new self-guided tour packages where riders take their time, see the country, stay at authentic guest houses and follow routes he himself has plotted out having lived here and ridden his entire life.
AlpineStars saw to it that I had the needed gear. Since I usually travel here for St. Patrick's Day the weather can be spotty. In Dublin, it snowed the day we left, and we encountered rain and hail on the trip. But the DryStar line of jackets and pants truly made the weather, and 30-plus-degree temperatures quite bearable; not once was I freezing cold or wet. Proper gear is important for any ride or any trip for that matter.
So after three days in Dublin it was off to the South and West, new lands, unseen before; new adventures. The first was to be a four hour drive; one that would challenge both my abilities as a motorcyclist as well as begin the decompression of both the city and my life in the states.
Day One: Killarney
Ireland has a major highway system all over the country, but to get to most destinations you must leave it and drive on more rural two lane highways -- yes, on the "wrong" side for Americans. It takes a little acclamation to get used to, but it's not too challenging. The bikes handle incredibly, power, stability and with the fitted cases, room for storage. We got a late start, so we departed the highway near dark to finish the last 50 miles in to Killarney on the roads of West Ireland; twisting, turning, narrow at times, wet. I had my first encounter with wildlife and motorcycling on these roads. A duck tried to fly across the street right as I was approaching. It hit my windshield and then me, square in the chest, feathers everywhere. We both were fine, it flying away in a huff and me regaining my composure and not missing a beat and continuing on. But what an experience!
Brandon and I should have pulled over. It was dark, wet, even icy on a few corners in the hills. There were plenty of parishes on the way, and we had a car following. But we were determined and are very experienced cyclists (he just finished a ride from Los Angeles to Anchorage and back) and we pulled in to Killarney and the Randles Court Hotel, a four-star Clarion property, just as the last bit of light was leaving the Western sky. The hotel's lush sitting room for tea, finely appointed rooms and a bathtub to welcome a weary traveler or royalty alike was just the remedy for an exhilarating journey. And this journey was a very guy thing. When we got off the bikes, we actually thumped chests and screamed, "F ya!" Daniel looked non-impressed, having had the luxury of a Jaguar rental.
I did my radio show from a lovely suite at the Randles Court, away from other guests since I get loud. There's going to be a Harley Davidson and bike fest in Ireland and Killarney May 31st through June 3rd 2013 and I can see why. It may have been a bit more dangerous than normal, but it's an incredible ride. Ireland was made for biking, no doubt about it. A point of pride for the city is that actor Michael Fassbender hails from Fossa, near Killarney, having relocated from Germany very young with his parents.
We were content to have a quiet night at a pub in this town of the Ross Castle, an incredible national park and 14,000 residents but 36 hotels. It's a tourism town, no doubt. However, we happened upon one of the best clubs I have ever, in my life, been to; not because of the decor or swankness, but because of the people. The club was filled with straight, gay, old, young... I know the gay or European question is a tough one, but at Mustang Sally's, as the doorman told me, "It doesn't matter who you are, you wanna dance with your mate, go ahead, dance, no one will care." And they didn't. I felt safe, warm, welcomed as the DJ who looked 15 cranked out hits from America (they love our music) and the bartender kept Jamesons and Bulmers cider coming. We left at 2:00 a.m., which we're told is early for this place, and walked back to the hotel.
There, out front, we sat in the early morning, three friends having a grand adventure.
"Shh... do you hear that?" I asked them.
"I don't hear anything at all, nothing..." Daniel replied.
"Exactly, I replied. There are still places in this world where there is complete and utter silence."
That's a big deal for a city boy like myself. In Long Beach, Los Angeles, there may be quiet, but there isn't complete and total silence. We sat, the three of us, listening to the night, no words, just smiles.
The next morning it was one more bath in that tub, and then breakfast at the hotel (many hotels are B&B's). I walked the quaint and bustling village, took a horse-drawn carriage ride to the castle for some photos, walked through the cathedral in the center of town. There's a lot to see in Killarney, and I know I'll be back. But for now, it was back on the bikes. Failte Ireland always assists me with interviews of the most interesting people in the country and doing seven-day-a-week radio even while traveling makes every trip interesting. Next stop, Portmagee. The weather broke, the sky was blue, the temperature was four degrees celsius (times that by nine, divide by five and add 32 for fahrenheit, so around 41) and another adventure awaited.
Day Two: Portmagee
It's about a two hour ride from Killarney to Portmagee. It's a fishing village, much like a Cape Cod of Ireland on the very Western part. It's a small town, facing Valentia Island connected by a bridge. The ride there was filled with high country beauty, sweeping fields, sheep, cows, horses filling the fields. Random castles or ruins simply pop up out of nowhere (we stopped for gas, looked up, and right down the street was a castle, only in Ireland).
We were greeted at The Moorings Guest House B&B by owner Gerard who was arranging a special show of Irish music and dance just for us that evening in the bar. I keep pinching myself about how lucky I am. We stowed the bags and met with Muiris O Donoghue who is the owner/operator of Geokaun Mountain and Fogher Cliffs on Valentia Island. His family owned and farmed the land until he decided to open it as a park; one with some of the most spectacular views in Ireland. He told us of the island's history, how it once had been south of the Equator, how the first creature to spring from the sea and take to land left footprints on it 350 million years ago and how Portmagee bustles starting in April on.
Before the show, Gerard told us of Portmagee, and how it had just won an award beating over 100 cities as the best Tourist destination for music and culture and then six adults and two young girls treated us to a "Session;" a weekly show they do with locals of traditional music and dance. We were so profoundly grateful and it made for such a fun night in the pub.
"No trouble at all, we were grateful to get the call," one singer told me as she packed up her flutes. The show is performed weekly there at The Moorings, with Gerard, his mother-in-law and many friends reminding patrons of the rich musical and cultural history of Ireland. Dinner was at the Bridge Bar, part of the Moorings, and it's easy to see why the food has won awards. I may never eat any other lamb, ever again. They spoiled us. '
The evening was closed out in the pub, with locals regaling us with pub talk of so many things. In a pub in Ireland, no topic is off limits and everyone is friends, talking, chatting. It's the best social experience of my life, pubs. Real pubs. Like this one. And of course, they were all besides themselves that we had tea with the Irish president the Friday previous. They love Michael Higgins. LOVE him, and it showed. It was nice to hear people supporting their president, instead of the sport of tearing one down as in our country.
Breakfast was again included. Brandon and Daniel had scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, brown bread and tea, while I did Irish porridge, yogurt and eggs with tea. We went to the market which is also the post office, got post cards, posted them and got ready for the next leg of the journey. Again, this is a town I could spend days in, going off to the Skellig Islands just out of the bay, exploring Valentia or just hanging in the pub.
It snowed during the night, lightly, but in the morning, the roads were clear, the sky blue and the temperature from eight to 10 degrees; practically summer (between 42 and 50). Car packed, GPS back on bike, gear on, Brandon's Hero3 GoPro camera on his helmet for video and away we went.
Next stop: Dingle. It is another port city on the other side of a "V" shaped bay, so to get to it we had to back track and then go down the other side. The ride would take us over the Connor Pass, and we were told to be prepared for great beauty.
Day Three: Dingle
There's no way anyone could prepare for the beauty of the ride to Dingle. The road rivals Pacific Coast Highway (the 1 to locals) from Los Angeles to San Francisco (one of the prettiest and winding rides in California or the world). From deep in the mountains of the West down to the beach, yes, the beach. The town of Inch, yup, Inch, has a sweeping beach complete with a van giving surf lessons and renting boards right on the beach. There's jutting cliffs meeting the sea, and one can't help but wonder what battles have been fought here, what Vikings have raided, what Irish have battled. It's a place of wonder, topped only a half-hour away by the valleys of the Conner Pass. As I cried looking at the view in the Pass (emotions often well up and I cry, I'm a cry baby) I thought, if there is a heaven and there is peace, it looks like this. Daniel and Brandon and I hugged, looking out, three friends sharing the view of a lifetime, views of a lifetime, a journey of a lifetime. We got back on the bikes and in the car and were off to Dingle; and when we rounded the corner and headed down the side of the hill with the sleepy little port community ahead of us, again, the breath left my body in a gasp of gorgeousness. Another fabulous destination.
And that is where I sit now, at the Dingle Skellig hotel, the sun now rising, the wind dying down, seagulls filling the sky, thousands along the shore. Streisand is playing on my iPad through the iLuv portable speaker that has brought my music to each and every destination. Technology is important even when traveling, WiFi is the new must-have at every destination, and while it's slower and spottier (Portmagee went out for hours and I felt so disconnected, not a bad thing, though) this is a connected country.
Dingle is home to Fungie, the aforementioned dolphin, and so much more. We spoke to Michael de Mordha, in the Blasket Centre, Dunquin; just a 15 minute ride away through another scenic route. It is here we learned of the residents of Blasket Island (who have many descendants in Springfield, Massachusetts where many settled after leaving). The island residents are all but gone, with none living there today, a community and a people passed but not forgotten. The oldest living Blasket is 93 today, and coming back for a special celebration this year. Their music, culture, art is alive at the Center, designed to give the visitor a growing understanding of the culture, moving down a long hall until the glass viewing platform at the end of the hall looks directly out on the island. Residents of the Parish on the mainland have been there for hundreds of years, including de Mordha's family. He was born right near the Centre and has stayed.
Back at the hotel, in the pub, I met one of Ireland's most colorful characters, Maidhc Dainin O'Se an author of 19 books, all in the original Gaelic. His books are used in the school system in Ireland, there's been a documentary made about his life and he's seen so much both here and in the USA one could spend hours talking to him. He was in Chicago when King was killed. He was moved by the civil rights movement, equating the struggles of African Americans to the Irish Immigrants who came to America. He loathes discrimination and bigotry of any kind, cherishes his Irish heritage and is upset at the way the world is going at the time with bankers robbing the poor and going unpunished. He still is mindful that equality for all isn't here in Ireland or the U.S. yet, but is optimistic that in years we'll all get it right. He made a great hour of radio and you must visit the podcast to hear it (links below to all the shows from Ireland).
We laughed and talked with O'Se and then took to the city for dinner at a waterfront pub with the best seafood chowder, ever. On the menu the location that all the food came from, vegetables, seafood, beef, lamb -- all the local sellers and providers were listed. It's that way almost everywhere. The Irish like to eat Irish-produced food. The town is in sleepy off-season mode and much was still closed. But enough was open, including a late night pub that was truly a pub experience. Older fishermen, blowing off steam over a pint, picking up an accordion and playing, shaking our hands, laughing... they didn't know us from Adam but we were welcomed, we were friends. It's the spirit that can be found at almost any pub here or elsewhere.
Dingle has a host of activities throughout the year, many capitalizing on the bay, the local Blasket and Skellig Islands and unbeatable views. At the Skellig Hotel I sat in an outdoor jacuzzi, looking at the hills and the bay as boats passed thinking this is the best jacuzzi view in the world. The Peninsula Spa at the hotel has lovely relaxation suite with steam, sauna and jacuzzi for guests to enjoy. Before embarking back to Dublin I had an anti-aging facial. Yes, a facial and massage. Ireland has it all; from quaint B&Bs to full service spas like the Peninsula Spa at the Skellig. It is in the spa that the normal bumps and stresses of the trip melt away under the skillful hands of well-trained spa therapists. It's a full service spa, for men and women, with half-day, full-day, one hour, 90 minute and a treatment to fit any schedule. I could stay just at this hotel and spa for days; the lush pool, full workout center, two restaurants...but I'm that kind of guy. The town, and country for that matter, has everything from youth Hostels to five star hotels, so any traveler can have the experience they want.
Day IV: The Road Home
Today, it's back to Dublin, a five hour drive and then tomorrow back out on Aer Lingus. The horrors of airplane travel these days (my luggage was finally delivered three days after I arrived and my back has yet to recover from the seats not reclining on the plane) await, but it doesn't matter. I wouldn't have missed this trip, meeting these people, seeing these sights for the world.
We rode back in some of the worst weather Ireland has had in some time. They are calling it a "mini-hurricane." Again, not the most ideal motorcycling conditions, but it had to be done. Six hours in freezing temperatures, torrential wind and rain. If it weren't for the proper gear from AlpineStars and the proper bikes (BMW 1200 Adventure GS) from Celtic Rider we simply would not have been able to ride.
We transected the country from the Southwestern tip to the upper North East in six hours, arriving at the Shelbourne Hotel back on Stephens Green in Dublin. It's a five star accommodation, luxurious, classy, all the things a discriminating traveler could want after a long trip. The tub beckoned again, another fabulous tub, there was hot tea, espresso machine, a bottle of wine waiting... as if they knew we had just endured an ordeal. The Shelbourne isn't the most affordable hotel in Dublin, but it is one of the best. It has world-class dining, bar, every amenity a five star hotel could need and it's right in the heart of the city.
Dinner was at Gallagher's Boxty House. A boxty is an Irish pancake, think Crepe, filled with goodness. I had a boxty filled with rare flank steak covered in a sauce and the best Bailey's Cheesecake in history. Warm whiskey (Jamesons, hot water, lemon and clove) for our weary voices capped things off. It's located in the heart of the Temple Bar, across from the Auld Dubliner.
Afterwards, it was off to the biggest gay dance club, The George. In 2000 when I first went to this club, the door man gave a quiz of sorts to make sure you knew where you were, what kind of club. While security still quizzes the occasional passer-by, we breezed right in and caught a stellar drag show with incredible choreography, dancers, fans and blowers... they obviously take their drag very serious in Dublin. It's ironic such a religious nation not only allows this, but encourages GLBT travel. Dublin welcomes the GLBT community; at least it's always welcomed me and my friends. And the George isn't the only GLBT pub or club in town, as the community in Dublin is thriving. And while equality, recognition and marriage equality is far away, there is a very definite growing acceptance at least in the city.
After just a few hours sleep it was up and off to the Dublin airport. Aer Lingus tried to make good on the bad trip over (complaining can work) and offered an upgrade on the way home. Three friends, one upgrade... this 50-year-old told the two 25-year-olds to try and enjoy coach, my very tired body was going to enjoy the perks of the one percent. And how evident those perks became once in New York, where we would transfer to Jet Blue; to go from comfort to basic steerage was a shock. And speaking of shocking, must Americans be so rude? In Ireland, their version of the TSA was so polite to travelers, their counter agents at the airport actually wanting to help, to serve. In Ireland we were told to check with the counter agent in NYC about our middle-only, non-together seats on Jet Blue, to see if we could change and be together. I walked up to the woman at the counter in NYC and said, "Good afternoon, we just arrived from Dublin and were told to check with you about seat assignments, that they were putting a request in the computer..."
"The flight is full, there's no changes, there's five requests ahead of you now so please just sit down and I'll get to you later..." That was the verbatim response.
"Ma'am, excuse me, I'm trying to say the change may have already been made, so if you could just check and make sure we are in these seats still..."
"No changes have been made to anyone," she says without looking, asking my name, or to see a ticket. "So again, I'm very busy, please sit down and I'll call you if there's a change..." and back on the phone she went.
I turned to Brandon and Daniel who were staring in horror at the rudeness.
"Well, you can certainly tell we are back in America."
So, for the next six hours each of us sat all over the plane in middle seats, Brandon, 6'4", Daniel and I not petite wallflowers either. One of the TVs didn't work in the seat, the plane was stifling hot for some reason, yes, flying is such a pleasurable experience these days, with such polite staff and value for the dollar (sarcasm noted).
Yet, the trip was so worth it, I learned so much about the Irish, myself and people in general.
Everyone I spoke with had the economy on their minds. They all had The Gathering 2013 on their minds; bringing the 70 million Irish immigrants, or those with Irish heritage, back to the country to visit, to explore, to rediscover. Rawlings at Celtic Rider is already busy planning Wild Atlantic Way, "the greatest coastal bike ride of 2014, possibly ever," he exclaims as motorcyclists will discover the wonderful coastal routes of Ireland.
Ireland, like every other country, is struggling to get back on its feet financially. To Let signs fill business districts, but new shops, stores, restaurants, attractions are opening. The people are paying more and getting less, like the rest of the world, but they are a resilient people. They have valuable assets; their country and their culture, and sharing them with the world is one way to help the country regain its footing.
Nothing in Ireland is just a typical day, a typical drive, a boring time. If you haven't been, come, find out, explore. Have your breath taken away at an incredible vistas, laugh with locals in a Pub, eat fabulous food, meet a dolphin, dance with locals in Portmagee, party in Killarney and then see a castle or have a facial while looking at birds flying high over the sea. Yes, money is tight, and so many bargains can be found on lodging, vacation packages, meals, attractions. Ireland is one of the best values for the travel dollar in Europe or the world.
There's no way to put a price on what I've done here this time, or any of the other times I've been. Don't be one of the 90% or more of Americans that doesn't travel; gather in Ireland in 2013. Bring someone you love, friend or lover, and fall in love as I have with a country and its people. What you will find is the greatest thing of all, yourself. And at what price is that?
To hear the podcast of the Ireland shows or to listen to The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android]]>Ireland St. Patrick's Day 2013: Gathering to Help an Economy for a Brilliant Timetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28970382013-03-17T15:21:22-04:002013-05-17T05:12:02-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
Ireland is the place to be for St. Patrick's Day; all other celebrations pale by comparison. While this may be an American holiday (with roots in Boston) the Irish have adapted it just brilliantly and have made it one of the most fun times a human can have without combusting. I've been lucky enough to do it six times, come to Ireland this time of year. And here I sit again, in the Burlington Hote in Dublin courtesy of Tourism Ireland and their Irish counterparts, Failte Ireland. Again, I am broadcasting my radio show from around the country, and writing about it exclusively for The Huffington Post.
St. Patrick's Day, while festive, is usually a piece of a much larger puzzle when it comes to visiting this Emerald Isle; and this year is no exception. My party (Daniel Charleston, social media maven and the returning Brandon Crispo, photography and equipment handler) and I arrived Friday after the worst international flight I have ever encountered. I could go on about the classism of flying, how airlines could provide room, service, food, things to make the trip enjoyable for everyone but choose just to do it for those that pay dearly and how it defies logic that Aer Lingus could lose my bag for almost three days leaving me with no clothes in Dublin, but I won't digress. Let's just say the state of commercial airline travel for most coach passengers is dismal to say the least.
Friday we landed and headed right in to the thick of things. After my great friends Aine Kavanaugh and Ellen Redmond from Failte Ireland took me to Dunn's (think Macy's) to get a blazer and pair of shoes (100 euros combined), Cinderella was ready to go to the ball (it was like a scene from the movie getting me ready since I had no luggage). I had to be presentable because we were off to Aras an Uachtarian, the official home of the President of Ireland Michael Higgins. President Higgins was gracious enough to greet us for tea at his home and have a chat about The Gathering 2013.
Ireland's economy is hurting like every other one in the world. It has not recovered fully from The Great Recession that originated in the United States and spread like a mad virus throughout the world. In order to boost the economy the country is playing to its strengths: tourism and culture. And President Higgins is keen on both.
"After surviving the last decade of artificial economics it's time to turn to something that's real," the president began, "it is important for Ireland to play to the things that have always been there to sustain us as a people and a culture," he began. "I believe it is wrong for governments to make a choice between arts, culture and other financial obligations and it's up to us to find the space to grow the arts and culture, especially in harder times. These are things that enrich the people, but also can be economic saviors," he added.
To that end, Ireland is in the midst of The Gathering 2013. The Gathering is about encouraging the 70 million people in the world that have Irish roots or Irish heritage to come back, visit, bring friends, and gather with those like them for various events throughout the year. The President also invited some of the greatest artists, writers, poets, musicians and others to Aras an Uachtarian for "The Call" in English; the call from the president for the artists to take the forefront and help lead the way to economic recovery through the furthering of their arts throughout the world.
"It is because of the excellence of our music and culture that I issued 'The Call,'" the president stated, "We use this time of the year, St. Patrick's, to reflect together on our shared path and our unique culture and heritage that binds us together. We are grateful for the way that our Irish song, dance and folklore has continued to thrive, not only here but across the world. It is one of those parts of Ireland that survived in tact, the culture, the music and we celebrate the best of our arts, science, creativity and music. We should take the example of the culture in artistic areas and use it as an example in the economy. It's not a case of the Irish economy allowing culture to be possible during times of economic growth; it's about the cultural space being much wider that the economic space and showing us a way to grow the economy."
How refreshing, to hear a head of state talk about the importance of arts and culture to a people no matter the economic times; in fact, to show that they can help and lead in rough economic times.
After a visit with the president it was off to the 300 year old building The Church. This is where Arthur Guinness got married (and his son), where Handel played the Messiah on the organ there and so much more more history over the last 300 years. Brendan, the caretaker as he calls himself, gave us a tour of the grave yard, let us touch the organ that Handel played and then introduced us to John McColgan, creator of the international phenomenon Riverdance.
McColgan is answering the call for The Gathering as well. Not only will they be setting a record for the longest Riverdance line along the River Liffey here in Dublin, but he is launching a new show in China and then the United States, it is called The Heartbeat of Home and promises to be something totally different.
"The way the dancers dance, move, their very bodies have changed over the 20 years since we've done Riverdance," he told me in an exclusive interview in The Gallery restaurant. "I wanted to create a new show that gives them a chance to show their hearts, their souls, their incredible physicality. We've been blessed to been doing the show for over 20 years, for over a billion people worldwide that have seen it on TV or in person. This is the next step," he concluded.
Saturday was great food and great fun around the Dublin area, from a whiskey lesson at 37 Dawson Street (a fabulous bar and restaurant in Dublin) to a traditional ceili music concert later in the evening, there wasn't a moment to waste as the city filled up with hundreds of thousands for Sunday's event.
Before Sunday pre-festival and parade it was a stop at the Dublin's Writer's Museum for a chat with Adelle Ross, acting CEO of the St. Patrick's Day Festival. She was about the throw a party for 480,000 plus close personal friends and was an ever-gracious but busy hostess.
"This event puts over 50.5 million in the economy of Ireland and is an important part of the country's financial well-being," she told me as we sipped tea in the upper room of the Museum, Irish Press and International Press circling about, a small bit of calm in the upcoming storm. And the storm was quite literal, as snow and rain started St. Patrick's Day in Dublin.
"This was 18 months in the planning and already planning through 2017," she stated. "It takes a lot to pull this off, I have a lot of great people working with me," she stated. "In response to the theme of The Gathering, we did the People's Parade, which is just that, participants from over 60 countries, every day people leading things off to show that we want everyone to be a part of Ireland and The Gathering," she concluded.
The parade was the spectacle it always is, marching bands from all the world, floats, contingents from small towns around Ireland, from farming communities to the large cities; all marching, participating, having a ball. The Purdue American Marching Band closed the parade, with 331 members, the largest in the parade and in the country. This band was so big they had to charger their own flight from the U.S. But what a show. Almost half a million people lined the streets of Dublin in the rain to greet the parade, and I, and the bus full of foreign journalists, was the first thing they got to see. Until you've greeting a-half-million people personally on the top of double-decker bus in Dublin on St. Patrick's day, can I simply say, you haven't lived. It makes almost everything else pale by comparison. And the magic isn't lost on the sometimes jaded press. Even the most experienced travel journalists couldn't resist the little kid inside that was screaming, "Oh my God! I'm leading the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Dublin!" The people, the warmth, the love, the joy, the sheer happiness of the event, well, yup, I'm crying.
After the parade it was a lovely lunch at the Central Hotel near party central, The Temple Bar. The crowd, remarkably docile for all the electricity in the air. The guards don't carry guns, and the atmosphere with half-a-million people in the city is remarkably calm, all in good fun. Yes, there are the amateurs getting drunk and puking in the streets, but there are those families, having fun, sharing a meal or a pint, watching the parade and then sharing in the spirit and joy that takes over the city this time of year.
The Ireland trip is far from over. Tomorrow we leave for the southern part of the country, including riding motorcycles again thanks to Celtic Riders. This is a great group of guys that rent motorcycles and plan tours for those that want to truly see Ireland in a unique and beautiful way. Some of the best motorcycling in the world can be found here, and tomorrow, we start finding it.
So, stay tuned. There's lots more to come as we help Ireland celebrate The Gathering 2013 and St. Patrick's Day around the country. From leading a parade in Dublin to ceili music on the moors of Dingle, this is a country rich in heritage, steeped in culture and one that can provide a unique and interesting experience each and every time you come. And once you've been, you'll come back. Many an American has found that Ireland is in their blood or simply in their heart. It is a country that has always made me, a large, loud, out, proud entertainer feel completely welcomed and at home be it in a major city or rural setting; for a large festival or a simple pint.
Now, off to dinner and then more of the city as St. Patrick's day winds down here, but the week starts up.
For more on The Gathering Ireland go here The Gathering. To hear the shows from Ireland, see more photos, videos and exclusive content listen to Karel on KGO AM 810, KRXA AM 540, KGOE, WVNJ and more. To hear the podcast of the Ireland shows or to listen to The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android and watch Karel live on Ustream daily.
Slideshow photos by Brandon Crispo]]>Tyson KO's Box Office at Pantagestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.28539752013-03-11T14:10:51-04:002013-05-11T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth is proof of that. In the ring, Tyson was an undisputed champion, holding the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles and was the first to hold the WBA, WBC and IBF titles simultaneously and has been inducted in to the Boxing Hall of Fame. His life outside the ring, however, has been somewhat of a train wreck. Three marriages, seven children, a very public and messy divorce, multiple arrests, addictions; his very public life has often amplified some very personal failings.
In Undisputed Truth Tyson gets to tell his side of the story in a one man show that is funny, poignant, sad and engaging. Is it the truth? Well, we are all the heroes of our own story; seeing life through the filter of being at the center of the its universe. Akira Kurosawa's 1950s film Rashomon explore the theme that the truth is relevant to who is telling it and where they are in the story. In the film there's a murder and robbery, and a court must figure out what has happened. Witnesses are called, including ghosts, with the caveat that each is telling the absolute truth; their truth, and each witness tells a different tale of the same event.
The show stems from a documentary by Spike Lee about Tyson and Lee serves as the show's director. It was created by Adam Steck, CEO of SPI Entertainment, and is presented by James L. Nederlander, written by Kiki Tyson, executive produced by Tyson and Taylor, Steck and originally directed by Randy Johnson.
There can be no doubt that Tyson is entertaining and does a great job of making the audience laugh with him, not at him. The star-studded debut for a three-show run at the Pantages Theatre March 8-10 was filled with an appreciative and wanting audience. Charlize Theron (yup, gorgeous), Michael Jordan (taller in person), Eric Roberts, David Arquette (who looked dapper in a grey linen suit), Tito Ortiz, boxers, celebrities, the Los Angeles glitteratti were on display on a rainy Friday in the City of Angels. And some rowdy boxing fans were in the house, as Tyson dealt with fans shouting from the mezzanine in a comedic fashion. When one shouted "We still love you ever since you were 18..." Tyson retorted, "Then listen to the damned show."
Tyson has charisma, no doubt, and has a way to make the audience believe that he has the sense left to see the absurdity of much of his life and his role in it. As he opens with "Many of you may be wondering what a brain-damaged ear-biting fool like me is doing up here doing a one man show... hell, I wonder that myself every time I come out here..." It's a great ice-breaker since that is exactly what many in the audience are, in fact, thinking.
The show runs with no intermission, and needs either one or editing. While there can be no doubt it's engaging, it gets long and could use some editing or brevity. It's also very hard to understand Tyson about one-quarter of the time. He has a speech impediment already, and also may be a great boxer but has no sense of staging. He continually wiped his face from sweat, which moved his microphone and made it harder to hear. Thea Austin and I had rock star seats in the orchestra and yet sometimes Tyson's lines were lost on us. It's a shame, there's a few times they were crucial to the moment.
Also, when Tyson addresses the rape conviction there's an uneasiness. He maintains his innocence and talks about this event for under five minutes out of the 1:55 show. Yet, this is one of the truths we wanted to hear about. How, why, what... but alas, that remains secret. Instead we're treated to a list of people that visited him in jail, including Florence Henderson and Barry Williams (Mrs. and Greg Brady).
I am not a boxing fan, having never seen one complete boxing match. I find it barbaric, actually, grown men beating each other. But it's a blood sport and humans have always had them so I accept its place in our culture. I couldn't name 10 prize fighters to save my life. But I know Mike Tyson not from the ring, but from life. This show humanizes him, makes him less of a caricature, much more human. The story of his youth, fighting street life, an addictive mother, no real father (really questioning who his father was) his rise to fame through the training he started in the correctional facilities... he should be an inspirational story to millions of people like Ali, Fraiser and others. But in the TMZ pop culture world, the reality-based mentality and know-it-all press, Tyson had become a parody of himself. This play refocuses on the man, not the myth, the guy at the center of the storm and his trying to stay afloat through it all.
Does one leave with any more truth about any of the events? No, we leave with Tyson's truth about all of the events, and in his mind it is undisputed. But it is fun, entertaining, emotional... all the things a show should be. So Tyson proves again he's a great showman, able to KO an audience with his fists or a couple hours of his life. It's definitely worth seeing whenever you can catch it, be you boxing fan or simply Pop culture aficionado.
To listen to The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android]]>Sonos & The Lash: Two of the Coolest Places in Los Angelestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27840152013-02-28T16:50:00-05:002013-04-30T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/Two Of The Coolest Spots in Los Angeles
In the city that houses Hollywood, cool is a relative term and often changes from minute-to-minute in these days of flying information. This is the town of what's in today is out tomorrow and you're only as good as your last project. Disposable culture in some ways; lasting icons in others. It's a dichotomy to say the least.
As I enter my fourth decade of living in the area and being in the entertainment industry, believe me, I've seen it all, and I'm a pretty good judge of cool if I do say so myself.
That's why I'm so impressed with two very different, yet very cool, venues for fun in Los Angeles.
First is Sonos Studio located at 145 N. La Brea. There's a great story here at the Huffington Post about the particulars of it all; it's the implementation of the concept that makes the place cool.
First of all, it's a place built around the incredible Sonos products. Yes, I'm a fan. I have two of their Play:5 wireless streaming audio players which let me listen to just about everything online. Since I'm in talk radio, and since progressive talk radio is dwindling around the country, it seems one of the few ways to be guaranteed something other than one opinion is to stream it through Sonos; Add in the subwoofer and the sound rivals the highest end audio component (yes, Bose, I said it). Spotify, iHeart Radio, Sirius/XM, Pandora, your own music library and countless others services stream through the Sonos devices and sound good doing it.
But it's also built around enjoying the music you're listening to; sharing it, living it. Beck was there Thursday, February 21 for a debut of his interactive Songreader exhibit; Alanis Morissette debuted her latest album there and sang a four-song acoustic set. Whether it's an indie band, a spirited label like Aquarium Drunkard presenting "No Jacket Required," an LA Music night with Allah-las and Tashiki Miyaki, a presentation on how to get a record out with the How to Make an Award-Winning Record with Deadmau5 and Tommy Trash, (Best Remixed Recording" GRAMMY nominee for his remix of Deadmau5 "The Veldt") or Grammy nominee and R&B sensation Janelle Monáe belting out a tune -- if it's happening in music, or about to, it's at Sonos Studio.
And it's not just the place, it's the people and the philosophy. Each of these events gathers an eclectic group of tastemakers, professionals, hipsters, anti-hipsters, music industry professionals, singers, musicians, writers, artists, celebrities smattered about all centered around listening to great music, viewing art that is often interactive and basically making music an experience. Where else could I be asked by a stranger to hold her dachshund =while she went to the restroom or run in to Andy Samberg in the listening library? Only at Sonos. Both the studio and the system are building a musical philosophy that music should be accessible, sound great, challenge the listener and be a shared experience amongst friends, artists, and those that love it.
And this philosophy is one that could work nationally and internationally; but not in a "chain" mentality. The coolness of Sonos is the uniqueness of the space, the events and the crowd. It's a neighborhood feel, like happening on a really killer house party. It's more organic than a House of Blues or other such venue, more experimental and interactive. The studio is open Wed-Sun 12pm to 6pm and check out the website for special events. So far this is the only Studio, but again, being innovative, Sonos is taking the Studio on the road for the South by Southwest (SXSW) gathering in Austin where it will find a temporary home for the conference.
Another gathering place built around the concept that going out should be more an experienced to be enjoyed by a variety of senses is The Lash located at 117 Winston Street, downtown Los Angeles. It's one of the places you have to know about, or you would simply pass it by. It's on the bottom floor of a redeveloped building in the heart of downtown and combines neighborhood bar, classic pub, trendy nightspot and underground club all in to one exciting new hotspot.
Los Angeles musician Ross O'Carroll along with creative director Erik Hart has created a unique environment; one whose atmosphere harkens back to the pubs of Ireland (having been more than once I can attest) where everyone is welcomed, drinks flow and conversation follows. Perhaps it's his Irish roots. His parents, Cormac and Trish O'Carroll, were on hand the evening I attended, and they are as delightful as Ross, and were the center of attention holding court in the corner of the room.
"Hey, where did you hear about this place," or "I didn't know this was here" was heard throughout the evening, as locals found their way in to the unique space and began enjoying the not one, but two, DJs.
And what a space. Hart has taken all kinds of design elements and formed them in to one venue. The hall that connects the front bar to the back feels like the tubes in London, and should, the tiling could have been lifted off the walls of a station yesterday. The black and white theme throughout, with metals, broken masonry and building materials and even a custom disco ball designed with the Haas Brothers creates a mood to fit any party, be it meeting someone for a quick pint after work to a full blown dance fest.
The crowd is also the star. I went with two friends, both gay (OK, one on the fence, the other full on) and then, of course, there's me, about as flamboyant as one gets. But we weren't even a blip on anyone's radar, especially when a guest arrived in full matador regalia. Straight, gay, in between, it doesn't matter (much like pubs in Ireland), what matters is are you there for a good time, to chat, to drink, to dance? If so, then you're in the right place; leave your stereotypes and prejudices at the door.
If you've read my columns here at the Huffington Post, you know I love another club in L.A., run by David Arquette called Bootsy Bellows. It's another place that has the accepting environment, a unique atmosphere and an incredible host. Add The Lash to the list of places now worth the trip to L.A. to attend. It's an incredible collaboration of family and art, of pub and dance palace with a crowd more interested in who you are than what you are.
And don't let the location fool you. Yes, it's downtown. Yes, you enter through a side door next to a parking lot. There's plenty of lit parking, an enormous door man that could stop a freight train, and heck Ross, the owner, lives right up stairs in the redeveloped condos. It's what downtown redevelopment is all about; creating spaces that people want to attend, that have a local feel but an international mood.
Los Angeles is lucky to have Sonos Studio and The Lash within 20 minutes driving of each other. The city keeps getting cooler and it's venues like these that make it that way. Ross O'Carroll deserves his club to be a success, it's built with not just marketing or dollar signs in mind, but a sense of family, of pride, and the creation of a place for all to feel comfortable. I certainly did, as did my guest. Sonos continues to change the way we listen and interact with music, and their Studio is a prime example of how art can continue to grow, expand and entertain. Visit both, they're worth the trip to L.A. from anywhere in the country if you love music, friends, and of course, want to be some of the coolest people you know.
To hear The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android]]>Eder: One of the Few Voices Working Takes West Coast in Songtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.27075482013-02-17T17:20:36-05:002013-04-19T05:12:02-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/CKB II: Wanna go see Linda Eder tonight?
Jon Patton: Hmm... wait, who is that again?
That was the scene on my iPhone 5 on Thursday, February 14th, Valentine's Day. I was going to see a singer I adore, and over the years been lucky enough to become acquainted with professionally (bias noted, but I can't but wonder if Van Gogh's friends also adored his work), Linda Eder. She was performing at The Grove of Anaheim on the 14th, went on to Yoshi's in Oakland and then finished Feb. 17th at the McAllum Theatre in Palm Desert. I caught up with her prior to leaving the East Coast for my radio show and then again at The Grove.
You see, she's not a household name like Aguilera, Celine or Streisand. She has all of the notes, power and perfect pitch of any of them, and those who seek out and find incredible vocalists have known of her for years. But my texting friend wasn't alone in having to ask to be reminded. It's ironic, her Christmas Album, Christmas Stays the Same brings her to Top 40 and Adult AC radio every November/December.
"That's a tough club to break in to, the Christmas club of songs and artists that are played every year," she told me from her Connecticut home. "I'm very honored that each year more and more of that album makes it on to radio, we wanted to do something new with the songs, and people love the classics and discover new ones each year."
I first discovered Eder like so many in Jekyll & Hyde. She was a revelation. I have always wanted that theater moment, the moment when you know the performer on stage is going to be a lasting star. It's what they felt when Streisand was in Funny Girl or when Jennifer Holliday took the stage in Dreamgirls and then Jennifer Hudson in the movie of the same name; when Carol Channing first played Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly or Stephanie Mills belted out Home at the end of the original production of The Wiz. Well I had that moment in Orange County in the late 1990s.
That play was the child of her then-husband Frank Wildhorn and book/lyricist Leslie Brucusse and would make her a Broadway star.
"I always wonder why I'm thought of such a theater person, you know, a Broadway star," she reflects both on and off stage. "I mean, I've done one big play, that's all, yet, there's this image of me," she commented.
Well, when it's a role that good in a play that big, it's not hard to get that reputation.
But Eder is a recording artist first and foremost. She started singing at 19 professionally, she reminisced at The Grove, it's been her only job and "I really like my job" she laughed. She's now had 14 solo albums, a major play soundtrack, another 20 or so album appearances and multiple singles. She's had Dance hits with remixes of early hits like Vienna and pure tribute albums like By Myself: The Songs of Judy Garland. And she has Now an album to show where her taste are in present, from Pop/Country to the title track that is almost operatic with a haunting sound or a song like Good Bye which sounds like what I believe dancing at the Rainbow Room to a live artist would feel like (having never done it).
Seeing Eder live harkens back to a classic singer's stage show. There's not pyrotechnics, 50 dancers per song, gymnast flying about or 15 monitors with images flashing a mile a minute. Nope, it's her, a band, and a microphone. Her voice fills the stage and the room; clear, strong, soaring.
And it isn't a cavalcade of past hits and material from a repertoire that spans almost three decades.
"I never want to be board, musically, on stage, in life," she reflected. "I like all kinds of music, Pop, Country. Standards... from Pink to Adele to Garland to Emma Calvé. And I don't just want to go and do a show of the same songs over and over. I need to change it up, to have fun, to keep it interesting."
Audiences are demanding. There were more than few shouts for Vienna at the show I attended, but alas, it wasn't in the set. Instead, songs from pop artists from today like Adele (I've always said, don't sing Someone Like You unless you can sang it, and child, she did), classics by artists like Patsy Cline and even Bryan Adams (Everything I Do).
But there's no doubt, she excels when she belts, or holds notes almost impossibly long and perfect. And yes, on show tunes.
I shared the Valentine's evening with three other single friends; Steve Cabral, Bert Critchfield and R&B Dance artist Thea Austin. none of them own one Eder album, but know her through being around me. That's changed now.
"I wanted to cry out loud," Critchfield laughed when Eder sang Anthem from Chess. "That's one of my favorite songs in the world, and she did it so beautifully I simply could not believe it."
Eder laughs about the big songs like that or her two from Jekyll & Hyde, A New Life and Someone Like You that she has put back in the set.
"Why is it you love it when I do the songs that you can see all my teeth?" referring to her belting out the notes.
She speaks of the world today when she does More than Heaven from her latest album. How overwhelming the times can be.
And she knows first hand. Her 13-year-old-son lost a friend in Hurricane Sandy, and she lives very near Newton and Sandy Hook. She even performed at a benefit for the families of the massacre.
"I went out and spoke to the families," she recalled. "How do you even fathom what they've gone through? As a mother, as an American, I just feel so deeply for them. And I'm a big cry baby, so it was tough getting through that song."
She is very connected to New York and after 9/11 did another song entitled If I Had My Way about that day as well. "Sometimes, the only way I can cope is musically," she recalled.
An hour-and-a-half at The Grove flies by and the show is over. My friends were in love as I first was, She graciously greeted us backstage and then went over to the fence where fans had lined up and spent time in 49 degree weather talking, signing autographs, laughing. She really does love her job and all those that show up for her; her fans, her base.
(L-R) Karel, Linda Eder, Steve Cabral and Thea Austin at The Grove of Anaheim
So what's next?
"I really am learning Jazz, which is something you really have to understand, as well as exploring writing more Pop/Country. My record deal lasted five albums after I thought it would, and now I'm really exploring all the ways artists can reach an audience. I've got the website back from the label and we're really ramping it up with the help of friend and colleague Maureen Smith (former head of FoxFamily, Discovery/Animal Planet executive), I'm tweeting now (@LindaEderTweets), Facebook, really connecting. When we're ready to release a new project maybe I'll do it on a label, or maybe I'll start one, or... who can say. First, I need to get it written and that's happening."
In my life, as in yours I'm sure, you discover artists and realize how wonderful they are and then wonder out loud, why hasn't everyone heard this? Why do some artists hit and hit huge like Adele, and others go without a Grammy or multi-platinum status? The now late (and that still hurts) Vesta Williams was one. She was also my friend, and from the moment I heard her sing Sweet, Sweet Love live to her biggest hit Congratulations, hell, when I would sit outside her bathroom door on Cloverdale in Los Angeles chatting as she was getting ready to go do a show and she'd begin belting away in that bathroom powerhouse vocals like Aretha, Patti, any R&B artist, why? Why doesn't every fan of R&B, or Pop, know of her? When I would play Teena Marie, the also departed Ivory Queen of Soul and people around me would say "Who's that?" I would wonder, how can you not know?
Don't be one of those people. Discover Linda Eder live, in iTunes, Spotify, online, but discover her if you haven't. If you love vocalists who can truly sing the phone book without you being a bit board, listen. Be one of the one's to know, to see, to hear a vocal instrument that not many possess.
To hear the podcast of the Linda Eder show or to listen to The Karel Show live daily go to the website, or get the App for iOS or Android]]>A New Life for Jekyll & Hyde With Maroulis and Cox (PHOTOS)tag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26800112013-02-13T16:31:41-05:002013-04-15T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/Jekyll & Hyde as much as I did at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles (Feb. 12-March 3). But the fact is, I loved it.
The reason? For the same reason I've never seen a production of Funny Girl. That role, the role of Fanny Brice, on Broadway, made a star out of Barbra Streisand. Jeckyll & Hyde brought the world a vocalist equally as talented (yes, I said it), in the personification of the Lucy character: powerhouse Linda Eder. I will never forget sitting 17 years ago at the Orange County Center for the Performing Arts watching another Broadway bound production, the original, and writing in the Orange County Blade, "this is what audiences must have felt when they discovered Streisand in Funny Girl. By the end of the production the audience was putty in Eder's hands, knowing we had discovered a woman destined to become a lasting icon."
So when a play gives that kind of experience, it's hard to re-imagine it, to envision it with someone else in the role that made you fall in love with a lasting star. But reinvent the play is exactly what the new cast is doing, and this time, there's not just one star, but three. Constantine Maroulis (yes, former Idol contestant, continues to amaze in live theater. He soared in Rock of Ages and now commands the stage with electric vocal as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde. Deborah Cox, R&B and dance superstar, takes on a role filled with big songs and powerhouse vocal requirements and not only meets the challenge but belts to the heaven and then pulls back with stellar control showing a voice that could not be adequately captured on any of her albums; it has to be seen and experienced live. After the original production so many years ago, my late husband Andrew Howard rushed out and got me every Eder recording available. I don't have to for Cox, I already have all of her albums, including her songs in Tim Rice and Elton John's Aida . The problem is none of them compare to her performance in this production. She unveils a brand new diva and will surely take Broadway by storm.
And then there's Teal Wicks. You see, the bad girl in the play, Lucy, gets all the attention. We love the bad girls, but it's Wicks' Emma that is Dr. Jekyll's anchor and her songs are equally as big. When she and Cox duet on In His Eyes the show stops. But make no mistake, this time, this production, belongs to the male lead, Maroulis. Could he belt out "This is the Moment", or transform to Hyde and then take on the rigors of "Alive"? The answer is an overwhelming yes. Maroulis has the goods for Broadway, as his Tony nomination for Rock of Ages will attest. Look for another nomination here.
The play is set around the novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. It explores the duality in all, the good, the evil, and the notion that somehow they can be separated. But as Jekyll learns, the evil in men (and women) must manifest somewhere and in him it takes on the persona of Edward Hyde, killer, abuser, downright nasty guy. It is the love child of Frank Wildhorn (music), Leslie Bricusse (lyrics and book) with additional lyrics by Steve Cuden. It debuted in 1990, workshopped, toured, and then opened on Broadway at the Plymouth theater in 1997 where it stayed until 2001, would be nominated for Tonys and Drama Desk Awards and launched the career of Linda Eder (then wife, now ex-wife of Wildhorn) in to high gear. It has toured the world with various productions from London to South Korea and now has been revived and is headed to Broadway again where it will land April 18th at the Marquis Theatre.
Wildhorn was in the sound booth opening night at the Pantages, delighted with this new production. And it is new, a few new songs, new staging, new multimedia.
"Doesn't it feel great to see your work live on, live anew, proving it had the legs all along?" I asked him as he glowed.
"Yes, yes it does," he laughed.
Maroulis is amped. I spoke to him a few days before he hit Los Angeles and he couldn't wait. As for the challenges of the role?
"Well even though it's a new production, you're right, there's big numbers, big songs," he started. "But this is what an actor and singer hopes for, to be challenged, to stretch what you can do, and expand as you go. Working with this cast inspires me every day to be great, they're all so talented."
The talk ultimately turns to Idol and he has to laugh.
"You know, that was a character, too," he said. "I was a trained actor in musical theater long before the show. But they wanted this character, this bad boy sort of image, so I created it for them. It was great fun and quite an experience. But in retrospect, it was just another role, another part to play as part of building a career."
And building a solid career as a Broadway staple is what Maroulis is doing.
I was also lucky enough to catch up with my now friend Linda Eder. She is performing in Orange County on Feb. 14 (Grove), Feb. 16 in San Francisco (Yoshi's) and Feb. 23 in Palm Dessert. That review and interview will follow here at The Huffington Post. But what about the new tour? Would she do it again?
"First of all, it's a new production, they're taking some chances, and I think that's great. And yes, I put over a decade in to that show, such sweat and blood, so of course I feel attached to the role. But that's the smaller part of our nature, Deborah is an incredible vocalist and this is a new version, it feels good to know we were right, that this play is great, it works, and can that these are great roles to showcase great performers," she told me from her Connecticut home. Would she go back to a play again? Well, that and more will be in her feature here at the Post.
Other standouts in the play include David Benoit as the lecherous Bishop and pimp Spider. His vocals rumbled the seats and his larger-than-life personality dominated his scenes.
Cox arrived at the after-party at Hollywood hotspot Beso Hollywood looking like a real life Jessica Rabbit, as incredible artist and performer friend James Mulligan (@MulliganJimmy) stated as he hugged her hello. I was with my lifelong friend Thea Austin (Snap!Rhythm Is A Dancer and many more #1 dance hits) and Cox and Austin quickly fell in to girl talk as the two had met previously. Cox was electrified, as she should be, having slayed the audience, stepping in to a big role and surpassing expectations. Many, like me, knew she'd be good, but not THAT good.
Maroulis, always the gent, entered and began the hour long process of getting from the door to a booth, stopping to pose with everyone that wanted a photo. Wildhorn watched from the corner, a proud father, again, seeing his characters and the actors that play them revel in the after glow of a great performance. Bricusse was there as well, over two decades after the inception watching his book and lyrics live on. Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, Lainie Kazan, Ace Young, lots of Glee cast members...let's just say to list all the celebs at Beso would take too many words. Everyone in town wanted to see this production.
And everyone in this town or any other that loves true musical theater should see this production. I love it as much now as did in the 1990s. As my radio mentor, former KFI Program Director and now powerhouse radio consultant David G. Hall told me years ago, "No other host is better or worse than you and you are no better or worse than any other host. You're just different." Is Cox Eder, is Maroulis Cucciolli (Jekyll on Broadway and tour)? No, they don't have to be. They're different, and they're wonderful, each in their own.
There's duality in all of us, two natures. And now, there's a new life, a new generation of musical theater goers that must discover the madness, the wonder, the spectacle that is Jekyll & Hyde with a cast ever bit as strong as the material needs.
To hear Karel's show get his iOS and Android App "Karel" or go to his website The Karel Show for live audio and affiliates. Watch the daily Ustream show, subscribe to the podcast, get his books and see more at the website. To hear the audio interview with Maroulis see below.
]]>The Bulge Is Still Winning the Battle, But We Must Keep Fightingtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.26254062013-02-07T09:01:07-05:002013-04-09T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/As part of my "50 for 50" series on HuffPost
Clean it, fix it, get rid of it. Damn, that Oprah... Years ago on her show she had one of those self-help hours and my late husband, Andrew Howard, took on the mantra she was espousing: Clean it, fix it, or get rid of it. If you have something in your house you haven't used in 30 days, haven't seen in months, haven't worn in 90 days, then either clean it up, fix it up, or get rid of it.
I pay 24 Hour Fitness $19 a month, and have for decades. Yes, decades. Yet, I'm miserably out of shape. $240 per year to have access to a gym I don't use. Logic would say, get rid of it... but...
There was a story in the Los Angeles Times Feb. 5 2013, about baby boomers being fatter and sicker than their parent's generation. And I myself was told by my doctors in October of 2012 that I needed to lose 50 pounds in my 50th year (yes, I just hit the big 50). I even started a "50 for 50" series of blog posts on The Huffington Post, and got very enthusiastic about losing the weight. Many joined me with New Year's resolutions for 2013; this would be the year to take it off. Then, of course, January 2013 was over, resolutions went by they wayside for many, and I fell back in to the same destructive patterns that led me to be 267 pounds (then, I weigh 254 now).
So, after reading that story about boomers, re-reading the ones I posted about moving forward with weight loss, I realized I do pay $19 a month to have access to a gym I never use. I should either go, or cancel. Well, canceling the membership would mean hundreds to restart it, so that's not an option. It would also mean throwing in the towel, and I'm not ready to do that. So, off the gym I went.
I hate the gym. I wish I didn't, but I do. First, the drive. I hopped on my fabulous Piaggio MP3 250 , packed up shorts, T-shirt, towel, lock, iPod/iPhone for soundtrack (iHeart Radio's Pride Radio or Spotify works well) and drove the five miles to my nearest 24 Hour Fitness.
Just the drive got me angry. Why aren't there fitness centers in every neighborhood, no more than two miles apart? We know people need to exercise more. We know people's schedules are jammed up, that fuel is expensive and that we need to make it easy for people to do the right thing. In my area of Long Beach, Calif., there is not one workout facility within two miles of my home. Sure, there's the beach, and walking the dog there is great exercise. But in terms of a real facility, nothing. There was a Curves but a) it closed, and b) was for women only. And I'm not alone. I'm sure wherever you are right now, unless your office facility has a workout center (and why don't all?) you have to either drive or bike a good distance to get to the gym.
Then there's the dues. All of us being fat is costing America billions. Of the health care costs that will bankrupt Medicare over the next 20 years, 75 percent are preventable through exercise, weight loss and health maintenance. So why doesn't my health insurance, why doesn't everyone's health insurance, cover a premium gym membership? Some do, but most do not. In an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it was made clear that Medicare Advantage plans that offer gym memberships had healthier people overall. Yet, Medicare or Medicaid does pay for seniors in some areas, in others, nope. Why not? It would cut their costs exponentially -- in fact, why don't health insurance companies for all of us go so far as providing in-home treadmills, weight benches, stationary bikes, treadmill desks? The millions they would spend is nothing compared to the billions they would save. It's as if they don't see the link to exercise and health. They'll pay for you to take obesity meds, most will pay for extreme obesity surgery, but few will pay for you to go to the gym, or at least discount your premiums to cover the cost of membership.
And gym pricing is a mess. Hundreds for initiation fees (24 Hour is between $99 and $149 with a 50 percent off web special currently, then $29-$79 per month for dues, depending on level. Gold's Gym has plans for $299 per year, or $50 enrollment and $26 per month). Then dues that for a family can equal hundreds a month. In today's economy, for many, it's the first bill to go.
And yes, I know many things can be done at home on the Wii Fit or other ways, but many need the structure of a gym to get going or stay with it. I know I do. I had a home treadmill, and after three years, it became a place to hang clothes...
Then there's the gym itself. It seems no one realizes you are supposed to get on a machine, do one set, then get up and let people rotate in. And wiping things down when you leave would be good, so your sweat isn't waiting for me. My 24 Hour downtown Long Beach has a lot of outdated equipment, no steam facility, lockers that are broken... Yes, the one 12 miles away is brand new and fabulous, but it's like Gym-Disney, packed constantly and more like a trip to an amusement park than a workout area. With most gyms it's either hit or miss, either they're great, or not-so-great, zero consistency.
If you want personal instruction, that will cost you more. Yes, there's apps for this nowadays, but many could use one-on-one consultation to meet their workout needs. Some gyms offer a few sessions free, but after that, you pay, and pay dearly. I wanted to enlist a trainer, but didn't have another car payment a month to pay. Again, why doesn't insurance cover a workout consultant? Why can't doctors help you design an eating and workout plan right for you? Why are nutritionist rare, or out of the question, for many? It makes no sense. I called my insurance, CIGNA, and asked to see a nutritionist. They said, "I'm sorry, we don't cover those, but we do cover weight-loss drugs if you see your doctor..." Wow, that speaks volumes. Teach me how to eat right? Nope. Pay for me to take meds, yup.
Taking all that in stride, off to the gym I went, this week, Feb. 5, 2013. It was my first time there this year, in fact, my first time in over six months. I did 20 minutes of cardio on a machine that wanted my heart rate but the grips wouldn't measure it so it switched to a manual program that meant what to me? One needs a degree in advanced bionics to work some of these machines, and there's zero instruction on them.
Then it was 20 minutes rotating out on the circuit training machines. Low weight, more reps for weight loss; higher weight, less reps for muscle gain. At least I remember that. But again, there were people that weren't rotating out, just sitting doing all three sets at once, taking a break while sitting on the machine. Get up, for the love of all things holy, don't just sit there in between reps like it's your sofa!
But work out I did, and thought, I'll stop at Fresh-n-Easy on the way home to get a salad, something good for me. I arrived as they were taking down the sign. Appears the British company that owns the stores aren't realizing enough profit, so their future is in question. Because heaven forbid we should have a store that offers affordable food that's actually good for you at a decent price. Better to put another Safeway or Ralph's or Top Value, Superior or insert chain name here that sells prepackaged food filled with additives and sugars for cheap than a store that actually has good food for you. Of the 600,000 food items available for sale in our country, 80 percent of them have added sugar, for which the FDA allows 56 different names. So try reading ingredients, you still don't know what you're getting. Our food industry is broken, which, of course, makes us sick and that leads to the health care industry. How convenient.
So, this isn't going to be easy. The deck isn't stacked in my favor for losing the weight and being healthy. It's not stacked in yours, either. But it can be done, and I must say, that I do feel better this afternoon after working out.
I don't want to be a statistic any longer. I don't want to be a "baby boomer" that is living longer but sicker than my parents. I don't want the illnesses that can be prevented by simply moving more and eating right. I currently take Cozaar for blood pressure, Cardizem for blood pressure, Lipitor for cholesterol... three meds that could go away if one-fifth of me goes away first. Hiking, tennis, jogging... There's tons of ways, I just wish I loved them. In my 20s, I danced every night of the week at the gay clubs, in my 30s my late husband and I went to the gym almost daily. Since his passing, for 12 years, my motivation has been at an all-time low and my weight at an all-time high.
I know what to do -- and society, or insurance companies, or the health care industry is not going to make it easy. So, I, and you, have to take control of this before it's too late.
I plan on going tomorrow to work out. I plan on walking Attilla, my 6-year-old Chow Chow, after dinner tonight. I plan on starting the best of my life now.
If you're reading this, consider this your kick in the butt. Get off of it, and in spite of the obstacles, do something. Anything. Let's not keep reading about the impending doom and do something about it. One painful treadmill step at a time. Michael Moore is encouraging people on his Twitter feed to simply walk 30 minutes, some where, any where (@MMFlint). I'm going to be posting and tweeting about it, too (@thekarelshow).
It's February. The resolutions may be fading, but your will, my will, must not. More than 60 percent of us are overweight, with many being obese. The food industry isn't going to help. The health care industry isn't going to help. Corporate gyms aren't really there to help. We have to help each other and ourselves. It starts with one step, one day.
Take it.
Follow Karel on Twitter @thekarelshow and listen to Karel daily online, on radio and in the Karel App for iOS and Android available a his website. His book, Shouting at Windmills: BS from Bush to Obama is available at Amazon and CreateSpace.
For more on personal health, click here.]]>Weekend of Theatre in Southland Proves Unforgettabletag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25682552013-01-28T15:01:27-05:002013-03-30T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/War Horse at the Segerstrom Center in Costa Mesa, Calif. (now through February 3) is something that just has to be experienced to be explained.
The story is from a children's book by Michael Morpurgo first published in Great Britain in 1982. It was adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, debuting in Britain in 2007 and making it to Broadway in 2011. It, of course, was also a movie from Steven Spielberg.
The story is a simple one. A young horse named Joey falls in to the hands of a farmer and his family, including their son Albert. Albert raises and loves him, trains him and even turns the riding horse in to a plow horse to win a bet and save the farm. Dad then sells the horse for 100 pounds to the Army to participate as a officer's horse in World War I. When the officer that takes him is killed, Albert rushes off to war at 16 to find Joey.
Meanwhile Joey has trials and tribulations of his own, falls in to German hands and eventually almost dies in barbed wire only to be reunited with Albert at the end. It's dramatic, moving and intense. The actors in the recent touring group are all at the top of their game and use the minimal staging and lighting effects to their advantage.
The London Cast of War Horse
But the star of the play is Joey, and Joey is a masterwork of puppetry creation. It is created by the Handspring Puppet Company from South Africa, founded in 1981 by Adrian Kohler and Basil Jones. The two met at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town, and, as Kohler said in a recent TEDtalk , they met in 1971 and fell in love. They've been a couple ever since, but Kohler took some time to come around to the love of puppetry. But come around he did, with this production as their crowning jewel to date.
"A puppet struggles to be a live on stage," Kohler stated. "Where an actor may struggle to die on stage, a puppet has to struggle to live."
The choreography of the play by Toby Sedgwick makes the production part dance, part drama and all innovation. Audience members might be put off at first by Joey, as he struggles to live, but by the end of the play they are as invested in the character as if it were a living, breathing horse.
There is nothing like War Horse on stage and any fan of a complete entertainment experience should get to Segerstrom in Costa Mesa before February 3rd or find the touring schedule here.
On the opposite end of the spectrum over in Long Beach is the innovative production of the Jules Verne classic Around the Word in 80 Days, adapted for the stage by Mark Brown and directed for the International City Theatre by Allison Bibicoff under the artistic direction of caryn desai (no caps in her name, not a typo!). It is at the ICT's stage at the Long Beach Performing Arts center through February 17th.
The play features five of the hardest working actors on any stage, anywhere, as they take on 35 roles between them. The story follows the original, with Phileas Fogg (Jud V. Willford) wagering his men's social club that he can, in fact, make it around the world in 80 days. He brings along his trusty servant Passepartout (Michael Uribes, who steals the show on several occasions) and the duo end up saving an Indian woman's life (Melinda Porto), being chased by an over zealous British dectective (Brian Stanton) and joined by a series of characters played by Mark Gagliardi. These five bring every scene to life and the innovative use of a map by set designer Staci Walters with pieces of it becoming other things keeps the set changes quick and the production fun.
This is theatre at its root: not the million dollar productions of the Pantages or Segestrom, but challenging and inventive theatre from fiercely dedicated and talented craftsman and women from all disciplines bringing smaller stages to life around the country. The International City Theatre in Long Beach was helmed by my former drama teacher from Long Beach City College, Sashin Desai from its inception in 1985 until 2011, when his wife, caryn desai, took over the reigns as artistic director. It now serves up first rate productions like this one and has become a vital part of the Southern California theatre scene.
Each actor shows great versatility, and stamina (I was worn out by the end of the over two-hour production, let alone them!) with no favorite since each shines. There's a great season ahead for ICT, one that deserves theatre fans to subscribe and keep the theatre alive. In fact, every community has a ICT of some kind, so find it and go remind yourself that big productions are great, but smaller productions are the life's blood of the actors, directors, producers and craftsman and keep the arts alive on stages throughout America.
From innovative, enormous productions like War Horse, to fun, well-acted and crafted smaller productions like Around the World in 80 Days, theatre is alive and well in the Southland right now, so get to a play soon.
Next stop, Jekyll & Hyde February 12th at the Pantages and Wicked February 21st at Segestrom Costa Mesa. Stay tuned.
War Horse photos by Brinkhoff/Mögenburg Around the World in 80 Days photos by Suzanne Mapes
To hear Karel daily on The Karel Show download his App at iTunes and the Android Marketplace, watch his daily Ustream show or listen to his show M-F 3pm to 6pm PST, 9p to 12a Saturday and 7p to 10p Sunday at http://www.thekarelshow.com for a list of affiliates or live streaming.]]>The Taste: A Unique Blend of Mentors Wins the Nighttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25456742013-01-25T13:40:47-05:002013-03-27T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ABC's The Taste Pits Home Chefs Against Top Chefs
The Taste debuted on ABC Tuesday, January 22 to more than six million viewers as it takes its place as one of the few primetime shows that are cooking competitions on a broadcast network. Part The Voice and part American Idol, it pits home chefs against top chefs in a competition not about presentation or flair but, well, the actual taste of the dish.
The judges: chef-turned-best-selling-author and world-traveling TV star Anthony Bourdain, Los Angeles' favorite chef français résident Ludo Lefebvre, British food writer, TV personality and celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and San Diego chef/restaurateur Brian Malarkey, who may soon be expanding to Los Angeles.
So why will this show succeed? What sets it apart?
"Because it puts aside all the bullshit," the always outspoken Bourdain told me on the Disney studios lot for a Meat and Eat to debut the show.
I'm not just a judge, I'm an Executive Producer. When they told me I could use Nigella, Brian, Ludo... I knew it was a no-brainer. But this show is about food, the taste of the dish. We get a bite. We don't see the plating, the hoopla which can bog down a show. And, we don't know whose dish it is, so we can't have favorites. It really is all about the taste.
On the backlot with cast of ABC's The Taste Photo: Bert Critchfield
And Bourdain should know. He came on the scene with a basic French restaurant in Manhattan but his career exploded when he authored the explosive Kitchen Confidential and then headed for several wildly popular food-focused TV shows on the Travel Channel.
"We are letting on professionals compete right up against the pros," he continued.
And I must say, it's the pros that tend to overpaint the dish while the home cooks concentrate on flavor more. Things can be overdone. Like an oyster, when you look at it, you have a serious decision of should I simply eat this thing as it is, and it's delicious, or, do something with it. Some times less is so much more.
Anthony Bourdain and Karel Photo Bert Critchfield
Lawson's career is the reverse of Bourdain's. The pedigreed Brit (her father is the former Chancellor of the Exchequer and her mother's family owned the J. Lyons empire) was an accomplished journalist before penning the best selling How To Eat cookbook, which led to the "queen of food porn" becoming a bombshell on television. She's in it as much for the fun as the food.
"When they said Tony Bourdain, of course, I immediately said yes!" she exclaimed, looking stunning in a sleek black dress (albeit a bit cold). "And we had so much fun. I, of course, became more of consoler or actually mother figure between Ludo and Malarkey, they were always causing a row of some sort," she laughed.
And Tony and I had a trailer-off, decking out our trailers. I did disco queen and he did white trash... I had mirror balls and feathers galore while he had beer cans strewn about and all sorts of, well, white trash! We even did our wrap party as a theme where you could come either disco queen or white trash. These guys were incredible to work with.
Nigella Lawson and Karel Photo Bert Critchfield
"But it is about the food, isn't it," she went on.
Some flavors I just didn't understand and the guys kept saying 'You're not from America, you just don't get it' and I know that flavors can be regional. Some things I grew up with wouldn't fly over here. But sometime you have to question why some people put some spice combinations together, or why on Earth they'd use a green pepper. All kidding aside, I was so impressed with the level of quality of the home cook's, some were absolutely incredible. Recognizing them, discovering them, that's such a treat
There's no doubt the Nikki Minaj and Mariah Carey of the group are Ludo and Malarkey. Malarkey is a successful restaurateur from the San Diego area who is rumored to be coming to the Los Angeles scene as well. As executive chef at Oceanaire in San Diego, Malarkey garnered over 60 industry awards in five years. He opened his first restaurant to raves (Time named it number two in the country) in San Diego in 2010 and has since added four more with others in the pipeline. He's a veteran of Bravo's Top Chef Miami, TLC, Travel Channel, Bravo and OWN.
Malarkey often bumps heads with Ludo Lefebvre, who has a rabid fan base in L.A. and starred in a successful reality show of his own with his wife and partner, Krissy. His first job in Los Angeles was at the exclusive L'Orangerie, where he was soon elevated to head chef. After a couple of other high-profile stints he started Ludobites, a revolutionary pop-up which he followed with an even more revolutionary food truck.
"We're both very passionate about food," Malarkey explained as we both ate the boneless buttermilk chicken from Ludo truck on the studio lot. "And when two very opinionated chefs meet, there's bound to be friction," he added. "But it's because we both care so much about the dishes and our teams. Some of these people have never competed and they accomplish so much, it's remarkable," he stated.
Lefebvre agreed.
"We fight because we care about the food, the taste, if you will, so much," he chimed in his heavy French accent.
So why a famous French chef with a food truck?
"To make the food accessible to the people," he added. "You come to the restaurant, you spend $40, $50 or more per person, some people, they cannot afford that. This way, they get to have fabulous food at a much less expensive price, so everybody wins," he concluded.
Chef Ludo and Karel on the lot at ABC's The Taste Photo Bert Critchfield
But in a nation that's food obsessed, is it wise to have yet another mainstream cooking show, this one in prime time on a broadcast network?
"We're hoping that this show inspires people to get up off the sofa and actually cook something. Look, I'm a cheap date," Bourdain laughed, "just about any mother's meatloaf, some bread and drippy cheese, I'm there.
We can all cook, and should all cook. America is just catching up the rest of the world where sitting around a table and having great food is a birth right. You can't just shove your pie-hole full of junk to fill some spiritual void or something without repercussions. Talking about food, showing food and food sourcing, treating food like movies, music, art, that can only be a good thing.
Lawson, who really is her Highness of Home Cooks among the group, agrees.
"We can all go a bit mad with food at times," she added.
Like right now, you should go over and get the dark meat off the Ludo truck, to go along with that breast meat there, it's so very good. But, we don't want to do that every day. Cooking is about controlling what and how you eat, how it tastes, presented. It makes you part of the eating experience and opens up so much.
"Hell yes!" exclaimed Malarkey when asked if he'd be up for a season two. "This has been one of the best experiences of my career, Ludo and all," he laughed. "I love being in the kitchen, don't get me wrong, but mentoring these chefs, tasting this food, and hanging out with these guys, all while still able to concentrate on my own restaurants, well, it really doesn't get much better."
Disney/ABC believes in the series enough to have a full season ready to go and while the audition phase, like any show's audition phase, can be tedious, once through it what emerges is a reality show steeped in traditional TV contests traditions while blending a few of the hottest concept going. Over six million viewers tuned in to see the debut, up five percent from Dancing With The Stars, according to Deadline. It has great ingredients in its mentors and a nice finish in its uniqueness, so America audiences should devour it. (And that's enough cooking references for a lifetime!)]]>Time for a Great Orator to Become a Great Presidenttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.25217902013-01-21T15:47:14-05:002013-03-23T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
He made me cry. Yes, as I sat watching the inauguration on the iPad, CNN wasn't the only thing streaming... tears down my face were also in a constant flow.
Because politics is, in fact, personal. All politics -- no one's heartburn is like your heartburn, as they say.
I've been gay ever since I can remember. And to this day, I get hateful emails, called names, disparaged because I'm a public figure who is out and proud. Die of AIDS, wear a target on your back so I can get you in my sights next time you're out, your parents must be ashamed... on and on the comments, as recent as after last night's show on KGO San Francisco in which I talked gun control and received an email saying queers like me should be shot with any kind of gun. Yup, I still get the hatred.
And as an entertainer, even in the era of Modern Family, let me tell you, the New Normal, well, isn't. Radio still fears me in many markets, asking me to NOT bring up the "gay" thing and just stick to topics, be more like Anderson Cooper -- not a flag waver, you know? Subtle... well, I'm many things, but subtle I'm not.
So when the president is listing off famous civil rights battles in his speech, and I hear the word "Stonewall" (the modern-day birth of the GLBT rights movement when drag queens and others refused to be arrested and rioted), a sense of pride, a sense of inclusion took over. And when he just flat-out says the words "gay" and "equality" in the another sentence about how all people are created equal, well, that's it, I lose my cookies.
Why? Because since my first time voting in 1980, no other president, including Bill Clinton, has done so. And the bully pulpit carries a lot of weight. When a president says it, people listen. The tone of the dialogue changes.
I could rip him apart. He talks a good talk but doesn't introduce any serious legislation, on and on... and maybe another day. But today is a good day, and we must take them where we can get them.
I can only imagine what the 21-year-old, or 30-year-old gay man, lesbian woman, transgendered youth felt when they heard it. I know at 50, it made me cry.
There are African Americans that will question his loyalty. Why is he focusing on women and gays and not his own people? Quite frankly, because the need is more urgent. There's not a state in the union that denies the rights of blacks to marry (so long as it's different gender); not one state that outlaws sex between members of the black community or refuses to let them adopt. In no state can one be fired for being black, but in more than 25 a gay person still can be fired simply for being gay.
And while neither community -- black or gay (or Hispanic or others) -- has the equality that the Constitution promises, the GLBT community, for all the progress, still is sadly lagging behind.
So thank you, President Barack Hussein (I'm not afraid of his middle name) Obama. You did more today in one speech than most have in a lifetime. Because you made me, for once, feel like an American that should, and will, one day be treated equally under the law.
Now, get to work, kick some ass, and prove you're not just a great orator, but have the makings of a legendary president. Right now you get a six out of 10 for legislating, but a 15 for great speeches. Take the passion you impart in the bully pulpit and use it to relentlessly pursue an agenda of inclusion, equality, opportunity and liberty for all Americans.
You still can be a great president. I, and America, have given you another four years to prove it. Don't let us down. We care about many issues, not just one, let's have a truly progressive agenda.
On my radio show I asked listeners to set the agenda for the next four years. What should the president do or say to the people during his inauguration, and what should he do for the next four years.
Marriage equality did come up several times. But the overwhelming amount of callers wanted the economy back; jobs, fair banking practices, taking on corporate America. In fact, much of the inaugural speech missed what a majority of people were saying on air. Global warming, unfortunately, never came up, not one caller. Green energy was not a focus. Jobs, money, fair practices from banks, Wall Street reform, going after the 1 percent, redistribution of wealth through closing tax code loopholes, the end of pot prohibition, the destruction of Citizen's United ruling and campaign finance reform through public financing, single-payer health care, expanding social safety nets not closing them... that's where the public's head seems to be, at least the many people who called to express an opinion on the show.
So there's a lot to do. The people believe you, Mr. President, are a man who can do it. They don't believe in Congress or the Senate, but they believe in you. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, as Shakespeare once said.
Great speeches for a great orator are expected. We need a great president. Let's hope you can continue and rise even higher to the occasion.]]>Rigby and Peter Pan at Pantages: Both Refusing to Grow Uptag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.24897672013-01-16T15:49:56-05:002013-03-18T05:12:01-04:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/ is Peter Pan. At 60, she flies across the stage with as much zeal as she did when she first played the role 39 years ago in a 1974 theatre-in-the-round production fresh from retiring from a historic gymnastic career. She won a silver medal on the balance beam in the 1970 Olympics and was the first American woman to win a medal at the World Gymnastics Championships. She is currently starring again as the boy who won't grow up, Peter Pan, at the Pantages Theatre January 15-January 27.
So how did she go from the balance beam to flying across the stage?
Photo: Michael Lamont
"Nowadays, everyone knows what they want to be when they grow up. I knew I wanted to get married, and have kids, and I did that, but I didn't know after gymnastics what I wanted to be. People offered me bit parts in TV sitcoms and commercials, and I knew this was something I could do. I began to study acting and theatre, and then the role came along. I've been flying ever since," she told me before her Pantages performances.
Even in commercials she broke the mold. She was the first female celebrity to endorse a feminine hygiene product, StayFree Maxi Pads, in the mid 1970s.
The story of Peter Pan, first produced as a play December 27, 1904 at the Duke of York Theatre in London written by J.M.Barrie holds up over time and strikes chords so relevant in today's youth obsessed society. Not much about the play's staging has changed over 109 years, and yes, there is some dated imagery (the Indians, Tiger Lily... very stereotypical but it was the early turn of the century when imagined) but the deep, underlying themes of Barrie's play are still there. And it's not all light and happiness. Peter kills Pirates with impunity, he manages the Lost Boys (in the original text by Barrie he actually thins the herd at times) and there's the slight issue of abducting children to bring them to NeverLand.
In fact, Barrie's life was more a Greek tragedy than a play for kids and adults alike. When he was six, his older brother of 13 died in a skating accident. His mother never got over it, and her only consolation was that her son would be 13 forever; in other words, he grew up with a ghost brother that never aged. Barrie himself remained childlike, growing to be only five feet tall, which he reached by 17. He moved from Scotland to London and married an actress, by all accounts, unhappily. One day in Kensignton Gardens he encountered two little boys and their nanny. The boys were George and Jack, sons of Sylvia and Arthur Llewelyn Davies. He would go on to meet Sylvia Davies at a dinner party in 1897 and soon became a member of the family himself. The Davies had another baby, named Peter. Barrie was fond of George, and to make him happy he would tell stories about Peter. Soon, the stories were about Peter flying about and having a ball. The Davies had two more children, Michael and Nico and Barrie is quoted in his writings as saying, ""I made Peter by rubbing the five of you violently together," he once wrote, "as savages with two sticks produce a flame. That is all he is, the spark I got from you." He named him after the Greek God Pan, with young Peter's first name in homage.
Krista Buccellato as Wendy/Photo: Isaac James
Two years after Peter Pan debuted, Arthur Davies, the father, died of cancer. Two years after that, Barrie divorced his own wife. Just a few months after his divorce, the boy's mother, Sylvia died as well, leaving all five boys to Barrie's care. Times haven't changed much, and children can still be cruel. The boys were mocked because of the way they were depicted in the play, and Peter Davies himself once referred to the play as "that terrible masterpiece." George Davies died in World War I, a few years later, Michael drowned at Oxford in what some have speculated was a suicide. And Barrie himself came under criticism for his penchant for hanging around small boys, but everyone that knew him, including the children, said that couldn't be further from the truth. There are no accounts of any lines ever being crossed.
But while his life may have been filled with tragedy and ghosts, the play was, and is, a success. The Pantages was filled with young and old alike, each getting something new, something magical, something wonderful. Technology has come a long way, and Tinkerbell, the defiant, stubborn faerie, illuminated the stage, darting about as a hologram every now and again. The cast was spot-on, from the youngest (two members are under 21) to the top (Rigby, being 60).
Brent Barrett as Hook/Photo: Isaac James
It's a long tradition that the father in the play also play Captain Hook. Brent Barrett is perfect in both roles, adding life and vibrance to Hook, Peter's nemesis and all-around villain. Jenna Wright as Tiger Lily has a body and a half, and her aerial gymnastics bring the dancing to a new level. Krista Buccellato as Wendy, Peter's crush, mother to the Lost Boys and all-around mother figure in the play goes from teenager to grown woman, never losing the wonder.
Jenna Wright as Tiger Lily/Photo: Isaac James
But it is Rigby who is the star, and as such, delivers at the ripe young age of 60, like Peter, never growing up, never giving in, always the instigator, cantankerous, child-like. She flies with ease, and appears to be having a ball doing it.
"It's been a wonderful time of my life, playing Peter," she went on. "I thought I could leave him behind, but he's a part of me, that character. Living in NeverLand many nights a week isn't a bad place, maybe it's given me new vision. And the stories, the kids, the adults. People come to the play and they say to me they want to fly, too. Kids that just had four rounds of chemo or some other challenge, wanting to soar, to be a part. It's such a gift to bring them joy, to bring them Peter," she continued.
Like Barrie, Rigby's life has been no bed of roses. She injured herself prior to her last olympics and thus didn't medal. She divorced, but later remarried to Mr. McCoy, to whom she is still married. She publicly fought an eating disorder, bulemia, for 12 years and now speaks about eating disorders, nutrition and health. She encountered hard time, and had to return to the role to get something going again. But what a return. She's been nominated for the Tony for her theatrical hijinks and continues to gather positive reviews.
"Arts are so vital," she added. "I didn't plan on opening this, but when the chance came along my husband and I jumped at it. To watch the kids explore, grow, challenge themselves through the arts, it's nothing short of miraculous. And while many won't go on to be a Broadway star or professional entertainer, the Arts add so much to a chid's development that we must keep them accessible to all," she concluded.
In all these years, I've never seen the play. I simply thought, well, it's for kids, why do I need to go. Boy, was I wrong. Because there's a kid in all of us. There's the part of us that is still the young person with the dreams, the hopes, the raw emotion that is the joy of living and of discovery, the part that still wants the great adventure. As Peter says in the play when he thinks he's dying, "Dying shall be such a remarkable adventure..." I know I'm still that wide-eyed boy, watching a play or movie, hoping one day to be on the stage or screen. And while I've lived part of the dream, the little boy inside cries out for adventure, for more, to truly soar.
Cathy Rigby brings Tinkerbell back from drinking poison with the help of the audience. /Photo: Isaac James
Six or 60 it doesn't matter, Peter Pan is a timeless story written to entertain a family of small children that now has entertained millions of them. If Barrie could see the play now, know how it has touched so many, it might bring some light in to a life that so desperately needed it. And doesn't each of ours. Come on, clap your hands, I do believe in faeries still (watch it!), do you? And we can all soar in our dreams, in our hearts, in our lives if we just surround ourselves with happy thoughts, thoughts that bring us joy, we can, in fact, find our way to NeverLand.]]>A New Year to Rediscover Ourselves, or, How Bootsy Bellows Changed My Lifetag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.23933612013-01-01T14:37:23-05:002013-03-03T05:12:01-05:00Charles Karel Bouleyhttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/charles-karel-bouley/
And what a difference.
Like many, I was torn on what to do for New Year's Eve 2012. How many of you agonize over which friends to be with, house party or restaurant or bar or... well, I do. Because it's New Year's Eve, and holidays have significance to humans. We're the only species on the planet that celebrates special events, birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Hanukkah, the Solstice... countless holidays throughout human history celebrated and revered. And New Year's Eve brings out the contemplation of a renewed self, a renewed life, a renewed year. It's seasonal. The days start getting longer, Spring and growth are just ahead, we think about our lives and how we want to change them.
But then, many don't. And I fall in to that category at times.
That's why New Year's Eve 2012 was so symbolic for me, and hopefully, you. I spent the days leading up trying to decide what to do. Being me (we'll get to that later) I get a lot of invites, and if there's something I want to go to with a few calls from myself or my manager, usually, I can get there. But, since my husband's death in 2001, I usually stay home, or go out locally to the Queen Mary's ship board bash, watch the fireworks, go home. I never get too drunk, and I always make sure that the important people in my life are entertained and happy.
That changed this New Year's Eve. I was planning a house party for those without plans as I always do; an Island of Misfit Toys. But then, a friend said, let's go to Bootsy Bellows. It's a fabulous spot on Sunset Strip hosted by David Arquette. Steve Cabral and I had gone there to review the vaudeville atmosphere on a feature I did for The Huffington Post. I hadn't even considered for NYE 2012 until he brought it up.
Suddenly, I was torn. Stay home and provide an environment for 10 or so people that had no other plans, or, spend the evening in a trendy spot with celebrities and partiers.
This is the change part. You see, every day, seven days a week, I talk on the radio about the World. Gun control, Hillary's blood clot and her chances in 2016, the Fiscal Cliff... for almost 20 years my life has been taking the news, and my life, and making topics. But my show had become my life. From morning until evening, I lived for my show. How many of you have that tunnel vision with your job? You wake up, start thinking about job, money, life, then do it all day, and fall in to sleep in the evening only to wake up and do it all again. Sound familiar? With any entertainer, that's the kiss of death. Being an artist is your life, but no one job can become it. My life is my show, not the other way around (or so it should be).
Resolutions. We all talk about them, make them. Gym membership skyrockets in January, with most falling off by March. Many a pack of cigarettes is thrown down Dec. 31, only to be picked back up again Jan. 15. We want change, we strive for it, but then, we don't make it.
So, at 12:15 p.m. on Dec. 31, 2012, I was faced with a horrifying decision: Do what I think I SHOULD, or do WHAT I WANT. How many of you face that every day? You do things because you feel you have to, you should, it's the right thing, the kind thing, the unselfish thing to do. I do all the time... try to make sure everyone around me is OK. I'm a caregiver by nature, as are many of you. But who takes care of you?
Ever since I can remember, I've wanted to be an entertainer, in Hollywood, acting, singing, stage, performing in some way or another. For the past 18 years my only source of income has been entertaining, no day jobs. But I have never owned it. To me, I'm still the high school kid watching "Fame" in a darkened theater, dreaming of the day. Forget that I would later be on the same label (Jellybean Recordings) as that movie's star, Irene Cara... no, for the longest time I felt an outsider trying to get in. How many of you own your life? How many acknowledge your power, acknowledge your success? I never have, for fear it would be all taken away. I'm still that 12 year old boy, running as fast as I can away from $10 a night motels, the ones my family could afford over the many times we were homeless. Yes, homeless. Sleeping in the car is not foreign to me, especially as a child. I've lived with my family on the street, on the gifts of this or that charity or organization (Veterans of Foreign War, Catholic Charities, Salvation Army... ). My parents struggled every day of their lives to pay the bills, robbing Peter to pay Paul. It's what I know. So the idea of me not having to, of me being successful, well, it's taken years to even consider. Tragedy in great measure has found me, losing a generation to AIDS, my husband at 38 to malpractice, my mother two years later, friends like Vesta Williams dying too soon... there's been a lot of loss from houses, to high-profile jobs (getting fired from KGO for saying "F Joe the Plumber" during a break and having it broadcast). But there's been so much good, too. And sometimes you just can't see it.
So I made the decision to just say everyone is going to have to fend for themselves, Steve Cabral and I are going to Bootsy Bellows. I made a few calls, got tickets and VIP access, and started to pick an outfit (how blessed am I?).
FUBAR. Yup, FUBAR. F'd Up Beyond All Recognition. That's what happened. And I don't care. I really, truly don't. If I were more famous, I'd be on TMZ this morning bumping Lindsay from the headlines (the girl could use a break).
First of all, I looked fabulous. Conceit? Nope, an observation. I've learned over the years how to work with what nature gave me. I'm large, loud, not typically handsome, so I go the other direction. As Streisand taught me early on, own it, don't let them laugh at you, make them laugh with you. I love Opera Coats and capes, lace and cravats, the style of gentleman from days gone by. So, I wear them when I go out.
The club was all done up for the night. And the people were absolutely incredible. A fabulous group of Los Angeles residents, some famous, some not. David Arquette is a wonderful host. Here's an A-List celebrity, walking around, greeting everyone.
Winged Burlesque girls took to the stage setting the scene at Bootsy Bellows
"It's my club, so, on NYE I just want to welcome and thank everyone for coming by," he told me as we chatted. He could be wherever he wanted, and, he's exactly where it makes him happiest: in a club named after his Mother (it was her stripper name). "New Year's is about friends, family, and a good time, and that's what I wanted to create for people tonight."
Myself and David Arquette, a fabulous host and a very nice man.
And so he did. I danced. I sang. I hob-knobbed with Kobe Bryant (not a sports fan, but hey, had to say hello and toast) and a host of other celebrities. I met a fabulous bartender/actor, fresh from New York, full of dreams, named Baker... Steve Cabral and I basically lit up the room, no lie, because I felt alive. I felt, well, myself.
The fabulous Baker boy.
And I realized something: I'm living the life that high school boy dreamed of... but I've been so busy trying to keep up like so many (mortgage, bills, financial crash, being single, career, life... ) that I forgot just how fabulous being me truly is at times. Maybe it was quitting opiate pain killers, maybe it was not over medicating with pot, but for once, on New Year's Eve, I wasn't sad, I wasn't worrying about others, I wasn't already in the middle of the new year; I was having fun.
I binge drink. It's a flaw, but I do. I don't drink during the week usually, or even weekends. I drink in Ireland each year when I am lucky enough to go, and then, for occasions. Well, Jameson and I became friends on this New Year's Eve. I wasn't driving, and wanted to shed so much. And I did. I danced. I drank. I kissed a strange guy who sat on my lap and was suddenly making out with me. I grabbed Steve's hand at 2 a.m. and had to be led to the car. Healthy? I don't know. Because I learned so much from it. Today, Jan. 1, 2013 (feels odd to write) I am, in fact changed. Yes, David Arquette and his club actually changed me.
I can't take care of everyone. I simply can't. It's too much. Whenever I "take a meeting" for myself, I always think of my friends, can this person help them too? Could this situation make me able to help more people? But I realize now, for some reason, today, everyone is on their own path. I love them, I care for them, and yes, will always help them, but they also have to help themselves to have a full life. I've been so busy worrying about everyone else, my listeners, the nation, literally, the country, my friends, that I simply forgot, that this is MY life, and I must take care of me first. And I must enjoy it as well.
Friend Steve Cabral and I toasting in the New Year
Yes, enjoy it. I must own who I am. I do have presence. I don't know why, but I do. I am talented. I don't know how it happened, but it did. I enjoy the lifestyle of an entertainer, the insanity, the rewards. I've been one my entire life and now for almost 20 years it's been my day job. Because, I'm actually good at it. The fear of losing it all every minute of the day has to leave me this year, because I wont'. That's not me. Yes, I've been homeless, eaten out of a McDonald's dumpster, but I didn't stay that way. I have the power to do whatever I choose for some reason, but what I need to choose is to fight for myself for a change.
I love Bootsy Bellows. I love the environment, the sexy men and women, the fabulous entertainment, the food, the host. I love the lifestyle. I am blessed, and that is never lost on me, to be able to sample it and partake. David Arquette's passion, his love of the same, creates a great environment to meet friends old and new, and to yes, sometimes, get FUBAR, safely.
But more importantly, I love being me. I've never, ever said that before. Ever, and meant it. Last night, while singing to Christina Aguilera on the way, I stopped and looked at Steve Cabral and said, "I love my voice." I had never, ever said that. I have vocal nodes, and my falsetto singing voice has been gone for two years. I can't take a month off like Adelle, and they are not operable. Well, I've taken two weeks off of radio (again, something I have never done, I was the fill in, I was the host to always be there no matter what, this year, I was the host to have a fill-in and thank you Christine Craft!), and my falsetto returned. And it soared last night. And I loved it. Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got until it's gone.
You, me, America, we want change. We are striving for it. We are dying for it. We don't want kids killed in school, we don't want families thrown in to the street by bankers, we don't want the Patriot Act or sustained war or any of the hundreds of things going on. We want love, life, we want to succeed, to work hard, and to yes, get the benefits and rewards from it ourselves. We don't all need to be the one percent, but we want comfort, and there's nothing wrong if you want to be the one percent, either, so long as when you get there you remember the 99.
But it won't happen if we don't change first. Repeal the Second Amendment? Yes, a good idea, but if we as a culture don't change, stop glorifying conflict and violence and confrontation, stop being so on edge, actually get back to valuing all human life, then it won't matter. There are more empty houses in American than homeless people. And 80 people a day die from guns, with over 300 being shot. Poverty is rampant, people die from lack of health care... no, we've gone away from valuing all human life to just focusing on our own, and it's killing us. We must change, not in to something new, but in to ourselves.
That's powerful Changing back in to yourself. For the first time in 12 years, since Andrew's death, I didn't miss him last night. At 12, I hugged a great friend, sang "Auld Lang Syne" with a room full of some of L.A.'s finest and brightest and then got drunker than I should. And I feel fabulous. Because I was me, for the first time in a long time.
America, rediscover your power. We're a nation that has overcome Civil War and British oppression. We've cured diseases and gone to Mars. We have a heart, and a soul, rediscover it. And have fun. Do things you love and enjoy with people you love and enjoy. None of us are getting out alive.
Bootsy Bellows, and a night on the town gave me more perspective in five hours than six years of therapy. I'll be going back. Why? Because I like it. And life is too short to not enjoy. At 50, I know that more than ever.
Find your Bootsy Bellows. Find your place that you love, home, work, club, theater, operating room, whatever. Remember who you are, not who you were, or want to be, but who you are. Own your life, and empower it. As a people we are, in fact, unstoppable and not over yet. As a person, you, not the government, not your family or friends, but you control who you are and how you feel about it.
2013. Let's make it he year of Empowerment of each other and ourselves. Happiest of New Year's. Let's get busy, get stronger, realize our potential and have some fun.]]>
