3 days agoMember-onlyVideotaping Nathan Spiegel’s Bar MitzvahThe first rule of videotaping a bar mitzvah is to learn who the parents are. They’re the ones who’ll be paying you and they expect to see themselves on video as much as possible. I learned this the hard way while taping Nathan Spiegel’s 1987 bar mitzvah reception. The event…Hip Hop13 min readHip Hop13 min read
4 days agoMember-onlyThe Creepy World of VentriloquismWhile teaching a printmaking class at a senior home, I encountered a woman named Phoebe who’d lost her right arm. She shared her story. She’d been a ventriloquist of some renown in the early 1970s, appearing with her puppet Rudy on television programs like Captain Kangaroo and Hobo Kelly. By…Ventriloquism4 min readVentriloquism4 min read
Nov 22Member-onlyDreaming of Big SurBig Sur is my favorite spot on the planet. It has beautiful coastline, stunning views and is far from a world gone mad. Before Covid, my wife and I drove to Big Sur every few years. We hiked through old-growth forests of giant redwood and live oak. …Big Sur10 min readBig Sur10 min read
Nov 15Member-onlyFreeway Driving For DummiesRecently, I had a flat tire on the 405 Freeway. I pulled to the right shoulder and called Auto Club. I was told there was a 2-hour delay and I was advised to wait in the car. I decided against this. Even though it was raining, I exited the car…Driving5 min readDriving5 min read
Nov 13Member-onlyCancel My NetflixIt’s time. I can’t do it anymore. I appreciate the opportunity to binge-watch Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul and it’s been cool checking out Black Mirror. But I’m done. I can’t waste another half-hour searching your database for something to watch. Every night is the same. I start with…Netflix4 min readNetflix4 min read
Published inBuzzer Beater·Nov 8Member-onlyPhil Jackson’s Strange Journey Toward Becoming an NBA CoachIn 1982 Phil Jackson was unemployed. He retired from the NBA after a 12-year playing career and had no post-athletic job prospects. He took a junior college aptitude test and was told he was best suited for a career as a teacher or a minister. He and his wife June…Phil Jackson7 min readPhil Jackson7 min read
Nov 7Member-onlyI’m Afraid of the Big Bad WolfWhen I was a boy, I was afraid of the Big Bad Wolf. It started when my dad brought home a Three Little Pigs record album, a Disney promotion he’d received for filling his tank at a Union 76 station. …Childhood5 min readChildhood5 min read
Published inPicture Palace·Nov 6Member-onlyI Was Fired by Chevy ChaseIn 1991, I worked on the movie Memoirs of an Invisible Man. I was a lowly production assistant accruing hours toward a career as an Assistant Director. The film was a high-concept caper starring Chevy Chase and Daryl Hannah, directed by John Carpenter. It was based on a popular novel…Movies4 min readMovies4 min read
Nov 5Member-onlyIs My Fiji Water Alive?I sat in my 4th floor office at the Taft Building on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. The day was sweltering and the 1927 building felt like a sweat box. Through the western wall, I heard the Singer sewing machines from the Mother Plucker Feather Company as seamstresses made…Bottled Water7 min readBottled Water7 min read
Nov 4Member-onlyThe Death of Harry HoudiniHis name is synonymous with magic, but Harry Houdini (born Erich Weiss) rose to fame as an escape artist and stunt performer. Long before David Blaine, Houdini perfected the art of death-defying public spectacle. He hung from skyscrapers while tied in a straight jacket. He immersed himself in frozen rivers…Houdini3 min readHoudini3 min read
