Humble Beginnings

Before anything else, I really want to thank many of you who bought Tom the Mouse last week. I hope you enjoyed it. When I shared the book with my grand kids last Friday, we had so much fun. They laughed at the word “Ewww!” and mimicked animal sounds. The 2 boys were so competitive searching for the hidden images that I had a hard time finishing the story. They really loved it and I had to read it over a few times. It’s a good thing it isn’t a thick book. They still haven’t found all the hidden names and pictures. CLICK HERE and help make the book a success! They can’t wait for the next book. Next book? Is this the humble beginning of something big?

Let’s talk about humble beginnings. You know you live in Los Angeles when you have colorful breakfast friends like A.D.. A.D. is a bald Egyptian marketing executive/violinist. Every time I see him I think of Jennifer Lopez. No, he doesn’t look like J.Lo. He just reminds me of his compelling narrative concerning J.Lo’s humble beginning. He met her when he was having dinner with a movie executive in a Mexican restaurant in New York. Jennifer was a part time waitress, dancer, singer and actress who caught their eye. His friend asked Jennifer to audition for an upcoming movie and handed her a $100 bill to buy an appropriate dress. Jennifer cried with joy because she needed to buy a dress for a family gathering. She was so poor she didn’t own a car and took the subway. That encounter led to J.Lo’s big break starring as the lead role in the movie Selena.

Somewhere in A.D.’s yarn, he told me of his brother-in-law who did charity dental work on certain days of the week. Mr. and Mrs. Lopez were an elderly couple who availed of the charity work. The dentist didn’t realize they were the parents of J.Lo. One day he received an invitation to a Pasadena restaurant for a family event by the Lopezes. A.D.came along. They didn’t know it was a celebrity event. They were picked up by a limo and they sat beside a familiar face. “Excuse me sir,” A.D. said, “but you look like Clint Eastwood.” Of course, it turned out to BE Clint and his family. He also met J.Lo’s (then) fiance — Ben Afleck. Later, A.D.’s bro-in-law became J.Lo’s dentist. She had 4 sessions of teeth whitening that cost her $4k a pop. Sadly, diva rumors abound that fame has gotten to J.Lo’s head. Despite her success there is a sadness that has follwed her. I think she’s with husband No.5 … but who’s counting?

Yesterday I heard a sermon from a local pastor whose sister-in-law was a flight stewardess in TWA. Barbara Streisand and her entourage boarded the first class section one day. The stewardess approached Miss Streisand and asked if she cared for anything to drink. Barbara didn’t acknowledge her presence and glanced outside the window. One of her aids rushed to Barbara’s rescue and reprimanded the stewardess: “No one is supposed to talk to Miss Streisand.”  This incident corroborates a similar story about her and other actors from my bro-in-law who once was a standby fireman in charge of fire safety during movie shootings with pyrotechnics. It’s so sad that when many reach a certain level in society, many somehow transform into total jerks.

Where do YOU stand in society? Up there with the people who “made it?” or are you among the “wanna-bes?” Rich or poor,  you can still be a jerk.

Are you of humble beginnings?
Are you of lofty pasts?
Either way, you have a choice
to show compassion
or to be an #ss.

TGIF people!

“Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?”

— James 2:5

Joke of the week

Pet Shop Incident

Shared by Greg of Diamond Bar, CA

Videos of the week

Pasta-Eating Contest
Sent by Tom of Pasadena, CA

This is no ordinary pasta-eating contest. It’s a battle between a man and his dog. It’s not important who won but how the contest was played.

WATCH VIDEO

Coach Lou Holtz’s Inspirational Speech
Sent by Heather of Whittier, CA

Lou said he was born with a silver spoon but it isn’t what you think. Quite an entertainer, this coach. Words of wisdom delivered with conviction and heart.

WATCH VIDEO

Don’s Puns

From Don’s collection of puns

Parting Shot

Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C. who shared this photo

The post Insulting Parrot appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Journalists from around the world gather to cover this annual celebration honoring the filmmakers who obtain financing outside of the studio system, and therefore are not constricted by studio demands. This allows them to make films that are true to their artistic vision and the Film Independent Spirit Awards honors their achievements.

With Nick Kroll and John Mulaney presiding over this entertaining non-black tie ceremony, celebrity guests and honorees showed up for the pre-show lunch in the familiar Big Tent more dressed than the usual torn jeans with knees poking through.  With no language restrictions, the co-hosts took full comic advantage in both delivering prepared jokes and off-the-cuff remarks, including comments on the epidemic of sexual misconduct with some mention of yes, Harvey Weinstein.  The “anything goes” is at the heart of the Film Independent Spirit Awards and is what makes it unique, relaxed, and fun.

Among some of the presenters were, Fred Armisen, Chadwick Boseman, Alison Brie, Timothée Chalamet, Ava DuVernay, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Danai Gurira, Jon Hamm, Ethan Hawke, Spike Lee, Ben Mendelsohn, Janelle Monáe, Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Olsen, Robert Pattinson, Salma Hayek Pinault, Margot Robbie, Amanda Seyfried, Molly Shannon, Sarah Silverman, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Lena Waithe. Sunflower Bean was the house band.

This year’s major winners were Get Out, which won Best Feature and Best Director; Call Me by Your Name, which won Best Male Lead and Best Cinematography; I, Tonya, which won Best Supporting Female and Best Editing; Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, which won Best Female Lead and Best Supporting Male; Lady Bird, which won Best Screenplay; Ingrid Goes West, which won Best First Feature; The Big Sick, which won Best First Screenplay; Life and Nothing More, which won the John Cassavetes Award; Faces Places which won Best Documentary and A Fantastic Woman, which won Best International Film.

The coveted Robert Altman Award was given to Mudbound director Dee Rees who accepted on behalf of cast members Jonathan Banks, Mary J. Blige, Jason Clarke, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Mitchell, Rob Morgan, and Carey Mulligan and casting directors Billy Hopkins and Ashley Ingram.

So once again, thousands of dishes were cleared away and the tents were folded up until next year when Film Independent Spirit Awards would once again return to the little city by the sea to bring its own special brand of celebrating the world of outstanding independent filmmakers.  As far as the weather, it held up just about until the end of the day when the skies suddenly darkened, the temperature dipped, the wind began to blow, and tiny droplets sprinkled on the departing guests.

Following is a complete list of the winners:

Best Feature:
Get Out (Universal Pictures)
Producers: Jason Blum, Edward H. Hamm Jr., Sean McKittrick, Jordan Peele

Best Director:
Jordan Peele, Get Out (Universal Pictures)

Best Screenplay:
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird (A24)

Best First Feature:
Ingrid Goes West (NEON)
Director: Matt Spicer
Producers: Jared Ian Goldman, Adam Mirels, Robert Mirels, Aubrey Plaza, Tim White, Trevor White

Best First Screenplay:
Emily V. Gordon, Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick (Amazon Studios)

John Cassavetes Award (For best feature made under $500,000):
Life and Nothing More (CFI Releasing)
Writer/Director: Antonio Méndez Esparza
Producers: Amadeo Hernández Bueno, Alvaro Portanet Hernández, Pedro Hernández Santos

Bonnie Award
Chloé Zhao

Best Supporting Female:
Allison Janney, I, Tonya (NEON) 

Best Supporting Male:
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight)         

Best Female Lead:
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (Fox Searchlight)

Best Male Lead:
Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name (Sony Pictures Classics)

The post On The Beach With Film Independent Spirit Awards appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Numerous publications have listed an end-of-the-year in memoriam of the passing of famous figures we lost in 2017. Here’s list of actors that are still with us, but have slipped from the limelight.

Vera Miles
Sporadic post 1990 work. Retired

Angie Dickinson
Retired from film in 2009

Rip Torn
Still active with obscure films, Video Games, VO.

Don Stroud
Sporadic work on obscure films in 90s until bit part in 2012’s Django Unchained. Retired

Kim Novak
Uneven sporadic  work on obscure TV Films. Retired 1991

John Saxon
Active. Low-budget films

INTERNATIONAL

The post Where Are They Now appeared first on Traveling Archive.