Need a Laugh? Ten timeless Comedies

Need some laughs but can't think of a movie to watch?

Thought I'd share some comedies that I'm happy to see again and again!

Some Like it Hot, 1959
Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon

 
 
Two guys, one girl, and tons of laughs. True comedic genius.


Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1994
Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell

Yes, the English do actually have a pretty good sense of humor, and the chemistry between Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell is delicious.


Annie Hall, 1977
Woody Allen, Diane Keaton

 

Neurotic and insecure "pre yuppy" New Yorkers with too much time on their hands to analyze their lives.....(a prelude to Seinfield)?
 
Young Frankenstein, 1974
Gene Wilder, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, Madeline Kahn, Teri Garr

Who knew a classic horror film could be re-made with such hilarious results?... and remember, it's "Frankensteen".


Groundhog Day, 1993
Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell

Funny and poignant, a real reminder of what we can do with a day, and an attitude adjustment.


Dodgeball, (A True Underdog Story), 2004
Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughan

Just the mention of this brutish childhood game makes me wince. How perfect that this movie matches the underdogs against the bullies! 


To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, 1995
Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, John Leguizamo

Three macho actors as drag queens. You have to give them credit, they play it real, giving the film depth as well as humor; (as it is a comedy). I loved Stockard Channing as the small town woman who learns a valuable lesson from the girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deuce Bigelow, Male Gigolo, 1999
Rob Schneider

Rob Schneider is adorable as a pathetic, but sweet excuse for a "replacement" gigolo to pay off money owed to an acquaintance he's afraid of.


Happy Gilmore, 1996
Adam Sandler, Julie Bowen

Adam Sandler's real breakout film as a comedic writer and actor. The Bob Barker bit was odd but good, and who can forget Carl Weathers as "Chubbs".

Finally, saving the best for last.......

Trading Places, 1983
Dan Akroyd, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Lee Curtis

"Timeless" says it all! Eddie Murphy and Dan Akroyd are at their absolute best in this film, as is Jamie Lee Curtis.

This was a republish of my blog from April 2013. 

 
All photos courtesy of Bingimages.com

Anna Wendt

How's your Mask Wardrobe?

Do you remember how you felt the first time you wore a mask when leaving the house? I do.  It was a little surreal. I had an unused surgical mask from the medical school where I work sometimes as a patient actor. We never had to wear them before so I had saved it in a Ziploc bag just in case I ever needed it. I put on the mask when I got in the car then of course feeling silly I realized I didn't need it until I got out of the car.

It just seemed so unnatural to be wearing a mask when I wasn't a doctor or in a medical facility. I remember before the pandemic sometimes seeing people wear masks on airplanes and thought "Isn't that a little much?"....I don't think that anymore.

I had used my surgical mask once and I thought I had to throw it away so I did. I didn't want to ask my husband for one of his since he's a physician and they were in short supply all over back then. So I looked into do it yourself masks and saw a short YouTube video on how to make your own face covering with a bandana, and that's what I did for about a week until the cloth masks I'd feverishly ordered on Ebay showed up in the mailbox. 

We now know the bandana masks aren't quite as effective as they don't have a very tight seal. So I don't wear one much anymore. Although it was fun to be featured in a piece in the local newspaper showing how people were making home made masks out of scarves, plastic bags, coffee filters, and other things that were lying around the house. Using everything except toilet paper of course, as we couldn't waste that!

Las Vegas Review Journal's mask feature

My mask wardrobe now consists of about 8 masks. There's the blue sky one I got in a 3 pack at The Gap, the homemade cat one I got on Ebay, and my new favorite, my shiny mask. I saw it online and thought "That's cute! I need a dress up mask in case I end up going out when things loosen up a bit"...so I ordered it. I tried it on when I got it and it looks great! It's funny how wearing a mask is starting to seem like normal everyday life. 

I think masks are going to be around for awhile so I expect my mask wardrobe to grow. It is what it is, I might as well make the best of it. 

My current favorite masks

Need a Haircut? How to Sell or Donate Your Hair!

Since many of us haven't had a haircut in months and are now considering venturing out for one or doing it at home, I decided to re-post one of my more popular articles from a few years ago...

Did you know you can sell or donate your hair?

People need wigs and hair extensions due to hair loss from medical problems or for purely cosmetic reasons such as hair extensions, hair pieces and ponytails.

My friend Nicole recently grew her hair so long she was tripping over it when she walked!...Okay not quite that long, but she seriously needed a haircut. She decided to get it cut in a certain way so that it could be donated.

How to cut your hair and then sell it:

To sell your hair it's best if it's not treated with color or perms because you can usually get more than double the money for untreated hair. Of course your hair also has to be healthy and free of damage.

Your cut strands also have to be long enough to sell, which is at least 10 inches.

You should use gentle shampoo (two brands that make great sulfate free shampoos are  LOréal and Wen). Don't cut your hair until you have found a buyer because freshly cut hair is best! Blonde hair or light brown are the best selling colors followed by brunette, then red.

You can sell your hair through third party websites such as Hairsellon.com and Onlinehairaffair.com. Have someone take a photo of your hair from the back, (remember, don't cut it yet), then set up an account and put it up on the site.

The going rate ranges from about $300 to $1,000 on average, but the longer your locks the more money you will make.

Don't want to worry about the process of selling your hair but don't want to waste it when it could go to a good cause? Donate your hair for wigs for people who suffer from hair loss for medical reasons such as Alopecia and chemotherapy.

To donate your hair:

For donation, a minimum of ten (10)  inches of hair is also preferred.   Layered locks are acceptable if the longest layer is ten inches. Colored or permed hair is accepted but not hair that is bleached out.

Where to donate? For more information on how exactly to get the hair on your head to a person in need, below are two helpful websites.

There is a well known organization called Locks Of Love, go to LocksOfLove.org for more information and to find a participating salon if that's easier for you than sending it in.

Once you have decided whether to donate or sell your hair it is best to have it professionally cut. To show you what to do, here is my good friend Nicole Pano with a quick 45 second video...How to cut your hair for Donation or Sale

To the Graduates, Class of 2020

By Guy Chapman

I graduated high school in 1994. My school experience was vastly different than yours. For me, high school was a much more relaxed experience. You could come and go as you please. There was no common core, and standardized testing hadn't taken over every aspect of the classroom experience. There was no distraction of social media, and the internet was still a new and somewhat mysterious commodity. Incidents such as Columbine were five years away from my timeline, and certainly not a regular and annual occurrence.

For the 2020 graduates, you may have all of us beaten when it comes to "challenging." No one knew that the beginning of Spring Break was also going to be the end of the school year. The various schools still have fliers posted proclaiming: "We will resume normal business hours on Monday, March 16."

No, we would not. By March 13, it became clear something was terribly wrong. By March 17, the world began to really shift. In certain buildings, St. Patrick's Day decorations promised a holiday that no one would be celebrating. Instead, Spring Break went from an intended one week from two and a half months. I suppose Alice Cooper's "School's Out For the Summer" song was never meant to be that prophetic in its lyrics.

For what it's worth, you are still 2020 graduates no matter what a global pandemic says. We've had to come together to find a way to manage, and so have you. That's worth a lot. You didn't give up. This situation did not "beat" you.

I expect for a lot of high school and college graduates, you feel left out on some of the elements of this particular rite of passage: Skip days and Senior events, caps and gowns, a walk across the stage, photos of you holding your diploma, the after parties that you'll never really tell your parents how crazy you got that night, but they already know because they were once in that place themselves. That last carefree summer you have before you truly have to start properly "adulting."

What's important to remember is that even without all the decorations and symbolism of this particular moment in time, it still happened. You're into a new phase of your existence where you get to call the shots on your life more than you have ever before. It's exciting and scary, and it generally lacks a safety net. But you didn't go this alone. Your teachers were right there with you having to navigate this uncertain storm to ensure you succeeded. So were your parents. So was the community in its support.

It's okay to be disappointed right now. But over the years, the graduation experience simply becomes a "tick box" on a life checklist. You aren't going to remember the speeches that night. To be candid, you certainly aren't going to remember the parties. And you'll get to experience the graduation event again when you have kids of your own. It will take on a different meaning then. Perhaps all the "pomp and circumstance" is meant more for the parents in the long run. A graduation of succeeding in their own "adulting."

If you feel discouraged, take a walk around your neighborhood. Take a look at all the signs in the yards that celebrate the work of your teachers and your fellow students. There are signs all over the community. You didn't get the traditional graduation experience, but you absolutely aren't forgotten.

In the end, the Class of 2020 may end up being the strongest graduating class we'll see in our lifetime. Our current life has given you lessons no book could ever teach. In this present unknown and lack of structure, we've seen everyday people carry out acts of intelligence and compassion. This will define our values, our larger view of the world, and prove how necessary being properly educated in all areas is. What you do with that education now is up to you.

While finding that first real job or enrolling for college may be an uncertainty for now, defining the kind of world you want to live in can start as early as today. You really are our future, and us older generations are going to be looking to you to provide the kind of world we all deserve to live in.

But no pressure, of course.

Hang in there, Class of 2020. This year really was your challenge. Things don't always go to plan, but life doesn't provide a script to always say or do the right thing. Some of the best works come from improvisation, so I look forward to seeing what you can accomplish during this strange time.

You've got this. You always did.

Special thanks to writer Guy Chapman for contributing this article. 

One American's View of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Like many Americans my head is spinning lately over the COVID-19 Pandemic. I remember when I first read about it back in January, they said it was a SARS like coronavirus from China and was spreading to other countries. So I knew it'd be a global issue, but like most of us could not have begun to predict how it would impact our country.

I sit here in shock that in my city of Las Vegas they are shutting down several casinos for two weeks. As far as I know that has never happened, at least at this level. Casinos do not close. The employee layoffs are already starting. Also, nationwide professional sports are suspended, cruise lines have stopped cruising, schools are closed and the list goes on. We are being advised to stay home and self isolate and keep our distance from others when we do have to go out. Now many are talking about the airlines making a drastic change soon as well. This was all unimaginable a few weeks ago.

I've been practicing social distancing this past week but not really before that. All I had been doing was buying a little more groceries and supplies than I usually do. But things really hit on Friday when the President declared a National Emergency and the general public took notice; mostly by flooding grocery stores!

These things are happening all around us but most of us don't know anyone who is actually sick with COVID-19 yet. We are being warned by the Center for Disease Control, and the World Health Organization that things will soon get really bad for us. We don't hear much from China, but have been told that their numbers are finally slowing down after quarantining hundreds of millions of people for several weeks. The latest report shows 80,880 cases today whereas it was 79, 828 two weeks ago, which is only 1,052 new cases. 

Dr. Li Wen Liang 

Dr. Li Wen Liang, A Chinese doctor who first tried to warn his colleagues and his country about this newest coronavirus back in December was shamed and silenced by the Chinese government for "making false comments on the internet." He was diagnosed with COVID-19 February 1st and died six days later, survived by his son and pregnant wife. Now China reveres him. Too little too late.

I've been following the stories of this virus and checking Worldometers.info site that gives updates on the COVID-19 numbers. I took a screenshot on March 1 when Italy had 1,128 cases and 29 deaths. They started their lockdowns on March 9. Now on March 16 they have 24,747 cases and 1,809 deaths. The United States reported 70 cases on March 1 and only 1 death. Today it says 4,727 cases and 93 deaths. The U.S. is short on testing kits and when they are more widely available later this week we'll get a clearer picture of how many cases we actually have. The numbers don't seem very high yet but we are being told by experts such as Dr. Fauci, the Director of National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases that they will grow exponentially and when they do we will be overwhelmed. He says that although what we are now doing seems alarming it will later on seem like it was not enough. Those are scary words. This message is also being broadcast to us by as countries such as Italy, South Korea, Spain, and Ireland.

Most of us don't know what to think. Because the news is coming from not just inside our country, but outside of it as well, I tend to trust it. But many question the information because it's so extreme and there are few to no signs of illness yet to the average person or anyone they know. They do have every right as Americans to state their opinions and ask questions. For me, since the information is coming from various countries and international health organizations that don't give a squat about America's politics, I do believe what they are telling the rest of the world. Also, if our media is trying to invoke fear to destroy the economy to bring down our current President then why would they go so far as to ruin their own stock values, businesses and cause job losses of their own friends and family, which consist of people from all parties?  Seems self sabotaging. In a few weeks I suppose we will all know much more about what should have been done, or not done during this time. 

One thing we can ALL agree on as Americans when this is over, is that our country, (as well as other nations) should have put a nationwide pandemic protocol in place decades ago. We've had plagues before like when Spanish flu hit in 1918 and Polio after that, as well as several other smaller ones since. They should have known this kind of situation would happen again someday. Having a protocol would have prevented these sudden and shocking societal and economic decisions that are making people panic buy and more seriously lose their jobs and businesses. 

I have faith in our country that we will learn from this and in the future have an actual plan we can set in motion early enough to avoid what is happening now.

What Would You Have Done if You were Harry and Meghan?

Leave it to two of the world's most famous millennials to make a precedent setting move that has shocked the world. Many have a strong opinion about the recent decision by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, to live as private, independent people and no longer serve as senior members of the Royal Family, nor be financially dependent on it.  

A lot of people wonder, how can someone walk away from royal life? Isn't that as good as it gets? Everyone is clamoring to know and admire you, and you have seemingly endless financial resources and security for your entire life. What could be better than that? Actually, a lot, like living your own life on your own terms, something most of us Americans and non royals take for granted. 

Royal life has a distinctively dark side. Everyone knows the struggles Prince Harry's late mother Diana suffered due to her life as a royal, and the cruel treatment of her by some of England's press and paparazzi. It contributed greatly to her depression, anxiety, bulimia, and her death. 

I've often wondered how it felt for Prince Harry to lose his mother at 12 years old, leaving him to live almost his entire life without her; all the while knowing that she actually died trying to outrun the paparazzi! In addition, he has lived his whole 35 years on this planet under a microscope. Although the press did not follow him and William to school every day like they did before Diana's death, he still had to participate in many media events and photos in order to maintain peace with all of them.  Once he was an adult the media was all over him again. It's no wonder he has been depressed and anxious much of his adult life, as he has freely admitted. 

When Harry and Meghan got married in 2018 I wondered if she realized what she was getting into. I thought to myself would I want to be her? The answer was a definitive NO. Marrying a royal means that as soon as that ring is on your finger you have a full time job. Full time. Forever! There is no real line between your personal and your professional life. You're  under the spotlight with everyone, the press and the public judging your every move including your appearance, choices, your family, and your children. I don't care how great the guy is, and Harry seems like a good one, it's just too much for most people. I wondered how an American who was used to freedom of choice would handle it. The beautiful Meghan Markle was already a celebrity as we all know, so she had a better chance than many in navigating the shark infested waters of public life, but apparently the couple and now their baby Archie as well have been hounded by racially charged abuse and harassment. There is probably a lot the public doesn't and might never know about the reasons for this major decision. Perhaps Harry feels it's the only way to protect his new family. 

Most of the English press will not give Harry and Meghan any empathy or understanding for their choice to be free and to use social media as their way of communicating to the world, as they have specified. This is because if a member of the royal family says "I don't need the press I'll be my own press," then many others may follow suit. And if so then what use is the press? That is their fear. 

As far as finances go, Meghan and Harry will be just fine due to Harry's inheritance from his late mother Diana, Meghan's contributions as a former actress and his investments from his own salary, serving ten years in the Army and two tours of Afghanistan as a helicopter pilot. Their net worth is said to be around $35 million dollars. In addition they'll have opportunties for profitable ventures in the coming years as they are now no longer tied to the same rules as they were before.

If the royal family handles this correctly, acting like it's not a major issue and future Kings Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince George are the real royals anyway, it may just be an unexpected wave and not a major storm. It could even help the royal family to have a positive attitude in the press about it, (no matter what they may think privately), since the public loves Harry and Meghan and they will always be royalty in the hearts and minds of most.   

Amazon and Kohl's Surprising new Retail Friendship

As I was getting ready to return something on Amazon recently I was offered the choice to return the item at a nearby Kohl's instead of dropping it at a postal center, UPS or Amazon locker. All I had to do was select "return at Kohl's store" and it generated an email with a barcode that can be scanned on my phone at the store to process my return. No need to package it up or print any labels!

It was nice to see a retailer think of something new and convenient for customers that makes it easy to return something bought from Amazon and also gets people into their store; in this case Kohl's, a retailer I never otherwise frequent. Of course I spent money shopping at Kohl's while there, which is their plan. In fact they even printed me a 25% coupon with my Amazon return receipt.

Kohl's in Las Vegas

This is the kind of thinking that can help save retailers from having to close so many of their physical stores and go online. Many people still really enjoy shopping onsite. I know I do, and it's especially fun with a friend or family member or when shopping for a vacation, a new job, or a holiday. We just need retailers to stay fresh by being willing to try new ideas to draw us in and keep us there long enough to buy something. Kudos to Kohl's for their efforts!

How Retailers Can Make Us Go Shopping Again...Hollywood Underdog

On Days Like Today

For a long time I was afraid of her, holding the same preconceived notions that most strangers do - I even hid from her. Then a funny thing happened and we got to know each other and became friends. I started to see her through new eyes.
Now, she's my home and I've come to genuinely Love her! I wake up and she's happy to see me, when I'm hungry she provides more nourishment than I could dream of, if I'm feeling down and out she picks me up and shows me the wonders life, laughter and love, when I'm feeling alone she brings my friends to me, even ones that I hadn't previously met. When I'm with her she dazzles me with newness. She's always respected me and never tempted me with the things that earned her the moniker "Sin City". To me, she's wondrous, her beauty is raw and perfect, she is full of life and opportunity; warm, welcoming and resilient, she is constantly growing, she excites me every day...and is always, ALWAYS a lady.
Her history is so colorful and headline filled that even Rock Stars and Bikers are in awe of her, she's entertained Celebrities, Champs, Chairmen and a King, she's home to the brightest stars and billionaires, her allure is so magnetic that she pulls you into her orbit from across the globe.
She's had her fair share of tragedy, but she's always been able to get back up, compose herself and move into the future with grace.
Yes, I Love my darling Las Vegas and on days like today, she could use your thoughts and Love too! #VegasStrong

It seemed fitting to share this personal essay today that a friend and fellow Las Vegas local wrote, (with permission of course). It expresses perfectly how I also feel about this weird and WONDERFUL city that is my adopted hometown.

Beverly Hills 90210, The Reality Reboot

TV Show reboots are so common these days it's not surprising that Beverly Hills 90210 launched their own six episode reboot last week. What is unusual and in my opinion makes it worth watching, is the way the reboot is formatted. 

Unlike other reboots of TV shows like Will & Grace and Hawaii Five-O, which stuck to the general format of their previous incarnations, BH90210 added a modern reality show twist to theirs. 

BH90210 features the same characters and actors, but the actors play themselves and not their characters. In the first episode of the reboot which aired last week, Jennie Garth, Tori Spelling, Jason Priestley, Ian Ziering, Brian Austin Green, Gabrielle Carteris, and yes even Shannon Doherty, are all appearing at a Beverly Hills 90210 fan convention. It's 2019 and they are all older, and not necessarily wiser.  

As the story unfolds their lives are revealed and we see the phony personas they present to the public. Turns out middle aged TV stars have problems just like the rest of us. Keeping in mind that the actors are playing themselves it's not necessarily their actual lives we're seeing in the show, but is based on certain truths gleaned from their real lives. For example, Tori Spelling has a lot of kids and money problems, Gabrielle is the president of an actors union, and Brian Austin Green (who is married to Megan Fox in real life), lives in the shadow of his wife's fame. The death of Luke Perry is addressed in the show as well. Unlike the original series, nothing is sugar coated. After all they're grown ups now, and so is their audience. 

L to R Gabrielle, Tori, Brian, Jason, Shannen, Jennie, Ian    Photo by Brian Bowen Smith/Fox

I always liked the premise of the original Beverly Hills 90210. Two teens move with their family from a suburb in Minnesota to Beverly Hills, California and experience all of the differences in attitude and lifestyle. Back then before smart phones and streaming, California was the center of all entertainment culture. As a young person who, just like the characters, lived in Minnesota when this show first aired, I imagined myself one day living in California and experiencing the same kinds of things they did. But at the time it seemed a distant dream. 

However, midway through the show's run I did in fact move to Beverly Hills 90210! I only lived in an apartment, not a mansion like their characters, but it was still Beverly Hills and I had my own experiences with different attitudes and culture. I moved there by myself which felt brave, and lived there alone two years until my older sister joined me for some of the time. It was a much faster paced life and I needed to be on guard and on top of things as L.A. is not for the weak; but it was also rich in possibility and opportunities for growth that I never could have had in Minnesota. I went to acting school for four years while living in 90210 and completed my training at Stella Adler Academy of Acting. It was one of the best times in my life and I will always remember it that way. 

So for me, Beverly Hills 90210 was a show that inspired. We'll see what BH90210 does! 

BH90210 Wednesdays on Fox.

Waking up with PTSD

I chose this day to start writing in my blog again since the subject is a large part of why I took a break from it. Today is National PTSD Awareness Day and it's time to share my experience. This is something that many people in my life don't know about.

Nobody ever expects to wake up one day with PTSD. You usually hear about it in regards to veterans and domestic abuse victims but it can also happen in other ways. In my case it was a violent crime last year and the aftermath that triggered the onset of this horrible, chronic condition. Although I am much better now I will never forget the daily, hourly and sometimes moment to moment terror that plagued me intermittently while I struggled to break free from what felt like a constant nightmare while awake.

On a sunny Monday out of nowhere last summer I turned to  close my car door to find the barrel of a gun in my eyes. If I had been paying more attention to my surroundings this may not have happened. So yes, I cooperated and was robbed in that moment but I survived the incident. Later that day was the attempted credit card fraud, then the aftermath of having my identity out there in the hands of criminals. There is whole a lot more to this but I'll leave it at that because this is not about the crime. It's about surviving PTSD. 

I remember little after the crime that afternoon in the haze of working with police and my bank, etc. What I remember most clearly is waking up the next morning with a strong sense of inner panic and fear.  That was only the beginning. A couple of weeks later I tried antidepressants, which in my case made it worse. One night was so bad I was certain I would not survive it alone. (PTSD sufferers have a very high rate of suicide.) My husband was out of town so I rushed myself to the hospital checking myself into the ER and was hospitalized for a night. This made the PTSD much worse because I was terrified of that happening again. Afterwards I was afraid of not only other people, but myself as well. Having been a level headed person with a happy disposition all my life, this was the worst part of it all. 

What I didn't understand at the time is that something in my brain had changed. I'm not a doctor but I now know from working with mine and my therapist that a sudden incident of trauma or violence can cause a type of temporary brain injury and condition, PTSD, that makes some normal things seem scary, off center and out of balance.  For me anything could set me off... seeing a gun on TV, hearing a loud noise, even someone ringing the doorbell would send me down a dark rabbit hole and a feeling of terror and disassociation. The disassociation was the worst. It made things seem not real, like I was losing it. This is where my therapist was the most helpful. She helped me learn grounding techniques such as deep breathing, grabbing a chunk of ice, reaching out to others, etc. Anything to break the rising inner hysteria of a flashback can help ground a person with PTSD. 

So many times I wanted to scream and cry and basically fall apart, but I never did. I continued to function normally on the outside to prove to myself that I could. Running an errand, getting the mail, meeting a friend for dinner when it was dark out, working a job, normal things were monumentally challenging. I couldn't be alone all night unless there was a friend or family member nearby. What if I had a panic attack? I didn't want any of my work colleagues to know because I didn't want them to think of me as damaged and unreliable, so I white knuckled it, took it hour by hour. I just knew if I could keep at my normal life then day by day I would find my comfort zone again. I think that's called exposure therapy. 

I was fortunate to have some down time too. I could nest on my sofa watching comedies (everything else triggered me). I'd use a heavy blanket which was calming, and still is. Yoga helped me to a degree I never expected. It gave me something to focus on when a panic attack arose. Stretch this, bend that, and breathe. I also consistently did meditation. Guided mediations and affirmations from Deepak Chopra, Steve Nobel and the music of Paul Luftenegger served as a salve to ease me through and quiet my mind from the constant anxiety. Listening with my headphones every time I went to bed and every morning when I woke up and during rising panic attacks slowly brought me back. I used daily drops of Non THC CBD Oil. Also being able to talk to family and friends when I was having a rough moment was like medicine too...the best kind.

It's been ten months now and I do not suffer on a regular basis anymore! I don't live in constant fear of the unknown or of a flashback or panic attack. The symptoms started to ease three months ago and have since become mild and sometimes even non existent.

I am grateful beyond belief that I can live my life without constant fear and anxiety.  With a smile on my face I can drive alone and run errands, do things with friends, work and travel. But I will always be more aware, more careful and on guard for anything that can happen to me.

Anyone reading this who has PTSD I have the deepest empathy for you. I hope you are finding your way out of despair and back to yourself, and that you have support from people and professionals as you need it. Prayer doesn't hurt either.  AW

Here are links to one of the songs and a meditation that helped me. 

Mending: Paul Luftenegger https://youtu.be/jTOGhlpBaT0

Soul of Healing: Deepak Chopra https://youtu.be/eHBg9bdRkQ8

Menopause The Musical

Four women walk into a department store as strangers, and walk out as friends. That is the setting of the show Menopause The Musical, which takes place at a lingerie sale in New York City. How do these women bond with each other? Through the shared trials and tribulations of menopause.

There's an Iowa housewife, a businesswoman, an earth mother and a soap opera star. These ladies have nothing in common until they realize they're all going through the "change of life." They then chat, sing, and dance their way into becoming friends; all while creating their own versions of some of the best hit songs we all know and love.

Last month was my second time seeing the show here in Las Vegas and one of the reasons I love this show so much is that it's like therapy. We've all heard of retail therapy, well Menopause The Musical is laughter therapy, friendship therapy, and music therapy all rolled into one. To be able to laugh at something that can be as uncomfortable as menopause and aging reminds us that we can laugh at almost anything. 

The performers who play these characters endear the audience with their talent and commitment to their roles. The teamwork is evident in their interactions with each other and their execution of physical comedy, which for me is another outstanding aspect of this show. 

Photo of flyer for the show

Here in Las Vegas there's a special guest star who pops in and out of the show that is familiar to most Americans and plenty of international visitors as well. It's the actress Cindy Williams, who adds a little extra zest to the cast with her comedic appearances in the production. Yes, it's that Cindy Williams, from the TV show Laverne & Shirley and author of the book Shirley I Jest! 

Jacquelyn Holland Wright as the soap opera star is a combination of sexy and strong but also playful and funny. Jacquelyn has graced us here in Las Vegas with her talent for many productions before this. Some were Mamma Mia, EFX, Best Little Whorehouse, and Divorce Party, the last two of which I wrote about her in, which is how we met.

Lisa Mack, the businesswoman, has powerful pipes and attitude! She joined the Las Vegas cast in 2010 and performed with the show in other cities before that. She occasionally goes out and joins a performance of an MTM show in other cities and countries, as do the other cast members. 

Laura Lee O'Connell, the Iowa housewife, is an astute physical comedian whose facial expressions alone are a laugh inducing highlight of the show.

Vita Corimbi, the earth mother, has been with the show since its Las Vegas run began about 15 years ago, and is a strong anchor who embodies the part wholeheartedly. I saw Vita perform last year. This time the understudy performed, Cherity Ellen Harchis. They each do the character differently but with equal success. Vita's interpretation is earth mother/hippie and Cherity is more eclectic earthy, but not as mother-ish. I was pleased to see there was an understudy this time because I like it when an understudy is used as it changes up the rhythm just a little. I also like to see the interpretation different actors bring to the same role. By the way, Cherity understudies all four roles in the cast.

As far as the music goes, which is a huge part of the enjoyment of the show, I loved the disco medley where "Staying Awake" was a spoof of "Staying Alive," and all about middle aged insomnia. The choreography on that is great too, as it is with all of the numbers. I also like how they all take turns singing lead but together a lot too, weaving their voices in and out of different songs all throughout the show. 

Jacquelyn's parody of "Beauty is Only Skin Deep," while her character sits at the make up counter, is hilarious and highly relatable. Jacquelyn also sings a sultry rendition of "Tropical Hot Flash"  which is derived from Marilyn Monroe's version of "Heat Wave."

Cindy Williams performs with hilarious effect, "My Thighs," a spoof of "My Guy," while bemoaning what to do with hers, and their ever changing shape.

The Las Vegas production is the longest running musical in Las Vegas history. It runs eight shows a week at Harrah's. Menopause The Musical was written by Jeanie Linders and originally performed in 2001 in Orlando. Since then the show has been performed in several cities and several other countries in at least five languages. 

Menopause The Musical is the perfect cocktail of humor, music and sisterhood! 

Karen Wendt and I (top) with Cindy Williams (center), 

Jacquelyn Holland Wright, (right) and Cherity Ellen Harchis, (left).

Anna Wendt Copyright 2018

Tapestry Unraveled

I've always liked it when a singer takes an album that another artist has done and performs it in its entirety. Michelle Johnson did a beautiful job with this for her show Tapestry Unraveled, on November 18 at Myron's Cabaret Jazz. During this show she performed her interpretation of Carole King's album, Tapestry.

Michelle weaved in stories of her life and her experiences in combination with the songs from Tapestry that she said touched her so much as a young person. For her first song of the night, So Far Away, she talked about how she was born in New York, but she and her family moved to Egypt when she was a toddler and so she grew up far away from her home country. Then she sang the song beautifully with the undertones of longing that make this song so meaningful. 

Her first Carole King album Michelle said was called Music. It's what got her into Carole King before Tapestry. 

Michelle Johnson, Photo by Ira Kuzma

Michelle talked about her young adulthood returning from Egypt and going to college at Yale. She shared with us the struggles of pursuing her music career while also trying to provide for herself. Like many young people with a dream of the arts her parents encouraged her to have a back up plan and not to focus too much on her music career. She found out why years later.

Then she sang one of the best versions of a song by Carole King I've ever heard. Michelle's version of It's Too Late was like a show in itself!

Michelle told us about starting a new chapter several years ago when she moved to Las Vegas. She got a role in "Country Fever" at the Golden Nugget, and stayed and made Vegas her home. She talked about meeting a man who became a friend and another man who became her husband. There is more to that story but it is more meaningful than a sentence in an article so I'll leave it alone. Her soulful rendition of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, followed.

"To me, everyone's life is a tapestry." - Michelle Johnson

She talked about real friendships and not just social media friends and that many of us have come to lean on technology a little too much in our relationships. As a reminder of the importance of real friendships she then sang, along with her back up singers, a dynamic group version of You've Got a Friend, joined by vocalist Dani Corley who appeared onstage briefly to sing a few lines. 

Dani, Jolana, Michelle, Gret and Jon, Photo by Ira Kuzma

For one of the songs, Beautiful, she asked the ladies in the audience stand and sing along, which was a hit with the crowd. I noticed that some of them stayed standing for the rest of the show, moving to the music, at least up in the second level high top tables where I was seated.

Michelle spoke briefly about meeting and working with singer/songwriter Louise Goffin, (Carole King and Gerry Goffin's daughter), and how they recently held a joint class for songwriters in Las Vegas.

After completing her salute to Tapestry Michelle finished the night with her original song I'm All In, about putting all of your heart and soul into something, as she does with her music. 

I've written about three of her shows in the past year or so and one thing is always true. Michelle Johnson is more than a singer.  She is a songwriter, composer and producer that puts out a variety of entertainment with talent and passion that touches me, and her audience every time I see her. This is why her shows routinely sell out.

Musical Director Jeffrey Neiman. Back up singers, Jolana Sampson-Adamson, Gret Menzies Gonzalez, Jon Celentano. Musicians, Walter Jones, Pablo Gadda and Don Meoli.