I know we live in politically correct times, but honesty....is this really necessary? We’ve got to watch every word that leaves our lips for fear of insulting the bald, the tired and the poor, but Bette Davis without her cigg? That’s like Liza without her sequins.

Who exactly is the stamp hurting? Does the post office really think that by putting out a stamp with a picture of a legend on it holding a cigarette that it’s going to start an avalanche of young people smoking?

Let’s direct our energies somewhere productive. How about Paris Hilton’s promise to save the starving in Africa. Remember that?



(Thanks to Lindsay)

Here’s an amazing tribute to Paul Newman written by Sheila O’Malley. This is truly a stunning piece of work here because it really has nothing at all to do with his career so much as it has to do with how much this man personally affected her and what he’s meant to the other actors on the planet.

It also has some amazing storied in it. Stories that otherwise would take years to find, but leave it to Sheila.



“Patricia Neal tells a chilling story in her autobiography about one of her first conversations with Paul Newman, when they began working on Hud. Her daughter Olivia had died the year before. Neal had not recovered. Neal writes:
"We had not yet played a major scene together. In fact, we may have been discussing the work to come. Suddenly, I found myself not talking about the picture at all. I was telling him about Olivia. I went on about her loveliness and talent and her fragility and how much I loved her ...

""My sisters-in-law took charge of everything. They did not let me do a thing. I didn't even see Olivia." I found myself admitting. "Do you think that's right?"

"Paul didn't answer.

""I just saw that damned closed coffin. I should have taken a stand at the time, don't you think? I was her mother. I had a right to see her."

"Paul finally looked at me. For a long moment, he just stared through me with those blue eyes. Then he got up and said quietly, "Tough," and walked away."

Neal was crushed. Maybe Newman felt like she was over-sharing, maybe he was uncomfortable, or maybe he felt that whatever dynamic they developed had to be expressed onscreen, not off ... and in this vein, Neal writes:
"I began to realize that although I had poured out my heart to Paul Newman, it was Hud Bannon who had responded."

I bring this episode up because Newman's blunt "Tough" in response to Neal's story is what I see him capturing in the Stage Manager, and his performance highlights, in a very unusual way, the true brutality at the heart of that American classic.

In the last moments of the play (Our Town), Emily turns to the Stage Manager and says:
"Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it?—every, every minute?"



Brilliant writing and a fascinating tribute.

People who have a literal relationship with God have all the answers. Ever notice that? Every time I’ve spoken with someone who has a personal life line to the Almighty I’ve felt immediately stupid. As if I hadn’t lived on the planet earth for over 40 years and the only thing I’d really been doing is sitting in some remote corner, whittling.

I don’t debate God and I don’t debate God’s existence.

You can’t.

It’s a leap of faith. Sherri Sheppard (one of the co-hosts on The View) and Bill Maher have a small conversation about the Lord, and although Maher makes some good points, Sheppard has all the answers.

“Have you ever just talked to God and asked Him what HE thinks?” she says plainly.

It’s a strange question, because no matter what you say, you're trapped. If you say “no”, then she’ll recommend that you do. If you say “yes” then she’ll say you haven’t been listening. There’s no way out.

Ah well. I assume someday we’ll all find out the answer and then we can point at the loser and say: “There goes Mr. Funny Pants.”

Or…….we’ll never find the answer and different things will happen to different people. Until then, I’m listening Sherry. I’m listening.