Chateau Marmont Monday...

So I'm supposed to meet these dudes from a NY-based film company at the Chateau Marmont for drinks.  I get there at the designated time, 6pm, and I wait and wait and wait... Little did I know they only had my work email and I had left before they emailed a conflict, etc.  Needlesstosay, I was at the Chateau Marmont for a good hour, alone...    So was Jessica Biehl (or Biel, not sure)... Alone, no JT in sight... and kicking up her boots on a lounger in the bar.... Relaxed, beautiful, in a very unaffected way.  Having a conversation with an agent, manager, friend, who knows.. about a possible role upcoming, a small role, but one she finds "really cool"... That's all she kept saying, was it was really really cool... well, Jess... so are you.   

I suppose this is worth a mention... On my way into the bar at the Chateau... by the way, not to be confused with Bar Marmont, next to the hotel... anyway, on my way in, there was Lance Bass, briskly on his way out, feeling the need to announce to the hostess, that he was going to Bar Marmont instead of staying... 

Didn't even matter that my 'meeting' was a no-show... Had a great time with a glass of Syrah, and alot of 'really cool' star sightings... 

A Shocking Passing...

Not only was Natasha Richardson a great actor, a Tony-winning actor, from one of the most respected acting family dynasties.. she was also a loving mother and wife, a dutiful daughter, and a classy person. Now, my experience with her was limited. I can only speak of the times I've spent on red carpets with her or in interview situations, but in just that short amount of time, the glimpses of greatness were evident.

Her passing took us all by surprise. We were all surprised by how we reacted to it. Why? Because it could have been any one of us who took a slight tumble. Not just on a beginner slope. Anywhere. We could all relate. We are all consumed by the shocking sadness of the situation.

May her husband Liam, her two boys, her mother Vanessa Redgrave, aunt Lynn Redgrave, and the rest of her grieving family, find solace and peace in knowing that in a very short number of years -- only 45 -- Natasha Richardson left her mark... on stage, on film, on television, but most importantly, with her family. May she rest in peace.

From 1600 Campus Road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue...

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of digging a bit into President Obama's academic past. Most people know he went to Harvard and Columbia. Stalwart universities. Some, not many, know that the skinny kid, fresh out of high school in Hawaii, began his academic studies in 1979 at a very small liberal arts college in Los Angeles, Occidental College. It's a, well, very collegiate-looking campus despite its urban location. Overshadowed by UCLA and USC for sure, however, after my visit, I'm convinced it's a place where I would have felt at home as a student. "Barry" certainly did for two years.

First stop: his first political science professor's home, walking distance from campus. Professor Roger Boesche taught Obama his "inaugural" political science class, and remembered hearing "that voice" for the first time in a discussion group. He said, the kid was smart, thoughtful, and stood out not only for his independent ideas, but also his "medium-sized" afro. The professor, up until recently, had been able to communicate with the pre-Presidential Obama via Blackberry, but alas, all that's changed. He hopes he can get to the White House one day, so that he can introduce his wife to his former student, President Obama.

Next, we met Ken Sulzer, now a very successful lawyer... back then, he was a baseball jock living across the hall from Barry Obama in Haines Hall dorm. It was actually an annex of the dorm catering to a more 'diverse' crowd, as he put it, and a bunch of jocks. Walking into Room A-104 and seeing the twin bed, and bunk beds cramped in with a few desks (yes, they lived three in a dorm room), I couldn't help but feeling oddly curious... I have met Presidents and Presidential candidates before, but never had any direct contact with their personal pasts. Even if it's just being in the same dorm room where he began to crack his first political science books... it felt special. Ken shared stories about how Obama slept by the window, and whenever Ken and one of his roomates would walk by at night they'd bang on that window, just to mess with Obama, and wake him up. They would talk politics, anti-apartheid issues (remember this was 1979) and
they bonded on the basketball court, as well. Ken revealed neither of them was really good enough to play college ball.

But Barry played something called "noon ball" -- Eric Newhall, still a professor at Occidental, used to be a part of these pick-up games between faculty and students every day at noon in the school gymnasium. I spoke to him on the "boards" yesterday, and he recounted that Barry talked a lot of "smack" on the court, and couldn't hold Eric back. Maybe that's just Eric's recollection, maybe it's true. One thing's for sure: everyone remembers this guy Obama as a steady, upstanding dude, who was a lot of fun to be around.

Finally, Jim Tranquada, the Director of Communications for the school, filled me in on how admissions at Occidental are up. Applications are pouring in from prospective students, who feel they can do or be anything they want. No surprise. This is what this man has begun to instill in people, particularly our youth, and that is an incredible achievement. Jim also showed me the steps leading up to the Administration building where Barry Obama made his first "political" speech. It was at an anti-apartheid rally, and they staged a very dramatic ending to his speech whereby a group of white students hauled the black speaker off, in a symbolic move, to underline the racial issue taking place in South Africa at the time. There was no turning back for the man who would be President.

The address of Occidental College, his academic roots: 1600 Campus Road. I kid you not. So, from one 1600 address to the greatest 1600 address of them all.... What an experience to get even a glimpse into this part of Obama's life.

Being Julia...

Just coming back from New York City after doing a one-on-one interview with Julia Roberts.   This is a true movie star who doesn't act like one.  Down-to-earth, sweet, and forth-coming.  She gets it.  She knows how to play with you and play to the camera, but it doesn't come across as "playing you" -- she is truly grounded in her family life and her marriage, and isn't afraid, with the right questions, to open up about it.  I've interviewed her many times in the past, and she remembers everything.  Every question.  Every moment.  And SHE brings them up.   She connects the dots.  Gracious.  Beautiful.  The kind of girl you want to go out drinking with.   And in that 10 minutes, she makes everyone in the room feel comfortable.   And that smile.  That thousand-watt smile.  She still can literally light up a room with it.  And is unabashed about it.   In "Duplicity" she's back in her first leading lady role in awhile, and better than ever.    

A Visit to the Octo-Mom house...

I never know what assignment I will be thrown, day to day, at EXTRA.  Well, I should say I rarely know.  For instance, I DO know I will be interviewing Julia Roberts next week, and thank you Julia for requesting me to do the interview.  Looking forward to that immensely. That is what I do best, in my estimation... have casual, fun, interesting conversations with celebrities.  That's where I am most comfortable, and that's what I love doing.  

So you can just imagine my HORROR when I am called at some ungodly hour of the morning and given my assignment for the day (a week ago Friday):  I was going to Nadya Suleman's house, a one hour plus drive, in traffic, and I was to be there at 6:30 in the morning.  Why? Because she supposedly takes her kids to school at 7am and gosh darn it, I just might get a chance to talk to her.  WTF?  NBC News has already done an in-depth interview with this woman about her life with her now 14 children.  Dr. Phil has just done another in-depth interview... who's exploiting whom, I'm not really sure... what kind of money (if any) is being spent on these interviews, it's not my place to say, nor do I know, nor do I care.    But I'm expected to have Nadya single me out of a crowd of paparazzi and assorted other TV types, gawkers, etc... and she's supposed to welcome me in her home, pour me a cup of coffee and say "let's talk???"  Not so much.

However, I have a job to do.  I travelled to her home.  I kept a safe distance, unlike alot of the other TV crews up there camped out with lounge chairs in the woman's driveway, and while there were NO signs of Nadya that day, I had a quick exchange with Nadya's father (who had just done an in-depth interview with OPRAH) about the "irresponsibility" he had spoken about with Ms. Winfrey as it relates to his daughter.   I was respectful when he said to me, "it's too early to talk about any of that"  and I said to have a good morning.  This is a man, no matter what irresponsibility his daughter (and the fertility doc) exhibited, is merely trying to take care of those kids who are at home.  Taking them two by two to school.  Carrying the autistic little girl to the special school bus that backs down the street right to the driveway, so she doesn't have to walk too far.  No matter how any of us feels about this story, there are children involved, and those children need to be treated with dignity and respect.

I backed off.  I felt dirty.  I needed a shower.  No matter what you feel about this woman, her situation, her mental state, what-have- you...  I didn't feel it was my place to be on this woman's street, a quiet little cul-de-sac, with neighbors who are at their wits end because of the media circus which has decided to camp out on their street.  Yuk.  I didn't want to be a part of it, nor will I ever be again.  

I went back to my bosses at EXTRA and told them so.  I will report on the story from a distance, if they require me to, it's their candy store,  however, I will never return to that house again under those circumstances.  I needed a shower.

Certainly, I hope that this woman gets the much-needed help to provide and care for these children, whether it be from Child Welfare Services, or from some other source.  Should she be able to keep all of those children?  That's a decision that I truly believe she needs to do some deep soul-searching before making.  

I need another shower. 

A Post on Huffington...

You've probably heard of Ariana Huffington... the beautifully outspoken queen of new media, who started "The Huffington Post" -- a blog that gives celebrities a chance to speak out about politics, entertainment, pop culture, or whatever the hell is on their mind -- It began out of her home awhile back, and it'd be an understatement to say it's taken off.  Like wildfire.   So I had the chance to go to her Brentwood, CA. home to interview her (she rarely opens her home) and she gave us permission to stream part of the interview live on our website www.extratv.com  -- (if you go to our website and click on 'Extra Raw' and search Huffington, you'll find not only the interview, which has gotten an amazing 35 thousand plus hits, but also the little 'tour' I did of her home while we were waiting for her).    

While we were patiently waiting for Ms. Huffington, who was tied up in traffic on her way back from doing The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, I was curious to show our live web viewers some pictures Ariana had laying around, like her and John Cusack, and President Obama, way before he was elected President, with Ariana and her daughter.   It made for a fun, insiders look at this woman's life before she arrived.

Now, this wasn't the first time I would be meeting Ariana.  Back when the John Edwards scandal broke, where he was caught cheating on his wife with a woman who had been producing campaign 'webisodes' with him on the road, Rielle Hunter, I had been asked to appear on "Larry King Live" and Ariana was a fellow guest that night.  I met her while she was having her makeup applied at CNN, and in her charming accent she said... "Jerry, why don't you blog for me??"  Which is very disarming, and sweet, and that sums up who this woman is, and how she gets the likes of Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin, and others in the entertainment field to blog for her. She simply asks in a very charming way, and they do it!   For me, "The Huffington Post" is the perfect collision of politics and entertainment for this reason.  

She gets to the house, and we begin the interview... a lengthy discussion ranging from whether she would ever consider politics (no, she's happy in her day job as Mom and superblogger), to what she thinks about the stimulus package (it's going to be a slow relief-process), to what celebrity would make a great president (Tom Hanks)... Of course, what ends up on EXTRA are mere snippets of the conversation, which is why I am a big fan of these interviews streaming live on extratv.com, when the subject agrees to it, because at least the entire conversation can be viewed, or at least a large chunk of it.   

So, Ariana, thanks for welcoming us into your home, and I have blogged about you.  One day, I will blog for you.