Tuesday, February 17, 2009

"Famous" or "Infamous" Questionaire

The blog I wrote about my theft - the first in thirty-five years - brought up all kinds of issues - that's a polite way of putting it. One of the fascinating things in those issues was who knew "who", worked with "who", met "who", or walked by "who". I wonder who is related to "who"?


So in the interest of hilarity, let's pursue this path. Write and tell your "who" stories. I'll start.


John Davidson, the singer and TV host and his lovely wife Rhonda rented the guest house here in San Miguel for a year. I LOVED having them here. Way cool people. Michael Grais who wrote "Poltergeist" and the "Baretta" TV series and many other things too numerous to mention, is a good friend who lives here. His wife Jennifer was backup singer for Jackson Browne. My nephew is married to Willie Nelson's niece. My sister-in-law was Elvis Presley's girlfriend before she married my brother. Hoyt Axton's widow, who lives in San Miguel, is one of my best buddies. She's a character.


That's just a few .............. now I want to hear from ya'll - alllllllll of you!

10 comments:

Bob Mrotek said...

Okay, Babs, but remember...you asked for it! There was this famous boxer named Tony Zale. He was World Middleweight Champion twice. They called him the "Man of Steel." During WWII he did some exhibition boxing for the troops overseas on a tour with the USO. One day my father was assigned to look out for him and take him around in a jeep. Years later my Dad and I were at a CYO championship boxing match at the old Amphitheater in Chicago. I was about 12 years old. Tony Zale was a referee. We went to the mens' room during intermission and there was Tony Zale standing in front of a urinal relieving himself. My Dad was so excited to see his old friend that he went up and clapped him on the back and shouted "Tony Zale, How the hell are you?". Tony Zale jumped and then did a little dance and then turned around while zipping up his fly. My Dad said, "Tony, I want you to meet my boy" and to me he said "Bob, shake hands with Mr. Zale" and there I was shaking hands with Mr. Zale...right after he urinated and before he got a chance to wash up. Acquaintances just don't get any more intimate than that. I shall never forget it.

Islagringo said...

waaaa! I don't know anybody famous. Oh, I saw Rudolf Nureyev naked once. Does that count?

Steve Cotton said...

I know Babs. Ever met her?

Calypso said...

I recorded an album with Hoyt Axton - not sure this is a wise thing to admit. Hoyt was bigger than life and a wonderful person.

I recorded "Officer Ray" and 10 or 12 others not too long after Three Dog Night's "Joy to the World" hit - (Hoyt wrote it and many other great tunes).


He had this HUGE coat that was floor length and he was a BIG man - when he came into the studio in that coat (driving in to Hollywood in a BIG BLACK CADILLAC)the Tower would shake.

We would spend time hanging out doing crazy things three days before recording so our heads would be together in the zone - it worked ;-)


Did you know Hoyt's mother wrote "Heartbreak Hotel" ;-)


Truly a bigger than life guy whose life was way too short. The man is missed.

Babs said...

Well Bob, I don't EVEN know what to say - that definitely IS a memory.......and Islagringo, I want ALLLLLL the details! Possibly in a private email? Ha.
Steve, I think I'm in the "infamous" category, not famous, for sure.
Calypso, your comment is wonderful. I have printed it out to take to his widow tonight when we have dinner. There is a big tribute concert in the works in Nashville being planned. She will be thrilled to read this. She says he was the kindest, most wonderful man she ever met. She's a "spitfire" and they had a lot of good times before he had his stroke. She lives here fulltime now.

picklesandroses.blogspot.com said...

Gee, I live the life of the infamous, mostly artists and writers who would love to be famous, some, well-known but probably wouldn't consider themselves famous. Sorry but not sadly I have no names to drop.

CancunCanuck said...

My career in Canada was in the entertainment industry so I have met and worked with my fair share of celebs. My biggest claim to fame was having Mike Myers (Shrek, Austin Powers, etc) come to the comedy show I produced several times. His first night there we were blown away that he had shown up to watch the show. We were then flabbergasted when one of his friends approached us and told us that Mike wanted to know if he could get up on stage and do a little bit! Hmm, let me see, we run a comedy club and one of the most famous comedians in the world wants to play? Ok! He took the stage for a good 45 minutes to the delight of everyone. He's a very shy guy and very private, but incredibly funny. He told us he was grateful to have the chance (we couldn't pay him the millions he was used to, but we did give him the $20 that all the other comics received, the principle of the thing you know). He came back several times after that and we would sit and drink beer with him after the show. The story of his appearance made it into Variety magazine, our biggest coup. Can't find the Variety piece online, but here's the mention in the Canadian press....(Oh man, was it so long ago?)

http://jam.canoe.ca/Movies/Artists/M/Myers_Mike/2000/07/07/760465.html

And I want to hear Gringo's story of naked Rudolf!!!

Babs said...

Way cool Canuck Cancun - YES I want to hear the Rudolph Nureyv story too. Fes up IslaGringo!

Anonymous said...

Hoyt Axton? He's a GOD!!!!

He had a voice and talent that I can never get enough of.

Larry

Babs said...

Well Larry when you read today's blog, the blonde haired woman driving, Deb, is his widow. She can tell some of the funniest darn stories I've EVER heard. I'll pass on your wonderful comment to her. There is going to be a "tribute' concert to Hoyt in Nashville in Oct. Not only was he talented but his mother wrote Heartbreak Hotel and his cousin was Arlo Guthrie!