Random Thoughts #31- "Don't Call Me Larry..."

Several years ago, I became a friend of Laurence Tureaud- an actor, spokesman, Christian and Patriot. Over the past several months, I've had the opportunity to see "Larry" on a more regular basis (he hates when I call him that, since he's legally changed his name to Mr. T. That's "Mr" as a first name, "period" as a middle name, and "T" as a last name!). Now, I have worked with some of the most famous celebrities in the world over the past ten years or so, and I can honestly say that T is the nicest, most genuine and friendly of all of them. I also know of several friends who would agree with me in that assessment.Most of us remember T during the blockbuster television show "The A-Team". We remember him as Clubber Lange in "Rocky III". We remember his children's cartoon and his many television appearances. We know T with the Mohawk, with the chains around his neck, the bulging muscles and the huge laugh and smile.

What many people don't know (because he will not talk about this side of his life) is that Mr. T has visited the American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq many times. He has volunteered hours upon hours of his time to the children at Children's Hospital in Los Angeles and St. Jude's Hospital for Children in Memphis. He spends many days down at various homeless shelters, helping to feed the homeless and spread his word. He is the most upbeat, positive person I've ever known. He understands that he is highly recognizable and doesn't shy from that. When he immediately notices that someone recognizes him, but is too shy to approach, he will go out of his way to introduce himself to them. He will ask a passersby to snap a picture of he and his new friend as if he's posing with them like THEY are the celebrity. I know this as a fact- I've seen it first hand, many, many times.

I've been fortunate to introduce T to many of MY friends at work, and each one has come away smiling and sharing the story of their meeting. He genuinely gets inside your heart and brightens your day- it's uncanny!Now, is Mr. T the most famous actor in the world? No, of course not. However, even though it's been ten years since his last television appearance and 25 years since the series, he is still as recognizable as Coke, Elvis and Mickey Mouse.Many lesser-known actors and actresses have ignored their public and have hidden from their fans behind large sunglasses, hats and wigs. I just wanted to publicly acknowledge T for his friendship, his patriotism to our country and support of our troops, and for personally brightening up even the toughest of days at work just by stopping by and bringing a smile to my friend's faces.

He's a special man.

Random Thoughts #30- "The Copper and The Rapper"

I saw him from a distance, emerging from the parking garage and walking towards the building. Oh, lookie here! Another hip rapper- complete with the crooked fitted baseball cap and colorful retro jersey, three sizes too large. Even the jeans were way too big, but that's that hip-hop rapper style nowadays. Not wanting to be such an "old fogey", I greeted the kid as I speak to everyone entering the facility. Surprising, he greeted me back, even with a slight smile. I watched as our guest entered the elevator, calling the 21st floor as his final destination. Now, this is interesting. Most of the guests who go to 21 are actors, comedians, singers, band members, and other artists. This guy must be "somebody", but whom?Our guest returned to the lobby from the business management offices, and walked straight into the bank. It was clearly evident to me that he had received a check and was in the process of cashing it. I was determined to find out who this person was. I've seen- and met- most of the other "talent" that often comes to the building; Macy, Cedric, Snoop, Xhibit, the list goes on and on. If I don't meet them, I at least know who they are (I didn't bother Diane Keaton as she was on the cell phone), but this individual was perplexing me. I don't expect to know any rappers or hip-hop artist these days. Quite frankly, I couldn't tell Chris Brown from Charley Brown. The kid emerged from the bank and was preparing to leave, when I stopped him briefly. I stated that I thought he may be someone famous, but I couldn't put a name to the face. This was a pretty bold and forward question for me, as I usually respect the performer’s personal time and privacy. This time, however, the curiosity got the best of me. Very politely, the kid stopped and spoke with me. He asked "Have you ever heard of Eazy E?" Well, believe it or not, this white, middle aged old fogey DID hear of E and actually knew a bit about him. Easy E was the founder of NWA, a rap group with Dre and Ice Cube, and is generally credited with establishing what was later known as "gangsta rap". I also knew E had passed away, presumably from AIDS, back in the mid-90's. I told him that I was familiar with Eazy-E and knew a bit about the band- even though this NOT my world of music by any stretch. The kid continued on-" Well I'm his son". My immediate reaction was to express my sympathies for the loss of his Dad- such a public loss- and despite the years that have passed, you still feel that loss. I then extended my hand and introduced myself, asking what he calls himself. He replied "They call me Lil' Eazy E, in honor of my Dad." Not wanting to keep him any longer, I told him it was a pleasure to have met him, and I hoped to see him again. This was the beginning of a unique friendship.When I returned home, I researched Lil E (as I know call him) and discovered several web sites dedicated to him and his group of associates. There was no question that, while he was not a well-known rapper at this time, he was bound for greatness in the business. His "close friends" included Sean Combs, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Snoop- a virtual Mount Rushmore of rap talent and money. He had many photos posted, in various poses- with scantily clad rap hoes, AK47's, lifting weights and sporting prison muscles. In most of these photos, if you look closely, you will see a softness in his E's eyes. This softness is only outdone by the smallness of his voice. I realized then, at least in this case, the image of the violent gangsta rapper was just a marketing tool and not an actual representation of the person I met, albeit briefly. Lil E came to visit me several times over the next few months (okay, he actually had business in the building, but he always stopped to talk with me). On his next visit, I proved once and for all how WHITE and out of touch I am. E and I shook hands- the regular, standard executive handshake, which then evolved to the thumb grip handshake of the 70's which then slid in the first-knuckle finger grip like two wrist wrestlers. These handgrips go on as the two parties get close for a "chest bump" and "back slap" as the grip slips out and into a quick finger snap. Well, someone forgot to tell this old guy, and not only did I miss the chest bump, but left my friend hanging with the finger snap! He finished it on his own, realizing that I was too white to "get it". I immediately realized what I had done, or had NOT done, and felt embarrassed that I may have insulted my new-found friend. The smile never left "E's" face. Lil E has given me an autograph for my daughter, who actually knew about his Dad as well, and has stopped to pose for, photos with total strangers many times. One time, in mid-conversation, E was practically dragged out of the building by a group of fans and some photographers begging that he pose for pictures. As he was being bull-rushed out, he looked back to me, apologetically, for not being able to continue our visit. Again, those eyes that can only be described as "puppy-dog eyes" (When my daughter Mary saw photos of Lil E, she immediately commented on his "beautiful, soulful eyes", so it’s not only me).This friendship has developed over the months. He now calls me his "greatest agent". When I know he's on his way, I let some other people know and ask if the want to met a future superstar. Lil E' is destined to be this star- whether it be as a gangsta rapper, a hip-hop artist or as a music producer. He has the talent, the family lineage, the name recognition and the best connections in the business. More importantly, he is one of the nicest celebrities- no, make that PEOPLE- I have ever met. Who would’ve thought a friendship would, or even could, develop between two people so separated by a generation, by race, by surroundings and by musical influences. This separation was recognizable and tangible to both of us, yet we equally put aside the differences and looked into each other's soul. I told E today that I would be moving on, and that I valued our friendship and was honored to have met him. I thanked him for all the joy that he brought to me and my daughter, and I assured him that he would be a huge star. I promised him that I would stay in touch through his web site, and would following his career. He was honestly touched by what I had said, and appeared saddened by the fact that I was leaving. He said simply "You are a really nice man." We hugged and said good-bye, without any uncomfortable handshake variations to further embarrass him. Then and there, as I watched him drive off in his white $100K Mercedes, I vowed that I would write this piece documenting our friendship and showing how wonderful it can be to look past obvious differences in appearances or preferences or even lifestyles. Sometimes, you strike gold- friendship gold. I made another vow as I watch him drive out of sight. I vowed that I, too, would chase my dream and do what I believed my Higher Power put me on this Earth to do.

I will be a gangsta rapper. Say hello to "Notorious F-A-T".

To learn more about Lil E', go to www.lileazy-e.net and www.eazy-ecpt.com

Random Thoughts- "Meeting Herb..."

The other day, an elderly man made his way slowly into our building on Ventura Blvd. As he carefully negotiated the slate staircase from the patio down into the lobby, I took a moment to meet him at the stairs. So as not to embarass him, I simply greeted him by commenting on the gorgeous California weather, yet I was prepared to assist him if he stumbled. Actually, he was quite nimble on his feet, although he did use a walking cane. He greeted me back and seemed to be in quite the chipper mood. We walked slowly through the lobby, stopping every few feet as he turned to face me. He introduced himslef as "Herb" and he was in the building to meet with his broker. He had just celebrated his 92nd birthday, which belied his 75-yr.old appearance. Clear-eyed and sharp-minded, Herb began telling me a shorter version of his life-to-date story. He spoke fondly of growing up in Bronx, New York, after his family immigrated from overseas. He joked about voting for FDR, against his parent's wishes, whe he was old enough to cast his first ballot. He taught me a bit of history when he told me about a ship of Jews escaping Europe during the very beginning of what was to become WWII that was prevented from docking in a NY port by FDR (leading to the anger from his parents). Herb reminisced about migrating across the US to California, buying his first house in Hollywood for $4500, working various jobs including shipbuilding in San Pedro, Naval administration work, and even working in some of the Hollywood studios. I felt myself in his mind's eye, looking out as one would look out through a windshield, following his every step. California in 1940- wow! Then to stay and watch it grow from orange and avocado groves to the concrete jungle it has become. Simply amazing. Clearly, Herb had had a rich life and nowadays enjoys the simple things such as his upcoming dinner with his daughter and her family.Today I came across this article commenting on the fact that with our parents living longer, more and more of us are taking care of them at home. The article encouraged us to listen and learn from this generation before they disappear. These were the top 5 "life lessons" shared among this group of octogenerians and above: 1) The simple things matter most.2) Humor and time cure most pains.3) There's more satisfaction in giving than getting. Service to others is the most satisfying activity.4) Choose your spouse carefully. It will be your most important decision.5) Work hard and in a field or role that you enjoy.I know Herb lives by these five rules. It was obvious as we spoke. I know for a fact he enjoys the simple things, because he shared this bit of good news with me: still driving at his advanced age, Herb had just received his new driver's license- renewed for another 5 years! Herb declared "The State just made it official. Looks like I've got another 5 to go!"Meeting Herb was a half hour of time that I will never forget. I only hope I see him again during the next five years...