HIP HOP

My little brother, BELA, is raising and training a kangaroo for an upcoming show. Yesterday I hopped over to bottle feed the little guy. His name is BOUNCER and he's pretty cool. He's into Hip Hop, very laid-back, and, judging by his foot size, when he grows up, he's gonna be very popular with the other Roos.

APOLLO the dog used to get a little jelous around the baby kangaroo, until I explained to the Great Pyrenesse that he is my all-time favorite guy, that I love him more than words can say. Besides, after spending nearly $50 on a chewy thing made of dried bull dick, I think I've proved my love, no?

I LOVE DEANA MARTIN

"She's got a size 1 dress and a voice that's a perfect 10!"

A friend of mine recently sent me a link to a pretty lame blog, written by a guy who claims to love Dean Martin. Now, it's certainly cool to love Dean. I mean, I sure do. I moved to Las Vegas about 20 years ago, and during the next dozen years spent many nights backstage at Bally's. Dean's longtime manager, Mort Viner once pointed out how nice it was that I'd stop-by AFTER opening night. You see, every one of Dean Martin's openings was attended by every one in his family. I mean, the second floor dressing room was crawling with family, but, the next night? Just Dean and Ken or Mort. Well, I mention my credentials as a way of justifying my crticism of the "I love Dean" blog. In a recent post, Dean's most beautiful and talented daughter- DEANA MARTIN- was criticized by the guy (and both of his readers). [Note: My blog has been up 9 months and already has 100-times the readers than Ilovedean, and he's been online for years!] So while the cheap shots at Deana were just that: cheap, it did get me thinking about the sensational DEANA MARTIN .

Deana has written a wonderful biography, has produced a terrific CD, hosts highly successful radio shows and specials and continues to perform 'live' throughout the world. I was one of the first to review her record, "Memories Are Made Of This," have seen her perform a time or two, and, have even been a guest in her home. [Note to Deana's husband, producer John Griffeth: I love your wife!]

Deana is nominated for radio personality of the year by KING-TV (www.bestking5.com/contests/best-of-western-washington/2336/people/local-radio-personality?page=2).

If you will, consider going to the KING-TV link.

Let's vote for Deana.

After writing about Heath Ledger (July 20, 2008), my brief essay was picked-up as a microblog or tumbleblog and reached the Ledger family who replied that they, too, loved DEAN MARTIN in Rio Bravo. It is amazing to me how loving Dean allows us to continue to make new friends. The same is true for Deana. She was so charming on the debut of The Bonnie Hunt Show and just one look at Bonnie's set makes clear that she too loves Dean!

OK, friend, everybody loves somebody sometime, so why not go to KING-TV and show Deana your love.

TED V. MIKELS

I haven't thought about my old friend TED V. MIKELES for a while, until, this morning, I caught a story by a great writer, BRENDAN BUHLER, who did a feature on the filmmaker in today's Las Vegas Sun.

The last time I was in Ted's office was several years ago. I brought in an investor who "just had to meet" Ted.

And who could blame the guy, after all, ALL OF MR. MIKELS MOVIES MAKE MONEY.

Take THAT, Ishtar, Howard The Duck and Gigli!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(http://m.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/oct/09/its-gory-its-scary-its-camp-just-dont-call-it-tras/)

AND...
www.tedvmikels.com

JON MARRO-----BLEND APPAREL LOVES ME? WELL, SINCE YOU SAID IT FIRST...

JON MARRO

House of H2o loves Blend Apparel. Seriously. And funnily, too. Their shrits are the nuts.

My friend ordered us several T-Shirts from Jon Marro's new venture, BLEND APPAREL and, when we receive any notice from the company, the tagline reads: "Blend Apparel Loves You," which is cool because I love them, him.

Jon is refered to as a 'graphic designer' but that's a bit too grapic, no? How about just 'artist?'

Better yet: THE artist of our generation.

JON MARRO caught my eye a few years back. His 'Ants Marching' (and so many others) for Dave Matthews Band as well as his work with the best lyricist working today, Jason Mraz just kept getting to me, and I, like millions of others, just get him.

In the film and music business, I was raised to appreciate the writer first, for the writer is the artist who discovers the art first. Then, actors and directors, singers and producers, join in on the fun.

I always appreciated FRANK SINATRA, who made a point to credit the composers and arrangers whenever performing. That's why I always took the opportunity to meet and talk with great writers, especially pop songwriters.

But if you want to honor a real artist, look at the work of JON MARRO! He's found a way to capture the meanings of the lyrics, the ideas behind the songs, and now, with his new line at BLEND APPAREL, he's been able to represent serious issues in humorous ways, using shapes and colors to enter our consciousness in ways I can only try to understand. Now THAT'S art, man.

In his book, "This Is Your Brain On Music," author Daniel Levitian attempts to understand the impact music has on our minds. I would like someone to try to explain to me how JON MARRO has been able to tap-into the thing behind the music, the culture behind the pop. I know from where it comes: it comes from his genius.

We here at House of H2o would like to suggest you go to www.blendapparel.com and open your mind, and your heart. The shirts are made from bamboo, the site, solor powered.

I heart Blend Apparel.

BIG FISH

I was checking-out Facebook profile of the very cool guy and was pleased to see that, in his list of favorite films, he placed Tim Burton's BIG FISH first. It is a really charming movie and the role of the son, William, is played by one of my favorite actors, BILLY CRUDUP. I don't know Billy but, in addition to being sensational in SLEEPERS, I did catch him on Broadway.

The book, BIG FISH, while weighing in at less than 200 pages, reads like an epic. As a fan of Greek mythology, I was crazy about all of the references to Ulysses that author DANIEL WALLACE placed softly throughout the bigger-than -life story about the life of a man. As a son named William who also had but a brief chance to try to learn all I could about my dying father, I cannot read BIG FISH without crying. As for the film? It is almost as good as the novel.

A few days ago, I wrote about another "W" writer, DAVID FOSTER WALLACE who recently passed away. I'm big on "W' writers and I list Daniel Wallace right up there with DFW.

The kind of writing I aspire to is done so well in BIG FISH. The story has other layers, waiting underneith, for those who wish to look. For others, the surface story is just fine, too.

Some rainy night, consider renting the film BIG FISH. Or, better yet, some rainy day, read the DANIEL WALLACE novel.

-WW

DAVID FOSTER WALLACE

MY favorite author OF ALL TIME, David Foster Wallace, died on September 12th.

If you ever want to know what original writing feels like, read anything by him... an article, an essay or a novel.

Consider The Lobster, for example.


RIP DFW

www.davidfosterwallace.com

OL' BLUE EYES BLUE PERIOD

This painting, done by FRANK SINATRA, was owned by his pal (and my friend) JILLY RIZZO.

A mutual friend asked me to share Mr. Sinatra's art with you, so here it is.


Blue-ish, schmoo-ish! To me, it is water-ish.