Blind Item #14

"Bring us another Diet Sprite, won't you honey. Thanks." Repeated about two dozen times over the course of the afternoon yesterday in the desert. Turns out "Diet Sprite" is code for Diet Sprite and vodka on the rocks for this permanent A list alliterate singer.

Blind Item #13

Probably the most excited, fun to be around, floating on air person in the desert yesterday was this foreign born singer you have probably never heard of but who made some history this week. She isn't old enough to drink yet, but everyone she came into contact with was thrilled for her success. 

Blind Item #12

Nothing like watching a couple members of a one hit wonder band from back in the day that sounds a little like a hit band today trembling as they hit that meth pipe in the desert at 10 in the morning. 

Blind Item #11

I'm not sure what pills he was popping, but this former tween singer turned adult singer turned tweener rebooter was having a really good time in the desert last night. He has had some substance abuse issues in the past, but last night looked to be just about having as much fun as possible without going overboard. Tune into tonight though to see if anything changes.

Blind Item #10

This B/B- list mostly movie actor/celebrity offspring is in the desert this weekend and was making out with a guy in a pool late last night/early this morning. His "girlfriend" was nowhere to be seen.

Blind Item #9

Showing you that civilization is nearing an end, this guy is everywhere on one certain cable network. He is in the desert this weekend and if you believe him to be a misogynistic a-hole, then you would have been proved correct. He told one woman to come back when she was drunk and blow him. He told another to take off her bikini top to prove her "t*ts" were real. Even the celebrities tried to avoid him. No one wants to be seen with him.

Blind Item #8

Pretty interesting goings on at the multiple condos in Florida that trace back their origins to that permanent A list musician/singer. Multiple Instagram models installed there with a family member acting as a supervisor???. All kinds of businesses registered to the condos which are being occupied by women who seem to all have contact information in their Instagram bios. They also appear to be having visa issues. This is one big hornet's nest, that if opened, could bring everything into the open. Oh, you know who else is linked to at least one of the models installed in the condo? Yep, the "publicist" who was previously involved with the musician. 

Blind Item #7

Apparently the reader blind yesterday entitled direct to video brought out the news that this A list direct to video type director/producer/writer/master of one specific genre has been ducking (not an auto correct. I really did want to use the word ducking) some very serious people the past few years after stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from them including the greatest of all time in direct to video. He tells them their movies only made X when they really made Y. He should watch out for his life at this point too.

Blind Item #6

He got a nickname and fame from his very brief time in the political spotlight. At a party last night, the married celeb was telling women that his marriage is over and that he was wearing a ring just so reporters wouldn't ask.

Blind Item #5

This foreign born A list dual threat actor's character is not going anywhere until the actor finishes making all the movies he is getting paid for.

Blind Items Revealed #4 - Old Hollywood

April 21, 2018

Coming into the light this past week is that this long dead permanent A list mostly movie actor who was an Academy Award winner was a card carrying member of the KKK while in college.

Fredric March

Blind Items Revealed #3

April 21, 2018

Maybe it was not the best idea to have a blowout fight and then sit front row at a nationally televised basketball game? Just a thought to this athletic couple.

Aaron Rodgers/Danica Patrick

Blind Items Revealed #2

April 21, 2018

This A-/B+ list rapper/convicted child sex offender must have to stay away from teens right? How come there he was at a mall stalking a Forever 21 store and hitting on teens who couldn't even be old enough to drive.

6ix9ine

Blind Items Revealed #1

April 1, 2018

This A-/B+ list comic actor who is usually found on television says he exaggerated a life condition in order to get paid as he put it. He says he deserves an Oscar for what he pulled off.

Tracy Morgan

Blind Item #4

It is interesting to me that this former A-/B+ list mostly television actress turned reality star/host/take any job would rather continue to remain in the situation she finds herself just because she would be embarrassed to have the general public talk about her if she leaves. As the movie says, Get Out.

Blind Item #3

This one named former singer who was briefly A/A- list back in the day thinks she has found the one after years of shuttling between record producers. She thinks a celebrity is in love with her. I think he is in love with the idea of hooking up with someone he used to have the hots for when he was a kid, but he also has the hots for various Instagram models.

Blind Item #2

This A++ list CEO is trying to walk a fine line right now. He does not want to upset some of his biggest investors so he blocks people reporting anything bad those investors do while at the same time passing the blame of blocking on algorithms. 

Blind Item #1

It looks like it is rehab time once again for this back in the day A list singer with the catchy name. She was bizarre back then when I would run into her, but now, it is a booze and pills thing and it is going to cost her a lot of work. Word gets around and promoters won't book her.

Blind Item #17

This foreign born A+/A list singer was on a no booze mandate this time around at her favorite salon. Her last visit resulted in her passing out in the chair from drinking too much and the salon closing until our singer could be awakened from her drunken slumber.

Blind Item #16

This married foreign born permanent A list celebrity is out of the country. What is interesting is that instead of the offer of local escorts, our celebrity brought that woman he has been seeing for well over two years now.

Blind Item #15

This A+ list mostly movie actress has been on a run of bad luck so she ran back to the guy who can help with all that. The thing is though, he has been burned by her twice now. Third time a charm? 

Blind Item #14

This A- list reality star finally went a little too far when he set up his girlfriend with a guy she had explicitly said no to. The A- lister's empire is crumbling and if he can't win back his what now looks like ex, things will just get worse for him.

Blind Item #13

This hopefully off the air forever reality star by marriage can't seem to come to terms with his homosexuality. I have written about his past interactions with gay men and how it often didn't go well. My fear is that he will once again turn to violence. 

Blind Item #12

This permanent A++ list legend who will be a legend for hundreds of years was not above using the mob to make sure his employees didn't ever think about striking or joining a union. More than one employee was beaten or had a mysterious accident. 

Blind Item #11

This former A list mostly movie actor is probably still A- list and he is definitely still closeted. Apparently he and his loooooooong time boyfriend split and our actor has a brand new love. 

Blind Item #10

Is it really giving money to charity if you run the charity? Apparently this former A++ list celebrity who everyone in the world knows, promised to donate a significant chunk of dirty money to charity but it went to the celebrity's own charity. Seems kind of shady. 

Blind Item #9

Apparently this disgraced producer has passed the $500K mark in what he has spent on sex in the past six months. Often he is seeing three or four different women a day. 

Blind Items Revealed #5

April 19, 2018

This B+ list mostly movie actress who has had some movies and television appearances since her last foray into more than one season of television ended was recently at a big event. She was kind of a host of it. Anyway, she kept lowering the top of her already revealing dress and kept asking people if her breasts looked to be the same size. She must have asked a half dozen people back stage. It was so odd, but everyone said she didn't appear to be drunk or on any pills.

Keke Palmer

Four For Friday - Predator High - Old Hollywood - Traditional

If you were a director or producer or studio head back in the day, you had easy access to a swarm of underage actors and actresses who were pressured to engage in sexual activity or not get cast for any more roles. Back even prior to the studio system, someone had the idea that it would be a whole lot easier to find teen actors and actresses if they were all in the same place. Back then, you often needed someone at a moment's notice. You could make a call and the person would be sent over. It was not that long after it opened, that you could also send for someone even if you didn't have a part. If the teen didn't do what they were told, they were sent home and not allowed to return. It also meant they would never be cast for anything else. If you were a teen, for many years, this was one of the few places you could be from and get cast.

One of the actresses that knew all this first hand was this permanent A list mostly movie actress who was a multiple Oscar winner/nominee. One of the first movies that made her famous when she was a teen came as a result of having sex with this permanent A++ list mostly movie actor who was almost four decades older than the actress. He recommended her to his bff the director and she got the job.

This former flash in the pan A list actress who all of you know for one role got that job when she was a teen because two of her classmates said no to sex with the producers and she said yes. She was many years from being legal.

This former A list mostly television actress blames her time there and being the sex toy for a bunch of degenerate directors and producers for her life long drug problems.

This former A- list mostly movie actress is a celebrity offspring. Even though she didn't get her first film role until she was legal, she was "auditioning" for several years prior to that and apparently her parental unit went on a rampage at a studio when she found out the offspring had been with three men at once and didn't get cast in the role. 

Your Turn

Have you ever watched pro wrestling? Have you ever been to see a match in person?

Blind Items Revealed #4

April 20, 2018

This A- list mostly television actor who stars on a long running hit network comedy was noticeably missing from some recent press for the show. He doesn't care and is just gliding through the last season or so of the show and knows no one is going to fire him. He just doesn't care.

Ed O'Neill

Blind Items Revealed #3

April 20, 2018

While the cameras were focused on her, our favorite wine buying, drug taking former tweener turned adult actress/singer signed autographs and took pics with fans. As soon as the cameras stopped, so did our actress/singer.

Selena Gomez

Blind Items Revealed #2

April 20, 2018

This former A/A- list mostly television actress turned train wreck is back home and boozing and mixing pills as much as before.

Heather Locklear

Blind Item #8 - Direct To Video - A Reader Blind Item

This C-list slasher producer and director, let's call him LP, had a few trashy straight-to-VHS horror films in the 1990s and early 2000s. Today, LP runs an online horror film studio that's a cover for dark fetishes involving young and often under aged actors. These movies, mostly short vignettes, are poorly acted, written and directed, but always seem to involve one of the following fetish topics for his perverted audience: the removal of shoes or socks to expose barefeet, feet being tickled, bondage, shirtless chests, and most disturbingly, actors being choked with hands or mouth gags. Trailers of the films can be found on Youtube, with many perverted Youtube commenters leaving disturbing comments about the young and sometimes under aged actors. The films are sold online through a common direct-to-customer marketplace. The plots don't make any sense at all. It's all about catering to a bunch of sickos.

To keep up the cover, LP attempts to give his 'studio' some degree of respectability, such as submitting his films to a horror film fest in the pacific north west. The fest is the film festival equivalent of a diploma mill: pay a fee, get an 'award' and a small write up a on a blog.

It's incredible no one has caught him in his perverted B.S, particularly the parents of young and impressionable actors, some as young as 9, who are looking to build up their resume.

Blind Item #7

It is pretty crazy that this permanent A list mostly movie actor who is an Academy Award winner/nominee is producing a movie about behavior that he has exhibited but just not been busted for. Yet.

Blind Items Revealed #1

April 20, 2018

He checked for cameras, but that same person who has been following him for the past several months stayed for many hours in the room of this serial cheating celebrity. He isn't going to stop.

Tristan Thompson

Blind Item #6 - The Sequel - Reader Blind Item

Someone else is making the rounds, but in a much more sympathetic way. It has to do what happened back in the 70s, when she was sixteen. The other person in this story is someone you all know. He's had two careers, the first in Hollywood, and the second in something equally high profile. It's almost funny that he has over the past year or two been publicly criticizing that permanent A++ celebrity because he was basically the first iteration of this person - just not at a national level. He got this second job by appealing to anger with the status quo, and pushed a similar set of priorities his first two years at the new job. If these were movies, the current one might be a sequel.

What else do these two have in common? Just before getting hired to the second job, there were agreements signed - money was exchanged in return for something else. Much like the more recent case, the woman in the previous one wants out. In light of the recent movement, she wants to tell her story, and has been contacting all the major media outlets through her attorney. It's unclear if she'll go through with it  - people were not always sympathetic when she told them in the past - but if she does that famous line of his might finally apply to him, and his career. 

Blind Item #5 - Reader Blind Item

That former talk show host is back in the news today. As you may have heard, he's been planning his comeback, and shopping around an idea for a new show. What you've probably not heard yet is that the guests would include not just that other, more famous former talk show host, and the comedian with the unreleased movie, but also the two disgraced but still working octogenarian directors. Apparently no one is unredeemable in his mind.

(I'm thinking that the actual time to his comeback can probably be measured in minutes associated with that frequent guest to his show.)

Blind Item #4

This aging A/A- list mostly television actress with three names recently said some really racist things about a person who helps clean her house. It was pretty shocking.

Blind Item #3

This one named pretty much former singer always seems like she has it in for her one named ex. Apparently though, it is because she is still crazy about him and this is one way she can reach out and get attention from him. Her husband must love that.

Blind Item #2

This A+ list mostly movie actor was supposed to make the rounds pitching a new television show idea but was too wasted each time to take any of the meetings. It didn't matter though because the show got picked up anyway. Enablers.

Blind Item #1

I wrote about this foreign born A list singer last week. Things have taken a turn for the worse this week. He never eats and only focuses on using as much as possible. He is basically a walking skeleton right now and needs some professional help.

Blind Item #18

It is pretty interesting that this former A/A- list mostly television actress who started off as a tweener and was going great until she wasn't didn't follow through on her comments from last month. You know, the ones where there were fake accounts pretending to be her. That big one on Twitter is still there. No one received anything. I think those accounts are her way of speaking her truth.

Blind Item #17

This foreign born A list singer told some friends in a group chat this week that she was hit on by a model she is vacationing with. Apparently it came as quite the shock.

Blind Item #16

Apparently this A- list designer who probably won't be running a line for much longer will not knowingly sell any pieces to women of color. Things are about to come down hard on the designer because it is about to become public knowledge.

Blind Item #15

This married multiple reality show star is probably A- list. She cannot have her cash flow slowed down or stopped because she will go broke. She is way too leveraged and this recent scandal is threatening her delicate balancing act. My guess is she ends up in bankruptcy. 

Blind Item #14

Could someone please tell this permanent A list mostly movie actor that when you use botox etc, you look puffy and strange and people notice right away. He thinks they don't because he is surrounded by people who only say how wonderful he is and how it makes him look a decade younger.

Blind Item #13

Don't believe the hype. This out of work talk show host/anchor has PR people who are floating trial balloons just like all the other PR teams of disgraced entertainment figures. No one is going to let the guy back on the air any time soon.

Blind Item #12

This one named singer wants to make a biopic of her life. The real stuff, or the stuff she makes up for interviews?

Bill Cosby Found Guilty On All Counts

Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual assault on Thursday in a retrial after a half-dozen women testified that the famed comedian drugged and assaulted them.

The jury found Cosby guilty on all three counts of Thursday afternoon, drawing an emotional reaction from his accusers. Cosby remains free on bail until sentencing.

Cosby, 80, faces a maximum sentence of 10 years and a fine of up to $25,000 on each count.

Blind Item #11 - A Reader Blind

Be prepared to start hearing about "trouble in the marriage" of this A list athlete and his wife in the next year.  After his huge scandal over two decades ago their marriage became contractual.  He needed to keep his marriage intact to keep his BIG sponsor at the time.

She gets paid to stay married to him and when she has a baby, gets a 10 million bonus on top of the millions she gets to stay married.  She has accomplished this every time the contract is renewed and she gets her bonus.  She made sure that before she had the third baby, the first contract expired and they renewed it promising her another 10 million because she had two babies during the first contract and got screwed.  She thought she was going to get 10 million for each baby but didn't put the right wording in the contract so he didn't pay up for baby #2...hence the reason for the spread out years between the second and the third birth.

Contracts are once again about to expire and every time this happens, she sends out rumors to news sites that the marriage is in crisis so he gets the message it's time to renew.  It was worth it to him to pay up and even though she was young...she was clearly no fool.

The last few years they've tried to make a go of it since he quit his day job and be an actual family but tensions have started with the expiration date looming.  Will the date pass and they not renew but stay together and continue to try to make the marriage work?  Will he send the contract over for renewal or will he not renew and he or she decide the marriage is over?

Blind Item #10

As I told you when she got married, this foreign born A list model/part-time actress was going to get crushed when she discovered her husband would not stop cheating just because they got married. The only thing it would do would be to make it more inconvenient to have to hide it. He is not even hiding it any longer.

Blind Item #9

This gay porn star/frequent big budget movie set visitor who has been bought and paid off by that disgraced director has not been silent about his hookup with this closeted foreign born A+ list mostly movie actor. 

Blind Items Revealed #5

April 19, 2018

This B-/C+ list reality star from multiple shows in the same network family was at an event today and absolutely no other celebrities knew who she was. By the third time trying to explain it, she just gave up and introduced herself by name.

Corrine Olympios

Today's Blind Items - The Girl - A Reader Blind Item

This girl was only around thirteen at the time. And here was M, a madam her mother's age, selling her very young body for money. The madam knew damn well she was this tender age and that's why she wanted her as a star attraction in her business. Certain clients of hers paid a lot for a girl nobody in their right mind thought was anywhere near adult. There were young women around who were eighteen and older and may have looked a lot younger. But some rich clients wanted the real taboo thing.

M would get caught in her career by an LAPD vice detective who'd also nabbed most of her primary competitors over the years. The madams had clients in common also. They could be controlling over their girls, but if a man had enough money then he was free to be a patron of whoever he chose. Madam Alex is now recognized as the most successful and organized and connected of these pre-Heidi Fleiss women who ran LA's sex market. Unlike Heidi in later years, who often acted like a rock star, the old school madams usually kept their mouths shut and their profiles low, knowing silence was an advantage. The clients with such highly illegal interests did not want their tastes broadcast for the entire world to know about. Like paying for sex with a child.

The girl knew a few famous people in her life. Her boyfriend had a rock star for a dad, R. And R's girlfriend at the time was a rock star herself. F, the female rock star, found out that R had been with the girl many times. Not as a client, but yet another much older male who'd abused this kid and would soon throw her away. It wasn't the first time he pulled something like this. Or the last. And F didn't get angry with her, she was very concerned about how this affected the girl. After all, R was well over thirty. F had tried to protect the girl, hiding drugs from her and R's son in the house so that they couldn't get at them. Not all adults took such precautions.

The girl's teenaged boyfriend discovered what was going on between her and his dad and was terribly upset. R could have any adult woman he wanted and here he was acting like a person with no boundaries at all. F told the girl in a heart to heart conversation that she was in too deep, that when she was the same age she played child's games, not taken crazy risks like the girl was now into. And even one of R's ex-wives soon told the girl the same thing. R eventually stopped being in the girl's life and later on got involved with someone else very young directly connected to S, his bandmate he was often at odds with.

R's life ended a few years later, although how he made it past 27, when so many rock stars before and since had died, was some kind of a fluke. He was one of the wildest in his drug based lifestyle. And he had scum around him. Awful people. A celebrity said once if those people had tried to enter S's life in the same way it would never have happened and that Y, a rising young star who died tragically, would still be alive today.


M, The madam:
R, Male rock star:
F, Female rock star:
S, The bandmate:
Y, Young star:

Your Turn

Favorite fair/carnival food. 

Blind Items Revealed #4

April 19, 2018

Even though this A+/A list mostly movie actor is seeing lots of other women, he is trying to keep his soon to be divorced ex from seeing anyone and is always doing drop bys. It is all kinds of messed up.

Channing Tatum

Blind Items Revealed #3

April 19, 2018

It might be a little revenge in this move, but apparently the former A+ list reality star everyone still doesn't really like is going to take over the spot where her former employee's retail store is set to close because no one shops there.

Paris Hilton/DASH/Kim Kardashian

Blind Items Revealed #2

April 19, 2018

In a classic case of they only write what a publicist tells them to write, Kneepads went all in on the new boyfriend story of this alliterate actress and totally skipped the part where he has been married for 20 years with kids and moved out to move in with the actress after hooking up with her in secret for a few weeks.

Paula Patton

Blind Item #8 - The Roommate - A Dancing Boy Blind

Back before the one candidate for yesterday's #14 blind started going by his actual name, he was a regular at one of the franchises of a certain major city club mogul. He hosted frequent drug and booze fueled parties attended by the group which included the one person, along with his boyfriend, who would commit a notorious murder. (Said person is now out of jail, and because FSF was apparently quite wrong about that second acts quote, he has a bigger and madder fan base than ever.) Who did he like to invite? Barely legals of both sexes. I know because my first year college roommate attended one and maybe more than one of these (can't remember). Said roommate, sadly now deceased, also dealt on campus, and while the source was very likely another person at a higher level mentioned in this blind (and long suspected by the feds), the intermediary was someone who got famous in a way no one wants to: he was the victim of the notorious murder. (They were both also seeing that VJ known for drug guzzling and boi chasing, which caused business conflicts.)

My roommate had actually started visiting the city (from his small upstate hometown) the year before, largely because his childhood best friend was going to school nearby. (She was actually a child cello prodigy, and would years later go on to internet fame at the big video site. The summer before he and I started college - he chose to go where she went so they could be close again - she was living with a certain older orange-haired 80s synth diva in the city. She has a story too about probably the most famous cellist at the time, who was also her teen times teacher, but I'll leave that for her, if she wants to. He's foreign born, and his name is in three parts.)

Sadly, my roommate was recruited in the aforementioned scene (you can imagine why some rich, famous, and powerful men visited these spaces, even if it was officially to keep their profile up, and hang with the kids), and more sadly, his experiences led to him to move beyond party drugs. By our second or third year, his addiction was well advanced, and he spent most of his time with other addicts. I became a kind of replacement for him to the old friend. For a good while there, we spent hours of every day together (she's the nicest person), listening to music, playing music, and talking about everything but him. He and his troubles were always the elephant in the room.

Who else had been trafficked as a minor, according to him? The victim of that famous murder. You can imagine what they both knew, and the names they could name. By the early years of the next decade, the roommate had finally gotten clean, and was working with other addicts, and writing a popular blog among survivors and people in recovery. It came as a shock to many when he was found dead, of an apparent accidental overdose, in 2004. As you can imagine, there are unresolved questions about both the murder and the overdose. There's a third death too, which I'll get to in a follow up.

Blind Item #7

Apparently this former A list mostly television actor from a hit almost network show turned A- list actor on a fairly hit network show had to pay his wife so much money in their divorce because she knew about his involvement in a group that is making a lot of noise right now.

Blind Items Revealed #1

April 19, 2018

Apparently he was nervous for his recent television appearance so this A list musician in a permanent A list band went overboard in the botox and fillers in his face and it showed. I'm not sure why he got lip fillers too. Kind of a crazy look for him.

Richie Sambora

Blind Item #6

There is no favor this tabloid/television show creator won't do to stick his head further up this momager's butt. 

Blind Item #5

This A list singer who started off on a reality show and is probably a permanent A list singer says she only likes hooking up with guys in relationships or in marriages because the sex is better and they tend to be more loyal to her.

Blind Item #4 - A Reader Blind Item

Taking a page from that permanent A++ celebrity who is always in the news, and likes to talk in superlatives even when they don't apply, this studio chief as well as a major actor just talked up a project that in the current environment probably shouldn't be made. Apparently there have been talks behind the scenes about publicly embracing the A++er, because maybe if you're just that outrageous you can steamroll all the inevitable criticism.

And given the back and forth phone calls with that former editor and adviser, don't be surprised to see a campaign of disinformation against both the movie's box office competitors and its detractors.

Blind Item #3

No matter how many apologies are given, this A- list mostly television actor from a hit network show and the studio are facing almost a dozen possible lawsuits because of his past behavior. 

Blind Item #2

This married former A+ list rapper would normally turn to his secret designer lover when things were like this to make everything all better. He thought his protege felt the same way, but was turned down full stop, and now you have this.

Blind Item #1

This former A+ list singer was supposedly just worth a tiny fraction of what everyone thought. The thing is though, the current wife drained the coffers during the last year or two to make sure she got her share even if other heirs got nothing.

Blind Item #18

Apparently this closeted wannabe reality star with the very famous friends is paranoid about getting busted with a guy even though the entire world knows he loves guys. So, our wannabe reality star has stopped hooking up with men in person and only has phone sex now.

Blind Item #17

This east coast Housewife is basically just reaching out to all the men who previously hooked up for one night stands with this other east coast Housewife and saying she will give them the same rate.

Blind Item #16

This A-/B+ list dual threat actress is filming a Netflix movie right now with actresses on about her same level. Everyone is worried about how little our actress is eating, but does seem to enjoy her wine in the afternoons, so she is getting some calories. 

Blind Item #15

In probably one of the worst decisions that this B/B- list mostly television actress from a hit almost television show could have made was taking her actor boyfriend back after the crap he has put her through. She is blinded and is going to end up dead.

Blind Item #14

This A+ list mostly movie actor talks a big game about being pious and wholesome but there was that time in his 20's when he got a 14 year old pregnant and then paid a guy to take her to go get an abortion.

Blind Item #13

This alliterate reality star from that bar show has been hooking up with a man who has three wives. 

Blind Item #12

At the same party last night, this A list everything in her mind who at this point is probably permanent A list everything in her own mind had no idea who this athlete turned reality star was which was probably a good thing. He needed a little balloon bursting. 

Blind Item #11

At this big event last night, this former A+ list singer was wasted, but everyone loved it. She used to be a horrible drunk, and she probably shouldn't be drinking, but she also seemed really happy for the first time in a long time.

Blind Item #10

The former husband of a current east coast Housewife is still barely hanging on to celebrity status. He should be worried about those guys he calls his business partners and what they will do to him when they find out he stole their investment. I don't think this will end up in a court of law.

Blind Item #9 - Guess The Author

So, my friend Helen was reading the October 1952 issue of Family Circle and wants to try and figure out who the author mentioned above could possibly be. 

Blind Items Revealed #5

April 17, 2018

Don't believe the hype. There is no way that the foreign born still one hit wonder would ever go out with the always broke A- list rapper more than one time. He can't afford her prices. Plus, he is hooking up with his ex just to get a little cash infusion of his own.

Iggy Azalea/Tyga/Kylie Jenner

Today's Blind Items - It Was Almost Someone Else

Back in about 2002-2003 this hopefully will never again get out of jail child molester/rapist was probably at peak earning power. One of the people who attended his classes and was enamored by him was the foreign born offspring of a former leader who still makes a name for himself today. Now, unlike many others from her country, this offspring for the most part managed to stay in the shadows with her relationship to the molester.

Another person who was a frequent guest at the seminars then but has never previously been mentioned was this former A+ list mostly movie actress who got her start on a very famous television show way back in the day. All of you still know this actress although she rarely works any longer. Anyway, she and her significant other had been trying for years to get a bunch of regulations lifted so they could expand a vacation house they owned. Enter the child molester who introduced the actress to the offspring. Problem solved.

Our actress was so happy about the connection that she started bringing her own offspring to see some of the seminars. Our child molester made a bold move to hook up with the offspring of the actress. Now, at the time, the offspring had a significant other but did hook up with the molester and did so frequently. While they were in the midst of this hookup, a news report broke based on some leaked documents which made our child molester and his seminars look really bad. It happened at just the worst time. Our actress was going to be a public face of the seminars and the offspring was going to leave her significant other and be with the child molester full time. When that news story broke though almost two decades ago, the actress was spooked and bolted and took her offspring with her.

If not for that news story, we could be looking at someone completely different as the top female of the group.

Your Turn

Have you ever used Groupon? Was it worth it? Did you ever go back at full price?

Blind Items Revealed #4

April 17, 2018

Apparently the most recent overdose was the final straw in the relationship between this foreign born former A+ list boy bander turned drug addict and one of his team.

Zayn Malik

Blind Items Revealed #3

April 18, 2018

Considering how loud she was during sex at a party this past weekend in the desert, I think we can all safely assume that this B list celebrity offspring/model of someone who might be lower on the list than her now is not in fact doing anything with that foreign born A list singer.

Hailey Baldwin/Shawn Mendes

Blind Items Revealed #2

April 18, 2018

This foreign born A- list mostly movie actress who is an Academy Award winner/nominee and is a part of a long long running franchise at least for one more installment didn't like the event her people had booked her for. So, she did what I would do and decided to make the most of it by getting hammered and everyone left loving her.

Naomie Harris

Blind Item #8

This pay cable show is a big hit, but behind the scenes, it is one of the worst places to work and unless you are one of the stars, you never want to go back. Unless things have changed, the producers are just playing roulette at this point as to when they will get sued for hostile work environments. The producers tried to go in after scenes, sometimes a week later to try and get actors to sign nudity riders and releases in an attempt to cover themselves.

There was that scene filmed in an actual mausoleum where the people in charge had to be warned against trying to make the actors touch each other's genitals, especially without barriers. Several crypts were damaged because the actors were painted head to toe, sweating profusely and given no breaks. They ended up leaning against the crypts and the paint would smear on the crypts. Oh, and don't forget the lit torches that were held and lit for hours which caused temperatures to soar even higher and caused multiple people to pass out from the heat.

Oh, and don't forget the guys who kept wandering on set and pleasuring themselves in the corners to the scenes they were watching. Several high level crew quit that day because of the conditions. 

Blind Item #7

This almost television show probably could have continued for another season, but the two leads can't stand each other and the male lead has the biggest ego around despite how he tries to come across in real life. It is a shame because with the news this week, there is going to be a demand for this type of show.

Blind Items Revealed #1

April 18, 2018

Unless there is some quick settlement, you are going to see this permanent A+/A list singer being embarrassed on a fairly regular basis. There will be stories leaked or court filings. I told you a long time ago this former relationship was going to get ugly and end up in the courts.

Mariah Carey/Stella Bulochnikov

Blind Item #6 - Mr. Hedge

This athlete investor has been grilled on a high-profile pay cable show.  If you want to watch him squirm in the interview chair, get your popcorn ready.

Blind Item #5

The producers of this new pay cable show have been accused of getting actors to make them child porn. It has become so bad that self tape places here in town are refusing the business of anyone who is taping auditions for the show, even if the actors remain clothed. Of course if they do remain clothed the producers won't hire them.

Blind Item #4 - Mr. Hedge

This artist married to a celebrity with many lucrative side gigs revved up his social media presence very recently.  It is all a ploy to get side deals himself.  A desperate A-list CEO signed up almost immediately as this artist's first customer. 

Blind Item #3

This former tweener actress/singer turned daytime staple is having issues with her marriage. She thinks it is all about the money, but her husband, once a cheater, always a cheater has been talking to a few women online.

Blind Item #2 - Mr. Hedge

This streaming service finally raised some of the cash they needed very recently.  Their stock has been taking a beating. because the money cost them alot more than their investors expected - just as predicted. 

The service grabbed all the cash they could, for now.  They had to borrow at junk bond rates, for the first time.

Problem is, the cash was only about enough to fund about 6-8 months of their projected cash burn this year. 

The cost of borrowing even more money would be quite prohibitive.

So what happens to their stock price the next time they need cash, and where do they get it from? 

Blind Item #1

Desperate for more attention and pushing the edge more and more to maintain it, there have been ongoing talks about releasing a new sex tape. The A+ list reality star feels she is losing the fame game to others and wants to grab the leadership back.

Blind Item #18

This foreign born A list singer can't get his addictions under control and his actress wife will leave him if he continues along this path. She has always been single minded in her focus and would leave in an instant if he makes her veer from that path.

Blind Item #17

This A- list mostly television actress has a good thing going with the new season of her hit pay cable show. Hooking up with this foreign born actress/model would be a terrible move, but that appears to be what is going on. 

Blind Item #16

Their PR people would like you to think this A+ list mostly movie actor is dating this A- list mostly movie actress who started on television, but he has a type and she isn't it. He likes blondes. He likes them submissive and he likes them young. 

Blind Item #15

This A+/A list mostly movie actress who is a part of the comic book franchise is looking a little worse for wear as she has been indulging in her love of coke. 

Blind Item #14

Apparently this now deceased former A list teen actor was a subject in a never completed documentary about the movie business and specifically starting off as a teen. There is about two hours of footage with the actor and according to the producer who is trying to bring the project back to life, the actor says some not kind things about a presumed actor friend.

Blind Item #13

Earlier this month, or very late last month I told you about this foreign born A- list mostly movie actor who passed on a big book based franchise and has been floundering since and the woman he was seeing while filming a movie. Apparently things have become serious between the two and he dropped the girlfriend from the drug dealing family. She knows lots and lots of things about him so, he should be prepared for a lot of leaks. She was not pleased.

Blind Item #12

Apparently this former A+ list singer sells live sex shows and live sex acts of the underage females he controls. They have rooms inside his house and are forced to webcam for hours each day. 

Blind Item #11

Don't believe the hype. This foreign born A+ list singer is not dating that one named singer. He is just trying to get her name out there to sell more records since she is signed to his label. 

Blind Item #10

Apparently everything was great the first weekend, but this previous weekend, this permanent A+ list singer was introduced to the significant other of a band member and he said something which made out singer not want him there. That turned into an epic meltdown battle and I think that band member is going to be replaced like so many others before her.

Blind Item #9

This still very young three named ingenue is doing her best to ruin her youthful appearance by using botox and fillers. I don't know what was going on with her last night.

Blind Items Revealed #5

April 17, 2018

At a recent comic con, this permanent A+ list celebrity/writer/creator was basically signing an X in lieu of his name and also disappointing hundreds of fans by leaving early or not able to make it to his assigned time at all. The thing is though, his handlers are trying to make as much cash from him as they can before he passes so keep trotting him out to these events.

Stan Lee

Today's Blind Items - Want Some Money?

This actress was probably never higher than B- list. I am probably being generous with that listing. The only reason I am even putting her that high up is that she did have a nice recurring role on a hit show during one season of its run. Our actress started off young. Very young. She probably couldn't have been more than 8 or 9 when she worked with this former A+ list mostly movie actor. He was someone she would turn to as she moved into her teens and started using drugs and was always in need of money.

When she was about 16 or 17, she started using and it wasn't long before she made a call to him asking for money. He was happy to help. No questions asked. After a half dozen times asking though, he changed the script on her. If she wanted money she had to have sex with him. She was so addicted to drugs she willingly went along with it. Instead of trying to get her help, the Oscar winning actor just used her to fulfill his own twisted fantasies. When she was about 18, it was not just him that she was being forced to service. Our actor would ask if she needed money which was code for he had someone who wanted to sleep with her. She would always say yes, and actually began landing parts again because many of these men were producer and directors. None of the movies were memorable or ever really saw the light of day, but she did get some work. She thought she was going to make a comeback and even went to rehab. The thing is though, our actor liked her hooked and desperate and got her to start using again and servicing his friends.

Our actress finally broke free of his clutches and went back to her hometown but she couldn't kick the drugs and was seeing guys for money and drugs right up to her death.

Your Turn

What is something that has been in your food pantry longer than a year?

Blind Items Revealed #4

April 17, 2018

Apparently the fight may go to lawyers after an epic screaming match. This foreign born A list celebrity who used to fancy herself a singer back in the day thought she was doing something good for charity and she was. The only problem is that this foreign born A/A- list celebrity wanted all the money from the project to go to the people it was highlighting and not charity.

Victoria Beckham/Mel B (Spice Girls t-shirt)

Blind Items Revealed #3

April 16, 2018

"Aren't you like 50? Why are you here?"

Question asked in the desert this weekend to this former A- list singer in a manufactured group turned reality judge mainstay, who really had no answer and just walked away and shortly thereafter out of the party.

Nicole Scherzinger

Blind Items Revealed #2

April 16, 2018

I think in the next year or so, we are going to wonder why no one did anything to help this former tweener turned adult actress/singer as she killed herself with booze and drugs. The thing is though, she has had several interventions and multiple trips to rehab. The only thing I haven't seen tried is a 24/7 sober coach. She needs it. Probably the worst weekend I have seen her have in two years.

Selena Gomez

Blind Item #8 - Sneak Preview - Dancing Boy Update

Here's a sneak preview to a coming submission. It involves an audition for a movie that helped to bring down the production company of a famous foreign-born A list producer, as well as a small sea of young, blond/blue eyed boys trying out, and a consultant with certain interests (them/that). (This movie would go on to be remade, as part of a hugely successful franchise beginning actually with the sequel. The latter won the trifecta of major awards. All were based on novels.) It will also involve...llamas. For a time during this particular decade, one very legendary and eccentric entertainer traveled everywhere with them - including this studio backlot. (A certain person concerned frees the llamas from the trailer, and the entertainer shows up, but is not angry. He invites this young person back to his house to see that the llamas are treated humanely.) More famously, the presence of the animals in the studio helped to scuttle a collaboration between this entertainer and another permanent A lister. He thought it was gross, and if you've ever lived near them you know how badly they can smell. Just imagine having to be with them in a small, enclosed space. We're going to be trying to get a certain song - part of the collaboration released almost a half-decade ago - for the end of the forthcoming DB short. As in: so this is life... I wonder if the lawyers for the estate actually read scripts before they license material. I guess we'll find out.

You might say that the consultant in this story is a 1/2 + the title of the movie (which was remade under the actual novel title, involving a mythic beast).

Blind Item #7

They had a dinner date and everything was fine, but this record setting rapper was left at home alone last night when her significant other went to hook up with another woman he is seeing.

Blind Items Revealed #1

April 16, 2018

Apparently that attacker in the not too distant past had magical powers because the attacker managed to somehow open an admittedly locked car door before the attack. Huh. Or, you know what? Maybe there was no attack.

Corey Feldman

Blind Item #6 - Mr. X - Easy Easy

Even though they always deny it, this royal used the same surrogate she did with her other kids. The surrogate will be a very wealthy woman, she gets paid upwards in the millions to pop out those babies.

Blind Item #5

This very old A+ list legend is being sued. The thing is though, his handlers are in on the lawsuit so they can get a piece of any settlement the legend has to pay. They want every cent they can get their hands on before he dies and their control slips away.

Blind Item #4 - Old Hollywood

Every person has a picture in their mind how this former A list mostly movie actress must have been the best mom ever while living what some saw as a fairy tale. Nope. She regularly beat her kids and was known for abandoning them for months on end to live her own life.

Blind Item #3

This foreign born A+ list mostly movie actor might be house hunting with someone, but it doesn't mean they are going to start living together any time soon, despite what they want the world to think, they never have.

Blind Item #2

As a favor, this accused rapist asked his co-star/boss to allow an actor to remain on the show to keep recruiting for that "church," and the co-star/boss agreed.

Blind Item #1

This foreign born B- list mostly movie actress who has dabbled in reality television designed to get her sober is back boozing it again after a long period of sobriety. This probably won't turn out well.

Blind Item #17 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 10

After years, Cissy finally moved on.  She found a great man to support her and heal her heart, and she started a great family away from the business.  Too painful to stay.  She deserves her happiness, as Buddy would've wanted.  Nin found strength and peace in her own budding movie career, as a way to stay connected to what Buddy would've wanted for her.  She will never get over losing her hero, her brother.  But she's learned to put it where it belongs and move ahead.  I'm so in awe of her beauty, her brilliance, genius, and the love she shares with everyone.  She had a good run in a few films and shows, but decided she'd rather live life than act it.  With her amazing Mom, she's become a genius businesswoman and their foundation has helped tons of worthy people.  She is her father's and her brother's keeper – and a great woman whom I will love forever.  As she does me.  Those things we lost in one split-second shot – our futures altered forever – we've accepted as part of a greater plan.  We have to.  Our love for each other remains, just differently.  She and I still talk and see each other now and then.  We share things deeper than any man and wife will ever share – a cord connecting us through Buddy's spirit that will carry us into eternity.

Whenever that time comes.  But just not yet.

No remake of that movie will ever touch the deep root of passion, humanity, and raw burning soul that burns through that film.  My buddy – my brother – is alive and breathing in every frame of that film.  Some things are best left as they are, and remain too sacred to desecrate for pure financial greed.  Is that selfish of me? Perhaps.  But I earned the right to say it.  I endured a crashing, forceful amputation of half my soul and nearly my own life for that film.

Every night I see a star, and every time I see the waves break on the beach at night, I know Buddy is there with me.  Like the character he played in the film, he's right beside me.  Alive and re-born to continue watching over me; protecting me; and leading me from beyond his grave.  I feel him in the wind, and hear his raucous laugh echo in the darkness.  If he were alive today? He'd be right here as one of us Himmmms I can promise you that.  Many, many times he's been there to help me through tough times; nightmares neverending; and tragic times which I've since learned to handle as part of life.  That fragile dynamic which is our life.  Yours and mine…all of our lives.

Even tonight as my friend Nin and I hover over this keyboard typing, I can still see Buddy right next to me. Alive and running around the den in here.  All I have to do is look at a certain dark-haired, sparkplug, little boy running around my own house as he does now and then.  Those wavy long dark locks and that Cheshire-cat grin that says "oops! Sorry!"…and laughs his little-self right out of trouble.  That little boy is a living, breathing, offspring in my own family.  He is the same little boy who has my blood in his veins – my blood pumping through his own heart – and he carries the same name of my deceased buddy.  As a tribute in honor of my buddy, friend, and "brother".  And sometimes, when nobody else is around, I see a little glint in that little boy's mischievous eye.  Then and there – I feel my brother has come back, almost winking at me again.  Like the universe is talking to me through him.  Like he HAS been reborn in some way, to get another chance and to laugh with me again.
   
Because, after all…"stranger things have happened".

Blind Item #16 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 9

Every day and minute thereafter was like crawling through molasses.  Time dragged on.  I can barely remember much of those days even now.  Later on, I was sent papers to appear or give affidavits in over 10 legal actions; cross actions; or related filings.  My attorneys worked to quash and expunge my name and the names of my interests from every single action.  In the end I was never named nor targeted as a party in anything.  I never testified for or against anyone.  The conspiracy theories and tabloids were brutal and disgusting.  Truth is – it WAS a tragic accident.

Nothing would bring Buddy back, no matter who got blamed or how much I blamed myself.  I supported Nin, Cissy, and the family in every way possible.  And they did the same for me, never blaming me but only thanking me for they knew my loss as I did theirs.  Every time I read or heard anything about Buddy or the film? Was like ripping scabs open and poisoning me anew.  Until their Mom said she wanted me to see to it that movie was finished properly, for him.  To make it BOTH our legacies.  To do it for her, would be as close as she could get to having him back.  It was the least I could do – I fed off my pain and used it as fuel.  A very long night alone I spent out on that same beach Buddy and I had last been.  By myself, spent talking and asking for guidance and strength.  Would he have let it all go? Would he have faded away or would my big brother have dug in his heels and fought even harder?  I heard my answer in the ocean.

Much time passed and many assumed the film would never be finished.  Through months of work with the Director and other script doctors, we were able to pull it together.  The Director, plus Cissy, Nin, and all of us agreed with his Mom that it must be finished for his sake.  I made sure their wishes were carried out, going so far as threatening insurance companies.  Paramount pulled out not wanting to touch the circus surrounding it.  I cut a deal bringing in people to sign with a brotherly duo who were distributors (now disgraced) who agreed to buy it. I personally got the soundtrack finished to complete the rock theme-song in time for release.  I literally sat in the mixing chair helping that "Goth-father" to finish in the studio. Our miraculous Musical Supervisor and I went to other friends in the music business to recruit them to pitch in – and not a single one ever said "no".  Even the reluctant UK band which inspired the original comic agreed to let us use their older stuff. 

At last we finished everything.  It was a complete masterwork worthy of Buddy's legacy.  A year later after the accident, the movie finally came out.  It was released to massive success, and even the soundtrack was a hit.  It was a year that re-defined my life.  In my early 20s in this industry and I was already baptized by a horrible trial by fire.  Somehow, we all survived it.

Blind Item #15 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 8

I saw the clock - it was just past 1pm that Wednesday afternoon.  He'd slipped away gently…quietly.  With almost a smile of peace on his face.  With my own blood pumping through his heart.  My blood pumping through his veins, beating those last beats of life through his body…was my own blood mixed with his.  Brothers…til the very end.

All I could say to Cissy, over and over was: "I let you down…I wasn't there."  She never felt that towards me, but it was how I felt.  Like, If I'd stayed there to see to every detail.  If I'd not supported pushing the team so hard.  If I'd offered to get investors to buy it and go slower.  I would have given every fucking worthless dollar my family and friends and companies ever had, just to have him back.  If I'd just swallowed my pride and asked my people for the money to buy the film outright, to buy us more time to shoot slower.  Not to push it to "eleven" like some cocky kid.  Then maybe he'd still be here.  If I'd never brought the film to this studio…to this state.  Now he was gone, just like I'd last played with that legendary iconic actress on those same sands in my childhood; those same beaches…now I'd lost Buddy too.  It was my fault, somehow.  I was cursed.  It had to be.  I couldn't shake the guilt…that heavy weight…that all I'd done had led up to this.

I spent that tragic night with a shocked, inconsolable Nin. We holed up away from the world in a place on the beach.  Sealed off in shock and hurt.  Anger.  Guilt.  Fear and burden.  Even losing my own family member months before hadn't hurt like this. Replaying every single word, each second of our lives together.  Nin stared for hours at the darkness and the moon out across the balcony.  The winds blowing us, holding and rocking each other like babies.  Hearing the waves, seeing the moon glow off the water.  Up until that moment I'd never in my life considered suicide as an alternative to anything.  But then – and there, I knew how low a human could go.  I knew how deep the hurt could reach into your breath and choke the life from you.  All I could rationally think was that he was gone, and I wanted to be with him.  Nin knew it too.  I didn't want to be left alone to endure this life without him.  Neither of us did.

We held each other tighter – as if we were afraid the other would slip away if we let go.  We very well might have slipped away had we let go.  We gripped each other until we passed out, holding and rocking each other on that balcony all night.  We woke sometime the next day on that balcony, covered in the other's tears. No more wedding; no more birthday party.  No more plans or futures for all of us together.  It was too much to feel at once. Another entire day and night, we never left that place except to go to the ocean and back.  We yelled.  We cried like inconsolable children.  We loved and hated, and embraced.  We raged and screamed – until we had no tears left in either one of us.  Our voices gone hoarse; our eyes sunken hollow.

We loved and we hurt.  We tried to bury our hurt beneath our love.  It would be the last time we'd hold each other like that.  Tragic pain can strangle even the deepest love, until it's all you see and think of.  We became a constant reminder to each other of all we'd lost – and all that would never be.  A trauma and tragedy so overpowering that it even physically effects the human body.  Our love growing inside her body would never survive the trauma of that week.  One more soul gone.  One more unfulfilled dream snuffed from our lives; stolen away from us again.

Blind Item #14 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 7

WEDNESDAY MARCH 31st.

Just after midnight of a new day.  I was coming off the late flight at Kennedy Airport in New York, half asleep and lost in thought.  An out-of-breath man in a suit and a sweaty uniformed cop were on the jetway.  They asked for me by name.  They showed badges, and told me to follow.  They'd run straight through the terminal to meet my plane.  I was confused – thinking someone planted drugs in my bag or something.  They ushered me down the ramp and down to a private office.

The detective said: "I'm sorry to have to tell you this Son…there's been a shooting.  In North Carolina, on a movie set – an actor, your friend, was shot."

HUH?? WAIT - WHAT?? This is some mistake fellas.  Or maybe a crew member was hurt, but not Buddy.  I started thinking some insane fan had run onto the set shooting people.  Or a jealous lover or someone in the crew.  What do you mean?  Then he told me again – slowly.  I sat down.  He said the details were scarce – it had happened while I was airborne, just now – but during a scene something happened on set, and shot Buddy by accident.  The cop didn't know anything more, if the gun had been replaced with a real one, or what.  Just that Buddy was rushed to the hospital down there, even as we were now speaking.

I didn't breathe for a full minute.

I just couldn't comprehend it.  I called Nin.  I called Cissy.  I called their Mom.  All busy lines, the only cellular brick phone was in the production office of the UPM. No answer.  I called my family, who already were on it and were getting details straight from the hospital now on another line.  I called everyone on set and in production, and finally got some answers.  They were all in a state of shock.  I spoke to the Director on the phone while I sat there in the customs office at JFK. He'd contacted my family, who contacted NYPD.  He said I needed to be there right now.  He said Nin knew, and was trying to get flights for her Mom and herself there.  I'd take care of that for them, begging and bribing pals in the business for their private jets.  I had relatives already on the way to meet me at JFK, and within minutes they had a jet ready for me and my same suitcase in my hand.  Within an hour of the shooting, I was back en route to North Carolina – to a local airport there.

What followed next was all like a blur of an acid fever dream; a nightmare; a carny ride from hell.  Late that night/early morning, I got to the hospital and a nurse scrubbed and dressed me like a doctor.  Buddy was still technically alive as he was in between surgeries in an ICU recovery unit.  I could not really accept it in my mind.  I stood frozen in the doorway…staring.  Stunned.  I couldn't hear the words coming from the doctor's mouth.  Lips moved, I heard nothing.  Buddy looked like he was playing a prank on me – ready to wake up.  I couldn't comprehend it.  Tubes, wires, machines everywhere.  I was in total shock, holding his hand – staring at tubes pumping blood out of his abdomen.  Seeing him alive, but not alive.  So much blood.  It was everywhere, but I just stared hypnotized as the blood pumped through that clear tube.  Like I was seeing my brother's life pumped out of him somehow.  His hand was so cold and limp.  I squeezed it, talking to him – hoping he could hear something.  Anything.  Everything.  The tubes pumped, the hoses blew air, and the monitors beeped.  This couldn't be my brother; my hero…my best friend.  Our entire lives flashed through my mind
. 
I felt so lifeless, so helpless there.  I couldn't protect my friend who protected me so many times.  I was powerless to help him and wanted to do something – to call someone, solve the problem, fix the crisis.  But I could not.

All I could do was cry and tell him: "I am so sorry.  I am so sorry…so sorry."

Every word that came out of my mouth was in a cry, and like a dam suddenly exploding - the tears would not stop.  I begged him not to leave me – not to leave us.  Please.  We had to have you to make everything right.  I told him – begged him – that I would make it all right again.  Just please give me one more chance?  We still had so much we had to do.  I told him I LOVED Nin, and that I WILL marry her.  And that Cissy was going to have their beautiful babies someday.  That we'd all live next door to each other, and we'd have cook-outs and go to our kids' ballgames.  Our kids would grow up together just like we did – wrestling, playing music, dropping water balloons on us.

"You CAN'T GO!"  I yelled, cried, and begged.  "God, please…just stay – just don't leave me.  We were gonna take over and make the business our way.  Make new movies.  New music, and do it ourselves.  We were going to take over the world.  Together…PLEASE don't…I'm sorry I let you down…I need you.  We need you.  Please don't leave me alone…"

It was the last thing I got to say to him - my best friend – my brother. The last thing that I got to say while his heart was still beating in that bed.  The ICU Nurses and Doctors came in to take him out of that ICU/recovery room to try another operation.  Then another.  Five more hours in and out of it.  They were some of the best, most relentless, heroic medical pros on earth.  They kept trying everything they could to save him.  They never gave up on my friend.  They fought harder than anyone could've asked.

I was sitting there, in that cold empty room, alone.  Just after mid-day.  I had just given my blood a second time (as a perfect/clean donor); and was staring at the red on my cotton swab.  My blood.  His blood.  Staring at the blood. Staring silently into space.  I heard her calling my name.  It was Cissy.  Her eyes so swollen, tear-streaked red down her face.  Like she'd been tortured.  Dressed in her scrubs gown, she couldn't speak – just her mouth open and closing.  I just grabbed and hugged her and we collapsed.  On that couch, holding each other as if the world was sucking us away in a tidal wave.  We shook and cried, and she kept beating hysterically on me yelling in rage.  Buddy had fought – as he always did – and given it everything he could.  The bullet had cut his spinal cord, after penetrating through the stomach into his back.  All from one single ten-foot shot.  He fought like the warrior he was.  He fought like I begged him to.  But in the end, it was too big for even him to overcome. After six hours of surgeries, liters and liters of blood transfusions – Cissy told me: he was now gone forever.

Gone…forever.  Forever.

Blind Item #13 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 6

I managed to impress upon the Director and department heads that we were at the edge of greatness. Rally the troops.  We had to instill in the entire team a sense of pride – that we were ALL going to make history, and a film they can build their careers on.  ANYTHING it took. We HAD to make them SACRIFICE and be willing to spill blood, sweat and tears. If we have to shoot 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in multiple shifts – we will.  The Director assembled everyone, and announced that no more off-duty antics.  He mentioned Oscars, and sequels.  Loyalty and sacrifice.  He repeated word for word all I told him, and they were starting to get the spirit.

He showed everyone the rough footage and shots.  All put to the music I'd brought back from London, like a long-form music video.  I looked around the room and saw people with tears in their eyes, shocked at the genius they saw on screen.  Hardly believing what they'd been doing on this little picture was so amazing.  Afterwards, the entire cast and crew agreed to give it everything they had.  They'd work day into night.  No more partying.  Everyone agreed to give everything they had to get it done.  Buddy hugged me and said: "YOU did it MAN! WOW! They feel it now.  See? It's the universe leading us again to something BIGGER than ourselves!", and he erupted with his raucous laugh.  I looked at him with sharp eyes, and he got serious.  Right then we both said, together: "Stranger things have HAPPENED!" and both burst out laughing again.  Just like little kids once more.

One guy on the crew was a very close friend of Buddy, and to me.  He was a rock for Buddy, and was a stuntman, double, and amateur therapist.  He eventually became an A list Director in his own right many years after this film, but back then was just a crew guy trying his best.  I told him that no matter what – do NOT let Buddy get an injury.  Double and triple check every rigging, every harness, every line.  Then check them again.  A single injury could delay us even a week and derail the entire movie.  This guy loved Buddy like a brother too.  When you're running crews with huge stunt shots and flaming sets on double shifts? Exhausted and cross-eyed? Things easily get overlooked.  The only thing worse than a drunk crew is an exhausted crew.

Buddy and I hugged goodbye as I headed to the car.  It was a beautiful early Spring day on the coast of North Carolina, that Tuesday March 30th.  Shooting would resume tonight, after a long day's worth of stunt shots; but I had to zip back to New York for meetings tomorrow.  With a little over a week left in Principal Photography, we'd get a month of post production. I knew that I could get friends at Paramount to swallow our movie as a big MTV-targeted action film.  Perfect plan. 

Buddy blessed it too, and told me to bring Nin to the set with Cissy, when I return. "May as well get you two out in the open, you little punk. But at least we can pair you two up in OUR wedding now." We both laughed exhausted laughs.  Since Nin and I were Maid of Honor and Best Man for their planned wedding, it was great.  We were all going to Mexico in two weeks for the ceremony.  The wedding was two days from Nin's birthday.  Since it was planned after the film's big wrap? It'll be total timely ecstasy – a perfect kickoff to all our perfect lives all intersecting at the exact same time.  NOTHING could stop us, after all, even the universe itself was on our side.

I wish I didn't know now…what I didn't know then.

Blind Item #12 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 5

Buddy was about to come unglued.  Many in crew and cast were in disarray.  I got with the Director and the Unit Production Manager and heard them vent, rail, explode, and rage.  Even the craft services and boom operator were about to walk out.  They all vented spleens at me.  The two Producers on a conference call with us went apeshit.  They said if I wanted to open some checkbooks, (call in my "Step-Daddy" they mockingly said) – or do a negative pickup outright? They'd be happy to.  But they then revealed a secret which changed everything – and would have unforeseen consequences for us all.  The producers said that the film was already behind schedule, and they'd leveraged it to the max.  They had already signed contracts with distributors; and like a shell game they were bluffing to buy more time. They could only afford to shoot one more week – but had TWO more weeks worth of shots to get!  HOLY HELL. 

The only hope they had was selling it to a single big distributor – like Paramount, and blow out these multiple smaller contracts.  These were veterans who were scared, and would be ruined if distributors backed out or we missed the film market deadline.  The older producer said I'd earned a rep as a whiz kid who could "out-think" problems and make things happen.  I took the challenge; bearing in mind that sink or swim I'd still not benefit from the movie.  But my buddy and our plans were on the line – and I'd NEVER let him down.

That night, Buddy and I did what any professional would do in a crisis.  We got very drunk.  We grabbed some rum and went out to Wrightsville Beach, NC.  We sat there at 3am drinking, smoking, and talking as we dared the sun to come up.  Trying to brainstorm our way out of this problem others had put us in.  A little over a week left to shoot with two weeks worth of shots to do.  Our dreams were about to tank.  So we drank.  We staggered to a darkened, small pier; and made our way down the beach near a motel called Breakers (or Sands or something beachy).  We sat in the sand, talking about tasting success so close while so young.  He broke his allegedly monk-like diet and we indulged in cheeseburgers and Marlboro Lights.  We talked about his wedding plans…and possibly my own.

He said he knew I'd been with Nin.  Their Mom ratted us out.  Buddy said I should help Nin with her blossoming acting career, and protect her since he was too busy.  He said he trusted me but told me (with a laugh) that I'd have to marry her – make an honest woman of her.  I told him: "Stranger things have happened". He slapped me. What neither of us knew at that time – was that his kid sister, my secret girlfriend whom I dearly loved – had our love growing inside of her at that exact moment.  She'd not told me yet, wanting to wait until the upcoming wedding/birthday trip we had in a couple of weeks.  Buddy and I sat on the dark beach and laughed, cursed, cried, yelled at the moon, and even nearly drowned in the waves.  We both felt better, and got a ride back to his place.  Just in time to shower, clean up, and make it to the big production meeting that morning.  I think I had an idea how to save this movie the same way he and I always lived life: to "turn it up to 11".

Blind Item #11 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 4

Home was Los Angeles, and the studio sound stages the production was going to shoot on were a nightmare.  It was all too sunny and distracting.  Nothing was working, the vibe of the original dark comic was gone.  It was like "Gidget goes Mall Goth", and was all wrong.  That night, hungover and jetlagged, I met Buddy and we went to the Director's house – then we three drove to the Producer's house.  After hours of debating and discussing, we had two choices: put it into turnaround and he'd sell it to recoup expenses; or find another studio lot to shoot on.  But where could we at this late date? And within our micro-budget? A few short calls later, we had another studio.  In another state.

If there was one thing that this new place could be - it was going to be dark and depressing – for me anyway.  Because as a child, it was the last time and place I'd spent time with a legend, playing on the beach with this deceased permanent A+ actress when I was only a child.  She was the sweetest, most beautiful woman I'd ever known.  Nothing like the memory of a dead Icon you loved to darken your mood.  When I told Buddy about my childhood story, he wept.  Then he reminded me that our movie was about overcoming those tragic memories.  Of rebirth, after death.  Those were his exact words to me that night.  "Don't you see man?? This is the UNIVERSE talking to US?? Just US! It's perfect! We can burn all that darkness away and make it rise from the DEAD like the story does!". His exact words that night, with his emphatic smile. Even today, all this time later…it makes the hairs on my arms stand up.

The studios in Wilmington, North Carolina were a rebuilt warehouse folly built by Dino DeLaurentiis in a dream to have his own kingdom.  He chose that location due to a relative of mine who hailed from that state, who relocated to Italy and became close to Dino.  When my relative brought Dino to the coast of NC to scout and vacation, he fell in love.  But Dino the skinflint skimped on everything, and the studio had nearly fallen down around itself in those days.  Carolco Pictures was the main tenant, with all their big 80s action films trying to shoot on the cheap.  The upshot? They gave a twenty-something first-time volunteer producer the keys and said to pay them when we could.  Pretty good deal for an entire studio lot, facilities, and a cooperative city government.

I was so proud of myself – the hubris of youth.  I had pulled off a coup, and without using my family to do it for me.  When my Dad found out he was impressed, and inflated my ego even more.  I'd never felt stronger, or prouder of myself.  Unfortunately, a very sad family situation occurred for me just before Christmas.  It was huge, and really put a dark cloud over everything in my life.  They say bad things – bad luck – and even tragedies, come in threes.  I never believed it until I realized the truth in that old superstition much later.  But by New Years it was only a bump in the road for me.

The Production Designer and Art Department had already built a lot of parts of the sets in California;  so I paid the to have those shipped to Wilmington.  We were using real, practical effects and stunts in those days.  One of the stuntmen was a good friend of Buddy, who trained at the same fighting school.  They even looked alike from a distance.  With an amazing crew from California mixed with awesome local NC crew – an entire world was created very rapidly.  In just one month – I flew from Raleigh NC airport to London Heathrow four different times to keep working on the soundtrack.  I had to make quick flights to L.A. to deal with my family drama, and lawyers in New York. But I had an amazing Music Supervisor and faith they would nail it.  It would be epic for our audience, for MTV – which were people our own age.  Running back and forth was killing me, and coupled with my family situation; zipping between California, New York, London, and Carolina… I was about to have a breakdown.  Thankfully, Nin kept me going.  Always reminding me in her optimistic way that our sunrise was right around the corner. Our paradise was ours – just hold on and make it through.

The call came at 9pm one March night: "Please get your ass back down here".  It was Buddy.  He said things were falling apart and we weren't far from wrapping principal photography.  Due to our low budget and dragging schedule, some of the more veteran crew had to depart for bigger paying gigs elsewhere.  Certain other crew were drinking and doing drugs, and too much partying with nearby college girls.  A lot of young ladies showing up for "day work" promised the night before by gaffers, gofers, and grifters.  The Director was getting hell from the producers who had a deadline for a sales festival to pre-sell foreign territory rights for the picture.  Thus, the producers were reluctant to crack a whip on some crew members for fear of them walking off so close to the end.  I jacked a ride on a private jet and flew straight down there.

I was met by Cissy at the airport, who was heading out for a quick trip – and she was in tears.  She told me everything, and that it was falling apart with the finish line in sight.  We only had a week or two left to shoot and then wrap post production.  I promised her that I would not let this movie fail.  I would not let my best friend end up in a flop in his big breakout movie.  She smiled, hugged me, and said she'd be back tomorrow but only now could she leave without regret.  "I know it'll all be fine, since you're here – you're the only one he can count on to save him", she said.  I promised her I would.

It was the most horrific promise I'd ever unintentionally break in my life.

Blind Item #10 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 3

Around that time Buddy let some of his wild streak take over, and we both got in trouble for "borrowing" an un-used hearse and cruising Hollywood one night.  He ended up sent off to school in Boston, then New York.  By my college years, Buddy was supposed to come with me to England again for a big concert.  But his acting career had started to take shape and landed a role in a television movie.  After getting his butt in trouble for his partying and slacking, he'd gotten more into physical training.  He also turned to acting seriously, supported by his mom and MY parents as well.  My Dad got him his first agent and helped set up a multi-film studio pact.  But all his acting, and my summer job working at a family production company – meant we couldn't team up yet.  We talked every few days, and were looking for a new project we could do together.  Something I could cut my teeth on in Producing-Directing-Writing; and he could star in.

I had discovered a very dark, underground comic through an old pal of mine who was an art school kid back east.  I loved this dark comic, and went to a friend of mine to help me find the author.  Barely out of my teens I wound up the proud owner of the movie rights, which I partnered with a producer and sold to an indie film outfit.  Oddly, they could not get a single director to attach to this movie.  I resisted calling in favors or getting family involved.  I stubbornly wanted to make it on my own.  Finally, I suggested a guy who had been directing music videos/commercials at a company my family co-owned where I was working.  This former A list, mostly movie director, (who today is trying to make a comeback after a big absence) was a genius and saw the potential right away.  He was THE Director we wanted; and allowed my friend to audition.  What we had was a nice, little, indie film.  I had sold all my interests in it but stuck around and helped do script punch-ups and dialogue doctoring for the screenplay.  I was sort of an all-purpose Executive Producer for everything.

The day Buddy got the call that he'd won the part, he called Nin at her Southern college to tell her.  Afterwards, I snuck upstairs to call her back.  She was auditioning for small movies herself, and I was helping her on the sly.  I begged her to fly out for the week, but always the smart one – she stayed at school to work and study her scripts (or her part-time off-again college boyfriend).  So that left Buddy and I to throw a celebration to blow out all the stops.  We invited EVERYBODY, and they all showed up.  My parents' house looked like Jake's house after that party scene in Sixteen Candles.  Pizza on the turntable, foam oozing from the vents.  When Dad came home early from his golfing trip, he lovingly pulled me by my hair - from beneath a blanket made of empty beer cans laying on top of me on the couch.  Buddy raised up from beneath the coffee table – smiling big, with bloodshot eyes. Dad said: "Whatever it was I hope it was worth you two now having to join the Army since I'm kicking you BOTH out."

Buddy and I looked at each other a brief, solemn second.  Then, as if on cue, we BOTH said – deadpan: "Stranger things have happened". Then with that same charisma, and a glint in his eye; he gave a big shit-eating grin.  Ferris Bueller couldn't have done it better.  Dad was so pissed off - but with gallows humor, could not help but laugh.  We promised to clean up and repair everything – which we did.  But I don't doubt that if Buddy's charismatic charm had not saved the day? I'd now have the most illustrious career as a latrine-cleaner in the history of the Army's Alaskan Command.

After the partying was done, we went full-on into making our way as young bucks on this movie.  It takes a LONG time to get a movie project from development to production. We stayed at it day and night.  Buddy made some smaller movies, and I worked other projects; but we always kept this one chugging ahead.  The team, especially the director, really pulled in an amazing group of the most incredible talent who'd not yet broken out to the big time.  After work on the script, I focused on the soundtrack.  Working with the director, and Buddy too – we all wanted an epic soundtrack of rock songs to match the powerful visuals.  I immediately went to London, and recruited this foreign-born, former A list singer of a very dark rock band.  When you get a legendary "Goth-father" to agree to do original tracks for this type of film? You're holding magic.  I told that musician the dark comic was inspired by his music, and music of groups like Joy Division.  He loved the comic, and he and I worked tirelessly to build the music whenever he was sober enough.  I helped write the words for the song, and came up with a haunting backing piano track.  He took it to a perfectly new level.

Buddy was working his ass off training and practicing his lines.  We'd run lines on the phone at 4am London time – though he never knew his sister was beside me in bed instead of at college in New Orleans.  She was on college break and, well…love makes you do stupidly dangerous stuff.  She was getting her own roles now in small movies, and I was so proud of her.  I knew she could be an epic female action star on her own.  But Buddy began having doubts about his own abilities on the film.  I was getting calls from Cissy, who was by now his fiance, asking me to please return home to L.A. to help him.  She was very worried and we were still only in pre-production.  She said he felt so pressured to make a huge hit – that he was heading for a breakdown.  After Nin snuck back to school in New Orleans, I caught the first plane home.

Blind Item #9 - Stranger Things Have Happened - A Himmmm Blind Item - Part 2

We were inseparable every Summer, like a bad dream coming back – we'd terrorize our snotty neighbors.  From bottle rockets and potato guns, to water balloons dropped off the fire escapes on studio lots – we were pirates and soldiers.  Sneaking into windows at night, playing cops and robbers.  Sneaking cigarettes or sips of beer.  We were like those boys in The Sandlot; or Goonies; or the two boys in Big. Like family.  His Dad was gone, so my Dad was like a Dad to us both.  It was great.

As we got older, we'd go to concerts, out on double dates, and dream our teenage plans together.  We'd play ball and drag race.  Bullies stood no chance, and he saved my butt many times.  Bullies might make a crack at me, and Buddy would fly in to defend and protect me.  In exchange? I'd take him backstage to concerts, on studio sets, and to meet stars.  I'd do his book reports and he'd teach me how to talk to girls.  I idolized him like a big brother – and he'd always ask me to explain things to him that he didn't understand.  We were inseparable and every school break was a new adventure for us.  We made plans as we got older, to grow up and go into business together.  He was super smart and wanted to be a huge superstar.  We planned to start our own studio, and we both loved video games and computers.  I taught him how to use my state-of-the-art Tandy 1000. (Don't judge, it was hot back then!).  The only thing greater was our love of comics.  When I took Buddy to England and we met Alan Moore – we could see the future.

But there was always a third wheel; an extra element to our brotherhood.  He had this pesky kid sister always tagging along.  She and I were almost the same age, but she was kind of a quiet, shy, nerdy girl.  I was always old/mature for my age as a kid.  The product of growing up at studios, locations, concerts, and offices.  She was very sensitive and sweet, and always wanted Buddy's approval.  They called her Nin.  Buddy always was hitting on MY big sister, and he knew their flirting drove me mad.  So I used to pretend that his little sister was going to be my wife someday just to anger him.

One day when we were kids, she came strutting into the den in dress-up play clothes dressed like a little bride.  I pretended to be a groom.  She had flowers and asked if I would be HER wife?? After the laughter explosions, I kissed her chubby sweet little cheeks and told her "I DO".  She yelled "YIPEEE!" and danced around in her mom's oversize clunky heels.  When their mom ran in – Nin told her, and their mom laughed too. She snapped a Kodak photo of us in our pretend wedding clothes; said it was fine with her, though we'd have to wait at least 10 more years.  Buddy stopped laughing.  "Stranger things have happened", I said.  He gut punched me, I burped in his face,  and we began wrestling again.  And so it went, year after year for two best buddies.

A few years passed, and shy Nin started to grow out of her shell, and her cute baby fat stage, into a beautiful, brilliant young woman tougher than any boy.  I also noticed a beautiful artistic soul growing in her.  When I found out she was stood up from her school dance (probably because Buddy threatened the boy); I waited until Buddy was asleep on the sofa, and I went to her room and wiped her tears.  I convinced her that the idiot boy must've had diarrhea or something, and crapped his pants.  It's the ONLY explanation for not showing.  She giggled through her tears at my stupidity – but it was working.  I told her I had an idea.  She missed her dance? I'd give it back to her.  She still had her makeup on and hair looking so pretty, so why waste it?  She didn't believe me when I told her how pretty she was.  Everybody else was asleep, so we snuck out her window onto the roof.  I took her little boom box radio and put in a mix-tape I'd given to her earlier of pop songs.  I turned it on softly at her window, we turned off the lights, and with a blanket we crawled onto the shingles to re-create her school dance.

I told her I'd be honored to be her date, if she'd have me - and as "Time After Time" by Cindy Lauper played, I sang to her as we danced, just like a real dance.  She sobbed into my shoulder – as we tenderly swayed with each other. I wiped her cheeks and she smiled.  I saw the warmth in those big, dark eyes.  She held me tight and I kissed her for the first time – which turned out to be the first real kiss for both of us.  Something so gentle, so peaceful and true in that dance of ours.  With Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic", our dancing slowed more.  We lay on the shingles – side by side - talking and holding each other like it was what we'd meant to do forever.  Possibly…it was.  Like neither of us wanted to let go or that moment would slip away from us.  Such a precious, innocent, yet passionate moment of teenage truth there between us.  Still innocent and sweet.  I told her I'd always be hers anytime; she said she felt "safe and not alone anymore".  She fell asleep laying her head on my chest – her last words were telling me she loved the sound of "feeling my heart" in her ears to the music.  I looked up at the stars that gentle Spring night, knowing we were not alone.  I gave a wink upwards to a certain star, and The Cars song "Drive" softly serenaded us to sleep under that canopy.  I've rarely known a more pure, honest, and peaceful moment than that.

Years later she told me it was better than any school dance and she'd had a crush on me since we were little kids.  I shared her feelings. It was almost awkward, as she was almost like a sister to me.  She was the sister of my best friend – which is dangerous, especially when he can beat your ass. Then again? She could beat mine and his asses together by her 17th birthday, so there's that.  She dated boys on and off, but every time we'd see each other we'd both feel something.  But we both knew not to act on it.  We'd whisper lyrics to "Into The Mystic" to each other, winking and laughing – to the confusion of others.  Our secret dance – our perfect kiss.  We were patient.  She dated others; as did I.  But some things you cannot deny or hide.