Talk about a wall of ice! A small town in Newfoundland reports that an iceberg has washed ashore and has become a huge tourist attraction!

Here is the story from The Guardian:

A towering iceberg is causing traffic jams in a remote town on Canada’s east coast, as tourists jostle for a glimpse of the mass of ice sitting in shallow water just off Newfoundland.

The iceberg, which has dwarfed the nearby small town of Ferryland, is estimated to measure some 46 metres (150ft) at its highest point. “It’s the biggest one I ever seen around here,” mayor Adrian Kavanagh told the Canadian Press. “It’s a huge iceberg and it’s in so close that people can get a good photograph of it.”

There are concerns about why this huge iceberg is floating in the ocean, but it is also an amazing sight!

See their entire report here:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/19/ferryland-iceberg-newfoundland-canada#comment-96896117

This is just the latest “iceberg news” – remember the story in January from Antarctica?

This is a crack on the surface of the continent – and there are concerns that it will create an iceberg the size of Delaware!

This has potentially serious implications – read the whole story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/11/a-huge-antarctic-ice-crack-an-iceberg-the-size-of-delaware-amazing-places-going-underwater/

Let me know if you are headed to Newfoundland to see this iceberg!

Michael Nesmith Has An “Infinite” Present For Fans!

Singer/Songwriter/”The Monkees” TV Star Michael Nesmith has lived an incredible life, and now he has written a book about it – and it involves his Monkee bandmates, Jimi Hendrix, Jack Nicholson and more!

Michael Nesmith was the most accomplished Musician when he was cast in a seminal TV comedy in the late 60’s – but his life is so much more than that!

First, some music: here he is performing one of his great solo songs from the early 80’s: watch the Grammy award winning video for “Cruisin'” – also known as “Lucy And Ramona And Sunset Sam”…

That terrific video is from the first video to win a Grammy, awarded to Nesmith for his hilarious and groundbreaking “Elephant Parts”…and yes, he created a music video show that was the precursor to MTV – here is more detail on this terrific movie:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/11/14/elvis-drugs-michael-nesmith-the-dawn-of-mtv-elephant-parts-the-monkees/

Now, Michael Nesmith is sharing all of his life stories!

“Infinite Tuesday” Is Here!

Nesmith has just released his autobiography, and I ordered it immediately. I can’t wait to read it!

Here is the press release from PenguinRandomHouse:

“Michael Nesmith’s eclectic, electric life spans his star-making role on The Monkees, his invention of the music video, and his critical contributions to movies, comedy, and the world of virtual reality. Above all, his is a seeker’s story, a pilgrimage in search of a set of principles to live by. That search took Nesmith from a childhood in Dallas, where his single mother Bette invented Liquid Paper, to the set of The Monkees in Los Angeles”

Yes, his Mom INVENTED LIQUID PAPER!

Nesmith burst onto the scene when he was cast, along with Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz in the Beatlesque TV show “The Monkees.” From this fictional beginning, the band became a real sensation, with Nesmith writing many of the band’s hits…and guess what? On one tour, Jimi Hendrix opened for them!

Yes, they were friends with Jimi Hendrix, and they all toured together – what a show that must have been!

Everyone knows the songs of The Monkees – they have become pop classics: “I’m A Believer”, “Pleasant Valley Sunday”, “Last Train To Clarksville” and of course, their iconic theme song:

“Hey Hey We’re The Monkees!”

The TV show has stayed a cult favorite, and the band still performs – and now, you can read their story through the unique vision of Michael Nesmith…here is more on the book from the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-michael-nesmith-infinite-tuesday-book-20170316-story.html

Oh, the boys did more than hang out with Jimi Hendrix – they made a movie with Jack Nicholson too!

Yes, Nicholson wrote the script for the surreal comedy “HEAD”, which starred the band in their only big screen outing…

The movie was their attempt to capture the surreal nature of fame – it bombed upon release, but a new Blu-ray release captures the insanity of the film perfectly..see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/07/jack-nicholsons-musical-head-the-monkees-sing-a-jack-nicholson-cult-classic/

Let me know if you plan to have an “Infinite Tuesday!”

The Wonderful World Of Wacky Pringles Chip Flavors!

Once again, the amazing website “RocketNews24.com” has a delicious story about flavored Pringles!

Bravo to Reporter Oona McGee for this story – she dove into the deep end of the Pringles pool to bring us a terrific story about special-edition flavors over the years…here’s a snippet of her report:

“If there’s one thing we can’t get enough of in Japan, it’s the amazing array of limited-edition flavours produced by international brands specifically for the Japanese market. From drinks to chocolates and even burgers, some of the special releases you’ll find here aren’t available anywhere else, making them some of the most exclusive and sought-after products in the world.”

Of course, because you can’t get THESE just anywhere!

Fried Chicken Pringles!

Count me in! So many of the flavors sound, at first blush, like no big deal, and what makes them so unique is that they were only available for a short time.

Writer McGee was fascinated by all of the special releases over the years, so she documented them all, like this one:

Eggs Benedict Pringles!

And why not? McGee adds:

“After seeing some of their unique offerings on supermarket shelves recently, we decided to get in touch with the company to find out exactly what types of limited-edition flavours they’d produced in Japan over the years. The result is a mammoth collection of colourful tins so beautiful they would look right at home on the walls of a museum.”

She’s right! My personal favorite is perhaps just a bit TOO FAR OVER THE EDGE:

Mayonaise-Cheese Pringles!

Yes, yes yes! I love Mayonnaise, so why wouldn’t I love this strange mashup of flavors?

Oona McGee has an amazingly in-depth report – with so many more flavors to explore – you can see it here on RocketNews24:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2017/04/10/amazing-pringles-flavours-exist-in-japan/

Bravo once again to “RocketNews24” – a great website. And speaking of unique food mashups, how about this unique potato chip flavor:

Hot And Sour Fish Soup Flavor!

I have shared these unique Chinese potato chip flavors before – see them all here, including my favorite – “Pepsi Chicken Potato Chips!”

https://johnrieber.com/2012/12/11/pepsi-chicken-potato-chips-fish-soup-chips-china-goes-chip-flavor-crazy/

Now, before we say “whose wacky Chinese”, let me remind you of this POTATO CHIP:

Well, that’s enough to bring any good food conversation to a halt, see more of these wild potato chip flavors here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/29/caviar-potato-chips-cajun-squirrel-chips-the-worlds-wackiest-potato-chip-flavors/

Enjoy your pringles, like this “Cream Of Mushroom Soup” Flavor!

Sharing Stories About A Great Hollywood Career!

Sherry Lansing was one of Hollywood’s most powerful Executives, and she has decided to tell some of the wild behind-the-scenes stories from her career!

The Hollywood Reporter’s Stephen Galloway is releasing “Leading Lady”, his biography of Lansing…and THR printed an excerpt to promote the release and it’s a doozy!

This excerpt talks about her run-in with Mike Myers during the planned filming of “Wayne’s World 2.”

Here’s an excerpt from the THR story about the book – when Lansing was in charge of Paramount Studios, and Mike Myers was ready to begin filming the sequel to his massive comedy hit:

“The then-Paramount chairman made an unfortunate discovery weeks before shooting was due to commence: Myers had heavily based the sequel on the 1949 British comedy ‘Passport to Pimlico’ — only nobody had bought the underlying rights.”

“Mike had always wanted to do Passport to Pimlico as the basis of Wayne’s World,” said SNL creator Lorne Michaels, who produced the comedy. “So he went and wrote it. I think he believed the studio understood that, and I think he even believed they had bought the rights to the other movie so that he was free to use it.”
Furious, Lansing summoned Myers to her office and told him exactly that — in much different (and harsher) words. Remembers one participant in the Myers-Lansing meeting: “She said, ‘How dare you? How dare you put us in this position?’ She turned to Mike and said, ‘We’ll sue you. We’ll take your f—ing house. You won’t even own a f—ing home.'”

The story continues:

“The verbal scathing went on, with Lansing adding a special twist, as then-production chief John Goldwyn recalled: “She made up this fabulous story about all of the lawyers sitting with [Paramount Communications executive] Stanley Jaffe. She said, ‘As I’m sitting here with you, there’s a team figuring out how they can take every single thing away from you.'”

Myers believed it, and was so shaken that he curled up in a fetal position on Lansing’s couch.

Said Lansing: “If I were you, Mike, I’d go to Lorne’s office right now and stay there until you come up with a new script. We’ll slide food under the door.”

Wow! She had a reputation for being tough as nails, and I can’t wait to read more stories about her career. Other anecdotes from the book have been released dealing with Mel Gibson’s temper and a real boiled bunny from “Fatal Attraction!”

Here is another book that also has a shocking Mel Gibson story – read about it here – along with MY Mel Gibson encounter:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/08/14/heaven-and-mel-shocking-mel-gibson-book-my-mel-encounter/

Lansing’s book is sure to be a page turner based on the stories teased so far!

She is also married to one of Hollywood’s greatest filmmakers, William Friedkin. Friedkin of course directed such great films as “The Exorcist”, “The French Connection”, “Sorcerer”, “To Live And Die In LA” and most recently “Killer Joe.”

He wrote his autobiography a few years ago – read all about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/22/sorcerer-legendary-lost-classic-is-uncovered-on-blu-ray-the-friedkin-connection-rules/

Of course, one reason that “Wayne’s World” was such a smash hit was their use of the classic Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody”:

Read all about the creation of that brilliant Queen song here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/23/queens-brilliant-night-at-the-opera-freddie-mercurys-musical-madness/

Finally, Mike Myers has been largely absent from movies for a few years, but he did direct a terrific documentary:

Shep Gordon was a legend in Hollywood, handling some of the biggest stars of the 70’s and 80’s…see the trailer for this terrific documentary here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/07/12/rocks-supermensch-mike-myers-brilliant-documentary-on-shep-gordon/

Looking forward to reading this book!

With North Korea in the news every day, it has led to some fascinating stories about this mysterious country – in particular THIS!

North Korea Has A Legendary “Mystery Meat” Burger!

Bravo to the LA Times for their story on North Korea’s “Koryo” Burger! I had no idea this was a social media phenomenon – here is their story:

“On Air Koryo, North Korea’s state airline, flight attendants are known to serve one thing, and one thing only: a burger as mysterious as the secretive country itself.

The burger is always served cold, and always on a paper doily. Inside the bun is a piece of unidentified meat, a slice of processed cheese, a dash of shredded cabbage or a lonely lettuce leaf, and a dollop of sweet, brown sauce.”

I love this! The state Airline delivers a cold burger that looks as unappetizing as anything I’ve ever seen – so of course I need to eat one!

The story goes on to report:

“The “Koryo Burger” features in countless Instagram feeds and online reviews, not many of them complimentary. It has “gained cult status among passengers,” the British tabloid Daily Mail remarked in 2015. Many wonder: Why a burger, of all things? What’s with the doily? What exactly is that meat?”

Just the use of the world “doily” is classic!

This is such a great article, because it goes from a story about this “mystery” burger to a look at life inside the country….here is more:

“Zhao Bin, 35, a businessman from the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang, said that on his first visit to Pyongyang, in 2003, the electricity cut out every night. “The second time I went was almost 12 years later, and I think North Korea has developed a lot, and people’s lives have improved dramatically.”

Pyongyang’s restaurant offerings now include fried chicken, pizza, sushi — and yes, burgers. A burger, he said, costs about $1.50, and a 9-inch pizza costs less than $15. “My impression of having foreign food [at Pyongyang’s restaurants] is that the service is exceptional, and the ingredients are all very fresh — unlike China, where there’s so much low-quality meat and vegetables.”

Interesting that they actually have restaurants that can stay open, considering how little electricity there is in this country…

If you want more inside information about the “Koryo” burger, check out the entire LA Times article here:

http://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-north-korea-koryo-burger-201704210421-story.html

North Korea has been in the news smooch recently – acting like a military power when in fact they are a small starving nation:

This book tells the story of life inside this repressed country, as told by refugees who managed to escape – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/13/nothing-to-envy-the-horror-of-life-in-north-korea-brilliant-book-looks-at-this-isolated-hell/

I want to go to this part of the world to see how people live – not North Korea, but their neighbor China:

J. Maarten Troost wrote a great book about China – with yak dumplings! See it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/09/09/cannibals-savages-sex-and-great-walls-too-troost-troost-troost-great-adventure-travel/

So, who is brave enough to bite down on a Koryo burger with me?

Welcome Aboard Pan Am!

Yes, you can fly Pan Am again! Well, sort of…you see, fans of the iconic airline – and their food – were sad to see this airline go out of business in 1991…

But while you can no longer fly Pan Am, some really smart Entrepreneurs have come up with a fantastic way to let you appreciate one aspect of their business – yes, there is now a way to eat their food!

Welcome To LA’s Most Exclusive Restaurant!

Yes, Pan Am is back open for a first class dining experience!

According to Robert Klara, who filed this great report at Adweek:

“For the past three years, adventurous gourmands, wealthy eccentrics and Hollywood A-listers have clamored for seats in what just might be L.A.’s most exclusive restaurant. Bestia? The Edmon? Providence? Nah—those power scenes are merely for the rich and famous. The truly adventurous have been competing for a reservation at the Pan Am Experience.”

Welcome To An Airline Hanger In Pacoima!

First, thanks to Mike Kelly and Air Hollywood for these images, which showcase an amazing new culinary adventure – from Pacoima!

If you’ve never heard of it, that’s OK – but if you want to experience this “once in a lifetime” Pam Am experience – you’ve got to go there – and you won’t be overwhelmed!

Adweek continues:

“From the outside, it certainly doesn’t look very exclusive. The restaurant is located in a beige brick warehouse behind razor wire in the industrial wastelands of the city’s Pacoima neighborhood. Yet once a week, a fortunate few assemble there to travel back in time. The complex at 13240 Weidner St. is home to Air Hollywood (more on that in a minute), and inside its warehouse sits a fully reconstructed forward section of a Pan American 747 wide-body jet.”

Flying Pan Am’s Friendly Skies – 50 Years Later!

Thanks to Adweek’s great story, here is what you can expect:

“The first-class interior section (roughly Row 9 and forward) functions most days as a movie backdrop. But on Saturdays, Air Hollywood’s management turns into a restaurant that recreates the experience of flying Pan Am 50 years ago—the six-course meals, the caviar and vodka, the statuesque flight attendants in short skirts, everything.”

There are three different levels of experience – all offering unique food and drinks, flight attendant safety instructions and so more fun!

While tickets are all sold out into July, here is the link where you can see what is offered on this amazing night:

http://panamexperience.com/tickets/

Bravo to Robert Klara and Adweek.com for this story – and there is much more detail about this incredible night, including watching movies after your meal!

These pictures and much more information is easy to find – you can click here to see the entire report:

http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/can-l-a-s-trendy-pan-am-experience-make-a-landing-on-the-las-vegas-strip/?utm_campaign=nl_1&utm_source=sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=AWK_BrandMarketing

Now, if you can’t get in to enjoy this Pan Am experience, you can always fly North Korean Air to enjoy THIS:

Yes, this is the official meal served on North Korean Airlines – it’s a Koryo burger and it tastes as bad as it looks! See it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/24/north-koreas-legendary-koryo-burger-the-mystery-of-a-mysterious-hamburger-revealed/

And since you were in the neighborhood, why not drop into China to eat here:

Yes, this “cliffside” restaurant exists! See the menu here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/27/cliffhanger-dining-chinas-terrifyingly-delicious-cliff-restaurant/

And since I’m in Southeast Asia, why not drop into Taiwan and eat here:

Yes, it’s a restaurant that serves food in toilet bowls! OK, replicas…but still, would you dine here? See more wacky restaurants here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/01/the-worlds-craziest-restaurants-toilets-roller-coasters-tokyo-ninjas-2/

I can’t wait to book a first class Pan Am dining experience!

“I feel it, I feel it, oh baby now I feel it … Gotta be free now”

Sing it, John! This is a revelation for fans of The Beatles – a raw, stripped down take of “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” – just a couple of minutes of crunching guitar, great singing, and some really fun banter between Paul and John – the “I feel it” line, followed by Paul suggesting they still have more work to do!

Bravo To TheGuardian.com!

The Guardian has an amazing scoop – a raw version of the title track “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” – with some great banter between John and Paul at the end!

It’s part of the album’s 50th Anniversary Edition that comes out on May 26 – with the album newly mixed by Giles Martin and Sam Okell, new notes from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, and – ready for this – 34 previously unreleased recordings!

Here’s how The Guardian describes this stripped-down version of the title track:

“Without the horn fanfare in the middle or the audience’s cheers and laughter, this version sounds pretty stripped back – and it features some trippy voices echoing around towards the end (“I feel it, I feel it, oh baby now I feel it … Gotta be free now”). Then there’s a brief conversation between John and Paul about singing technique, and some bits where Paul has run out of breath!”

Check it out here:

http://vevo.ly/NakmF9

If this isn’t opening properly, go to the original story at TheGuardian.com, which has the clip as well – you can access here – and get the entire snippet:

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/apr/27/beatles-sgt-pepper-anniversary-listen

This amazing new release follows another recent 50th anniversary for the band:

Some consider “Revolver” the seminal work for the group – but I love all of their work. Here is a look at the 50th anniversary of “Revolver”:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/06/the-beatles-revolutionary-revolver-50-years-ago-maccas-greatest-writing-john-lennons-near-death-yellow-submarine/

Let me know what you think!

Plenty O’Toole: “Hi, I’m Plenty.”
James Bond: “But of course you are.”
Plenty O’Toole: “Plenty O’Toole.”
James Bond: “Named after your father perhaps?”

Time to look at one of the most beautiful “Bond Girls” who was also a member of Hollywood Royalty – and just revealed that she is homeless!

Sex kitten Lana Wood wowed 007 fans with her portrayal of “Bond Girl” Plenty O’Toole in “Diamonds Are Forever” – without a doubt one of the more outrageous monikers in the series…

Lana Wood was a hugely successful Actress in the 60’s and 70’s, but she would perhaps be unfairly overshadowed by the superstardom of her older sister, Natalie Wood…

Lana had early stardom thanks to her role in the classic soap “Peyton Place.” Now, a story has broken that says she is homeless, and a fund has been set up to help!

Lana Wood’s Terrible Plight!

Someone pointed this article out to me from Vanity Fair, which tells the tragic story of how Lana is now homeless! Here is a short excerpt from the story, written by Sheila Weller, who had a personal connection to the Actress:

“On Saturday I was able to get Lana on the phone. She had talked to no other members of the media. In the middle of the chaos of packing boxes, crying, and hugging her daughter and grandchildren, she told me, from her Ventura County house, “It’s pretty bad. The landlord wants us out—now—and we don’t have anywhere to go. We are a family of six. My daughter, Evan, who is 42, just got a return of the Hodgkin’s lymphoma she thought she’d beat, and she also has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—C.O.P.D. When she walks, she walks around strapped to an oxygen machine. She has a wonderful husband who’s never missed a day of work in 20 years. But he doesn’t work for a big, moneyed company. They have three children—my crying teenage granddaughter is saying she doesn’t know what she’ll do if she doesn’t finish her year at her high school, and the two boys are saying: ‘We don’t want to go!’ to another school, either.”

Confronting her hectic packing, she said, “I’ve got seven years worth of accumulated books and CDs and nonsense. It’s a nightmare.”

“And now—being evicted—we have a black mark against us,” she said.”

Since this story broke, Wood has been interviewed on “Inside Edition” and her story has launched a go fund me site to help her…what a tragedy – but when you don’t work in the entertainment business, it’s easy to think that everyone drives limousines and attends the Oscars…the reality is far different…

Here is the link to the entire article in Vanity Fair:

http://www.vanityfair.com/style/2017/03/lana-woods-crisis-and-the-limits-of-hollywood-royalty

Lana Wood was a Hollywood “sex kitten” – and history has shown that it’s difficult to get past that label and build a long career…

This business a cruel in that regard, and now, she needs help. It is great to see the press coverage and the funding site set up by a fan to help her.

Here is the “GofFundMe” site where you can help support her:

https://www.gofundme.com/lanawood

The world of entertainment can be harsh – the recent show “Feud” spent a lot of time talking about the difficulties in “growing old” in the business…

A classic Hollywood sex kitten, Lana posed for Playboy, had a variety of roles, and always was in the shadow of her more famous sister.

In 1971, she was cast as a Bond girl, “Plenty O’Toole”, in the James Bond film, “Diamonds Are Forever.”

The film introduced her with a hilarious double entendre, carried off with perfect timing by Sean Connery:

Plenty O’Toole: “Hi, I’m Plenty.”
James Bond: “But of course you are.”
Plenty O’Toole: “Plenty O’Toole.”
James Bond: “Named after your father perhaps?”

“I Didn’t Know There Was A Pool Down There…”

One of the most memorable scenes in “Diamonds Are Forever” comes when 007 is surprised by mobsters while in his room with her. She is “escorted” semi-nude from the room – in an unusual exit that includes one of the best one-liners in the entire Bond series!

Here is that memorable scene from “Diamonds Are Forever”:

Here is some great trivia: while filming the scene where Plenty O´Toole is found drowned, Wood actually had her feet loosely tied to a cement block on the bottom. Film crew members held a rope across the pool for her, with which she could lift her face out of the water to breathe between takes. The pool’s sloping bottom made the block slip into deeper water with each take. Eventually, she was submerged but was noticed by on-lookers and rescued before drowning for real. Wood, being a certified diver, took some water but remained calm during the ordeal, although she later admitted to a few “very uncomfortable moments and quite some struggling until they pulled me out.”

Over the course of her career, Wood appeared in more than twenty movies and over three hundred television shows – everything from “Bonanza” to “Mission: Impossible”, “Starsky and Hutch” to “Fantasy Island.”

Lana Wood retired from acting in 1982 to concentrate on a Producing career, but has since returned to acting in a number of low-budget films since 2008 – however, that wasn’t enough to keep her financially afloat.

Wood wrote a memoir, “Natalie, A Memoir by Her Sister” in 1984. Her many memorable Hollywood moments have been unfairly neglected because of the tragedy surrounding her sister, and these recent events are even more disturbing – hopefully, the press surrounding her situation will help her…

I have also told the story of a 70’s action star who has also struggled – Jan-Michael Vincent!

He was one of the hottest stars of the 70’s – then things went horribly wrong…here is that story:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/08/31/jan-michael-vincent-from-70s-sexiest-man-to-a-true-hollywood-tragedy/

Good luck to Lana Wood – hope fans continue to step up and help her!

There’s A New James Beard Documentary On The Way!

James Beard was a cookbook author, teacher, and one of America’s first “TV Chefs.” Wikipedia called him:

“A champion of American cuisine who taught and mentored generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts. His legacy lives on in twenty books, other writings and his foundation’s annual James Beard awards in a number of culinary genres.”

PBS is premiering a new documentary, “James Beard: America’s First Foodie,” next month on its “American Masters” series.

The New York Times’ Frank Bruni had a terrific story about James Beard and the documentary in the paper and online, and I wanted to share a snippet of it with you, because it once again showcases how important journalism and analysis are to us!

The story was titled “Food, Sex And Silence” and for a good reason!

Here is the opening of the story:

James Beard was large. His obituaries told you so. “Portly” was how The Associated Press put it. The Los Angeles Times said that he was nearly 300 pounds at his apogee, though The New York Times clarified that a diet at one point “divested him of some of his heft.”

Nature divested him of his hair. He was bald, as all of those obituaries prominently noted.

He was also gay. Good luck finding a mention of that.

Oh, there were winks. “A lifelong bachelor.” “An Oregon-bred bachelor.” Oregon-bred? Makes him sound like a dairy cow. Or maybe a mushroom.

But there was nothing in those remembrances about his 30-year relationship — at first romantic, then less so — with Gino Cofacci, who was provided for in Beard’s will. Nothing about Beard’s expulsion from Reed College in the 1920s because of his involvements with other men. This newspaper’s obituary simply called him a “college dropout.”

As you can see, Beard lived with many secrets – due to the circumstances of a time he was born into – this is great writing!

Bravo again to Frank Bruni for terrific writing and insight – read the entire story here:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/22/opinion/sunday/food-sex-and-silence.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-left-region&region=opinion-c-col-left-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-left-region&_r=0

I recently subscribed to the digital edition of The New York Times because, now more than ever, we need intelligent, honest writing and reporting.

If you love to read about great food – and great restaurants, here is my story about a visit to the #1 rated restaurant in the world:

Eleven Madison Park in New York was voted the 2017 World’s Best Restaurant – here is my review of the night we are there:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/16/eleven-madison-park-worlds-best-restaurant-a-visual-tasting-menu-revealed/

My wife Alex and I also were lucky enough to attend the 20th anniversary of one of America’s greatest restaurants, The French Laundry.

Chef Thomas Keller has created some of the world’s most unique dishes, like his “Oysters and Pearls” dish:

See the entire menu here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/07/the-french-laundrys-20th-anniversary-celebration-chef-thomas-kellers-xx-party-food-pics-galore/

Bravo to PBS for their upcoming documentary and to Frank Bruni for the great articles about James Beard!

“The Godfather” Reunion! Amazing Event For Movie Lovers!

New York’s Tribeca Film Festival had a terrific reunion panel on April 29th – the cast and crew of “The Godfather!”

This is my favorite film of all time – and won the Best Picture Oscar in 1972. The sequel is the only one to ever win Best Picture as well – this happened in 1974.

Here is how Deadline.com describe the event:

“The day began with an unlikely Saturday double-feature at Radio City Music Hall: Back-to-back screenings of The Godfather (1972) and The Godfather, Part II (1974), followed by a Q&A led by producer and director Taylor Hackford. The one-time-only reunion of the director and many of the original cast members included Coppola, Keaton, Pacino and Shire, along with James Caan (who played Sonny Corleone) and Robert Duvall (who played the consigliere Tom Hagen).”

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 29: Diane Keaton, James Caan, Francis Ford Coppola, Al Pacino, Talia Shire, Robert Duvall and Robert DeNiro take a bow onstage during the panel for “The Godfather” 45th Anniversary Screening during 2017 Tribeca Film Festival closing night at Radio City Music Hall on April 29, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)

Bravo to Getty Images for capturing this incredible event. The night was full of great new insight from the cast, including how Diane Keaton felt about the first film:

According to Deadline.com:

“I hadn’t watched it in 30 years,” Keaton said, addressing the director. “It’s so astonishing. Every choice you made, it’s so authentically good. And it had slow, long scenes. I was absolutely blown out of the ballpark, crying. And I was totally surprised because I didn’t expect it, OK? And on my f!cking computer! I’d never paid much attention to The Godfather, because I always felt like I was the most outsider, weird person, and why was I cast in it, and I had no voice in it.”

That’s amazing! However, her character takes on so much more depth in the sequel, especially in the most dramatic scene in the film – which Coppola revealed was because of a suggestion from his sister, Talia Shire!

“Coppola responded by recalling one of the most memorable moments in both films, between Keaton and Pacino. “You know the very important scene where you tell Al that it wasn’t a miscarriage, it was an abortion? That was Talia’s idea.” Coming right after having watched that scene on the huge Radio City Music Hall screen, the revelation registered like a small earthquake: Kay tells Michael she’s leaving him and drops the bombshell about her decision to terminate her pregnancy rather than bring another child into the Corleone clan. Gordon Willis’ camera is focused tightly on Pacino’s face, which fills the screen as his eyes grow wide with pain and fury and his lips stiffen in rage. It’s one of the few times in both films when Pacino allows Michael’s feelings to erupt, making the scene even more devastating.”

A terrific writeup from Deadline.com – see more of it here:

http://deadline.com/2017/04/pacino-copolla-godfather-cast-tribeca-film-festival-1202079761/

And look at THIS reunion!

NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 02: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino attend the SeriousFun Children’s Network Gala at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 2, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images)

Yes, that’s Al Pacino posing with his Dad – DeNiro was the young Don Corleone of course, but even though they didn’t act together in the sequel – they shared great stories as well.

DeNiro DID audition for the role of hot-headed Sonny Corleone in the original film, here is that audition video!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/19/the-godfather-screen-tests-robert-deniro-is-sonny-corleone-godfather-trivia/

Of course, there is so much great “Godfather” trivia:

Yes, the horse head was real! But the Actor wasn’t warned, so that is his real reaction to seeing it in his bed!

Here is even more great trivia as well:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/20/brandos-cue-cards-real-horse-heads-the-godfathers-best-stories/

Bravo to the Tribeca film festival for this important event!

The Amazing Story Of One Man “Becoming Bond!”

Fans of the James Bond 007 series have their favorite films – and favorite Bonds – but here is the amazing true story of one very unique 007 – in a great new documentary “Becoming Bond!”

This new Hulu documentary has the incredible story of the only man to ever play 007 – once! Yes, here is the trailer for the story of George Lazenby, who made his motion picture debut in the most coveted role in the world – James Bond!

I can’t wait to see this documentary – although as the trailer shows, there are plenty of re-enactments as well. The Daily Mail has lots of inside stories to dish – like these:

“‘Becoming Bond’ details how his sex-fueled life helped him bluff his way into getting the role. Lazenby heard about the role from a girl he and his best friend, another Australian model, were having a threesome with – one of dozens he enjoyed in the London of the swinging 60s – and bluffed his way into playing the role Sean Connery had abandoned. It found him fame and he slept with a series of women on set but he walked away from the role because of a contract he thought made him a ‘slave’. Now 77 he says in the documentary: ‘It was the craziest sexual time I’ve ever had. I lived my life the way I wanted to.'”

The film that Lazenby starred in, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” is widely considered one of the best Bond films ever – even though his acting is noticeably dicey at times…

The film, however has depth, emotion and a great love story between
Bond and Diana Rigg, who is one of the best “Bond girls” ever…

If you want to see more on the most memorable “Bond girls”, here is my story on that subject:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/02/07/00-7-great-bond-girls-brains-brawn-beauty-oh-james/

“OHMSS” is still the only Bond film where 007 gets married, and the only one to have a tragic ending…the film is a GREAT 007 film, and Lazenby should always be proud of that…

Downhill Racer!

“OHMSS” holds up for its terrific action scenes as well, especially the numerous skiing sequences – and Lazenby gets in several great 007 quips – the script is smart, with the usual touch of humor and “larger than life” elements that make the 007 films so great…

While the film was critically acclaimed and did brisk box office, it was a case of “one and done” for Lazenby.

The Daily Mail goes on to report that being the most famous Actor in the world didn’t mean a thing to Lazenby.

“Then he threw it all away by refusing a then unheard of $1million offer to do six more Bond films because he did not like being told what to do by the studio.After appearing in just one Bond film Lazenby’s name became a punchline and ‘the George Lazenby of’ became a gag for late night TV shows.”

The now 77-year old Actor says in the documentary that he doesn’t regret his decision…but imagine being the star of the biggest action franchise in the world…and just walking away…

In “Becoming Bond” Lazenby also reveals he was broke for a while – but then got into real estate, and says he’s had a comfortable life.

Here’s the whole story from The Daily Mail, full of lots more stories of swinging 60’s, threesomes and much much more:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4452610/Sex-secrets-let-George-Lazenby-James-Bond.html

Lazenby didn’t act much after his stint as James Bond, but he did make a short appearance in the hilarious 70’s film “Kentucky Fried Movie.”

You can read more about this hilarious comedy from the makers of “Airplane” by clicking on my link here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/03/big-jim-slade-fistfuls-of-yen-its-the-kentucky-fried-movie/

Finally, if you want to argue about who was the best and worst Bond, knock yourself out…I love talking about the best and worst Bond theme songs!

OK, we all know that Paul McCartney wrote the greatest Bond them of all time, but what are some of the others? Check them out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/11/05/rock-on-007-the-best-and-worst-james-bond-theme-songs/

Let me know what you think of the revelations in the new Bond doc!