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As stated in the theme song from her signature hit tv show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Mary could “turn the world on with her smile.”  As a performer, Mary had it all: she could, sing, dance, and act, and she was drop-dead gorgeous.  In addition, along with her second husband, Grant Tinker, she became a very successful tv executive.

Mary Tyler Moore was born on December 29, 1936 in Brooklyn, NY.  She was the oldest of three children.  Both of her siblings died at young ages.  When Mary was eight the family moved to Los Angeles, so her father could find work.

As a youngster, Mary wanted to become a dancer.  Indeed, her first job in show business was as a dancing elf in tv commercials for Hotpoint appliances, which sponsored the popular tv show, Ozzie and Harriet.  She was 17 and married.  The sponsor terminated her when she became pregnant, and she “showed” through her elf costume.

In the following few years Mary’s career was rather pedestrian.  She tried modeling and acting with limited success.  One noteworthy incident involved the comedian, Danny Thomas.  Thomas had a popular comedy tv show, Make Room for Daddy.  She tried out unsuccessfully for the part of Thomas’ daughter.  Later, Thomas quipped “she missed [getting the part] by a nose…no daughter of mine could ever have a nose that small.”

One success was landing the role of the receptionist on the detective series, Richard Diamond, Private Detective.  I actually remember that show.  Mary’s face was never seen.  Viewers heard her voice and saw those gorgeous legs.  In addition, she guest-starred on various tv shows, such as 77 Sunset Strip, Wanted: Dead or Alive, and Hawaiian Eye.

Mary’s big break came in 1961.  Despite being a relative unknown, comedian Carl Reiner tabbed her to co-star alongside Dick Van Dyke in a series he was producing based on his own career as a comedy writer.  Co-Producer Danny Thomas had remembered the “girl with three names” that he had rejected years earlier and pushed her for the part.  Both she and the show were huge successes.   Mary’s fresh-faced, girl-next-door beauty and energetic comedy style made her an international star.  I remember that, primarily because of Mary, the show was “must see” tv in our fraternity house in the mid-1960s.  When she accepted her first Emmy for the show, Mary famously and modestly quipped “I know this will never happen again.”  Luckily, her talent far exceeded her prognosticating skills.

For Mary, the best was yet to come.  In 1970 she became the star of her own show.  The Mary Tyler Moore Show was about a single woman seeking to “make it on her own,” a risky and risqué undertaking in 1970.  Mary pulled it off.  The show was a huge hit, and both Mary and her character became groundbreaking inspirations to women everywhere.  In fact, the show yielded spin-off vehicles for three of the show’s supporting actors Valerie Harper, Ed Asner, and Cloris Leachman.

Later, Mary branched out into stage and film.  Her biggest Broadway play was opposite James Naughton in Whose Life Is It Anyway.  In addition, she appeared in several films during her career.  Her most noteworthy was Ordinary People in which she played a serious role, that of a grieving mother unable to cope with the tragic death of one of her sons, and for which she earned an Oscar nomination.

In my opinion, the crowning achievement of her career was MTM Enterprises, which she founded with Grant Tinker, her husband at the time.  MTM produced many successful tv shows, such as The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Rhoda, Lou Grant, The Bob Newhart Show, and Hill Street Blues.  In addition, it developed its own record label.

CONCLUSION

In addition to her stellar show business career Mary was very active in philanthropy.  For instance, she was the International Chairman of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and a strong animal rights activist.  She was a longtime supporter of the ASPCA and a co-founder of Broadway Barks, an annual animal adopt-a-thon held in NYC.

Mary’s life was not without its tragedies.  She suffered from diabetes and alcoholism.  As I said, both of her siblings died at early ages. Furthermore, her only son, Richard, died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound.  She dealt with these tragedies openly and honestly, and she persevered.

Mary earned many individual honors.  She received six Emmy Awards, a special Tony Award, was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1986, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Comedy in 1987.

However, I concur with her husband, Dr. Robert Levine who stated that her most enduring legacy will be her inspiration and influence, through both her personal life and in the characters she portrayed, on other female performers as well as working mothers and single moms.  He characterized her as “fearless, determined and willful,” yet “kind, genuine, approachable, honest, and humble.”  Yes, Mary was more than just a pretty face with an arresting smile.  Much, much more.

Mary passed away last week from complications of pneumonia at the age of 80.  Rest in peace, Mary.  You will be sorely missed.

From time to time, one of my readers requests me to write a posting on a particular topic.  In this case, the requestor and I share a strong passion on this controversial issue.  So, Dr. AF this blog is for you.

Currently, one of the hot topics in the world is Palestinian statehood.  The prevailing opinion among world leaders seems to be that the formation of a Palestinian state, even if it were imposed by outside powers, would be a panacea for the conflicts in the Middle East between Israel and its Arab neighbors.  I believe that this is simplistic and fallacious, as I will show below.

This week, representatives of some 70 countries have been attending a peace summit in Paris dealing with this very issue.  Significantly, neither Israel nor the Palestinians has sent a representative, although the Palestinians’ points of view are being amply represented by various supporters.  Not one participant has supported Israel, although the UK  tried to strike a somewhat sensible tone by questioning the wisdom of holding the conference mere days before the change in power in the US.  For this, it was heavily criticized. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu correctly labeled the conference as “biased against Israel.”  He characterized it as a “rigged conference, rigged by the Palestinians with French [support] to adopt anti-Israel stances.”  I heartily agree.

It is also clear to me that the tone of this conference is blatantly anti-Semitic.  The attendees, while excoriating Israel for establishing settlements on the West Bank, have conveniently ignored the ongoing Arab terrorist activities and human rights atrocities.  Historically, Jews have had very few friends, and at the present time, thanks to the Obama-Kerry dynamic duo, they really don’t have any reliable allies.    On the other hand, the Arabs have many supporters.  Why is that?  The answer is OIL.  The Arabs have it; the world needs it.  That, my friends, is the crux of the matter.

Doubling down on the outrageous recent UN resolution that condemned Israeli settlements in the disputed area, the representatives have resolved that Israel should retreat to its 1967 borders as a basis for meaningful negotiations, which, they claim,  would enable the two sides to reach an agreement on a lasting peace.  If only the Palestinians could have their own land, they say, then all conflicts would magically disappear.

I say, that conclusion is simplistic and demonstrates profound ignorance of some 5,000 years of mutual mistrust and Palestinian animus towards the Jews.  Does anyone in their right mind seriously think that would end ME conflicts?   In my opinion, no.  Consider:

1.  I believe that although most Arabs in the area are in favor of a peaceful solution, anyone who has been paying attention knows that the Arab terrorist elements among them do not under any circumstances.  If the Palestinians ended up with 99% of the disputed land, and they would still want the other 1%.
2. No peace treaty would be possible unless the Palestinians recognize Israel as a legitimate State, which they have continually refused to do.
3. The Palestinians have rejected many opportunities for peace in the last 70 years, and the terrorist elements have intimidated the moderate majority with violence and/or threats (see Anwar Sadat).
4. The Palestinians have consistently refused to talk directly with the Israelis.  Remember, they don’t recognize Israel as a State.  Instead they engage in diplomatic end-runs through the UN or conferences like the current one in Paris.  Those tactics hinder the process immeasurably.
5. For various reasons, religious, political and security, the Israelis would never give up the West Bank or East Jerusalem, which is where the  Palestinians insist on establishing their state.  Those areas are the holiest of holies to Jews.  To give them up and risk the Arabs denying access or, even worse, destroying them, is unacceptable.  Any Israeli politician who were to do so would be committing political suicide.  As far as security, would you like a hostile neighbor on your doorstep?  Remember how the US reacted to Russian missiles in Cuba in 1962?  I don’t think so.
6. The Arabs have steadfastly refused to recognize the State of Israel nor acknowledged its very right to exist.
7. Iranian leadership, among others, has vowed to destroy, Israel and soon, I predict, will have the nuclear capacity to do it.

These seemingly insoluble issues would have to be resolved before any meaningful, lasting peace could be achieved, and by the participants, themselves, not by an outside party.

In order to appreciate the situation fully, one must be cognizant of the history of the region.  It has been characterized by deep hatred, mistrust and violence for over 5,000 years.  Control has been passed violently from one power to  another.  In the years immediately preceding WWI the region was part of the Ottoman Empire.  After the War the League of Nations gave mandates to England and France to divide up the empire and create various states.  For example, France got Syria (which also included present-day Lebanon) and England got Palestine (which included present-day Jordan and Israel).  In 1917 England issued the infamous Balfour Declaration, which, among other things, declared support for a Jewish homeland.

This incensed Arab leaders in the region who had supported the British against the Turks in the War based on the promise of autonomy in the region.  (The Balfour Declaration created other problems which have persisted to this day.  For instance, it mixed Shia and Sunni Muslims, who loath each other, together in Iraq, and it failed to establish a separate homeland for the Kurds, but that is a separate subject outside the scope of this blog).

The situation in Palestine came to a head in 1948 when Israel, with the approval of the UN, became a nation.   Israel and its neighbors have been in a perpetual state of conflict ever since with no end in sight.

CONCLUSION

French President Holland had the temerity to warn incoming US president Trump against taking any “improvised” or “destabilizing actions” after he becomes president.  That is really humorous.  Like Trump is really going to listen to Holland!

Trump has consistently expressed strong support for Israel.  Whereas Obama-Kerry have actually condemned the establishment of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, Trump strongly supports them.  In addition, he has expressed a desire to move the US  embassy to Jerusalem.   Provocative?  Perhaps, but it would be a very strong signal of support and could even be interpreted as recognition of  Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Mr. Trump knows Israel is the US’s only reliable ally in the region.  Therefore, we need them almost as much as they need us.  Among other things, it is the only counterweight to Iran.  Now that Iran is on the cusp of becoming a nuclear power (thank you Obama-Kerry), it has designs on taking over the entire region.  That would be a geo-political disaster.  Israel is the only country with the means and the will to oppose it.

It is a misnomer that Israelis do not want peace.  Of course, they do.  All the polls have consistently said so.  Few sane people would prefer war to peace.  The sticking point is that few trust the Palestinians’ sincerity for reasons discussed above.  Impossible?  No, of course not.  After all, the IRA and the UK have made peace.   Very difficult?  Extremely challenging?  Most certainly.  But, it can only happen if and when both sides want it, and any lasting peace would have to be agreed upon by the parties involved directly, not one imposed by a third party.

Friday, January 20, 2017 is Inauguration Day (“ID”).  At noon, Donald Trump will take the oath of office and officially become the 45th President of the United States.  ID embodies one of the unique principles upon which the US was founded and still operates, the peaceful and orderly transfer of power.  Throughout history, most other countries have marked transfers of power by revolutions, assassinations, or power struggles consummated behind the scenes.  One day, Mr. X is in power; the next day, suddenly, Mr. Y has taken over.   Not so in the US.  Historically, regardless of how contentious and bitter the presidential campaign, Americans have accepted the results and moved forward.   Despite the words and actions of a small minority to date, I hope and expect the same this time.

It might surprise most of you that the Constitution is mostly silent as to the particulars of the inauguration process. It specifies the date and language of the oath.  Other than that, everything else that occurs on that date is based on tradition and custom.  Many of these date to George Washington’s initial inauguration in 1789.

According to the Constitution the oath is “I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”  Some historical accounts report that Washington added the words “so help me God” at the end of the oath.  Most presidents have sworn or affirmed on a Bible, but this not required and some have used other books.  For example, John Quincy Adams used a book of laws; Franklyn Pierce used a law book; and Lyndon Johnson used a Catholic missal.

Below please find some inaugural facts and traditions:

1. George Washington took the oath of office for his first term on April 30, 1789 at Federal Hall in NYC.  The building still stands today at the same site.  At the time, NYC was the nation’s capital.  There was not a lot of pomp and circumstance, just some rounds of ceremonial cannon fire and the ringing of church bells.  The oath of office was administered by the Chancellor of NY, Robert Livingston.  Afterwards, Washington remarked ” I walk on untrodden ground.”
2. Since then, with few exceptions, such as that for Lyndon Johnson after JFK’s assassination, the oaths of office have been administered by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.  You may recall that Federal Judge Sarah Hughes administered the oath to Johnson on board Air Force One.  (Time was of the essence, and Hughes happened to be available.  The situation was dire.  The nation needed a president to provide continuity of leadership to the country and the rest of the world.)
3. From 1793 through 1933 inaugurations were held on March 4 (or, March 5 if the 4th fell on a Sunday).  From 1937 to the present, it has been held on January 20 (or 21).
4. The 1793 and 1797 inaugurations were held at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, which was then the nation’s capital.
5. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to be sworn in in Washington, D.C. in 1801 at the Capitol Building.  In 1805 he rode on horseback from the Capitol to the White House.  Along the way, some cheering people joined him spontaneously.  That was the beginning of what became the inaugural parade.  Over the years, Washington’s simple ceremony has expanded to a multi-day event including balls, luncheons, speeches, parties, a national prayer service, entertainment, and national tv coverage.
6. Since 1937, the procedure has been for the incoming vp to take his oath of office at the same ceremony immediately before the president takes his.  Prior to 1937 the vp took his oath in the Senate chamber.  The vp oath is identical to the one taken by Congressmen and other government officers.
7. Attendance is open to the public.  In addition, it is customary for former presidents, members of Congress, Supreme Court Justices, high-ranking military personnel, Medal of Honor recipients, and other dignitaries to attend.  For various reasons former presidents John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson and Richard Nixon did not attend their successors’ inaugurations.  This year some government officials have indicated they will not attend as a protest.
8. Some presidents have used the selection of parade participants as a way to make political statements.  For, example, in 1865 Abraham Lincoln invited AA’s to participate for the first time.  The 1917 parade included women for the first time, and in 2009 Barack Obama included openly lesbians and gays.
9. Since 1824, with few exceptions, the inauguration ceremonies have been held outside the Capitol Building in one of the porticos.  For example, in 1945 FDR’s was moved because of WWII.  Taft’s (1909) and Reagan’s (1985) were moved inside because of inclement weather.  DC can be cold and/or snowy in January.  Historically, the average temperature on January 20 has been 37 degrees.  In 1985 the temperature was -2 degrees.  Factor in blustery winds, and you can see the hazard.   Tragically, in 1841, for instance, William Henry Harrison developed pneumonia following his inaugural.  In those pre-antibiotics days, pneumonia was often fatal.  Harrison died after just one month in office, giving him the dubious record of being the shortest tenured president.
10. As one might expect, security is a critical issue.  All the alphabet agencies – DHS, FBI, Secret Service, Capitol Police, Metro Police and the various Armed Forces – are involved.  Obviously, the inauguration makes a very tempting target for terrorists.
11. Presidential medals are produced and distributed as souvenirs.  Typically, gold and silver medals are given to government officials, and bronze medals are for public consumption.
12. Normally, there is a plethora of quality entertainment, but this year many “A-listers” have declined to participate.  Rumor has it that some are protesting Mr. Trump’s victory, while others have been intimidated by real or perceived threats of retaliation by the Hollywood powers-that-be or their fan base.  For example, just today, it was announced that Broadway star Jennifer Holiday was backing out citing disapproval of her fan base.

CONCLUSION

Traditionally, the quadrennial Presidential Inauguration has been a celebration of democracy in action.  Regardless of political philosophy or party affiliation most everyone unites behind the new president.  The new president enjoys a “honeymoon period” until reality inevitably sets in for some people.

This year, however, there has been more animosity than usual.  Many hardcore liberals refuse to give Trump the benefit of the doubt.  They have been criticizing him for things he might do or not do even before he takes the oath of office.   Some government officials have indicated they will not attend the inaugural, in protest.

These people have just been unable to accept the results of the election.  First, there were accusations of “voting irregularities,” whatever that means.  Then, there were claims that the Russians “hacked” some voting machines.  Then, people blamed FBI Director, Jim Comey for the way he handled the FBI’s report on Clinton’s emails.  The media and even some Republicans have perpetuated these claims.  Some people continue to refuse to believe that Trump won fair and square.  Through it all, not one shred of evidence of voting irregularities or undue influence has come to the fore.  These “election deniers” are simply diminishing both themselves and the country.

Monday, January 16, we will celebrate Martin Luther King’s birthday. For some people the day holds no special meaning; it is just a day off from work; a day to spend with family or friends; part of a long three-day weekend. For many of us, however, particularly those of us who were alive in the 1950s and 1960s, it is much, much more.

MLK was born on January 15, 1929. He became the most prominent and influential American civil rights leader in the 1950s and 1960s, maybe ever. MLK was more than just a pastor. He believed that more could be achieved by civil disobedience and non-violence than by violence. He preached peaceful disobedience, sit-ins, marches and demonstrations, often in the face of violence and cruelty by the police and others, rather than rioting. In this regard, he was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. In turn, he inspired others such as the Black Civil Rights movement in South Africa.

He also recognized the power of the press to bring attention to his cause and influence public opinion. For example, as many as 70 million people around the world witnessed the police brutality inflicted on the peaceful black and white marchers in Selma, including women and children as well as men. Those images, broadcast live on TV and radio, appalled and disgusted many people and provided an immeasurable boost to the public awareness of the injustices being visited upon blacks in the South.

Unlike any other African American leaders before or since, he had the ability to unite, rather than divide. Although he was criticized by some of the more militant civil rights leaders of the time, such as Stokely Carmichael, he commanded the support and respect of a large majority of blacks and many whites as well. In that regard, he was similar to Nelson Mandela.

After his death, despite the urgings of some civil rights leaders who wanted to continue MLK’s philosophy, more militant African American leaders, such as Mr. Carmichael, came into prominence. There was rioting in over 100 US cities, and a slew of violent incidents at the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago in front of the national press and millions of Americans. The Civil Rights movement was changed forever.

MLK came into prominence in 1955 when he led a bus boycott, peacefully, in Montgomery, Alabama. The boycott had been fueled by the famous Rosa Parks incident in which she had refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white person. She was arrested on December 1. (Most people don’t know that earlier that year in March a similar incident had occurred also in Montgomery involving Claudette Colvin, a black girl who also refused to give up her seat to a white man. However, that case did not receive the same notoriety. Civil rights lawyers declined to pursue it because Colvin was 15, unmarried and pregnant. They chose to wait for a case with a more favorable fact pattern, and they were proven to be right.)

Later, MLK became the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and remained so until his death. He applied his non-violence philosophy to protests in Selma, Ala., St. Augustine, FL, and the March on Washington, D. C., among others. He made it a policy never to endorse a particular political party or candidate. He believed he could be more effective if he were neutral and not beholden to anyone. Furthermore, in his view, neither party was all bad, and neither one was perfect. In his words, “[t]hey both have weaknesses.”

Perhaps, MLK’s most famous moment occurred during the famous March on Washington in August 1963. Ironically, MLK was not the primary organizer of the march. That was Bayard Rustin, a colleague. The primary purpose of the March was to dramatize the plight of blacks in the South. Civil rights leaders, including Roy Wilkins, NAACP, Whitney Young, National Urban League, A. Philip Randolph, Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, John Lewis, SNCC, James Farmer CORE, and MLK, wanted to bring awareness of these issues right to the seat of the Federal government. More than 250,000 people of all ethnicities and colors attended. MLK was one of several speakers, and he only spoke for 17 minutes. But, his “I Have a Dream” speech became one of the most famous speeches ever. The March, in general, and MLK’s speech, in particular, are credited with bringing civil rights to the political forefront and facilitating the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Some little-known facts about MLK:

1. His birth name was Michael King, Jr., after his father. In 1931 his father changed his own name to Martin Luther King, after the German theologian, Martin Luther, whom he admired. At the same time, he changed his son’s name.
2. In 1958 MLK was stabbed in the chest after a speech by a woman who had been stalking him and nearly died.
3. The FBI began tapping MLK’s telephone as early as 1963. Robert Kennedy, who was Attorney General at the time and who is viewed as a staunch supporter of civil rights, in general, and MLK, in particular, authorized the tapping.
4. MLK won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 at the age of 35, the youngest age ever at the time.
5. MLK won a Grammy Award in 1971, posthumously. It should be denoted that he won it, not because he displayed a great singing voice, but for a “Spoken Word Album,” “Why I Oppose the War in Vietnam.”
6. Even though MLK was one of the great public speakers of his time, inexplicably, he got a “C” in a public speaking course at the seminary. (Kind of like a baseball scout saying Willie Mays can hit “a little bit.”)
7. MLK is one of three individuals and the only native-born American to have a holiday named after him. In case you’re wondering, the others are George Washington (born in the COLONY of Virginia), and Christopher Columbus.

Some MLK quotes to ponder:

1. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
2. “The time is always right to do what is right.”
3. “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.”
4. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

CONCLUSION

Today, there is much division among African Americans as well as among their leaders. Some are moderate and want to work within the system; others are more militant. Many of them have their own agendas and look for any excuse to foment distrust and discord.  They would do well to follow MLK’s example.  Instead, I believe that these militant leaders and we all know who they are, do more harm than good, but that is a subject for another blog.

One can speculate whether and to what extent MLK’s assassination changed the course of history. In my opinion, had MLK lived, the Civil Rights Movement would have been considerably different over the last 47 years, more peaceful and less divisive, with better results. Furthermore, his assassination had a significant impact, not only on the history of the civil rights movement, but also on the overall history of the country, itself.

I hope and believe that eventually a moderate civil rights leader will emerge and bridge the gap as MLK did half a century ago.

Despite the title, this blog is not about black IBM or Apple computers.

In the early years of the space program, before the advent of computers, NASA employed humans to calculate, by hand, the complicated mathematical data required for successful space missions, such as orbit trajectories, wind tunnel resistance, and re-entry angles.  The persons who accomplished these tasks were known as “computers.”   They were aptly named, as they performed tasks that are now handled by modern computers.

Virtually all of them were women, and many of them were black.  Simply put, in the 1940s and 1950s computer work was considered “women’s work.”  The men were engineers; the women were computers.  Three of these pioneers were African American – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson.  They are featured in the current movie “Hidden Figures.”  As Johnson put it in a recent interview, it was a time “when the computer wore a skirt.”  Their story deals not only with the American space program, but also it illustrates the various social issues of the time.

Beginning in the 1940s NASA and its predecessor, NACA, began to seek out black women to work as computers in the nascent space program.  As portrayed in “Hidden Figures”  these black women were college educated and highly skilled mathematicians, but, nevertheless, they were subject to all the “Jim Crow” laws and customs of the day in Virginia.  For example, they had to work in a segregated area, eat at a segregated table,  use a “colored ” bathroom, and find segregated housing.   The movie vividly portrays how Johnson had to virtually run a mile from her desk to the nearest “colored” women’s bathroom to relieve herself.  This may seem a bit “over the top” to us in today’s world,  but it was an accurate illustration of life in the 1950s in the South and one of the subplots that makes the movie so poignant and realistic.

As many of you know, the 1950s and early 1960s was the height of the “Cold War” with Russia.  Communists were the arch enemy.  Americans were constantly living with the prospect of nuclear holocaust.  Space and the need to control it were viewed as critical elements in this war.  And beginning with the launch of Sputnik in October, 1957 the Russians were perceived to be far ahead of us in that area.  That was incredulous and unacceptable to us.  We were playing “catch up,” and we didn’t like it.  Most of us are familiar with the names of the astronauts, particularly John Glenn, Alan Shepard and Neil Armstrong, and we are cognizant of the collective efforts and accomplishments of the NASA engineers.  But, in their own way, the computers were just as crucial as them to our ultimate success in the space program.

Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson was born on August 26, 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, WVA.  She married twice, raised three children, and has six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.  Among her many accomplishments in the space program:

1.  She calculated the trajectory for Alan Shepard’s suborbital flight.  Years later, Johnson said “you tell me when you want it and where you want it [the capsule] to land, and I’ll…tell you when to take off.  That was my forte.”
2. At John Glenn’s specific request, she verified the IBM computer’s data for his flight.  Glenn did not fully trust the nascent computer technology, and he would not fly until she verified its calculations.  Supposedly, he told the powers that be “get ‘the girl’ [Johnson] to do it….if she says they’re [the numbers] good, you know, I’m good to go…”  Note: the moniker “girl” was not meant to be derogatory.  Everyone called all the women “girls.”  The irony is delicious.  The hero astronaut and future US senator put his life in the hands of a black woman who had to run a mile to go to the bathroom.
3. She calculated the trajectory for the moon landing.
4. During her distinguished career, she co-authored some 26 scientific papers.
5. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

She is portrayed in the film by Taraji P. Henson.

Dorothy Vaughan was born on September 20, 1910 in Kansas City, MO.  She earned a BA in math at Wilberforce University in 1929 at the age of 19.  She taught school until 1943 when she began a 28-year career at Langley Research Center.  She focused on flight path technology.  Her major accomplishments included:

1. Computer coding and programming using FORTRAN, which she mostly taught herself in her spare time.  Eventually, she taught many others.
2. She became one of the few female supervisors at NACA, and the first black one.  In a sign of the times, she actually had to function as the de facto supervisor for many years before being granted the title officially.
3. As supervisor, she continually fought with the powers that be for the betterment of “her girls.”  Regarding her experiences, she later remarked “I changed what I could, and what I couldn’t, I endured.”

Vaughan retired from NASA in 1971 at the age of 60.  She died in 2008 at the age of 98.  She is portrayed in the film by Octavia Spencer.

Mary Winston Jackson was born on April 9, 1921 in Hampton, VA.  She earned a BA in math and physical science from Hampton Institute in 1942.  She began her career at NASA in 1951 as a computer, but, after taking several engineering courses, she became an aerospace engineer, a singular feat for a black female at that time.  To do so, she had to obtain a judge’s order to allow her to attend a segregated high school.  During her career she authored or co-authored several technical papers for NASA.

CONCLUSION

Females have made many significant contributions to their respective countries’ space programs.  For example, as of last July 60 of the 537 astronauts have been female.  The first female astronaut was a Russian, Valentina Tereshkova in 1963.  The first American female was Sally Ride in 1983.  Forty-five of the 60 have been Americans.

The abilities and accomplishments of the female computers should not be trivialized.  In this era of using computers to calculate even the most mundane mathematical functions it is difficult for us to appreciate the skill that was required to calculate complex orbits and trajectories, and often under severe time constraints.  Without them, the more famous astronauts and engineers could not possibly have succeeded, and the moon landing could not have occurred.

Tonight, people around the world will celebrate New Year’s Eve. Although the specifics of the celebration may differ in various countries, it is generally a time of social gatherings, parties, eating, drinking, and merriment. The Pacific island nations of Kiribati and Samoa are the first to celebrate; Hawaii is the last.

Below please find a sampling of celebration customs in various countries:

1. In the US NYE is celebrated with parties with family and friends and other special events. For example, since 1907 people have been gathering in Times Square to watch the “Ball Drop.” At precisely 11:59 pm, a huge Waterford crystal ball, weighing some 12,000 pounds, begins its descent from the roof of One Times Square down a 70-foot high pole. Exactly one minute later, at midnight, the ball reaches the roof of the building, and huge lights signal the start of the New Year.

Times Square has been the focal point of NYE celebrations in the US since 1904.  That year, the first organized NYE celebration, consisting of an all-day street festival culminating in a huge fireworks display, was held there. It was reported that at midnight the celebratory noise could be heard as far away as Croton-on-Hudson, some 30 miles away.

The celebration was organized by the New York Times owner, Adolph Ochs, to commemorate the opening of the Times new headquarters located in the tiny triangle at the intersection 42nd Street, Broadway and 7th Avenue.  The city renamed the area Times Square in honor of the venerable publication.

[Quiz questions:  1) What other historically significant event occurred in NYC in 1904?  2) What was Times Square’s name prior to 1904?  See below for the answers. ]

Two years  later the City banned the fireworks display.  Ochs’ response  was to replace it with the “Ball Drop.”  The details of this “Ball Drop” have evolved over the years, especially technologically.

The celebration, itself, has also evolved over the years.  Due to the world we now live in, security is tighter than the proverbial “drum.”  For example, regarding the police and “alphabet agencies,” it is “all hands on deck.”  Additionally, for security reasons, there are no food, drinks, waste baskets, toilet facilities, knapsacks, large bags and pocketbooks permitted.   Best to arrive early, and if you have to leave for any reason, good luck returning.

Times Square has become so symbolic of the celebration of New Year’s that it draws approximately one million spectators from all over the world, many of whom stand in the cold without access to food or toilet facilities for hours just to be there.   It is estimated that in excess of one ton of confetti will be dropped at the stroke of midnight.  Thankfully, I don’t have to clean it up.

The Drop has inspired similar celebrations in other cities, such as Atlanta (“Peach Drop”) and Nashville (“Music Note Drop”). Entertainment from various venues is also featured. The most famous and enduring entertainer was Guy Lombardo, who from 1928 to 1976 entertained from the ballroom at the Waldorf-Astoria, first on the radio, then on TV. After his death in 1977 other programs became prominent, most notably “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve.”    Traditionally, NYE is the busiest day at Disneyland and Disney World, which feature Disney character-shows and fireworks.
2. In Canada the mode of celebrations vary by region. For example, in Toronto, Niagara Falls and other areas of Ontario, there are concerts, parties, fireworks and sporting events. On the other hand, in rural Quebec some people go ice fishing.
3. In Mexico families decorate their homes in various colors, each of which symbolizes a particular wish for the upcoming year. For example, yellow would symbolize a wish for a better job, green improved finances, white improved health, and red general improvement in lifestyle and love. At midnight, many Mexicans eat a grape with each chime of the clock and make a wish each time. Some people bake a sweet bread with a coin hidden inside. Whoever gets the piece with the coin will be blessed with good fortune in the coming year. Finally, some people make a list of all the bad events that occurred to them over the past year on a piece of paper and then burn the paper to symbolize a purging of all the bad luck.
4. As you might expect celebrations in England focus around Big Ben. People gather to observe fireworks and celebrate. In addition, many celebrate in pubs or at private parties.

At the stroke of midnight it is traditional to sing “Auld Lang Syne.” I have always been curious as to the derivation of this song and why it is sung at New Year’s. The origin is murky, but it has generally been attributed to the Scottish poet Robert Burns. He wrote it in 1788, but it is likely that some of the words were derived from other Scottish poems and ballads. “Auld Lang Syne” literally translates into English as “long, long ago,” “old times,” or “days gone by.” Thus, at the stroke of midnight we bid farewell to the past year and, at the same time, wish to remember the good times.  In some areas the song is also sung at funerals, graduations and any other event that marks a “farewell” or “ending.” Sometimes the singers gather in a circle and hold hands.

CONCLUSION

Whatever your NYE plans may be and however you may celebrate, I urge you to be careful and drive safely and defensively. Pay particular care to watch out for the “other guy.” This is one night where too many people celebrate excessively and drive under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. These people should not be on the road, but, nevertheless, they are, and they are dangerous both to you and themselves. For this reason, Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson’s long-time side-kick on the “Tonight Show” and a noted party-goer, used to refer to New Year’s Eve derisively as “amateur night.”  New Year’s Day is the second most deadly holiday for drivers. (Thanksgiving is #1.) Moreover, a whopping 42% of the driving fatalities on NYD are the result of DUI.

Answers to quiz questions:  1)  The city’s first subway line opened in 1904.  2) Longacre Square.

Enjoy yourself, but don’t become a statistic!

Wow!  What a double tragedy!  In an extremely rare situation, Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, her mother, have passed away only one day apart.

Carrie Frances Fisher was born on October 21, 1956 in Beverley Hills, CA.  She was the daughter of two show business icons – Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.  As a child she was very shy, preferring to “hide” in books and write poetry.  In fact, her family nickname was “the bookworm.”  She made her stage debut at 15 in the Broadway revival of Irene, which starred her mother.  The show was a hit, and Carrie was on her way.  She never did complete high school.

In 1975 she made her film debut in Shampoo, starring Warren Beatty.  However, her signature role was that of Princess Leia in Star Wars (1977).  Fisher appeared in some 40 films, but she will always be remembered for her Star Wars roles, three as Princess Leia, and then two as General Leia.

In addition, Fisher was a proficient writer.  Her most famous novel, the semi-autobiographical Postcards from the Edge, was adapted for the screen, by Fisher, and starred Meryl Streep.  Fisher also became one of the top “script doctors” in Hollywood, refining several scripts, notably Sister Act and the Wedding Singer.  According to Wikipedia, a “script doctor,” aka “script consultant,” is one who is hired to “rewrite an existing script or polish specific aspects of it,” such as dialogue, structure, pacing, and theme.  Generally, such work is uncredited, but it is much appreciated by insiders.

Fisher’s personal life was tragic, even for Hollywood.  When she was only two, her world was rocked by the very public divorce of her parents.  Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, Mike Todd, were very close personal friends of the family.  When Todd died suddenly in an airplane crash, Fisher took it upon himself to “comfort” Taylor.  Soon, they were embroiled in a messy affair, which was played out daily in the tabloids and fan magazines.  Fisher ended up leaving Reynolds for Taylor.

In addition, throughout her life she struggled with drug addiction, particularly Percodan and cocaine. In 1985 she overdosed on prescription medicine and endured electro-convulsive therapy.  In an appearance on 20/20 and an interview on the BBC she disclosed that she was bipolar.  She said the Percodan helped her “dial down” the manic phase of the affliction.  In another interview she explained that drugs “made me feel normal.  They contained me.”  Her cocaine dependency began in 1977 while filming The Empire Strikes Back.

On December 23, Fisher went into cardiac arrest while flying from London to LA.  Upon landing in LA paramedics rushed her to a hospital.  At first, she seemed to be stable, but, then, she passed away on December 27.

Debbie Reynolds was a megastar.  She was one of the few performers who could sing, dance and act.  To the public, she was generally the cute, perky “girl next door,” her normal role in the movies.  But, as was often the case in Hollywood, her private life was anything but.

Marie Frances Reynolds was born in 1932 in El Paso, TX.  When she was seven her family moved to Burbank, CA where she was raised.  At 16 she entered the Miss Burbank contest and won.  She began her career at Warner Bros., but she failed to land any meaningful roles there.  Mostly, she was employed as an errand girl.  The only significant thing that happened to her there was that studio head Jack Warner changed her name to “Debbie.”  She didn’t like it, but Warner ruled with an iron fist, so, thereafter, “Debbie” she was.

In her 60 year career Debbie performed in “hit” Broadway shows, such as “Irene,” “Debbie,” and Woman of the Year,” tv productions, such as “The Debbie Reynolds Show,” These Old Broads” (with Elizabeth Taylor, among others), and “Behind the Candelabra,” as well as dozens of movies, most notably “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”

“Singin’ in the Rain,” in which she starred with Gene Kelly, was her big break.  Her role required a significant amount of dancing.  At that time, Debbie was not a very proficient dancer, but Kelly was one of the best and he spent countless hours teaching her.  The film was a smash hit.  Even now, AFI ranks it as one of the top 5 American films and the top musical.  Probably, her other two most notable movies were “Tammy and the Bachelor” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown.”   In “Tammy” she played the feature role and sung the ballad “Tammy,” which became the number 1 record in 1957.  “Molly Brown” landed her her only Oscar nomination.

As I said, Debbie’s personal life was not at all like her persona in the movies.  In 1955 she married recording star Eddie Fisher with whom she had two children – Carrie and Todd.  But, in 1958 as mentioned above, Fisher began a torrid affair with Elizabeth Taylor, which, even in those pre-internet, pre-social media days, was covered incessantly in the press.  The end result was that Fisher divorced her and married Taylor.  Even so, Reynolds did not appear to harbor any ill will toward Taylor.  They remained friends and even starred together in “These Old Broads.”  In an interview with the “Daily Mail” Reynolds described Taylor as “beautiful, smart, and a very sexual woman.”  She added, “I was very different – not exactly a sex kitten.”

Insiders were very cognizant of Reynolds’ philanthropic bent.  For example, in 1955 she co-founded the Thalians, a charitable organization that sought to raise awareness and provide treatment for persons suffering from mental health issues and provide assistance to wounded veterans and their families.  She acted as president and/or chairman for many decades.  Also, she sought to preserve the heritage of Hollywood.  For example, she purchased several famous movie props at auction, such as Marilyn Monroe’s “subway dress,” a pair of ruby slippers used in the “Wizard of Oz,” and one of Charlie Chaplin’s bowler hats.

Along the way, she endured a couple of financial misadventures.  Her second husband, Harry Karl, had a significant gambling problem, and he lost most of her money.  Also, in 1992 she purchased the Clarion Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  It was a big loser, and Debbie had to declare bankruptcy to get out from under.

Although Debbie didn’t win that Oscar for “Molly Brown,” she did win the SAG lifetime achievement award in 2015 and followed it up with the Hersholt Humanitarian Award later that year.

CONCLUSION

Debbie and Carrie had a tumultuous, but close relationship.  They both had to deal with a plethora of personal issues in their lives, which, invariably, were played out in public for all to see.  The day after Carrie passed away Debbie suffered a massive stroke from which did not recover, or, perhaps, she did not care to.  I’m not sure if it’s scientific or not, but many people believe one can die of a “broken heart.”  The will to live is just gone.  If so, that was the case with Debbie Reynolds.  As her son, Todd, told Variety, she wanted to be with Carrie.  And so, now, she is.

As most of you know, I have long been a critic of President Obama’s attitude towards Israel and, by extension, towards Jews, in general.  I have published many blogs dealing with this topic.  There is no need for me to rehash them all now.  As the late Casey Stengel, former baseball player and manager, was fond of saying “you could look it up.”

The first thing one has to comprehend is that when a politician criticizes Israel, he or she is really criticizing Jews, as well, in code.  In this regard, I consider the two terms to be interchangeable.  This is not unlike Southern politicians in the 1950’s championing “states rights.”  Everyone knew they were speaking in code in support of segregation and “Jim Crow” treatment of African Americans.

Obama has exhibited his antipathy towards Israel at every chance.  For example, at every opportunity, he has cozied up to various Palestinian terror groups by making it clear that he wanted a more “even-handed” approach in the Middle East.  When Israel’s staunchest ally speaks of “even-handedness,” what is one to think?   Want more examples?  How about “dissing” Benjamin Netanyahu.  While in NY he wanted to confer with Obama at the White House regarding matters of state.  As I recall, Obama felt it more important to attend a fundraiser.  Are you serious?   A fundraiser was more important?   Obama could have easily rescheduled it.  What kind of message do you suppose that sent to the rest of the world?

In addition, we have seen Obama’s consistently conciliatory approach toward Iran, which has repeatedly vowed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth, Syria, Hamas, and Hezbollah, among others.  Obama is probably the most anti-Israel, anti-Semitic President in my lifetime, except, perhaps, for Jimmy Carter.

All of the foregoing, pales, however, beside the US abstaining from last Friday’s UN Security Council’s vote condemning Israeli settlements on the West Bank and demanding an immediate halt to any new construction.  In the past the US had always vetoed such resolutions to express its unwavering support of Israel.  Of course, an abstention has the same effect as lack of support.

The resolution not only demands a halt but urges “vigilant follow-up,” whatever that means.  Would or could that entail detailing UN inspectors or troops to the region to monitor and/or enforce it?  Who knows.  The fact of the resolution is bad enough, but, worse, there are indications that the US urged the resolution and, perhaps, even drafted it.

All American Jews who have given Obama/Clinton their automatic support now need to acknowledge their error and rethink matters.  If you are a Jew who cares about Israel (and I realize that not all Jews do) you must be more discerning with your votes prospectively and refrain from voting Democratic automatically.  To be sure, many Dems, such as Senator Schumer, have remained staunch supporters, but many others are not, and this action may embolden them.

CONCLUSION

I am literally at a loss for words to describe adequately the sense of outrage and betrayal I feel with respect to the significance of this resolution.  I don’t want to sound extreme, but in my opinion, students of history will recognize this for what it really is.  Beneath all the rhetoric, this vote is nothing more than another demonstration of the continuing persecution of the Jewish people.

I can almost understand the mindset of other countries’ leaders and the political, economic, social, moral, and religious prejudices that lead them to support the Palestinians.  But, the US is and has been the shining light of freedom and democracy in the world, the champion of the underdog.  It has been Israel’s only consistent supporter.  Without its support, Israel could not continue to survive.  In return, Israel is and has been our only reliable ally in the region.  We need each other.

As far as the UN is concerned, the less said, the better.  It is hypocritical beyond belief.  It issues condemnations against Israel and lectures us on our race relations, but it ignores the aggression and human rights violations of other countries, such as Russia, Iran and Syria and terrorists groups such as ISIS, Hamas and Hezbollah. Imagine, those countries lecturing us on human rights?

The UN has strayed from its original purpose considerably.  In some ways, it has become little than a propaganda tool.  Let’s hope the new Administration will put matters back on track.

Ask yourself, are people born heroic, or do they become heroic when thrust into a situation, often by mere happenstance, that requires heroism?  I believe that, generally, the latter is the case.  Consider, for example, Marion Pritchard, who, was just a student studying to be a social worker, but during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in WWII, saved as many as 150 Jews, including many children, from annihilation.

Marion Philippina van Binsbergen was born on November 7, 1920 in Amsterdam.  Her father was a judge, who strongly opposed the Nazi ideology, and her mother was  a homemaker of English ancestry.   She was raised primarily in the Netherlands, but she attended boarding schools in England.  She credited her parents with instilling in her a powerful sense of “justice and moral resolve.”  When the Nazis invaded the Netherlands in 1940 Marion was a 19 year-old studying social work at the University of Amsterdam.

One night in 1941 she was studying at a friend’s house.  Unbeknownst to her, some of the other occupants in the house had been distributing underground mimeographed broadsheets summarizing BBC’s news reports.  The Nazis arrested everyone in the house, including Marion.   She remained in jail for six months, during which time she was tortured for information.  Eventually, she was released, but the incident left a bad taste in her mouth.

The incident that changed her life and, to some extent, the course of history, occurred on a Spring day in 1942.  While riding her bike to class she happened upon a group of Nazis who were rounding up the occupants of a home for Jewish children for deportation.  Everyone knew what that meant.  She observed some of the soldiers murdering children by “picking [them] up by an arm or a leg or by the hair” and blithely tossing them into the truck for sport.  In addition, two other women passers-by who tried to intervene were thrown into the truck and taken away with the Jews.  Years later, in an interview that was published in the book “Voices from the Holocaust,” Marion lamented “you stop [to witness the action], but you can’t believe [it is really happening].”   Marion regretted that she just “stood there” and “watched it happen,” but the incident fueled her determination to do what she could to save other Jews, particularly children, from a similar fate.

For the duration of the War she collaborated with an underground network of trusted like-minded individuals she had organized to save as many Jews as possible.  In later years, she often modestly denoted that she could not have succeeded without the assistance, both overt and covert, of this network, as, in her opinion, on only rare occasions could a single person save anyone without the support of others.  Sometimes, she operated as one piece of a chain of people who would pass Jews from one to the other until they were safe (similarly, I suppose, the Underground Railroad rescuing slaves in the US).  Other times, she would make the arrangements herself.  For example:

1.  They obtained false identity papers.
2.  They arranged hiding places and host families to take in the children.
3. They purloined extra ration cards.
4. On one occasion she passed herself off as an unwed mother, which she characterized as a “mission of disgrace” to shelter a child.
5. Her most harrowing experience, however, was in connection with her sheltering of a man named Fred Polak, his two sons, and his infant daughter Erica in her house. They devised a system that whenever the Nazis or collaborating Dutch police came to the house the family would quickly hide under the floorboards.   They would give the infant sleeping pills to prevent her from crying.  This worked really well until one time a collaborating policeman doubled back to the house unexpectedly and caught the family.  Marion shot and killed the man.  In order to avoid detection she had an undertaker friend of hers bury the body in a casket with another corpse.  When asked if anyone ever came to investigate the collaborator’s disappearance, she replied he was “widely-loathed.  I think a lot of people were delighted” [he was missing].  Marion was uncomfortable with the incident.  In later years, she confided to an interviewer “I would do it again, under the same circumstances, … but it still bothers me.”  The Polaks remained with Marion for the duration.  Some 30 years afterwards Erica , now grown up, reconnected with Marion and expressed her gratitude for “keeping us alive through these difficult war years.”  She added, “I felt very connected to this woman whom I didn’t see for such a long time.”

Marion never discussed her underground activities with her family to avoid endangering them and the network.   “You just did not talk” [about it], she said.

CONCLUSION

After the War, Marion used her social worker background.  She worked for the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration in various displaced persons camps in Germany.  It was during this time that she met her future husband, Anton Pritchard.  He was a former US soldier who was running one of the camps.  They raised three sons, who gave them eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.

In 1981 Marion received the ultimate honor for a Gentile when Yad Vashem, in recognition of her activities during the War, designated her as one of the “righteous among the nations.”  Marion is one of only 26,000 to receive the honor, s0me 20% of which are from the Netherlands.  She was also a recipient of the Wallenberg Medal, which is a humanitarian award bestowed in honor of the late Raoul Wallenberg, the Swedish diplomat who rescued tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews before the Nazis caught and killed him.

In 1997 she began teaching at Clark University with the Rose professor of Holocaust History there, Deborah Dwork.   Last week, Dwork offered that many of the students were greatly influenced by Marion.  In particular, one dedicated her recently-completed dissertation on human rights violations in Rwanda to Marion.  Furthermore, Dwork offered, perhaps, the ultimate testimony, that Pritchard “continues to save lives today through her influence.”

Marion passed away on December 11 at the age of 96.  Rest in peace, Marion.  You will be missed, but your legacy will live on through your students, the people you saved, and their descendants.

There have been very few persons who have been instantly recognizable by just their first name.  Zsa Zsa  Gabor was one of those few.  Before Paris Hilton (her grand-niece), before the Kardashians, before any of the many other celebrity wannabes who are famous just for being famous, there was Zsa Zsa.  Her modest talent as an actress was far exceeded by her celebrity, her flamboyant and extravagant lifestyle, her outsize personality and, yes, her many marriages and extra-marital affairs.  She was the original; she patented the concept.  And, she managed to accomplish it before the age of the internet, twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Sari Gabor was born on February 6, 1917 in Budapest, Hungary, which was then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  Both of her parents were of Jewish ancestry.  “Zsa Zsa,” a name of old Hungarian and Hebrew origin meaning “lily: God is my oath,” was likely a pet nickname bestowed upon her by her family, and it “stuck.”  Most would agree that the unusual and glamorous moniker fit her perfectly.

She was first cousin, by marriage to California Congressman Tom Lantos.  She was the middle of three sisters.  Eva and Magda later became lesser-known celebrities in their own right.  Even though Eva had the more successful acting career (for example, a role in the hit tv show, Green Acres,)  Zsa Zsa’s fame and celebrity far out-shown hers.

Zsa Zsa was discovered in 1934 by operatic tenor Richard Tauber, and she made her debut in his operetta, The Singing Dream.  In 1936 she entered the contest for Miss Hungary, and (no surprise) she won.  Shortly thereafter, she and her family emigrated (or, maybe, fled) to the US ahead of the Nazis’ occupation during WWII.

Zsa Zsa’s acting career can probably be best described as pedestrian.  Her looks and glamor yielded her many forgettable roles in many forgettable films over some 40 years, but unless one is a film buff specializing in old films, the only one you likely have heard of is Moulin Rouge (1952).   John Huston, who directed her in that film, described her, perhaps, somewhat charitably, as a “credible” actress.

She was, however, in great demand on tv, either as a talk show or variety show guest, appearing frequently with luminaries such as Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, Milton Berle, and Howard Stern.  She would appear “dressed to the nines,” in a tight, revealing dress “drenched” in jewelry, wink to the camera and carry on in her self-deprecating manner with her Hungarian accent, calling everyone “dahling.”  Fans ate it up!  In addition, she was a popular foil on some of the Dean Martin Roasts and on game shows, such as Hollywood Squares.  People would tune in to watch her and anticipate that she would say or do something outrageous.

Somehow, she found the time to write books.  She gave sage love advice in “How to Catch a Man, How to Keep a Man, How to Get Rid of a Man.”  Also, she penned a salacious tell-all book about her life story entitled “One Life Is Not Enough.”

She was married nine times, most famously to Conrad Hilton.  One was annulled, and seven ended in divorce.   Those many marriages only produced one child, Francesca Hilton, whom Zsa Zsa claimed was conceived as the result of Conrad’s raping her.  Describing her marital experiences, she once quipped:  “I am a marvelous housekeeper.  Every time I leave a man, I keep his house.”  Once, when asked “how many husbands have you had,” she retorted “you mean other than my own?”

CONCLUSION

In her later years, Zsa Zsa experienced some controversy and ill health.  In 1989 she was incarcerated for slapping a police officer during a routine traffic stop, aka “the slap heard ’round the world.”  She served three days in jail and paid a fine.  She is reputed to have been victimized by Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme to the tune of $10 million.  In 2002 she was seriously injured in a car accident and became bound to a wheelchair.  She suffered two strokes in 2005 and 2007, and in 2010 she had a hip replacement to repair a fractured hip.  Again, in 2010 she was seriously ill enough to be given last rites.  In 2011 her right leg was amputated to save her life from a serious infection.  Finally, she had been on life support for the last five years.  So, although Zsa Zsa lived to the ripe old age of 99, she had a diminished quality of life for the last 14 years.

The genius of Zsa Zsa was that she got the joke and embraced it.  She knew she had limited talent.  What she did have were her looks, her figure, her glamor, and her flamboyance, and she played them for all they were worth.  Like I said, she became famous for being famous. I don’t mean that as a “knock,” rather, a knack.