Reporter #1 to Sister-in-Law

Shortly before the Academy Awards show I wrote about what I considered an injustice that "Public Enemies" was not acknowledged by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for anything.

Not that PE was the best of the year. It wasn't. But it certainly was better than others in some categories. How about costumes, actor, cinematography, music?

So I mentioned this at dinner with my brother-in-law and sister-in-law Saturday night at Maggiano's Little Italy in Schaumburg, Illinois.

My sister-in-law curtly says "Don, it was a flop," and continues with dinner. Frankly, I was a little taken aback but reminded her that it made more than $200 million worldwide since its release last summer, hardly a flop.

I'd be less than honest if the comment didn't bother me. However, we were being treated to dinner so I kept quiet.

The IMDB.com message board has ripped "Public Enemies" to shreds. Almost like a hobby for some folks. Yet the IMDb.com rating is 7.2 on a scale of 1-10 with over 60,000 votes. Fairly good, I'd say.

It's surprising the response this film has received. You either love it, or hate it. No in-between. Honestly, I was luke-warm the first time I saw it at the Chicago premiere. The second time was much, much better.

It wasn't a smashing hit, I think in part because it wasn't your typical film and at points lacked continuity. While its run time was 2:20+, long for a feature film, given another 15 minutes I think Michael Mann would have produced and directed a classic. 

Probably people would have complained it was too long. 

But as a retired journalist, a good read is a good read no matter its length. I doubt it's any different in the film industry. 

Still, "Public Enemies" has more than doubled the investment it took to make it. I'll take that ROI (return on investment) any time, especially in this tough economy.

The film which took home the Oscar for Best Film  -- The Hurt Locker -- has made a tad over $18 million worldwide as of March 5.*  "Public Enemies" earnings is over $210 million. Both were released about the same time.

So to my sister-in-law -- her initials are SS -- take that!

And I would encourage anyone who wants to chime in on this to feel free. I promise to forward any comments -- pro or con -- to SS.

And I still think Johnny Depp should have been nominated for Best Actor.

*www.the-numbers.com/movies/2009/HURTL.php

Today is my anniversary with law firm

Today is my one-year anniversary with Kenneth J. Allen & Associates in Northwest Indiana and Chicago.

Having spent more than 40 years as a journalist/editor in the newspaper business, I was somewhat acquainted with the legal profession having served on the Illinois State Bar Association media law committee, and the Indiana Judicial Center media sub-committee of its Community Relations Committee.

I was also named by Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall Shepard to an advisory position of the state’s “Fire Brigade” charged with mediating potentially explosive disputes between the courts and the press.

And of course during my somewhat lengthy career I was involved in numerous First Amendment legal cases, and Freedom of Information issues and was chairman of the Illinois Associated Press Editors FOI committee.

That aside, now working with unquestionably Indiana’s premier injury attorney Kenneth J. Allen, I am getting the flavor of the driving force behind those words that KJAA firm uses: Passion, Commitment, Excellence.

Until I began working at Kenneth J. Allen & Associates, I didn’t realize the parallels between journalism and this law firm. Both subscribe to, and practice, those basic tenants with exuberance.

While this firm is quite selective in the cases it takes – only one in about 10 – once it says yes Mr. Allen and his firm’s talented attorneys tackle each case as a group, meeting twice each week to review, strategize and decide a course of action. Mr. Allen welcomes spirited debate during these early morning – very early – regular meetings.

I’ve had the honor of attending on more than one occasion to present information on particular cases. Watching six or seven attorneys kick around specifics on a case is very impressive.

Obviously, the model works. Anyone who doubts it only has to check out his website at kenallenlaw.com and review news clips, press conference videos, or other volumes of information about the firm.

So, not surprisingly I suppose, I feel right at home working on those fundamental issues that journalism and law have in common – righting wrongs. The ordinary man – or woman – sometimes needs an advocate to fight for justice. So the mission for the press, and KJAA is the same.

I am at home working for the best, just as I was as a journalist. Being second best just doesn’t cut it.

Maybe that should be Kenneth J. Allen & Associates new motto.

Good people, good friends

I woke up this morning reflecting on how lucky I am to have so many good friends.

I don't mean to belabor the point about friendship because I've written about it a few times. but this morning for some reason it took on a special importance. Nothing in particular.

For the point I want to try and make I will exclude family, for often family members have completely different sets of dynamics. Friendship has its own.

As I age friendship takes on a much more prominent role in my life.

At the end of the day, it's not about how much money one has, how many toys, how much power or authority, but rather how your treat your fellow man.

I am really fortunate to be blessed with a number of people whom I consider close friends. Like Fred McNulty, Fred Cicco, Jim Fitzer, Ric Frataccia, Dave Rose, Chris Mahlmann, and I could go on and on. The Saturday morning breakfast club in Valparaiso is a good example of friendship at its most basic level.

Fred Cicco wrote about this group in a blog a few weeks ago. Each week the boys get together, have some laughs, talk about serious issues, and when it adjourns I personally feel much better going into the weekend having spent this time with my friends.

But my friendships transcend that group. My neighbors, Al and Jannice Naramore are like family. I don't care what the request, Al or Jannice is there. Or Kenneth Allen, who gave me a job.

And then there's Renata and Artur Pniak. Both physical therapists. They immigrated here from Poland some years ago. I was lucky enough to find Renata at Accelerated Rehabilitation following knee replacement surgery. While she is an outstanding PT, both she and her husband Art are now, I'm proud to say, good friends.

They are quality, decent, people without an agenda other than to be kind, compassionate and folks who appreciate life, friends and family.

Everything happens for a reason. I am attracted to these kind of people...for that I and thankful. And all the above mentioned, and many, many more of my friends fall into that category. One in particular is in Lake County.

And while I see these people fairly often as we all live in Valparaiso, Indiana, there are lots of others who are my friends because they are good, decent people. Like Jack and Andrea Palmer.

I speak to Jack maybe twice year, yet he's like a brother to me. For those who know Jack from his days in Valpo, they know he has been blessed. But he's the same, good, decent person.

Or my one and only high school friend from our days at Proviso West High School near Chicago. Mart Loveall who lives in Terre Haute, Indiana, who is a retired electrician. I talk to him a couple of times a month.

Or David Stamps, who I wrote about recently. Or Jim Jackson, the best man at my wedding nearly 17 years ago. He lives in St. Charles, Illinois.

I probably have as many female friends. Deb Butterfield, Pat Puffer, Reba Kennedy in San Antonio, and more. My only requirement is that they are good, decent, compassionate people. I have no tolerance for others.

Part of my reflection this morning is the importance of nurturing friendships. Therapists use this analogy when talking about marriage, but the same can be said of friendships - they need nurturing. Maybe not daily, or even monthly, but some periodic connection is a must, like water and fertilizer in a garden.

Without it, those friendships can wither and die.

So I look forward to this Saturday morning. I won't get all mushy, but in my mind I will be thinking how fortunate I am. I hope they feel the same.

Fast forward through the Oscars

A couple of people asked me this week if I have any special plans for the Oscars on Sunday.

Well, if fact yes I do. I'm going to do the same thing to the Oscars that they did to "Public Enemies," ignore it.

I'm sure this sounds like sour grapes, and maybe it is. But I've got to be honest, I put the Academy Awards in the same category as American Idol. Not always the best win, or are even nominated.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying PE was the best movie of the year, or maybe even close to it. It had stiff competition, for sure. 

"Avatar" is excellent, although it should have a category of its own. "Inglorious Basterds" was also excellent. As were several others.

But compare "Up In the Air" with "Public Enemies" and PE wins hands down. "Up In the Air" is medicore, at best. It's just an average film. Nothing special. 

And I have nothing against George Clooney, in fact I'm told his aunt Rosemary Clooney, frequented my father's -- Benny Asher -- cocktail lounge "Tin Pan Alley" on Oak Street in Chicago during the 1940s, along with numerous other celebrities.

However, there is no way Clooney's performance in "Up In the Air" can compare to that of Johnny Depp in PE. Sorry. I may be biased, but this is my blog so I'm entitled.

Okay, exclude Depp's PE performance, Hell, he should have won an Oscar a long time ago. His range of acting skills transcends anyone on the big screen today. I can hardly wait to see him as the Mad Hatter in "Alice and Wonderland," which opens today.

No, my vision of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences members who vote on the Oscars are a bunch of old cronies -- or maybe even young cronies -- paying off political debts for votes, just like Illinois politics.

It's obvious the fact that "Public Enemies" was selected as the centerpiece film for the Los Angeles film festival, or that Johnny Depp was voted best actor by the People Choice Awards for his role in PE, makes no difference to the cronies. 

Clearly the highlight of the evening will be Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. Maybe I'll DVR it and fast forward everything but those two.

In the meantime, Michael Mann should at least be acknowledged for his penchant for authenticity and creativity. To his credit, Mann marches to his own beat. That probably doesn't sit well with the LA/NY pack.

And somewhere along the line I'm confident Depp will be recognized by the Academy for his amazing versatility and acting skills.

A difficult decision

Today I had to finally make a tough decision. As those of you who know me, I've had a lot of tough decisions to make this past year. In fact, in some respects they are all connected.

My good friend of more than 40 years -- David M. Stamps -- will be inducted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame in April. He and I grew up together in the world of journalism.

Back in 1969 he and I worked at this twice weekly newspaper chain in Elmhurst, Illinois. Both fresh of out the military, we didn't know what we didn't know. Life can be cruel in its lessons, but  it wasn't long before we learned. It was either that, or not survive.

Both of us spent a fairly short time with that newspaper chain. He left to become a bureau chief of a daily newspaper. That was huge for us in the minor leagues. It wasn't long before he was promoted. My phone rang. "Don, it's David." I waited. "This is the greatest place in the world to work and I want you to come here with me."

I did. It was 1970. Between 1970 and the time I left journalism, which was last Fall, he and I were connected professionally and personally, as close as two friends could be. As we both moved around in the newspaper business, somehow we were always close geographically and personally.

When he and I get together we share stories no one would believe. But they are true. Like the time he got a call from the White House asking him, as president of the Northern Illinois Newspaper Association, to host a press conference for President Gerald Ford. He did. And I was lucky enough to tag along.

Or the Red Grange stories -- the Galloping Ghost as oldtimers will remember. Dave has memories of sharing a bottle of whiskey with good, old Red. In fact, the bottle itself was a commemorative special edition in honor of him. Grange could give a crap. As Dave tells it, when the bottle was empty Grange tossed it like nothing into the trash can.

There are other stories aplenty that we can share during our years growing up in journalism. And we really did grow up, thankfully.  And his wonderful wife, Sandy, was so kind and tolerant of our antics -- although she stills winches when David's 30th birthday party come up for discussion. Hmmmm.

Anyway, I digress.

David followed me to Indiana not long after I arrived. Although he went further South -- to Indianapolis -- where he spent the next 14 years as the Executive Director of the Hoosier State Press Association.

We worked together on a number of major projects in Indiana, some of which changed state law.

I was the Editor in Waukegan, Illinois. He was the Publisher in Aurora, Illinois.  I came to Indiana from Illinois in late 1995.

When I received a call from Julie Inskeep last Fall, Publisher of the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette asking me to write a nomination letter to include David into the Indiana Hall of Fame, I was truly honored and jumped on the opportunity.

I wrote from my heart, as friends do. In my world friendship ALWAYS trumps business, or it isn't friendship.
He ended up having nearly 20 letters of nomination from associates and colleagues in the business.

And to my point. Having been voted into the Indiana Journalism Hall of Fame, I was honored and humbled to receive a call from David asking me to give his introduction at the induction ceremonies. That was late last year. It's weighed on me ever since.

Today I decided I would not do it. Not because of anything to do with David. Our friendship is solid as a rock. But rather other factors that would put us -- more me than him -- into an awkward position. Like Grange, he could give a crap. Friendship trumps business.

It was gut-wrenching to say no. I'm still not sure it was the correct decision, but what I do know is his induction will be spared any possible awkwardness,  and that's the most important. Like he said today when I told him, "Hell what's five minutes, we've had 40 years."  And we're still going. He understood.

Yes David, I will be there in spirit. I am proud to be your friend. Congratulations friend.

Short-lived television future

So the other day my friend Reba Kennedy, a San Antonio attorney and writer, fires off an email to me about this posting she came across on the web.

While it was anonymous, it was a call for a Lead Investigator for a TV series, with a somewhat general geographic area of N, which I assume meant North. Looking outside today, there's no question about the geography here in Valparaiso, IN, south of Chicago as the snow continues to pour down.

The posting read:

We're looking for a lead investigator (or team) for a new History Channel
series that decodes American symbology, iconography, explores little known
and hotly debated conspiracies and some of the world's greatest mysteries.
We need somebody that is charismatic, smart, curious, maybe a little bit
funny, and rugged would be great. He/she should have a strong working
knowledge of history, an open mind and great interview skills. Think
Stephen Colbert meets Mike Rowe.


It's late in the afternoon Jan. 5th and Reba follows up her email with an urgent call. "I just sent you an email about something that's right up your alley."

"Gee, okay," I said not really picking up the sense of urgency.

"No, you need to look at it right now and respond within the next half-hour," she told me. "It was just posted and the deadline is soon and you've got everything they're looking for."

So I open the email, read it and conclude that if nothing else, I'm really curious about the origin of the casting call.

I quickly ripped off a response to the post, giving my years in journalism, work in the legal field, and my sputtering acting career with one major film credit: Public Enemies.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And, it is in line with my new mental philosophy of challenging fear and being open and ready to embrace new opportunities -- re-careering is the new buzzword.

Within the hour I had a response from them to email a photo to them and go to their website. Nothing else.

So, I sent the photo and clicked on the site. It gave some information about the production company, which has produced a number of interesting shows like:

JOCKEYS and HOT GIRLS IN SCARY PLACES ; currently on air PARANORMAL STATE and THE LOST TAPES; past credits include LAGUNA BEACH: THE REAL ORANGE COUNTY, NEWPORT HARBOR: THE REAL ORANGE COUNTY, NASHVILLE, ROLLERGIRLS, GREAT AMERICAN CHRISTMAS, PARADISE CITY, THE FASHIONISTA DIARIES, KARAOKE SUPERSTARS, PAGEANT MOMS UNLEASHED, NIGHTCLUB CONFESSIONS and HAMPTON HIGH REVEALED.

At least it seemed legitimate. And while I have the investigative skills, and some of the other assets they asked for, I really know absolutely nothing about symbology....but I could learn.

Also on the website was a questionnaire and they asked for a two-minute video of me sharing why I wanted this role.

Okay. That's easy.

I waited until last night to do the video. You had to agree to their Contract Terms, which I opened and began to read before doing the video.

About two paragraphs in I read -- "this is a non-guild production...." As a member of the Screen Actors Guild that's a huge no-no. SAG Rule # 1, no non-union work, period! So, my short-lived vision of me on television came to an end as quickly as it began.

There was no way I was going to jeopardize my SAG membership, especially while waiting for almost a half-dozen DVDs from studios lobbying for SAG Award votes. Some have not even been released on DVD yet.

And in my prior blog I talked about voting for movies I haven't seen. Well, just like last year SAG members are offered free tickets to screen movies still in the theater which are up for awards. That is unless you get a DVD and screen it in the comfort of your own home.

Voting for the SAG Awards

One of the benefits of being a Screen Actors Guild member is I get to vote for the SAG Awards. It's a rather neat experience.

In Saturday's mail at home was the official ballot, due Jan. 21, 2010. The 16th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards are Saturday, Jan. 23 and is broadcast on TNT.

Last year was my first time voting. Movie studios lobby for their films.  For example last year I received a DVD in the mail of The Dark Knight from Warner Bros. Plus last year, most studios provided you a free ticket to see the movie in your local theater "For Your Consideration" just for the asking." Every advertisement for the awards in the SAG publications, every letter, every promotional piece contains the phrase "For Your Consideration."

Last year my wife and I took them up on the offer and went to see.....geez, I can't remember. What I can remember is the ticket person needing to call the manager of the theater over to look at the voucher I had printed off from the SAG website for free admission -- just one.

This year I haven't received any DVDs, or gone to the SAG site to see if the offer stands this year, which I assume it does. I suspect winning major awards means a lot to the bottom line of the film studios.

Many people ask me if I'm a member of SAG. When I answer "yes" they're often surprised. I show them my membership card.

You see, you have to qualify to join the Screen Actors Guild. Now, I'm not a SAG membership expert but I do know to join you need to have at least one speaking line in a SAG, or union, movie production. I have three in "Public Enemies."

I'm not exactly sure of the criteria, but I believe extras -- or background actors -- who do not have a speaking role credit can join if they have so X number extra parts. I don't know what that number is.

Assuming you meet the SAG membership criteria, there's a fairly hefty one-time initiation fee. Then the annual dues are very modest, and they take a small percentage of your earnings made through acting. My compensation for the role in "Public Enemies" more than paid for the initiation, so I thought "Why not?"

Of course they hit me for a percentage of my movie earnings, too.

Did I have to join? No. Under the Taft-Hartley laws, a person is exempt from joining the union -- SAG --for one movie or commercial production. After that you must join to do any other union work.

Since I didn't know what doors "Public Enemies" might open, I thought joining might be "an investment." Not yet, although I have two agents and have auditioned for three national commercials (that'll be another blog).

So back to the topic at hand. Somehow I need to figure out how to preview some, if not most, of the SAG Award nominated movies. Otherwise, I'll feel guilty being an uninformed voter. I might have to rely some on movie reviewers whom I respect.

Of course those of you who live in Porter County, Indiana know what I'm talking about when I mentioned "uninformed voters." However, it doesn't seem to bother them to go to the polls not having a clue (another blog topic).

So if anyone out there has any suggestions on movies to vote for, please let me know. I'm all ears.