LEAVE PAULA DEEN ALONE ALREADY

All I heard of while I was away was Paula Deen. Paula Deen. Did she make a mistake? Yes. She, and no one should ever use that word. Did she grow up in the south and was a product of her own early environment? Yes. Well, guess what? Sometimes somebody says the wrong thing once or twice. She knew better and stopped. All this brouhaha seems like a vendetta from someone who wanted to take her down.

Is she an angel? Probably not. Who is an angel all the time anyway?

Did she bungle her apology? Yep. She's not a crisis manager. She's a chef caught in a mess and was vulnerable because she actually did say it.

The Food Network should have suspended her show for six months. There is now such overkill from "righteous" companies. Gee....I wonder....did any of their executives use the words kike, wop, dago, gook or fag? Did any of you every hear those words in your childhoods?

This is now political correctness gone amok.  It's an assassination, and not the American way.

OFF TO ALASKA-----VACATION CRUISE.......CALLING ALL SLED DOGS.........

I'LL BE FLOATING TO ALASKA FOR AWHILE. BLOG AND PHOTOS UPON RETURN.
AND, YES, ARMED PEOPLE ARE AT MY HOUSE. DON'T EVEN TRY.
AND, NO, IT'S NOT ON CARNIVAL. NEVER CARNIVAL. EVER.

THE HILARIOUS MEL BROOKS AFI DINNER

I CAN'T IMAGINE ANYONE WHO DOESNT LIKE MEL BROOKS. As for me, just say his name and I start to smile. See his face and I start to laugh (he won't find that insulting. ) The Dolby Theatre was full to the brim with guests celebrating him---everyone from his best friend Carl Reiner, to Zach Galifanakis. Generation after generation of comedians and writers went from table to table in one of the best parties I've attended in a long time.

Walking in a room with Lesley Ann Warren is like entering a room of starving bees and holding a vat of honey. Lesley, who starred with Mel in "Life Stinks," is one of his favorite leading ladies. Mel has named their dance scene together as one of his all-time favorites.

Lesley and Mel talk to Bruce Gilbert

The TV broadcast aired on TNT over the weekend, but I'm sure it will air again.

ROBERT DE NIRO--- Who do I have to (f--k) to get in a Mel Brooks movie

                   CLORIS LEACHMAN-- Mel taught me what shtup and mensch meant

LARRY DAVID--He killed my parents..that little Jew bastard


-----------------------

THE JIMMY KIMMEL/SARAH SILVERMAN/MOLLY MCNEARNEY TRIANGLE

What fun it was to watch. We sat at Brad Anderson's table right in the front/middle. Brad is the chairman of the AFI National Advisory Board, and he also happens to be the owner of Best Buy, which he sold for a lovely amount. He is the nicest, most unpretentious man. "I started as a clerk at an electronics store in Minnesota," he said. "I wasn't very good at it. Eventually I learned how to sell and make the customer happy. Our little store was bought by Best Buy and I just kept working and working."

Zach Galifanakis and Sarah Silverman were to our left. Directly in front was Amy Poehler. To the front right was Jimmy Kimmel. and Molly. They came a little later, and I watched Sarah eying them as they came in. "What fun," I said to myself. As soon as they sat down, Sarah went over to them and hugged them. I'm happy to say it was hugs all around. It was that kind of night. Amy hugged Sarah, Zak hugged Judd Apatow, ABCs Anne Sweeney hugged Sir Howard Stringer, Morgan Freeman hugged Julie Chen and Les Moonves, Alan Horn hugged Bob Daly, Hawk Koch hugged Lesley, Sacha Baron Cohen hugged everyone. It was a tough crowd to keep seated. 

It was a great show, with Martin Short doing a fab opening number which was a musical salute to Mel. When Mel eventualy took the stage he said, "I'm sorry for the pedestrian food and cheap wine." (Not true, of course. Wolfgang Puck's food was incredible.) But then you could see Mel was treally touched. He talked about Anne Bancroft and how he wished she were with him (we all did, too). He thanked AFI and said, "AFI are the cinema police. They protect and serve movies."

Sarah and Jimmy

Sacha Baron Cohen

Maud Apatow, Judd Apatow, Lesley

Mel at the after party

Paul Prentiss and Dick Benjamin

Sarah and Amy

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LINDA THOMPSON

'THE REAL REASON ELVIS WANTED TO DATE ME WAS THAT I WAS A VIRGIN,"
 SAID LINDA. That was her opening line at her birthday party organized by KTLA'S Wendy Burch at RivaBella the other night. Linda was engaged to Elvis when she was Miss Tennessee, then married Bruce Jenner and had two sons, Brandon and Brody, and then married David Foster. She has written numerous songs, but my particular favorites are "Grown Up Christmas List" and Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing."

Linda, regardless of what seems a glamorous life, hangs out in Malibu, is a great mother, and is  kind, generous person. Among the party guests were, Natalie Cole, Irena Medavoy, Lisa Stanley, Donna Antebi, and Danielle Del, Karen Rosenthal, and Dorothy Lucey. And, yes, I know you want to know the "dish" that went on for hours, but, you can't.

I can tell you that some drunk guys from Australia tried repeatedly to crash our party by sending over champagne, trying to shoot pictures....REPEATEDLY. They took one look at the table of ladies and went crazy. They actually asked Linda if they could live with her......it was one of "those" nights.

Danielle and Lisa

Natalie and Linda

Happy Birthday!

The Australian boys were no match for this group

Linda and Wendy

CHERYL SABAN, VIOLA DAVIS AND STUART HOUSE

CHERYL SABAN and VIOLA DAVIS are the co-chairs of the Rape Foundation Capital Campaign for the expansion of Stuart House. This was announced by them at a gathering at Cheryl and Haim's house recently.

Stuart House is an internationally recognized model program created in 1988 by The Rape Treatment Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center to serve the needs of sexually abused children and their familes. It is an alternative place for victims to go so they don't have to"go through the system"--which is very harsh. It is a welcoming place with doctors and counselors and is extraordinary.

"I was a victim of rape," said Cheryl. "Luckily for me, I was strong, and I survived. Little children aren't. One of four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused. And, 90% of them know their abuser. I am committed to the expansion of this wonderful place so many more children can be helped. We must build away, and Haim and I have given a sum that will build the entire first floor of the building. Please help us finish it."

Cheryl and you-know-who

Donna Antebi, artist Daniele Matalon, Irena Medavoy

Viola Davis

Cheryl's frank and heart-felt speech was echoed in Viola's as well.

"My sister was abused for years. Her life has been extremely difficult," said Viola fighting back tears. "And don't think that I was immune either. Sexual abuse of children has reached gigantic proportions and we must do something. Stuart House is a miracle and I will dedicate myself to this campaign."

It was quite obvious that Viola was very nervous and vulnerable during the speech. It was her first time speaking out in public about her family's personal issues, and I commend her and Cheryl for their bravery.

There wasn't a dry eye in the house. God Bless them and Stuart House.

IF YOU WANT TO HELP, CALL 310-451-0042 or visit www.therapefoundation.org

A REAL TREASURE FROM A PRECIOUS ROCK AND ROLL PERSONAL ARCHIVE

LOOK AT THIS PICTURE. IT'S FROM 1968 AND WAS GIVEN TO ME BY CASS ELLIOT'S DAUGHTER, OWEN.   IT'S CASS, JONI MITCHELL, JUDY COLLINS AND JOAN BAEZ ALL TOGETHER. THE BABY IN THE PICTURE IS OWEN ELLIOT.

OH MY GOD

WELL, HELLO..........HILLARY!!!!!

YEP, SHE'S RUNNING...........

KIM NOVAK IN CANNES FOR HER TRIBUTE

I'm just sayin'

WANDERINGS---DISAPPEARANCE TO CAYUCOS

 I shouldn't tell anyone, but my hideout is a tiny town in Central California called Cayucos. You can barely find it because it's not really visible from the 101. Good. It is the town that time forgot. It's Mayberry; it's the 50s. One main street. You can have fish and chips at Ducky's, great tacos at the Smoke House, you can easily drive to Moonstone, Morro Bay, Cambria and Avila Beach. Or you can do nothing on an empty beach as far as your eye can see. The town becomes jammed on the 4th of July because of their home-spun parade and fireworks. Hotels and motels have been booked up for months. Foget I told you any of this. Don't go. Just leave it be for me.

I hate crowds

Incredible fish tacos and smoked meats

Side trip to Cambria

Smokehouse Fish Tacos

THE MAN WHO SAVES MY BACK

This is Dr. Aaron Schoenberger. He is a holistic chiropractor---NO CRACKING, NO PAIN. I have a terrible back, inherited from my mother, grandmother, and great-aunt. If you have any problem like that call 323-656-7722. He also has a muscle massage therapist named Steve. You'll thank me.