Rob & Michelle

Rest in Peace

Yes, a VERY heartfelt RIP to two wonderful human beings, great artists and dedicated parents who illuminated and enriched our lives. The world will miss you both. But revel in your deep and vast legacy of art and love.

I never met them or worked with them….sorry, no personal stories to tell…except that I was touched by their gifts and art so many times. We all met Rob as “Meathead” the very hippy son-in-law to Archie’s arch conservative King of his Castle and his befuddled but brilliant wife Edith. They were #1 on TV for years…CBS I believe.

I loved that show and the fact that I had seen Jean play many roles at the Totem Pole Theatre as a kid growing up because my parents always took me with them on Rotary night…when Dad’s Rotary Club bought out the house. They were some of my first theatre experiences, and Jean was brilliant and a local legend, long before Edith arrived, the Valley knew her…so, yes I do have a personal story. I met Jean after a show at the Totem Pole one night and she was eating pizza in a sweatshirt. I was 26 and the new manager of the Maryland Theatre. Libby Powell the infamous social page reporter of the Herald Mail took me to the show to meet Jean and her husband Bill Putch who owned and operated the theatre. ( this is worthy of it’s own substack) So I am one step removed from Rob Reiner.

The world is a sad and mourning place today and not just because of the loss of the Reiner’s…but for so many other needless gun deaths, senseless hate death, and death caused by people who are mentally ill every day across the US and around the world.

The world has collectively shared it’s shock and grief about Rob and Michelle’s murder at the hands of their son who has struggled with addictions throughout his life. He is no monster. He has medical problems…and will need a LOT of help. Is he guilty of murder? It sadly appears yes…but where was his brain that night ?

I’ve seen many of the tributes especially to Rob, because his talent and fame was more obvious and well known than Michelle’s. Directors and stars are almost always more famous than photographers. The best and funniest scene ever from a Rob Reiner film for me was “these knobs go to 11” it’s so VERY Monty Python.

It was Reiner’s first directing effort and put me on the floor laughing, over and over. It was a wonderful parody of a world I had gotten to know very well as the Tech Director at the Towson Center arena and as a former rock musician.

The tributes to the Reiner’s have been universally glowing…except one very notable exception. I don’t have to name names or point fingers we ALL know who it is. It’s all over, everywhere. I’m personally ashamed that our POTUS can’t be decent or can’t just keep quiet. He did stay quiet publicly when former VP Dick Cheney passed away recently…but Dick was a Republican, still admired by many in the GOP…even if he and his daughter Liz had been vocal critics of DJTs for years now.

But DJT could not be silent…he could not just blurt it out to his wife and kids…to his Secret Service detail or anyone on his speed dial. But no…he was so outraged by Rob Reiner’s years long and outspoken opposition to him, that he just had to spew out his venom and hit send…so the world could witness who really has TDS.

Rob Reiner’s death has finally made it blatantly obvious that DJT is not fit to serve as President…it is the straw that breaks the camel’s very broken up back. Or should be. This Cabinet, this “ship of fools” the least experienced and qualified in our history should invoke the 25th Amendment today, as their Christmas and Hanukah…and whatever other spiritual or Pagan festival or winter thing is being celebrated around the planet over the next few weeks…(let there be Peace on Earth…that’s a quote from every Pageant winner since the 1st one…I need to research that strange world of it’s own and report back…I’ve worked a few ) but I digress yet again…back to the eunuch Cabinet…but they won’t fire him. They won’t use the power that they really do have…in writing…Because they literally have no balls….not when it comes to the Emasculator-in-Chief who has trashed many of them…and many of them, trash talked him at one point…even the VP JD.

McMahon has more cajones than the guys…she actually slaps people around in the wrestling ring…that was her daughter she hit…right ? I’d bet on her on Draft Kings ( and I’ve never done that, nor will I ever ) in a cage match with any of these folks…that could be really entertaining pay per view, DC Cabinet Girls vs the DC Guys in a tag team…I like it…throw in a guest dwarf or two…now that WOULD get fabulous ratings on pay per view…and the live audience would pay anything to see it…we could erase world hunger with the take. They just won’t do it…not yet…but if the mob actually gets vocal enough with enough thumbs down…

Anything is possible in the arena…out in public, when the mob goes to the other side…sees the new hero, the new shiny object, they like a spectacle, all emperors knew and know that, why is DJT going to football arenas every week..to watch the game. Hell no…to soak up the adoration…but the mob is fickle…so they say.

I do believe in Angels…in fulfilling destiny…in having a purpose with this life…I’m believing Rob & Michelle Reiner are angels.

You know, she took the photo of the great deal maker for the cover of his ghost written book…how’s that for extreme irony…and he could not even thank her for that gift of her art in his life. I hope she got VERY well paid for her work. RIP.

There’s an orange glow on the horizon, through the forest, out my window as I finish writing this…time to hit send and watch the sun on the snow in the trees. Peace to all