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May 9th If you ever get a call from my dear friend Lee Hale, the producer, director and writer of the Dean Martin series/roasts and currently the Professional Dancer's Society boss, take the call. He called me about doing something with Phase 3 and Alex, (the boss) and his crew could not have been more professional. They were filming all of the celebrities who were on the Dean Martin Roasts. We did interviews and they asked me to be involved since I was on some of the roasts and I also did Dean's series. It couldn't have been more historical or hysterical. We did it in two hours. They picked me up, started filming when I came out my front door, filmed in the car on the way to the studio, to the penthouse offices of Phase 3. I rambled on and on and on and they laughed. So wonderful reminiscing about working with great stars. They're going to make a collection, like Carol Burnett did with her series, on DVDs and put them on the air and sell them. It's been so flattering to work with these professionals. They're hard to find nowadays. It seems everyone's in two businesses - theirs and show business. I just can't thank Alex, the boss of Phase 3, enough. We're going to get together soon and work on something else. I'll keep you posted. My new 350 Lexus lease is up and I'm going to get an even better one. I'll keep you posted. I'm still waiting to see the new edit of my documentary of my work. Should be finished soon. Ask me when we started filming! Answer: More than a year and a half ago! Wouldn't you think it would be done and out there by now? As a bunch of my friends have theirs out there...? It's just frustrating, because all I hear is "it takes time..." It seems they're absolutely right, but I'll take care of that. In my age I think I'm losing patience, as anybody would. The filming with Johnny Knoxville was tremendous fun. Thank you Johnny! Many more surprises coming soon! Trying to take care of my health. Eyes, ears, nose, throat and knees! I'll keep you posted. I have a few offers to do a few things. I'll keep you posted on that. It's flattering after all this time , but we're still at it AND busy! Debbie Reynolds' new book just came out! People ask me if I've read it and I say "Read it? I lived it with her!" Because we lived together day and night. She has worked her head off, plugging the book on every tv show in the country. I think it's selling very well. I think I'M going to write a book. It seems to be the latest fashion... Then I can show and tell, because sometimes people leave things out... I won't. I'll keep you posted when I write it. It'll be fun! I think I'll call it "Rrrripped Open!!! Whattya think? Oops there goes the phone. Talk to you later everybody! April 23rd I just got a call from my old friend who was with the Dean Martin show for many years and also in charge of the entertainment for the Dancers Society of America show every year. His name is Lee Hale. He just called to say he's doing interviews to help revive interest and more in refurbishing the Dean Martin comedy shows and roasts with all the stars, which I was on with Dean. It's funny that coincidentally one of my first jobs after Debbie Reynolds discovered me was working for Dean Martin. After working with Debbie, Phyllis Diller saw me and decided to put me on her first television series called The Beautiful Phyllis Diller Show. And also the Pruitts of South Hampton. I played the hairdresser. Then Dean Martin saw me and his producer Greg Garrison put me on Dean's comedy series opposite Dom DeLuise and we were both Dean's barbers. And that's when the talk shows and the tv all started. Then the movies and then television and we're still at it. We've just about finished my documentary for the next film festival. I'll keep you posted. Once again, we're still at it, better than ever, more fun than ever and y'know what? Since books are so popular I think I'LL write one. You never know. Keep you posted about the documentary. April 18th WOW WOW WOW! My phone just rang at the front door of my condiminium here in Hollywood, California. I answered the phone and a voice with a french accent said to me (magine this with a french accent) "Mr T Dear friends, in a theater review of Nathan Lane's new play called The Nance, the first paragraph mentions me. I'm very flattered. Thank you Jesse Green, the reviewer who wrote it. Word around all over is that this is a great great part for Nathan Lane. Read the review. In the last sentence of the review, it says the last sentence says "This review previously read "Rip Torn throwing confetti" when it should have read "Rip Taylor throwing confetti." That's actually in the review. It's hysterical! Thank you to Jesse Greene. Good luck to my friend Christine Pedi, now playing Mama Morton in CHICAGO in NYC. Absolutely wonderful April 12th Today I got a phone call that my dear friend Jonathan Winters passed away at the age of 87. The last time I saw him, which was at a restaurant in L.A., he walked up to a jukebox. We were sitting nearby, watching. He said to the jukebox "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" Genius Genius Genius! And like Carol Burnett, I too have an oil painting on my wall by Jonathan Winters. Night before last I went to the theater to see the "End of the Rainbow", a show about my dear friend Judy Garland who I worked with years ago on a small tour of four cities. The show was phenomenal at the Ahmanson Theatre here in L.A. The cast were brilliant and the star... unbelievable! Magnificent job doing Judy. Her name is Tracie Bennett. I'm going to go back to see it again. I went with my dear friend Frank Sheftel and Tai Babilonia, the brilliant ice skater. Looking forward to her new book! I'll give you updates on my documentary next issue! It took long enough, didn't it? We're close to the finish line... they tell me. I'll let you when I know. I thank Johnny Knoxville for doing the interview. Debbie's busy on her book tour. Lots more to come next issue! April 6th This damn show business that I'm in... Last week I was in the Globe, this week I'm a Lego! Thank you to Justin Davis. The DVD of my documentary is being completed. We did a Johnny Knoxville interview already, and this week it will be Debbie Reynolds, my closest friend on earth. Don't miss her book - it's phenomenal! We may also be interviewing Kathy Griffin - hopefully, and other names/semi-names... Hell, I'll go to your house! PS: Over the weekend, I understand that the David Galligan show at the theater with all the singers was phenomenal, but of course, I would not have expected less. Congratulations David! Onward and upward! I'm on my way to clean my star on Hollywood Boulevard, on my hands and knees like I do every weekend. If you want to find it, it's in front of the ugliest wig shop on Hollywood Boulevard. That was the Chamber of Commerce's sense of humor and I love it! Film at 11! April 5th URGENT URGENT URGENT! Nothing is Impossible! The word itself says... I'M POSSIBLE! Remember, I said it first. Tell your friends! March 21 I was on the set today at Sunset Gower Studios, of a brand new television pilot called "Girl Meets World." I think that's the title they're using now. I walked past the set and someone right away said "Oh, Mr. Torn, I've admired your work for many years. You're so funny!"... Now, between you and I and the lamppost - and I can't prove this - but it was the casting director who said that! You all know how shy as I am... I screamed out "Rip Torn!??! NO NO NO. It's Rip TAYLOR!" So then he asked if his daughter and I could take a picture with me, because he was so sorry he'd mistaken me for someone who did some strange things later in his career that we've all seen or read about. That is not me at all. And then he apologized profusely and I said "What's my name?" and he said "Rip Taylor, of course." And I said "If you're the casting director, where do I sign?" I thought those days of people mistaking me for Rip Torn were over. He had that trouble in the news a few months back and we are not similar to one another visually or professionally.
There's a new television show on TBS starting soon called Who Gets The Last Laugh. I think they're going to call me. I'll have more tomorrow, but until then thank you! March 17th
March 16th
March 13th Well Hallelujah they finally elected a Pope~ It was between Father Sircola or Father Cicle. I can't imagine calling them Pope Sircola or Pope Cicle. But I do love the new Pope Francis and I wish him luck! Now on a more serious note, today my press agent, The Great Harlan Boll, has arranged a photoshoot with me admiring the cover of Globe Magazine, so keep an eye out for it. (edit: LOOK UP!)
![]() With recent appearances in JackAss, The Aqua Batsand next in the new comedy movie Arthritis Hotel, the legendary King of Confetti, Rip Taylor, has been introduced to a new generation of fans which is another reason he has a star on Hollywood Boulevard for movies, film and television.
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