"Casting Hope" - People Helping People

Ciao a tutti,

Neither one of us remember the club where we met. We don't even remember the name of the band we went to see. But neither one of us ever forgot each other, or the short conversation that we had that gave us HOPE. Over the years, we haven't been in touch but we thought about each other, that's for sure. And when it came to talking about Hope on her new show, she remembered me.



It was a few months after September 11th, 2001, and I was in a show, ironically, about hope. It was called "Visions" and I had auditioned and got the part of Socrates in the world premier of this rock opera. I liked the opera very much and the role of Socrates was a great role.

But Socrates is not very well known in America and therefore what he had to say through me was not really understood by the audience. Now the part of Mother Teresa, everyone understood her and her big song (aria) is so beautiful.

I would have tried out for the role of Jesus, if he wasn't sung by a tenor. Oh, well. But it was a good experience. (This is so interesting and such a surprise to me. While writing this post, I checked the Visions website to make sure I had the website address correct to link it, and while I was perusing through it, I found this picture of me in the role of Socrates. So, here it is).

Well it was one of my co-stars, who played the part of a bag lady (you would have to know the opera), who was fronting a band in her off stage life. I promised her that I would watch her band perform one night at a nightclub in Hollywood, and I went to see her show.

Evidently, Pixie Monroe, owner of her own casting agency, had gone to hear, if I remember correctly, the bass player in the band for a movie role or something. She was sitting at a table in the front by herself and I asked if I could sit next to her. Before the show started her and I had a short and sweet conversation that we have remembered ever since.

Without getting into it too much, Pixie had just moved to Los Angeles from Washington, D.C. where she was working in a building directly across from the part of the Pentagon that was hit.

She had to move because the government took over their offices since the Pentagon offices had been destroyed. I had been in New York, blocks away from the World Trade Center and watched everything happen from afar until I decided to try and flee Manhattan with millions of others, to no avail. While stuck in Manhattan for days without the possibility of renting a car or getting a plane out, I learned that my Father was passing away, and then he did.

You can imagine, like so many of us at the time, the stories we told each other and the special connection we developed in those short moments. We gave each other hope, and we assured each other about something else too.

We told each other that even though we had heard so many stories of people in the business of music, movies and television being ruthless and heartless, that we did not have to experience those people. You could say we almost made an unspoken pact to attract to ourseleves beautiful people who want to do good in the world through music, television and movies.

Had I known at the time, I would have included radio too, but thankfully, it has been the case for me, and come to find out, for her too. Not only that, she has since started a podcast show that benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and on which she interviews celebrities and people in music, television, movies, fashion, etc., who are indeed doing good in the world.

Interestingly enough, she started this podcast soon after her mother died and it is called "Casting Hope." It cleverly combines the the creative energies of L.A. radio personality Gary Spears and Hollywood Casting Director Pixie Monroe with celebrities, fashion, entertainment and business professionals, St. Jude supporters and patients.

Los Angelinos especially will remember the voice of Gary Spears from his many years as a disc jockey on KBIG and of course KIIS FM, and what a great radio voice it is. Needless to say, we had a lot of fun and you can listen to the podcast show in the archives of their website.

I however wasn't the only guest on the show. The other guest was Jackie Zabel, and I am so glad she was. I got to meet, speak to, and enjoy Jackie and I have a feeling we will be doing something together soon.

Actually, I already know one of those things we will be doing together, and that is being a part of her next cookbook. See, Jackie was on the show because she too is a big Hollywood mover and shaker, her and her husband. For that matter, her and her co-author and her co-author and her husband too. Boy this is confusing.

Lets start at the beginning. Jackie Zabel wrote a book in conjunction with Morgan Most called "The Hollywood Cookbook - Cooking For Causes." Interestingly enough, during the taping of the show, Jackie said we should get olive oil on the book.

What she meant by that is she wants people to use it because the recipes have all been tested and they work and are most likely delicious. But I could see why people wouldn't want to get olive oil on it, because it is such a beautiful "coffee table" type book, as you can see from the picture above.

The conceptt is great and $5 of every book sale gets split among 20 different charities. The book is not without it's Italian recipes and Italian-American celebrities. Featured are Chef Mario Batali, Chef Nick Stellino, Chef Rocco Dispirito, and Chef Michael Cimarusti. In fact, the Italian chefs outnumber all the chefs combined. Gotta love it.

So, during the taping Jackie also said that they are writing a second book about "going green." By "green" I don't think she necessarily means salads, but rather food that is environmentally conscious. And so, with that, she asked if Chef Richard, of the Filippo and the Chef show, and I would be a part of the celebrity line-up on the next book and, of course I said yes.

Now to clear up what I started with the husbands etc., lets see if I can take one more stab at it and make it make sense. Jackie is married to Bryce Zabel who is a writer, a producer and formerly the Chairman/CEO of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Jackie's co-author of the book is Morgan Most. Morgan is married to Don Most who is an actor and director and best known for his portrayal of the character Ralph Malph on the most popular series "Happy Days."

Interesting note. I always thought the character was "Ralph Mouth" until I just looked it up on imdb.com. Funny. I am so glad I cleared that up. And now you see what I mean when I said something like these people are movers and shakers in the world of Hollywood.

Which only goes to prove the point that began this whole post, about dealing with people in this business that want to do good in the world. Here we had a casting agent, Pixie Monroe (Don't you love that name?), a radio host, Gary Spears, a Hollywood mover and shaker/author, Jackie Zabel, representing her co-author Morgan Most, and respective husbands, and myself, Filippo, a singer and radio show host as well, all from "the industry" and all carrying about other people and wanting to help the world.

Pixie, I would say we are attracting well and living out our silent pact! More power to you and to all of us, and thank you all for being who you are and doing what you are doing!

Filippo

P.S. In the pictures starting at the top are Gary Spears, Pixie Monroe and myself. Then there is me as Socrates in the "Visions" Rock-Opera. Then I posted a picture of Pixie Monroe and I and one with Gary Spears and I. Then below those I have the cover of "The Hollywood Cookbook" and then a pictures of the authors, Jackie Zabel and Morgan Most, and their husbands, below them, Bryce Zabel and Don Most.

I then posted pictures of the Italian Chefs in the book, Mario Batali, Nick Stellino, Rocco DiSpirito, and Michael Cimarusti. Finally, I have a picture of the four of us in the studio with Peaches the dog.

Since I wrote about Don Most who played Ralph Malph in the series "Happy Days, and since the character of "Arthur Fonzarelli" was supposed to be Italian, I thought I would take this opportunity to post a video I found on Youtube.com of not one but two Italian characters from the series. Here are Fonzie and Leather Tuscadero singing the Fonzie song, "Do The Fonzie," from one of the series episodes. (In English)