Tutto Verde (All Green) - The Global Green Pre-Oscar Party

Ciao a tutti,

Last week I was invited to the 5th Annual Global Green Pre-Oscar Party by a couple friends of mine, Janet Baghoomian and Antoine Bonsorte. Yes, one of them is Italian, can you guess which one.

In fact, remember in one of my last posts I was speaking about the Italian-French connection and of a family who moved from Italy to France? Well, Antonie's family did the same, and so he too speaks better French than Italian.

But in whatever language you listen to him speak, he is an artist par excellence (French word, right?, he, he). Check out his work at www.Bonsorte.com.

At any rate, it was a great event, and Antoine wasn't the only Italian there. I ran into many, including my friend and actress Jodi London from Chicago.

Of course it was a star studded event ala Hollywood and the Oscar Parties, but in this case instead of a "red" carpet, they had a "green" carpet. Global Green is all about promoting smart solutions to global warming, and the event was to benefit global green's climate change initiatives, including the green rebuilding of New Orleans.

Unlike at other events, this time I hung out mainly with my friends and managed to get only pictures of me and them, which was just fine with me.



I did get a shot with fellow Italian-American actor and TV show host Mark DeCarlo who I always enjoy running into and various events, both Italian and Socially Conscious ones. Mark is working on a new show and he told us soon that he would tell us all about it. So, I look forward to that.

We got to enjoy a performance by Italian-Brasilian singer Michael Franti. See the video below of actual footage from the event.


So here's to a greener world,

Filippo





P.S. Below is the video of Italian- Brasilian singer Michael Franti I found on Youtube.com
of his performance at this year's Global Green Pre-Oscar Party. (In English)

The National Italian American Foundation - Sure Throws a Heck of a Party

Ciao a tutti,

This year Chef Richard and I were invited to perform a live version of the "Filippo and the Chef" show at the 2007 NIAF (National Italian American Foundation) Convention in Washington, D.C.

I had been invited to perform at the Convention and Gala a few times before, but this was the first time with the "Filippo and the Chef" show which normally includes a
celebrity guest or two.

This show was a first all the way around. Not only was it a first for us to be performing it at NIAF, but we had four celebrity guests and Chef Richard and I on the stage all cooking and talking at the same time. There was Tony Lo Bianco, Jerry Vale, Deana Martin and Vince Ferragamo.

You would think that with the six of us Italian-American performers and "chefs" (every Italian I know, cooks) on stage, that it would be a free-for-all and that too many chefs would spoil the soup, but quite the opposite. It was beautiful and harmonious.

In fact, at one point, someone from the audience yelled out "Jerry, sing." Knowing Jerry wouldn't be up to that, I responded that when those of us cook we sometimes play the music of Jerry Vale. Now that we are watching Jerry cook, we should be singing for him." Not missing a beat, Jerry said, under his breath while stirring his Pasta Puttanesca, "Deana will sing."

Sure enough, as if on cue Deana started to sing "Everybody Loves Somebody Sometimes," one of her father Dean Martin's hits and a song from her own CD "Memories Are Made of This." And what do you suppose happened next? As if we were all following a script, one by one we all joined in, first Tony Lo Bianco, then Me, then Vince Ferragamo, Richard Lombardi, and finally, Jerry Vale started and the chorus of beautiful voices was complete.

The audience went nuts. Forget the audience, I went nuts. That was too much. How many people can say that they have sung with Jerry Vale, alone. But to be on a stage singing with Jerry, Deana, Tony and Vince and of course Richard, what a dream come true.

As you would imagine, the show went on much longer than planned. Between the joking and bantering and cooking, tasting and merrymaking, we all lost track of time, and no one was all the wise, in fact we were all having too much fun.

That is until the Director of the whole convention came up to the stage and handed me a handwritten note from the NIAF Executive Director, John Salamone, himself, that read, "Filippo, shut the show down, we need the celebrities for our auction."


Evidently, there was to be a celebrity auction going on at that point in another area of the convention that he himself was hosting and all the celebrities including the audience were all still at our show.

I know John, but I hadn't seen John throughout the whole convention weekend, and like a good Italian raised on guilt, I knew for sure it was because he was angry with me.

Of course it had nothing to do with him being the busiest person there. Then when I went to go pick up my tickets for the Gala and they weren't there, nor was my name on the list, I knew for sure he was angry.

Of course I went to the Gala and the tickets and my name were eventually found, but it wasn't until I finally made it to a private reception in John's suite at the end of the convention that we were able to laugh about the story I had invented in my head.

In all actuality, we were immediately invited back for next year's convention and we already talked about more time so that we can have all the Italian-American cooking and singing and chatting time on stage we can have.

Oh, and speaking of stories we invent in our heads, I forgot to mention another special moment that happened just before the show. I got to meet and speak with Yogi Berra. And while I was talking to him, he gifted me with a Yogi-ism, just for me.

Yogi came to the show, and I saw him in the audience so I went over to say hello, introduce myself and thank him for coming to the show. I sat and chatted with him a minute and before I left, I asked him if he would like to be acknowledged from the stage.

He asked me why I would do that? I told him "so that people would know that you are here." And here it comes. He said to me, very matter of factly, "They already know I'm here, because I'm here!"

There you go folks, my very own Yogi-ism, thank you Yogi! I laughed all the way up to the stage. What a great way to psyche oneself up for a show.

Needless to say, from the convention to the Gala, NIAF puts on quite a star studded affair and not only was a good time had by all, but much work got done too. Because we also had a "Filippo and the Chef" booth at the convention hall, I didn't get to attend too many of the conferences but the ones I did get to attend made me even more proud to be Italian-American.

Watching and listening to Italian-Americans making plans for the continuation of traditions and the betterment of our community and the world made me proud for our future.

And here's to the future of NIAF, see you next year!

Above are pictures of me with Gina Lollobrigida, Susan Lucci, Connie Stevens, Deana Martin, Jerry Vale, Tony Lo Bianco, U.S. Marines, Vince Ferragamo, Yogi Berra, the gang and I cooking in the convention hall, and opera singer Vittorio Grigolo and I. Below are some more fun pictures and fun people.

Filippo

P.S. My only regret, (another "great" Italian trait or tradition, regret) was that I didn't get to meet actress Ellen Pompeo. I know I will have the opportunity soon, so I am okay with that. In the meantime however, here is the video that NIAF had made of her and her Italian roots as posted on Youtube.com. (In English)







At table 31 at the NIAF Gala






With Actress Jodi London & NIAF's A. Kenneth Ciongoli




With Singer Alfio and Magic Beam President Nina Bueti




With Singer Alfio, Magic Beam President Nina Bueti and Serafina Scorcia






With the U.S. Ambassador to Italy Giovanni Castellaneta and Cav. Rosemary Licata and her sister.






With NIAF President Sal J. Zizza






With Radio host John Griffeth and husband to Deana Martin






With friend Serafina Scorcia





With Singer Rose Bonanza and Dame Dorothy Nocita






With Singer Alfio and Magic Beam President Nina Bueti






With Mrs. Susan Sanzi






With His Excellency Rev. Pietro Sambi Representative of the Vatican in America






With Singer Cristina Fontanelli






With NIAF's Kristy Pappalardo






With NIAF Chairman Frank Guarini and friend Sera Scorcia






With Actress Jodi London







With Longtime Fan Daniela Mansella






With friend Sera Scorcia and Singer Alfio






At table 31 w/ Tony Cicoria






With PBS Predident and Chief Executive Officer Patricia de Stacy Harrison






With Ron Onesti






With friend Serafina Scorcia






Table 31 at the NIAF Gala, Chef Richard Lombardi and wife Elaine












With Magic Beam President Nina Bueti and friend Sera Scorcia

"The Value of Names" - This One Hit Home

Ciao a tutti,

In this post we are going to do something a little different. Since I started this post almost a year ago, I have been writing it all on my own. For the first time, I am going to include a review written by a friend of mine that was written exclusively for this blog.

This is how and what went down. My friend, actress Jodi London, was in town from Chicago to meet with Gary Marshall and see the play he produced, "The Value of Names," at his theater, The Falcon Theater.

While there, she met with Gary in regard to her film, which I will be featured in by the way, and I got to meet and talk with him as well about being on our show "Filippo and the Chef," to which he said, absolutely yes, yeah!

Before I go on, I have to say about the film that Jodi wrote and is going to star in, that has a working title of "Run While You Can." I just want to say that I believe that there is a love scene in the movie between her and I, but she doesn't believe so. I could swear there is, since I read the script. Since she wrote the script she is sure there isn't.

Well, one thing I know for sure, I will be a romantic interest but I cannot say anymore than that. Of course, after reading this, she may write me out of the script completely, he, he.

Okay, so Gary was great, really great and a lotta fun. He reminded me of my Uncle, as a matter of fact, he could be my Uncle. You all know he is Italian-American, right? Yeah, I think the name was actually Marsciarelli or something like that. You also know who he is, right? He's an actor, the producer of "Laverne and Shirley," etc.

So this play, "The Value of Names," hits home, let me tell you. It was based on a Jewish family but it could have been Italian. And speaking of Italian, so there we were minding our own business (right), when who should appear but the producer and creator of one of the most Italian shows on television, "Everybody Loves Raymond," Phil Rosenthal.

Talk about the Jewish play could have been Italian, when I finally spoke to Phil that is what he said, Raymond's story is his story, Raymond's mother is his mother, same thing.

Actually, I first recognized Monica Horan, who played the character Amy in "Everybody Loves Raymond." While I was speaking to her I had to tell her about the episode I like the best, in fact, I am most passionate about it, the one that takes place in Italy.

She stopped me mid-sentence and told me to tell her husband this story. And I said, "why, who's your husband? " Just like that. She said, he's Phil Rosenthal the producer and creator of the show.


I must have turned a shade of red, but there was no time for that, I had to tell him just how much I related to a couple of really poignant scenes in that one-hour special episode.

Some of the scenes in particular touched me in ways which maybe I will share with you all someday. But when I was describing one in particular to Phil, I detected a hint of watery eyes in him and the same happened to me as we connected on this story.



When I finished he told me that, that very scene was his favorite as well and how he spent four weeks on that scene. He shared what he did to create it and what he wanted people to feel. And when he finished, for a moment we were quiet.

I then opened up my arms and we hugged for a good long moment and we thanked each other and then we joined the party in the lobby again.
Even though they had different seats than us, we all ended up sitting together to watch the play.

After the play, Chef Richard came to join us since he had to see me to get something signed or something and he ended up joining in the fun.

Have I said too much? I think I should get to the critique that Jodi wrote now. Let me just splain the pictures you see. The first is of course Gary Mashall with Jodi London and I. Then come the Rosenthal's, Phil and Monica, who also goes by her stage name of Monica Horan.

Then you see Jack Klugman, of "The Odd Couple." Meeting him too was a treat

after seeing him on TV while growing up. He is such a great stage actor too, who knew? And then there I am pictured with the fine actress of the play, Liz Lasen.

And finally, the other leading actor of the play that night and fellow Italian-American, Dan Lauria, who you see pictured here with Richard, of the "Filippo and the Chef" show, and I.

You know Dan from so many things, but most of you would remember him in "The Wonder Years." When the two of them, Dan and Jack, were rumbling on stage, the whole theater shook. What power houses of theater.

There I go, giving a critique when I was going to do something different and let Jodi do the critiquing. So I will sign off now and thank Jodi for a wonderful evening together and for writing this critique for my blog.

Filippo

"The Falcon Theatre, Burbank, CA: 'The Value of Names' starring Jack Klugman, Dan Lauria, and Liz Larsen. . Bravo to these three actors who delivered a very convincing and entertaining performance! Jack Klugman carried the play with his cynical opposites while his genuine love for his daughter reigned through.


Liz Larsen responded with perfect comedic timing to bring a smile to anyone that has experienced the father-daughter relationship. The struggle to rekindle a long lost friendship is felt heart-deep when Dan Lauria entered the stage. Throughout the evening, the audience bounced between laughter and tears as the characters’ emotions and the storyline unfolded before our eyes. The well written script, the choice of the actors and the warmth of the Falcon theatre where every seat has an excellent view of the stage made my experience a night to cherish!"
-Jodi London

P.S. Since I had the wonderful opportunity to hear Phil Rosenthal describe to me how he created a particular scene for the hit TV series "Everybody Loves Raymond," I thought you all would enjoy an opportunity to hear it from him directly. In this scene I got from Youtube.com Phil and Ray Romano are together on a show called "You're Lucky You're Funny." In this particular clip Phil is describing what the inspiration was for the "Fruit of the month" bit used in one of the episodes. (In English)