At Home in Hespeler

Being of such long title, I will henceforth refer to the Anson Williams memoir as The Potsyography. Note, I call it a memoir, not an autobiography, and that is entirely intentional. An autobiography is more chronological report of the fact of a life, a memoir something looser, more meant to get at the heart of a specific topic.

For those trying to place the name, Anson Williams was Potsy Webber on the 1970’s hit TV show Happy Days. The Potsyography walks you through his career highlights: meeting President Reagan; a White House visit plus date with Susan Ford; being directed by Steven Spielberg; meeting John Lennon, John Wayne and Elvis; watching Robin Williams create out of thin air the character Mork.

The book, however, is really about “Willie,” Williams boss when he was a janitor at Burbank department store, Leonard’s. Willie, and older black man (and drunk), would sit with Williams, having a drink out of his flask and offer advice. He was the first person to see potential in Williams, (“You gonna do something great in life”). WIllie’s advise, given in poor black man ebonics, amounts to nothing much more than a list of habits of successful people, but the source managed to get through to the young Williams, and the advice stuck. Williams gives great credit to Willie for his life’s successes, and The Potsyography seems an attempt to share that wisdom.

Singing to a Bulldog: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me There is a good, fairly quick read, that moves forward comfortably. It would make a great winter weekend reader for someone who fondly remembers Happy Days and Williams himself. The book is full of little inside Hollywood stories, without relying on dirt and scandal and divided into chapters developed around Willie’s words of wisdom.

Singing to a Bulldog: From Happy Days to Hollywood Director, and the Unlikely Mentor Who Got Me Thereis available November 11 from your usual sources.

1970's Anson Williams, Happy Days, Potsy, Singing to a Bulldog

All the fluffy news about those nutty celebrities

Hanna Montana, aka, kid star Miley Cyrus is engaged to be married to her boyfriend Liam Helmsworth.

The 19-and-a-half year old Cyrus is sporting a 3.5 carat diamond ring, which Helmsworth presented. y proposal to her last week. “Life is beautiful,” she then tweeted, meaning, we presume, she was on her way to an Italian film festival. The couple have been dating 3.5 years when they met on the set of “The Last Song.”

The big question is, will this be a weirdo Hollywood wedding, or more traditional fare where the DJ is informed that if he plays Achy Breaky Heart he will wake in the hospital with Achy Breaky Legs?

Review in Brief: “The Avengers is the best movie ever. And, it’s really funny. You have to go see it dad.”

On the subject of former kid stars, Amanda Bynes has plead not guilty to a drinking and riving charge stemming from an April arrest in Hollywood.
Bynes, it turns out, could not have possibly have been driving under the influence because she does not drink. What is not explained is why she then refused a breathalyzer or a blood test. But rest assured, it’s all the cop in questions fault, asking President Obama on twitter to, “Please fire the cop who arrested me.” When the time Amanda Bynes emerges to tell you how you have to vote otherwise live your life, remember she thought it was the Presidents job to fire city officers.

Amanda, he can’t help because a)he’s the President of the United States and this is a local matter and b) your not Raven.

Former Happy Days brat Erin Moran, who played Joanie on the iconic show, as well as starred in run-off show Joanie loves Chachi, is broke and lives in a trailer. It’s reported that Moran lost her California home last year, and she and her husband live in a trailer park in Indiana.

You’d think there would be all sorts of money, what with celebrity being a commodity itself these days and seeing as Happy Days still shows on re-runs and sells DVD’s, &tc., and you’d be right. But CBS Studios and Paramount Pictures has kept the money, offering that the talent has no clam on the coin.

Suit has been filed and Moran, along with co-stars Anson Williams, Marion Ross and Don Most are looking for something in the neighbourhood of half-a-million dollars.

Perhaps Moran will be upgrading to a double-wide in the near future.

John Mayer is not exactly a gentleman, famous for his discretion. Of Jennifer Aniston he is said to have wrote Heartbreak Warfare (push it in and twist the knife again. Watch my face as I pretend to feel no pain”) and Jessica Simpson he recently called “sexual napalm.” So when Yet another ex, that sweet Taylor Swift, writes a song about him, all fair &tc., right?

It (writing the song) was a really lousy thing to do… I will say as a songwriter thatI think it’s kind of cheap songwriting… I think it’s abusing your talent to rub your hands together and go, “Wait till he gets a load of this!”

Coming from a man who recently was recently on the cover of Rolling Stone and expounding at length about masturbation in the included interview, talk of other people rubbing their hands together and abusing their talent sounds just crass.

Bob Welch (1946 – 2012)

Back when Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors owned the album chart and airwaves, For Mac guitarist Bob Welch had his first solo album on the charts. For my money at the time, French Kiss was the better album. Featuring the hits Sentimental Lady Ebony Eyes, French Kiss was a Welch’s biggest hit.

Sadly, Bob Welch shot himself in the chest this week at his California home. He was apparently suffering a medical condition and left a note.

Rest in Peace Bob Welch.

Fluffernutter Amanda Bynes, Anson Williams, Avengers, Bob Welch, Don Most, Erin Moran, Hannah Montana, Happy Days, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Simpson, Joanie loves Chachi, John Mayer, Marion Ross, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift