The Riot Within

This book was written by someone who lived through a HORRIFIC moment that became HISTORY and lived to tell his tale. The injustices he survived sparked a GIANT outcry into a FULL ON HISTORIC Riot around the city of Los Angeles. To bring detail to that and more is the story from the man himself, Rodney King.

When Rodney was growing up, the thing he loved more than anything was to go fishing, something he acquired from his dad who was the best fisherman around. Aside from fishing every summer, swimming was the thing to do everyday. It didn't matter where they were, they always ended up at the local watering hole. Rodney was a good swimmer and could ALWAYS stay in the water. Incidents of exposed racism as a kid towards him and his brothers made Rodney aware of race. He had no real concept of it. They were all just kids to him. He had no real concept of racial slurs until that day. What happened to him that day made no sense to him. Rodney said it best the statement "children are colorblind by nature, and it's very tragic when the truth changes."

Thanks to his dad keeping him out until 2:00 AM to work w/ him raising tiles to a high shine, Rodney didn't get much of ANY sleep. Due to being too exhausted to concentrate in school or put up a fuss, teachers thought Rodney was qualified as slow and put him in "special" kids. He would be put w/ the mentally disabled kids. Holding him back a year wasn't an potion. Rodney was scared but also relieved. He was embarrassed to be taking the short bus. It made him feel defective, worthless and broken.

He wanted to really play for his school baseball team, which was a talent he was good at. It was his happiest moment when he made the team. He felt normal as though he belonged. Everything/everyone, to him, was fun to be around. Rodney talks about a teacher who wanted to be there for him, but later on found out this teacher had a DISTURBING past w/ secrets. Due to the beatings he survived from his father, that was why it didn't really keep him down when he was being beaten in 1991. It was a tolerable amount of pain he'd experienced before.

Rodney and a few friends at the time worked for long hours and low pay at McDonald's. He worked the late shift. The first time Rodney drank alcohol was at age 11. He loved it from the start and was immediately hooked. He turned into the person he always wanted to be. Rodney had the disease, just like his dad, never realizing anything negative could come from the alcohol. Right from the start, Rodney loved to drink.

Rodney and his brothers earned respect around their neighborhood by cleaning up every New Years Day. When the Rose Bowl came, they would valet park cars in a good spot. Rodney earned himself making extra money w/ a tree cutting business which he loved! Rodney would still suffer from his father. But outside, life was open.

Rodney soon began a routine that at the time was innocent. He began to pick up 40oz. of malt liquor on the way home. It would put him in a happy mood and seemed to make his troubles go away. Rodney's mom eventually left his dad, due to her faith as a Jehovah's Witness' rejection of the physical abuse and struggle she went through w/ her husband. But even remarrying years later, they still loved each other.

He realized that he could never be a Jehovah's Witness due to his mom making the rules clear. Quitting some of these things were too much. Soon drinking in excess to escape became the escape. At age 18, his first arrest was for reckless driving and he served 48 hours community service.

Rodney stated that the night he was beaten by the cops he knew he should've stopped driving the minute he seen cruiser lights in his rear-view mirror. After a convience store charge that was innocent, but plead guilty, it was only the beginning w/ his troubles with the law. During his one year stint in jail, his resident celebrity cellmate was Ike Turner, which was one good memory that Rodney took w/ him.

He was still on parole for the convience store charge when he went driving on 3-3-91 w/ 2 good friends in the car. Rodney was unemployed, but was due to start a job the following Monday. Following a basketball game, it was still early and they decided to go for a drive. There was no definite destination in mind. They were in L.A. at around 10-11p. Rodney must've been in a passing lane that cars hit high speeds real easy. All of a sudden Rodney was stopped an H.P.O. (Highway Patrol Officer). They began to clock at a high speed on city streets. The Los Angeles Police were also tailing him. They chased through city streets. The L.A.P.D. originally reported 15 officers in the chase. Now both C.H.P. (California H. P.) and the L.A.P.D. claimed to chase him due to speeding, but records show not one mention of how fast he was going. Rodney then goes into elaborate detail what escalated on that HISTORIC night.

Rodney could smell the hatred. It was a CLEAR presence. Rodney kept trying to remain calm during the beating, but it was as if the cops were treating him like he was a human pinata seeing who smash him first. Rodney began to think of the racial treatments in the South w/ slaves that had been beaten & lynched. When he thought he had wet himself, turns out it was blood - EVERYWHERE! After being zapped twice, he realized he was going to die. He began to think/see this beating as some sort of penance for all his wrongdoings. Another blow came down, fracturing his eye socket. Then he gave it up and passed out for awhile. Rodney spent 3 days in the LA County Jail before release.

Rodney was soon in the worst state of depression. Thinking he would be fixed up, he heard someone state they had the WHOLE thing on tape. He just cried KNOWING there was evidence of what TRULY happened.

WE ALL KNOW & REMEMBER the trial and the verdict. They all plead not guilty while 3 other officers got suspension without pay. The cops testified later that they thought Rodney was on PCP due to his ability to remain standing. The L.A.P.D acknowledged that medical testing proved of Rodney having no traces in his system. During the trial, the cops pit one against the other. One cop testified that he was following "policies of the Los Angeles Police Dept and the training". The report one of the officers reportedly stated that Rodney only had "contusions & abrasions" and in REALITY Rodney had a lot of broken bones. The same officers evidence "said" he wasn't a racist, but testimony of earlier in his career said otherwise. On 4-23-1992, the case went to the jury and six days later on 4-29-1992, all of the cops were found NOT GUILTY. The mayor at the time thought the L.A.P.D did NOT deserve the uniform. The governor at the time, Bill Clinton, didn't understand the verdict either.

Rodney had a sensing feeling that the officers were going to walk. ALOT of people shared the same feeling. Word spread 3 days earlier that if these guys walked, a full scale riot was ahead. By the time every U.S. news outlet announced the acquittal, Rodney's shock and rage immensely overwhelmed him to want to disappear and be someone else. Statements from the L.A.P.D. and presidential hierarchy kept Rodney's hopes alive and that justice would prevail.

The trial was over, over. It affected everyone differently. Although they didn't know it at the time, when Rodney and his family were sitting on the lawn furniture trying to relax, they caught the tail end of a signal flair. Someone shot it over South Central. They literally witnessed the beginning of the Los Angeles Riots. When they went back inside to watch TV, they found out about the Riots having instantly started. EVERYONE deemed it a travesty of justice.

SHOCKING images appeared on television. The media cameras caught the attorneys congratulated each other. Fear of violence & destruction were becoming a reality. EVERYONE remembers what was shot and aired on LIVE TV! In the blink of an eye, the fury EXPLODED! It was Anti-Kodak moment that re-lived over and over again. Rodney, being a witness through television, was destroyed watching America become a war zone.

If there had been a Ground Zero for the L.A. Riots, it would've been that little patch of South Central.  Everyone all brought stuff for Rodney and his family. He was getting emotional from the shock of what was receiving from others. He was grateful but more concerned for what was happening in the downtown neighborhood. He sensed evil erupting from what he was witness to undercover within a few blocks. He was SHOCKED! He had No IDEA!

As people of different ethnicities clashed, the riots became the heart of darkness. After hearing updated news reports w/ killings, injuries; it was a living, breathing nightmare for Rodney. The city, the state, even the National Guard - NO ONE had ANY indication of this magnitude coming. Up until that point, the racial tension that had been brewing in L.A. had been ignored. No matter what calls or assistance that came in, it wasn't enough. NOTHING Helped!!

By the next morning, fires raged from more than 150 in the city. Everyone was afraid. Businesses closed early, even ones that weren't near the Riots. It was like a city wide shutdown and curfew. LITERALLY! Rodney was devastated because he felt responsible. On the third day of the Riots, Rodney received a call from his lawyer and he knew what it was about. How to handle speaking to the media concerning the Riots. Rodney wanted say meaningful and in his own words instead of a 4-pg script, thanks to his lawyer. Coming  from deep in his heart and soul and as true as he could make it, with that came the memorable words everyone remembers. After a couple of more days, justice was overran and over populated. The Riots Changed America.

The president at the time, George H.W. Bush, insisted that justice be done. The violence triggered by the verdict took the president completely by surprise. He didn't seem to have a single hand on the pulse of racial strife in L.A. Bush was OUTRAGED about the verdict. He ordered the justice dept. to look into possible federal prosecution of the four acquitted cops on the charge of violating Rodney's civil rights. Jesse Jackson took the occasion to really tear into Bush. Other civil rights leaders throughout the nation pointed a finger at Bush for not moving quickly enough to deal w/ the mess in L.A. The Department Of Justice  vigorously enforced the nations Civil Rights laws, and that gave Rodney's family hope. There was a real & rational fear that this violence could spread from city-to-city, then state-to-state. The federal government couldn't take it anymore. A whole summer later, there was so much anger in the city, it felt like the whole thing could explode again. The Department Of Justice decided to prosecute the four officers on federal civil rights charges. 2 cops couldn't believe they were on trial again. All 4 officers faced up to 10 years in jail and $250,000 in fines if convicted. One thing everyone was afraid of: another NOT Guilty verdict due to an onset of another Riot. The trial opened on 2-25-93. They tried to downplay Rodney's injuries during the trial. It was being said that Rodney's injuries weren't serious, "if so he would've left in an ambulance."

After Rodney was put on the stand, he was ready and relieved. He was HONESTLY glad to be on the stand to be telling what REALLY happened HIMSELF! During his testimony, the courtroom was quiet as a church. Rodney's lawyer kept to the subject at hand and NOT mediocre details of parole and speeding. It was tough to describe EVERYTHING, Rodney was at his best recollection. On 4-17-1993, two officers were found GUILTY of violating Rodney's civil rights. Two others were found NOT GUILTY (Wind & Briseno). Everyone stated the verdict was a sigh of relief in L.A. after being handed down. The judge decided that most of the baton blows were legal because Rodney was resisting arrest and the police were trying to subdue him. The judge sentenced the two officers to 30 months in prison and didn't order them to pay anything except $50.00 for a special court assessment. Others DISAGREED with the verdict.

The four officers were indicted for felony assault back in 1991. On 5-8-1991, Rodney and is wife, Crystal, filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of L.A. The case went to trial in 1994. Rodney testified this time in this case w/ his testimony STRAIGHT & TRUE as it happened, and his damaging outcome as a result. The city's lawyers made Rodney out like he was an alcoholic and a criminal and that Rodney's beating was liable. It was less that Rodney's lawyer asked for but but more than the city was willing to pay, but the jury decided on a settlement of $3,816,535.45. One of the cops, Briseno, tried to separate himself from the other officers, stating that it wasn't right what happened that night. He was told to do what he did. Lawyers for the cops stated that the cops' careers were ruined and no longer had savings. They even lost their homes.
They jury decided that 2 cops acted /w malice during the beating. But also that they suffered enough during trial and didn't need to pay Rodney anything in damages. Some thought there was NO JUSTICE and was PURELY black & white. One of the officers eventually stopped coming after Rodney for legal fees. The city stopped coming after him for legal fees. It was stated that Rodney just wanted to move on w/ his life and put this behind him.

After his legal troubles w/ this case, more trouble ensued including drunk driving/D.U.I. and more. Due to a fight w/ his ex, Crystal, that gave Rodney a bad rep that left him depressed for months. More run-ins w/ the law came within the next decade. Rodney couldn't seem to break his patterns w/ alcohol and run-ins w/ the law. One always led to the next, a snowball effect w/ alcohol always being trigger.

Rodney credits Dr. Drew Pinsky and his rehab program and his time on VH1's reality shows teaching him how to live a life of sobriety. It's HARD w/ depression suffering w/ physical attributes of what happened to him. He knew a drink would help, but KNOWS he MUST resist.

The time that Rodney spent w/ lawyer after lawyer, stressing about bringing justice to this case, how his family was going to make it & live it due to Rodney's injuries, something else piled on the stress . . . . Rodney's marriage was on the rocks. After being jerked every which way by an attorney wanting a piece of him and to cash in, Rodney EVENTUALLY found a GENUINE lawyer WITH A HEART. When it was all said and done, after 27 attorneys, Rodney made less than half of his award, $1.7 million.

Rodney's marriage had it's toll on him.  It was thanks to his wife, Crystal, ENDLESSLY talking about the money and how much he would get. They argued too much and the most normal conversation turned to money, which became loud and ugly. He did the only thing he thought would make it end: he seen another woman. In order to rebuild his marriage, Rodney thought to move away from the chaos.

Medgar, Malcolm & Martin

As time went on and all he'd gone through, Rodney needed to educate himself and go forward in a positive light. As time progressed, rather than be proof existence of racism in the L.A.P.D., Rodney thought he could be  positive voice of racial harmony in L.A. Rodney's lawyer began to see him as the perfect work in progress and set him up w/ a tutor. Her job was to give Rodney a sense of HISTORY about the black man. She taught him about MAJOR black leaders; such as Medgar, Malcolm & Martin. Rodney gathered a sense of strength after learning of these men AND their achievements.  After awhile, Rodney began to see how he could be a positive symbol as well. As he worked to rebuild his image, symbolically Rodney was being put in a same class that African-Americans see just as vitally important.

Rodney was determined to get in better shape, did it and he felt great. The more black history he learned, the more his attitude improved. He began to attend an alcohol rehab program to get into better shape. He began to work on of the toughest: fixing his marriage. With the 1.7 million, Rodney moved forward w/ his dreams of creating a rap studio. After doing his homework and what was needed, he called his studio Straight Alta-Pazz Recording, after where he grew up. After an amazing ride and collapse, so did he. He lost control, either for that or being a poster child, Rodney was arrested again for spousal abuse. Due to having been hooked on PCP, Rodney was ordered to a year of drug treatment.

After that, things would just progress. He had no ability to walk away from his downfall; drugs. In late November 2007, Rodney was riding his bike and was shot by a mysterious benefactor. The shots came from out of nowhere and slammed into his face, arm & back. After the hospital, the cops thought he had been drinking and wasn't able to put together helpful leads. Rodney was drinking everyday up until then. His sobriety and AA commitments were out the window. After recovering from the gunshot wounds, Rodney was approached about another program, so in 2008 he checked into a recovery center that had camera following him. The camera were due the VH1 reality series 'Celebrity Rehab w/ Dr. Drew', then later their spin-off 'Sober House'.

 After deals were going good for him w/ 'Celebrity Boxing' events and directing his energy into exercise, Rodney was invited back to 'Celebrity Rehab' and speak to others as part of an alumni. In 2010, Rodney reunited w/ a former girlfriend that was actually a juror in the case that awarded him the $3.8 million. After reconnecting, Rodney proposed. He was THANKFUL that he could find a special love.

Around the 20TH anniversary of the beating, Rodney agreed to participate in a CNN special, opening about truths he hadn't revealed before. Rodney does go into deep regret of his wrongdoings that night. He knew he was in the wrong for what he done, but that DID NOT orchestrate what followed. Over the years, the name, Rodney King, became synonymous with crime and relations thereof. Rodney states in the end to live, learn & love!




Since this book's publication, in 2012, Rodney's fiance, Cynthia, found him at the bottom of the swimming pool. After attempting a rescue, he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He died of an accidental drowning with drugs and alcohol in his system.



                                                          Rodney King (1965-2012)

Lizard Tales: The Wit & Wisdom Of Ron Shirley

To ring in 2013, this first book is written by someone who sees and experiences danger daily. Using wit and humor, he's able to find his way out. From his exciting and wayward life, he's able to tell it his way. As one of the stars of TruTv's  Lizard Lick Towing, here is the life story from the repo man himself, Ron Shirley.

Beginning w/ telling different stories from growing up as a kid in North Carolina. The kind of trouble & hell raising Ron would create as a kid makes for some pretty funny stories. When they were kids, one thing Ron & his brother, Jason, wanted was a dog. Everyone had one and they were pit bulls. What did they do when all kids loved and respected their dad do? They went straight to Momma for permission. Ron & Jason wanted to work all summer in the tobacco fields & odd jobs to earn the money. Let's just say their dad, "Pops", knew they learned their lesson that day they drove home from wanting a pit bull.

When he was younger on summer vacation, Ron and his family went to Topsail Island. One summer, Ron took a buddy, Shane, w/ him on the trip. One day, Shane had the idea of going under the pier, taking fishing rods & catching a seagull and flying it like a kite. Things get worse when Ron seen the blue lights from down the beach. The cops jumped out and headed straight for them. Shane ran off leaving Ron really nervous. One cop went after Shane, the other threw Ron in the sand and slapped handcuffs on him. Ron was bloodied from the "gentile" cop. They were both loaded into the cop car. Shane found humor in this situation, but Ron was nervously awaiting Pops reaction. After Ron's Pops bailed them both out, five minutes later, he gave Ron some unforgettable advice.

When Ron was a teenager, him, Jason & their cousin Brian, spent every weekend on the hour long trek to East Carolina University (ESU). They spent their teen years and their money at the bars down there. With fake I.D.'s, they were in the establishments, but it was the bartenders who always nailed them. 15 minutes out of ECU, the guys spotted a convenience store already drunk. When they were leaving the store, who was behind them pulling up? The local sheriff. The managed to get away and grabbed another beer. Jason ended up spewing all over the car, Ron & Brian. Ron was head-to-toe covered in beer, piss & vomit. Everyone was sick. Cleaning the car w/ the windows open at a car wash. BIG MISTAKE. They wanted to back to drinking but headed back home instead.

Ron grew up on a street in the town of Lizard Lick, NC, that everyone called "Jackass Road". One of the favorite things to do for Ron growing up was going hunting. He would spend the summer picking tobacco leaves. He would save most of every dollar he made w/ the desire to take his Pops w/ him on a hunting trip.  Ron in his money savings became tight w/ his earned savings. Ron booked a bear hunting trip experience for them both near the Canadian border. It was on this same trip, the following day, Ron went w/ someone in a Dodge truck. They pulled into a Hardee's in a small town. After Hardee's, they pulled into a donut shop being informed they were picking up bait for the trip. Leaving and heading to the hunting site, the lobster bait they picked up was getting to Ron. He ate his fill of the lobster. Afterwards he felt sick and settled for a short nap. 30 minutes past when Ron heard something. Coming closer to him, it was a baby moose. Ron's idea was to catch him & raise him to be world class then sell him to the highest bidder. As he was walking w/ the little moose, Ron came across the Momma moose and knew he was in for it. So he took off and ran like hell back to the truck. Ron learned a valuable lesson: Don't mess w/ somethin' that's not messin' w/ you!

NOT the house, but a description

When Ron was away in college, he had NOT ONE DIME TO HIS NAME. Coming home for summer, Ron had to work his tail off to save every penny for a few semesters of school. He asked his brother, Jason, who owned a roofing company, for a job. Things started off good and happy. But then Jason started off on Ron about something and Jason should've known better. They began arguing and before it came blows, Jason said something else. Ron kept his tongue bit, because he needed the money. Ron walked away to cool off. As the summer neared an end, one Thursday afternoon, they were roofing a 2-story house, working the top section together. It was EXTREMELY hot that day. When Ron came across the roof to drop some shingles to Jason, he began to start again w/ Ron about not having a shirt on due to the MASSIVE heat. Before Ron knew it, Jason was all over him and Ron had had enough. Ron began coming down the ladder to officially leave the job. He had just started down the ladder when his lights went out on him. When Ron woke up, his vision was real blurry and all he could see were bright lights and a "beautiful face". When he came to and his eyesight returning, he seen a lady and heard sirens.

Ron realized he was in an ambulance. He tried to get up but couldn't move his leg. He asked about what happened and was informed he had seriously been struck by lightening. Turns out that it wasn't Jason that told him, but from God Himself. The jolt had blown out all the windows + Ron's fingernails and toenails and burned off ALL of his hair EVERYWHERE. Ron thought he was on fire, so he jumped into a pool. He hit his head, went unconscious then Jason jumped from the top of the house into the pool to save his brother. He pulled him out, did CPR and the ambulance arrived. It was in the ambulance that Ron was informed that he had literally been struck by lightening. After having a good talk in the hospital that night, Ron & Jason knew how much they meant to each other.

When he was in his early 20s, Ron and his best friend, Johnny, were the humblest big guys you'd ever meet.  They liked to visit the bars near North Carolina State on the weekends. Fighting was all what Ron & Jason  were known for. After Ron had been in a fight on a Friday night w/ Jason in tow, when Jason walked off in the darkness, swallowing his pride, driving up the road, right next to Jason for him to get in the truck, for the planned trip of frog gigging, Jason was walking off angry when Ron called him one thing that would git him which was "Yeller". When Ron yelled that out, next thing Ron knew there was glass shattering and blood POURING from his nose. Ron knew the punch was coming, but was frozen right in the driver's seat. They both took a broken nose that night. When Jason punched Ron, he also broke the window of the truck. After laughing, hugging it out, a shot of (moon)shine, they high-tailed it to the pond.

When he was in his mid-20s, Ron was invited by a radio station, KFYR 550, in North Dakota, to spend a week hobnobbing w/ disc jockeys and stuff. It was the most memorable trip he'd ever taken. If it was free, he'd bask in it. He learned a valuable lesson on that trip:(Just because they offer it, doesn't mean you have to take it). When he was younger, Ron was one of those kids who didn't have ALOT, but knew it all. Learning things the hard way by running headfirst into a brick wall. When Ron married his first wife, things weren't any different. Even through the difficulties w/ his ex-wife, he did get one great gift out of it, his firstborn, Alexa Rayne Shirley A.K.A. Daddy's Little Angel. The closer the due date of his ex's pregnancy, the more NERVOUS Ron became. The more the baby was coming in delivery, Ron's head was spinning and he eventually got sick. After the baby's crowning, the doctor began to chuckle asking Ron what he thought. All Ron seen was a blank face - literally. He was FIRED UP! His eyes went blank. He reached over, grabbed the doctor by the throat, trying to pop his head, SCREAMING at the top of his lungs afraid his child was born unable to see or speak. Then he heard a baby cry. The nurse had to come in and finish the delivery. Ron had NO IDEA babies were born face-down  Due to the pouring rain outside that day + his emotions, Ron named his baby girl, Alexa Rayne Shirley.
http://www.cbn.com/700club/guests/bios/Ron-Amy_Shirley_073012.aspx

Power-lifting

When Ron first began in the repossession business, things weren't much different then they were today. When he and Amy first began dating, Ron would bench press the 600LB range and be entering strong-man contests. He and a buddy had been training Amy and she had just won her first title in power-lifting, that on top of being a redhead, it was only a matter of time before their first fight would arise. When a discussion got heated, Amy decided she would leave & cool off. Ron said something that would prevent her leaving. After he did, SHE WAS PISSED! (using different terms, of course) Amy's ears turned red. She fired up her truck. Ron was thinking she wouldn't run him over. Amy warned him and began to count to 5. Before she was at 3, Ron was taking his shirt off, telling her she knew better. The next thing he knew, Ron was sprawled across the hood while Amy flew down the driveway. He begged her to stop. Ron knew he was in for it when he seen Amy smile, hit the gas and hook the truck HARD!! Ron looked up and Amy was heading out of sight. He headed into his truck and went after her. Ron knew Amy didn't know the town too well, but knew where she was headed. Ron took a dirt road and came back another way. When he seen Amy turning toward him, Ron dropped the car in gear and hit her head on. He ran to her window, grabbed it and SHATTERED it. Ron leaned in, put the truck in park and yanked her keys out. Ron thought Amy was intimidated. When he heard people he knew, Ron ventured toward them. Meanwhile, Amy had eased out of her truck and into his. Ron left his keys in the ignition. After he had gotten out, Amy locked his truck up and headed STRAIGHT for him. She drove off in his truck: It took Ron 2 weeks and a WHOLE LOT to them both back.

A really cool thing about Amy, besides being a world champion power-lifter, is that she is also a licensed mortician. When she & Ron first began dating, they had very little money. Amy loved Ron for what he had, which wasn't very much at the time. Whenever Ron wanted to give Amy flowers, if he seen a freshly dug grave, he'd pull over and take the flowers to give to her. Problem was: they were always short stemmed flowers, so when Amy would ask Ron where they came from, he told her he'd bought them 1/2 off at a Home Depot. When Amy became a mortician and was around dead people all the time, she figured out what Ron was up to. Since Amy now knew, Ron asked if he could tag along w/ her at funerals, he could see a business, thanks to the discarded flowers. Amy finally agreed on the condition that Ron would donate half of his earnings.

One day Amy called Ron because she needed his help in moving a large man's body. Ron loved Amy so he did it, but was very uncomfortable. When Ron started to grab the man's head, he realized he had grabbed the head of a decapitated man, which made him drop the head on the floor w/ Amy laughing hysterically and Ron screaming. Amy sewed the man's head back onto his body. After Ron emptied 4 gallons of gut fluid and dry-heaved for 30 minutes, he helped Amy prepare for the funeral thanks to Ron's friends. After the funeral, Ron was thirsty and took a swig of the communion wine. He was surprised to see it was REAL wine and drank more of it. Thanks to the rules and Ron's being blessed for the wine, the priest for the services and Ron both shared ALL 4 bottles. They were HAMMERED!

Soon afterwards a fight broke out between Ron and the priest. Amy broke them up and didn't say a word. At the services, Amy had rage. Ron was in for it. When EVERYTHING was all said and done, Amy left him there right at the graver sight. Ron had to have Jason come and get him from the church. Since things couldn't get any worse, Ron & the priest blessed some more wine.

Ron had learned from his first marriage that "you can turn a housewife into a whore, but you'll never turn a whore into a housewife." When Ron & Amy had gotten married on Halloween, it was a costume wedding. Their honeymoon resided in Aruba. When they got home from the wedding to start life as a married couple, Ron learned an important lesson on his wedding night, he had definitely married Miss Right, he just didn't know her name was Always. Ron used to have this truck, real big and jacked up w/ deer painted on the hood and COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE on the tailgate. He has always believed in Respecting Your Heritage (something I agree with as well). Where Ron's from, you don't judge by a man's house or his car, you look at the condition of his boat or barn.

When Ron finally got Lizard Lick Towing And Recovery off the ground and they were making waves in the repossession industry, he/Ron brought his best friend, Johnny, along w/ him. He was a big mountain of a man, so Ron began showing him the tricks-of-the-trade of the repossession industry. Then they went off within the first of many repos. In all his years of the repo business, NO ONE has done a better job than Bobby Brantley.  Bobby does have 2 downfalls: the first one is that he's never wrong and the second is that he lacks people skills. Ron gives Bobby an opportunity to work on both. When Ron is busy strapping the car for a repo, he uses that advantage for Bobby to work on his people skills.

In closing, Ron goes into what resulted in the damage(s) of his addictions. (That is what the pages below describe)

pg. 212

pg. 214

Ron, Amy & Bobby can be seen weekly on the inner working(s) of Lizard Lick Towing And Recovery in North Carolina on the reality series 'Lizard Lick Towing' on TruTv.

End Of 2012

Well that ends this year's collection of exciting books. Some of them were what I thought were fun, some were a stretch, but they were all educational in some way or another. I hope everyone got the chance to pick up these books and enjoy them the way I did. Thank you to those that posted anything referencing these books and I hope more will come. Throughout these 2012 books, some were more shocking than others, but they all held great value to each of them. Next year in 2013, there will be either more stories that speak to others and hope for a relation or just for plain enjoyment. They will all be different. But I hope everyone/someone enjoys what will be posted.


I am truly grateful and thank you again . . .


~  Jeremy

Then Again

This next book was written by a LEGENDARY screen actress who while telling her own story, she also beautifully tells the story of her own mother w/ the help of her mother's journals. This story is not just her story - but THEIRS, the one & only Diane Keaton and her mother, Dorothy Deanne Keaton.

Dorothy was a Kansas born native in 1921. Her parents drifted into CA when Dorothy was a young age. Dorothy gave up her college dreams when her father took off leaving her & her sisters to fend for themselves. Everything changed when Dorothy Keaton met Jack Hall. He had come to meet her sister, but only had eyes for her. They had eloped in Vegas at the Stardust.

Dorothy would enter contesting on the back of cereal boxes. She loved game shows. The family loved the game show 'Queen For A Day'. After Dorothy had applied for a Mrs. America pageant, Diane was 9-yrs-old at the time. It was something exciting, yet unpleasant. Diane secretly wished it was her on that stage. Six months later, Dorothy Hall was crowned again in this honor. When she was home, Dorothy was a homemaker to her husband & children. Even though some seen Dorothy as a housewife. Diane seen her mom struggling to find a medium.

Diane & Dorothy Keaton

The Keaton family was inspired into collaging after a trip to New York City and seeing the Museum Of Modern Art. Diane's brother, Randy, took it a step forward by becoming an actual collage artist. When Diane seen interaction affection w/ her parents, it filled Diane w/ awe. It gave her something to believe in w/ their love. Diane figured the only was to realize her #1 dream of becoming a musical Broadway star was to remain a daughter. Men & relationships would have to be put aside.

Diane was looking for an audience, so she auditioned for EVERYTHING POSSIBLE! For 15 years, Diane's mom was saying good-bye to EVERYTHING. Somewhere in the middle of it, Diane, at age 50, adopted a baby girl, Dexter, then a few years later, her son, Duke, came along. When Diane's mother, Dorothy Keaton, died, Diane promised to carry her mom's legacy and THINK. Dorothy continues to be Diane's biggest influence.

Dorothy had Diane when she was 24-yrs-old. At the time, Dorothy's words were influenced by the few movies her mother allowed her to see, like 1938's Broadway Melody. Dorothy believed her daughter was extraordinary. Diane had to be. Dorothy would write sweet letters to her husband, Jack, who was stationed in Boston in the Navy. She would tell about Diane and how happy they were for her and each other - expressing her love for both of them (her husband & new daughter).

There are certain things that stand out for Diane, like their next door neighbor catching Diane singing 'Over The Rainbow' and thinking she was a talented young lady. Diane loved the hustling & bustling of downtown Los Angeles. But nothing compared to Diane tugging her mom to look. Diane's father, Roy Keaton, nicknamed his daughter, Diane, "Perkins" at a very young age. They moved ALOT and always had cats. Even though Diane had 3 sisters, she also seen herself as their dad's favorite. Being the first born, Diane had their parents attention.

Diane as a teen

When Diane's sister, Robin, came along, Diane felt envy. "But I'm the only girl". She felt that Robin was sure to become their dad's favorite. Diane's sister following Robin was Dorrie, who was found to be the intellectual w/ straight A's. When Diane was 6-yrs-old, television gave her a gift. Gale Storm from 'My Little Margie' was who Diane wanted to be. 15-yrs-later, Diane was given the opportunity to meet her idol b/c her son was one of Diane's classmates. When Diane the REAL person behind Gale Storm, her next idol was Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch from the CLASSIC 'To Kill A Mockingbird'.

Even before becoming a teen, Diane couldn't understand why all of the good looks went to her sisters. When Diane was 15, to express her fashion freedom, her & her mom would go to Goodwill & thrift shops, cut up clothes and re-patch them to create The Look. Diane was browsing around at another different thrift shop and found an old man's bowlers hat. She put it on her head - and that was it!

There was ALOT of "hush hush" about the whereabouts of Diane's grandfather, Jack, her dad's dad after he disappeared in the 1920s. It wasn't until shifting through old newspapers that Diane found out what happened to her paternal grandfather. He had left his wife, Diane's grandmother, 9 yrs prior in Omaha, NE. She never heard from him and believed he was dead.

When Diane was beginning to enter adolescence, Jack told her as a father of someday a boy would love her for all of who she is. Diane didn't want a boy loving her. She thought it would be better if ALOT if people loved her other than some boy. It was during a Santa Ana High School production that Diane's finale was a showstopper. Afterwards in the dressing room, Diane's parents found her and their faces were beaming. Her dad was crying w/ excitement & surprise. For one minute, Diane was multiple characters rolled into one. She was her dad's heroine. There was no going back from that moment.

While going to New York, Diane was studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Diane learned how to MASTER the emotions she would need on-screen/on-stage. It was about producing real emotional reaction. It taught Diane ALOT guiding her on the tools she would need. When Diane would write back home, she shared that one of the women she roomed w/ was another young woman, already a dancer, named Sandy Duncan. Diane would ask for family updates when contacting her family back home and she would send them hers. After 2 yrs at the Playhouse, when Diane got her Actor's Equity Card, it was the end of Diane Hall. She played w/ different names, then she realized she could keep all of the family names. Keaton. Diane Keaton.

In 1968, Dorothy wrote in her journals dated New Year's Eve,  updating her children's lives. Diane was rehearsing for a Woody Allen play 'Play It Again Sam'. Afterwards Diane went w/ Woody and her parents out after the plays opening. In March 1969, it came out that Diane had been nominated for Best Supporting Actress for the Tony Awards coming in April. By this time, the book 'The Power Of Positive Thinking' by Norma Vincent Pearle was the country's craze. EVERYONE loved it. By 1969, Jack & Dorothy Hall followed that book's guidelines and GREAT things were happening. On 9-5-1969, Diane was a nervous joy and giggly on 'The Merv Griffin Show'. She was herself. Dorothy took pictures and Jack taped the whole thing. Dorothy was trying to have her photographs in museums & magazines at this point.

Diane Keaton, the massive documentary Dorothy, had done on her daughter's career from 1969-1984 was hard to grasp. The documentary, as well as Diane, had mixed reviews. After a 2-pg ad in 'The LA Times' w/ Diane and other LEGENDARY celebs w/ her, she said "stardom wasn't what she thought it would be." Diane's parents averse to discuss their daughter in the press. They felt a burden it seemed. After what Dorothy said in the press of Diane's new fame, it will forever be in the past, in the press recording the journey of a woman soon to be 'Annie Hall'.

Diane in "Hair"

Diane, as a kid, loved sweets. Dorothy rarely bought brand name. Dinner, Diane states was never brand name - always generic. Dessert was 3 oatmeal cookies apiece. Magazines were a fixation for Diane. Beginning w/ McCall's then Life Magazine. When Audrey Hepburn was on the cover of 'Life', it made Diane notice disturbing things about her body at age 11. As she got older, Diane seen clear her appearance was a work in progress. After graduating from 'Playhouse', Diane was cast in 'Hair'. Her big break came when someone else left to do an episode of a series. Diane filled in. After the first week, if she lost weight, Diane could have the role she filled in for. While getting vitamin shots and losing 10LBS, Diane got the role of Sheila in 'Good Morning Starshine'.

After overhearing a cast member talk about it, Diane tried the eat/purge. After 6 months, she became hypoglycemic with health problems. Trips to the doctor and the dentist. Diane didn't acknowledge the shame in any of this. She had work to do.

Diane and Woody Allen

Diane met Woody Allen in the fall of 1968 while auditioning for 'Play It Again Sam'.  Diane was in love w/ him before she knew him. He was Woody Allen. They became friends during the play. It was Woody's behavior that was interesting to her. Woody began to see her as more than a gal pal. Their relationship wasn't on/off, it wasn't steady either. She moved in w/ him, but also kept her own studio apartment.

Woody didn't have a clue what Diane was up to w/ her bulimia. A year after 'Play It Again Sam' ended and no work, Diane couldn't get a job except for a deodorant ad. She hit bottom. Diane's bingeing  was off the charts. She was 25. After a year of purging, jobless and talking w/ her back to a sofa, six months later Diane stopped w/ the purging. It was talking it out that did it. That gave her a way out. Why bother telling any of this MANY years later? To be released of the burden of hiding.

After conquering bulimia, Diane got back into her passion - acting. She studied w/ those who helped her rediscover the world of expressed feelings. Diane had taken a class in drawing & silk screening. She learned to print photographs. She was still longing for a mother's guidance. She found a substitute in her doctor. She wasn't the listener Dorothy was, but they hung out and that made all the difference. Diane's doctor's goal was to help her deal w/ GRANDIOSE expectations.

Diane & Al Pacino

When Diane moved to an apartment, it helped her deny any guilt over leaving her mom & being far from her. It was a renewed refreshment. In 1971, Diane was cast in a series 'The F.B.I.' and in 'Mannix' as a guest star. That was her BIG Break. Diane tells stories from behind 'The Godfather' and Al Pacino. She describes her love and relationship w/ Woody Allen. Diane states the differences between herself and her mom, Dorothy:

. Dorothy made her choice early - she married
. Diane made her choice late - she adopted
. Dorothy was laid to rest at 54
. Diane is not lonely and is still going
. Dorothy was quietly penciled in her 50s
. 11 yrs older Diane is still running around crazy like a cut-off chicken - loving life w/ her 2 kids Dexter & Duke who have changed her life.

According to Diane, filming 'Annie Hall' was effortless. They were just having a great time moving through New York's landmark locations. Diane took Woody's direction and wore what she wanted to wear during the filming which was khaki pants, vest & tie. She stole a hat to go. It finished the touch of the 'Annie Hall' look. The street-chic woman living up So-Ho in the '70s were the REAL costume designers of 'Annie Hall' + Woody Allen's part. The Hall family depicted in the film 'Annie Hall' was a love story, tender, funny & sad. Just like Diane Hall's REAL family. Woody's version of Diane's family in the film was comic relief. Even though though their relationship ended 2 years prior to 'Annie Hall', Diane was still Woody's sidekick.

Diane & Warren Beatty

Diane met w/ Warren Beatty for his movie 'Heaven Can Wait', but turned him down to do 'Looking For Mr. GoodBar'. She fell madly for him in 1972. She had loved him way back since 'Splendor In The Grass'. Two different worlds - The Prince Of Hollywood and as her dad would say Di-annie O-Hall-ie. Diane, from her point, w/ Warren, it was REAL or was she one of many women b/c of his problem w/ commitment?

In February 1978, it was news that Diane had been nominated for an Academy Award For Best Actress in Annie Hall. That same year Diane's date, Warren's sister, Shirley MacLaine, was nominated for the same award. What Diane remembers MOST about that night was meeting both Audrey Hepburn & Richard Burton. Even though she admits to fastly leaving her company that night, Diane also admits regrets for not staying and conversing w/ Audrey.

Even TODAY, many years later, Diane misses Woody Allen. He may feel different. But she'll always love him. Annie Hall changed her life. She was trying to avoid the attention post Awards and Woody's first drama w/ Maureen Stapleton fit that potion.The movie & rate weren't right. A total miscast.

Dorothy didn't finish her own memoir "Memories". It was like God's Will had taken over her future. After 10 yrs in New York, Diane was given a little show of photos she had taken in hotel lobbies around the U.S. A few years later, Diane, along w/ Marvin Heiferman, collaborated on a book of publicity shots from old movies. After her book, Still Life, was published, Diane received a letter from one of her idols & features in the book, LEGENDARY Gregory Peck, who was one of Diane's long list of regrets she wished forgiveness for.

Diane & Al Pacino

Diane goes into her year long struggle to make her documentary, 'Heaven'. Because as a little girl, even though she knew she wanted to go there. Even though critics hated it, Diane LOVED making it. She also got something else out of it: working w/ Al Pacino. It was different. They were older & NOT their previous perspective roles. Her love of Al Pacino was his creativity. He was an artist. She wanted him to want her as she did in return.

In the middle of this came 'Baby Boom'. Diane was J.C. Wyatt. Diane read a letter journaling Dorothy's life at age 63, feeling it mirrored ALOT of what Diane's feelings were as well. At 63, Dorothy was finished raising her kids, Diane is doing NOW what her mom did at 24. Diane delves into cute & funny stories from her kids, Duke & Dexter. Diane takes comfort in the fact that her & Dorothy will be bound by the need to communicate. She tells stories from behind 'The Godfather III' Around this time, Diane & Dorothy had their own personal trauma. Jack was 68 and sick w/ a brain tumor. Diane was there w/ her dad's medical care. To watch her dad in these conditions was unbearable.

It was in the afternoon when Jack dispersed six legal pads at the dining room table. The last time the Hall family would be together again. They all went through Jack's financial accomplishments. Filming the final scene to the 'The Godfather III' was easy. Diane's emotions were on edge. It was easy to sob, thinking of her dad. When she wasn't thinking of her dad, Diane was thinking of Al Pacino, whom she was somewhat back with.

Al hated good-byes, Diane states that she was not too plain, she was too much. He had no intention of marrying Diane. She did keep a few things from their relationship. Diane officially lost her dad, Jack, in 1990. When he died, it was a preparation for Al's good-byes. It was predicable, losing her dad was NOT. In a letter to him Diane wrote "she wished she had been a daddy's girl and wished they had been closer and figured out a way to love him w/ a little less effort."

HBO offered Diane the role of Hedda Nussbaum in a movie. She passed on it. No more victims for her. Diane did direct Belinda Carlisle's music video 'Heaven Is A Place On Earth'. After taking a screenwriting class, she met a producer who gave Diane a shot at directing a TV movie, 'Wildflower'. Diane cast Patricia Arquette and Reese Witherspoon. EVERYONE was moving on. Warren married Annette Benning. Diane kept moving.

When Woody (Allen) asked Diane to fill in for Mia Farrow on 'Manhattan Murder Mystery', Diane took the job. The movie was made and wrapped in one day. Personal problems didn't interfere w/ work. After directing the film 'Unstrung Heroes', Diane is more accurately aware of how many impossible it is to direct a good film. Thanks to a flight to L.A. that rattled her nerves, Diane made a life decision to re-invent the future. Considering adoption and adapting to conditions that require care, responsibility & management skills.

Diane details that her daughter, Dexter, was born Thursday, 12-14-95 and two weeks later they both flew to New York to finish filming 'The First Wives Club' w/ Bette Midler & Goldie Hawn. Going through the LOADS of outfits that previous co-stars had given Diane's daughter were Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Martin Short & his wife all so GENEROUSLY gave. Diane took Dexter to the set everyday. Diane began to worry about her mom, due to Dorothy's failing memory becoming more apparent. The on-set of Alzheimer's as told to Diane in a letter from her mom. Not a moment too soon after this news, Bette & Goldie wrapped the ending to 'The First Wives Club'. The film was an unexpected hit. Diane began to continue her mom's legacy and began writing letters to Dexter. A situation arose when Dorothy, Diane & Dexter were at Dorothy's. Dorothy fell like a clump of solid mass, landing w/ a thud. Dorothy took a dive and was in a perplexed daze. That was the day Diane learned to stop trusting Dorothy's judgment calls. All of them.  That began the stirring choices overseen by a caregiver.

In 2003, Diane had worked in what she called "a string of bombs", 'The Other Sister' and one that she directed 'Hanging Up' (both of which I personally loved.) She also states she was washed up as an actress & as a director. Over salad, Nancy Meyers had told Diane of a romantic comedy she was writing  and the details she had in mind. The romantic comedy was 'Something's Gotta Give'. Jack Nicholson sent Diane a piece of his own percentage, a kiss from him and Nancy's godsend.
                                               
Dorothy's Alzheimer's at this point was getting worse, forgetting who her own daughter was. Diane writes in, not exactly pissiness, but anger about who her mom was, who she is now b/c of what Alzheimer's is responsible for. Diane just wanted Dorothy's brain back. Diane received a call in the car about her mom having bronchitis. She headed to the hospital where Dorothy was. When Diane got there, she found Dorothy plugged into an I.V. She was also revealed to have been victim to a recent, undetected stroke. When Dorothy was released from the hospital, here comes hospice.

Diane w/ her mom, Dorothy

Dorothy did know one thing: it all boils down to family - no matter who it is! After Diane's siblings/family arrived at Dorothy's hospital bed, her breathing was irregular and had to be checked. Looking for a pattern and waiting. Diane's sister, Dorrie, began to cry. Duke came running in and Diane started to hug him. Diane began to wonder if it was the end of her mom?

After everyone ate tacos around the dinner table, they either left for a minute or took a break, leaving Dorothy & Diane alone together for the last time. After 11 days of being driven crazy, Diane put her finger in Dorothy's mouth, hoping she'd bite, just to shake things up. But Dorothy's fight back spirit was gone. Diane & Dorrie pushed her hospital bed in front of a window. Enough with darkness. Dorothy had become a still life. Taking GENUINE CARE of their mother.The only part of Dorothy that showed any life was her clutched hand on the rail of the hospital bed. On 9-18-2008. there was no sign to see it coming. The only thing was the purple in Dorothy's hands fading. She had passed away w/o so much as a sound.

Diane talks about belovedly cherished moments w/ her mom, as well as with Duke & Dexter, wishing she could rewind the clock. In a final letter to her mom, Diane updates the "Where Are They Now?" of her family. Feeling so blessed and cherished to recreate it all w/ not just her words, but Dorothy's as well - Then Again.

Mother & Daughter Dorothy & Diane Keaton (Hall)

Roseannearchy: Dispatches From The Nut Farm

This book is what would be an UPDATED biography from the now former "domestic goddess" of television to a farmer of macadamia nuts. From the original Real Housewife herself that set a precedence in Pop Culture, here is the story from the one & only herself, Roseanne Barr.

The first thing to amaze me in this book was the foreword written by Roseanne's first ex-husband, Bill Pentland. He starts w/ a mini-bio of his life w/ Roseanne to their lives as what would be seen on-screen in the series 'Roseanne'. (Roseanne's sister, Geraldine, would provide the basis for the character of Jackie and her love/hate relationship w/ Dan.) Roseanne would weave real details, stories, features, etc. from actual people she knew into stories of the "Connor family". The reason 'Roseanne' prevailed is because Roseanne Connor was Roseanne Barr.

One thing Roseanne points out is how the portrayal of her hometown of Utah was shown in the series 'Big Love'. It took her back to times when her little brother experienced homophobia and a 9 times broken nose. Much to his Mormon classmates. Roseanne's own grandmother migrated to the U.S. after being accepted to a music school. She encourage Roseanne to sing, dance, tell jokes & "perform". Her family loved it. Roseanne looked at show business as a way out of Salt Lake City.

Roseanne loved to watch Shirley Temple on TV and she idolized her. At the age of 6, Roseanne's parents moved closer to the Mormon culture and Roseanne loved it. Because there was ALOT of singing & dancing in it. Whenever Roseanne played w/ the neighborhood girls, Roseanne liked to play the part of someone in charge (Ex. - if they played school - she was the teacher, if they played hospital - she was a nurse. She was never student or patient).

At the age of 8, Roseanne began to sing ALOT to James Brown records, who began to replace Shirley Temple as her idol. Even though Roseanne thought she was a good singer & dancer, what really was her talent was being funny. Because she was the oldest daughter, Roseanne's mother put her in charge and to pick up the slack waiting for her dad to get home.

As a preteen girl, Roseanne wanted to dress as a twin to her Grandmother Bubbe Mary because she loved her clothes. Roseanne's other Grandmother Fanny was a role model for her and was the perfect antidote for the uptight, repressed, tradition bound woman she seen everywhere in Utah in the 1950s & '60s. Roseanne, at times, wished she was a boy due to never wanting to be a woman like her own mother. The type of woman who eats up what a guy says to her. She would feel bad for the man that always fall into the pretty trap in woman.

Roseanne was really upset when at age 12, her dream at stardom was happening in her face when her cousin, Debbie, a year older than her, was cast in a television commercial. It was from then on that Roseanne would undo the patriarchal system that "pretty means skinny". She was determined not to accept the status quo. She tells that 'A Tale Of Two Cities' is her favorite book w/ the first line of it her favorite part due to how moving it is and how the story was so perfectly told.

Because of her brilliance, the pinnacle of female power and sinister wisdom, the example that she is and leads is why Roseanne admires and respects CNN's Nancy Grace (As I personally do as well). In the 1970s, Roseanne's two sisters, Pearlie & Geraldine, went to live w/ their sister and her husband, Bill. They couldn't stand Salt Lake City anymore and they helped Roseanne w/ child care. Roseanne was able to get work as a cocktail waitress and a window dresser for a women's clothing store. While working as a cocktail waitress, one of Roseanne's customers, who thought she was funny, suggested that Roseanne try her and at comedy at a club that recently opened. As soon as Roseanne hears of it, she began to write a 5 minute act.

Roseanne stand-up

Roseanne signed up for open-mic night and killed. Her jokes didn't go over so well to a male audience, so Geraldine suggested for Roseanne to go w/ her to a Woman-to-Woman Book Center where Geraldine hung out. Those women loved her act. That led to more gigs. With all of the load that she carried at home and elsewhere, Roseanne was living too many lives, so she gave up the cocktail waitressing due to her additional waistline. Her weight gain made for her jokes to be funnier. After everyone else was fired from the bookstore, due to lesbian separatists running them out, Roseanne got to stay because they all loved Geraldine. Things could be fun and at times tense. The group was becoming a woman's movement. "Womanism" was what mattered most due to years of inner & outer struggle. Roseanne feels she's done her part & she's continuing to do so by voicing these truths at top volume.

Roseanne on Johnny Carson

In 1986, Roseanne stated something on 'The Tonight Show w/ Johnny Carson' that got a powerful woman in television, Marcy Carsey, interested in selling a show for her. The story was of a woman who lost her union job at a plastics factory, took a series of minimum wage jobs, opened & lost two businesses and her husband. At her lowest point, she begins to write about a woman who wins the lottery, buys the town's plastic factory and gives it to the townspeople. Sound familiar?

Roseanne then goes off on hilarious rants concerning certain subjects. From weight, to sex, to men, drugs, menopause and more. What's ALWAYS at the bottom of every rant?  A BIT OF TRUTH!! Roseanne recalls body issues at age 12, like other young ladies, gym class and showers. That certain event caused her to hate her mom, school, society & herself. Gym class made Roseanne a hater, as does everyone who has to endure it.

Roseanne talks openly & HONESTLY about the subculture on sex. It used to be a "hush hush" topic. Now it's ALWAYS the "word vomit" of conversation nowadays. The 90s were a decade that really changed Roseanne's life. She went from being a working class woman to being a multi-millionaire who played a working class woman. Roseanne gives/tells old stories about her former cast-mates from the series 'Roseanne'. She updates us in this book on cast-members. The shocker to me was reading about the death of Glenn Quinn, who played Roseanne's son-in-law, Mark Healy, who was taken by a drug overdose.

That was one thing and still to this day what I LOVED about the sitcom 'Roseanne'. While every other sitcom of the '90s had "rich people problems" or they had kids who were ungrateful for what they had having it made, Roseanne & Dan Connor raised and taught their children to be grateful. They were ones who GENUINELY worked for what they had and were GRATEFUL for it and it wasn't just handed to them on a silver platter like every other sitcom did w/ their children. Personally for me, that was one reason why I LOVED 'Roseanne', it was the one sitcom of my upbringing that I can fit in and relate to!

Roseanne and Ben Thomas

The pinnacle of Roseanne's childhood show-business dreams came at a chance for her and Geraldine to meet the ICONIC & LEGENDARY Sammy Davis, Jr. As well as other LEGENDARY GIANTS such as: Johnny Carson, Rodney Dangerfield, Phyllis Diller, Carol Burnett and so many others. When Roseanne had basically forced her third husband, Ben Thomas, to marry her on her now debunked talk show, it basically destroyed her marriage. Roseanne's youngest daughter, Jenny, was the first of her children to get married; marrying her brother's best friend from high school. Giving Roseanne four grandsons. She talks openly about the differential types of relationships in all of her children's lives, from her oldest, Jake, to her, at the time, teenage son, Buck.

Talk Show Roseanne

When Roseanne ended after 9 years, it was really tough for her. Roseanne was offered a 10TH season by ABC, but only if she took a pay cut. The next step in her career post 'Roseanne' was to interview people. The first interview she wanted and got was one w/ boxer Mike Tyson. Hanging out w/ him, Roseanne got to see the REAL Mike. Already being used to being hated in crowds, Roseanne received it again the night she showed support for Mike when he bit Holyfield's ear.

Roseanne reveals that she was there the night Tupac Shakur was shot after the fights. Roseanne tells of stories Tupac when he was a guest on her later night talk show. Because of the interview w/ Mike Tyson, Roseanne was offered her own talk show. Network execs were not happy w/ the ratings so it was replaced. It did and still does depress her at times. After that, Roseanne was cut from a David Spade film, Joe Dirt, playing his mom. The only person that Roseanne has ever met in Hollywood and would tell the truth about it was the late Heath Ledger.

The time came when Roseanne had to face her own demons; an addiction to marijuana. Thanks to the treatment for her addiction and the money from the 'Roseanne' show, Roseanne was able to blissfully retire from showbiz and more - except for her family and more! Roseanne does bring up a dark themed but TRUE point: Why is it when someone dies, those that weren't heard of for years, treated you like shit or, owed you money all of a sudden show up at a funeral for that person singing your praises? Why show up now after the fact? To me: that would be like cashing in. What's in it for you now?

At a club in Minnesota, Roseanne met someone who later created 'The Daily Show' and they introduced her to another comic, Tom Arnold. He complimented Roseanne on her act. He seemed like he was in awe of her  and his flattery was on-going. Roseanne loved it. She never had so much positive attention from a man. They began talking and found each other funny. Roseanne didn't find out until later about Tom's cocaine addiction. He was the first guy friend she had that evolved into a best friend. Roseanne listened to Tom confess about his exes and his cheating and them paying for everything. After awhile, Tom was with Roseanne. She thought she could save him from his troubles.

Roseanne bought jokes from Tom. Later on Roseanne, she encouraged him to move to Los Angeles and write on the sitcom. Roseanne's ENTIRE family did NOT want her to divorce first husband, Bill Pentland to marry Tom. They didn't like Tom AT ALL, so she stopped talking to her family. When Tom arranged for Roseanne to sing in front of people who loved her at a Padres game in San Diego. Roseanne thought it would be the best day of her life. She practiced and knew the words. Roseanne recounts what she had to live that day. Roseanne's kids were shaking and traumatized as they flew back home to LA. After the GIANT backlash, Roseanne wanted to apologize right away but was told it would ruin her credibility as a comic. During that time of INSANITY, Roseanne and her kids were guarded by armed policemen, whom she is, still to this day, thankful to!

During a press interview that Tom did to explain her remorse for the way she sang the National Anthem, Tom said he would handle everything. Tom said something during the interview that made Roseanne assess the whole basis of their relationship that made it a lie. The interview worked: for Tom. They relocated to where Tom grew up in Iowa. When they were away, it was the best & worst of times. When Roseanne went back to work, there was no change in ratings of the series.

Shortly after the National Anthem scandal, Roseanne started to feel as though she was waking up from a bad nightmare. after the fallout from the Anthem, Roseanne sought to pick up the pieces by writing jokes for the sitcom. Aside from comedy, Roseanne saw her comedy career & sitcom Fighting On Behalf Of Working Class Mothers.

When Roseanne tried repeated attempts to contact her own family about things happening in her childhood, her family became somewhat bitter that Roseanne was unhappy and angry. After a year of letter writing about these things and no response from her family, Roseanne went to 'People' Magazine accusing her father of incest and other abuse which they denied. Roseanne has tried to make amends w/ her family. She realized she made a poor & terribly conceived decision that caused ALOT of pain and shame for her family. After the Anthem incident, Roseanne became Tom's pet project. They then had a Jewish wedding. In the last part of their marriage, as throwing a bone to them, someone offered Tom to read for a new movie, True Lies w/ Jamie Lee Curtis. Due to Tom's constant jokes, Roseanne had low self-esteem. Thanks to that, Roseanne had gotten major surgery to undo a tribal ligation, following that with every major surgery of every kind. During True Lies, after Tom Arnold discussed plans for Governor, Roseanne planned for a divorce from Tom. Roseanne had reached a point in the marriage; she was a prop in someone else's marriage - a codependency.

Roseanne told Tom after evidence supported Tom's cheating on her. When Roseanne went to Tom's office, she WENT OFF IN A FIT w/ assistants trembling. Security and police escorted Roseanne off the studio and forced her to contain herself. When Roseanne got to the lot of the show, she enlisted help to remove Tom's things. Shockingly it was Roseanne who was escorted off the lot where she made her show.

To unleash her demons, Roseanne went on a trip to Paris. While in Paris, reclaiming her anonymity and more, Roseanne fell in love w/ her big, blonde, Finnish bodyguard, Ben Thomas, who had helped Roseanne w/ her ruse and escape. She asked him if he would be the father of baby #5. He said yes. Ben accompanied Roseanne around from Europe to the Mediterranean and around the world. Ben & Roseanne danced and partied their way through her divorce and soul revival. In Florence was where she dropped another bomb on Tom Arnold by pay phone telling him she's filing for divorce.

This time in Roseanne's life was kind of ironic. Around this time was the O.J. Simpson double murder trial, the same rabbi that married Tom & Roseanne, converted Tom to Jewish, bar mitzvahed Roseanne's son, married Tom to his new wife and Roseanne married  and got pregnant by the guy Tom hired to drive Roseanne around and protect her, Ben Thomas.

Roseanne & Buck  (15-yrs-old)

Roseanne's getting pregnant for Buck by in vetro wasn't easy. She was 43 and sterile. She was pregnant after the first try. This was during a Thanksgiving break from filming 'Roseanne'. At the most crucial fourth week of pregnancy, Ben, w/ a broken leg in a cast, was bedridden next to his wife. Once she was pregnant w/ Buck, Roseanne was ordered to avoid stress. She was carefully driven to the set of the show and she delivered her lines in a chair or on the couch. That was all now worth it for who, at the time of this book, is now a 15-yr-old boy named Buck.

Roseanne & Tony Bennett

Roseanne states she was good at life when it was a story told through fictional characters that she could make do and say what she wanted. Her real life was scary w/ no control over it. Coming from a strange situation, Roseanne was able to learn to relax and more all thanks to deep meditation. When Roseanne got to sing w/ Gladys Knight on her talk show, she decided later on to sing again. Taking criticism for singing again after practicing, Roseanne did get ALOT better. She got to sing w/ Tony Bennett for 4 presidents. She practically sings everyday now. Singing for the joy of it.

Roseanne stated that the best part, looking back, was the leg of the journey before fame & fortune. It was breaking out that was the best. Roseanne states one thing she TRULY believes about women. "Why aren't women more angry?" Their worlds are going to shit. Most people are unaware of realizing what's really going on? Those who may be drugged on pills are silenced. If you get pissed off more and let it out, those pills or what ever it may be won't be needed.

Since this book's publication, Roseanne did return to TV for a short while in her now-cancelled reality series that was seen on Lifetime called 'Roseanne's Nuts'. The show featured Roseanne, her boyfriend Johnny Argent and, her eldest son, Jake Pentland as they lived on Roseanne's macadamia nut farm..