NOMINATED FOR TWO ACADEMY AWARDS...AND ONE RENEE GOLD CHUTZPAH AWARD

The Messenger

When I recently posted about seeing a movie the Renee Way, (check out post get into a movie) my dear friend Helen said, what about going to a movie the Renee Way….
She went on to gush over the extraordinary experience we had regarding the Academy Award Nominated film The Messenger.

We were at a film Festival and needed a ride to the show. We were running late and had no time to spare. This was not NYC, so there were no cabs in sight. Helen had given up and said, "Let’s just go out to dinner instead." I insisted…

“NO, let’s ask someone for a lift. There has to be someone going our way."

Just then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw some funky film types piling into a car. I grabbed Helen’s arm and rushed over to the group. When it was clear that they were going in our direction, I asked if they could drop us off. One of the people in the group responded, “I think we only have room for one more.” Helen spoke right up and said, “Oh we can fit in.” Before we knew it, we were in their van. Now this might seem a bit forward even for me, but something felt right. Once we were all packed in and on our way, my friend started raving about the Film The Messenger, which she had heard a lot about, and was about to see. When the people whose ride we crashed couldn’t stop laughing, it was revealed that we were in the presence of Ben Foster (above left, who plays the lead in the film) and Oren Moverman, the Director and Academy Award Nominated Co-Screenwriter of the Film! After a burst of sheer delight, Helen whispered to me… “I am going to movies with you more often.”

I will admit that my chutzpah, and anything is possible attitude, doesn’t always get me what I want, but, more often than not, it creates a lot of magical experiences like this, and hopefully lays the foundation for a unique and fun blog.

Woody Harrelson (above right) is also nominated for Best Supporting Actor in the film...

AND my friend Helen Hennigan gets the Award for Best Supporting Chutzpah!

MY KIND OF GIRL...

Alicia Silverstone * The Kind Diet

I had to meet Alicia Silverstone for a few reasons. First of all, I love her new vegetarian (cook) book The Kind Diet. Second, she is a celebrity, and third, it’s the Renee thing to do, considering my motto is Where There’s a Will There’s Renee. When you have ten thousand in attendance at a book festival (with most people wanting to meet the featured author/actress Miss Silverstone, and you know only a small portion will) those with chutzpah prevail. Besides, my friends and family anticipate me coming home with a story or a prize every time I go out the door…and I don’t like to let anyone down.


When I arrived at the event Alicia’s talk was sold out, and there were still people in line. I went up to the front just to get a feel for things and it wasn’t looking too good. They had stopped letting anyone in. But, since I really wanted to meet Miss Silverstone, I decided to look for another possible entrance. I found a side door where the organizers had planted a friendly young girl, probably to try and keep people like me out. I mirrored her smile and asked if I could go in when someone else comes out. Before she could answer, when an older gent walked out, I casually walked in. It happened that quickly. And lucky for me, the teeny-bopper at the door didn’t send security in looking for me (which may have happened once or twice before in my pursuit of celebs).

I grabbed the lone seat up front and listened to Alicia inspire everyone as she raved about the benefits of giving up meat and adding more vegetables to our diets.

As soon as the talk was over, while the audience was still applauding, I ran over to the adjoining room where the book signing was going to be, and nabbed a great place in line. Having already purchased the book I was one step ahead of everyone else, and closer to meeting the actress/author. The line started to move and suddenly I was face to face with Alicia Silverstone. She was so down to earth and approachable, we just started talking about barley tea, the benefits of being vegetarian, about book writing, PR, and how her book had even helped Aunty. Something told me that if there were not eight hundred people in line behind me, we would have sprouted some grain bread together, or at very least, compared brewing temperatures before drinking our organic twig tea.

After our little tete a tete, I walked away to see what Alicia had inscribed to me. When I opened my book, I was completely awed by her kindness…. She wrote: Dear Renee, Thank God for you!

Thank you Alicia, that meant so much to me, and to you my readers, I can’t wait for the day when I am sitting there signing my books for you! I am kicking my motto into high gear to make that a reality soon…

GET INTO A MOVIE...

In the lobby celebrating MJ

People close to me say you have not gone to the movies until you go The Renee Way! Just like in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where almost everyone in the audience throws a piece of toast at the screen when the main character says “I propose a toast,” I have always enjoyed audience participation at the movies (even if it’s just me participating). I may not be as outrageous as the Rocky Horror fans (although some might beg to differ) but, I like to enhance my movie going experience as much as possible. Movies, and how I view them, have always had an effect on me. This started when I was just a kid. After waiting in line all day long to finally see the Beatles’ A HARD DAYS NIGHT, I threw my entire box of fresh popcorn in the air when I nabbed a good seat. Then, I stood up for the entire film and cried. My Uncle D had to come and take me out of the theatre I was so mesmerized.

In More Recent Years…

While watching my favorite film, White Christmas (and this one we enjoy at home) I recite the entire script. It helps since I own the screenplay, and have seen that movie over twenty-five times. My friends and family re-enact many of the scenes, and, I have been known to set up my living room to resemble the set.

For Moonstruck, I brought paper plates and pasta into the show, along with red wine in paper cups. Aunty brought a batch of her Italian cookies. Why should the actors be the only ones having fun?

During Love Actually (have you seen that feel good film) I somehow opened a bottle of champagne and handed out plastic flute glasses from my knapsack. My sisters and I sat in the last row and like the film, we celebrated LOVE.

With Mama Mia, (didn’t you just love Pierce Brosnan despite the critics) when everyone met at my house I had my entire front door covered with the New York Times Gigantic Movie poster. The first time I saw that film I literally danced in the aisle exulting with joy! I don’t think I have gotten over it yet.

For any film staring Vince Vaughn, I bring box of Kleenex tissue and Advil because I know we will surely be crying with laughter. The Advil is for my sore jaw due to the corners of my mouth staying up for so long and being bombarded with hilarity.

For the opening night of U2’S Rattle and Hum, I brought in live lads from Ireland (friends of the family) to go with me. There was so much raw excitement in the air, since we were all die-hard U2 Fans. My entourage took up an entire row. To amuse my Irish friends, I even ran up to the screen to try and touch Bono, just like Aunty did recently for U2 in 3D.

And For the highly entertaining Michael Jackson’s This Is It, I posed in the lobby with his life size picture, and let out one excited scream during this electrifying film. My girlfriend put her coat over her face and slid down in her seat when I was moved to yell out… “We love you more Michael!”

I can only imagine how I will carry on when I see one of my scripts playing out on the silver screen…Has anyone done anything similar? Would you want to comment here?

BTW: Aunty loves the movies too. Lately she has been saying to me on the way back to our car, after I ask her if she enjoyed the movie, “I don’t remember what it was about but I know it liked it.”

I WANT MY MTV...

Back in the 80’s I won a contest through a popular radio station. The prize was a part in a Glenn Frey (of the Eagles) music video.

I spent the next few weeks shopping. I bought bathing suits, bras, and ten new pairs of boots. I didn’t eat any white flour, sugar, or meat for three weeks.
Whenever the phone rang I took a deep breath so they couldn't tell I was waiting beside it when I wasn’t shopping or starving.
Months went by and no call from the record company. I decided to visit my sister who was living out in LA at the time. During my stay I would check in with aunty back home to see if anyone had called regarding the video shoot. When I realized they probably had no intention of putting me in anything, let alone a video for MTV, I took matters into my own hands and did what my friends have come to call… “pulled a Renee.” I got dressed in a white jumpsuit, laced up my leather granny boots (a la Pretty in Pink) and put on a rather large pair of sliver earrings with lightning bolts …which represented that decade pretty well, not to mention how charged up I was.

When I located the where a bouts of the record company I took a cab over and marched into the offices of MCA Records. I confidently held up the newspaper clip about me winning the contest to one person after another. Eventually I waved it at some big producer, hoping he would live up to his promise. After a few minutes of yelling and pleading, starting with him asking, “What the hell are you doing here?”… He relented, and agreed to put me in another video. It wasn’t going to be Glen Frey… it would be Knight Ranger (the rock group who had just had a big hit with the song Sister Christian).

When I arrived in New York the night before the shoot the record company put me up in the room that the band had just checked out of. It was atrocious. Knight Ranger (a somewhat heavy metal band) had just spent the last few nights destroying it. There was no way I could sleep on a dirty bed in a shipwreck of cigarette butts and beer bottles. I checked out (I guess I had never really checked in) and put myself up at a decent place near by.

The next day I showed up “on location” secured into a pair of red pants (one size smaller than usual) and found myself being filmed in several scenes (at least I thought). But when I saw the actual video (for the song Sentimental Street) I was only in two. However, you could see me dancing in the club. After the shoot, guitarist Brad Gillis had someone tell me he was interested in getting together with me. I found out (on a few occasions) that when you are a rock star you have someone go out and get the girl for you. I was flattered of course, but that was not ever my style.

I went home singing the song Sentimental Street, and on quite a natural high knowing footage (with me in it) was going to be shown on MTV! It may not have turned out exactly like I had envisioned (it often doesn’t) but, I got what I wanted, and my motto, Where There’s a Will There’ Renee was born….

Where There's a Will There's Renee...

Not Mine (Yet)

By now, you all know and love our Ageless Aunty. The clamoring crowds she garners in real life are now following her on the Internet. She is no longer just a legend in her own mind. But, some of you may be wondering who I am, and why this blog.

I feel like I have mastered the art of living well (and I don’t mean with lots of money or material things). I simply am able to find joy in every day living, and I would like to share that with you. I have also been blessed with a bubble bath full of chutzpah…. I never sit in the back row. I always find my way to the front, and often backstage. Here I am holding another screenwriters' Oscar (for charitable purposes). My glass (a crystal blue champagne flute) is always half full! I raise it to you for joining me.

I write memoir, screenplays, and now this blog (which I share with my Great Aunty Helen, our resident Ageless Guru). Through my written communications, via blog, book, and screenplay, I hope to show my readers/audience (what my friends have been saying for years)….that life is a banquet the Renee Way, and, Ageless, with Aunty!