By Bonnie Fishman / San Francisco Bay Area Once again, the Fishman Family Compound here in rural California hosted a bunch of Fishman cousins. It all began on April 29, when two cousins arrived, one from Detroit, one from Tel Aviv. Several days later, three more arrived, one from Savannah and two from Los Angeles. We are first cousins, the offspring of four Fishman brothers, and their spouses. This was a sprawling 12-day event, folks coming and going at different times. Being a compound, we were able to accommodate everyone easily, comfortably spread out over four houses. We gathered for family meals hosted by a different sister as the pre-arranged schedule deemed. My sisters and I just love hosting! We were in our glory. Prior to the guests arriving, as usual, we met several times to draw up a calendar of events and meals. This eases the stress so there will be no surprises and we can all shop for food and prepare accordingly. My cousin Jane, a popular newspaper columnist, author and contributor to The Insider, passed away last October. We are missing her at this year’s reunion. She did marry well because Carmela, her wife, is a wonderful Italian cook as well as a wonderful person. My cousin Sheila, a retired pediatrician, also married well to Michael who grew up in his family’s potato business. He, too, is a great cook. A few weeks before our reunion, I invited Carmela and Michael to think about cooking a feast for the cousins at my house when it was my turn. We emailed back and forth to come up with a menu. On Saturday morning, we went to the local farmers’ market to gather fresh produce for dinner. We split up, going our own ways, to procure what each of us needed for our specific dishes. On Saturday afternoon, we went into motion. Fortunately, my kitchen is laid out well enough to accommodate multiple chefs. There’s no “Too many cooks spoil the broth” in this house! The more, the merrier. Kitchen prep camaraderie is like no other. Everyone was working shoulder to shoulder, focused on their own project, while chatting about other things. This is one reason why I really enjoyed owning a professional kitchen. The interchange of ideas, telling stories, and discussing food is what it’s all about. Carmela was on her pasta path. She brought homemade pesto from Savannah, in addition to a special pasta and Parmesan Reggiano. Michael, on the other hand, had intended to bring Cornish hens from Los Angeles. I convinced him it would be easier to buy them here in the Bay area so he wouldn’t have to worry about refrigeration on the drive up. Alas, there wasn’t a hen to be found. Michael had to make do with whole chickens. He spatchcocked them (removed the backbone, allowing them to be completely opened and flattened; also called “butterflying”) and then roasted the chickens with onions, garlic, lemon, and rosemary. I gathered my supplies at the farmers’ market. I made broccolini with garlicky almonds and panko crumbs as featured in my asparagus column from April 24. I roasted a batch of rainbow carrots with honey and cumin, I whipped together a salad with arugula, watermelon radishes, and fennel as the base. I topped it with fresh oranges, beets, feta, and home-cured olives. And let’s not forget dessert: chocolate pecan pie (Carmela brought huge, beautiful pecans from Georgia) and a blackberry tart (recipe coming out here in June!) My cousins are beginning to think that we cook and eat like this at the Fishman Family Compound all the time. It’s not too far from the truth! On a different evening, my Israeli cousin, Beth, made a traditional Persian dinner. Her late husband was a great influence on her cooking repertoire. She made iconic Persian rice with crispy browned potatoes and cardamon, and Gondi served in chicken broth. Gondi is a ground beef-and-chicken meatball held together with chickpea flour. Today’s recipe is an interpretation of cousin Michael’s spatchcocked Cornish Hens. I watched him carefully and have written down the instructions for Insider readers. Feel free to add the fresh herbs or vegetables of your choice. A salsa or chutney would be a nice accompaniment. Tell us here at The Insider who is coming to dinner at your house. What are you going to cook? Or maybe you’ll get lucky and a guest will cook for you! Spatchcocked Cornish Hens Yield: 6-8 servings 6 1 lb. Cornish hens 12 cloves peeled garlic, sliced in halves 1 lg. sprig fresh rosemary 1 lg. onion, sliced thin 1 lg. lemon, sliced thin melted butter or olive oil 1 tsp. coarse salt 3/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper 3/4 tsp. cumin 3/4 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. ground chili powder Spatchcock the hens: Using kitchen shears, cut the hens down the backs and splay them open, cut side up. Arrange on a large tray or roasting pan. Season generously with coarse salt and pepper. Scatter the garlic cloves on the meat. Remove the rosemary leaves from the stems and distribute them evenly. Cover; refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 400°.  Before roasting, scatter the onions and lemons on a clean baking tray. Place the hens, skin side up on the onions.  Brush the skins with melted butter or olive oil. Season with the salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, and chili powder. Roast hens for 25 minutes. The skin should be brown and the internal temperature of the breast at 160°.  Cut the hens in half before serving. Bonnie Fishman attended the Cordon Bleu Cookery School in London. Later, she owned and operated Bonnie’s Patisserie in Southfield, Mich. and Bonnie’s Kitchen and Catering in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She has taught cooking for over 35 years and created hundreds of recipes. She is now living in Northern California.

By Andy Borowitz | The New Yorker May 18, 2023 FLORIDA (The Borowitz Report)—Shortly after the corporate giant cancelled plans for a new campus in Lake Nona, Florida, residents of the state demanded to know where Disney was going so that they could come with. Across the state, Floridians indicated a desperate desire to join Disney in its departure, suggesting that an unprecedented exodus may soon be under way. “When I think of Florida, I think of gun violence, draconian abortion laws, and book banning,” Carol Foyler, who lives in Boca Raton, said. “When I think of Disney, I think of teacups, princesses, and singing animals. I want to be where Disney is.” “I’ve lived in Florida all my life and never considered leaving before,” Harland Dorrinson, a resident of Fort Lauderdale, said. “But, wherever Disney goes, Ron DeSantis won’t be there, and that’s good enough for me.” Tracy Klugian, who resides in Tampa, expressed a sentiment echoed by millions of others in the state. “I’d rather live in Disney without Florida than in Florida without Disney,” she said. Andy Borowitz is a Times best-selling author and a comedian who has written for The New Yorker since 1998. He writes The Borowitz Report, a satirical column on the news.

By Jessie Seigel / Washington, D.C. Much of the media is wringing its hands over whether to ignore 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump or cover him. And if they cover him, how to do so. Some journalists argue that since the former president is the current front runner for the 2024 Republican nomination, one can’t ignore him. They then pretend to grapple helplessly with how to handle a candidate who is being investigated for various kinds of criminality and who spouts inflammatory lies and abusive rants with every breath he takes. And eventually, they throw up their hands at the difficulty. After Trump’s four years in the White House, sandwiched between two presidential campaigns, one would think that most of the media could have figured out some ways to deal with his tactics. But okay. Let’s start with how you don’t cover such a candidate. You don’t—as CNN did for the Trump New Hampshire town hall on May 10—hand him an audience filled solely with his supporters to act as his cheering section rather than provide a true cross section of voters. As Fortune reported, CNN allowed Trump “an audience of Republicans and independents inclined to vote for him.” You don’t set up the interview format in such a way that allows him to ignore your questions and roll right over you to spout all sorts of vitriol that has no connection to the question asked. And you don’t ask open-ended questions that permit him to make long speeches filled with the innumerable lies and disinformation he wants to spread, delivered so quickly that it makes any fact-checking your interviewer tries to do ineffectual. Kaitlan Collins, cohost of CNN This Morning, conducted the New Hampshire town hall interview. Collins valiantly tried to correct Trump’s many lies as he told them. But her manner was quite subdued. Trump repeatedly spoke right over her and kept going like a runaway freight train tooting its whistle. At one point, when Collins hesitantly and deferentially tried to insist on getting an answer to a question, Trump called her a “nasty person.” Of course, his chosen audience laughed at that. As they did when he coarsely enlarged upon his defamation of E. Jean Carroll, calling her a “wack job,” and saying, “What kind of a woman meets somebody and brings them up and within minutes you’re playing hanky panky in a dressing room?” Carroll had just—the day before--won a defamation lawsuit against Trump to the tune of $5 million, and his repeated town hall denigration may give her legal cause to sue him again. Many in the media have expressed sympathy for poor Kaitlan Collins, faced with Trump’s antics and an anti-media audience cheering him on. But not so fast. Her bosses chose the audience. And according to MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell, Collins spent her many hours of preparation in consultation with CNN’s CEO Chris Licht and network executives Mark Preston and David Chalian. Presumably, together, they decided on the questions Collins used. Questions like Collin’s first one: “why should Americans put you back in the White House?” As MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell put it, this question did not ask for an answer but invited a speech. Trump obliged by expanding on his lies and pet peeves at length. Other questions also avoided hard-hitting journalism, opting instead for an Oprah-esque confessional style, geared to eliciting a reveal of the interviewee’s feelings or a redemptive admission. Thus, Collins asked whether Trump could publicly acknowledge he lost the election, has any regrets about the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, or thinks he owes Mike Pence an apology. She did not ask why Trump did not call upon any government agency to stop the attack. She did not ask why he took no action to protect Pence from the mob that was vocally threatening to kill him. Washington Post contributing columnist Ramesh Ponnuru has suggested a number of pointed questions Collins could have asked that might have forced Trump to actually answer the question. Or could have exposed his self-serving contradictions regardless of his answers. Some of Ponnuru’s samples: Why do so many people who work with you turn against you? Are you bad at hiring people? In 2020, you said that you had ‘total’ authority to end state lockdowns. Does that mean you were pleased with how long those lockdowns lasted? Speaking of the 2020 election: If it was rigged against you, why did the people rigging it allow Republicans to flip 14 seats? When defending yourself against E. Jean Carroll’s accusation of sexual assault, you explained that she wasn’t your “type.” Would you have attacked her if she were your type? In reaction to the criticism CNN received for its handling of the town hall, the network trotted out Anderson Cooper to act as its apologist. Toeing CNN’s line, Cooper argued that because Trump is the front runner for the Republican nomination and may be the next president, it was appropriate to cover him. But that was no reason to hand Trump a pep rally. CNN could have offered to interview him—a one-on-one with a seasoned political reporter who would ask Trump pointed questions. Sure, the former president might well decline because he would not be able to control the interview. But that’s his decision. Neither CNN nor any other network or newspaper owes a front runner candidate a forum rigged for the candidate on the candidate’s terms. Cooper also maintained that the town hall showed that what Trump did before can happen again; that “after last night, no one can say they don’t know what’s out there.” That is a ridiculous defense. What’s “out there” has been known for years. And certainly, after January 6, 2021, what Trump and his followers are capable of doing is known to anyone not stopping up their ears or hiding in a cave somewhere in a wilderness. Furthermore, CNN’s show was not warning that Trump could repeat what he has done before. It was furthering his endeavor. Cooper claimed the audience chosen for the Town Hall was appropriate because Trump’s supporters are representative of half of the country. First, though his supporters may comprise a large portion of the Republican party, they do not necessarily represent half of the country. Certainly not among voters. Especially if one takes into account gerrymandering and voter suppression. But even if they did constitute half of the country, what about the other half? Why were they not represented at the town hall? CNN chose not to include them. This was not a neutral event. But even if it had been, neutrality in the face of lies—especially fascistic lies—is actually taking a side. Finally, Cooper had the nerve to suggest those upset with CNN’s coverage are “living in a silo,” and should want to know what others are thinking. Addressing this argument, Fortune articulately wrote: “…those of us who find Trump odious are not living in a silo. We absolutely see and understand that half the country is fine with who Trump is and what he stands for.” As Fortune added, bigotry is not just a “contribution to a range of diverse viewpoints” to which we “should expose ourselves.” It is an evil that “should be denied the oxygen of the media.” And while freedom of speech guarantees the right to advance one’s views, it does not require “unfettered access to media coverage” of those views. Some Advice on How to Handle Candidate Trump In the 1957 film, A Face in the Crowd, the crude, Trump-like radio demagogue Lonesome Rhodes is finally undone when his audience hears him express his utter contempt for them on an open mike he doesn’t know is on. Admittedly, that wouldn’t work with Trump. Much of the country has been primed for decades by reality shows, including Trump’s The Apprentice, to have an appetite for such contempt. His adherents would likely refuse to recognize that Trump’s contempt extends to them. In the words attributed to P.T. Barnum: “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Some of Trump’s marks may never learn. But how can the media help ensure their numbers are not increased by those whose minds are still reachable? First, stop letting Trump determine the rules of engagement. Only offer to interview Trump one-on-one, and ask serious, hard-hitting questions. If he chooses not to accept the offer, and thus foregoes the airtime, that’s his problem. And if he participates, but evades, rants off-topic and lies, follow the advice of the prominent journalist Kara Anne Swisher. She recently tweeted: “Rather than trying to get him to answer the original question, you need to very quickly call out the lie, then ask him why he chose to lie about it, because arguing about the lie itself is a dead end.” If a network feels compelled to present a campaign town hall, it should only do so if there is a moderator who can enforce time limits on answering questions, and an audience that is not stacked for a particular candidate. The network should also have separate reporters on hand to conduct simultaneous fact-checking on-air. Handling candidate Donald Trump is not an impossible project. One simply needs to have the wit, will, and integrity to do it. Political columnist Jessie Seigel had a long career as a government attorney in which she honed her analytic skills. She has also twice received an Artist’s Fellowship from the Washington, D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities for her fiction, and has been a finalist for a number of literary awards. In addition, Seigel is an associate editor at the Potomac Review, a reviewer for The Washington Independent Review of Books, and a dabbler in political cartoons at Daily Kos. Of this balance in her work between the analytic and the imaginative, Seigel jokes, “I guess my right and left brains are well-balanced.” More on and from Seigel can be found at The Adventurous Writer, https://www.jessieseigel.com.

By Lydia Hope Wilen / New York City In olden days–1992 and 1993–my sister Joany and I had a dream job. The two of us were responsible for a full-page weekly feature in the New York Daily News Sunday Magazine. It was called My Favorite New York. Each week we would meet a celebrity at their favorite place in NYC, have them tell us why this was their favorite place and a Daily News photographer would photograph them there. We met actors, playwrights, politicians, comedians, singers, rappers, musicians, directors, talk-show hosts, newscasters, authors, a model, a drag performer, a diet guru, a disc jockey, a frog (Kermit, of course) and a soon-to-be inaugurated U.S. president (Bill Clinton). I’d like to take you behind the scenes and share some of our experiences with celebs who endeared themselves to us in one way or another. Richard Simmons, diet guru. Favorite NY: Mabel’s, a gift shop for pets Richard Simmons, in shorts and a tank top, entered the store and burst into song and dance. He then sat on the floor, lotioned his legs, then jumped up to help a woman who walked in the door. She didn’t recognize him and was happy to have his help picking out an appropriate play toy for her friend’s new cat. When the tomboyishly-dressed photographer arrived, Simmons took one look at her feet and said, “Oh how nice. A soldier died and left you his boots.” Thinking back to how outrageously funny he was that day, I realize, you had to be there. Luckily for us, we were. Michael Caine, actor. Favorite NY: a suite at the St. Regis Hotel We waited for Michael Caine in the Presidential Suite ($2,500 a night in 1993). Suddenly, the door opened and in walked the Academy Award-winning actor. He said, “Hello, I’m Michael Caine.” (As if we didn’t know.) That was the moment Joany and I believed in love at first sight. Caine confessed that he was staying in a nonpresidential suite, but that the hotel management wanted his picture taken in this suite. He then told us to take our pocketbooks and follow him. We went from bathroom to bathroom, as Caine filled our bags with all available freebies – shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, soap, and the like. We thought he must be channeling our mother. When it was picture-taking time, he posed with his elbow on the fireplace mantel. The picture captured Caine laughing and if you looked closely, you’d laugh too, seeing my face reflected in the mirror behind him. Oops! Diedre Hall, actress. Favorite NY: Steuben Glass on Fifth Avenue Known then as “Queen of the Soaps” for her role on Days of Our Lives, Diedre Hall showed up at Steuben right after a TV appearance and she was accompanied by her in-laws and a dozen fans. During our interview, Hall kept looking at her watch. The last one of those times, she asked if she could be excused for a few minutes. Who were we to say “no” to the Queen? She and one of her fans left the store. A couple minutes later, Hall came back alone, after seeing to it that the fan got into a cab that would take her to the airport to catch her plane. It was no wonder that this gracious actress had a huge following of devoted fans. Hector Elizondo, actor. Favorite NY: Nicholas Roerich Museum, 319 W. 107th St. The one time it happened: a celeb introduced us to a place we never knew existed. The museum is dedicated to the works of the Russian-born artist, Nicholas Roerich, featuring nature scenes from the Himalayas. It’s in a brownstone and worth a visit. Caution: stairs are involved. Who knows? You just may pass Hector Elizondo on a staircase. Gloria Steinem, journalist, feminist leader, co-founder of Ms. magazine. Favorite NY: East 96th and Lexington Avenue subway station Gloria Steinem asked that we meet at her apartment and then she’d walk with us to the subway. We arrived at her no-frills building and walked up to her floor, then to her apartment and knocked on the door. We heard her say, “Come in, it’s open.” We walked in and there was Gloria Steinem, half-dressed, ironing her blouse. This powerhouse of a person, a mountain mover, a change-implementer, was ironing her blouse. If something needs to be done, clearly, Steinem is the one to do it. That blouse-ironing scene said it all. Picture painted. Martin Short, comedian, actor. Favorite NY: Claremont Riding Academy We were in front of Claremont, waiting for a car to pull up with Martin Short. No car. Just Short, walking down the long block from Columbus Avenue towards Amsterdam Avenue on W. 89th Street. He was by himself (no publicist, no agent, no assistant). When he reached us at Claremont, this charming, thoughtful, caring star of stage and screen, told us he wanted his page in our feature to be unique. And so he showed up wearing a tuxedo at 1 p.m. in the afternoon. Ya gotta love that guy! We did. William Shatner, actor. Favorite NY: Central Park’s Wollman Rink This was our fastest interview and photography session. We talked to Shatner while he put on ice skates. The picture of him in the rink happened as soon as he stepped foot on the ice. We then heard a kid shout, “Beam me up. It’s Captain Kirk.” That’s all Shatner had to hear. He was off the ice, out of the skates and away from the Wollman Rink, to boldly go where no man has gone before…wherever that was. Robert Goulet, singer, actor. Favorite NY: St. Patrick’s Cathedral Robert Goulet started singing publicly at his hometown church in Lawrence, Mass. (An appropriate abbreviation, considering the place was a church). When Goulet lived in NY, he would stop by St. Pat’s quite often, always feeling more at peace after his visit. Goulet told us, “I pray to the Lord all the time. He’s my friend.” The church’s public relations person in charge of us, heard him say that and decided to give Goulet a real treat, taking him in an elevator up to the main organ and then, taking him through what we think was a crawl space to the electrified chimes. All we knew was that a thrilled but sooty Goulet came back to us, looking as though he should be singing, “Chim chiminey, Chim chiminey, Chim chim cher-ee!” From 1993 until the last holiday season of his life in 2006, we received beautiful Christmas cards from Robert and Vera Goulet. Louie Anderson, comedian, game show host, actor and author. Favorite NY: Think Big, a store on Broadway and Spring Street, featuring giant-size Pop Art American culture symbols Have you ever met someone and instantly feel as though you’ve known them forever?  That’s the way it was with Louie Anderson for both of us.  The way he autographed his book, says it all. Enough of these celebrities.  What about you?  What’s your favorite New York, or your favorite anyplace?  Please think about it, then tell us below in the comment box.  We’d love to know! Lydia Hope Wilen had a successful collaboration with her late sister Joany as nonfiction bestselling authors (18 books), journalists, TV personalities, writers and talent coordinators on a Nickelodeon series hosted by Leonard Nimoy, Reading Rainbow episodes, skit writers for Dr. Ruth's TV show, Diet America Challenge on CBS, and writers of screenplays (optioned but not produced yet). Lydia is writing on her own now and has just completed an extraordinary book for young people and their parents. It will have them laughing and learning...once she gets an agent and it gets published.

By Naomi Serviss / New York City Florida is a hand-grenade subject for me. Not just because Governor DeSantis seems hell-bent on dragging the Sunshine State back into the Dark Ages. DeSantis’s Disney debacle enrages me on a visceral level as well. His incendiary book banning agenda (in schools and libraries) is just another splintery plank in his dangerous right-wing platform that derails pro-choice, gun control, gay rights and Mickey Mouse! Mickey Mouse! But DeSantis isn’t just versus the Magic Kingdom; he’s against “woke-ism,” progressives and liberal culture. In March, Disney accused the governor of being “anti-business,” for his attempt to put a stranglehold on Disney’s expansion plans. It wasn’t an overstatement. As a result, Disney put the kibosh on an Orlando office complex, with construction scheduled at a cost of about $1 billion. Taxable! Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. The Lake Nona Town Center project would have brought in more than 2,000 jobs to the Orlando region, with $120,000 as the average salary, according to Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity. The project called for the relocation of employees from Southern California. But with the blood feud between the governor and Disney, that plan is toast. The animus began over a year ago when the company railed against a state education law that would limit classroom instruction concerning sexual orientation and gender identity. It was nicknamed by opponents the “Don’t Say Gay Law.” DeSantis was not pleased and Florida legislators, (at his urging) targeted the state’s largest taxpayer with punishing measures. They successfully ended Disney’s self-governing rights over Disney World, the 25,000-acre playground, giving DeSantis control over government services at the resort! Talk about a personal vendetta! Adding insult to injury, Florida’s healthcare industry is also under siege. After July 1st, doctors will be legally allowed to reject patients if they think they might not be heterosexual! Pouring salt into the wound, doctors will be under no obligation to provide care or referrals. That’s constitutional? I grew up watching Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color with its technicolor cartoons and nature programs. I wished upon a star with Jiminy Cricket and cheered for Pollyanna when she melted the hearts of small-town curmudgeons. What could possibly be threatening about an optimistic preadolescent? But DeSantis’s vendetta against the Magic Kingdom rankles for myriad reasons. For one, my husband Lew and I lived in Orlando for two years. We made the most of it. Disney World and EPCOT were practically in our backyard, and we loved showing visitors around. We even learned the proper pronunciation of “Kissimmee” (Kuh-Sim-Me). Lew worked for the well-regarded Orlando Sentinel and I volunteered for literacy nonprofits, tutoring low-income students. Our good friends Sandy and Jim, Buffalo natives, brightened our Orlando stint with a kinship that endures to this day. Lew and I grew homesick for the Northeast and good New York pizza. Southern drawls were starting to grate. Enormous flying cockroaches (Palmetto bugs) freaked us out on many occasions with unexpected buzzing (yes, buzzing) and flybys. Our feline dynamic duo Thumper and Motley weren’t crazy about the heat and humidity, either. Motley did enjoy chasing tiny chameleons that inched into our townhouse. Lew and I became reconciled to living in a swamp, more or less. But our world was soon to shift, forever altered. Lew and I welcomed our newborn Emily Anne on August 4, 1982, in Orlando Hospital. To say the healthcare system in general, and this hospital in particular, was not up to par would be an understatement. The maternity ward lacked even one breast pump (!) and Lew had to scour nearby stores to procure one. It quickly became even more urgent to hightail it out of there and back into a more familiar world. Six months (and one back surgery) later, we moved to Long Island, where Lew secured an editing job at Newsday. Looking back to our Florida sojourn, Disney World will always loom large in my happy memory bank. It was glorious fun! Costumed characters kept the magic alive, with parades and fireworks to boot. One special press appreciation day, the park was closed to the public and welcomed (gratis) credentialed journalists to frolic about giddily, feasting at the complimentary (!) food and beverage stands like hungry pirates. It was a glorious perfect moment, shared by my best bud, Sandy. Florida is on the verge of becoming the reddest state ever. Tied with Georgia and Texas, subjectively speaking. Just reading about DeSantis’s underhanded attempt to modify Florida’s law, allowing him to run for president while still governor, underscores his Machiavellian intentions. This GOP star is not only meddling with Mickey Mouse, he’s dead set on overhauling Florida’s education policy as well. DeSantis wants to reduce transparency over political spending and travel. What’s he planning to hide? This new bill would impose tough new voting restrictions, making it harder for nonprofits to conduct voter registration drives. To make things opaquer, he signed a bill exempting his past and future travel from public disclosure. This is an honest politician? Or is that an oxymoron? Or just moronic? A tough guy who wants to beat up Disney World, one of the state’s most popular tourist destination and money maker? The way-right Republican governor is battling the Magic Kingdom for many reasons. Revenge may be one of them. “Disney had clearly crossed a line in its support of indoctrinating very young school children in woke gender politics,” DeSantis claimed in his incendiary book, The Courage to be Free: Florida’s Blueprint for America’s Survival. Republicans continue to grow in number in Florida. There are nearly 437,000 more registered Republican voters than Democrats. How to reconcile my family’s mostly happy experience residing in Orlando for two years, with the city’s current depressing state of affairs? By remembering the good times, augmented by close friendships and Technicolor dreams. Naomi Serviss is a New York-based award-winning journalist whose work has been published in The New York Times, Newsday, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Highroads (AAA magazine), in-flight publications, spa and travel magazines and websites, including BroadwayWorld.com

The Insider: I’m very interested in hearing your thoughts about pickleball, which is now the fastest growing sport in America. Andrea Kwok: Sure! Pickleball has definitely increased in popularity over the past few years. The Insider: Have you played it yourself? Andrea Kwok: I have! I enjoyed it. It’s easy to pick up, which I think is largely why it seems to have taken off recently. The Insider: For people who aren’t familiar with the sport, could you please explain briefly how it is played? Andrea Kwok: The best way that I can think to describe pickleball is part tennis, part ping-pong. It is played with a wooden paddle and plastic ball, similar to ping-pong, but on a court with a net similar to tennis. You can play singles or doubles. The size of the court is slightly smaller than in tennis, and there are additional rules that apply to the serve. However, the general object of the game is the same as tennis. The Insider: Physically, is it as challenging as tennis? Andrea Kwok: Because of the wooden paddle and plastic wiffle ball, the game is a little slower than tennis. I also found it easier to control the paddle compared to a tennis racquet and I had more control over where I was hitting the ball. I’d like to add I am a very inexperienced and poor tennis player! [AS2] The Insider: Is it deceptively easy looking, though? Is that why some new pickleball players are landing in doctors’ offices? Andrea Kwok: Yes, it is deceptive in the sense that people seem to be lulled into thinking that it is more of a casual game than a sport. However, it requires the same quick stop-and-start movements many sports require, and these movements are also largely responsible for injuries. The Insider: The first friend of mine who started playing pickleball zealously hurt her leg badly. Andrea Kwok: Unfortunately, injury is always a risk with any sport and pickleball is no exception. There may even be a greater number of injuries associated with pickleball because it has been drawing interest from people who may not have been very active previously. The Insider: I’ve read that the demographic of the sport skews older, too. Is that part of it? Andrea Kwok: Absolutely. As we age, our bodies change in many ways. Oftentimes, our soft tissues like muscles, tendons, or ligaments become less pliable. That’s not to say they can’t tolerate physical activity, but it would be wise to warm them up properly before jumping into any competitive sports or activities requiring explosive movements. The Insider: Could you please explain to our readers how to do that? Andrea Kwok: Depending upon your ability level and preference, a five to ten-minute walk or a light jog followed by upper and lower body stretching would likely be sufficient. Lateral shuffling on the court would also help to warm up the hips and prepare your body for the direction changes required in pickleball. The Insider: What are the main kind of injuries? Andrea Kwok: There are two kinds of injuries that would likely result from pickleball or similar sports: acute injury and overuse injury. Acute injuries would be a single instance that leads to a trauma of some sort. Examples likely associated with pickleball would be an Achilles tendon injury, a meniscus injury or damage to knee ligaments, or any muscle strain resulting from a quick, forceful movement. Overuse injuries would result from repetitive movements, more akin to tennis elbow, which is essentially tendinitis of the forearm. Hip and low back pain can also occur as a result of these repetitive movements. Warming up should reduce the likelihood of the acute injuries, and proper technique and training should minimize the risk of overuse injuries. The Insider: Very helpful! One last question—is there anyone who should definitely avoid this sport? Andrea Kwok: If you have balance impairments, any existing injury that limits mobility, recent surgery (depending on the surgery and current precautions), or any medical condition that limits participation in physical activity, I would be inclined to avoid pickleball or agility sports. However, it would be best to check with your doctor or a trusted medical provider before engaging in any new physical activity. Physical Therapist Andrea Kwok recommends a light aerobic warmup followed by upper and lower body stretches to avoid injuries while playing pickleball. See two short videos and photos below: 1) LATERAL SHUFFLE DEMONSTRATION 2) FORWARD AND BACKWARD JOGGING DEMONSTRATION 3) RECOMMENDED STRETCHES Clockwise from left: shoulder stretch, calf stretch, quad stretch, pickleball equipment, hamstring stretch, glute stretch Andrea Kwok is the Clinical Director of SPEAR’s West 67th Street location. Andrea earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Delaware. During her time there, she completed a graduate assistantship in the Physical Therapy administrative office and served as class secretary. Prior to her graduate studies, Andrea graduated summa cum laude from Rutgers University with a major in exercise science and a minor in Spanish. Andrea was a founding member of the Rutgers club gymnastics team, where she served as team treasurer. In her professional career, Andrea has experience working with a wide range of orthopedic conditions, inclusive of sports injuries, mechanical pain, neurological pain, and post-operative rehabilitation. She pursues continuing education with a manual focus, intent on refining her ability to address joint, neurodynamic, and soft tissue dysfunction. Andrea is a large proponent of injury prevention and has participated in movement screenings for high school athletes, active adults, and local residents in the community. She is committed to restoring patient strength and function through targeted exercise and movement training.

By Judi Markowitz / Detroit Evie Germansky-Scheinfield making every day count It’s been called “the suicide disease.” Some people tragically succumb to the unbearable pain that Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) inflicts. There is no cure and treatment doesn’t necessarily alter the constant pain. According to the Spero Clinic, which specializes in treating patients with CRPS, “35 percent of sufferers eventually report symptoms throughout the body. The disease may remain localized, spread slowly over years, or progress rapidly like a wildfire out of control.” It can be a never-ending nightmare. Evie Germansky-Scheinfield knows these words all too well. CRPS has overtaken her life and wreaked havoc. She is a prisoner of this disease, but she has not given in or let it take away her will to keep moving forward. Evie, a 70-year-old who lives in West Bloomfield. Mich., is a determined woman with a positive mindset. When we spoke two weeks ago, she told me, “I know the alternative and I’m not going to be a statistic.” Evie and I grew up in the same city–Oak Park, Mich. Prior to my family’s move to this small suburb, our mothers became acquainted while living on Mendota Street in Detroit. They told us stories of walking Evie and me in our baby carriages around the neighborhood when we were infants. Our late mothers remained friends for over 60-plus years. Like many Jewish families in Detroit, mine joined the exodus to the suburbs in 1951. Evie’s family followed shortly thereafter. I believe that Evie’s strength was derived from her parents’ experience in the Holocaust. They were survivors and their resolve carried them through the darkest of times. Hearing the stories of their struggles while she was growing up reinforced Evie’s determination to carry on. She has been battling CRPS for more than 10 years. In February 2013, Evie had foot surgery for torn tendons. Says Evie, “I was a big walker and I clocked in about 12 miles a week. I thought I’d just pick up with my routine after surgery.” But unfortunately, Evie’s life took an unexpected turn. Eight days after the surgery, she says, “I woke up in the morning with excruciating pain in my foot. I was in a panic. I called my podiatrist, and he immediately sent me to a pain specialist. I was then diagnosed with RSD– Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome. The name was changed later to CRPS.” Evie describes the transformation of her foot from being a normal size to being swollen beyond recognition. Her foot is turned in at a 90-degree angle and she can’t straighten it out — it’s permanent. As for wearing a shoe on this foot— it’s been replaced with a large, bootie type sock. Ten days after her surgery, Evie was referred to an anesthesiologist-pain management specialist, Dr. Jeffrey Kimpson. Evie has been his patient since their initial meeting and has a terrific relationship with him. Evie says, “Dr. Kimpson understands my pain and does everything he can to help.” A trip to the Cleveland Clinic was arranged by Evie's brother-in-law, Sam Scheinfield, in late 2013. Dr. Michael Stanton Hicks was the foremost authority on the disease and Evie was anxious to meet with him. A nerve stimulator was suggested, and Evie was excited for the prospect of relief from constant pain. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. After being prescribed a myriad of pain medications that didn’t work, it was suggested that Evie make an appointment with a group of specialists at Providence Hospital in Novi, Mich. It was 2016 and Evie hoped for a better method to relieve her unbearable pain. After reviewing Evie’s case, a team of doctors suggested that a pain pump might alleviate her symptoms. Evie grabbed the opportunity. Sadly, it was an unfolding disaster. Says Evie, “My spine was nicked during the procedure, and I was hospitalized for two months. I had eight surgeries in the interim. It took two weeks to stop the medicine from going into my body.” To add insult to injury, while Evie was still hospitalized, she was given a medication that contained penicillin — she had an anaphylactic reaction and nearly died. After this debacle it took a long time to recuperate. After these failed procedures, Evie had to reassess her options. She knew that pain was now her unwanted companion. Evie says, “I couldn’t quit. I had to have a positive attitude and not let CRPS take me down. I was prepared to fight.” But it was difficult to digest all the things of which she had to let go. Evie’s career as a cardiovascular tech ended — she had to retire early. Evie recalls, “It made me incredibly sad because I loved my work. Not seeing my coworkers and the patients created a void in my life.” All the physical activities Evie formerly enjoyed came to a screeching halt. A life without exercising on both feet, dancing, playing sports— all these pursuits were now history. Evie’s mobility was relegated to using a scooter in order to get around. Learning to navigate her new terrain was of the utmost importance. Driving presented another hurdle. Evie was not about to give up her independence. Says Evie, “I knew I had to switch my driving habits and learn to feel comfortable with my left foot. I adapted immediately and it never became an issue, and I haven’t looked back. I am left-handed so it was an easy transition. I was surprised.” Evie attended a class sponsored through the Michigan Motor Vehicles Division and it was determined that she was a safe driver given her new set of circumstances. Evie was relieved. A new routine had to be established when getting to and from the car. I have seen Evie in action for years and she manages seamlessly. A walker is always in the hatch of her SUV — it’s easily accessible. Once the walker is removed , Evie folds down the handle of the scooter and places it in the car. The walker is used while moving into the driver’s seat and then placed in the back of the car. Evie doesn’t need help with this routine — she has mastered it with repeat performances. Family has been Evie’s saving grace. Says Evie, “My children and stepchildren have been incredibly supportive. The grandkids call my injury “Grandma’s boo-boo.” Except for my oldest granddaughter, they haven’t known me any other way.” Visits with the grandchildren are scheduled on the weekends — driving to Ann Arbor and Rochester. The joy from these visits keeps Evie coming back for more. Her husband Dennis is a true superstar when it comes to helping around the house. She told me he’s a phenomenal help with anything she needs. Dennis plans the meals. Says Evie, “He either cooks or we carry in dinner. Dennis does the bulk of the grocery shopping and runs errands for the household.” Evie added that Dennis helps her navigate around the house and ensures her safety. He is resolute that Evie gets out of the house every day. Evie has been able to continue a few activities she enjoyed before her unwanted retirement. She says, “If I don’t have scheduled plans I will think about my condition and dwell on the pain. It’s not productive.” Evie plays mahjong and canasta four days a week. She stays busy with lunch and dinner dates as well. When Evie’s hope for a cure was hijacked and any vestige of her former life had disappeared, she became depressed and needed counseling. She turned to therapy. Barbara Ruskin, Evie’s therapist, helped her to recognize that that she could have a meaningful life, even if it looked very different than before. After years of intensive talk therapy, Evie says, “My therapist said she admires my strength and that when she has a difficult day, her thoughts turn to me. Barbara recognizes that I have worked hard to overcome my difficulties, as much as possible.” Life is full of surprises, and at times, the surprise can be devastating. But when I talk with my longtime friend, it is as if nothing has changed. Yes, physically Evie is now different, but her personality and demeanor are a constant. She fights every day to continue with her routine of living in the moment—and that determination has kept her in the flow of life with her friends and family. Judi Markowitz is a retired high school English teacher of 34 years. She primarily taught 12th grade and had the pleasure of her three sons gracing her classes. In addition, she taught debate, forensics, and Detroit film. Judi has four adult children and seven wonderful grandchildren. She is married to Jeffrey Markowitz, whom she met in high school. Judi grew up in Oak Park, Mich. which had a stellar school district, with excellent teachers. The city provided activities for all–and there were even sidewalks. Judi moved to Huntington Woods as an adult, which is a half mile from her childhood home. She wanted the same experience for her children as she had growing up, and Huntington Woods provided that. The View from Four Foot Two is Judi’s first book.

By Naomi Serviss / New York City Who doesn’t love a raucously fractured fairy tale? A mishmash of screwball slapstick, mishaps and mayhem traipsing merrily along the way? Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a Marx Brothers/ Three Stooges-like lovechild of the classic J.M. Barrie fable. You know, the story of the perennial narcissistic brat who refused to adult. This production is a well-oiled, Rube Goldberg-inspired machine, guaranteed to distract you from obsessing over current events (for two hours). Not only is it a tonic for Boomers, but it will also amuse Millennials, Gen Zers and even know-it-all Gen Xers, who will crack a smile or even guffaw when Peter tries to maneuver his errant flying harness. The curmudgeon in your life could bust a rib reacting to Tinkerbell’s sexy shenanigans. I gasped for air during a recent performance, because the laughs ricochet fast and furiously funny. With Broadway’s spring season awash in self-important dramas and musical revivals ad nauseum, it’s refreshing to find a lighthearted gem that doesn’t require blood-letting or cannibalism for plot points. Neil Patrick Harris guest-narrated the performance I caught. Harris delivered thumbs-up comic chops with an amateur magician’s flair. His generosity with shiny confetti he tossed out was appreciated in the expensive front seats. Harris adroitly held his own, pratfalling and taking a tumble with the best of them. If you’re familiar with the long-running British production, The Play That Goes Wrong, you’ll recognize the hook. If you aren’t, not to worry. The premise is simple. It’s essentially a show-within-a-show conceit dreamed up by the writing team (and performing crew), of Henry Shields, Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer. A made-up amateur college drama club performs a serious play that implodes thanks to slippery scenery, missed sound cues and jammed doors. The jaw-dropping finale is worthy of a standing O. It’s a farce as ancient as Roman times. And the formula works for a reason. The people like it! It’s fun, it’s not just for kids! Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a delicious soufflé that stands apart from its predecessor, Peter Pan, because we are all well-versed in the traditional tale. It might seem to be a simple story of childhood innocence, coupled with a kid’s untamed imagination and resilience. But it’s also about the unwavering passage of time and the circle of life. Where existential threats live in a mermaid lagoon with doomsday clocks crocodile-consumed. The Lion King isn’t the only show that cooks. But Peter Pan Goes Wrong is a BIG BROADWAY PRODUCTION, with star cameos (like Harris) sure to pop up, stepping in as future story tellers down the pike. There is an undependable, mind-of-its-own revolving stage, cheerful musical numbers, sibling revelry and blacklight puppets. The hooded puppet handlers are just as comically inept as their castmates, who get it wrong by painfully crashing into one another as they flit around the stage. Characters deliver groaner jokes with clever repartee and goofy faces. The three authors (drama schoolmates) have the juiciest roles. Henry Shields (recalling John Cleese) is Mr. Darling and Captain Hook. Henry Lewis is the sad-sack teddy bear who portrays Nana. Peter Pan Goes Wrong (directed by Adam Meggido) may have recently opened, but it’s not a new show. It’s been in production since 2013. The Play that Goes Wrong brand has been incorporated into Mischief Worldwide. It’s a dream enterprise, guaranteed to woo tourists in the U.K. and stateside. This production has no language barriers. The slapstick telegraphs upcoming disasters. Physical humor is understood without need of translation. Expect amateur acting (on purpose), stubborn stagecraft, miscues and jokes that would slay a vaudeville audience. The narrator’s chair has a mind of its own. Sometimes it takes its occupant slooooowwwwly stage left or jerks him into desired position. Looked painful. It cracked me up. At its best, the show reminded me of the stellar 1982 Brit backstage farce, Noises Off by playwright Michael Frayn, with its precision take off and dizzying landing. Speaking of landing, Greg Tannhill plays Peter Pan mostly in bandages or flying about upside down. Onstage, the low-budget nursery of the Darlings has a dicey-looking three-level(!)bunk bed, wiring that sparks and a revolving floor that causes significant crashes. Keep your eyes on the beds. You’ll be relieved when Captain Cook gets his comeuppance, the Darling family is joyously reunited and Tinkerbell is…no spoiler alerts! You might be exhausted merely observing this hilarious tale unfold. My face hurt from laughing so hard for two hours. It was worth it. If you’re in town, stop by the TKTS booth at West 47th & Broadway for discounted tickets! You won’t go wrong. Naomi Serviss is a New York-based award-winning journalist whose work has been published in The New York Times, Newsday, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Highroads (AAA magazine), in-flight publications, spa and travel magazines and websites, including BroadwayWorld.com

By Dr. Nancy Fishman / Morgan Hill, Calif. During the 50 years I have worked with people in my career as a therapist, I have been constantly reminded of what I have come to believe is the single most motivating force in human existence...the avoidance of loneliness. Let me explain the difference between appreciating time alone and the feeling of loneliness. Most people look forward to alone time, or what we often call “me time”: the uninterrupted self-care opportunity to read a book, take a bath, or go for a nature walk. The feeling of loneliness, on the other hand, is a gut-wrenching experience that feels as though fangs are embedded in your heart. Loneliness is an existential threat to our survival. We are social animals, not meant to be alone. The dread of loneliness is what drives us to seek life partners and form lasting relationships. In truth, we can survive any amount of fear or pain if we know there is just one other person in the world who knows us and is willing to be down in the weeds when we need them. Do you remember the 2000 movie Cast Away starring Tom Hanks? His character, Chuck Noland, survives a plane crash and washes up on a deserted island. After tending to basic food, water and shelter needs, he becomes acutely aware he is alone, and lonely. That’s when he discovers a volleyball with the manufacturer’s name written across its face. Noland immediately refers to the ball as Wilson and personifies it as his companion for the four years he is stranded. At last, Noland tells Wilson they must leave the island if they are to have any chance for rescue. Noland builds a raft, tethers Wilson to one end, and sets sail. As Noland looks toward the horizon with hope, he carries on a dialogue with Wilson allowing the viewer to understand the importance of companionship. At a critical moment, Noland looks back only to discover Wilson has become untethered and is drifting away from the raft in a perilous current, too far for Noland to swim to the ball and get safely back to the raft. In that split second, we can almost feel the painful choice Noland must make: swim to Wilson and certainly drown with the personified friend by his side or remain on the raft without Wilson and perhaps die alone waiting to be rescued. It is this existential crisis of fearing loneliness that influences our impulses and decisions and drives our behaviors. All mammals rely on others for survival; humans are no different. We do whatever motivates us, conscious or not, to avoid loneliness. Before Covid, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the U.S. Surgeon General, went on a listening tour of the country. He was astounded by the number of people across all cultures, walks of life and socioecocomic strata, who expressed feelings of loneliness. So he launched a project to study the effects of loneliness on health. Recently released, the study is titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation 2023”. It definitively states: “Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26 percent and 29 percent respectively.” The study defines loneliness as “a subjective internal state. It’s the distressing experience that results from perceived isolation.” The study also states: “Poor or insufficient social connection is associated with increased risk of disease, including a 29 percent increased risk of heart disease and a 32 percent increase risk of stroke. Furthermore, [loneliness] is associated with increased risk for anxiety, depression, and dementia. Additionally, the lack of social connection may increase susceptibility to viruses and respiratory illnesses.” Dr. Murthy’s spotlight on the adverse health effects of loneliness on both mental and physical health also exemplifies the interconnection between mind and body. Because Dr. Murthy began his listening tour prior to the Covid crisis, the findings reported in the 2023 document may not adequately account for the spike in emotional trauma accrued during Covid isolation. During the most restrictive months of Covid, many people around the world were trapped in isolated situations and had to confront their instinctive avoidance of loneliness. If we accept the premise that loneliness causes adverse health reactions, we can well understand the increase in requests for both emotional and physical health care as a consequence of the Covid crisis. With a heightened awareness of the very real phenomenon of loneliness avoidance, we can begin to understand human behavior. What makes people tick? Where does it all begin? Why do we do what we do to ourselves and others? What is critically most important to us? These are just some of the questions to which people seek answers when they engage in psychotherapy. Regardless of where they begin, I seem to follow them right back to this fundamental question: How do I avoid loneliness? It is not so easy to find a human partner who matches well enough to make a lifelong commitment. So, what are some alternatives that address our need to avoid loneliness? Community, Friendship, and Pets! Once again, we are social animals. It is instinctive for us to seek community for survival and need fulfillment. Opportunities are everywhere to join or create community: classes, volunteer groups, neighborhoods, special interest groups, sports teams. Even those who prefer to stay home most of the time can find community online in chat rooms, games and with social media. It is through community that we can meet a promising love partner and develop friendships. There’s nothing like a great friend when we feel the threat of loneliness. And let’s not discount the importance of having a loyal pet...someone furry and cuddly, who loves you unconditionally, and will listen to you endlessly. Even birds and reptiles can be comforting when a dog or cat is impossible to house. If the Covid pandemic heightened our awareness of the existence of loneliness as a real phenomenon, an actual threat to our health, then let’s treat it with due respect. Let’s consider the many children who eat lunch alone in school cafeterias, co-workers who return home to solitary lives, neighbors who rely on check-out clerks and medical personnel for human contact. There are surely people living among us who just might appreciate a little chat. Reach out, offer someone a respite from the loneliness they bear. You certainly will discover benefits for yourself as well! This column is devoted to psychological topics that speak to the human condition, such as relationships, family, love, loss and happiness. The ideas, thoughts, philosophies, and observations expressed here are personal and not meant as professional advice. Please contact me at editor@theinsider1.com if you have a particular issue you would like addressed. Let’s talk! Nancy Fishman, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist, consultant, and author. Visit her website for an extended biography and more information: www.NancyFishmanPhD.com

By Laurence Lerman / New York City It Ain’t Over, a meticulous and celebratory chronicle of the life and career of baseball player Yogi Berra, is a pleasure to watch. And this is coming from an admittedly only casual baseball fan who has never much followed the New York Yankees, where the Hall of Famer spent the bulk of his 40-plus year career as a player and then coach and manager. But I found myself quite taken by this worshipful examination of Berra’s accomplishments, well-known, friendly persona and legacy. Written and directed by Sean Mullin and executive produced by Berra’s granddaughter Lindsay Berra, It Ain’t Over premiered at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival last June, where I caught a screening of it alongside a number of other journalists. There were many folks there who didn’t give off a baseball- or Yankee-loving vibe either, but from what I could see, they all seemed to enjoy the film as much as I did. And that’s saying something. Or as Yogi Berra (who died in 2015 at 90) once put it in one of his famed “Yogi-isms,” the impromptu, unintentionally funny comments he was wont to make, “You can observe a lot by watching.” Distributor Sony Pictures Classics released It Ain’t Over in a limited rollout in New York and Los Angeles and surrounding areas on Friday (May 12) and plans to expand over the following weeks. The film finished up the weekend with a not-bad $107,000 gross on 99 screens. As the catcher for the most storied team in the history of Major League Baseball, Yogi Berra’s statistics are simply outstanding. As It Ain’t Over carefully details, the St. Louis native racked up 10 World Series rings, three American MVP awards and, remarkably, 18 All-Star Game appearances. Whoa. Born Lawrence Peter Berra in 1925, Yogi played his first game as a New York Yankee in September, 1946. “Yogi” was a nickname he picked up from childhood friend and fellow ballplayer Jack Maguire when both were teens and Maguire observed that Berra resembled a yogi from India when he sat with his arms and legs crossed. He was a fine catcher and batter from the get-go and only got better, setting a slew of records, many of them in the course of his 14 World Series appearances. In Game 5 of the 1956 Series against the Brooklyn Dodgers, he was behind the plate for Yankee pitcher Don Larsen’s legendary perfect game, the only one thrown in the history of post-season play. Berra’s prodigious talents were matched by his persona and life off the field, from his Yogi-isms to his history as a WWII veteran (he saw combat as a U.S. Navy gunner’s mate during the Normandy landings) to his reputation as a loving husband (he was married to his wife Carmen for 65 years) and father. And then there was his regular presence on post-game interviews and talk shows and in a myriad of product endorsements in TV commercials over the decades (Stove Top Stuffing, anyone?). The film contends that Yogi’s familiar and fun personality and celebrity status overshadowed the fact that he was indeed one of the game’s great players. Sometimes, the numbers do say it all, and Yogi definitely had’em. There is plenty of talking head commentary included to reinforce this. Though most of Yogi’s renowned teammates from the golden age are gone, there are still a few on hand to talk up The Man, including such Yankees as Tony Kubec and Bobby Richards (both 87 years old) and the late Ralph Terry. Better represented are players from the 1980s forward. Don Mattingly, Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry, Mariano Rivera and former manager Joe Torre all have anecdotes and insights to share. Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter appears to remind us that Berra was “a figure who’s larger than life” and that his Yogi-ism “When you see a strike, hit it,” actually “makes a lot of sense.” As for the film’s titular Yogi-ism, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” supposedly uttered by Yogi to a sports journalist in 1973, well, there’s no trace of that one published anywhere. In fact, there’s a good chance that Yogi never said it at all. Also in on the action are experts Vin Scully and Bob Costas, and, since we’re talking about the Yankees, Billy Crystal, who remains the Bronx Bombers’ most famous fan. It Ain’t Over is the latest doc to delve into the game that is still considered to be the our national pastime. (NFL and NBA be damned, baseball remains the most treasured of American sports.) Reggie, the well-equipped doc on Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson, was released to much praise on Amazon Prime in March, following closely on the cleats of last October’s Say Hey, Willie Mays! about you-know-who. Last year’s Facing Nolan, looked at the nearly 30-year career of pitching legend Nolan Ryan as told by the hitters who faced him and the teammates who played alongside of him. Also released in 2022 was The Last Out, a well-received feature on three young Cuban baseball players who leave their families and risk exile to pursue their major league dreams. And that’s before we even consider the many baseball-themed shows that have been popping up over the past year and that date back to Ric Burn’s seminal 1994 nine-part documentary series Baseball. It remained so popular over the years that Burns eventually added a two-part, four-hour sequel in 2010, bringing the entire running time of the colossus to nearly 19 hours. Most recently on the small screen was ESPN’s excellent 2022 series The Captain on Derek Jeter. It’s Yogi Berra’s turn at bat this season, and it’s truly nice to watch such an an affectionate and even intimate examination of, yes, a bona fide American treasure. Laurence Lerman is a film journalist, former editor of Video Business--Variety's DVD trade publication--and husband to The Insider's own Gwen Cooper. Over the course of his career he has conducted one-on-one interviews with just about every major director working today, including Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, Clint Eastwood, Kathryn Bigelow, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill, Spike Lee, and Werner Herzog, among numerous others. Once James Cameron specifically requested an interview with Laurence by name, which his wife still likes to brag about. Most recently, he is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the online review site DiscDish.com.

By Steve Cash / Detroit We had not gone out socially for so long that I had to say yes when my wife begged me to visit our friends last weekend. She begged because she knew I dreaded spending an evening at their house. Don't get me wrong-–our friends are sweet, wonderful people, except for one irritating and annoying quality. Every time we go to their house, they force us to listen to the latest clever or funny comments their grandchildren have made. They are so proud of these gems, they put them on paper and post them on their refrigerator for posterity. The couple reads their grandchildren's musings and laugh uproariously. To them, each of their three grandkids is Chris Rock, Dave Chapelle and Adam Sandler rolled into one. They also force us to watch videos of the grandkids' so-called “athletic accomplishments.” I don’t mean to be cynical, but the term coordination and the video I witnessed were incompatible. Then they start with the gifted business. According to my friends, these children are already showing signs of being the next Einstein or Mozart. When I asked for an example of their impending genius, all they could come up with was that the kids could name all the dogs on the popular children’s TV show Paw Patrol. I’m no expert, but I don’t know if that talent would qualify them for a future Rhodes Scholarships. Don’t get me wrong—it’s very touching. I like their grandchildren, who are cute and well-behaved. But let’s get down to brass tacks-- their grandkids are not particularly funny or clever. They’re just normal children. This puts a lot of pressure on my wife and me. We try to be gracious sitting there with fixed smiles frozen on our faces. We pretend we are enjoying this dog and pony show as much as they are. It's obvious to me that our friends haven't considered the possibility that this may be boring to us. When they read the last of the children’s incomparable quotes, it's time to go. We say goodbye and thank them for a wonderful time. On the way home, I complain to my wife about these people putting us through this ritual every time we got together. My wife reminds me of how intolerant I am, and that we did the same thing when our own kids were small. She is right. Many years ago, we wrote down what we considered to be our own kids’ bon mots. Now that I think about it, we also forced our neighbors and friends to share what we considered our children's verbal brilliance. Just like us, I’m sure they were elated when it was all over. When we got home, I felt guilty for judging these people. Who am I to decide what is witty? Then it all came to me all at once. Yes, we used to write down things our kids said, but with one major difference– our three sons’ stuff was truly funny. I know what you're thinking, He’s not objective. His kids aren't funny either. I'll let you be the judge. I came across some old notebooks containing my children's quotes. To wit: When Danny, my oldest son, was three years old, he was terrified of storms. He was watching the weather channel and raced into the family room and proclaimed, "Daddy, Daddy, I just heard on the TV we have to take cover. there’s a tomato warning!" When my middle son Bobby needed to be punished, I had to spank him a few times. He looked up at me once and threatened, "If you spank me one more time, I'm calling Social Security." When my kids went to bed at night, I would tell them sports stories. One night I told Mikey, my youngest, that the great San Francisco 49er quarterback, Steve Young, went to college at Brigham Young University. I also mentioned that Young was a direct descendant of the school's founder, the original Brigham Young. Mikey replied, “I wonder if he gets a deal on tuition." Now if I'm just a doting father and these are not funny, I want to publicly apologize to my friends and my readers. However, if you feel they are humorous at all please speak up. Perhaps it will force my friends to raise their comedic standards. Or maybe the next time, my friends can come to our house to hear some real stories of children’s brilliance and undeniable athletic prowess by an objective and neutral parent. Steve Cash is originally from Oak Park, Mich. He is a longtime real estate agent who used to do stand-up comedy in L.A. His claim to fame was winning The Gong Show in 1977, and working at the Comedy Store with such greats as David Letterman, Jay Leno, and Michael Keaton. After watching those brilliant comics perform, Steve realized he’d better make a beeline back to Detroit and get back into real estate. Steve has had articles published in a number of publications and enjoys writing and trying to make people laugh.

Fred Plotkin, a pleasure activist and passionate Italy and culinary expert, speaks each Friday with leading people in the arts FRED PLOTKIN is one of America’s foremost experts on opera and has distinguished himself in many fields as a writer, speaker, consultant and as a compelling teacher. He is an expert on everything Italian, the person other so-called Italy experts turn to for definitive information.  Fred discovered the concept of "The Renaissance Man" as a small child and has devoted himself to pursuing that ideal as the central role of his life. In a “Public Lives” profile in The New York Times on August 30, 2002, Plotkin was described as "one of those New York word-of-mouth legends, known by the cognoscenti for his renaissance mastery of two seemingly separate disciplines: music and the food of Italy." In the same publication, on May 11, 2006, it was written that "Fred is a New Yorker, but has the soul of an Italian."