Paul Soglin: Waxing America

Rachael Goes 3 for 3. Parents Are Proud

It was two years last December since Rachael Soglin first moved to LA. The previous year was tough. Not a lot of auditions, and the few that came along were not successful.

Then something happened in mid-December. Maybe it was the new acting a class at Groundlings, an inspired coach working with her the day before each audition, or that new membership in the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).

In any case three auditions back to back and Rachael landed all three roles. First came the Kellogg's Special K Fruit Crisp Bar. She works at a coffee shop where a slimmed customer contemplates a fattening Danish. The lines are memorable, "The usual...anything else?"

Next she landed a job on a yet to be released  Verizon commercial where my petite little girl will be burdened by one of those massive 3 G maps.

Lastly she shot a series of spots for Fifth Third Bank, which unfortunately will not air in the Madison area. Yes, we are proud. It is not the Oscars but she is getting there.

The audio is not in synch with the video, but it is our Rachael.

Watch till the end, there is more of her!!!
In another post we will discuss the cost of four years to attend the University of Michigan as an out-of-state student. Actually UM was wonderful and the all around education she received along with modest but appreciated financial aid was well worth it. 

 

Sandra Bullock: Acceptance speech better than Blind Side performance

Every once is a while there is a rare gem at the Academy Awards such as Sandra Bullock's acceptance fo the Oscar for best actress in The Blind Side  Sandra Bullock acceptance speech highlights Oscar winners 2010 list

Those painful speeches are usually a rambling discourse on some politically correct subject and/or an over-wrought tribute to the actor's family.

Bullock spoke form the heart with grace and style and sincerely thanked her mother while sending a genuine message about caring.

When you combine her Academy Award acceptance with her personal appearance the previous day for her Razzie, Bullock shot to the top of the list among actresses to be admired. Bullock vows to display Oscar, Razzie side by side.

 

Recognizing Rock's Stars in Madison: Proclamations, Keys to the City and other stuff

This week I was alerted that a number of mayoral proclamations, or at least copies of same, from the 1970's surfaced on eBay. With the city still reeling from the controversy over making WILCO honorary citizens, it was obviously time to reminisce.

Any time a noteworthy musician - rock, folk, blues or jazz - came to Madison, we whipped out the old proclamation paper, a blue ribbon, dusted off the typewriter keyboard, and named the day after the deserving.

If there was an opportunity to present a key to the city, that too was done.

Proclamations honoring Elvis, ("His voice has been heard by more people in the world than any other recording artist in history."), Bob Dylan ("His music and lyrics have been distinctively creative and highly sensitive..."), and The Who ("Peter Townsend has destroyed more guitars in the line of duty that any other modern day rock performer, outraged parent or disgruntled neighbor...") were the fun part of the job.

Keys to the city ended up in the hands of Arlo Guthrie, Chuck Berry, Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Mingus and Steve Miller  all of whom were among the honored who left Madison with something tangible.

Dylan and riff-raff backstage at the Coliseum: