"The Parent Trap": My teen pal gets published in Mother Jones!

By GottaLaff

We love seeing bad parents getting punished. Why don't we care how that affects their kids—like me?

— By Cassie Frequels

Awhile back, I was proud to post a few pieces by my very talented teen pal, Cassie. TPC readers were unanimous in their praise for each and ever one of them.

She and I have been corresponding back and forth, forth and back about a new piece she's been working on, and how Allen McDuffee was giving her an intro to Mother Jones magazine.

Guess what?

Although I never blurted anything out on national television that led to the arrest of one of my parents, I think I may know how 6-year-old Falcon Heene and his brothers feel as their dad begins a 90-day sentence for his role in the infamous "Balloon Boy" hoax. I am sure they blame themselves, and I know they're worried about what will happen to them after their father (and then their mother) goes to jail.

My mother was incarcerated more than seven years, so I’ve often written about this topic on my blog. [...]

My dad left town when I was six and I have never seen him again.

Congratulations, Cassie! You earned this one!

Now please, go read the whole piece. You won't be sorry.

Michelle Obama is good for your health

By GottaLaff

The First Lady has already accomplished a lot, but then, knowing her as we do, that will be the norm:

The newest item on her non-controversial agenda is healthy living. That's in addition to assisting military families, pushing work-family balance, national service, women's concerns and opening up the White House to the community. [...]

Some days, she works from the White House residence. Her schedule isn't rigid. A few hours from now, Mrs. Obama will head to the Transportation Department.

Desiree Rogers, the White House social secretary, is outside the first lady's office door with her two deputies, Ebs Burnough and Joe Reinstein. The East Wing is producing its first big dinner tonight, a black-tie affair for the National Governors Association, and the operative word, Rogers is saying, is that the event should be "fun." The governors wanted to dance, so Earth, Wind and Fire was booked for the gig. Mrs. Obama was involved in planning the evening.

In this first month in the White House, Mrs. Obama has:

†Visited five federal agencies on her meet-and-greet tour. Besides Transportation, she has stopped at the Departments of Education, Interior, Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture, where she plugged fruits and vegetables.

†Become more familiar with her new city. She has lunched with Washington Mayor Adrian Fenty and Jill Biden, taken in a ballet with the family at the Kennedy Center and visited a community health center.

†Hosted an African-American History Month event at the White House. "African-American slaves helped to build this house," she said.

†Discussed balancing family and work at a panel aimed at women at Howard University.

†And, of course, continued her key role as mom-in-chief to daughters Malia and Sasha, with an assist from her mother, Marion Robinson.

On Saturday, the Obama family traveled to a Washington suburb to watch Sasha play in a basketball game. [...]

I asked Jackie Norris, the first lady's chief of staff, about Mrs. Obama's routine. In the East Wing, the first lady is an "active presence," Norris said. [...]

When Hillary Rodham Clinton was first lady, her operation was dubbed "Hillaryland." In the Obama White House, Norris said, "One of the things that is really important to us is that we are a unified White House, that we see ourselves as all members of the same team."

What are those sensations? I don't recognize them. Oh! I know! Fresh air and a sense of pride. Michelle Obama is an advocate for healthy living, and we are the lucky beneficiaries. I feel healthier already.

Fran Drescher for Senate?

By GottaLaff

It's a slow night, so you get a personal story after the headline:

Dana Milbank just reported that Fran Drescher is Caroline Kennedy's competition for U.S. Senator from New York. She apparently "threw her hat into the ring".

Then he made a series of lame "Nanny" jokes. At that point, I stopped listening.

I just found more here.

I worked with her, but oddly, not in show biz. It was during the '88 Writers Guild strike, as I remember, and I'd started a gift basked business to make some spare cash. It was actually a very successful little enterprise, and one of the more popular baskets included croutons. The "Drescher's Loaf and Kisses Gourmet Croutons" were beautifully packaged, so I wanted to order them in bulk.

I checked the label and somehow tracked down a phone number. I called, and the voice at the other end was comical, raspy, sounded older, and was very warm and welcoming. We hit it off, and it turned out that "Loaf and Kisses" lived in the L.A. area and I could pick up the croutons, rather than pay for them to be delivered.

It was pouring rain, night time, and I barely made it to the Drescher house, because my brakes were giving out. "Drescher" opened the door, and the "older", raspy, comical voice belonged to a young, beautiful woman named Fran.

She was so kind, so generous, and invited me to stay (for hours) until the Auto Club could make it over and Mr. Laffy could come get me. We hit it off, and I thanked Fran and her then-husband (equally wonderful) profusely for their hospitality.

The next day she called me and told me to turn on the radio at a certain time. I did, and it turned out that she and her husband were guests on some talk show, and surprised me by pitching my gift baskets to all of L.A.

Shortly thereafter, she got "The Nanny". Years later, she was seated next to Mr. Laffy at the Cable Ace Awards, remembered who he was, and told him to make sure to send her love to yours truly.

She may not be the best candidate for Senate, but I can personally attest that she's a sweetheart.