Brian Wilson was the embodiment of “tortured genius” – both parts of that description are undeniable.

Here’s a story, as related by shock rocker Alice Cooper, that illustrates Brian Wilson’s tortured genius.

I was sitting backstage after the 1974 Grammys with Bernie Taupin (Elton John’s lyricist) and John Lennon. This was when Brian was really having some mental issues.

During the course of the conversation, I kept seeing Brian out of the corner of my eye, just kind of staring at us from different angles. Finally, he came up to the table, bent down and whispered in my ear ‘Hey Alice, introduce me to John Lennon.’ I couldn’t BELIEVE that these two men had never met!

They were virtually neck and neck in the 60’s as the greatest bands on the planet, and I’m SURE they must have crossed paths at some point. But then I thought to myself, ‘Wow, if they REALLY have never met, I’m going to be the one to introduce them and become a part of rock history!’

So I merely said, ‘Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, this is Brian Wilson.’ Lennon was very cordial and polite, saying things like ‘Hello Brian, I’ve always wanted to meet you. I’ve always admired your work, and Paul and I considered Pet Sounds one of the best albums ever made.’ Brian thanked him and walked away, at which point Lennon went right back to his conversation like nothing had happened.

About ten minutes later, Brian came by our table again, leaned down and whispered something to Bernie, and all of a sudden, Bernie was saying ‘Brian Wilson, this is John Lennon. John Lennon, Brian Wilson.’ Lennon was just as cordial and polite as the first time, saying essentially the same thing about always wanting to meet him.

As soon as Brian walked away, John looked at both of us and casually said in his typical Liverpudlian accent, ‘I’ve met him hundreds of times. He’s not well, you know.’

Brain Wilson passed away on June 11, 2025 — a little more than a week shy of his 83rd birthday. Although no cause of death had been made public, Brian was diagnosed with dementia in early 2024.

Comments

comments

June is Pride Month.

Tom Spanbauer, the author of five novels, created a concept known as “dangerous writing.”

His writing often focused on themes of race and sexual identity. As a teacher, he encouraged his students to overcome their fears and write painful personal truths. In his courses, he spoke of bringing one’s inner life out of the closet and reading aloud to a group.

Tom was a member of the Peace Corps and brought his philosophy all over the world.

He suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for eight years before dying from heart failure in September 2024 at the age of 78. His legacy lives on through his students – forty of whom published memoirs inspired by Tom’s philosophy.

Comments

comments

Aspiring actress Mariana Levy landed her first role as a teenager, playing “Veronica” in the Mexican soap opera Vivir Enamorada. After taking a year off, Mariana returned to the small screen. She appeared in a long string of telenovelas, including a stint playing three different characters in Yo compro esa mujer.

Mariana appeared with her mother as co-host of the variety series Nuestra Casa. She took a role in the hugely-popular historical telenovela Amor Real before retiring to raise a family.

On April 29, 2005 in Mexico City, Mariana was approached by an armed assailant attempting to steal her watch. The incident was too much for her and she suffered a fatal heart attack on the spot. Mariana was 39 years old.

Comments

comments

Joel Fluellen took some small jobs while he pursued his dream of becoming an actor. After a few appearances on the New York stage, he moved to Hollywood and landed an uncredited role in the film Cabin in the Sky. As an active member of the Screen Actors Guild, Joel fought for more meaningful parts for African-American actors. Although he had no trouble finding work, he was mostly relegated to roles of waiters or servants or taxi drivers. Every so often, Joel managed to get a more substantial part. He played the main character’s brother in The Jackie Robinson Story, a businessman in Raisin in the Sun and James Earl Jones’ coach in The Great White Hope.

Joel continued to act in films and on television into the end of the 1970s. After leaving show business, he continued his efforts for the rights of African-American actors. His actions were instrumental in securing a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for film star Dorothy Dandridge.

In February 1990, his health and vision failing, Joel shot and killed himself in his Los Angeles home. He was 82.

Comments

comments

After working in a number of Clio Award-winning commercials, Ruth Buzzi performed as an inept magician’s assistant “Shakundala the Silent” on a 1964 episode of The Garry Moore Show, playing opposite comedian Dom DeLuise as an equally-inept magician. Later, she was a member of the repertory company on the short-lived variety show The Entertainers. A few years later, Ruth found herself on Broadway in a small role in Sweet Charity alongside Gwen Verdon.

Appearances on The Steve Allen Comedy Hour led to the role for which she was most associated – one of the cast of zanies on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In. Ruth was the only member of the cast to appear in every episode of the long-running comedy, including the pilot episode as well as a 1967 TV special before the series went into regular production.

Ruth’s career skyrocketed with guest roles in films, television and even voice-over work for cartoons. She was featured in the Saturday morning Krofft Bothers-produced sitcom The Lost Saucer with Jim Nabors and later, she joined the cast of Sesame Street. Ruth voiced the animated version of her character “Gladys Ormphby” on the cartoon Baggy Pants and the Nitwits with her Laugh-In co-star Arte Johnson. She appeared in music videos by “Weird Al” Yankovic, The Presidents of the United States of America and the B-52s. She had a successful run in the nightclubs at the Sahara and MGM Grand hotels in Las Vegas.

Ruth, and her husband of nearly 50 years, maintained a ranch in Texas and amassed a collection of vintage automobiles. They would regularly lend the vehicles out for photoshoots, commercials and parades. Ruth was also very well known for her charitable endeavors, often giving away income from personal appearances to worthy causes.

In 2021, Ruth announced that she was officially retired from acting. It was revealed that she had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. In 2022, reports surfaced that Ruth had suffered a series of strokes. In May 2025, while in hospice care, Ruth passed away at the age of 88 — just one day after her husband made a Facebook post, thanking Ruth’s fans for years of support.

Comments

comments