Interviews and a Perfect Show

Past the horrors of last week, Ellen and I embarked upon this very special show which highlighted five interviews I did with people who have not been to Italy a lot, just regular travelers who happened to have spent time there and had a memorable story to tell. This idea was conceived many months ago, and for a period I tried vary hard to wrangle people into giving us an interview. I was successful in perhaps 20 % of my requests to people. Most people were quite reluctant to speak, but after some arm twisting and gentle coaxing, they did indeed sit for the video taped interview. These people except for my daughter were friends of ours and we did most in our home. Many people who had promised to be interviewed by me disappeared. I would rather they told me that from the beginning, but it doesn't matter much, because what I did get was very enjoyable and I am very grateful for their participation on the show. Everyone was excellent, and I really do not have any favorites, although it was nice seeing my daughter on television, reliving that first vacation I ever took to Italy back in 1992. We have the same recollections about that first magical trip when I fell in love with the country. I have a few more I did back a few months ago and they will appear in about 2 months for Part 3 in the series. In the meantime I would like more participants to come forth with their stories because this was a great show. If anyone is reading this who live in the Hudson Valley, please contact me. I will go to you or vice versa for a brief, 5 - 10 minute interview. Next week Ric Hirst returns for part 2 of his Dumo Museum show and then Franc Palaia will be on to talk of his astounding artistic genius.

In the meantime the events of the past week with that awful hurricane has really troubled me. All those lives destroyed, lives lost, houses demolished, and people without power including my own daughter, and several friends. I do not think this is coincidence, and horrors like this might continue.

And finally I encourage people to read Alan's Italy: The Birth of a Television Show all proceeds to be contributed to the Town of Woodstock NY for their public access television station. Go to xlibris.com or amazon.com or barnesandnoble.com among many others.

Grazie !