Peter is exploring Southeast Asia

Peter is currently on the other side of the world -- Bangkok, at the moment. He is meeting today with his nephew Erik and will spend the next month exploring Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, places he has long dreamed of visiting. Follow his adventures on his travel blog:

http://wayfaringrambles.blogspot.com

What a night at the Oscars! And "Sound Editing" wasn't the only tie...

So we stayed up extra-late last night (on a school night!) to watch the Oscar telecast to the bitter end. You see, if you’ve been paying attention, there was a somewhat heated competition going on between me and my colleague over at Blobby’s blog. For the second year in a row, Mr. Blobby has challenged me to a contest that puts our knowledge of everything Hollywood to the test. And for the second year in a row – amazingly enough – the competition has ended in a tie! Go figure! How did Blobby even get CLOSE to me?

I must admit – there were a few nail-biting moments during last night’s Oscars. At one point, Blobby was two points ahead of me (Hello Sheer Luck? It’s Blobby calling.) But then because I had smartly tapped deep into my exhaustive knowledge about what it takes to pull off a win in the “Sound Mixing” and “Documentary – Short Subject” categories, I was able to tie things back up. From that point forward, the game was over, as we had pretty much selected the same answers in the major categories.

So about that wager…the winner was supposed to receive a free, frosty beverage of his choice this summer, when Blobby and 710 visit Boston on their way to their summer getaway in Maine. But now, because of the tie, Blobby writes on his blog: “I’m happy to go dutch on drinks and dinner this July when we are back in Boston.”

Yes, I’m happy to go dutch too. Why don’t you let me get the first round? I think a nice tall glass of water with a healthy slice of lemon would suffice, just to make sure you’re sufficiently hydrated. Then you can pick up the second round. I’ll have a double Bombay Sapphire martini, straight up, dirty, with extra olives and a side of chicken wings. Thanks in advance, my friend!

Blobby ended his Oscar wrap-up post by saying something very nice – proof that inside, deep, deep, deep inside, he’s a decent guy. I’m happy to call him a friend and even happier that he’s buying the second round.

So a few thoughts about the Oscars…

• Am I the only one who thinks Adele was lip-synching? Catherine Zeta-Jones certainly was during the Chicago number.
• Does Anne Hathaway read ANY of the negative coverage she’s been receiving this entire award season, with her over-the-top, doe-eyed, fake humility, “Oh my god, this is happening” schtick? So tiresome. You think she might have tried something different at the Oscars.
• Shirley Bassey rocked “Goldfinger” no?
• What tragedy has befallen Renee Zellweger’s face? Not to sound mean, but sheesh…
• What was with all the facial hair? Ben Affleck. George Clooney. Hugh Jackman. Catherine Zeta-Jones…
• Never knew much about Seth McFarlane, but he did a decent job hosting. The opening number went on a little long, and I could do without William Shatner. His “Flying Nun” spot with Sally Field was hilarious.
• Heard a clip on the radio this morning of Barbra Streisand singing her tribute to Marvin Hamlisch. Perfection. Watching last night? Totally distracted by her jewelry and Morticia Adams get-up.
• Poor Jennifer Lawrence tripped up the steps. She was a good sport and handed it with grace and wit but it made me wonder why ladies who wear these long gowns don’t practice walking up stairs.
• Best acceptance speech of the night? Daniel Day-Lewis.
• Is Jack Nicholson creepier than ever or is it just me?
• Say what you will about Blobby, but he totally owned Bjork’s swan dress. I told him he didn’t have the gams to pull it off, but he proved me wrong.

Who will win at the Oscars?

So over at Blobby's blog, I'm sure there is much snark and some sharp taunts pointed in my direction. You see, it's time for each of us to pick the winners that will announced at the Oscar telecast one week from tonight.

I did receive a personal e-mail from Blobby -- saying that he had made his picks. But because I don't want to be swayed or mis-directed by his random choices, I'm going to stay away from his blog until I'm done selecting the winners myself.

An update: Seems Blobby won't be posting his selections until later this week. Scaredy cat.

I haven't seen most of the nominees this year. We did catch "Lincoln", "Zero Dark Thirty", and "Les Miserables" in the theater, but am waiting for the video release of everything else. But i've done countless hours of research (I looked at two websites, flipped through an industry magazine, and looked at the critic's choices in today's Boston Sunday Globe) and feel quite confident in my choices below.

To re-cap: we each need to select the winner in all 24 categories. No "shoulda's", "couldas" or "woulda's" will be counted, although comments are welcome. The winner will be determined via a  straight tally of the results as each gold envelope's contents are revealed. And much rides on our decisions -- a cold frosty cocktail (or three) will be awarded to the winner of this year's race, which last year, ended in a tie.

Here's the full list of what we'll be voting on. I've marked my predictions in bold blue. Take a look and let me know what you think in the comments section below. Then check out Blobby's predictions (I'll add a link here after I finish posting my votes). Who do you think is going to win? All I know is that I'm feeling awful thirsty...

1. Best Picture: "Amour," "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."
Comment: Things seem to be swinging Ben Affleck's way recently -- and with a snub in the "Directing" category, the Academy just might award him the night's biggest prize.

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."
Comment: Everyone is saying this a "lock" for Day-Lewis. Who am I to argue?

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."
Comment: Never have seen her in any movies, but seems to be the "darling" of the Hollywood circuit right now.

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."
Comment: Lee Jones is an old crab, so I won't vote for him. De Niro seems to be getting some buzz and although I think he plays the same character in every movie he's in, I think he's going home with Oscar next Sunday night.

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."
Comment: Hate to make Hathaway's name bold, but her win for her bloated performance seems inevitable. She's so very annoying. You did see this video of her complaining about her name being misspelled at the Critics Choice Awards, didn't you?

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."
Comment: Just want them to say "Frankenweenie" on TV.

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."
Comment: Much ado has been made about the actors all singing live, so this seems like a homerun.

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Skyfall," "Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.
Comment: Who doesn't want to see Adele win an Oscar?

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Mirror Mirror," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," "The Gatekeepers," "How to Survive a Plague," "The Invisible War," "Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," "Kings Point," "Mondays at Racine," "Open Heart," "Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables."
Comment: Hairy feet (no, not Anne Hathaway's) will rule this category.

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," "Fresh Guacamole," "Head over Heels," "Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," "Buzkashi Boys," "Curfew," "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," "Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Life of Pi," "Marvel's The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

Everybody's a comedian...

...or so they think.

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar...let the winning begin

Me and Angelina at last year's Oscar bash.

So last year, after much chest-puffing and gloating on either site, the Oscar race between me and Blobby ended up in a tie. "How could that have happened?" I wonder to this day. Aren't I the guy who swept the office Oscar contest several years running?

This year will be different, I vow. Either I'm winning big (fingers crossed) or I'm losing big (I've seen only a fraction of the nominated films). And there's a cocktail riding on the outcome. So come this summer, when Blobby visits Boston on his swing through New England, one of us will be hanging our head in shame while the other enjoys a frosty beverage.

My blog, my rules. This year, we're trying to choose winners for all 24 categories that will be announced on Oscar night. Yup, I'm hoping that if I screw up the main categories, i can rebound by blindly and luckily choosing the winners in the areas of "Documetary (Short Subject)", "Make-Up and Hairstyling", and "Film Editing".

Here's the full list of what we'll be voting on...I'll update this blog with my choices as the awards show creeps closer.

1. Best Picture: "Amour," "Argo," "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Django Unchained," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

2. Actor: Bradley Cooper, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Daniel Day-Lewis, "Lincoln"; Hugh Jackman, "Les Miserables"; Joaquin Phoenix, "The Master"; Denzel Washington, "Flight."

3. Actress: Jessica Chastain, "Zero Dark Thirty"; Jennifer Lawrence, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Emmanuelle Riva, "Amour"; Quvenzhané Wallis, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Naomi Watts, "The Impossible."

4. Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, "Argo"; Robert De Niro, "Silver Linings Playbook"; Philip Seymour Hoffman, "The Master"; Tommy Lee Jones, "Lincoln"; Christoph Waltz, "Django Unchained."

5. Supporting Actress: Amy Adams, "The Master"; Sally Field, "Lincoln"; Anne Hathaway, "Les Miserables"; Helen Hunt, "The Sessions"; Jacki Weaver, "Silver Linings Playbook."

6. Directing: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; Ang Lee, "Life of Pi"; Steven Spielberg, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

7. Foreign Language Film: "Amour," Austria; "Kon-Tiki," Norway; "No," Chile; "A Royal Affair," Denmark; "War Witch," Canada.

8. Adapted Screenplay: Chris Terrio, "Argo"; Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, "Beasts of the Southern Wild"; David Magee, "Life of Pi"; Tony Kushner, "Lincoln"; David O. Russell, "Silver Linings Playbook."

9. Original Screenplay: Michael Haneke, "Amour"; Quentin Tarantino, "Django Unchained"; John Gatins, "Flight"; Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, "Moonrise Kingdom"; Mark Boal, "Zero Dark Thirty."

10. Animated Feature Film: "Brave"; "Frankenweenie"; "ParaNorman"; "The Pirates! Band of Misfits"; "Wreck-It Ralph."

11. Production Design: "Anna Karenina," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln."

12. Cinematography: "Anna Karenina," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

13. Sound Mixing: "Argo," "Les Miserables," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Skyfall."

14. Sound Editing: "Argo," "Django Unchained," "Life of Pi," "Skyfall," "Zero Dark Thirty."

15. Original Score: "Anna Karenina," Dario Marianelli; "Argo," Alexandre Desplat; "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna; "Lincoln," John Williams; "Skyfall," Thomas Newman.

16. Original Song: "Before My Time" from "Chasing Ice," J. Ralph; "Everybody Needs a Best Friend" from "Ted," Walter Murphy and Seth MacFarlane; "Pi's Lullaby" from "Life of Pi," Mychael Danna and Bombay Jayashri; "Skyfall" from "Skyfall," Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth; "Suddenly" from "Les Miserables," Claude-Michel Schonberg, Herbert Kretzmer and Alain Boublil.

17. Costume: "Anna Karenina," "Les Miserables," "Lincoln," "Mirror Mirror," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

18. Documentary Feature: "5 Broken Cameras," "The Gatekeepers," "How to Survive a Plague," "The Invisible War," "Searching for Sugar Man."

19. Documentary (short subject): "Inocente," "Kings Point," "Mondays at Racine," "Open Heart," "Redemption."

20. Film Editing: "Argo," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "Silver Linings Playbook," "Zero Dark Thirty."

21. Makeup and Hairstyling: "Hitchcock," "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Les Miserables."

22. Animated Short Film: "Adam and Dog," "Fresh Guacamole," "Head over Heels," "Maggie Simpson in `The Longest Daycare,'" "Paperman."

23. Live Action Short Film: "Asad," "Buzkashi Boys," "Curfew," "Death of a Shadow (Dood van een Schaduw)," "Henry."

24. Visual Effects: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," "Life of Pi," "Marvel's The Avengers," "Prometheus," "Snow White and the Huntsman."

I photo-bombed "The Bachelor"

I was on a business trip to Los Angeles last October. Yup, that was the trip where I got THIS CLOSE to my hero Betty White at an event sponsored by the American Humane Association. Anyway, earlier that day, my manager and I had a few hours to kill, so we took at cab to Beverly Hills and had a great lunch at a cafe on Rodeo Drive. After we ate, we walked across the street to the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, where some scenes from my manager's favorite movie, Pretty Woman, were filmed.

When we left the hotel, there a small crowd gathering on the sidewalk and a film production crew -- all young and all dressed in black -- busily setting up their cameras and sound equipment, flipping through sheafs of print-outs on their clipboards, and squawking at each other over their walkie-talkies. They'll be here in 5 minutes!" yelled one of the producers.

"Who, who?" we wondered, and that moment, decided to stick around and see some real Hollywood celebrities. Perhaps it was the Kardashians, or one of the Real Housewives, or maybe even Tori Spelling! Five minutes turned into 15 minutes, which dragged into a half hour.

"They're right around the corner!" the producer suddenly yelled, and the film crew jumped into action, crowding up to the corner of the sidewalk. A few seconds later, a zippy sports car zoomed up to the curb. A tall, handsome man got out, flashed a big smile, and walked around to the passenger side, where he opened the door for his pretty brunette companion. They stood on the sidewalk smiling at each other for just a moment before sashaying into the hotel.

 "Who the hell was that?" we wondered aloud. We had taken a few photos and quickly texted them to some friends and family to see if anyone could identify the "star". Nope, nobody knew who he was. So it was off to our event at the Beverly Hilton and all thoughts of this "celebrity sighting" were put out of my mind.

Until this morning.

Seems a colleague who works in California was watching television last night - ABC's "The Bachelor" to be specific - when he spotted some familiar faces on his big screen TV. He must have been recording the episode because he was able to pause it and take several photos of the screen, which he sent along to me this morning. 

The subject line of his first e-mail was "Could it be?". Certainly, there was no way that Mike could possibly be standing outside the Wilshire in Beverly HIlls. Certainly, his eyes were playing tricks on him…

The subject line of his second e-mail was "I am not sure". Surely, there are lots of tall tourists who might be hanging outside the Wilshire as taping for "The Bachelor" was happening. 

The subject line of his third e-mail was "IT IS!". 

And my colleague was right. That's me and my manager, smack dab between The Bachelor (aka Sean Lowe) and one of the bimbos ladies who are vying for his bank account attention on this season's show. It looks like we were Photoshopped in, but honestly, it's a real photo.

I was surprised by how many of my co-workers called or e-mailed me today to say, "Hey, I've got to ask you something. I was watching TV last night, and…" "Yes," I interrupted them, "that was me…and why were you watching 'The Bachelor'?"

So now i sit, like Lana Turner perched on a fountain stool at Schwab's Drug Store in Hollywood, just waiting for that call from some highfalutin producer, who's looking for the next big thing. My phone has been strangely quiet.

Guess who turns 8 years old today?

Kayaking in the Chittenden Reservoir

On Friday afternoon, Peter and I took to the waters of the Chittenden Reservoir (Vermont) in kayaks. The weather was crisp and clear, and the water was clear and smooth (until we got to the middle of the reservoir where the wind was making it quite choppy). We paddled around for about 45 minutes and enjoyed the views of the Green Mountain National Forest. We're guessing we missed peak autumn colors by a couple of weeks. The trees were still beautiful, but much more subdued in color than we were expecting.

I thought this photo was hilarious -- Peter drifts behind me, on the phone!

Building them up just to knock them down

While on a long vacation weekend in Chittenden, VT, we took full advantage of the second-floor bookcase stuffed with games and puzzles. One of our favorites was a stacking game called Jumbling Tower. You start by building a 3x3 tower of brightly-colored wooden blocks. Then, taking turns, each player has to remove one block from the tower and add it to the top. Play continues until someone makes the wrong move and the tower falls over. You need a steady hand! Here are some photos of mom and Aunt Martha giving Jumbling Tower a spin.

An autumn getaway in Vermont

We drove up to Chittenden, Vermont, today for a long weekend with my folks and my mom's cousin, Martha. It was about a 3.5 hour journey northwest of Boston, and it's abundantly clear that it's autumn in New England -- sunny but very chilly. The house where we're staying is a beautiful place right on a quiet lake with a private dock. No major plans - Peter is perusing some maps and brochures of some local attractions we'll probably hit tomorrow, but tonight, we're staying put, eating mom's homemade chili, and playing some games.

The Hero Dog Awards - let the show begin!

After my official red carpet duties were completed, and I got to pose for photos with a few celebrities, we were escorted inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom for cocktails, dinner, and the evening’s events. We were seated way over at the extreme left side of the stage, but it was actually a great vantage point. Just 15 feet from my chair was the “staging area” where all of the celebrity presenters would wait for their cues to go onstage. It was also really cool to be in the room where the Golden Globes are handed out each year.

Singer-songwriter Jewel, a three-time Grammy nominee, performed several of her best-known songs at the event. Amazing talent. 

During the evening, the eight dogs who had been nominated to be crowned the 2012 "American Hero Dog" were each brought on stage and honored with a beautifully-produced video tribute. Each canine had already been voted "top dog" in their particular category; some 3 million votes were cast in an online contest. Now we were just waiting to see which dog would win the big prize. Here were the nominees (photos and write-ups from the American Humane Association website):

DANIEL    


Entry Category: Emerging Hero Dogs


Charity Partner: Pine Street Foundation (Canine Cancer Detection)


Location: Nutley, New Jersey



“Gas chambers” represent an outdated method of destroying homeless animals. Many people do not realize that such methods of destroying homeless dogs and cats are still employed today. Each year, millions of homeless dogs and cats are euthanized through this cruel process. Rarely has any animal survived a gas chamber. However, in October 2011, from a gas chamber in an Alabama animal shelter, this unbelievable survival story became reality for Daniel the beagle. Through improbable odds, Daniel was still wagging his tail after the gas chamber that he was locked in killed eighteen other dogs. The animal control officer responsible for operating the gas chamber could not bear the thought of a second attempt at ending the life of this remarkable little dog. More.

GABE

Entry Category: Military Dogs


Charity Partner: United States War Dog Association

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Gabe began his service to the United States of America as a Military Working Dog in 2006 and as such has had an impact not only on the life of Charles Shuck, his handler, but indeed American soldiers around the world. Gabe has been stationed from Fort Lewis, Washington, to Fort Bliss, Texas, to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Fort Hood, Texas. More.

HOLLY


Entry Category: Service Dogs

Charity Partner: International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP)


Location: Magna, Utah



Holly is my amazing 11-year-old seizure alert and response service dog. The bond and partnership with Holly has changed my life, and saved it on multiple occasions. Because of having Holly, I was able to graduate from college. Together we have traveled the country. I am so thankful for Holly every day we find ways to give back to the community by supporting charity fundraising efforts. Together, Holly and I have raised over $6,000 for different causes and charities in the past year alone. We have also gone to elementary schools to teach children about Service Dogs. Holly is beyond amazing, she is my Hero Dog! More.

JYNX


Entry Category: Law Enforcement/Arson Dogs


Charity Partner: K9s4COPs


Location: Shillington, Pennsylvania



On June 29, 2011, Berks County Deputy Sheriff K-9 Handler Kyle Pagerly was shot and killed while attempting to execute a warrant. As they ascended a mountain to locate the suspect, Deputy Pagerly and his K-9 partner Jynx, came upon an elevation in the terrain. The suspect, who was dressed in full camouflage and possessed multiple weapons, lay on the ridge undetected by the human officers. Jynx alerted to position of the suspect and ran up the hill, ahead of the Deputy Sherriff, forcing the suspect to abandon his cover. As he stood, the suspect pointed a rifle at Deputy Sherriff Pagerly. Gunfire started and Deputy Sherriff Pagerly was fatally wounded. More.

SOOT


Entry Category: Search and Rescue Dogs


Charity Partner: Sage Foundation For Dogs Who Serve


Location: Charleston, West Virginia



Lorrie adopted Soot, a black Labrador, and quickly realized he needed a job. Lorrie never dreamed finding Soot a job would lead the dog to rescuing a lost 78-year-old, diabetic hunter one cold December morning. Soot is an air scent, scent discriminating, certified search and rescue dog trained to find lost subjects in the wilderness. The hunter left early November 30th for a day of hunting with his son, they separated and planned to meet back at their truck around noon. The dad failed to return, the son searched for hours, until near dark the son called 911 for help. Soot and Lorrie arrived on site late November 30th. More.

STELLA    


Entry Category: Therapy Dogs


Charity Partner: Angel On A Leash


Location: Mt. Kisco, New York

Stella, a standard poodle, was certified by Therapy Dogs International in July 2011. Stella began volunteering soon after at our largest residence that houses 76 people who have significant intellectual, medical, and physical disabilities. Stella brought about many smiles and stimulation not otherwise available. Stella is impervious to disabilities and diseases – befriending and with time, unconditionally loving everyone she meets. More.

TABITHA

Entry Category: Guide Dogs


Charity Partner: Leader Dogs For The Blind


Location: South Bend, Indiana

Tabitha was my first Guide Dog, I obtained her from Leader Dogs for the Blind in 2004. Although now retired, she was and always will be my Hero Dog. Tabby Girl, as I called her, was the one that not only comforted me through the shock and depression of losing my sight, she welcomed me into a new life. By her love and skills, she showed me that life was still the same, I could still go and accomplish things, I just needed to go about some things a bit differently. It was with the new found courage that I gained from Tabby Girl’s guidance that I continued to experience so much in life. More.

TATIANA II

Entry Category: Hearing Dogs


Charity Partner: Dogs for the Deaf


Location: Plantation, Florida



Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when I went to sleep on a sweltering South Florida night. But at about 2 a.m. I woke up, struggling to catch my breath. Moments later, I wasn't breathing at all. My hearing dog, Tatiana, sprang into action, alerting my family that something was terribly wrong. My mother found me unresponsive after what was a severe asthma attack and she called paramedics. I have a history of struggling with asthma which is exacerbated by frequent ear infections as a result of Meniere's disease. That night when the paramedics arrived they said that Tatiana had saved my life. Tatiana is truly a Hero Dog. More.

What a bunch of great dogs! All of their stories were so compelling. But I must admit, I fell for the spirited Stella, who is a certified therapy dog who volunteers at a local organization that serves people with developmental disabilities and critical health problems. Maybe because with her curly hair, she reminded me of Otis. And maybe because she is a therapy dog, and Otis was certified as a therapy dog two years ago. And just maybe it was that video they showed of Stella working with residents of one of the homes she regularly visits. This paragraph was from her nomination form: 

“As Stella lay on one gentleman’s lap, he began to pet her and answered yes to questions including: Is Stella soft? Can you feel her heartbeat? Does he enjoy Stella’s company? When Stella moved to another room, this gentleman began to cry, surprising the staff, who said they have never seen him cry before. Stella returned to him, jumped back into his lap and he began to kiss her, saying “mine”. No more tears were shed.”

Except at my table.

Betty White presented the tribute to Tabitha, who was nominated in the “Guide Dogs” category. “Although now retired, she was and always will be my hero dog,” said her handler. “She was the one who comforted me through the shock and depression of losing my sight, and welcomed me into a new world.”

So who won the American Hero Dog award? Nominated in the “Military Dogs” category, Gabe has served his handler, Chuck Shuck (pictured below with Olympic swimmer Ricky Berens) and American soldiers around the world since 2006. While deployed to Iraq, Gabe completed more than 210 combat missions with 26 finds of explosives and weapons. He also visited elementary school children and wounded troops in Army hospitals.

Want to watch the Hero Dog Awards on TV? Everything on Saturday night was taped live, and will be broadcast on The Hallmark Channel on November 8 at 8:00 pm.

Up close and personal with Edie, Naomi, and Candy

After the red carpet event for the American Humane Association's "Hero Dog Awards", we ventured out onto the second-floor patio overlooking the pool on our way into the Beverly Hilton ballroom. Everyone seemed a little more relaxed, away from the glare of the lights out front. It was a perfect time to ask if I could get a couple of photos with the stars!

Edie McClurg has performed in countless films and TV shows, most notably "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", and "7th Heaven". She also worked with Paul Reubens in his original stage production of "The Pee Wee Herman Show".

Naomi Judd along with her daughter Wynona have sold more than 20 million country music albums. She is also a spokesperson for the American Liver Foundation and uses her celebrity to raise awareness about Hepatitis C, a disease she was diagnosed with more than 20 years ago.

  

Candy Spelling keeps busy on several charitable boards, including "L.A.'s Best", a reading program for city schoolchildren. She's a writer herself, contributing often to The Huffington Post, and released her autobiography, "Stories from Candyland" in 2009. I'm not sure who the "photo bomber" lady behind us is.

Betty White and I attend the Hero Dog Awards ceremony in Beverly Hills

Now this was an assignment I could sink my teeth into. On Saturday night, I attended the American Humane Association’s “Hero Dog Awards” ceremony in Los Angeles. You see, my company’s mascot, Sparky the Fire Dog, was named “official spokesdog” for this star-studded event, so when I got offered the opportunity to work the red carpet at the Beverly Hilton, I jumped at the chance.

Getting ready for my assignment...gotta make sure that camera works!

The award ceremony recognized America’s most courageous canines – ordinary dogs who do astonishing things: saving lives on the battlefield, lending sight, hearing, or medical assistance to their human companions, unselfishly aiding law enforcement, arson investigators, and search and rescue workers, or providing uncompromising love and compassion as therapy dogs. (And before you ask – no, Otis was not nominated this year. But there’s always 2013.)

Media gather alongside the red carpet.

OK – so it's an event that celebrates the amazing ability of dogs to take on extraordinary tasks, and who regularly befriend and comfort us, combined with a chance to get-up-and-personal with some real-life Hollywood celebrities? Did this night have my name written all over it, or what? Truly, it was a thrill to be there at the Beverly Hilton, (home to the annual Golden Globe Awards), jostling for space with dozens of photographers, camera crews, and other media types awaiting for the red carpet entrances. 

My assigned spot was near the end of the carpet, and there was a big concrete pillar to my left, so I couldn’t see who was approaching until they got pretty close. But I could hear the shouts and the whirring camera clicks from the big media representatives stationed near the front door. It was all really exciting, not knowing who was coming around the corner. Organizers provided us with “cheat sheets”, handouts featuring color photographs and the names of the celebrities who were scheduled to appear, just in case we couldn’t match up names with faces.

And when the march down the carpet began, it all happened fast and furious. 

John Paul DeJoria, co-founder of the Paul Mitchell hair empire, and owner/operator of many other businesses, including The House of Blues.

Lois Pope, of the Lois Pope LIFE Foundation, a longtime supporter of the American Humane Association. 

Sparky the Fire Dog hits the red carpet.

Jake Austin from Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place”.

Swimmer Ricky Berens, who together with Ryan Lochte, Conor Dwyer, and Michael Phelps, won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London in the men's 4x200 freestyle relay.

Bailee Madison, the young star of the film “Just Go With It”.

Michael Vartan from the television series "Alias" and “Hawthorne”.

Lou Wegner from the films “Doughboy” and “Trouble with the Curve”.

The lovely and talented (and very nice) Naomi Judd. Naomi makes up one-half of the mother/daughter country singing act The Judds”. She was two feet in front of me, being interviewed by a video crew, and admittedly, I was a little starstruck. I took a few photos and then stood there smiling like a kid on Christmas morning. I caught her eye and she gave me a big grin. 

Oh my god! Edie McClurg! Who doesn’t love Edie McClurg, one of America's best character actresses? 

Lots of shouts from the front end of the red carpet meant somebody really important was coming my way. Suddenly, I caught sight of the blonde and tiny Kristin Chenowith, who was hosting the evening’s events. 

You may know Kristin Chenoweth for her turn as the original “Glinda” the good witch in Broadway’s “Wicked”. She’s also been on a bunch of TV shows, including two seasons on “The West Wing”, “Pushing Daisies”, “The Good Wife”, and in the Emmy-nominated role of April Rhodes on “Glee”.

Megyn Price from the TV series “Rules of Engagement” and “Grounded for Life”. This photo doesn’t do her justice – she is really gorgeous. 

Jake Pavelka, best known from the reality TV show “The Bachelor”.

And what’s a Hollywood party without Candy Spelling? Married to uber producer Aaron Spelling until his death in 2006, and mother of actress Tori Spelling, she’s also famous for having owned one of the largest and most elaborate mansions in Los Angeles, with more than 120 rooms. She sold it in 2011 for $85 million.

Lisa Vanderpump from the reality TV series “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” arrived at the event carrying her dog.

The very funny and down-to-earth Pauley Perrette from the TV series NCIS, who was more than happy to chat and pose for photographs.

Mark Steines, longtime co-host of TV’s “Entertainment Tonight”.

 The heroes of the evening were certainly the eight canines vying to be named top dog, but in my eyes, the real hero was Betty White, who was on hand to receive the American Humane Association’s “Legacy Award” for her tireless efforts to protect the welfare of animals.

Now really, who doesn’t love Betty White? Everyone was going crazy when she arrived, and she was hustled down the red carpet pretty quickly by her handlers. Funny and vibrant at 90 (did you know we share the same birthday? Different years), it was a real treat to see her in the flesh.

OK -- that's probably enough photos for one post. More coming soon!