The most powerful and most memorable moment from the Tonys last night was when the drama students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School sang Seasons of Love during the awards show. Today, those students and their teacher, Melody Herzfeld, talked about their big night on Today.
Mrs. Herzfeld said that moments like this, “Is a constant reminder. It is a repeat of everything.” Then she added, “Like even being invited here, brings all of that back again. When it has just gone away a little bit. And then it gets a little emotional again. It is not easy.” She knows that emotion because, on February 14th, she protected and hid 65 students in her classroom as a madman shot up her school in Parkland, Florida.
Kali Clougherty, whose high note sent chills through our bodies said, “It was actually a dream come true. I have been dreaming that since I was 8 years old.” Then she continued with, “I just graduated high school. I am not even on Broadway yet. I got to do what a lot of Broadway people haven’t even had to do yet.”
Even though her note will soon not be forgotten, it almost did not happen because she felt a cold coming on. But none of that matters when you have the audience and your classmates backing you up. It was their energy that caused her to break a lot of legs in Radio City Music Hall.
How long did they practice to make that performance so powerful? Two weeks, even though school ended a week into rehearsals. Who were they excited to see at the Tonys? A unanimous vote for Tina Fey, who I am sure was as wowed by them as we are of her!
Lastly, who do they have thank for their special night? Tanzil Philip, who asked to be part of Broadway’s big night. The Great White Way has done a lot for the students and the students wanted to give something back. That they did and I wish we could give them some more.
If you missed the performance that proves that tune from Rent can be used as a song of hope, then watch it below.
Two weeks ago, James Shaw Jr. went into a Waffle House in Tennessee and his life was forever changed. He was not planning on going to that place, but the first one he went to was packed. When he got there, a crazed man walked into the restaurant and shot it up. Shaw bravely was able to get wrestle the gun out of his hands, even though he was grazed by a bullet, and save several more lives. After the news got out there, he was immediately declared a hero. Something he denied that he was, but encourages people that an average guy can save the day.
When Shaw got out of the hospital, he started a Go Fund Me page for the four people who did not make out that night to raise money to pay for their funerals. So far he has raised over $200,000. If that is not a hero, then I do not what is. He is what every human should strive to be. Brave, humble and charitable.
Ever since we found out his story, we have all thought what can we do for him to pay him back. Today, Ellen DeGeneres found a way to do just that. She invited Dwyane Wade, his favorite NBA player, on her show to meet him. The basketball player told Shaw that he tells his kids about him. He does that because he sees this hero as a role model.
I also find Wade to be a role model, not only did he fly out to LA just to meet Shaw, he also drove up and surprised the kids from Parkland at their school. He uses his fame for good, which is why he is a favorite! Miami puts out caring sports stars and that is a good thing.
Not only did DeGeneres get Wade to surprise Shaw, the two of them donated a combined $40,000 to his charity that brings awareness to mental health issues. Again, if anyone is a hero, then it is James Shaw Jr. Tell your kids about him because we really do need more people like this admirable man.
Miami is a magical place that you cannot help to fall in love with when you visit. Drake has been filming a music video there and he loves it so much that he throwing his money all over the place. Not on himself, but on other people.
According to WPLG, it started on Monday at Miami Senior High School where he was filming his video. He not only gave the school $25,000, he is designing the school’s uniform next year and giving them to the students for free. After that, he graduated to my alma mater, University of Miami, and gave one student at the music school a $50,000 scholarship. The next day, he went in the Lotus House homeless shelter for around 260 women and children and gave them a $50,000 donation. People reports that he gave all of the moms $150 gift cards to Target and the kids got toys and games. He made one more stop on his donating spree and that was to a supermarket on Miami Beach. He grabbed the megaphone and told all the shoppers he was paying for their groceries. The bill reportedly came out to around $50,000.
Drake has not said why he so generously gave away around $200,000 in 2 days, but who cares. If you see him, shake his hand because we need more celebrities like him. That and if he says he wants to shoot something in your town, welcome him with open arms.
BTW I wonder how The Rock feels about being one upped on the niceness in his hometown and at our college. DJ, time to match him!
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of Mister Roger’s Neighborhood debut and the United States Post Office is honoring the children’s TV host with a stamp of his own. While Fred Rogers will be on the stamp with one of his puppets, it seems weird that Mr. McFeely, the delivery man, is not on there with him. You would think that postmen would fight for that?
Mister Rogers is not the only famous person getting a forever stamp in 2018, Jazz legend Lena Horne and Sally Ride, the first female astronaut to go into space, will also be on the corner of an envelope next year. And I will be at the post office picking them up.
If 2017 can be remembered for anything, it needs to be remembered as the year that sexual assault victims found their voice and used it take on their abusers.
For centuries assaulters got away with attacking and demeaning their victims because they were in a power position. Not anymore. We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore. We are screaming “#MeToo” from rooftops all over the world and the world is finally listening. It is such a powerful movement that Time Magazine is honoring it as their People of the Year. I know they say Person, but it is us people who are making it happen. We are doing this so future generations will not have to go through with what we went through. To live with the mental scars that never go away. That make me cry as I type this because there is still one story I cannot talk about and it happened to me when I was just 17. I will tell you I went to the police and they did nothing. They were upset I wasted their time and they knew and respected my mom and still treated us that way. I don’t want anyone to live with a scar like that. I want the police to listen. I want the bosses to listen. I want everyone to listen. And I want them to BELIEVE us. Is that asking for too much?
By Time recognizing #MeToo aka the Silence Breakers, it solidifying the historic moment for future generations to. We will forget about the President, but we will always remember 2017 as the year that we said no more! You can not use power to harass me any more. In the words of Twisted Sister, “We’re not gonna take it anymore!”
