Celebrate!  Out with the old and in with the new!

The children’s picture book, “Angel Girl,” is being pulled from store shelves, according to a message on the Lerner Publishing Group website. The company is offering refunds for returns and has put the brakes on all plans for reprints. Lerner officials took the action after Holocaust survivor Herman Rosenblat admitted that part of his so-called true love story was a lie.

Since the mid-1990s, Rosenblat has told an incredible story of how a little girl brought food to him while he was in a Nazi Germany work camp. Years later, he claims they got married after meeting on a blind date. Rosenblat repeated the story in newspaper interviews and on ”Oprah” twice! 

Last September Lerner released, “Angel Girl,” which retells portions of Rosenblat’s fake love story. The author, Laurie Friedman, spent months with Rosenblat and his wife Roma, “…I wanted to find a way to share what I felt was an important and inspiring message for children.” Friedman thought the message was one of hope, but it turned out to be one of deceit.

Last weekend, Berkeley Books canceled plans to publish Rosenblat’s memoir, “Angel at the Fence:The True Story of A Love That Survived,” due out in February. The publisher is reportedly demanding the return of all advance money. Also, there was a movie in the works.

Experts have had doubts about the love story for a while. Yet it was a recent investigatve article in the New Republic that forced Rosenblat to concede that his love story was more fiction than fact.

Arnold Schwarzenegger as “The Terminator”

 The sci-fi classic, “The Terminator” was among more than two dozen films announced today as new selections for the National Film Registry. Every year, The Library of Congress picks 25 films that are considered “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant for inclusion in the registry so they can be preserved for all time. The National Film Registry, which now totals 500 films, was established by Congress in 1989.

“The Terminator” was released in 1984. It made a movie star of an Austrian-born bodybuilder named Arnold Schwarzenegger who played a killing machine with a dry sense of humor. Schwarzenegger has taken a break from acting for the past few years to be Governor of California. However, the hugely successful futurist series has continued. The fourth installment, “Terminator Salvation,” is due out in May of 2009 and work has begun on a fifth sequel as well.

Among the other movies selected are the 1961 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical, “Flower Drum Song,” the classic horror flick, “The Invisible Man” (1933), the special effects laden adventure, “The 7th Voyage of Sinbad” (1958), the black melodrama, “Hallelujah” (1929), and the film adaptation of Truman Capote’s best selling novel, “In Cold Blood” (1967). Check out the full list on The Library of Congress   website. 

Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times

A firefighter cleans up debris on Christmas Day at the gutted Covina home where a gunman killed nine people before taking his own life.

Bruce Jeffrey Pardo apparently had a hit list when he stormed the Covina home of his ex-in-laws on Christmas Eve dressed in a Santa costume. Police are saying now that Pardo, who gunned down nine people at the holiday party and then torched the home, had planned to take out his 72-year-old mother and his ex-wife’s attorney as well.

Covina Police Lieutenant Pat Buchanan says Pardo was “… intent on killing his mother … on the date of December 24.”  Pardo’s mother, Nancy Windsor, was supposed to be at Alicia and Joseph Ortega’s annual Christmas Eve party, but she canceled at the last minute because of illness. Pardo reportedly fell out with his mother after she sided with his ex-wife Sylvia in a bitter divorce.

Pardo, a 45-year-old unemployed engineer, committed suicide at his brother’s home in Sylmar hours after the attack on the Ortega home. However, Pardo’s spree of violence and destruction was not over yet. He had set a booby-trap in his rental car. It exploded, but no one was hurt. Then last Saturday, authorities discovered a second vehicle rented by Pardo on Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale. Bomb experts from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department found a number of items in the 1999 Toyota Rav 4 including gasoline, but no trigger device.

The Toyota was parked near the home of Sylvia Pardo’s attorney, Scott Nord. Investigators believe that Pardo had planned to whack Nord. Pardo was forced to change his plans, which included an escape to Canada, after he was seriously burned in the Christmas Eve party rampage. Miraculously,16 people survived that attack. Still missing are Pardo’s ex-wife Sylvia, her parents, two of her brothers and their wives, a sister, and a nephew.

Last night, several hundred people gathered at a community meeting in Covina to try to come to grips with what happened on Knollcrest Drive Christmas Eve. Police provided an update on the investigation. Also, counseling information was handed out.

A fund has been set up for the victims that include around a dozen children who lost one or both parents. Donations can be sent to the Ortega Family Fund c/o Law Offices of Scott J. Nord, 500 North Brand Boulevard, Suite 550, Glendale, CA  91203.

Liz O. Baylen/ Los Angeles Times

On Saturday, December 27, people gathered in front of the remains of a Covina home that was torched by a disgruntled gunman after he killed nine people during a Christmas Eve rampage. 

In the past few days relatives, neighbors, and strangers have walked to or driven to the bulldozed rubble of the Covina home where a gunman in a Santa suit killed nine members of the Ortega family on Christmas Eve before taking his own life. There is a makeshift memorial at the site, which continues to grow.  

The Los Angeles County coroner’s officer has not confirmed the names of the dead who perished when Bruce Jeffrey Pardo stormed into his in-laws’ holiday party, shot up the place, and then set the home on fire. However, according to authorities the missing are Pardo’s ex-wife Sylvia, her parents Joseph and Alicia Ortega, her sister Alicia Ortiz, her nephew Michael Ortiz, her brother Charles Ortega, her brother James Ortega, and their wives Cheri and Teresa.

Pardo’s vengeful rampage on his ex-wife’s family has left more than a dozen children without parents and a Covina neighborhood in shock and grief. Efforts are underway to provide counseling for relatives and neighbors as well as firefighters and law enforcement who responded to the scene of the tragedy. There is a community meeting in Covina tonight to help people deal with some of these issues. 

Meanwhile, more is coming out about Pardo’s deadly plan. On Saturday night, authorities found a second vehicle rented by Pardo. The grey 1999 Toyota Rav 4 was discovered on Glenoaks Boulevard in Glendale. Experts from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad were called to check out the Toyota. No explosives were discovered, so the vehicle was towed away.

 Pardo’s first rental car was booby trapped. There was an explosion, but no one was injured. That vehicle was found near a Sylmar home where Pardo committed suicide. Pardo had been badly burned in the attack on the Ortega home and that apparently changed his plans. Pardo, an unemployed engineer and recently divorced, had a plane ticket for a flight from LAX to Canada and $17,000 in cash strapped to his body.

“Marley & Me” beat out a slew of films at the Box Office over the long Christmas holiday weekend. The family drama is based on the best selling novel about a family and its lovable but neurotic Labrador. “Marley & Me” brought in $14.7 million on December 25— the best debut ever on Christmas Day. ”Marley & Me” continued to ring up mucho dough over the long four-day holiday weekend to become the number one film in the nation with an estimated $52 million.

“Marley & Me” was followed by three other new films that opened well on Christmas, too. In second place, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” which grossed an estimated $39 million over the long weekend. Close behind in third, Adam Sandler’s “Bedtime Stories” with a four-day haul of about $38.5 million.

Fourth place went to Tom Cruise’s “Valkyrie.” The Nazi drama earned a four day-total of around $30 million. Rounding out the top five last weekend’s number one movie, “Yes Man,” which took in somewhere in the neghborhood of $22 million over the Christmas holiday weekend. 

Barbara Davidson/Los Angeles Times

Firefighters survey the gutted Covina home where the deadly Christmas Eve killings occurred.

The Los Angeles County coroner’s office is trying to identify the nine bodies recovered from a Covina home where Bruce Jeffrey Pardo went on a rampage Christmas Eve. Yesterday at a news conference, Covina Police Chief Kim Raney would only say that the victims’ ages ranged from “17 to 80.” Today, the list of the missing reportedly include Pardo’s ex-wife Sylvia, her parents, two brothers, their wives, a nephew, and a sister.

There were at least 25 people enjoying a Christmas Eve party at the home of Joseph and Alicia Ortega when Pardo rushed in, wearing a Santa Claus suit, and shot up the place. He then used a homemade device to spray his ex-in-laws’ home with gas vapors that set off an explosion and fire.  

Apparently, Pardo’s escape plans went up in flames when he was badly burned in the attack. His body was found later at his brother’s Sylmar home. Pardo killed himself with a gun shot to the head. He had severe burns along with $17,000 in cash strapped to his body. Also, he had a plane ticket for a flight from LAX to Canada on Christmas Day.

Later in a search of Pardo’s Montrose home, Covina Police Chief Raney says, “we found the racing fuel…” used in the incendiary device and other evidence as well. Pardo’s last act of violence was to booby trap his Santa Suit left inside a rental car he had used. There was an explosion, but no one was hurt.

The most detailed ever biography of superstar crooner Tony Bennett has been bought at auction by publisher, John Wiley & Sons. Publishers Weekly reports David Evanier’s “Keeper of the Flame: A Biography of Tony Bennett” is set for release in 2011 to mark the singer’s 85^th birthday. 

He was born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926. The singer’s career got a big break when Bob Hope asked him to join his stage show. Also, the comedian suggested a name change to Tony Bennett. In 1951, Bennett’s first hit, “Because of You,” topped the music charts. In 1962, Bennett recorded, “I left My Heart In San Francisco.” This salute to the City by the Bay became a classic and his signature song.

 He has won an armful of grammys and a number of other awards. Several decades after his first hit single, Bennett is still performing and recording; a rare artist whose voice just keeps getting better and better.

 Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times

L.A. County coroner’s officials remove the body of Bruce Jeffrey Pardo from a Sylmar home on Christmas Day.

New details were released at a news conference this afternoon about that bloody Santa Claus massacre. Covina Police Chief Kim Raney confirmed earlier reports that nine victims perished in the brutal attack on a Christmas Eve party.

Chief Raney says the gunman, 45-year-old Bruce Jeffrey Pardo, was dressed in a Santa Claus suit Wednesday night when he knocked on the door of the home of his ex-in-laws, Joseph and Alicia Ortega, in a middle class Covina neighborhood. Pardo reportedly shot up the place and then used a homemade device to spray the inside with a gas vapor that caused an explosion and fire, which destroyed the home.

Chief Raney explained how Pardo had planned to skip the country after the attack. The gunman had $17,000 on him along with a plane ticket for a flight Christmas morning from LAX to Canada. Pardo apparently changed his plans after he was severely injured in the attack: “He suffered third degree burns… both arms… Santa suit he was wearing did melt onto his body..” according to Chief Raney.

Pardo fled the crime scene to his brother’s home in Sylmar, where he committed suicide with a gun shot to the head. However, that was not the end of Pardo’s rampage of revenge, death, and destruction. A rental car he left parked nearby had been booby trapped with an alleged pipe bomb. It did explode, but no one was hurt.

The final remains of the ninth victim were removed from the gutted Covina home today. Authorities say the bodies of the victims are charred beyond recognition so identification will take a while. Pardo’s 43-year-old ex-wife Sylvia and her parents are believed to be among the dead. It was just last week that a bitter divorce between Pardo and his wife became final.

Three other partygoers were injured and are expected to recover.

“Marley & Me” ran away from the pack of films at the Box Office on Christmas Day. Preliminary numbers show the movie about a couple raising a less than prefect dog rang up $14.6 million during its opening on Christmas. It will be interesting to see if the Owen Wilson and Jennifer Ansiton flick can hold on to the number one spot through the long holiday weekend.

In second place right now, another new film “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” debuted yesterday with about $11.7 million, followed by the new Adam Sandler comedy, “Bedtime Stories,” with about $10 million, Tom Cruise’s “Valkyrie” with around $8.3 million and rounding out the top five, last weekend’s number one film, the Jim Carrey comedy, “Yes Man,” with $5.9 million.

The Oscar race shifts into high gear with the mailing out of ballots today to around  6-thousand or so voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Members are asked to select the Academy Award nominees for 2008 and are given two weeks to return their ballots to the accounting firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The results of the secret ballots will be announced at a 5:30 a.m. press conference on January 22, 2009. A month later on Sunday February 22nd, the 81st Academy Awards ceremony will be held at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.

People Magazine’s 2008 Sexiest Man Alive, Hugh Jackman, is the emcee of the live telecast. Jackman can sing, dance, and oh yeah, act.  Also, the 40-year-old hunky Australian’s hosting of the 2004 Tony Awards won him an Emmy.

The show producers, Laurence Mark and Bill Condon, are hoping Jackman adds some new energy and helps revive the lagging ratings of the Oscars. The 81st Academy Awards broadcast will be seen live in more than 200 countries around the globe.

Eartha Kitt at 79

Entertainer Eartha Kitt never lost her sexy style and trademark catlike purr even as she continued to perform in her later years. She reportedly taped a PBS special a few weeks ago in Chicago. Sadly Kitt, who had been treated recently for colon cancer, died Christmas Day on the East Coast. She was 81 and still had star power.

Kitt’s saucy version of “Santa Baby” has been playing on radio stations all month long and reportedly went gold just last week. Some of her other best known recordings include, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes ” and “My Heart Belongs to Daddy.”

Born on January 17, 1927, Kitt  started out as a dancer and was once called “the most exciting woman in the world,” by famed filmmaker Orson Welles. She acted on stage, in films, and on television for six decades. Kitt is remembered by many fans for her sexy performance of Catwoman in the 1967-68 “Batman” series.

Kitt was outspoken about her political views as well. Anti-Vietnam war comments she made at a White House luncheon put on by Lady Bird Johnson caused quite a stir in the 1960s. Later in 1978, when the political climate changed, Kitt was invited back to the White House by President Jimmy Carter.

Kitt is survived by a daughter and four grandchildren.

FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove — Burbank

 SOMEDAY AT CHRISTMAS

Someday at Christmas men won’t be boys
Playing with bombs like kids play with toys
One warm December our hearts will see
A world where men are free

Someday at Christmas there’ll be no wars
When we have learned what Christmas is for
When we have found what life’s really worth
There’ll be peace on earth

Someday all our dreams will come to be
Someday in a world where men are free
Maybe not in time for you and me
But someday at Christmastime

Lyrics by Ronald N. Miller and Bryan Wells. The song was first performed by Stevie Wonder on his album “Someday at Christmas” (1967).  It has become a holiday classic.

UPDATE: December 25th, 2008

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”  Luke 2:8-11 NIV Bible

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Philippians 4:4 NIV Bible

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  John 3:16-17 NIV Bible

Adam Sandler stars in “Bedtime Stories”

 A bunch of new films with some pretty big stars will be opening on Thursday, Christmas Day. Severe weather continues across the country. Here in the Southland, rain and strong winds are predicted for the  “ho, ho, ho” holiday. That may slow down the now traditional trek, for a lot of people, to the movies on Christmas Day. 

If you decide to get out and brave the elements to catch a new movie, there is a variety to choose from. Disney’s “Bedtime Stories” starring Adam Sandler is one of them. It’s about a guy whose bedtime stories suddenly turn from fantasy to reality. Another family friendly film,”Marley & Me” is top lined by Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. You’ve probably seen the billboards and movie posters of the cut yellow Labrador puppy promoting “Marley & Me,” based on the best selling book about a couple and their lovable but neurotic dog.

Tom Cruise’s long-awaited World War II thriller, “Valkyrie” will hit the big screen on December 25 along with the much-talked about comic book inspired, “The Spirit.” Also, in the pack of new flicks, one I’m looking forward to checking out, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. ”The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is based on a story from another medium — a 1920s short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald about man born in his eighties who ages backwards.

I’ve been to the movies on Christmas Day, sometimes the crowds are sparse and other times there has been a long line at the ticket window. Still in this tight economy, a movie ticket remains a relatively inexpensive form of entertainment. So chances are movie theaters will be doing good business on Christmas Day 2008 no matter what the weather is like.

In a new development late today, the Screen Actors Guild put the brakes on a plan to send out strike authorization ballots to its membership on January 2, 2009. SAG’s National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator, Doug Allen, announced the change in a message to the 122,000 members posted on the guild’s website.

Allen says the much publicized No SAG Strike petition drive has prompted the need for a face-to-face meeting of the national board in Los Angeles during the week of January 12. Allen admits there’s growing concern in the guild about the opposition campaign, which has collected signatures from 100 or so high-profile celebs and 1,373 other actors.

 Meanwhile, the yes on the strike authorization effort has gained the support of 100 other big name actors among more than 2,500 signatures. In January, Allen says the national board will “…discuss how we can address this unfortunate division and restore the consensus demonstrated by the National Board at our October meeting.”

As for the strike authorization vote, Allen says it has been re-scheduled for the three weeks following the special national board meeting in January. 

Really bad wintry weather (snow, ice, sleet, and rain) is derailing holiday plans and travel itineraries for people all across the country. The airlines have canceled hundreds of flights in the past few days. You can understand that, but apparently many of those passengers affected by the cancellations can’t get on another flight before Christmas.

Gee, bad weather happens this time every year. You’d think the airlines would have added extra flights during the holidays. The airlines will probably be the next companies asking for a chunk of that bailout money because of their wrong-way thinking management.

One literary agent’s blown holiday getaway has created a sweet bargain for writers. BookEnds agent Jessica Faust made an announcement on the agency’s blog on Friday, December 19. BookEnds, a successful East Coast agency, would be closed for vacation from December 22 through January 5. Faust offered a very valuable Christmas gift to readers. She would randomly critique some writer book pitches posted on the BookEnds blog during the vacation. You have to follow the instructions on the blog to get a chance at the free pitch paragraph critique. That’s a great deal, but it got even better.

Once Faust realized she would be staying home for Christmas she offered to review even more pitches. This is a great opportunity for writers to learn what it takes for a pitch to grab an agent’s attention. Faust deserves applause and cheers for turning her “bah, humbug” situation into something wonderful for writers.

Despite the demands of the holiday season, the battle over the Screen Actors Guild’s upcoming strike authorization vote is picking up steam. Yesterday, an article on the Variety website touted the addition of more celebrities to the No SAG Strike petition; among the new signers George Lopez, Susan Sarandon, and Charlie Sheen. That petition drive kicked off three weeks ago and has accumulated 1,373 signatures as of Sunday.

Meanwhile, over on the SAG website the number of actors who have signed the Statement of Support for a yes vote on the strike authorization ballot is up to 2,300. There are superstar actors on this list as well including Mel Gibson, Martin Sheen, and Holly Hunter. The ballots to give the guild’s negotiating committee authority to call a strike if it becomes necessary go out to the 100,000-plus membership on January 2, 2009.

Celebrity names are a good way to get media attention, nevertheless, they do not really say a lot about the thinking of the rank and file. Most of the SAG members aren’t superstars earning million dollar salaries with a slew of representatives to negotiate lucrative contracts for them. Instead, most are struggling actors, taking part-time jobs to make the rent and basically living paycheck to paycheck.

The thousands of average SAG members depend on the union to look out for their best interest and make the best possible deal for them. Maybe that’s why SAG President Alan Rosenberg doesn’t seem to be too upset by recent attacks from superstar members. He knows who he’s really working for. 

Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times

Palm trees drooped under the weight of snow at the Antelope Valley Mall during last week’s powerful storm in the Southland.

Today is the first official day of winter. Despite what the calendar says we got hammered by a serious winter storm last week. More stormy weather is headed our way with wind, rain, snow, and cold temperatures. In fact, it could be a wet and rainy Christmas 2008 in Southern California.

Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times

A stranded motorist shoveled some of the snow on the Avenue “S” on ramp to the closed southbound 14 Freeway in Palmdale on 12/18/08.

Jim Carrey won the battle of the superstars at the Box Office this weekend. Carrey’s comedy, “Yes Man” debuted as the most popular movie in the country, beating out Will Smith’s new melodrama, “Seven Pounds.” Both films opened last Friday.

“Yes Man” managed to ring up an estimated $18 million at theaters across the nation. Not a great opening for a Carrey flick. Some analysts blame the similarities between this film and Carrey’s comedy hit, “Liar Liar.” Other film industry watchers say the bad weather is the reason Box Office revenues are down this weekend.

“Seven Pounds” opened in second place with around $16 million. Generally, the film has received poor reviews. Someone I know who saw ”Seven Pounds” reported he could not figure out what was going on until the end. Hmm, that’s not the kind of reaction that sparks positive buzz for a film.

In third place, the new family animated flick, “The Tales of Despereaux” with about $10.5 million, followed by sci-fi remake “The Day the Earth Stood Still” with $10 million and rounding out the top five, the romantic-comedy “Four Christmases” with $7.7 million.

 FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove

Bright lights and festive decorations celebrate the season of hope and goodwill in Burbank.