BAD Reads
Thursday Thirteen#26:They Can Share the Date With the REAL Superstar, Or:Happy Birthday, Dad!
Thursday Thirteen
I'm not much of an Oprah fan. I think she's in love with herself, that all her do-gooding is designed to show how wonderful she is, and that her book club picks tend to be the same tear jerkers over and over again.
But occasionally if I'm home I'll surf over to see if Dr Mehmet Oz is on. And if he is, I smile.
Because on April 23, 2006, Dr Oz saved my dad's life by performing a quadruple heart bypass.
We only met him briefly. But he really was as sweet in person as he is on TV.
I didn't know he would soon be famous. All I knew was that it was my father's 81st birthday and that he was going to be okay.
Today is my dad's 87th birthday. Despite asthma, COPD, the defibrillator he got back in 2006 and a host of other small annoyances, he is still going strong. His mind is as sharp as ever--perhaps even sharper. He still drives--and I'd far rather he was driving than my mom--she's 11 years younger but a VERY nervous driver!
I went on Wikipedia to find out who else was born on Dad's birthday. I knew he shared it with two famous people, but it turns out that there are dozens of famous people born on April 23 . They range from royalty to television stars. So here, in approximately reverse birth order are:
My Dad's Birthday
1)Valerie Bertinelli VALERIE BERTINELLI? Hmm. Well she IS a brunette like Dad used to be...
2)Michael Moore Now this I can see. My Dad is a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, passionate about what's being done to our country and hates W even more than I do
3)Roy Orbison I'm not sure Dad's familiar with him. He prefers classical guitar--real CLASSICAL guitar that is. Stuff like John (not the Star Wars guy)Williams and Angel Romero
4)Sandra Dee Dad's more into dark haired women--Mom's hair was jet black when she was young. But I bet he saw lots of her movies!
5)Lee Majors Yup, the Six Million Dollar Man himself. He wouldn't have needed glasses for that bionic eye, but if he did, Dad would have written him the perfect eyeglass prescription--he's an optometrist.
6)Herve Villechaize A.K.A. "Tattoo" on "Fantasy Island. NOT a show my dad would've watched.
7)Halston The fashion designer. Dad's never been a fashion buff, but I remember how debonair he looked in a full tux at my brother's wedding!
8)Shirley Temple You might've know this one already. I'd bet my dad might have seen some of her films as a kid, but my guess is he and his brothers went to the gangster movies instead. And his favorite actor of the period was Al Jolson!
9)Michel Fokine One of the greatest ballet choreographers, from the time of Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe. My dad never danced ballet, but when I was little he liked to clown around and pretend to dance. And he is very proud of his granddaughters' ballet talents--I just wish he was up to coming down in June for their recital!
10)James Buchannan One of our most mediocre Presidents, though W is giving him a good run for his money. Hope Dad doesn't know about sharing a birthday with this guy...
11)Stephen Douglas As in the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Dad will like this-- I get my deep interest in history from him. His favorite historical figure to read about is Benjamin Franklin,but I think he's read a fair amount about Lincoln too.
12)Max Planck Father of quantum physics. But he did nothing to save Jewish colleagues in WWII Berlin. Considering that we lost whatever relatives remained in Poland to the Nazis, I don't think my father would be proud of this any more than I am of sharing MY birthday with the Bush twins!
13)William Shakespeare This is the one most people would know. Being a Shakespeare buff, I'm tickled by this myself!
Happy birthday to my dad. I'm prouder to be his daughter than I would be to be related to anyone listed here.And I hope he'll keep going strong for many birthdays to come....
