This was going to be epic. One of my truly favorite films "Bye Bye Birdie" accompanied by the legendary Ann-Margret. It doesn't have to get any better than that.
And, for the first two hours while the movie was playing at the Ricardo Montalban Theater in Hollywood, it was. The crowd applauded each production number. The love I have for this gem was not going to be unmatched.
And then the Q/A.
Introduced by some record company hipster/huckster with a blonde mohawk haircut, Ann-Margret entered the stage to a tumultuous standing ovation.
And then, almost immediately...sadness.
No one had to have a medical degree in tow to release that Ann-Margret is in some numbered stage of dementia. She repeated the same childhood story not one, not twice, not three, not four, but five times. Clearly, there would be no discussion of Birdie or Elvis or late husband Roger Smith. And the host was either too stupid or too callous to read the room and what was happening. Or maybe they knew ahead of time? The record company was there to promote the latest album from A-M where she is embarrassingly doing covers for some old 50s and 60s hits. And who let that even happen in the first place?
Clearly, there are people in A-M's camp who are letting this unfold and don't care? And there is indeed blood on the hands from Cleopatra Records, the crappy company that is behind this. Did they not see the same things we saw? Did they squirm like us? Did they have any sense of compassion for this once mighty talent?
It was all a reminder that aging is the great equalizer amongst celebrities, politicians, and the rest of us common folk. But the key is to be equalized with compassion and dignity.
Ann-Margret is not experiencing either.
Dinner last night: Salad.
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