In the fall, as kids in grade school, we'd often be asked to write an essay, “What I did over my summer vacation.” My family went to Balboa every summer and frankly, I got tired of writing the same story year after year. (Apparently, judging from emails, some readers think I do that now week after week.)
I'm writing this “essay” for my good friend, Jerry Rosenblum, because even at 96, he had a far more eventful and exciting summer than I did. First off, he was busy with his Instagram account, posting selfies of his Emeritus College classes and singing karaoke anytime there's an open mic. Actually, Jerry's long-time“bestie,” Katie Miller, 27, does his postings. Jerry currently has 16,900 Instagram followers in just 1 year. (I've been on Twitter since 2009 and I have a grand total of 918 followers. Go figure.)
Many of Jerry's Instagram followers post questions for him about his secret for a long and contented life. Katie videos Jerry and posts his answers. It's like his own personal podcast.
Also this summer, Jerry finally finished his memoir What Goes Around, Comes Around, and sent it off to the publisher. It's a charming collection of vignettes about the unusual number of celebrities he's encountered during his 60 years as a men's clothing salesman. (Forty-five years in Santa Monica.) Jerry's book will come out in June 2019, when he will be 97. (Rumor is he's already working on a sequel.)
But Jerry's biggest adventure this past summer came on his visit to Brooklyn (Flatbush) where he lived when he was 6. Amazingly, the apartment building is still standing and so is the grade school he attended in 1928.
A friend of Katie's in the D.A.'s office generously arranged for Jerry to be given a tour of his neighborhood in a police car. Not surprisingly, the two cops got a real kick out of Jerry. That said, I can only imagine what people might have wondered about Jerry in the back of a squad car. (Given Robert Redford's latest movie, Old Man and the Gun, maybe they thought Jerry was a nanogenarian bank robber.)
Before his trip, Jerry had written a song (I added a few touches to the lyrics) and “recorded” it at a local studio. It's the catchy tango melody of Adios Amigos, and an homage to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old who, on January 20th, will become the youngest female congresswoman in history! Despite being outspent 18 to 1 by the incumbent, on June 26, Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic primary in New York's 14th congressional district covering parts of the Bronx and Queens. Amazing!
With her stunning victory, Ocasio-Cortez instantly became in high demand to campaign for progressive candidates nationwide. So Jerry didn't get to meet her in person but she loved his song that Katie posted on Instagram to which Alexandria responded so appreciatively.
“I really needed that,” she said after a long day on the campaign trail. With a twinkle in his eye, Jerry says, “I hope Alexandria lets me fly to NYC to join her at a campaign rally where I'd sing her song.” Given Jerry's enthusiasm, he'd likely bring the house down.
In the meantime, this week's been hectic for Jerry. On Tuesday, he did a podcast at the Village Workspaces studio in W. L.A. The interviewer was the company CEO, Oliver Barry, a Santa Monica resident whose favorite restaurant is, as is Jerry's, Fromin's. In the hour-long podcast, Jerry answered questions about his remarkable vitality and still manage to belt out three songs, a cappella! (Is he a pistol or what?)
Jerry's currently hard at work on his latest production, “The Edgemar Follies” at the Edgemar Theater on Main Street. The show features a group of very talented seniors ranging in age from 60-something to 90-something.
Actually, Jerry has led this group in the past numerous times, always to standing room only. “The Follies” emcee is Archie Barkan, 89, who, as a young man, did stand-up in the Catskills. The singers include Inga Neilsen, Laurie Raskin, Kalani Whittington, Valarie Swift Bird, Joanne Montgomery Elaine Webster , Tracy Lovett, Christine Blue and Paul Junger. Bringing comedy to the ensemble is the hilarious Jeremy Vernon, 86, whose credits include Mork and Mindy, The Dean Martin Show and The Flying Nun.
The singers will be accompanied by pianist, Gary Nesteruk, another Santa Monica resident. (Whom I'm guessing also loves Fromin's.) Fittingly, Jerry's going to close the show with I'm Glad I'm Not Young Anymore.
With only 18 days until the mid-terms, Jerry still hopes his next performance will be on stage with Ocasio-Cortez. It's obviously a long shot but, if it happens, you'll definitely read about it here. After all, it's bound to be way more exciting than, for example, my “What I did for Halloween.”
To see Jerry's song and Ocasio-Cortez's thank you, Google “YouTube Jack Neworth” and click on the link. The Edgemar Follies is tomorrow, Saturday, October 20, from 2 to 4 pm,.with tickets at $5. Edgemar is at 2437 Main Street, edgemarcenter.org, (310) 392 0815. Jerry is @ Instagram Jerry_Rosenblum. Jack is at jackdailypress@aol.com.
