Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Pamela, a Love Story – Netflix Originals

“Pamela, a Love Story” shares an intimate view into the life of world famous actress and model Pamela Anderson, including very personal details about her childhood, career and how she became an international sex symbol and activist. Though she was married several times, the love story focuses on her relationship with well known Motley Crew drummer Tommy Lee and their whirlwind marriage, as well facts about their infamous sex tape.

Pamela Anderson grew up in Ladysmith, B.C. Canada. Her father drank and would get in fights with her mother, and they split up several times but always seemed to reconcile. Pamela was molested at a young age by her babysitter and raped by a 25 -year-old man when she was 12, so had issues with self-confidence and considered herself a shy tomboy. After graduating high school, Pamela moved to Vancouver.

In 1989 Pamela went a football game in Vancouver with a group of friends that were wearing Labatts beer t-shirts, ended up on the jumbotron and became known as the Labratts Blue Zone girl. Labratts reached out to her to do a commercial and a poster which ended up Monday football. The commercial caught the attention of Marilyn Grabowski from Playboy, who contacted Pamela to offer her the Oct 1989 cover of Playboy.

The first snap of the camera during the photo shoot seemed to shatter her negative past and became a gateway for her to take power of her own sexually. Marilyn said Hugh wanted Pamela to be a playmate, convincing her she had a career in LA. All the playmates had breast surgery, so Pamela had her breasts enlarged. Shortly thereafter, Baywatch reached out but Pamela didn’t show up 11 times due to insecurity, then finally agreed. Baywatch became the most popular TV show in the world, and Pamela turned slow motion running into an art form.

In 1994 she met Motley Crew drummer Tommy Lee at a club she owned on New Years Eve. Tommy followed Pamela to a photo shoot in Cancun, where after four days of living, loving and partying they got married. Pamela said that with Tommy there was no secrets, deception or game playing, just full heart to heart explosive love, and they filmed everything with a camcorder gladly capturing their loving relationship. In 1996, a safe was stolen from their home while it was under construction. Unfortunately they discovered later it contained video tapes of Pamela and Tommy’s personal sex life when a copy of it was mailed to their home.

Tapes started being distributed everywhere and the owner of Penthouse offered them five million dollars for the rights, but they refused. Then a company named IEG put it up on the internet and it became the world’s first viral video, all without their consent and without any compensation. Though they attempted to take the issue to court, the deposition process was too difficult for Pamela, so they dropped the case, but have never made any money from the video.

Due to jealousy issues that ultimately resulted in a domestic violence charge for Tommy, Pamela left Tommy and followed with several failed marriages, including one to Kid Rock. She decided to go it on her own and just as her life with her two sons began to have some normalcy, the whole sex tape issue resurfaced when Hulu released a series called “Pam and Tommy” which also was not done with Pamela’s consent and she has never seen the series or sex tape video.

This documentary provides a very personal look into Pamela’s truth regarding her very public life. Runtime 1h 52m

by Shirley Lorraine

Rubicon’s Realistic Joneses Hits Home

Prepare for a few jolts as you experience The Realistic Joneses now playing in a limited engagement at the Rubicon Theatre in downtown Ventura. The Rubicon, known for breaking new ground and presenting thoughtful and intriguing works, has hit another home run with this production.

The Southern California Premiere, presented in association with Gare St. Lazare Ireland and the Laguna Playhouse features a stellar professional cast of four. Rubicon returnees Joe Spano and Faline England, accompanied by acclaimed actors Sorcha Fox and Conor Lovett, pull the audience into their world tightly packed with trials and tribulations, emotional roller coasters and physical and mental challenges.

Presented with no intermission, we meet Bob and Jennifer, a suburban couple coping with Bob’s gradual disintegration due to a progressive neurological affliction. They cope the best they can, moment by moment. As Bob, Spano delivers the plays’ most humorous moments with thoughtful sincerity and an air of innocence. In the role of his patient and loving wife Jennifer, Sorcha Fox is immediately identifiable as she embodies the often-thankless caretaker role. She carries the weight and resignation of facing the unknown in her vocal and physical presence throughout.

New neighbors John and Pony (Conor Lovett and Faline England) make an unexpected appearance which leads the four into uncharted territories. They gradually reveal similarities that pull them together. The crux of this play, for me, was the impact of the unfailing power of those things left unsaid that compel us to meet challenges in different ways. All four characters are deeply ingrained in denial, acceptance, sadness and routines that enable them to cope with the realities facing them. It is not the challenges themselves, but how we cope with meeting those challenges that make up the realities of our lives. In my opinion, the author truly captured the nuances of those frailties.

The Realistic Joneses is a powerful piece of work written by Will Eno that has been nominated for numerous awards, and rightly so. Directed with a fine hand by Judy Hegarty-Lovett, it is performed with unusual staging touches that bring the audience fully into becoming an integral part of the story. I left the theater feeling as though I knew the families and wanted to somehow help them as they coped with the undeniable challenges that lay ahead.

Rubicon consistently delivers meaningful works that make us reflect. The Realistic Joneses is filled with pathos, and most effectively, humor. Whether we laugh in recognition or with empathy, humor really does heal the soul and makes many dark moments tolerable. This work gives us the opportunity to reflect on our own things unsaid and how we might approach them with knowledge and acceptance.

The Realistic Joneses is presented through February 12, after which it will travel to enrich the Laguna Playhouse attendees. Try and catch it if you can.
www.rubicontheatre.org/ 805-667-2900

by Pam Baumgardner VenturaRocks.com

As of press time, tickets were still available for the Perla Batalla’s second concert at the Beatice Wood Center for the Arts on Saturday, February 11 (Friday’s show sold out). You can expect selections from Perla’s original Mestiza song cycle, her one-woman Frida Kahlo show, the Great American Songbook Spanish language classics, new original work and several selections of Perla’s arrangements of Leonard Cohen songs. Ticket information can be found on the venue website at BeaticeWood.com.

Traveling through town on what they’re calling “Kick Up Your Boots” tour will be three solo female singer/songwriters, Thea, the Band (San Diego), Micah Justice (Inland Empire), and Katie Leigh (Ventura). They’ll make two stops locally, one at the Ojai Valley Brewing on Friday, January 27 and then again at Topa Topa Brewing on Colt Street here in Ventura on Saturday, January 28.

The Ojai Underground hosts the Refugees on Saturday, January 28 featuring a trio of artists including, Cindy Bullens who toured with Elton John and was nominated for two Grammy awards, Deborah Holland from Animal Logic (Stanley Clarke, Stewart Copeland), and Wendy Waldman co-writer of Vanessa Williams’ No. 1 hit, “Save the Best for Last.” You can get ticket information at OjaiUndergroundExchange.com.

Skull & Roses returns to Ventura in spring over the week of April 19 through 23 at the Ventura County Fairgrounds with Phil Lesh & Friends playing the two final days. Other performers include Melvin Seals & JGB, Dark Star Orchestra, Oteil & Friends, Jerry’s Middle Finger, local favorites, Shaky Feelin’ and so much more! You can find everything you need from passes to lodging and camping information at the official website SkullAndRoses.com.

And in case you hadn’t heard, the Strawberry Festival returns this spring, May 20 – 21, in a new location at the Ventura Fairgrounds. Live music is a big part of this event and this year they will have three stages going all day both days including a battle of the bands contest. The official website hasn’t listed any bands yet, but I noticed that Stage #3 is presented by Rock City Studios out of Camarillo with this stage featuring students of all ages and skill levels. I love that!! You can keep in the know at CaStrawberryFestival.org.

Quick Notes: Lucas MacFadden, better known as Cut Chemist (former member of Jurassic 5 and Ozomatli) plays the Ventura Music Hall on Thursday, January 26; catch Dreamland, a celebration of Joni Mitchell featuring Kimberly Ford on Saturday, January 28 at the Grape; Raging Arb and Friends play the Garage on Saturday, January 28; Guy Martin plays The Twist on Saturday, January 28; The Refugees play the Ojai Underground on Saturday, January 28;
Cadillac Zack presents Chris Cain at Cantara Winery on Friday, February 3; French Blues singer/guitarist plays Namba on Saturday, February 4; Katie Skene Band plays the Deer Lodge, on Saturday, February 4; and tickets for Ugly Kid Joe on May 5 at the Ventura Theater have gone on sale.

Do you have any music-related news or upcoming shows you want help publicizing? Please send all information short or long to [email protected], and for updated music listings daily, go to www.VenturaRocks.com.

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Devotion – Paramount +

Devotion is the true story of United States Navy Officer Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), who was the first African-American aviator to complete the Navy’s basic flight training program and also the first African-American naval officer killed in the Korean War at the age of 24. Brown was stationed at Quonset Point Naval Air Station in Rhode Island and in early 1950 Lieutenant Tom Hudner (Glen Powell) transferred to the Fighter Squadron 32 (VF-32) and became Brown’s wingman.

The VF-32 had been flying F8F ‘Bearcat’ fighter planes, but the Navy created a modified F4U-4 Corsair they wanted them to fly in the Korean War. The Corsair was much more powerful than the planes they had been flying, and the pilots were warned by the chief engineer the if they didn’t manage the power properly they would easily crash. After learning the basics on the Corsair, the next test would be for them to land the plane on an aircraft carrier, which was difficult due to the Corsair having a longer front making it difficult to see in front of the plane.

After passing their carrier tests, the VF-32 was transferred to the USS Leyte, which deployed to the Mediterranean Sea to deter Soviet aggression. They were granted shore leave in Cannes, France and while off on his own Brown met actress Elizabeth Taylor at the beach, who invited him and his squadron to a casino she would be at later that evening. The other guys were skeptical about Brown’s chance meeting the a famous Hollywood star, but saw upon arriving at the casino it was all true and that Elizabeth Taylor had a thing for men in uniform, especially aviators.

Upon returning to the ship the VF-32 was assigned to take out two bridges critical to the enemy’s advances. Before they departed, Brown was given an expensive watch by Leyte’s black crewmen, who admire him for his work. The squadron left and began its attack, however after destroying the first bridge they took on heavy ground fire so retreated under Hudner’s command. Brown felt he could take out the second, so broke formation, flew back and took out the second bridge. Unfortunately, Hudner’s report made it appear that Brown didn’t follow command and was written up for insubordination.

Even though that wasn’t what Hudner intended, Brown explained that everything happens differently for him because he was black. Hudner sought to repair the situation, but had to redirect his focus due to the VF-32 being assigned to give air support to ground troops that were trapped and quickly losing ground. The squadron successfully attacked the enemy troops causing them to retreat and saving the Marines on the ground, however as they set out to return to the ship the sky filled with ground fire striking Brown’s plane which began to lose oil.

Brown was forced to drop his ammunition and fuel tanks and crash land his plane in a field. As Hudner circled around, he saw that Brown was somehow stuck in the plane and decided to try to rescue Brown following the same steps to crash his plane. When Hudner got to Brown, his leg was trapped and despite their joint efforts was unable to free Brown’s leg. A rescue helicopter arrived just as Brown lost consciousness, and Hudner had no choice but to leave him. Upon returning to the plane the squadron was told a rescue was too dangerous and later were sent to destroy both planes so they wouldn’t end up in enemy hands.

For his actions in Korea, Brown was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart Medal, and the Air Medal, and the frigate USS Jesse L. Brown (FF-1089) was named in his honor.

Rated: PG-13 Runtime 2h 19m

by Shirley Lorraine
A Slice of Life in a Texas Small Town

The Elite Theatre Company in Channel Islands opens their 2023 season with two one-act plays, Laundry and Bourbon, and Lone Star, both by James McClure. Billed as comedies, the two are connected only marginally by character references, punctuated by light chuckles.

Laundry and Bourbon takes the audience into the small town of Maynard, Texas where Elizabeth (Lea Roman) and her friend Hattie (Jolyn Johnson) enjoy Bourbon and coke in the afternoon and air their inner dirty laundry while attempting to fold actual laundry. Both married right out of high school, they find that the memories of what was carried them farther than the realities of their lives now. They are later joined by Amy Lee (Maddie Boyd), now a devout Baptist with a husband, Cletis, who runs a successful furniture store. All three are gossipy, biting and banter with bitterness over the state of their current lives. No one really seems happy as the author explores many intricacies that can accompany the slow erosion of relationships and the phenomenon of small town life where everyone seems to know or be involved in everyone else’s business.

All three give solid performances with a range of sometimes priceless facial expressions. The verbal pace is rapid, twangy and seems to echo bouncing off the stark walls of the minimalist set. As a result, I found many lines absorbed under the weight of those elements and moving on before the audience could catch up. I felt some opportunities for real laughter were lost as the actors hurried on to the next revelation.

The second act, Lone Star, gives the menfolk a place to air their woes. And air they do. Elizabeth’s husband, Roy (Scott Blanchard) is a former jock who, having survived the Vietnam war, now is a bitter drunk with PTSD. He is joined out behind Angels, the town bar, by his younger brother, Ray (Patrick T. Rogers) who is seemingly content to stay in the background of his brother’s former fame and who provides the balance of reason as Roy storms about. The third character is Cletis (Asher Mitchell), husband to Amy Lee, the only one of the three who appears to have made any progress in his life.

All three actors handle the material to the fullest. Action is fierce, emotions are at their peaks and the actors’ commitment to their roles is evident.

Director Kimberly Demmary certainly had her hands full with this accomplished cast and challenging material. All six actors seem to have been given a free hand to emote wildly and loudly, throw things around and generally chew up the stage with their inner angst. The plays were an evening well spent if you find that witnessing the emotional disintegration of others is entertaining.

The Elite’s season will continue with a variety of lesser known offerings including works on the South Stage. Now in its 10th year at the current location, and celebrating 29 years of existence, the Elite has grown in scope while retaining its intimate feel. www.TheElite.org.

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Ticket to Paradise – Peacock Streaming

In Ticket to Paradise, David (George Clooney) and Georgia (Sandra Bullock) Cotton are the proud parents of their daughter and recent law school graduate Lily (Kaitlyn Dever), however there’s no love between them having divorced 20 years earlier and have difficultly being civil whenever around each other. Lily had decided to take a trip to Bali with her best friend Wren (Billie Lourd), who also just graduated, to take a break before beginning a new life and job at a law firm, though had no idea that her ticket to paradise was actually a ticket to a totally new path in life.

Lily and Wren decided to take a snorkeling excursion, but accidentally swam away from the group and were left behind in the ocean a few miles from shore. Luckily a young Balinese seaweed farmer named Gede (Maxime Bouttier) came upon them with his boat and brought them back to shore. Though having just met, it was clear to see that Lily and Gede had an immediate attraction to each other and over the next few weeks spent all their time together with Wren experiencing Balinese life and culture.

After only a month Gede and Lily decided they wanted to get married, and Lily emailed the good news and invitation to her parents, who both felt she was throwing her life away and determined to go to Bali to convince her to change her mind. David and Georgia were coincidentally seated next to each other on the plane, where they first began bickering but decided they needed to call a truce and work together to stop Lily from getting married.

Upon arriving on the island, they meet Lily’s finance Gede, a caring, compassionate seaweed farmer managing his family farm that has been in operation for generations and successful enough to have contracts with large companies like Whole Foods. Though they liked Gede, David and Georgia remained committed to their goal. They came up with a plan to steal the wedding rings and compromise local traditions that would cause Lily and Gede to have to call off their wedding, which was scheduled to happen in four days.

Upon discovering the rings were missing, Gede decided to ignore any thinking that it was a sign and replaced the rings to have them for their ceremony. Gede had suspicions that David and Georgia were behind the missing rings, but didn’t tell Lily. They both found out it was true when all four took a boat trip to a nearby island where Lily found the rings in Georgia’s bag. David acted as if he knew nothing about it and left Georgia alone to have the blame, but Lily told them both they either needed to support her decision to marry Gede or go home.

Realizing they may be on the verge of losing their relationship with their daughter, David and Georgia decided to do a full 180 and offer their complete support. The wedding was set for the following day and planned in accordance with traditional Balinese customs. The question that remained was could David and Georgia see past their own past relationship issues to support the happiness of their daughter, and could such togetherness even spark the love they knew in their past together.

Ticket to Paradise is an entertaining comedic escape, with George and Julia perfectly cast to charge it with wit, charm and charisma that has viewers routing for them from the start.

Rated: PG-13
Runtime 1h 44m

Streaming Spotlight by Cindy Summers
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Netflix Originals

In “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, world famous detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) finds himself at a lavish private estate on a Greek island owned by billionaire Miles Bron (Ed Norton) who invited his close group of friends for their annual gathering to take part in a murder mystery dinner. The guests included model and fashion designer Birdie Jay (Kate Hudson) and her assistant Peg (Jessica Henwick), Connecticut governor Claire Debella (Kathryn Hahn), brilliant scientist Lionel Toussaint (Lesli Odom Jr.), social media influencer Duke Cody (Dave Bautista) and his girlfriend Whiskey (Madelyn Cline), and Miles’ former business partner Andi Brand (Janelle Monae) who had a falling out with the whole group when Miles cut her out of the company they both started together based upon a business idea Andi laid out on a bar napkin at their favorite bar.

The members of the group seemed to have a love/hate relationship with Miles, who appeared to have been crucial in all of their individual successes, but seemed as though this is what also gave him the ability to control them with the secrets and lies their lives were truly built on. Beniot Blanc’s invitation appeared to be sent to him from someone else in the group, as Miles shared with him that he did not send him an invitation, which was a puzzle box, though realized the boxes could be reset so gladly welcomed the famous detective to join the game. Beniot said he felt very concerned for Miles because each guest had motives that could cause them to really murder Miles, but Miles just laughed it off.

Miles shared with Beniot that fact that he had created an alternate power source from hydrogen and a flake the size of a dime was powering everything on the island. Several members of the group expressed concern over the level of stability in Miles’ invention, but he blew them off and said that his luxury Glass Onion island resort was proof. When they later gathered for the murder mystery dinner, Beniot easily solved the mystery even before the game began, which caused Miles extreme frustration as he had planned to play the game several days over their stay on his resort island. No one could have guessed that someone would actually end up dead on this trip to paradise, and many things were not as they seemed causing everyone to be a suspect as far as Beniot Blanc was concerned.

To complicate matters further, the deceased guest had a gun that was always on him, but went missing at the time of his death. A short time later it was used to shoot Andi while she was talking with Beniot in the courtyard, but due to a timed power outage it was too dark to identify the shooter. With one person apparently poisoned and another shot, Beniot decided it was time to involve the authorities, however due to the tides and the way Miles built his dock they were unable to come out until the following day. Beniot suggested they all return to their rooms and stay locked in until morning but instead they all gathered in the sculpture room, where Andi decided to show Miles how she really felt about him taking away her company.

As they all travel deeper down the rabbit hole, viewers discover nothing is as it seems, but quite the opposite, and pulled off brilliantly by this group of colorful characters that is highlighted by a star-studded cast. Rewatching the “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” helps reveal many of the subtle clues that may have been missed the first time around.

Rated: PG-13
Runtime 2h 20m