I had planned a completely different article for today. (Hopefully, I’ll get to that one in the busy next couple of weeks.)

And then on this past Tuesday night, I realized what date it was—March 11. On that date in 2020, I came home from a fun restaurant opening, (where people were cavalierly joking about the new Covid 19 virus, and gleefully touching elbows, while discussing that Tom Hanks had just announced the he now had Covid!,) to see the NBA shutting down not only one pro basketball game, but the entire NBA season, because a player, Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert, had just been diagnosed with the disease. It was all pretty shocking.

The restaurant opening I was at right before the world lost itself. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the one of a deserted 2020 Times Square at the top of this page.

The following morning back then, I cancelled going to a planned event for the next night, (which was eerily Friday the 13th!,) and took a nap on the couch. I woke-up to a local LA press conference urging us all to stay home for the next week or so. Boy, did they underestimate that time frame!

Then slowly, all my very fun events for the next month+ began getting cancelled. And that was the beginning of our new multi-year reality.

Tom Hanks’ Covid tweet five years ago this week. Photo by Karen Salkin.

Getting back to this current week, the realization that it had been five years since that day jarred me. I woke up the next morning, March 12, 2025, wondering if we, (Americans and the world,) had learned anything from that horror show. Anything at all.

And this is some of what I realized:

I realized that we learned that there are idiots out there who still don’t believe in vaccines. I actually lost two (what I thought were) very close friends because of it. It appears that at least one of them is for sure a crazy anti-vaxxer, which I never would have guessed. I would have thought that all my friends were more-or-less normal people. But when the world started opening-up again, I invited that one to a big theatre opening with me. In the email invitation, I had mentioned that we all needed to be masked, (and stay that way throughout the show, of course,) and show proof of vaccination. Those responsible conditions set-out by the theatre were the only reasons I was taking the risk of attending the show myself, and I put it in the invite just to make sure that my friends knew the theatre was taking the risk seriously and looking out for its patrons, to put my pals’ minds at peace. To my shock, that good friend wrote back to ask why I would demand vax proof! I responded that it wasn’t me who required it, but the venue. And then the only thing I’ve ever heard from her again was a nasty-ish phone message in which she very defiantly told me she would never get the shot! I was shocked! I left her a nice message back, very calmly asking her to call me and explain her point of view.  And…I have never, to this day, ever heard from her again!

I also haven’t heard from the friend through whom I met that confirmed anti-vaxxer, (except to keep bugging me with public newsletters about her business,) so I assume she’s one of them, as well.  (I did not even mean to tell you all that, but once I got started…)

Exactly. You tell ‘em, Linus!

I also learned that there are still tons of morons among us because they re-elected that absolute danger to society who told us to drink bleach during the pandemic! I really wish that Orange Hitler had done just that himself, to demonstrate what a “genius” he was! That would have been something, wouldn’t it?

On this date in 2020, in my first column (of many) about the pandemic, I wrote, “This is not about politics for me, but if we had a non-moron for President, I don’t think the danger would have gotten so prevalent in this country. That disgrace of a human being has only made things worse. Much, much worse.” Yet, here he is again, leading America to ruin.

On a different note, later on in that same article, I optimistically wrote, “I just hope this virus will be contained before the Summer Olympics! Tokyo is trying desperately to not have to cancel it.” But, of course, they did have to postpone the 2020 Olympics until 2021, and then still had no spectators, which could not have been fun for the athletes.

So again, here it is exactly five years after we understood the seriousness of the pandemic, and even the people who didn’t get Covid, or lose someone to it, have been forever affected. I know no one whose life has ever been the same as it was before. (I refer to that easier time as “BP,” meaning “before the pandemic.”)

Remember all these empty shelves from back then? Photo by Karen Salkin.

Using just Mr. X and myself as a brief example, life was way different BP. In some ways it’s a bad thing, and in some ways it’s an improvement. Back in normal life, I was going out just about five nights a week. Mr. X has never been a fan of going out, so I went everywhere with different pals all the time. But during the pandemic, I got so used to staying in all the time, and hanging with only Mr. X, that social life even now has become so much less. I limit it to only about one or two nights a week and an occasional daytime event. I turn down waaay more invitations than I did BP.

I’m also less of a workaholic. Back then, I published a new column in this e-zine all five weekdays. But, without any actual events to write about for those three years or so, I got down to two or three columns per week, and I’ve kept it that way ever since. So that’s one good thing the lockdown did for me—I don’t torture myself to write 24/7 anymore.

I also learned to stop washing my hair every day, which makes it much healthier. And we had time to exercise every single day! It had been almost two decades since I had time for that! (The bad thing about all that activity, though, is that we both messed-up our knees. And it took several doctor visits—and those only after my exhaustive search to find a new orthopedist because our long-time one had retired during the lockdown!—and beaucoup bucks to get them to even a semblance of lesser pain now.)

One of my many pandemic creations: a potato, broccoli, cheese, and fresh veggie-heavy casserole. Yum! Photo by Karen Salkin.

Another plus is that I learned to cook! I didn’t want strangers handling my food anymore. So we basically hazmat-suited-up for a monthly shopping trip, and disinfected everything—even the boxes— when we got home. (We left our clothing in the garage, as well.) I began planning our meals for the next month, like a tradwife! But let me tell you—we ate the best we ever had! Or have! I’m back to not cooking much because I’m out-and-about again, which is a shame for our health.

Speaking of grocery shopping, one new thing that actually annoys both of us now is that I insist we do it together. BP, only Mr. X shopped because he didn’t mind it and I did.  But during the siege, I insisted we go together because I was worried that he would not be as germ-cautious as I. And once I saw that he never bought anything on sale, and chose only unnecessary items for which he paid top dollar, that’s been it for me ever since. So now I still have to go with him, to guard our finances!

The perhaps saddest change for me is that I seem to have fewer friends than I did BP. In addition to losing those anti-vaxxers, some others who were in my regular rotation and I just never picked up again where we left off in March 2020. The same with some business associates. Some of my other formerly-uber-popular pals tell me the same thing has happened to them. And in some cases, by being five years older than back then, those people just want to continue staying put. It’s basically a different landscape for many of us now.

I’m not saying things are worse, just different. And some things may even be for the better.

I still wear a mask at stores and theaters. It’s not mainly Covid of which I am afraid—I want to be safe from the flu and even colds. And now, as one of the very few children who never got measles, (a fact of which I had always been so proud,) I have to worry about that killer, which has recently arrived in LA!

So, to answer the question I pondered in the title of this article—have we learned anything from the Covid pandemic in this handful of years—I think the smart people among us have. Now we just have to be careful because too many dumb ones are still out there.

I’m writing this one behind a veil of tears, so please forgive me if it’s not exactly coherent. (And even though I’m mentioning my feelings about these horrific events, none of it is about me; I just don’t know any other way to write.)

What we all feel like right now.

This country has always suffered sadness and tragedy, but in all my years, I have never witnessed anything as soul-crushing as this past month. Thank goodness I have not. And I pray that nothing like it ever happens again. Even the couple of years of Covid possibly pale beside it.

For some reason, all the pain for everyone involved came pouring out of me while watching Joni Mitchell sing Both Sides Now on the FireAid benefit concert last Thursday night.  Everything just caught up with me at once.  I was even mentioning her poignant performance to someone on Saturday, and started crying all over again. And in public.

Joni Mitchell, mirroring all of our broken hearts on FireAid. Photo by Karen Salkin, (off TV.)

It’s all so devastating, but the plane crash on January 29th, is one of the most heartbreaking events in my lifetime.  Especially the loss of so many figure skaters and their coaches and families. Maybe the crash is extra-horrific because the plane was just twenty minutes from landing safely, and passengers had already begun texting their loved ones to say that they’d see them very soon. Or perhaps it’s hurting my soul so much because I have always been involved in the world of skating from the periphery, first as a lifelong fan, and then as a media person who got invited to cover many competitions and shows, and then as a friend of the family who produced Champions On Ice, so I met, and actually hung-out with, many of the skaters for several years at the beginning of the 2000s. (Also, Mr. X’s cousin produced Stars On Ice for many years, so I met many of the cast and crew of that show over the years, as well.)

On top of all that, skating champion and commentator Dick Button died the next day. How eerie. He had lived a long life, so it would not necessarily be painful any other time, but this just added to the distress of the skating community.

No words necessary.

Here’s a timeline of the tragic events of last month, several of which will have repercussions for years to come. (I hope I have all of the dates right; those last four dates of the month are a blur.)

January 7—The Los Angeles fires began. And continued for weeks. They are among the very saddest events I’ve ever known. Pacific Palisades is very close to where I live, and I have always loved that area. Having discovered it the day after my 20th birthday, it’s always been magical to me. And the images of the utter and complete devastation of that little town are beyond heartbreaking, as are the ones of the Eaton Fire in Altadena. The extreme pain that thousands of people from these areas are suffering now is beyond comprehension. Both towns will take years to rebuild. There’s so much more to it than just building a house.  It’s causing me pain to even list it here right now.

Just one of the many LA fires. Photo by Karen Salkin, (off TV.)

January 20—Just when Los Angeles needs help the most in their history, (as will the rest of the country very soon,) here comes the exact opposite of assistance in the form of the inauguration of Orange Hitler. How is this happening at this late date??? He’s the embodiment of pouring salt in the wounds. I just hope that the world will be able to recover from him and his henchmen in four years time.

January 29—The all-fatal crash of the American Airlines flight with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter killed sixty-seven people! Twenty-eight of those, nearly half of the passengers on board the big plane, were members of the skating community returning from the recent Nationals. It’s not just the skaters and their families I feel awful for, of course—it’s all the people involved.

January 30—And then, the very next day, Dick Button, the doyen of the skating world for many decades, died. When I saw his name in the news, I actually thought it was because he was commenting on the crash.

January 30—The FireAid concert, which raised funds for victims of the LA fires, was performed and telecast.  It was wonderful not only in its entertainment value, but that so many artists came together so quickly to help others. And it was perfectly produced, (especially since they went back and forth between two venues, which could have been tricky,) by the Azoff family, who have done so much for LA in recent years, including saving the uber-famous eateries Nate ’n Al and The Apple Pan!

Pink singing her heart out.

The concert was a perfect combo of old and young artists across so many genres of music, and featured both new songs and classics. For me, Pink sang the best. And even though I’m not a fan of some of the acts, I actually appreciated them all. (Although, truth be told, I could have lived without the Nirvana and Red Hot Chili Peppers sections.)

The three speeches—by Billy Crystal, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jimmy Kimmel—were spot-on, as well.

But there were many elements of sadness to the evening, of course.  They rightfully showed features on the devastation from the fires, to remind us to donate to the relief efforts. It’s hard to wrap one’s head around just what these thousands of people are going through, and will continue to do for those years to come, many of them with no place to even live while trying to figure it all out.

But a surprising sadness that I experienced during the show came from the fact that so many of the older performers can not really sing anymore, though they made valiant efforts at doing so. They made me feel like I have finally lost my youth, and that affected me a bit, as well. That’s most likely a part of why Joni Mitchell’s performance hit me so hard.

The small plane crash in Philly. Photo by Karen Salkin, (off TV.)

January 31—And then came the private plane crash in Philly. But, very sadly, we all were almost inured to tragedy by then. All six people were killed, including a little girl on the way back to Mexico after being in the US for life-saving medical treatment. How absolutely tragic. And just the week before, a teen-age boy died after falling off a pole while celebrating the Eagles big win. And now the Eagles have to play in the Super Bowl this Sunday after these terrible events happened in their city.

This is all way too much heartbreak for people to endure.

And now with Orange Hitler’s insane tariff nonsense, things will only get worse for normal folks. So I don’t have high hopes for this month to be much better. At least it’s the shortest one.

As one of my pals ends all her emails, I can only say now: Onward and Upward. Let us hope and pray.

I can’t bear it; no normal person can.

I have many fun reviews and previews coming up this month in this e-zine, but I just could not continue with them before expressing my extreme sadness and disappointment with the people of this country.

This image speaks for all normal Americans.

Orange Hitler has contributed nothing to the world but chaos, stupidity, evil, and unintentional comedy.  (Although I can’t bear to even listen to monologues about him anymore.)

What is wrong with the idiots who voted for him???  I honestly cannot imagine what is in their heads. I would add, “Nor hearts,” but they obviously have none of those.  They have no brains, either.

The last time around, I asked some of the ones I personally know, and who are normal in several other ways, how they could possibly vote for someone so absolutely stupid.  And none of them could back it up.  At all.  The only one I asked about that decision this time answered, “Israel,” like Trump gives one whit about that country!  She couldn’t tell me what he’s doing for them, but had been brainwashed by her people to think it was something good.  It’s like the idiots who had the one word answer for why they weren’t voting for Hillary back then—“Benghazi.” When I asked them to explain it, not one of them had any idea how to do so; they couldn’t even tell me if it was a country, person, or event!!!

They all deserve what they will be getting. As for us normal folks, may heaven help us.

We must put one foot in front of the other and keep going. And pray that we’ll still be around in four years to correct this egregious wrong.

But I did think of something interesting that propelled me out of bed the morning after the election.  It’s this: Didn’t we learn from that dreadful January 6th insurrection, (when Trump the Lump told his demonic followers to kill Mike Pence, his own Veep,) that the Vice President of America is supposed to be the one to declare who the new President is? If so, why doesn’t current VP Kamala Harris just declare herself to be the next President??? I wonder how the Republicans would take that!  I would so love to see that, although I can’t imagine her doing it.

President Obama issued a statement much classier than my own, (of course.)  Here it is:

President Obama’s statement, as published.

“Over the last few weeks and through Election Day, millions of Americans cast their votes—not just for president, but for leaders at every level. Now the results are in, and we want to congratulate President Trump and Senator Vance on their victory.

“This is obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues. But living in a democracy is about recognizing that our point of view won’t always win out, and being willing to accept the peaceful transfer of power.

“Michelle and I could not be prouder of Vice President Harris and Governor Walz—two extraordinary public servants who ran a remarkable campaign. And we will always be grateful to the staff and volunteers who poured their heart and soul into electing public servants they truly believed in.

“As I said on the campaign trail, America has been through a lot over the last few years—from a historic pandemic and price hikes resulting from the pandemic, to rapid change and the feeling a lot of folks have that, no matter how hard they work, treading water is the best they can do. Those conditions have created headwinds for democratic incumbents around the world, and last night showed that America is not immune.

“The good news is that these problems are solvable—but only if we listen to each other, and only if we abide by the core constitutional principles and democratic norms that made this country great.

“In a country as big and diverse as ours, we won’t always see eye-to-eye on everything. But progress requires us to extend good faith and grace—even to people with whom we deeply disagree. That’s how we’ve come this far, and it’s how we’ll keep building a country that is more fair and more just, more equal and more free.”

Now please excuse me while I go find a sensory deprivation tank in which to spend the next four years.

I had started this article way back in April, but haven’t had time to finish and publish it since then; time-sensitive reviews, etc., took up all of my time. But these thoughts came up for me again when I saw the Derek Hough and his wife and Hayley dance together on Dancing With The Stars last week.

Derek and Hayley Hough dancing on Dancing With The Stars ten months after her health scare.

Because of what that couple has been through this past year, I’m now leaning towards reversing my long-held stance against marriage.  Just about eleven months ago, Hayley collapsed backstage while on a dance tour with Derek, was rushed to the hospital, and had an emergency craniectomy! If they hadn’t been married, he couldn’t have made the immediate decisions that may have saved her life! After several years of living together, they had just gotten married a little over three months prior to this terrifying medical incident, a decision they must be grateful for every day since. Their ordeal really does need to give us marriage-eschews pause.

The back of Hayley Hough’s head after her emergency surgery.

More recently, I was reading an Am I The A**hole post, (which is my new obsession—I highly recommend it, to realize that your own problems are not that bad,) and it brought the whole thing home to me again.

In the post, a young guy was upset that his live-in girlfriend, who is the love of his life, has never wanted to get married because she says she’s not “ready,” and now she’s still refusing to, even though she desperately wants them to have a baby, which they’ve actively been trying to do. He wound-up breaking-up with her because he feels that if she’s ready to have his baby, she should feel the same about them being married. And, very shockingly, after spending my whole life never believing in marriage, (even though, as you know, I’m madly in love with Mr. X,) I now totally agree with this guy.

So, for that guy’s potential baby even more than for him, I beg her to reconsider and marry the guy, which I can’t believe I’m honesty saying now! I never think a couple needs to be married to be parents, but when it’s so important to one partner of a long-time couple, why not?

Before I continue with my new thoughts on marriage, here are some of my reasons for always being against the institution:

Who is a stranger to “pronounce” us husband and wife??? It’s up to do us to do so.

How does a piece of paper make the relationship other than what it is??? It’s the same, good or bad, either way.

If one of us wanted to leave, why does it have to be complicatedly by that legality? It will either be okay enough or a mess, no matter what.

Some couples may be happy like this.

Getting back to the positives, there are, of course, different ways to join together in “holy matrimony.” My wonderful friends, Gina and Aaron, have my favorite “wedding” story. They were young and living in Aspen, and simply walked over to the courthouse and said they want to get married. Gina told me that the only question they were asked is…if they were siblings!!! How weird. They assured the officiant they are not related, gave the guy $10., and that was that! I love that story. And now they’re three kids in, and still going strong more than two decades later.

In my own life, Mr. X wanted to have a “surprise wedding” a couple of years into our relationship. (I know—everyone has always thought that he won’t marry me!) I told him he can’t uprise me with a wedding, but he said the surprise was not for me, but for our guests! He said we’ll invite them to a party, but when they get there, it would actually be our wedding! They would have all been shocked, and now I wish we had done that. But I asked him, “What about the gifts? I’m not getting married without receiving at least some bowls.” He hated that I needed gifts to get married, but came up with a funny idea, (which he was really joking about, but I liked it.) He said that after the ceremony, the guests would each spin a wheel with our gift choices on it, and they’d have to get us the one they landed on! I asked, “But what about our financially-challenged guests?,” to which he replied, “What they land on is what we’ll buy for them!” How did I not marry him right then and there?

So I told this story on my TV show, and then guess what? Several celebrities began having surprise weddings!!! Everyone in LA watched my show back then, so I have no doubt that it was Mr. X’s creation they were using.

Many couples want this.

The funny thing is that his business manager has always begged us to get married for legal and financial reasons, and my fam and people of my ethnic persuasion seem to think it’s a shonda to just live together, but I guess I’ve always been somewhat of a rebel.

Of course, whether or not to marry is always a personal decision. But after seeing what the Houghs went through, with Derek being Hayley’s husband and therefore being able to make the split decisions on her behalf which may seriously have saved her life, even my diehard-against-marriage self is perhaps changing my opinion on the state of matrimony.

So maybe all marriage-adverse couples should learn from them and at least have legal papers about the couple-ship, and carry them with around at all times. I hope no one ever needs them, but it’s a good idea.

If you have any thoughts on this topic, I’d love to read them in the Comments section below.

The Presidential Election will be here before we know it, (only two and a half weeks left,) so, being as calm as I can, and without calling anyone idiots or Nazis this time, I’m going to try to appeal to the smarter Republicans amongst you, just as your own *Geoff Duncan and *Adam Kinzinger did at the Democratic National Convention, to please, please, please not vote for Trump this go-round. *[Duncan wisely implored, “Republicans—a vote for Kamala Harris does not mean you’re a Democrat; it means you’re a patriot.” And Kinzinger, who was actually my favorite speaker there, ended his wonderfully enlightening, (to anyone who is willing to listen,) speech by saying, “We must put country first!”]

We cannot let this complete doofus run this country into the ground again! He ended his recent Town Hall with thirty-nine minutes of mixed tape music to which he nauseatingly “danced!” Ugh. Watch the video if you never want to eat again!

The bottom line is…we cannot have Trump as President of the United States again! If you want to go back to voting for your party’s presidential candidate next time, so be it. But there will be no America left if that lunatic gets back in. Most of us will be gone. Or dead. All because of him.

As background for this plea, I must tell you that I have never been a big fan of Michelle Obama, but what she said at the DNC is correct–we all have to help make sure that Trump, (whom I’m refraining from referring to as “Orange Hitler” just this once,) is not re-elected this time. It’s crucial to our democracy. So here I am.

And by the way, I’m not a gung-ho Kamala Harris fan, either. I’ve always recognized her brilliance and the good she’s done for this world. But I still find her nasality and constant giggling annoying. And I’m not happy at the thought of having to see her creepy stepdaughter all the time. I’m also upset that Walz is a hunter. (But that should actually attract MAGA morons.)

BUT—we absolutely cannot let that evil megalomaniac take over again!!! If it weren’t bad enough that he’s depraved, diabolical, and demonic, even worse is that he’s stunningly stupid!

And do not get me started on a sitting president inciting a riot for a mob to kill—I repeat—kill, his own Vice President!!! And he now states that that insurrection was “a day of love!” He’s downright delusional. If elected, he even admits that he will pardon the rioters who were caught, rightly convicted, and jailed! How dare he!

And the Republican’s manifesto, Project 2025, is so insanely sick. Please check into it, if you’re planning to vote for the piece of shit, before you make the biggest mistake of your lives. (I had heard of Project 25, so I knew it was bad, but I had no idea of the scope of it. If he gets elected with the power to enact these “evilities,” (a word I just coined here,) it will be the end of the United States as we now know it. Those of us who will be left in this country will have to begin living like the characters in that M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Village.

Believe it or not, some of my best friends are Republicans. And they’re good people otherwise. I haven’t asked them if they’re now embarrassed to have voted for that jackass, or if they’re planning to again. I don’t want to know because I doubt if I’ll be able to turn the other cheek this time; they have all the information now, so there’s no excuse for voting for that dangerous ignoramus.

Kamala Harris. Wouldn’t we all rather see this face all the time, leading the country in the right way?

I’m the first one to admit that, for me, this is not solely about Kamala Harris, although we all know that she’ll do a great job as leader of the free world. I would vote for my sister’s despicable husband, whom we refer to as Satan, over Trump the Lump. (That’s a new one I just came up with!) And that’s saying something! We have to make sure he doesn’t get in again. I hope that everyone learned that lesson the last time, when he did so much to ruin our country, even though I know that many toothless hillbillies and their ilk still do not know any better.

As to the DNC and RNC, I feel that all political conventions are crazy in their unbridled enthusiasm, with the speakers basically preaching to their choirs. But this Democratic one made some great points, especially by all the Republicans who spoke, which cannot be ignored.

On a side note, I’m still not over Hillary not winning in 2016 because of the totally unnecessary electoral college. I so wanted her to be our first female President. But I have to try to get over it now because all of our efforts need to be on making sure that Kamala Harris gets elected—our futures depend on getting it right in this election.

Please make it count in the right way, and vote for Harris for President!

Here’s a personal parable on the subject: When I was in the sixth grade, my friend next door, who was a boy and in the “2” class, (while I was, of course, in the “1,”) asked me to be his campaign manager when he ran for 6th grade Class President. That was very controversial at the time—a girl working with a boy, and a smart young lady at that, telling people to vote for a not-as-smart boy—so it was a very big deal. Especially because he was running against a girl in my class! In our speeches, we did the usual elementary school promises, such as putting soda in all the water fountains. And as stupid as that was, that was still more clever, and honest, than anything that comes out of Donald Trump’s ugly mouth. (My guy won, by the way. Did you ever doubt it?!)

So I’m begging you all to do the right thing and vote for Harris, giggling and all, so that we Americans will be able to have any semblance of normal lives left in America. She definitely has the smarts and fortitude to get us back on track.

With the recent spate of celebrity, (and in the case of Mr. X and me, friend,) deaths, I’ve been ruminating on a topic I’ve started to write about a few times in the past year or so. And that is that I implore everyone to please appreciate the living while we can.

Donald and Keifer Sutherland.

There are so many ways to do that, including with kindness, politeness, and making time for people. Even Kiefer Sutherland just said that he was sorry that he had not spent more time with his late father, Donald Sutherland. We always think there’s more time.

Of course, we should all be kind to everyone, but today I’m talking about being so to loved ones, especially our elders.

So my advice right now is mainly to take the time to ask them questions, both for your sake and theirs. When Mr. X and I would visit my little mother in her last few years, her favorite moments were when the three of us would sit in the living room, enjoying whatever snack I came up with, while she would regale us with tales from her younger years. Even if I had heard them before, I loved seeing the joy on her face as she remembered them.

Although I have little to regret when it comes to my treatment of my parents, (which according to both my parents’ friends and my own, was better than just about any other offspring they’ve ever seen,) I still often think of things I wish I had asked them when I had the chance.

One of the three times I had my little mother, May Rose Salkin, on my TV show. She was readign one of her famous poems, and one of her beautiful oil paintings was featured on the table. Photo by Mr. X.

I’m not saying I was perfect—my mother and I argued a lot after she was widowed, most likely because I spent so much time with her then. When I asked her why she often quibbled with me in those later years, she answered, “I’m just enjoying my favorite activity with my favorite child!” My parents had always bickered with each other, and when my father passed, a friend of mine pointed-out that I became his substitute as my mother’s sparring partner! My mother and I both knew we meant nothing by the quarreling; it was just our way.

But a few times, especially in recent years, I’ve noticed some of my younger pals being—how shall I put it?—a tad rude to their elders. And it chaps my hide. Besides that I abhor rudeness of any kind, in regard to impertinence to parents, my heart aches for both parties, but especially for the young ones, knowing that if they have any semblance of a heart, they will regret their behavior down the line.

May Rose and Karen Salkin in Aspen. Photo by INAM staff.

One more suggestion is to take tons of photos, with everyone who is even the least bit important to you. Several times in the past few years, people have offered to take a pic of me with someone, and I stupidly declined, either because I thought I didn’t look good or I just didn’t want to bother the picture-taker nor the other person who would be in the photo. I have so many regrets about those times. That’s a lesson learned the very hard way.

There’s not much more to say on this subject. I’m just imploring everyone to please take my words to heart, and try to keep yourself in check to act accordingly. Revere the ones who deserve it while you still can.

There has been so much on my mind since yesterday that I feel the need to address it all right now. Some sad, some happy, some perplexing. But all of them interesting.

So here are a few of my recent thoughts:

DONALD SUTHERLAND DEATH

I was shocked when I read that Donald Sutherland had died. I had no idea that he had been unwell for a while. Even though the prolific actor was eighty-eight-years-old, my heart still sank.

Donald Sutherland.

I met Donald Sutherland only once, but he surprised me by just how sweet and intense he was. It was at the opening night after-party for a show he was starring in in L.A. The single and attractive friend I had brought along really wanted to meet him. So even though I really do not like to bother the toast of a soiree, I went over to laud him, just so she could chime in. And he did not take his eyes off mine for the next ten or fifteen minutes! He asked me everything! He was not trying to hit on me at all—he was just a nice person who seemed to be interested in others. I really appreciated my very brief time with the man.

And I have to apologize to Donald Sutherland for something. And that is thinking he was going to be the killer in my favorite TV show in years, The Undoing. But that’s how good of an actor he was—he tricked even my honed detective skills!

And now, my heart goes out to his family, fans, and friends, especially our great mutual pal, Elliott Gould, who has had a forever-bond with Donald ever since they starred in the classic movie M*A*S*H together. I’ll ask him to tell me a story or two about the Canadian legend this week.

R.I.P., Donald Sutherland.

JJ REDICK

New Lakers coach JJ Redick, speaking nicely with a ref in the past, which will most likely not be the case now!

As I predicted on Monday, the Los Angeles Lakers hired former NBA player JJ Redick as their new Head Coach, despite the fact that he has never served in that capacity anywhere before. Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla, who just shepherded that team to the NBA championship, is perhaps the youngest coach ever at thirty-five, (he’ll be thirty-six at the end of this month,) but he had been an assistant coach in small colleges forever, and he come up through the ranks to sort-of luck into the Celtics head coach position a couple of years ago. That’s the hard coaching path that he took, and most pro coaches have similar ones.

As I stated just a few days ago in this e-zine, (in my article about Danny Hurley turning the position down, which you can still read here: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/basketballkarens-thoughts-danny-hurleys-excellent-decision,) JJ Redick has never even coached Little League, let alone anywhere else. He’s never even been an assistant coach in college! He’s never done anything more than play ball in high school and college and the NBA. And he’s been a commentator for the past couple years. But, again, never any kind of coach. (And trust me, I researched him quite a bit to make sure I was correct!)

Part of Joe Mazzulla’s coaching history.

So, I don’t really predict great things for him in the pro league. His contract is for four years, but I have a feeling that the Lakers will suck at the beginning of the season, and JJ will be gone by December. I really feel that they needed to hire a veteran coach, such as Jeff Van Gundy or Mark Jackson or Mike Brown, but oh well. As many of you know, even though I love Los Angeles, in general, more than anyone else I’ve ever met, I just have never gotten behind the Lakers. So there you have it.

BRONNY JAMES PREDICTION

Now to continue on the Laker tip, here’s what I think will happen here. I feel that LeBron James struck a backroom deal* with the Laker powers-that-be to make sure that his son, Bronny James, gets on the team with him. And if they do not choose him in the draft, (or even after the draft because he’s not really a hot commodity, and for sure not one of the sixty best players coming into the league, so in a fair world, he would still be available after the draft ends,) then LeBron and his son will go elsewhere. *[Note: I just read that their agent is declaring that they are not a “package deal,” but I beg to differ. So we’ll see.]

LeBron and Bronny James.

So, to any NBA teams who are reading this, here’s what you need to do: Unless you have first, second, or third pick in the Draft, if you’re ahead of the Lakers’ #17 choice, you should choose Bronny just to be able to trade him to the Lakers. Even though he doesn’t seem to be a great player himself, (which means that a team couldn’t get much in a trade for him,) I feel that the Lakers will do anything to get him, to keep LeBron James on the team. So if you choose Bronny before the Lakers can, you can basically write your own ticket of just whom and what you want in exchange for the kid! That would be a genius move, (even if I do have to say so myself.)

By the way, I really do want to see a father and son play together in the NBA, and this will be our best chance for that. I applaud LeBron for being such a dedicated father. Even though he’s still a great player, I don’t know if he would still be playing if it were not for the opportunity to play on the same team as his son. So I really hope that it will come to pass, and in this upcoming season, for sure. (But what’s LeBron going to do when his second son comes up in the world??? I’ll ponder that question some other time. As you can see, I have enough on my mind for one day!)

CAITLIN CLARK

I’ve honestly never seen anything like this in pro sports before—opponents being allowed to harm a fellow player with no repercussions from the league! It’s disgusting. By that I mean both the treatment of Caitlin Clark and the non-calls and no fines for the offenders.

Caitlin is not only the best player in the WNBA in quite awhile, but she’s also the only reason that any of the other players in the league are having people see them play. Just about no one has been interested in seeing women play basketball before this season, and now they finally have someone who is so good and intriguing that she’s selling out the previously empty arenas!

Just one recent incident against Caitlin Clark, (on the left,) as she’s about to get battered by a 235 pound opponent!

Plus, the teams have had to fly commercial all these years, (and I highly doubt it was even in Business Class,) but because of Caitlin, they are finally having charter flights. They need to be grateful for the girl, not evil to her!

It’s bad enough that she’s been left off the Olympics team, which, of course, she’s been more than gracious about, but she’s getting thrown around by bigger women, on purpose. And no one is doing anything to help her.

I hate to say it, but I agree with everyone else that it’s about race. (I would say that if it was the other way around, too.) And jealousy. All those other women, especially the ones Caitlin played against in college, (yes, you, Angel Reese,) are so jealous of her that it’s making them extra-crazy. And they need to stop it this very second before someone gets really hurt.

The refs need to really take charge. And, very shamefully, Caitlin needs to have a bodyguard with her.

But most importantly, the WNBA Commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, needs to issue a warning. She can make it generic, such as, “If any player harms another player, they will be suspended indefinitely, effective immediately.” Dot, dash, end of story.

LOS ANGELES JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Photo by Nina Herzog.

I hope you all read my preview of this local annual film festival the other day, (here’s the link, in case you missed it: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/upcomingmovies-los-angeles-jewish-film-festival-2024-preview,) and that many of you were at the Opening Night Gala the other night. I wasn’t planning on also doing a review of it, but the event was so excellent, that I just have to tell you a little bit about it. And remind you that the festival is happening right now, and advise that, if you’re in SoCal, you should check out all their other offerings.

My friend Nina and I were overwhelmed by the number of people who turned out for the opening night. It was at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, which has a massive auditorium, and it was absolutely packed! We got there a little bit before 7PM, when it was due to start, and the line of well-dressed ticket holders was already around the block.

The reception came first; I really didn’t know what to expect in the way of food, but it was all delicious! And plentiful. The buffets featured several kinds of finger foods, and Nina and I loved it all. There were mini knishes, (of course,) hotdogs in “blankets,” chicken fingers, beef “cigars,” and vegetables on one table, and on another was Chinese food, (also of course.)

In addition to cut-up fruits, the desserts were marble cake and some mini pastries, such as cheese danishes.

The snack table! Photo by Karen Salkin.

And then, we made the most incredible discovery at the other end of the spacious lobby-–a whole table full of all kinds of packaged treats! It was a snack bonanza. There were tiny chocolates, crunchy quinoa chocolates in several different flavors, and Hawaiian sea salt macadamia nuts. That was my favorite area, of course.

There were also different alcoholic beverages. I don’t drink, but I believe I saw bottles of wine and vodka.

And the movie itself, Guns and Moses, was very good. Even though I knew it was a crime drama, it had me jumping several times. There were fun surprises and even a bit of humor. I’m going to try to attend some of the other films in the Festival, and I hope to see many of you there.

I was glad to see a serious security force all over the venue. And we had to go through metal detectors, which, in this day and age, I really appreciated.

www.lajfilmfest.org

BLUE BIRDY SPORTS BAR AND CAFE

Blue Birdy in WeHo. Photo by Karen Salkin.

My glowing review of this new eatery on the Sunset Strip is coming on Monday, so please be sure to look for it then. Here’s a quick preview: The picky Mr. X loved what he ate there! And you will not believe what his favorite dish is. You can try guessing, but I doubt you will get it. So remember to check back early next week to see how you fare.

And not to brag, but I totally predicted it! Actually, I definitely am bragging.

For those of you who don’t know what I’m talking about, I’m going to tell you. If you do know, please bear with me a second while I quickly describe the situation.

Danny Hurley and his UConn team.

Danny Hurley, (my fellow Capricorn,) is the Head Coach of the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team, which has won the last two college championships. I cannot tell you what a big deal it is to win even one, but two is amazing. And two in a row puts you in the highest echelon there is. Very few teams and coaches have been able to achieve that.

So now he has the possibility of making it three in a row next year, which only the amazing Coach Wooden of the UCLA teams of yesteryear has achieved. (His teams actually won seven in a row!)

Darvin Ham and Doc Rivers will be coaching together in Milwaukee next season.

Meanwhile, after the Lakers made it only as far as the first round of the NBA play-offs this year, their coach, Darvin Ham, was fired pretty quickly. The Lakers actually have a recent history of not giving coaches a lot of time to get the job done. (On a side note, I’m thrilled that Darvin is back with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he is beloved by the players, as the top Assistant Head Coach. I have a feeling that if they don’t start next season perfectly, they will dump current Head Coach, Doc Rivers, for Darvin! Mark my words.)

So the Lakers have been on the hunt for a new coach, and the only name that was being bandied about in public was JJ Redick. I thought they were nuts to look at JJ; he’s been a college player and an NBA player, and is now one of the color analysts on NBA games, (including being on the broadcast team who was chosen to call the Finals, which is a big deal in that field.) But…he has never coached on any level! He has not been a college coach, nor an assistant coach in the league, nor even a high school one. At first I couldn’t figure-out why the Lakers would even look at someone with zero experience for the job, and then the answer came to me—JJ is the podcast partner of none other than…Lakers star LeBron James. Of course.

A trio of Hurleys: (L-R) Danny, dad Bob, Sr., and brother Bobby.

Then all of a sudden, about a week ago, it came out that the Lakers were going after Danny Hurley, which takes us back to the beginning of this article which explains that he’s the coach of the very successful UConn team. And he’s surrounded by other successful coaches in his own fam. His father was the storied Head Coach at St. Anthony High School in their native New Jersey, and his older brother Bobby was not only a star at Duke, then a player in the NBA, (whose career got a bit derailed by a bad car accident,) but is now the coach at Arizona State University. So I’m sure that Danny has received a lot of good advice from them.

The Lakers talked to him, and are purported to have offered him a six-year $70 million contract. One of the things that recommended him to coach not only an NBA team, but one of the most successful ones of all time, (even though he had never even been an assistant coach in the league,) is that his team strategies are so successful that NBA teams have been examining them to adopt for themselves.

So Danny just came out here to meet with the Lakers powers-that-be last week. And it seemed that just every sports analyst, commentator, and pundit said that he would take the Lakers gig.

But I said he would not. And I have Mr. X as my witness.

Victorious Danny Hurley.

So here are my thoughts on why I thought Danny Hurley would choose to stay in Connecticut, which is exactly what he wound-up doing.

First of all, he’s the biggest fish in a much smaller pond than being a coach in the NBA. Second of all, he is a god to that school; I am sure that he is not put upon by the people who run the University, as he would be by the Lakers owners and management personnel. Not to mention the L.A. fans would be all over him every second if the Lakers lost even a few games. He would have peace as an NBA coach only if he was constantly winning. At UConn, they will love him for the rest of his life, no matter what happens from here on out.

Also, in college, his players absolutely adore him! They feel they’re in the presence of greatness, and consider themselves super-lucky to be coached by him, (which they actually are.) Do you think there’s even a small possibility that NBA players are going to feel like that? Not a chance. He’d have to deal with all the personalities of every player who feels that he should have more or different playing time, or think that the coach shouldn’t say anything to him, or whatever. To manage those kinds of personalities takes someone very special and patient, such as Gregg Popovich, Pat Riley, or even the Mavericks current coach Jason Kidd. Danny Hurley would not be able to deal with any of that. He’s just a different kind of guy.

Danny Hurley appears to be a very intense guy. During the college tournament, (March Madness,) he even wears the same pair of underpants to every game. (His wife has to travel with a portable washing machine to help with that unique situation!) He also travels with a picture of the championship trophy so that his guys look at it every day. He has all kinds of other little peccadilloes, as well. I have no judgment on those because I’m very superstitious myself, (although I could not imagine wearing the same anything every day. But oh well.)

Danny Hurley and his UConn winning one of their two NCAA Championships.

As of now*, his contract at UConn gives him $31.5 million for six years, so he’s taking a lot less than the Lakers offered him. But I have a feeling that Danny feels about things like this as I do—that money is not everything. It would be nice to have that kind of income, of course; however, happiness and comfort for yourself and your family are of paramount importance at all times. *[Note: But I believe that UConn is planning on upping his salary to $50 million for that same time span now, saying it’s because of his Championships, but it’s most likely also to make staying there more attractive to him. That’s still $20 million less than he would have made with the Lakers, though. Not a financial discrepancy to sneeze at.]

So I totally applaud Danny Hurley for making the decision that he did. By staying at UConn, he’s going to have the chance to three-peat his college championship. And that, to Danny Hurley and yours truly, is worth more than gold. [Sidebar: I predict that the Lakers will now go back to JJ Redick for the coaching position. And that they will also sign LeBron’s son to play for them this year. Mark my words on this prediction, too.]

But now I have to decide how this will affect me. After all these years that I’ve been rooting for UCLA, Gonzaga, and URI, (where Danny coached for six years, but I cheer for them because it’s my favorite of the four colleges I attended,) I finally feel that I have to go with UConn next year. You go, bulldogs.

The Yankees Juan Soto and Aaron Judge.

One last sports note that’s more in my rooting arena: I just hope that the Yankees new star, Juan Soto, will feel the same way as Danny Hurley does when it comes to his new contract next year! There will definitely be a mega-bidding war for him, and we fans are all just hoping and praying that he remembers how much he’s enjoying playing with Aaron Judge and company, even if the Yanks can’t offer him the absolute biggest contract. From my mouth to God’s ear!

It seems that everyone is ragging on Jennifer Lopez these days. Yes, she has cancelled her tour, and had less-than-successful career offerings in the past few months, but I don’t know if she is exactly the correct one to blame in the Bennifer saga. Ben Affleck has always seemed kind of hard-to-deal-with to me and a bit gross, to boot, with his smoking and drinking and little teeth.

Jennifer Lopez from THIS  with ARod…

There definitely does seem to be trouble in their paradise. But I have a bold prediction for you guys: I think that Jennifer just may get back together with her former fiancé, Alex Rodriguez. Let me explain.

First of all, that girl can never be single. She’s always had one boyfriend or husband or another since she first burst on the scene waaaay back in the day. (She’s been married four times with another four serious long-term beaus.) So even though I believe that somehow Ben Affleck is the love of her life, if they do break-up, she’ll feel the need to get with another guy right away, and, at fifty-five-years-old next month, she has to work fast.

I have to admit that I was semi-crushed when JLo and ARod split up. It brought me back to Sonny and Cher’s break-up, and made me feel bad all over again. I’m actually not kidding—I thought that J-Rod, (as they were referred to,) was a perfect duo. He had always had a crush on her and she’s always…well, let’s leave it at that they’ve both always loved her!

…to THIS with Ben.

I hate to even know this myself, but Mr. X reads celebrity gossip, (only on sites that also feature politics, medical info, and real news, though,) and he’s been telling me for a while that Ben and Jen will probably break-up soon. I do feel that Ben is most likely the love of her life, and I know that no one can help whom they love, but I don’t know how she could be with him to begin with.

Here are some reasons I say that:

~ JLo is totally into working-out and having the strongest, best-looking body around, so I’ve been shocked that she chose to be with someone who doesn’t have those same interests. Whereas she and ARod loved going to the gym together and were totally aligned in their health pursuits, Ben does not look like he works-out, at all! He has that kind of soft, pudgy, dad bod. I don’t understand how she could go from sleeping with ARod’s chiseled body to sleeping with Ben’s. It’s pretty hard to understand.

~ And how can she be with someone who’s always smoking?! Ugh. I have no idea how she kisses someone with cigarette breath. I would throw-up if I had to do that. I recently asked a friend who has a husband who also smokes how she could make-out with him and she said that she can’t. She told me she hasn’t kissed him for years, plus she makes him try to get rid of the smell and taste as much as he can before he even comes to bed.

~ Okay, I’m making myself sick with all that bad breath talk! But he bites his nails, too!!! Yuck.

~ And, I almost forgot—Ben’s also an alcoholic!

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. It’s a tad weird that they always look miserable, but are still holding hands!

What I don’t like about the whole thing is that when Jennifer and Alex broke up, she made it seem like it was just because of stuff between the two of them. There was a rumor that Alex had “slid into the DMs” of some reality show woman, but nothing was ever said about it in that time period after the split, so I doubt that was it. And they own(ed) several entities together, so that was a lot of drama to get through, even though it was never out in the public.

But from all my detective work on the subject, it appears that Ben had emailed Jen out of the blue at the beginning of that year, and then all of a sudden, she and Alex broke-up, and she was back with Ben. So that must’ve been in the works between the two of them before she left Alex.

By the way—for those of you who don’t know, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were engaged over two decades ago before breaking it off partly due to “excessive media attention.” (I remember seeing them on TV doing an interview from their backyard, and there was a boat in the background carrying people grabbing surreptitious pix of them.)

Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez, and all of their kids. Doesn’t that look like a happy family?

So I’m thinking that all this drama with Ben 2.0—from his unpleasantness at the Grammys last year, to them always being photographed looking miserable, to him always yelling at her, to them supposedly living separately now—is making her realize how good she had it with Alex. You always saw them smiling and laughing, and their four kids (two of hers and two of his from previous marriages) looking so happy to be with one another, and she and Alex were always at the gym together, and they had made it through the difficulty of being together 24/7 during the pandemic. Perhaps harking back to all that will lead to the realization that ARod is who she really should be with, if he will even still have her, which I feel that he would. He hasn’t gotten serious with anyone in these last few years, and he just always has some nothing-looking blonde girlfriend or another with him, so I don’t think he’s serious with anyone.

He may make Jennifer grovel a bit, which I wouldn’t blame him for, but I can definitely see them back together. And one thing that I always picture is when she received the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, and she was thanking people including her kids, and then she thanked Alex who was standing in the crowd just beaming for her, and she kind of giggled as she said his name. I hope she notices that that’s the kind of look she should have on her face when she talks about someone, not the scowling that she and Ben are always photographed doing. (During that acceptance speech, she addressed Alex in the audience, saying,“Alex. You’re like my twin soul. We’re like mirror images of each other. You know, my life is sweeter and better with you in it because you make me realize that every day, the sky is not the limit, the universe is infinite, and so is what we can accomplish together with love and trust and understanding. There’s so much more to do, to experience, and there is no one I’d rather do it with. You’re my macho baby, and I love you.”)

Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez.

So, to sum-up, not only do I hope that Jennifer and Alex get back together, but I predict that they will. And remember—you read it here first!

Addendum: Just when I was about to publish this, I had a glimpse in my mind of having written some of these thoughts before. And then I found that I had! I wrote an article about them when Bennifer first got back together in 2021. So here’s the link to my more in-depth look at some of it, right as it was happening back then!: itsnotaboutme.tv/news/gossipkarens-thoughts-my-issues-with-jennifer-lopezs-new-old-relationship.

I’m sorry that it has taken me so long to address the incredibly sad health issue that Princess Kate is going through right now. I needed a bit of time me to gather my thoughts on the subject, outside of being horrified that this poor graceful woman has some form of cancer.

But today is actually the perfect time to discuss the situation, being that it’s right before Mother’s Day, (well, here in America, anyway,) and Kate is a wonderful mom to her three adorable children.

Princess Kate and the fam on their most recent outing together, which was on Christmas!

And just two weeks ago, Catherine and William celebrated their thirteenth wedding anniversary. So it’s nice that they’ve been on their supporters’ minds for something other than sadness lately.

I was in the middle of a bad cold when Kate’s plight was announced a little over a month ago. I was falling asleep on the couch while watching the NCAA basketball tournament when a “special report” broke into the telecast in the middle of the day. I never thought for one second that the newscaster was going to say the words, “Princess Kate has announced that she has cancer.” I sat right up, in shock, and then ran to find Mr. X to share the painful news with him.

My health has gotten all better since then; I just pray that Kate’s does, as well, and very soon.

Kate looking like a shell of herself, but still putting in the effort, on March 22, 2024, when she made her shocking cancer announcement.

I adore that girl. I’m still not over the fact that, when the royal brothers hosted that 2007 Concert For Diana, when Wills and Kate were broken-up, Kate didn’t get to sit with the princes. I was relieved when I saw that she got to at least attend with the rest of their pals, but I so wanted the couple to be seated together. So when they got back together shortly after that, and then engaged, the only person happier than yours truly was Kate herself!

Regular INAM readers may recall how into their Royal Wedding I was in April 2011. These are some of my thoughts that I shared about Princess Catherine on her wedding day back then:

“Kate is just perfect for this regal position. The royal family were very lucky to get her. And I’m afraid that she was the star of the day, by far, even though it was supposed to be about the Prince taking a bride to be the future Queen.”

“I loved her dress and her hair down and her perfect body. She looked like a Barbie doll, with her tiny waist and upper body.”

“I think that she actually gets prettier all the time.”

“She never even once had any superfluous movement during the entire ceremony, and only twice moved her hair back on the balcony around the time of the kiss. What a woman.”

“Kate looks great from all angles. She’s not gorgeous like a model, but she’s truly beautiful–like a breath of fresh air. She’s possibly the most beautiful bride in history, at least equal to Grace Kelly. And that’s saying something!”

“She’s one bride whose wedding had to far exceed her expectations from when she was a little girl, no matter how grand her imaginings were.”

Kate and Wills kissing on the balcony on their wedding day.

“As much as I loved it all, I do wish that William had turned around to watch Kate walk down the aisle. I’m assuming protocol said he couldn’t do that, but seeing it on TV will never be what seeing her walk in person would have been. [Note: At least one commentator said he did sneak a peek, for just a second, but it was when the camera was off him, so I don’t know how she made that assumption. But I’m really hoping it’s correct.]”

“And I also wish that they could have smiled and interacted more, but, by the way they appeared to be holding their smiles in, I have a feeling they were told not to smile more because that’s not really royal.”

“I can’t believe I’m such a sucker for romance that I actually loved that the happy couple shared two kisses with the public. And they were good ones, too!”

Back to 2024 now. My admiration of the Royal Princess has never waned. It’s actually even grown as she became a mother to one, two, and then three. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt that she’s so physically beautiful; if we fans could have designed a dream princess, Catherine is exactly what she would look like.

I hope that Princess Kate will be back to looking this happy and radiant really soon!

Outside of all that, it’s shameful that the poor woman had to share the sad and worrisome news with the world because some troll was about to leak it, and she very rightfully wanted the revelation to be on her terms. First of all, it’s absolutely none of our business. But much, much worse is that it’s not fair to her children. Who knows if Kate and William were going to tell them the truth, or when, but now they had no choice. Most other people in the world can shield their young charges from news like this; it’s a shonda that the Royals did not get that luxury.

So now I send my great thoughts and wishes to Kate for a full and quick recovery. Her children, husband, Royal Family, and actually the entire world, needs her kindness and classiness right now and forever.

I know I’m not alone in wishing for a speedy and easy recovery for the beloved Princess Kate.