JACKIE COLLINS, RIP

I was as shocked as everyone else when I read that Jackie Collins had passed away last month. Even though it had been two years since we talked, I felt like I had just seen her!

Jackie and her young daughters, back in the day.

It’s taken me a little while to process the news, (which is why I’m so late with this column,) but now I thought of a good way to pay tribute to her. It’s actual one of my very favorite life stories that happened many years ago, and Jackie is a major part of it. Here it is:

In the early days of doing my show, Karen’s Restaurant Revue, I had a phone service that people could call after each episode. When I got a message saying that Angie Dickinson had called me, Mr. X and I both thought, “Yeah, right.” But because I always called everybody back, I dialed that number, as well. And to my shock, it was Angie! [Note: She’s still one of my best friends, from that day on.]

She said she knew that I was a member of the Laugh Factory Ensemble improv troupe, and that we performed there every Wednesday, and she really didn’t want to take me away from my gig, but she wanted to invite me to this big charity event in Beverly Hills, and could I possibly come to it with her, and her friends, too. I was flabbergasted, but unbelievably thrilled, so of course I said yes.

Angie Dickinson and Jackie Collins, but from a different night than the one we first met. Can’t you just see why these two beautiful, classy women were pals?!

When I happily accepted, she exclaimed, “I’m so happy! Jackie Collins said we couldn’t get you!” To this day, I still cannot believe that Angie Dickinson and Jackie Collins were sitting around trying to figure out if they could “get me” to come with them to a major show business event!

Then Angie said that Jackie had told her that I have an “adorable boyfriend,” and Jackie wanted to know if he’d be able to make it, too. This whole conversation was OMG!

Before we left to meet Angie, and then go for pre-event cocktails at Sammy Cahn’s house, (yes, that Sammy Cahn,) Mr. X asked if I was going to bring my camera. I didn’t want to annoy anyone, so I left my camera at home. (What was I thinking??? I guess I just wasn’t, period. What a big shame.) But as we were leaving the Cahn’s to go to the big fete, Jackie, Angie, and Sammy’s wife, Tita, all insisted on having pictures of the group! I’m the only one who doesn’t have those wonderful souvenirs of a beautiful evening. (Maybe that’s why I take multiple pictures of everything now. Or maybe just because it’s easier with modern technology.)

Jackie and her husband, Oscar, could not have been more lovely to me the entire evening. She even told me that her daughter, Rory Lerman, was crushed when Rory’s best friend called me and came to my show by herself, without bringing Rory, who had really wanted to come. Of course, I told Jackie to tell her daughter that she could come to the show anytime she wanted. And leave her best friend at home!

This was taken the last time I saw Jackie. Photo by Lauren Clarke-Bennett.

I still cannot believe that I was hanging out with the beautiful, elegant Jackie Collins! It was surreal to even see all those people so up-close and personal, which would have been enough for me. But being a member of such an amazing group of luminaries is still one of the highlights of my life.

The last time I saw Jackie was a couple of years ago at an opening night at the Ahmanson Theater. She proudly told me that Rory is now a published author herself, and asked me to check-out her book. I just figured I’d see Jackie again soon because we’re both always out and about in LA. I was as shocked as everyone else when I read that she had passed away a couple months ago. I actually let out an audible gasp.

I feel terrible for her daughters, sister, and great friends, like Angie. But Jackie Collins can really rest in peace knowing that she has definitely left her mark on the world.

RIP, Jackie Collins.