![\"Paul](\"http:\/\/itsnotaboutme.tv\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/paulryan-e1431322019657.jpg\")
<\/a>Paul Ryan.<\/p><\/div>\n
It’s amazing how far his influence reached; I had recently left several messages for a new facialist, to get an appointment.\u00a0 When she finally called me back, she said she hadn’t worked that week because of some deaths.\u00a0 She mentioned that one was Paul Ryan.\u00a0 I had met this woman only once, yet here we were, commiserating about the loss of a mutual pal, which I had not known about until she just told me in passing!<\/p>\n
Paul and I had some crazy times together in those early years, and many of them rushed to the forefront of my mind when I heard the sad news.\u00a0 I know Paul would have rathered I focus on those happy memories, instead of feeling so sad that he’s no longer on this level of life.<\/p>\n
The most prominent remembrance is of having an improv troupe together.\u00a0 Paul didn’t even perform<\/em> in it\u2014he chose the the company and ran the whole thing!\u00a0 We became the resident group at the Laugh Factory.\u00a0 I had never even done improv before I met Paul, even though I had hung-out with people like Robin Williams at one point.\u00a0 (Actually, maybe that’s why<\/em> I had never done it; Robin was overpowering, while Paul was nurturing.) Paul had requested that I show up one night at the class he taught at his home in Beverly Hills. Of course, I complied, and when I heard him call for \u201cKaren\u201d to come up to do the next skit, I looked around to see who else had my name. When I realized that Paul was calling on me<\/em>, and would not take no for an answer, I almost threw-up! But up to the stage I went, and never looked back. What a valuable experience he afforded me!<\/p>\n Besides work, we did a lot of fun, and some nutty, things together.\u00a0 We rode in the one and only Hollywood Easter Parade; I felt like an idiot doing it, but Paul just told me to wave to the crowd, and enjoy.\u00a0 He roped me into judging a dance contest at a spiritual place he belonged to.\u00a0 We saw Patti LaBelle and Arsenio Hall perform at Universal\u200f, with Paul being thrilled when I brought him backstage to meet them after the show.\u00a0 And even Mr. X came with me to a New Year’s Eve party of Paul’s, complete with a midnight candle ceremony in his massive bedroom that doubled as a stage.<\/p>\n When Paul guest hosted on a morning network TV show, he had me on as a guest.\u00a0 We always supported each other.\u00a0 What he did, so did I.\u00a0 Even though he had tons of gal pals, he always included me.<\/p>\n Perhaps the most fun event we ever went to together was George Burns’ 90th birthday party! I had met a couple of older gents who were fans of my show, who were also George’s dear friends, and they invited me to the soiree.\u00a0 I didn’t have the confidence to go because I thought I’d feel way too out of my league there. \u00a0So I called Paul.\u00a0 I knew he’d have the confidence for both of us! I’m sure we were the two youngest people there, but we had a blast!<\/p>\n