Wow! That’s the only word I can think of to describe the reaction we’ve received so far to this project.

When I first conceived this idea a few years back, I kept it to myself. I didn’t even tell it to Dad. I was scared. I wasn’t sure if people would take to it or if I would be ridiculed. I also wasn’t sure it was doable.

I kept quiet but worked on it and my fears started to fade. Slowly I began to spill the beans. Spill is the wrong. I dribbled, the beans. I would drop the topic in conversation to see if anyone picked up on it. I would pose the idea as a hypothetical. I eventually got the nerve to tell a few close friends and family members. Finally, I worked up the gumption to talk openly about it. Apparently, I had nothing to worry about.

Since we went public, we have gotten nothing but positive feedback. The other night I shared the news with my cousin. Her response? “What took you so long?” She meant it in a very loving way.

Even more so than the support of family and friends has been the response from the outside world. A comedy friend donated a sizeable amount of money to the project. He sent me the check with the nicest note on how he’s anxious to see this film completed. The check was wonderful but his support and encouragement was mind blowing.

And we are making strides on the film.

• I spent an afternoon with Dad and did some rough filming. I asked questions and Dad answered as only he can. It was a fun day and I got some great stories and quotes.
• Along these lines, I had the opportunity to go through some of Dad’s files and found some amazing pictures. My co-producer, Sophia, even found an interview with Gene that I don’t remember ever seeing. Funny part, Gene doesn’t remember ever doing it!
• We started selling t-shirts to raise funds. We sold out our first batch and had to put in another order – only to have those all sold before the order arrived. I adore working with ComedyCoupleTees.com. If you need specialized shirts or looking for a funny tee, give them a gander.
• We also started getting in stories and pictures of Mentees of Dad’s. They are terrific and fun to read through. In a lot of cases the stories bring up wonderful memories. I did get a message from one writer who said she wanted to send in her story but didn’t because “she’s a nobody.” I assured her that wasn’t the case and that we wanted everyone’s story, including hers. And yours…so please send those in.
• We also learned that Mentees is the correct word for someone who is mentored. Who knew?
• Most exciting of all was we had a very successful meeting with a production company. The staff we met with (electronically…we’re not breaking any social distancing rules) was enthused and excited about the project. They gave us tasks and we have another meeting coming up. I don’t know the end result but their enthusiasm for the project was contagious.

We value your support and encouragement as we dive deep into this undertaking. The hardest part so far has been not allowing this to take over. As I said before, it’s a cliché but this really is a labor of love and I’m enjoying every step immensely.

Linda

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