Thanks for stopping by. Unlike “celebrity gossip” sites, I don’t “dish the dirt” about people in the public eye. I prefer to focus on celebrities who use their public persona to make the world a better place and inspire us to do the same.
I hope these interviews and posts on Celebrity Scribe offer you some wisdom, comfort, laughter, or clarity that help you shine even brighter than you already do, so you can be the star of your own life—because I’ve learned in talking with some of the most creative, intelligent, and talented people in the world that the things we have in common are greater than the differences that separate us.
My career as a “celebrity writer” began when I was offered my own five-page monthly Q&A column called “Up Close and Personal” in Luxury Las Vegas, an upscale magazine. Every month for ten years, I interviewed famous actors, musicians, sports figures, TV hosts, fashion designers, and authors.
I always started the interview by asking each person the same 10 or so thought-provoking questions. Then I’d ask them about their latest record, book, film. It was a different approach than they were used to, and they found it refreshing.
It’s important to understand that many of them have experienced the same fears and challenges that we have. Some were adopted, abandoned, or abused. Others were born into poverty, were bullied, or discriminated against for the color of their skin or being LGBTQ+. They may have lost a child, had a child with a disability, lost a spouse through death or divorce, or battled cancer. No matter one’s accomplishments, we all deal with life. It’s a common bond that unites us.
Mick Fleetwood stayed on the phone for two hours, as did Lionel Richie, because questions like “What three words best describe who you are,” or “What five people, dead or alive, would you invite to a dinner party,” really made them think.
Bette Midler said, “No one ever asked me that before.”
Music mogul Clive Davis said it was the best interview he ever did.
Beyonce’s mom, Tina Knowles, said she was going to ask her daughter and her son-in-law, JAY Z (the subject of one of my feature stories) those same questions the next time they were around the dinner table.
Wynonna Judd called me sister-friend, and Sir Anthony Hopkins told me to call him Tony.
Carlos Santana (who I interviewed 4 times) and his wife, drummer Cindy Blackman Santana, sent me 24 long stem white roses after I did a story about their wedding.
I was touched by the diversity of heartfelt answers I received each month.
Sometimes I’d interview couples e.g. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw or Amy Grant and Vince Gill. I talked with the husbands and wives separately, so they couldn’t hear each other’s answers, and then I posted their answers side by side in the article, which was interesting for the readers and the subjects.
Tim McGraw said he really had fun doing the interview, something he said he rarely did. And Faith Hill talked with me far longer than her publicist arranged.
Tennis champ Stefanie Graf, who I had lunch with, and actress Mary Steenburgen, were both extremely shy, but said I put them at ease.
And Priscilla Presley, who hates doing interviews, talked with me for two hours one day, and another hour the next day.
You can do the same thing. Make a list of questions and ask your friends and family to answer them. It really gives you some insight into what they are thinking. You should answer them too. I remember sitting alone for a couple of days, figuring out my own answers to the questions I asked others each month. It wasn’t as easy as you may think. My celebrity guests only had an hour or two to answer about 20 questions.
My hope is that these interviews and blog posts will help people connect, communicate and celebrate a more meaningful life, or at least enjoy the read.
I’ve seen many great artists perform over the years, some who I have written about. In addition to Vince, Wynonna, Olivia, Faith and Tim, I also interviewed Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, Melissa Etheridge, Boz Scaggs, Dave Koz, David Copperfield, Brad Garrett, Taylor Hicks, Wayne Brady and Terry Fator. All were unique and amazing!
Sadly, several people I talked with are no longer with us, including Olivia Newton John, spiritual guru, Wayne Dyer, best-selling author, Jackie Collins, and my friend, Natalie Cole.
Update
Celebrity Scribe is back—newly designed, better than ever, and moving forward with new content. You can still enjoy the older blog posts, which are still interesting and relevant.
I am excited to share that I took on the enormous, challenging, and enjoyable task of writing my first novel. That project has taken most of my time.
The book mixes fact with fiction. It is filled with glitz, glamour, romance, celebrity, intrigue, danger, current events, pop culture, and world history. The global adventure will increase awareness about important social issues like human rights, voter suppression, and gun reform. It also touches on environmental issues such as climate change and wildlife extinction.
If you are interested in being notified when the book is available, please join my mailing list below.
Thank you again for visiting CelebrityScribe.com!
Always With Love,
Marsala