Jimmy Fallon - Every American's Best Friend

You can't talk about American pop culture in the first decade and a half of this Century and not discuss the entertainment genius of Jimmy Fallon. I have never met Jimmy but I feel like I have known him for years. My wife and I are avid fans of  the Tonight Show and we are always laughing at his jokes, the skits, and how he interacts with the Roots, his celebrity guests, and the audience. Most of the time it feels like that we are not watching TV, but we are in his living room and he is telling a story on the other side of the table and has everyone intently listening, hanging on his every word.

This is the magic of Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy is a comic genius but it is his ability to befriend rock stars, rappers, boy bands, politicians, Presidents and First Ladies, movie and TV celebrities that make his shtick work.  Celebrities and public figures, even the ones he makes fun of night after night in his monologues, want to be on his show and volunteer to be on EW, Beer Pong, or whatever crazy game he and his staff come up with.  The fact he comes up with new "episodes" of EW  that are funny is amazing. What does he hang out with 12 year old girls for a week before he writes the script?

Jimmy Fallon embodies what America is about. He talks "to" people not to their race, religion, sexual orientation, or political affiliation. In fact, I don't know which side of the political aisle Jimmy sits and I don't care. I still would tune in every night. So, thank you Jimmy for making myself, my family, and the rest of America smile and laugh away our worries and stresses and welcoming us into your home.

Why Trump Is Wrong About Immigration

It is funny how someone can run for President of the United States and forget what is the fabric of this Country. This Country is made up of immigrants from the first voyage of the Mayflower in the 1620's.  Unless Donald Trump is 100% Native American, then I guess his relatives from years past came from outside these shores. In fact, his mother was from Scotland.

Human's should be judged by the type of person they are and how they treat their fellow man and they should not be pre-judged because of the color of their skin, their ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, there are evil people in this world. There are rapists, murderers, and kidnappers in the United States, Canada, UK, Mexico, Bolivia, France, Kenya, and every country on this Earth.

Mr. Trump will never win the Presidency because he is arrogant and in watching his interviews since he became a "candidate " he is a bully. Take away his $10 Billion, Mr. Trump would be reduced to a Republican blow hard who calls into the Sean Hannity show on a daily basis to rant his views.  Great President's and Statesman recognize that America has their enemies, but they also know that there are good people from all creeds and backgrounds and a true leader stands on the side of the good and protects the weak. Mr. Trump, I just finished watching Caitlyn Jenner's speech at The ESPYS, a fellow Republican, you could learn a thing or two from her.

American Independence - Don't Take It For Granted

Today is Independece Day, where we celebrate with fireworks, hot dogs, baseball, apple pie, and beer. But as Americans, we should take time to cherish our Independence. Most of us don't really appreciate or take for granted what it means to be Free. I know I didn't until I met my friend Irwin a little more than ten years ago right after I moved to Orlando.

Irwin moved to the United States with his wife and two children from Venezuala. We met through our kids, who played on the same recreational soccer team and we soon became good friends. Irwin was a kind man who would go out of his way to do you a favor and never asked for anything in return. One of the few people I have met who is truly unselfiish. Irwin is the same age as me and when we met, he was working at McDonald's unloading the morning delivery trucks and working in maintenance. One day, I asked him how his family came to America and that is when he told me his story.

Irwin used to work as the CFO of a major Venezualian Corporation during the Hugo Chavez dictatorship a few years prior to when we met. He was also a skilled piano player and played in his church. In the late 90s, early 2000s, Chavez was crazy enough to believe that the United States would attack Venezuala and wanted every male to sign an oath of loyalty to him, which also meant that without warning you could be drafted into the army. Irwin refused to sign and not only was he threatened with jail time, but the Dictator would put his Wife and pre-school aged children in jail as well. Irwin knew he needed to move his family to a safer place where his kids could grow up and be what ever their hearts desired and most importantly, live a life of happiness and freedom.

Irwin had close friends, who belonged to a Christian Church in Orlando. The only way to get Irwin out of Venezuala was for the Church to ask for assylum for Irwin and eventually his family. The Church told the American Government that they needed a piano player for their congregation and Irwin was their "Piano Man". Irwin came to the United States first and then his wife and children followed.

Irwin told me something that has stuck with me for a long time. He said that he would rather work at McDonalds for the rest of his life if it meant that he and his family could be free than to make good money as a CFO in Venezuala and live in fear. Irwin went on to fulfill another dream of his; becoming a real estate agent and owning his own real estate agency.  Irwin and his family wound up moving and unfortantely over the years we lost touch, but I will never forget his courage, kindness, and how he made me realize how precious our freedon is.

May God bless Irwin and his Family and May God Bless the United States of America!