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and understand people and relation-
do you do with them once you have
ships," says the columnist, who
them? How do you get rid of them?
attended the University of Michigan
"I am also asked about cheating
and earned a degree in theater and
and how to keep a marriage alive.
television from New York University.
People are living longer and the mar-
"I like to read everything I can,
riage vows 'till death do us part'
and I have always been interested in
don't have the same meaning as
creative ways to solve problems while
when men and women lived to be 40
having fun. I believe that everyone is
or 50 and were married about 20-25
in the same boat. Everyone has a
years.
hard time finding a boyfriend or a
"Now, women are emotionally
girlfriend and is miserable when they
and financially independent and
,,
break up.
there is not a tenden-
Raised in Farmington
cy to stay together
Opposite page:
Hills, the 30-ish Alkon
forever," she says.
Amy Alkon: "People
admits her good, solid
The most outra-
basically ask me three
Jewish values play an
geous letter she ever
things: How do you meet
important role in the
received, Alkon says,
somebody?
What do you
advice she offers. "I offer
was from an embar-
do with them once you
the Amy point of view,
rassed cross-dresser
have them? How do you
which is about who I
who didn't have any
get
rid of them?" Her
am," says Alkon. That
problem wearing
column, "Ask the Advice
includes being an active
women's
clothes at
Goddess," appears weekly
member of Temple Beth
home
but
was embar-
in the "Metro Times."
El when she lived in
rassed to go out in
town, as well as the recip-
public."
ient of the 1982 Fishman
And, she adds, she hears from
Scholarship for Travel to Israel.
imprisoned convicts. "I have gotten
"I was raised to be kind, fair,
mail from men who are on death
thoughtful and live in the real world,
row," she says. "I don't answer those
and that's where I am coming from. I
letters, but I do answer most of my
try and be objective and don't advo-
mail. I have to say people have a bet-
cate one point of view. My goals
ter chance of getting answered if they
include making people be a little
are not strangers to grammar and
more accepting of [everyone's] reli-
spelling."
gion, race or sexual orientation.
While advising readers takes up
"My mother goes to Torah class at
much of Alkon's time, she is con-
Beth El, and when I am home I go
stantly looking to expand. "I have a
with her," Alkon continues.
TV deal for my own talk show with
"Although I don't belong to a syna-
Universal, and we will be pitching it
gogue or temple in .L.A., where I
to the networks this month at the
now live, I try to be a good person
NATPE (National Association of
every day. I live a very Jewish life and
Television Program Executives) con-
have strong Jewish values."
vention in New Orleans," says
According to her parents, Lorraine
Alkon. Meanwhile, in addition to
and Sheldon Alkon, owners of Alkon
her column, she is a freelance writer
and Associates Commercial and
for national magazines and has made
Industrial Realtors in Southfield,
numerous television and radio
Amy has always been perceptive and
appearances, including spots on the
a terrific problem-solver.
Today Show, Good Morning America,
"She has always had a genuine
Entertainment Tonight and Politically
concern for people and, from the
Incorrect.
time she was young, she was very
"My [own] show would be differ-
resourceful," says Lorraine.
ent and funny," says Alkon.
"Amy was also very sensitive," her
"Hopefully, I can break the mold of
father adds. "When Amy was about
daytime TV. But whatever happens
6 years old, her grandmother died
— I love writing my column and am
and [Amy] wrote a very sensitive lit-
having a good time doing it." ❑
tle note we buried with her grandma.
With many events that have occurred
To read some of Amy Alkon's
in our lives, Amy has been there with
advice columns, log on to her
good thoughts."
Web site at www.advicegod-
On any given week, Amy receives
dess.com . She may be contacted
some 100 letters and e-mails from
through e-mail at
people seeking'advice. "People basi-
AdviceAmy@aol.com .
cally ask me three things," she says.
"How do you meet somebody? What

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