"Selma used to tease me on the school
bus," recalls Reinstein, who still hopes to
celebrities just because of the attention
interview another Michiganian,
they get, we've learned to react to them
Madonna. "Selma recognized me right
as the individuals they are behind the
away, was very nice and apologized for
scenes," says Aronoff, who earned a
what she had done. We talked about our
bachelor's degree in theater performance
years at Hillel as just two girls from
from the University of Michigan and a
Farmington Hills."
master's degree in business administra-
Michael Charach also got to know
tion from Wayne State University.
celebrities from Michigan, but his expe-
"There's a range of personalities just
rience remained more work-related. He
like there is everywhere else, but it's
was a production intern on Company, a
always a disappointment when celebri-
WXIYZ-TV show that featured local
ties occasionally turn out to be boring."
luminaries and visiting performers.
While Mara Reinstein might meet up
"In Detroit, the celebrities are the
with a boring celebrity or two, her actual newscasters," says Charach, who left the
work never sinks to that level. She sails
state in 1997 to produce newscasts on
into a sea of celebrities as a reporter for
the West Coast. "In California, the
Us Weekly.
celebrities are the movie stars."
Reinstein, based in
Charach, a promotion producer for
New York, goes to
Extra and Celebrity Justice, reviews infor-
the places celebrities
mation about those booked for upcom-
gather. She could be
ing shows and plans commercial seg-
at an upscale party in
ments to entice viewers into watching
her current city of
the programs.
residence or the
"I've been a promotion producer for
Sundance Film
years," says Charach, 32, who graduated
Festival in Utah. For
from Southfield-Lathrup High School
Reinstein
the Feb. 2 edition of
and was a member of Temple Emanu-El.
Us, she interviewed
"I work with Extra host Dana Devon,
Donald Trump.
and I've come to think of celebrities as
"I have so much fun, and I consider
regular people doing their jobs. Actors-
myself very lucky," says Reinstein, 27,
and actresses become glamorous when
who has logged interviews with Ben
viewers can't separate them from their
Stiller, Jennifer Lopez, Ashton Kutcher,
characters."
Harrison Ford, Kevin Bacon, John
Charach, who
Travolta and countless other public per-
studied communica-
sonalities. "Usually, stars are on their
tions at Oakland
best behavior with me because they are
University in
promoting projects.''
Rochester Hills,
Sometimes, what she asks is based on
always wanted to
interview limitations spelled out by pub-
work in TV, movies
licists.
and/or radio. Before
Charach
"Meeting with the stars can be very
relocating to
disillusioning because they're often so
California and selling
different from the way they appear,
shows featuring Brad Pitt, Jerry Seinfeld,
Reinstein says. "I get to know many reg- Liza Minnelli, Ben Stiller and so many
ular people who just got lucky.
other stars, he earned an Emmy, for a
Comedians usually are very serious.
news report on people who have sur-
Conan O'Brien was the exception and
vived comas.
turned out to be very funny during our
"Celebrities are all over California, and
conversation."
you just get used to them," says
Reinstein was recruited for Us from
Charach, who recently helped Calista
the magazine Teen People. A University
Flockhart maneuver out of a tight park-
of Missouri journalism alum, she helped
ing space near his home.
launch her writing career as an intern for
"Celebrity watching can be fun
the Detroit Jewish News.
because there is so much money and
The Us reporter becomes a bit impa-
glamour in the lives of these people. All
tient when stars are asked about their
that fuels public interest to have
political leanings in this election year. She insight into that world." 11]
thinks that gives them too much atten-
tion in an area unrelated to their talents.
One of her most surreal.assignments
More on Jewish celebrity
was interviewing movie star Selma Blair.
brokers,
Journalist and actress had attended Hillel
vvvvw.detroitjewishnews.com
Day School of Metropolitan Detroit at
and click on Entertainment.
the same time, only in different grades.
IN THE GLOW from page 37
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39