S. etto
ing high school when she started
watching Radner on SNL. At that
time, Amari styled her hair like
Roseanne Roseannadanna, a Radner
character, and was given that nick-
name by classmates.
The connections made Amari
eager to read the comedian's autobi-
ography, It's Always Something.
"I lost touch with that part of me
until a few years ago," says Amari,
who had built a full-time career in
nonprofit public relations before
going full time with her musical
talents.
"I picked up her autobiography
again and remembered all the things
I loved about her — how funny she
was and how committed she was to
everything that she did. I also read
Alan Zweibel's book Bunny, Bunny:
Gilda Radner — A Sort of Love Story.
"I decided to do this tribute show
because of my fascination with her
and because people told me I looked
like her. I went through the books
and highlighted stories that made
me laugh and made me cry and plot-
ted out this show."
Amari considers this piece a
combination of theater and concert
and has included all kinds of music
— from Broadway tunes to country
hits. While she has developed other
cabaret theme shows, this is her only
one that focuses on a person.
Amari, a broadcast-journalism
alum of Central Michigan University,
has logged many entertainment
initiatives, including the cabaret
show Secretly Square: Guilty Pleasure
Songs, appearances with her trio
(Boogie Woogie Babies) and the CD
Better Days.
Wherever she appears with the
Gilda show, it is important that
part of her earnings go to the local
Gilda's Club, and she has been react-
ing strongly to the name changes
for those organizations. The reason
to get married, this process should
make it more efficient.
The entire first half of my book
is gaining clarity about who you are
looking for. I am who I am, and there
was no reason to compromise. As
long as you know what you want and
[are willing to] treat yourself as a
product to be marketed, and you have
the confidence, using the system is
not so difficult.
Q: The New York Times Sunday
Style section recently ran a feature
called "The End of Courtship?"
about how many young men aren't
given for any change has to do with
younger generations not being famil-
iar with Radner.
"It was really disappointing when I
first read about all this," Amari says.
"You don't change the name of some-
thing because people don't know that
person. You educate the public about
who that person was.
"So many buildings and places are
named after people who were loved,
and the names shouldn't be changed
because a younger generation doesn't
know that.
"I'm proud that my show describes
who Gilda was."
Amari has found that many mem-
bers of her audiences, whether at
club dates or private parties, recall
Radner. They talk about the enter-
tainer or being helped by a Gilda's
Club.
"One guy had been an extra in the
film where Gilda met Gene Wilder,
and he ended up sending me pic-
tures:' Amari says. "I worked for the
YWCA in Grand Rapids, and several
members of their board were found-
ers of the Gilda's Club in that city. I
keep track of them:'
Amari, who wishes she could have
met Radner, feels the comedian
belongs to Michigan.
"I love the opportunity to share
my love of Gilda with other people,"
Amari says."' think they find the
material funny and poignant."
Nine Year
Anniversary!
ANY
3426 E. West Maple Rd.
at Haggerty Rd.
(248) 926.9555
INNER
LB.
expires 3/14/13
expires 3/14/13
w/Adult Purchase
expires 3/14/13
WITH 2 SOUPS AND
2 DRINKS
99
$1 -
expires 3/14/13
BUY LB. COLESLAW GET
LB. OF POTATO SALAD
❑
expires 3/14/13
Seafare Smoked Fish Company
Francesca Amari appears at 7
p.m. Thursday, March 14, at the
Wealthy Theatre, 1130 Wealthy
St. SE, in Grand Rapids. $15.
For a complete schedule of
events and ticket information
for Gilda's LaughFest, call
(616) 735-4242 or visit www.
laughfestgr.org .
making much of an effort. Do you
have any advice for unmarried
women and men about this?
A: The process that led me to Brian
may have been unconventional, but
everything after that was traditional.
We didn't get physical with each other
right away; we really took our time
dating.
It was a full year before we decided
on marriage. He really courted me,
and I responded, but it was three
years before we were married. Once
you get to the point you are getting to
know someone, it should take some
time. ❑
LB. KIPPERED SALMON $9.99
LB. SMOKED WHITEFISH $5.99
LB. SABLE $24.95
LB. LOX $11.99
LB. CHOPPED LOX $P,M, 14,1 ,
United
Meat Deli
LOAF OF RYE,
LB. TURKEY,
LB. COLESLAW,
LB
. POTATO SALADexpires 3/14/13
0
at
BUY
SANDW
SOUP AND DRINK
2ND FREE $19 er14/13
LB HOT DOGS,
LB. SOFT SALAMI,
LB. TURKEY &
LB. CORNED BEEF
United
Meat Deli
expires 3/14/13
LB, CORNED BEEF, LOAF Of RYE BREAD,
LB. COLESLAW, LB. POTATO SALAD,
1 OLD PICKLE, 1 NEW PICKLE,
1 /2 PINT RUSSIAN DRESSING,
1/2 LB. SWISS, 2 QUARTS OF SOUP
Matzo Boll and Kreplach $1 more
expires 3/14/13
United
BUY ANY
Meat Deli
2 QUARTS OF SOUP
GET LB. CORNED BEEF
expires 3/14/13
DAIRY TRAY
INCLUDES FRESH FRUIT $15.99
PER PERSON 10 PERSON MIN.
INCLUDES FRESH FRUIT 8.99
PER PERSON 10 PERSON MIN.
expires 3/14/13
DIU ANY LOX CE1
OF
MMO CEli=r2
=1=230E=
RYE
eft' FREE
99
Pounder
expires 3/14/13
expires 3/14/13
BREAKFAST
7 Days a
W/FREE COFFEE & 6 CHEESE BLINTZES
Week
$
expires 3/14/13
JN
19"
expires 3/14/13
February 28 • 2013
59