Saturday Memory for December 20, 2025
As I thought about the tragic death of Rob Reiner, I found myself remembering well-known
people I have been fortunate to meet. Back in the 70s, this happened frequently, not only
because I was a Jungian analyst, but because some of the people I connected with connected
me with others. For example, Tom Laughlin was a prominent figure in the Jungian community.
He was known for his role in the Billy Jack movies, his Jungian writings, and his founding of what
became the largest Montessori school in the US, his financial support of Jungian projects,
and his presidential run in several elections. We became friends, and he invited me often to his
home to play tennis with other well-known people (e.g, Clint Eastwood) as well as to the
occasional dinner. One evening, I remember he invited my wife and me, as well as Mel Brooks.
What I remember is how funny Brooks was, and I remember we talked about humor being good
medicine for most everything. I’ve never forgotten that, and it echoed what my father taught me:
the importance of being silly.
Russ
When I worked in the movie industry in the mid-1970s as a junior musicians agent for films and TV, our offices were in a house on King’s Road off the Sunset Strip. One day, my boss, Al Bart, who was a wild man with a wicked sense of humor, said, “Let’s go get lunch.” So we went to the famous coffee shop, Norm’s, on the Strip. We walked in at peak lunch hour, but there was a table for 4 that had just cleared. We sat down. Two tables away, just in our line of sight, we saw Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks, having lunch and laughing hysterically about something. I told Al I had to use the restroom and got up and went past their table. I stopped only long enough to say to these legends, “I am sorry to bug you lovely gentlemen, but I had to stop on my way to the bathroom to tell you that I love you!” I smiled and as a 23 year old nubile young girl, they both stopped and said, “No problem! Thanks for stopping on your way to pee.” We all laughed and I went on my way, a little high from the interaction. I took a more direct route back to our table, smiled at them as they watched me sit back down. The waitress came, salty as always, and a second after she left, both men came over to our table and said to Al, “Is this your daughter?” Al said no, she works with us.” I think it was Brooks who said, “What’s your name, young lady?” I told them my name. Both men were saying what a sweet interruption I had made on the way to the restroom and said to Al, “How do you get any work done with this girl with such a gorgeous “punim” [face] and a body like that!? Carl then said, “we’ve got your tab. And come and interrupt us anytime!”
I just heard today that Netflix is buying out Warner Brothers. Stars like these two will never come again. Unforgettable moment in my life.