CLOSE UP by Brian Rudnick

Girl with Voldemort's blaze on her forehead on opening night of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows

I NOTICE THAT YOU HAVE THE MARK OF HARRY POTTER. Yes, I do. WHY? Well the movie’s opening tonight and my father gave me these round glasses and all my friends thought I look like Harry Potter so they put a scar on my head and I’ll think about going to see the movie tonight. CAN I SEE THE GLASSES? [puts on glasses] TONIGHT’S THE OPENING NIGHT? Yes. AND WHAT’S THE NAME OF THE MOVIE? I truly don’t know. All I know is that it’s the first part of the last movie. AND YOU’RE A HARRY POTTER FAN? Yeah. WHY? My sister read all the books and I kind of got drawn to it. That’s probably why. HAVE YOU READ THE BOOKS, TOO? No I’ve only seen the movies. HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT ANYTHING THAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS MOVIE? I hear it’s really gory.

Larissa Noble Maldonado of Lafayette Hill, seen here with the mark of Voldemort on her forehead, given to her by friends at school who think she looks like Harry Potter, at Diamond Spa in Chestnut Hill, where she accompanied her aunt Sue.

 

Video interview here

Jo D-Maggie-O wins most creative at NW Equestrian Costumed Horse Halloween Contest

SO HOW DID MAGGIE, “D-MAGGIE-O”, GET HER NUMBER “5”? Joe DiMaggio was number 5 because he was fifth in the batting order for the New York Yankees and they were the first team to start using the numbers regularly for their players. IS THAT NUMBER RETIRED NOW? I think it is. And we have Marilyn Monroe with us today because Joe DiMaggio married Marilyn and they were married for just a short while, under a year. And after two hundred and thirty some days she filed for divorce for mental cruelty. But here’s the interesting thing. She goes on to lead a life of fame and fortune but of course it comes to a very sad end. After she dies, Joe DiMaggio arranges her funeral, keeps all the paparazzi away and then after the funeral, he proceeds for the next twenty years to send red roses to her grave every week. Isn’t that wild? So that’s why we have Joe and Marilyn united today. AND THE HORSE? The horse is Maggie and today she’s ‘Jo D-Maggie-O.’” Sue Land, in background,with Maggie and Marissa Hall,Northwestern Equestrian Facility, Philadelphia. Watch video here.

Andrea Shumsky, as Marilyn Monroe, with Maggie.