Ode to #GarryMarshall
Dear Gary,
I have many vivid memories of coming to America as a little 6 year old girl from Santo Dominigo. Putting my newborn baby sister in the bassinet the plane had in the first row of coach (beating out the other family with a baby, already one upping the next guy like the true Americans we were about to become); lading at JFK and getting into a checkered cab driven by my cousin Mario and sitting in the little drop down seat that was attached to the partition on our way to our new home and new life in Nueva York, Jackson Heights, to be exact.
When I turned on the television for the first time, you can’t imagine my SHOCK when Fred Flintstone, Batman and Robin and Bugs Bunny didn’t speak Spanish! How did they learn to speak English in the course of a short three and a half hour plane ride? When my little heart got over the heartbreak of not knowing what my favorite TV characters were saying anymore, Fred’s Yabba Dabba Doo and the Bat-Fight word BAM! POW! PLOP! where the only things that remained the same; I discovered your work.
The Fonz was my first tv crush, as was Potsie but it wasn’t cool to admit that back then. LOVE AMERICAN STYLE, the precursor to HAPPY DAYS was my first introduction to your work. I laughed at the physical comedy since I had no idea what they were saying and knew it was funny because the laugh track said it was. I fell in love with HAPPY DAYS, the clothes, the music, the Americana of it all. Where were those schools with pep rallies and letterman jackets? I never saw them in Queens, and later on in Washington Heights where we officially set our root. Where was my Arnold’s and poodle skirt? Then, I met Lavern and Shirley, WOW I couldn’t wait to become a real American girl living with my best girlfriend, going on dates and putting J’s on everything I owned (something I still do today). I still know the theme song to L&S and surprise people at Karaoke with it. When Richie hated his ‘humdrum’ life and wanted something different, he and I (and millions of others) met Mork for Ork. Nanu, Nanu! Who knew that ball of fire named Robin Williams would influence so many of us future comics?
Slowly but as sure as Shirley’s milk and Pepsi, I was understanding what these characters where saying to me. I was learning English! And when I was off from school and would go to the beautiful Central Park West apartments my mother cleaned I often thought of Felix and Oscar and wondered which apartment was theirs.
I found my version of Jefferson High in Miami High and I can honestly say my high school years are the most cherished of life and it has so much to do with the perfect, almost too perfect fantasy gold standard you set, yet, Miami High met it and surpassed it.
Later on when I went away to college (Like a REAL American girl!) you gave me PRETTY WOMAN. Sappy, yes. Romcom sappy at its best, and I love every minute of it. I often compare the scene where Vivian says “I have all this money and no one will help me” of the Beverly Hills boutique that snubbed her to the time I was trying to get a diagnosis for what eventually turned out to be breast cancer. Like Vivian, I didn’t fit the profile of the breast cancer ‘customer’ of the time and I was thrown away over and over again, even with great health insurance, a college education and PERFECT command of the English language (which I, believe it or not, credit YOU and your work for). Now all I need is my prince to rescue right back, and my Garry Marshall story will be complete. Gimme any rule I’ll break it, gimme any chance I’ll take it. I’m gonna make my dreams come true! DOING MY WAY.
Thank you Garry Marshall. May you get to #RestInPeace because here on earth you will forever work in reruns.