My Mother Was Nuts (39 page)

I want to thank Carrie Fisher, my friend and partner in crime for more than 30 years. We’ve lasted longer than all of our marriages combined. Our crazy lives have meshed perfectly. We’ve always said it’s because we never liked the same drugs or men, but I know there’s more to it. I want to thank my two ex-husbands and my boyfriends: Mickey was and always remained a very good guy, and without him I wouldn’t have my daughter or grandchildren. Rob was a lot of fun and like me recognized when it wasn’t, and yet we still remain friends. How could we be anything but friends after having gone through those extraordinary years together? It should be known that when I called him up to talk about this book he reminded me of stories and asked, “Did you write about when Tracy burned my new Mercedes with the cigarette lighter?” More proof that it’s always better to laugh.

I want to thank Art Garfunkel, who showed me the world and was still himself just the other day when we spoke. I thanked him yet again for never letting me do heroin, and he worried that I was going to make it seem as if he based that off his own prior experience. He didn’t. He was just smart.

I want to thank my assistants over the years, Amy and Bonnie, both of whom became producers, Nicole, Kristin, Jon-Michael, and Terry, who is the best. I want to thank all my doctors, who helped me dodge a bullet, the nurses who helped me recuperate, and Ronald Perelman, who has made sure I have received the best care because he just knows those kind of things. He is the friend everyone wishes they had. And also thanks to his family and staff.

I want to thank Cindy for being there with me back in the ’70s and still being with me in our 60s. I recently (as of this writing) went to David Lander’s 65th birthday party and had a great time, seeing him and his wife, as well as Carl Gottlieb and Larry Hankin and others
from The Committee. I also saw Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr., and Peter Elbling. They are all people who appeared on
Laverne & Shirley
.

I want to thank all of them and everyone else who made me laugh. There are a lot of dead people I still like, and I want to thank them, too. They include John, Ted, Jerry, Harvey, Britney, and Monica.

I need to thank my friends Carlene W., Wendi L., Paula H., Sheila J., Joann L., Jimmy and Mark W., Chris D., Big Al, the Mullins, Christopher G., Joe S., Joe P., Beverly D., Dwight M., Lorraine B., Sara C., Ken R., Chico B., Valorie A., Jane W., Patti S-M., Jimmy R., Michi, E, Jon L., Tom H., Paula R-S., Caren G., Robert A, Joel P., Steve G., George P., and Kori B.

I also want to thank everyone in my old building on the Grand Concourse and my neighborhood, all of my friends from JHS 80, Walton High School, UNM, and everyone I knew at Camps Odetah, Onibar-Geneva and Diana-Dalmaqua. Then there is everyone from my mother’s dancing school. Even though I complained, those were good times—and I hope all of you are doing well. I haven’t mentioned a few guys that I slept with over the years, but thank you, too. I have to thank the casts and crews of the movies I directed and produced. I want to thank Dick Clark for
American Bandstand
. Ringo Starr once recognized me at an airport. That was cool. So thank you. Dennis—thank you for being crazy. Rosie, love you, and thanks. Marcia, get well and stop driving people to airports. And to those I left out, I’m sorry. I have to thank my two dogs, Larry Bird and Magic. But they should thank me for not sending them “to the country.” They have it so much better at my house.

Last but not least, I want to thank my manager Alan Iezman of Shelter Entertainment Group and my literary agent Dan Strone at Trident Media Group for creating the opportunity for me to do this book. I
also want to thank my assistant Susan Yi at Parkway Productions, and Dan’s assistant Kseniya Zaslavskaya at Trident, and Alan’s assistant Martha Sanchez for facilitating so much. Then a special thanks to the talented team at Amazon Publishing led by publisher Larry Kirshbaum, editorial director Julia Cheiffetz, publicity director Katie Finch, marketing director Kiwa Iyobe, and also Carly Hoffmann and Katie Salisbury.

Finally I want to thank my collaborator Todd Gold, who let me blow smoke in his face but never up his … Thank you very much.