Snippings from the Net 2015

Rises

The Pfeiffer Also Rises: The Real Party Is Just Beginning

It's 2am, 1989, do you know where your children are? If your middle child is cruising Sunset Strip in a convertible Porsche or kissing the lips of George Clooney on the set of Red Surf, chances are good you gave birth to a Pfeiffer.

Dedee's film and tv credits are much too long to list here. Seinfeld, Cybill, Friends, Stephen King's Dead Zone are just a few productions that had a trailer with her name on it. Getting a single mom who has ventured back to school after a lusty and SAG award- winning career to find the time to sit down with you for a brief interview can be challenging.

Somehow, I pulled it off. Meet my buddy: Dedee Pfeiffer

Q: Let's pretend like we are meeting for the first time. Where are you from?

A: I’m from Midway City in Orange County (not the rich area!!!) California.

Q: I am bored. Let's go deeper. We became fast friends in 2002 and in 2007 we were standing over a fire-pit in your backyard burning memorabilia from our failed relationships. I recall destroying a red Alexis Bittar necklace from Saks 5th Avenue, a pair of Snoopy underwear and a picture of my ex and me. What did you destroy in that fire?

A: OH my.... THAT day huh? OK, you want to go there, lets go baby! I believe I burned my AWESOME black tattered “man boots” that I REALLY LOVED (which was more about you hating them, then the boots having ANY meaning to my ex), but you said I needed a new start! So, my boots had to go... (I went behind your back and bought a similar pair ) and I burned as many pictures I could of the two of us.

Q: Speaking of re-births, you have manifested a new chapter in your life. Do tell.

A: WELL! At the age of 46, (5 years ago, yes I’ll do the math for you, I’m 51yrs young) I decided to leave the crazy business that I had been so loyal to for over 30 years and put my passions into something that would actually make a difference. I have PTSD (Post Trauma Stress Disorder) and have had it for many years now. And after watching the news night after night and seeing what has been happening to our children being traumatized by all these school shootings, kids watching murder in their own neighborhoods, or even in their own homes, I said I needed to go out there and help others and myself to change course. To date, I completed my Associates Degree and am working on my bachelor’s degree; all the while raising my two young boys alone. My going to school was also another way to teach my boys the importance of an education. Instead of being one of those parents who says, “You have to go to college!” I AM in college, so I can come from a different perspective of understanding of what is ahead of them.

Q: Does this mean the party is over? No more stories of cruising the Sunset strip at night in a convertible Porsche waving a gun at strangers? Yeah, I ratted you out......

A: Oh Jesus Sammy! First of all you got that story SO wrong LOL! It was my friends Porsche and he was driving us home from a club, it was his UNLOADED gun he had in his car and we where at a light and some hot guys were looking at me. Now, although my friend and I were just friends, he pulls this gun out to show them he wasn’t ok with them checking me out. They of course they took off like a bat out of hell and I made him pull over and I drove us home! So to answer your question, YES those days are over, but that does NOT mean I don’t like to go out and have fun. I’m all about fun, it’s just I’m a lot less crazy now and considering I really hate guns, I make sure whoever is in my company is not packing. P.S. It was La Brea Blvd., not Sunset Blvd. sweet cheeks... : )) (photo credit: Thai Tai Photography)

Q: How did you get your first big break in Hollywood? How did you get your SAG card? 

A: I got my SAG card from a little role I did in a film called, Into the Night. Yes, my big sis was one of the stars and that wasn’t the way I was supposed to get my SAG card! To make a long story short... I started out like all actors did meaning without a SAG card. I interviewed for a SAG TV show and got the role! Problem was my agent did not tell the casting director I was not in SAG. When they found out, they took the role from me and gave it to the runner up who was SAG. I was crushed to say the least. I was literally jumping up and down in my sister’s kitchen when I got the role and minutes later found out they had taken it from me. My sis was pretty upset for me and said, “Wait! Let me make a call...” She was working on Into the Night and called the director John Landis and told him the story. He said that was bullshit and told me to go to Sunset Blvd that Friday night and he would give me a line or two and get me the SAG card I deserved. I went and he said more than likely my performance would be left on the cutting room floor, but I would get my card. It got better from there. While cutting the film he left my performance in the film, because he thought it was funny AND hired me to do ADR for off camera obscure lines like, “ Please, No parking at the red curb” which helped me pay for the damn card, which was expensive! Later, he went on to cast me again in the HBO show, “Dream On.” OK, that was not a short story, sorry!

(Michelle and Dedee Pfeiffer at The Premier of Stardust) (Dedee on Seinfeld) 

Q: Most people don't know this, but you can dance like a mother-fu****. But you can't sing to save your life. Michelle can sing, but has two left feet. Can we go there? I think I just went there. When was the last time you went dancing? Can we please go dancing the next time I am in Los Angeles?

A: Babe. Shell can dance like she can sing... Brilliantly! The difference between us, is that I sing like a broken duck, yet dance like I mean it; from the soul baby! LOTS of hip movements, no inhabitation's and YES we will for SURE go dancing when you get your cute ass back here!

Q: Oh good. So the party is not over. I saw that you recently spoke at a "Vamp" reunion?? Was Grace Jones there?

A: Nope, she was a no show. I love Vamp! It was my baby, before I had my real baby... : )

Q: Let's wrap this bitch up. You have been such a HUGE supporter of my passion project, Giving Closet. I started this because I was tired of catering to the ego and gluttony of Hollywood. How do you protect your two boys from the trappings of coming from a famous Family?

A: LOL! Are you kidding? They had NO idea I was an actress until some of their friends told them because they saw me in a film or on TV. They also had no idea who their aunt, uncle(s) were until they saw her on a magazine one day. Now, they were younger and I did not intentionally not tell them; I just wanted them to have as normal of an upbringing as possible, meaning that all they knew was they had a mom and family around them who loved and cared for them. No titles, just real people. I took my oldest son to many sets with me when he was younger and he even said, “ACTION” to the cast one day, but he wasn’t very interested in the whole making of the film, because it bored him. He was more interested in the park down the street, as he should be! They now are older and know that I was an actor and their aunt and uncle(s) are very successful. But, because they did not know (nor their friends) who they were related to in the beginning, nor their families successes, they have developed great relationships with their friends. Their friends became their friends because of them, not because of whom they were related to. Till next time..

truthiscool.com-- 20150309 -- Sam Russell - Pictures by Thai Tai photography Styled by Sam Russell.