We all know Laila Ali's Dad. In fact, "the Greatest" was a guest in the audience of DWTS tonight. However, I was delighted that they also introduced her mother, the lovely Veronica Anderson, whom I happen to know!
Veronica is the widow of my friend and colleague Carl Anderson, whom most of you remember from Jesus Christ Superstar. I last saw her back in August at the charity reunion we did. Since the evening's performance was partly a tribute to Carl's memory, Veronica attended the event. Here she is with the Neeley family after the show. (Second from the right, if you weren't sure!)
Veronica is the widow of my friend and colleague Carl Anderson, whom most of you remember from Jesus Christ Superstar. I last saw her back in August at the charity reunion we did. Since the evening's performance was partly a tribute to Carl's memory, Veronica attended the event. Here she is with the Neeley family after the show. (Second from the right, if you weren't sure!)
I met Veronica in 1996 during the JCS tour. I can't remember exactly what city we were in, but she came to visit Carl several times during the run, usually in the major cities when we had a longer sitdown. She struck me as one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen: tall, elegant and ravishing. Veronica had gone back to school to get her degree when I met her, so she often had her nose in a textbook, doing her homework in Carl's dressing room.
Although I knew that she had been married to Muhammad Ali, we never spoke of it because I gathered it was an unhappy experience. Carl couldn't bear to mention the boxing legend by name, he was so angry about the champ's treatment of Veronica. Make of that what you will.
There's no doubt, though, that Veronica looked happy and proud of her daughter tonight on Dancing With The Stars. Although it was Dad's first visit to the show, Laila revealed that her mother has attended every performance. Poor Mr. Ali sat with his family and looked very frail and astonished by the whole thing. Illness sucks.
Laila Ali is an undefeated World Boxing Champion in her own right, plus she's a hell of a dancer. Her best asset is her partner Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who is one fierce dancer! I think it's a very close competition between Laila, Apolo, and Joey Fatone, but my favorite has to be Apolo because he is so adorable and his partner Julianne Hough is a hottie and an awesome dancer. Apolo and Julianne are the cutest couple ever!
2 comments:
I'm rooting for Apolo too..he's the "home town" boy here in Colorado! Though Laila is awesome to watch! I never knew that Veronica was her mother--now we know where she get her model looks!
Scotty - could you give me a holler? It's Kelly Lucas (the one that made ALL the scarves for the equity tour - and many of the non-equity as well). Just wanted to know what you're up to...lost your email a few years back when I moved to Pittsburgh (ironically the last place I saw you). Anywho, not a lot of time now to type, but heres my email at work (I'm always here just about) LUCASK@magee.edu - talk to you soon!!
Kelly
Post a Comment