European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse If you think you re too fat just weight Andy Rooney Tribune Media Are you tired of being overweight does it make you mad because you re unable to control the amount of food you cat if that a True this column is for you. I am going to give you one Niani a personal Story of How he conquered obesity land brought his weight Down from a High of 226 pounds to just a Little More than 224 in six months a and without denying himself any of the Good things of life. I remember clearly How it happened. It was a Crisp Clear january morning. I had overindulge at thanksgiving Christmas new years and All the weekdays in Between. I stepped on the scale that morning and believe my eyes As the balance bar teetered for a moment and then settled clearly on the figure2.v this was not a 226 enhanced by pyjamas slippers or a wet to Yel. I was starters. It was that moment that was to bring such a great change in my life. Slowly and thoughtfully 1 stepped off the scale. 1 knew Quot a had to act. "1 am an intelligent i thought to myself. Quot How did 1 let this Hap pc Quot 1 used to be 1s5 pounds. 1 was still is5 pounds when i was discharged front the army. And then gradually it happened. 1s7. 161. 167. 20b, 21 s. 221 and then finally that dread january morning 226 pounds ,. My pants were tight in the Waist and Tail. My shirts were snug around the neck tight across the Chest. Even my shoes Felt Shorter because with the added weight my feet expanded. I dressed slowly that morning and walked Down the stairs to breakfast. i thought to myself. Quot that s All i la have. One cup of Black Coffee. In the Kitchen. Margie had fixed Grapefruit and had sliced the Good bread we like. The Jam was on the table next to the butter. Quot i should have told her i was t going to have breakfast anymore a i said to myself. A too late now. She a gone to All this trouble. No sense jeopardizing our marriage Over a few pounds. Just this one last time. I la cat i put bread in the toaster and a. Ted As if nothing had happened. I Don t think Margie realized at the time that i was starting a Radical new diet that would transform me into the Man she knew when she married me at 185 pounds. At the office. 1 was unusually quiet that Day. Quot you of. Andy Quot someone asked. None of us like to Burden our Friend with our problems so i said nothing. They knew 1 was troubled but 1 Don t think they dreamed in their wildest imaginations that 1 was 22b pounds. Because i had made a lunch Date with an old Friend weeks before. 1 went to a Small French restaurant near the office for lunch. The waiter brought the menus and a Basket of French bread. We chatted and my Friend took a crusty piece of the bread and buttered it. Not wanting to Vail attention to the weight losing crusade 1 had so recently embarked upon. I too took a piece of bread. 1 w As careful not to put a lot of butter on it and 1 Don t think my Friend noticed that anything was up. Quot dessert Quot he said As we sat there talking after lunch. A not for 1 said with a final tone in my voice that he could hardly ignore. He ordered an Apple tart with Vanilla ice Cream. Quot half of this Quot he asked and before i could say Quot no a he reached for my plate and divided his dessert. Not wanting to reject this generous gesture. 1 ate it. So began the first Day of the strict regimen 1 have been following for six months now. I m pleased to be Able to say that this morning i weighed just barely Over 224 pounds. Done to Tell me its not possible to lose weight if you put your mind to it and have w willpower. Andy Rooney is a Lomci stars and stripes Ropo Iterong titles leap from radio Fame to movie scree by Larry Rohter the new York times Long before pretty woman became a hit movie it was the title of a hit song. So were sea of love Bird on a wire Peggy sue got married stand by me Blue velvet soul Man the mighty Quinn and numerous other films of recent years. Those movies May bring to the screen stories that have Little or nothing in common with the songs but the similarity of names is no Mere coincidence. For Hollywood using the title of a pop song has become one More Hook and a very effective one at that to lure moviegoers into Heaters. A it creates a certain resonance calling individual audience members Back to a certain time a David Kirkpatrick the president of the Paramount motion picture group said of the practice. A it puts them in a place that a comfortable so there is an immediate sort of interest or draw toward the movie in movies and pop music have always had a symbiotic relationship. All through the Golden age of Hollywood the popularity of a movie like love is a Many spleen do Rcd thing or singin in the rain allowed the theme song to Rise to Success on the pop charts. But increasingly that process has been reversed. Since the mid-1980s and the Rise of Cross marketing the people who make and sell movies have come to see famous songs As a vehicle to which they can hitch their unproven material. The most recent example is the romantic comedy Only the lonely which like last year s pretty woman takes its title from a Roy Orbison song. Television ads for lonely featured Orbison a not pretty woman was a hit before a movie. Mournful i960 Ballad playing in the background Over scenes from the film. Only the lonely is by the team that made the highly successful Home alone John Hughes and Chris Columbus. Hughes has previously been involved with three successful movies whose titles were taken from pop songs 16 candles pc lev in Pink and some kind of wonderful. As Hughes eclecticism indicates no style of music is immune to the phenomenon. In their search for movie titles studios and producers have turned to performers from Elvis Presley Heartbreak hotel and mystery train to Chuck Berry Johnny be Good to Bruce Springsteen Pink Cadillac and no Retreat no surrender even making use of the name of an entire genre of music can work As proved earlier this year by the Success of new Jack City whose title comes from the i Unk rap style forged by Teddy Riley. Pretty in Pink Crossroads and girls just Wanna have fun have also shown it is possible to transform the words of a hit pop song into the plot of a successful movie. A veritable epidemic of movies with song titles is scheduled for release in the months to come. In addition to Only the and the recently released Rich girl titles include love potion no. 9, Back in the ll.s.s.r., delirious there goes my baby. Rescue me my girl rambling Rose Midnight rider. Frankie and Johnnie after Midnight. Poison Viand my own private Idaho. Studios devote a great Deal of thought to choosing film titles in Many cases conv oking executives for Long brainstorming sessions at which the objective is to come up with a phrase that will a push the right buttons with the audience Quot As one studio official put it. As baby Boomers and their younger siblings who grew up immersed in pop a Way previous generations were not move into those executive positions it is Only natural that they look for inspiration in the songs they know. "1 done to think we be Ever said come up with a great song title for this movie a a said one senior production executive asking that neither he nor his studio be identified by name. A when our Guys do titles for movies they give us a list of 50 or so titles and usually at least one or two of these is a some studios engage in the practice More than others with Mem a Disney and Warner Brothers leading the list. Disney has had modest successes with can t buy me love Inkin Are of business and Heartbreak hotel and hit the Jackpot to the tune of $178 million with pretty woman some of whose initial Success May Well have stemmed from the movies perceived links to the song. Quot i done to think it was As important in launching the movie so much As keeping the picture alive in the said Kirkpatrick who was a Disney executive at the time. Quot you were Able to play the music on the radio in Cue spots and it had a certain effect. It broadened the Appeal and helped create a word of Mouth because of the level of identification with the 14, 1991 sunday a Page
