A couple of Sundays ago, his only day-off, André De Shields and his long-time friend/impresario Merle Frimark warmly welcomed us in his Hell’s Kitchen eagle’s nest, cramped with his many books, records, scripts and his own writings, around the rehearsal piano; in a corner of the room, the wig for his acclaimed Frederick Douglass role.

And before you ask, yes it actually is Diana Ross on the photo above him. 

A few days before, Kat Malott at The Wall Street Journal had gotten me invited for tea time to illustrate the ‘house call’ interview of the Mansion weekly supplement. She didn’t know it yet, but she had just offered me one of the loveliest moments of my career.   

Now, I am usually fairly selective on here, but when the ‘Wiz’ dances and does his Jerry Lewis impersonation for you, you forget branding and you post the photos!

You should definitely read the interview by Marc Myers here. 

You could also buy the paper today and finance our luxurious lifestyle.

And so you get the full experience….