Olay!

And so, where was I seven Super Bowl Sundays ago? Why, where else but at a fish restaurant in Santa Monica interviewing jazz vedette, Ruth Olay. The results of that afternoon can be found on the net here. I had never met Ruth before that occasion, but since then she and I have become pretty good buddies. Long retired from show business (in the spirit of "been there done that"), she now focuses most of her energies on political and social activism.

Circa 1955-1975 Ruth was a regular fixture on network TV, especially Paar and Merv. And though she no longer sings professionally, if you look reallll hard, you still might catch a glimpse of Ruth some afternoon on TV news at one anti-war rally or another. And if you go here you can capture more than a fleeting image of her, on a 1959 TV special with Duke Ellington.

Before becoming a singer, Ruth was secretary to the great writer-director Preston Sturges. And she sang with Duke Ellington. Two inarguably legendary figures of the 20th Century. What a life she's led!