LEGENDS AND BEAUTIES FOR PUBLIC HOUSING

I just saw an article covering the anniversary of Diana Ross' famous concert in Central Park, 30 years ago on July 21, 1983.  It brought back such memories.  Not about the concert but about the star and what she taught me about confidence.

I've had the pleasure of working with Diana Ross on several occasions. The most memorable was the first photo shoot I did with her. We were all so nervous because, after all, it was Diana Ross – one of the biggest, most beautiful stars in the world. Who could be compared to her?

I remember she walked into the studio with such confidence and a strong presence. Hooray for self esteem. Then I started thinking, “I have self esteem. Here's Diana Ross from the Brewster Projects in Detroit and Ronnie Grant from the projects across the street from Lincoln Center. My projects were better than hers. Why should I be nervous? We both were legendary beauties for public housing.”  In my projects, the only thing that was more famous than me was...

THE GOVERNMENT CHEESE!

Photo of Diana Ross by Richard Corkery/New York Daily News

THE DRESS REHEARSAL

There is a famous quote "Life is not a dress rehearsal."  Not true.

I'm going to a neighborhood yacht party and I wanted to make a fashion statement.  I had to start with a  theme - Old Hollywood.  And since I'm thinking of Old Hollywood, I needed a costume designer: Me.   If Cary Grant had one, why shouldn't I?

I pulled out and hung up all my summer clothes to create a new look.  A little something old, something new.  Vintage spectator shoes, new white linen pants, my 1940s navy-blue linen blazer, a choice of shirts and accessories.  But I needed something special that screamed Old Hollywood.  Got it.  An Ascot!  And now comes the fun part, trying on all of the clothes ... THE DRESS REHEARSAL.  

Like they say in the movies, "How do I look?"  

THE TWO CARY GRANTS IN MY LIFE

There were two Cary Grants in my life.  The Cary Grant y'all know, the movie star.  And then there was the Cary Grant you didn't know, my brother... the one who slept in the bunk bed above me every night... the one I would run to when I thought I saw ghosts...the one who got  all dressed up to go to his prom and our mother made him take me AND his date... and you know, I won the dance contest.  And he never complained...

The two Cary Grants came together for me at Radio City Music Hall where my big brother was an usher.  He looked so handsome in his tuxedo.  And the other Cary Grant was right up there on the screen and he looked just as handsome in his.

When I came home from Radio City I would tell my mother all about the shows that I saw.  But I never told her the secret I was keeping...

"You know, when I was ten years old, nobody knew that when I would go to the candy counter the candy man would follow me to the bathroom, pull down his pants and ask me to touch it and I did. I never told, and do you know in all those years I never got not one Almond Joy?"

An excerpt from CARY GRANT'S YOUNGER BROTHER.  The one-character play by Ronald Grant