I will be in the ring this coming April for a benefit fight called Corporate Fight Night in Atlanta...that is...if they can find someone my age (57 next month) who is not a professional (like myself) to get in the ring with me for a couple of rounds for a good cause. So I can appreciate the fact that some may want more of a fight movie then a story about the struggles that surround the daily life of a boxer. Personally, I look forward to seeing this movie for that very reason, and, because of the great actors. No matter what we do for a living, we all have personal struggles, and if this movie comes close to portraying real life, I'm all for it. I can always look up a good fight. This sounds like a great movie. Wish me luck, I haven't been in the ring/gym since my four year old was born. It should be fun and and worthwhile...I hope.

Having grown up in Hollywood and being a working artist, I have to say that I was not so impressed with this article as so many others seemed to be. There are great actors and they are true artists in every sense of the word, but they are few and far between. The real artists, in my opinion, are the visionaries and creators, like the writers and directors, for instance, and I say that with respect. I left Hollywood just before my 40th birthday and I knew a lot of actors and met even more, and I can't remember hearing much about the passion they had for acting as an art. It was always about being famous or money or the life or the girls (or guys) or some such thing, but most of them were not moved the way true artists are moved to try and create great art. My other problem, and I recognize it's my problem, is this post is not about artists, but like so many other posts about art on BH, it's about Hollywood and actors and their big lefty-mouths, which is not representational of artists in general. And...it's written by someone who is not an artist. Sorry, but that bugs me. Let me say that I know a few very talented artists who are conservative, but whose art is not political, and on the other hand, I know of a lot more artists who are coming "out" as conservative artists, whose work is not very good. I just hope that it does more good then harm in helping break the choke hold the left has on the arts. What I would like to see, is a post about the artists out there (hopefully with a couple of fine arts painters thrown in) who are taking a financial risk and the lack of support from the conservatives out there who only focus on left-leaning artists. We all, by now, know of all the artists we can't stand, let's here more about the ones who are committed to common sense American principals.

"but all an "artist" has to do is get the right people to claim they are the "greatest artist since Picasso", and their garbage will sell like hotcakes." Really...that's all? If some talentless "artist" can do that, then let's at least give him credit for pulling "that" off-'cause that sure sounds like quite a talent to me. I think I'm safe in saying that there are a lot of very mediocre carpenters doing quite well in life. I say that as both an artist and a carpenter, but I must point out that they are a lot more mediocre carpenters making a decent living then there are mediocre artists doing the same.

"Steve Martin is the Edward G. Robinson of comedy!"
Hi LBOscarMayer,
I know what you mean. I used to deliver liquor in BH in the mid-seventies and delivered to Mr. Robinson's home on more then a few occasions. It was very cool to see all these paintings by impressionists that one could usually find only in museums. I obviously never met him as he had already left us by a couple of years-but I did have the great fortune to see him one evening, at the corner of Fairfax and Beverly Blvd., as a couple of us were hitchhiking-back in our High School days. There are a few well know celebrities collecting art these days, few more knowledgeable (from experience) then the late/great Dennis Hopper, but Mr. Steve Martin certainly seems to take it more seriously. My opinion.

Glad to be here and, thanks!

Thank you, Squishy.

I thought my links were attached to my name-apparently-not anymore. So...Lee...if you do come across this and want to get in touch or just see who the f#@k I am-go to www,studioartservices.com or google Alvaro Alvillar.
Truth is I knew you long before you decided to get cleaned up and/or write. It will all come back! How's Randy?

Hey Lee,
Just in case you read these comments: It's been great watching you (deservedly) skyrocket over the years.
You're a fantastic writer and I'm thrilled that I knew you prior to your success. You've been an inspiration from the very start. I only wish I had understood-at the time-what an honor it was to have been able to read your first novel in manuscript form. Today I get it and it's one of my fondest memories of L. A.-and there are many.
Remember Pico and Robertson?
No need to say keep it up or enjoy-it's easy to see you are. Alvaro

What I sent to NBC's Today Show at 5:00pm on Sept. 9, 2010

One of my personal choices as an artist is to reflect the mood of my country/people/times. I have painted a portrait of Mr. Matt Lauer that I am sure he and his peers would consider, at the very least, less then flattering. It is my hope that people in positions of incredible influence, such as Mr. Lauer, will come to understand that they will be remembered and taken to task, in their lifetime and beyond, for the choices they've made-as journalists, as men, as fathers and as fellow countrymen. They've chosen to be propagandists to one ideology and/or one party over another and they've assisted in the very contemptible practice of vilifying an entire segment of the American population by spreading the lie that these Americans are racists. They've done this to their neighbors and fellow-law abiding citizens-because they had the gall to practice their freedom of speech and assembly.
Of course-that last point refers to the Tea Party activists-and for the record-no-I have never been to an event. Everyone at NBC should be ashamed-but no one is kidding anyone here about that possibility.
I struggled with this painting and I have held onto this painting for the moment because I would personally prefer to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem-but day in and day out, I see that you guys do not have the same concerns-and we all have a duty to record this mood and/or this time for future generations.

What I sent to NBC and The Today Show:

One of my personal choices as an artist is to reflect the mood of my country/people/times. I have painted a portrait of Mr. Matt Lauer that I am sure he and his peers would consider, at the very least, less then flattering. It is my hope that people in positions of incredible influence, such as Mr. Lauer, will come to understand that they will be remembered and taken to task, in their lifetime and beyond, for the choices they've made-as journalists, as men, as fathers and as fellow countrymen. They've chosen to be propagandists to one ideology and/or one party over another and they've assisted in the very contemptible practice of vilifying an entire segment of the American population by spreading the lie that these Americans are racists. They've done this to their neighbors and fellow-law abiding citizens-because they had the gall to practice their freedom of speech and assembly.
Of course-that last point refers to the Tea Party activists-and for the record-no-I have never been to an event. Everyone at NBC should be ashamed-but no one is kidding anyone here about that possibility.
I struggled with this painting and I have held onto this painting for the moment because I would personally prefer to be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem-but day in and day out, I see that you guys do not have the same concerns-and we all have a duty to record this mood and/or this time for future generations.