by Nick Thomas

Turning 97 in March, Carl Reiner shows no sign of slowing down. “I wake up with ideas!” the veteran actor, writer, director and producer says from Los Angeles says.
One of those ideas was to colorize episodes of his crown television jewel, “The Dick Van Dyke Show.” Two color episodes were produced in 2017 and last year Reiner selected a couple more favorites, with plots loosely based on his family’s experience, which aired on CBS over the holiday season.
“I’ve done a lot in my life but have to say that show is what I’m most proud of,” Reiner says. “We couldn’t afford to shoot it originally in color and make a profit, but I’m so pleased with the colorized episodes – they look fantastic.”
In “Where Did I Come From?” young Richie (Larry Matthews) questions his parents about his birth, much like Reiner’s own children did, while in “Never Bathe on Saturday,” Laura (Mary Tyler Moore) gets stuck in a hotel bathtub, ruining a vacation for hubby Rob (Dick Van Dyke).
“I wrote that based on the time my wife and I were away, and she noticed the faucet dripping while taking a bath and wanted to get a plumber,” Reiner recalls.
Reiner says it was important to produce colorized versions close to the originals.
“Luckily some enterprising photographers were on hand during the original filming and took color photos of the set and actors,” he notes. “So some colors are very accurate, like the rooms. Colorization has come a long way and I wish we could do all 158 episodes, but it’s very expensive.”
Reiner’s 2017 HBO documentary “If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast,” in which he narrates a series of interviews with active nonagenarians, was also recently released on DVD.
“In my opening section, I’m reading the newspaper obituary section and remark if I’m not in it, I’ll have breakfast,” he says. “They thought that would make a good title.”
The documentary features 90-plus-year-old guests still active in areas such as sports, fashion, music, comedy and acting such as Dick Van Dyke, Kirk Douglas and Reiner’s longtime cohort in comedy, Mel Brooks. “Truly a collection of remarkable people,” Reiner says.
But of all the people Reiner has known, he has the highest praise for his late wife, Estelle, to whom he was married for 65 years.
“While you do live in your memories as you get older and especially after losing a spouse, if you’ve had a good marriage it sustains you,” he says. “She was perhaps the most extraordinary woman I ever met and could do everything better than anyone else. I think about her every night I go to bed, so she’s still alive in me, no question.”
A prominent comedy writer throughout his career, Reiner also continues to work on new book projects this year.
“If you have something to do every day, you’ll hang around,” he says.

Story and photos by Darl DeVault, Contributing Editor

Locally the U.S. Air Force’s 75th-Anniversary celebration took place September 8 at the Oklahoma History Center featuring America’s leading Vietnam War Ace, Edmond’s retired Col. Chuck DeBellevue, who gave a narrative of his eventful missions.
The Air and Space Forces Association Gerrity Chapter #215, the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, and the Oklahoma Defense Industrial Association organized the event to celebrate America’s dominance of the skies in armed combat.
To sustain an enduring advantage in its trailblazing 75-year history, the U.S. Air Force’s place as the world’s most capable and respected source of airpower is well-established. The presentation clarified why the last time an American combatant was killed on the ground by an adversary air force was April 15, 1953.
Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Power Studies, traveled from Washington, D.C., to moderate a discussion with DeBellevue on an educational panel wherein he recounted each of his six MiG kills in the skies of North Vietnam. The Mitchell Institute is the only aerospace power-focused think tank in the nation.
Edmond’s DeBellevue, 77, is America’s last ace to serve on active duty. In the Vietnam War he was a weapons systems officer (WSO) in the F-4 Phantom II fighter. Following his combat tour, DeBellevue attended pilot training and returned to the F-4. During the interview, he credited the real-time support of many people, from crew chiefs and maintainers to cooks and supply guys, for making the F4 effective in battle. While explaining each MiG kill, he said he was a part of an air combat crew with a real team spirit of agile thinking, persistence, and a certain disregard for the rules. DeBellevue commented, “The team that flew with us into Hanoi on a daily basis were all focused on the mission. You had to know we were going to get everyone home. If you had doubts or didn’t feel good about the mission, not only would you not go with us, but we would not take you.”
In 1972, Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam, was the most heavily defended city in the world except Moscow, with the thickest air defense system that surface-to-air missiles (SAM), antiaircraft artillery (AAA), and interdiction MiGs could provide.
Early in the presentation, DeBellevue’s wife, Sally, was recognized in the audience. DeBellevue explained that in 1972 the communications between him and his wife were by letter, so she got a letter every day that stated, “I was alive last week,” knowing the time required for the letter to get to her.
The audience was comprised of 200 veterans and their wives and families, active duty and reserve service members, legislators, and defense and aerospace industry representatives.
The event also marked DeBellevue’s 50th year to the day he became America’s leading Vietnam War ace. In 1972, DeBellevue became one of only five Americans to achieve flying ace status and the first as a WSO, an integral part of two-person aircrews, with the emergence of air-to-air missiles as the primary weapons during aerial combat. He was credited with a total of six MiG kills, the most earned by any U.S. aviator during the Vietnam War and is a recipient of the Air Force Cross and three Silver Stars.
“A large part of the team did not fly into combat but were so vitally important to the success of the missions we flew,” DeBellevue said. “From getting the jets ready to ensuring the bombs and missiles were loaded and ready, to the electronic techs that kept the systems peaked, to the supply teams who kept the parts and fuel coming to the base, the support troops and, of course, the cook who had breakfast ready at 4:30 every morning, the team worked well together. They all put the confidence in the jet that allowed me to take it into North Vietnam every day and to know it was ready for whatever happened.”
Deptula retired in 2010 after 34 years of service, where—among other accomplishments—he was the principal attack planner for the Desert Storm air campaign in 1991, commander of no-fly zone operations over Iraq, where he flew 82 combat missions as a general officer. He planned and orchestrated air operations over Afghanistan in 2001 in response to the 911 attacks.
Deptula observed DeBellevue’s achievement in an interview, “We all know him as America’s top ace of the Vietnam War and the last ace to serve on active duty in the United States Air Force. But there’s a lot more to Chuck—excellence, teamwork, and dedication to duty are themes that resonate throughout his life. History books may celebrate him for his MiG kills, but what we are here to celebrate is a lifetime of service.”
After the one-hour presentation, AAR, Boeing, Captain Bob Ford, the Air Warrior Courage Foundation, and the Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma sponsored a defense and aerospace industry reception.

Dear Savvy Senior, Amid all the troubling coronavirus news, I’ve also read that there are various coronavirus scams going around right now taking advantage of innocent people who are afraid of getting sick or are worried about those that have. What can you tell me about coronavirus scams and what can I do to protect myself? Scared Senior

Dear Scared,
Unfortunately, coronavirus scams are spreading nearly as fast as the virus itself, and seniors are often the most vulnerable.
These con artists are setting up websites to sell bogus products, and using spoofed phone calls, emails, texts, and social media posts as a ruse to take your money and get your personal information.
The emails and posts may be promoting awareness and prevention tips, and fake information about cases in your community. They also may be asking you to donate to victims, offering advice on unproven treatments, or contain malicious email attachments.
Here are some tips to help you keep the scammers at bay.
Click carefully: Don’t click on coronavirus-related links from sources you don’t know in an email or text message. The same goes for unfamiliar websites. When you click on an email or download a file, you could get a program on your computer that could either use your computer’s internet connection to spread malware or dig into your personal files looking for passwords and other information.
Ignore bogus product offers: Ignore online offers for coronavirus vaccinations or miracle cures. There are currently no vaccines, pills, potions, lotions, lozenges, or other prescription or over-the-counter products available to treat or cure coronavirus online or in stores. If you see or receive ads touting prevention, treatment, or cure claims for the coronavirus, ignore them because they’re not legitimate.
Beware of CDC spoofing: Be wary of emails, text messages or phone calls claiming to come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and/or the World Health Organization (WHO). These scams could take several forms – such as fake health agency warnings about infections in your local area, vaccine and treatment offers, medical test results, health insurance cancellation, alerts about critical supply shortages, and more.
For the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus, visit CDC.gov/covid19.
Beware of fundraising scams: Be wary of emails or phone calls asking you to donate to a charity or crowdfunding campaign for coronavirus victims or for disease research. To verify a charity’s legitimacy use CharityNavigator.org. But, if you’re asked for donations in cash, by prepaid credit card or gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it because it’s probably a scam.
Beware of stock scams: The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is warning people about phone calls and online promotions, including on social media, touting stocks of companies with products that supposedly can prevent, detect or cure coronavirus. Buy those stocks now, they say, and they will soar in price.
But the con artists have already bought the stocks, which typically sell for a dollar or less. As the hype grows and the stock price increases, the con men dump the stock, saddling other investors with big losses. It’s a classic penny-stock fraud called “pump and dump.” Making matters worse: you may not be able to sell your shares if trading is suspended.
When investing in any company, including companies that claim to focus on coronavirus-related products and services, carefully research the investment and keep in mind that investment scam artists often exploit the latest crisis to line their own pockets.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

The Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation has donated more than 25,000 protective gloves to the Integris Baptist Medical Center. The donation came after Integris officials put out a call for personal protective equipment, or PPE.
Across the state and nation, shortages of PPE have heightened concerns that first responders and medical workers might be at higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 coronavirus and passing it on to patients.
OMRF has suspended most biomedical research during the pandemic. So, researchers joined together to gather spare laboratory supplies, which also included masks and other PPE desperately needed in hospitals, clinics and testing facilities.
“Our scientists reacted immediately to the request,” said OMRF’s Lijun Xia, M.D., Ph.D., who helped spearhead the effort.
“As a medical scientist, I knew that it was essential to get Integris staff sufficiently equipped so they could help patients in Oklahoma,” said Xia. “When I heard their supplies were running low, I was really concerned and wanted to contribute as quickly and as much as possible.”
OMRF healthcare providers continue to treat patients in the foundation’s rheumatology and multiple sclerosis centers. “So, it’s vital that we still retain adequate supplies to protect caregivers and patients when they visit,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. “But this is a crisis, and if we can help other medical professionals who are risking their lives by sharing part of our inventory, we will.”
In addition to the PPE donation, OMRF scientists are teaming with the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in an emergency effort to process COVID-19 tests. Led by Joel Guthridge, Ph.D., a team of OMRF scientists is temporarily relocating to OU Medicine, where they will operate a high-speed polymerase chain reaction system OMRF has moved there temporarily, as well as a new robot OMRF has purchased to help accelerate testing.
The goal of the effort is to increase the state’s testing capacity. When fully operational, OMRF and OUHSC scientists hope the facility will be able to process up to several thousand tests a day.
“Experts say Oklahoma’s numbers will increase dramatically when more testing becomes available,” said Prescott, a physician and medical researcher. “The sooner we can get our arms around the true magnitude of this health crisis, the better we’ll be able to fight it.”
Testing will also help those worrying about whether they’ve contracted COVID-19. “Knowing whether you have the virus could improve your chances of recovery,” said Prescott, “and aggressive quarantine measures can save others from contracting it.”

by Greg Schwem

Mary Louise and Marty showed up faithfully at the park each morning at 7:30. Stopping their SUV in the same space, Mary Louise, 68, emerged with a bowl of water, followed by her husband, 85, and armed with a tennis ball. They opened the car’s hatch as if they were pulling back a Broadway curtain to reveal the show’s marquee star.
Shamus, their 3-year-old border collie, played the role well.
For the next 45 minutes, owners commiserated as our dogs, including Macie, my cockapoo, frollicked in the unfenced park, regardless of weather. Shamus never tired of chasing the ball, no matter how far Marty’s plastic contraption launched it. We laughed as our dogs sniffed owners’ butts, knowing treats were in nearby pockets. I began using the owners as my “test audience,” trying out lines I might use on stage in upcoming standup comedy shows. One day I remarked that I was going on a business trip but was anxious to get home “to be with those I love the most.”
“It’s hard to leave your dog,” I added.
Mary Louise laughed the hardest.
The dogs rolled, wrestled, barked and slurped. Shamus was usually the ringleader.
“He’ll run around like this every morning and then he’ll sleep all afternoon,” Mary Louise said.
Gesturing to Marty, I replied, “And what will Shamus do?”
More laughs. They came fast and freely.
Until one day, they didn’t.
Returning from nearly a month-long corporate speaking tour, Macie and I arrived at the park to see Mary Louise exiting her SUV, clutching the water bowl. As she moved toward me, I saw an opportunity for humor.
“We’re all losing our memories, Mary Lou, but did you forget Shamus?”
I regretted it the moment I saw the tears.
“We lost him,” was all she could say before breaking down.
Shamus, she explained after composing herself, suffered from seizures but neither she nor her husband thought they would cause their beloved companion’s death so quickly. Anticipating my next question, she said Marty hadn’t been able to return to the park.
“But you’re still coming,” I said.
“I wouldn’t know what to do all day,” she replied, walking toward the gazebo where the owners congregated if it was raining, snowing or oppressively hot. Our dogs never complained about the elements because, well, they’re dogs.
How I wanted to make Mary Louise laugh at this particular moment. Was there something, anything, I could say to bring out a smile or even a soft chuckle? I firmly believe humor has a place anywhere. I recounted the funerals I’ve been to where mourners laughed more than they cried. Occasionally I’ve been asked to speak about the deceased, solely because a relative figured I could lighten the mood with comedy. It’s never an easy task, but one I relish.
Yet, here I was, looking at a woman whose morning routine would never be the same, despite her best attempt. Macie was fidgeting, so I told her to hang in there, turned and headed for home with my very healthy four-legged friend.
A week later Macie and I returned, hoping to see the cadre of dogs we’d come to expect. On this particular day, the grass was empty. There was only the SUV in the parking lot.
As we got closer, the door opened and Mary Louise emerged. She’d been waiting for one of us to arrive, just so she could lavish love on an animal, even if it wasn’t hers. I knew she’d been crying.
I asked about Marty. He still wasn’t making the trip.
Hesitating, I plowed forward with the “elephant in the room” question.
“Do you think you’ll get another one?”
“I’d like to, but I’m not sure I can go through this again,” she said.
“I know something you need right now,” I said, wrapping my arms around her.
Wear a mask if it makes you feel safer or more comfortable, but never be afraid to reach out, literally and physically, to someone in need. Do it today.
Because, like laughter, hugs will always have a place in the world.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

by Greg Schwem

For 30 years I’ve made my living as a standup comedian. I’ve stood on iconic stages including the Grand Ole Opry and the Chicago Theatre. I’ve gazed out at crowds as large as 10,000 and as small as six. We won’t talk about the six.
My moods following my performances have run the gamut from elation to despair. From feeling like I’m the first person to set foot on an uncharted planet to wanting to jump into a recently dug grave and instructing the backhoe operator to “just bury me now.”
The one commonality to all these shows was a live audience. The coronavirus has, for the immediate future, taken away my ability to perform.
Or has it?
Enter the concept of virtual entertainment, an idea that has never really taken off considering that, despite the available technology, most people ultimately think it’s weird to watch a hologram of Prince or another deceased rock star “playing” live on stage. The connection a performer feels to an audience works in reverse too; the audience must feel that same connection.
So when a show I was scheduled to perform for 1,200 members of the dairy industry in Madison, Wisconsin, joined the scrap heap of cancellations on my calendar, I was not hesitant, rather overjoyed, when the organizers said they wanted to me to perform virtually.
Of course, that would mean performing standup comedy to a camera, without a crowd. The audience, I was told, would watch from bedrooms, hotel rooms and home offices, surrounded, most likely, by nobody.
Not exactly the ideal audience for a comedian. Still, the show must go on.
At 8 p.m., I entered a conference room that looked as if preparations were in place for some sort of invasion. A half-eaten takeout pizza sat on a round table big enough to seat 10. Snacks, drinks and sandwiches purchased from an attached hotel represented lunch for the staff tasked with running the virtual operation. Dinner too.
A few IT personnel stared intently at laptops as another virtual presenter, speaking from God only knows where, gave a speech entitled “Practical Proven Systems for More Profitable Innovation.” I heard his voice and saw the PowerPoint slides he had assembled for his talk, but I didn’t see him.
Instead I saw an empty stage and a single camera pointed at it.
“That’s where you’ll be,” the conference organizer told me.
When the previous speaker had concluded, another member of the organizational team grabbed a mic and said, “We have some questions.” These questions, I assume, were submitted by attendees watching virtually. Of the 10 people in the conference room, nobody raised a hand.
The unseen presenter answered several questions and then it was time for me. Like a normal show, a tech clipped a lavalier microphone to my shirt; like a normal show I stood slightly offstage awaiting my introduction. And, like a normal show, I bounded onstage when I heard my name.
The next 45 minutes were left to my imagination.
The conference room participants — seven staff members and three techs — did their best to laugh at my jokes, which, naturally, included a few references to the massive elephant in the room.
“I’m staying in a very nice hotel here in Madison,” I said. “I only live two hours from here, so I don’t really need a hotel. But I was out of toilet paper and the hotel had some.”
Strangely, the longer I performed, the more confident I was that somebody was laughing somewhere. A few laughs from the 10 people in the room were all I needed to keep going. Yes, there were some uncomfortable moments, but it’s also uncomfortable doing standup at a party in the hull of a Catamaran. OK, I brought up the audience of six. Sorry.
I hope there will be no more virtual shows in my career. I hope to be back on stage soon, where I can see and converse with real audience members.
But COVID-19 has taught me one thing: Laughter cannot be quarantined.
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.)
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

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