LEADERHUNTRESS

According to The Reliable Source, Tipper Gore, ex-wife of almost President Al, turned up in DC last night to emcee a screening of “The Music Never Stopped,” a film about family, healing and the Grateful Dead. Invited by Mickey Hart, a world leader in world music and longtime Grateful Dead percussionist, she was joined by the inspiration of the film neurologist/author Oliver Sacks, other DC luminaries, and Mickey who, at 67 was denied a glass of chardonnay because he had no ID.

That and Tipper's wearing of her wedding ring seemed to be meta tag alerts in this story.

The piece focused on the event:

• Tipper was there wearing her wedding ring.
• Nancy Pelosi was there without a gavel (ok I said the gavel part).
• Mickey denied a drink is big news.

"The film is based on a case study by Sacks and tells the story of a father and his estranged son who slowly rebuild a bond throught he music of the Dead. Dad's a mellow guy who favors crooners and classics but the hemp-fueled hits of the '60s provide therapeutic enough for his neurologically disabled kid," summarizes the pieces. Good summary.

The real news:

• Washington luminaries came out to see the film- what did they think?
• Tipper Gore is friendly enough with Micky Hart to draw a crowd, and he's no deadbeat- just a leader in world music.
• Oliver Sacks has unreaveled mysteries of the brain. In this one, he uses music as an example of healing. THIS is original.

It goes on to report that Rep Jim McDermott (D-Washington), serving his 12th term in the House, harummped the question . This implies, "I don't get it." Perhaps not a Deadhead but he asked a legitimate question- basically, "Why the Dead and not, for example, Paul Simon?" The Honorable McDermottt is, in fact, honorable, and has been in public service since 1970 - not counting the Navy and the fact that he's a doctor and was interested in the film.

As a physician, Representative McDermott is especially interested in health care issues. While serving in the Washington State Legislature, he crafted the Washington Basic Health Plan, the first state program in the country to provide low-cost health insurance to the unemployed and working poor. In the U.S. Congress, Representative McDermott is consistently active on health care reform issues. He founded and chairs the Congressional Task Force on International HIV/AIDS, and championed the AIDS Housing Opportunities Act.

So please, Reliable Source, let's not give Jim a harummp. Let's just say he ASKED. And let's give the people who work in neurological health care in a productive way some kudos.

PS -And now we have a film that prove this includes the Grateful Dead. You could say it includes much artistic endeavor in general which speaks to people emotionally and helps heal individuals and relationships.