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Life on the ‘Prairie’

Actress embraces her inner Nellie; slated for weekend PFLAG appearance

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Alison Arngrim (Photo by Gor Magaera)

There was a time, actress Alison Arngrim recalls, when her character Nellie Oleson — nemesis of the wholesome Ingalls girls on the hit ’70s show “Little House on the Prairie” — got a little too mean.

Arngrim mostly relished the juicy part. She found the screaming, howling and throwing things a great release. But there was one time she thought the writers took it a bit too far.

“There was one episode that was almost too mean,” Arngrim says during a lengthy phone interview from her house in Los Angeles’ Tujunga neighborhood. “It’s the one where I’m tormenting this poor girl who stuttered. I was kind of cringing when we were filming it thinking, ‘Oh man, I would never do this.’ I had to go to speech class as a child too, so it hit a nerve with me and I know how traumatic it can be. So I’m thinking, ‘OK, I’d pretty much slit my wrists before I’d torment somebody like this.’ This poor girl was sobbing and I’m making her say, ‘Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers,’ again and again. ‘I can’t hear you!’ It was pretty sick. I even felt a little sick while we were doing it.”

Arngrim’s “Little House” memories are mostly fond, though. She’s been touring her one-woman show “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch” for years. Last year she adapted it into an autobiography that’s drawn raves.

Her former co-star Melissa Gilbert (Laura), whom Arngrim calls her best friend, says she “devoured” “Confessions” in two days and, “after reading it I admire her more than ever.”

Arngrim is in Washington this weekend for “Stand United,” PFLAG D.C.’s gala and silent auction slated for 6 p.m. Saturday at the Washington Plaza Hotel in Thomas Circle. And she says she couldn’t come to town without stopping by Nellie’s Sports Bar, the gay pub across from Town on U Street, N.W. Owner Doug Schantz met Arngrim last summer in Provincetown, Mass., and told her to stop by if ever she was in D.C. She’ll sign copies of her book there tonight (Thursday) at 6 p.m.

Even though the bar wasn’t named after her character, Arngrim thinks the connection is funny.

“He sent me all the T-shirts, hats and everything with the Nellie’s logo,” Arngrim says. “I’m like, ‘Oh my god, this is awesome!’ I wear nothing but Nellie’s Sports Bar clothes.”

Arngrim, now 49 and a nearly life-long AIDS, LGBT rights and child abuse advocate, started working at age 6. When “Little House” was casting, she read for both the Mary and Laura parts, but landed Nellie instead. She credits “the Michael Landon academy” as her acting school and says “it came weirdly naturally.”

The uppity Oleson clan — wealthier and snobbier than the Ingalls — provided the show with its comic relief. Her “Little House” parents, Katherine MacGregor (Harriet) and Richard Bull (Nels) — both 86 — are doing well. She keeps in touch and remembers them fondly.

“They adored each other but they would have these hysterical arguments,” Arngrim says. “This was back in the ’70s when Prop 13, which slashed property taxes and in a way kind of ruined the state, was big. It was this bizarre political thing in California at the time and was very controversial. Katherine and Richard were sitting on the set debating this thing and you would have sworn it was Mr. and Mrs. Oleson. It was so good, you could have filmed it. They were just like an old married couple.”

Arngrim says Bull is still working, “which is crazy.” MacGregor, she says, was “one of the funniest” people on the set.

“She was like Mrs. Oleson in some ways — not mean but just completely bananas.”

Alison Arngrim as Nellie Oleson. (Photo courtesy of the archives of Alison Arngrim)

The adult actors were gracious to the many child actors on the show, she says. They addressed them by their first names but included “sir” and “ma’am,” as they did with the crew.

The show filmed at Paramount then later at MGM on Stage 15 where “The Wizard of Oz” was also filmed. Arngrim claims she and Gilbert found pieces of the yellow brick road on the set. The outdoor scenes where facades of the famous Oleson’s Mercantile and Nellie’s Restaurant were built, were filmed at L.A.’s famous Big Sky Ranch.

“It’s so funny, they shoot everything there,” Arngrim says. “All these truck commercials that show how these big trucks can go through all this terrain. They’re totally driving through Walnut Grove. It’s hilarious. You see it on shows and commercials all the time.”

One thing she doesn’t miss is the famous Nellie wig, which she says was “practically nailed to my head.” It’s her own hair in the first few episodes but hers wouldn’t “hold the curl” so for the rest of the run it was a wig. She remembers the “Little House” stylists Ziggy Geike and Larry Germain pinning it on her each day with “about 8 million pins — it was excruciatingly painful.”

Several long-time cast members left after the seventh season, including Arngrim. Her contract was up and she says she didn’t see her character, who’d grown up, gotten married, had twins and become nice, going anywhere interesting.

“I thought, ‘OK, I’m done.’ It’s time to get out the door and do something else. Even Michael (Landon) hadn’t realized it would go on this long and become this monster. … This was pre-‘Friends’ so we didn’t have the big salaries and they weren’t offering any great incentive to re-sign. If I’d known it was only going to go on another two years, I might have stayed but my family was reminding me I didn’t want to end up like Miss Kitty on ‘Gunsmoke.'”

Arngrim laughs when she recalls how producers simply “cloned” several of the characters who left. A new, equally wholesome family moved in the Ingalls old house when Landon and Karen Grassle left. And the Olesons adopted holy terror Nancy.

“I was kind of this royal, imperious bitch, but she was more psychotic,” Arngrim says. “She was more ‘Bad Seed’ crazy, than Nellie. But it didn’t really work and it only went a couple more years.”

Arngrim’s activism sprang from her “Little House” work. Actor Steve Tracy, who played her husband Percival, was gay and died of AIDS in 1986.

“It was extremely traumatic for all of us,” Arngrim says. “He’d left this cryptic message on my answering machine and said he had cancer, kind of. I said, ‘What is cancer kind of?’ I knew something horrible was happening. This was in ’86 and there was just nothing then. Life expectancies were about nine months. And he was very ill.”

Even though PFLAG is a little different from the AIDS organizations for which Arngrim has long volunteered and worked — she was a full-time employee of Tuesday’s Child from 1989-1993 — she says it’s an important group she’s long admired.

“These families who treat their gay children like they’re from outer space, I’ve just never understood it. It’s like, ‘Jesus, what’s wrong with you?’ So this group that had the audacity to actually not reject their gay children — what a freaking thought — it’s a great thing. Nobody’s free till we’re all free.”

Go here for Arngrim’s appearances, book information and more.

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Miscellaneous

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Five easy tips to help you avoid common risks

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Be sure to install baby gates if you have stairs in your home with young children. (Photo by Kasia Bialasiewicz/Bigstock)

Your home is more than just a place to eat and sleep; it’s your safe haven. As much as you might cherish your home, you should probably also recognize the potential hazards within its familiar walls. Accidents can happen in an instant, yet with a little foresight and some simple adjustments, you can transform your house into a safer haven. 

Accidents can happen anywhere, and with a few simple tweaks, you can lower risks in your space. Below you’ll find five tips for each room in your home to help prevent injuries, falls, and other mishaps. In short, home safety. 

This article was inspired by a shower in a rental we managed that began leaking through the kitchen ceiling below. If only the landlord had installed grab bars, right!? Below, we’ll guide you through the steps to fortify your bathroom, making it a place of relaxation without the fear of slips and falls. Then, we’ll venture into the room where the magic happens, where proper planning can ensure great nights and peaceful mornings. We’ll show you how to prevent accidents while you experiment becoming the next Gordon Ramsey. And we’ll include a few surprising solutions for those other rooms that hold their own unique hazards, offering solutions to safeguard against unexpected mishaps.

Bathroom Safety

Install Grab Bars: Adding grab bars near the shower and toilet can provide essential support for family members of all ages. Not only can they help with getting in and out, but they can help provide stability when washing. Make sure they are securely anchored to the wall.

Non-Slip Mats: Place non-slip mats inside the shower and bathtub to prevent slips. They’re a small investment that can save you from falls and head injuries.

Adjust Water Temperature:  Ensure your hot water is set to a safe temperature to avoid scalding. The hot water heater should be set to around 120°F (49°C)l, the middle setting on many water heater settings. 

Medicine Cabinet Locks: If you have young children, use childproof locks on your medicine cabinet to keep harmful substances out of reach.

Proper Lighting: Ensure there’s adequate lighting in the bathroom to avoid trips and falls during nighttime visits. Nightlights can be a simple and effective solution. 

Bedroom Safety

Clear Pathways: Keep pathways in the bedroom clutter free to prevent tripping. Ensure there’s enough space to move around comfortably, particularly getting around the bed.  Be aware where all furniture is when walking around to avoid stubbed toes, particularly at night.

Secure Rugs: If you have throw rugs, use rug grippers or double-sided tape to keep them from slipping. Loose rugs are a common trip hazard. 

Bed Rails: For anyone at risk of falling out of bed, consider installing bed rails to provide extra support and prevent falls.

Nightstands with Drawers: Opt for nightstands with drawers to keep essential items.  This reduces the need to get out of bed at night, minimizing the risk of falls, as you race to grab what you need and not lose a moment’s rest.

Fire Safety: Install battery-operated smoke detectors in the bedrooms if there are none. Make sure to install them 36 inches away from an air vent or the edge of a ceiling fan.  Also six inches away from the joint between the wall and ceiling.  And test smoke detectors regularly.

Kitchen Safety

Non-Slip Flooring: Choose slip-resistant rugs in the kitchen, especially in areas where spills are common. Mats near the sink and stove can also help and you can often buy them fairly cheaply at Costco.

Childproof Cabinets: If you have little ones, use childproof latches on cabinets and drawers to prevent them from accessing potentially hazardous items.

Anti-tip brackets: Install an anti-tip bracket behind the range. These are often used when children are in the home. Although they are less likely to open the oven door and use it as a step stool to get to the stove-top, adults can also benefit from installing these. 

Adequate Lighting: Proper lighting is crucial in the kitchen to avoid accidents. Under-cabinet lighting can illuminate work areas effectively.

Secure Heavy Items: Ensure heavy pots and pans are stored at waist level to prevent straining or dropping them from high shelves.

Sharp Object Storage: Keep knives and other sharp objects in a secure drawer or block. And handle all sharp items with extreme care, even when washing and drying. These steps reduce the risk of accidental cuts.  

Other Safety Tips

Furniture Anchors: Secure heavy furniture, like bookshelves and dressers, to the wall to prevent tip-overs, especially if you have young children.

Adequate Outlets: Check for damaged outlets and replace them promptly. Avoid overloading circuits with too many devices. Install placeholder plugs in outlets to prevent young curious fingers (or tongues?) from going inside an electrical outlet.

Stair Gates: If your home has stairs, install safety gates at the top and bottom to prevent falls, especially if you have toddlers or pets to keep them off of the stairs when you cannot monitor them.

Emergency Escape Plan: Develop and practice an emergency escape plan with your family, including a designated meeting place outside.

Carbon Monoxide Detector:  If your home burns any fossil fuels for heating or appliances, install carbon monoxide detectors in common areas of your home to detect this odorless gas. The D.C. building codes require this if you use a fireplace or if you have an attached garage. In essence, if there is any potential source of carbon monoxide in the home, be sure to install these detectors.

Remember, a safer home not only prevents accidents but also provides peace of mind for you and your family. Implement these simple tips to create a secure environment in every room of your house.

With these practical tips and a few adjustments, you can significantly reduce the risk of injuries and falls in your home. Enjoy peace of mind in your now much safer haven.

Scott Bloom is owner and senior property manager of Columbia Property Management.

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Celebrity News

Lizzo makes $50K donation to Marsha P. Johnson Institute

Singer is vocal LGBTQ ally

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Lizzo at the 65th Grammy Awards (Screenshot from the Grammy Awards)

When Lizzo sings “If I’m shinin,’ everybody gonna shine,” in her hit song, “Juice,” she means it. Proof of that came this week on Instagram when the LGBTQ ally announced the first winner of her annual Juneteenth Giveback Campaign is the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, a national nonprofit based in Richmond, Calif., dedicated to the protection and defense of Black transgender people. 

And she did so in song: “On the first day of Juneteenth, Lizzo gave to me,” she sang in her video, posted Tuesday, as she revealed her $50,000 gift to MPJI.

“That’s right, we know who Marsha P. Johnson is. We know what Marsha P. Johnson has done for the LGBTQ, emphasis on that ‘T,’ Q community,” said Lizzo to her 13.5 million followers. “Thank you so much to the people at the Marsha P. Johnson Institute. You deserve this, and I hope this helps you so much as you help protect our Black trans family.” 

“What the Marsha P. Johnson Institute does is protects and defends the rights of Black transgender people. They do this by organizing community, advocating for the people, and creating an intentional healing community, developing transformative leadership and promoting collective power,” she said. 

“We are overjoyed for the shoutout from Lizzo today, the generosity of her sharing her platform and the recognition of MPJI and its work,” said Elle Moxley, MPJI’s executive director. “The resources from this campaign will ensure the protection and defense of Black transgender people continue at a time where it is so vitally needed. We are so grateful for the support of Lizzo and her fans.”

As one of Time Magazine’s Persons of the Year for 2019 and a 2023 Grammy winner, Lizzo is more than a pop star but an inspiration to millions of fans for her body-positive attitude, her self-confidence on stage and in her videos, her empowering music and her activism. She’s also the founder of her own clothing line, Yitty. In 2021, she made headlines when she publicly corrected a paparazzo for using “she/her” pronouns and misgendering Demi Levato.

As part of her campaign, now in its 4th year, Lizzo recognizes Black-led grassroots organizations and businesses and encourages her fans to join her in supporting each of the five organizations she highlights this week. Fans who take action by donating are  entered into a drawing for an all-expenses paid trip to see her perform at Fuji Rock in Japan later this year. 

This week’s other nonprofits receiving gifts are: Black Girls Smile, Sphinx Music, the University of Houston and Save Our Sisters United.

Find out more about Lizzo’s 4th annual Juneteenth Giveback Campaign by clicking here.

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Celebrity News

Anne Heche dies after removal from life support

Actress dated Ellen DeGeneres in late 1990s

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(Screenshot/YouTube Inside Edition)

Actress Anne Heche died after she was removed from life support on Sunday, nearly two weeks after her Mini-Cooper crashed through a two-story house in Los Angeles’ Mar Vista neighborhood. Investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department believe she was intoxicated at the time.

She sustained a severe anoxic brain injury along with severe burns and was being treated at the Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital, near Chatsworth in the San Fernando Valley.

The 53-year-old actress who was a star of films like “Donnie Brasco,” the political satire “Wag the Dog” and the 1998 remake of “Psycho,” had been declared legally dead under California law on Friday, however, her family kept her alive long enough to be an organ donor.

In a statement Friday, the LAPD announced that: “As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case. Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case. When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.” LAPD detectives had previously made public that investigators into the crash found narcotics in a blood sample taken from Heche.

The actress’s family released a statement on Friday:

“Today we lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend. Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy. Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact,” the statement added.

Heche was married to camera operator Coleman Laffoon from 2001 to 2009. The two had a son, Homer, together. She had another son, named Atlas, during a relationship with actor James Tupper, her co-star on the TV series “Men In Trees.”

Laffoon left a moving tribute on an Instagram reel in which he also gave an update on how their 20-year-old son Homer Laffoon is coping with the loss of his mother.

“I loved her and I miss her, and I’m always going to,” he said adding: “Homer is okay. He’s grieving, of course, and it’s rough. It’s really rough, as probably anybody can imagine. But he’s surrounded by family and he’s strong, and he’s gonna be okay.”

“Rest In Peace, Mom, I love you, Homer,” the actor’s 20-year-old son, Homer, said in a statement after Heche was declared legally dead on Friday.“ My brother Atlas and I lost our Mom,” read the statement. “After six days of almost unbelievable emotional swings, I am left with a deep, wordless sadness. Hopefully, my mom is free from pain and beginning to explore what I like to imagine as her eternal freedom. Over those six days, thousands of friends, family, and fans made their hearts known to me. I am grateful for their love, as I am for the support of my Dad, Coley, and my stepmom Alexi who continue to be my rock during this time. Rest In Peace Mom, I love you, Homer.”

Tupper, a Canadian actor who starred alongside Heche in “Men in Trees,” had a 13-year-old son, Atlas, with her. “Love you forever,” Tupper, 57, wrote on his Instagram post’s caption with a broken heart emoji, which shared an image of the actress from Men in Trees.

Between 1997 and 2000, Heche was also in a relationship with talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

“This is a sad day,” DeGeneres posted on Twitter. “I’m sending Anne’s children, family and friends all of my love.” The year after her break-up with the comedian, in September 2001, Heche recounted in her memoir “Call Me Crazy,” about her lifelong struggles with mental health and a childhood of abuse.

KTLA’s entertainment reporter Sam Rubin noted that over the past two decades, Heche’s career pivoted several times. In 2017, she hosted a weekly radio show on SiriusXM with Jason Ellis called “Love and Heche.”

In 2020, Heche made her way into the podcast world. She launched “Better Together” which she cohosted alongside Heather Duffy Boylston. The show was described as a way to celebrate friendship. 

She also worked in smaller films, on Broadway, and on TV shows. She recently had recurring roles on the network series “Chicago P.D.,” and “All Rise” and was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars.”

People magazine reported that several of Heche’s acting projects are expected to be released posthumously.

These include “Girl in Room 13,” expected to be released on Lifetime in September, “What Remains,” scheduled to be released in 2023, and HBO Max TV series “The Idol,” created by Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.

In her Instagram post from earlier this year Heche stands between her sons Atlas, 13 and Homer, 20.

From KTLA:

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