So today, I thought I would exhibit self-centeredness by sharing an array of "me" photos. LOL!
And what's interesting about seeing photos of yourself from the past to the present, is just how much you've changed.
Now mind you, even though I have physically changed throughout the years, there's one thing that has never changed about me. And that is, just how crazy I am.
You see, I was born crazy. It's part of my DNA.
In fact, I used to work with a guy at a hair salon who used to say to me, "Ron...you ain't right!" Which always made me laugh my ass off because it was so true.
Oh, and another thing that's never changed about me is how much I love the camera.
My mother told me that even as a kid, I was obsessed with the camera and taking pictures. And not only being behind the camera, but in front of the camera as well. She said that as soon as anyone brought out a camera (still or movie), I suddenly became alive and animated. She used to say, "Oh Ronnie...you're such a little HAM!"
And she was right, I was. I can't tell you how many times she caught me lip-syncing to the LP of "West Side Story", using my sisters' hairbrush as a microphone.
But I suppose that's why I was always drawn to the theater and performing.
Many actors will tell you that inwardly they are very shy. And I think that's true. However, the minute they get onstage or in front of a camera, the light switch goes on and they suddenly become unabashedly uninhibited. I could do anything onstage or in front of a camera without an ounce of reservation.
The photos-
As I said, some of my longtime readers may have already seen many of these photos, so I apologized for the reruns. But over the past few months I've had the pleasure of meeting some new readers, so to you, these photos will be new.
I scanned most of them, so the clarity is not the best.
Okay, so let's start with some baby photographs. Please note the picture of me in the lower right-hand corner playing the drums. I look completely PLASTERED, don't I?...
High School Yearbook photo...
This was my old passport photo (from the early 70's) in which I looked like the leader of a drug cartel. YES...that's my afro hair. YES...those are my bushy eyebrows. And YES...that's a polyester shirt I'm wearing.
The next time you're in a Five Guys, try sticking French fries up your nose before eating them, it adds such a lovely flavor...
Me, in a department store, during the perfume launch of rapper, Nicki Minaj.
Aren't I smokin' hot in that pink wig?...
This is a Halloween costume I created one year, back in the 90's. I'm a biker. And being that I'm a makeup artist, I made my face look all rough, haggard, and scarred. That's a fake tattoo, as well...
I have no comment about this next photo.
I'm absolutely speechless...
As the character of Parpignol in the Puccini opera, "La Boheme"...
As Mr. Smee in "Peter Pan" (in Japan)...
As the character of the evil Stepmother in the musical, "Cinderella"...
Oh my god, Ron, these photos and your commentary are priceless! LOVED the passport one! Your baby pics are so cute. Are those slippers on your feet in the picture bottom left? Don't you love black and white photos? Digital pictures are great, but there is nothing like holding a real photo in your hand.
ReplyDeleteI will have to try the French fry thing the next time I'm in Five Guys lol! And you in the pink wig? Hysterical! I never knew Niki Minaj had her own fragrance?
Thank you for the morning laughs, Ron. xo
How fun! There are new ones along with ones I’ve seen. I love you on that riding horse because I had one just like it. I rode the hell out of that thing, according to my mother. And what a cutie you are on that little piano bench! Are those bunny slippers? You were very in style in the 70’s, despite how tacky it looks now! Lol, I HATE all my photos from that era. I had that long straight hair with the wire framed glasses. Not attractive! All your costumed looks are great, but of course, I love present day you! Thanks for going into the vault for us. Happy Midweek!
ReplyDeleteP.S. Did Biker Ron vote that day? Bahahaha!
These are all new to me and I have to say each and every one is priceless! The passport photo is so 70s. You look a little like Greg Brady back in the day in the actors headshot. You look fantastic in pink, and of course my favorite of all is you and Tut. Thank you for sharing these with us my crazy friend!
ReplyDeleteRon, these are Fabulous!! I especially enjoyed your baby/little kid photos. I find it interesting to see how people started and got to where they are now. I'm pea-green I didn't have one of those rocking horses, though!
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, but you were a fashion plate! And how GLAD I am those fashions are over. I abhor polyester and shudder at the memory of all those "leisure suits" men used to wear. And those extremely WIDE ties. Not to mention the hairstyles, ha!
Thanks for taking us on a fun tour of your earlier days. Love the cat photo and must say you've "aged" so well, my friend -- all that healthy living! xx
Hey there Candice!
ReplyDeleteHA! Can you believe that passport photo? I found it in a box years ago, where I kept some old photographs and memorabilia. I got that passport when I went to Amsterdam for the summer.
No, they're not slippers, those are actually plastic roller skates with the face of Rocky the squirrel from the cartoon "Rocky and Bullwinkle." It was a very popular cartoon back in the 60's. I got those skates for Christmas that year.
Isn't the pink wig hysterical? Yes, Niki Minaj had several fragrances. The one you see in the photograph was her first. And I think it was called, Minajesty.
Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Glad you have a laugh. Enjoy the rest of you day and week!
X
Yes, I figured there would be many of these that you've already seen because you and I have been blogging together for so many years. Glad were a few you hadn't seen.
ReplyDelete"I love you on that riding horse because I had one just like it. I rode the hell out of that thing, according to my mother."
HA! OMG, you had one of those too?!?! That's so cool! Those riding horses were so popular when I was a kid, so I was ecstatic to have gotten one that year for Christmas.
No, those were not bunny slippers, those were plastic roller skates with the face of Rocky the squirrel from the cartoon "Rocky and Bullwinkle." Remember that cartoon? Even back then I loved SQUIRRELS. LOL!
YES!!!! Long straight hair with wire framed glasses were SO 70's! I actually dated a girl in high school (in my Senior year) who had long straight hair (parted down the middle) and wore wire framed glasses. But back then that was "the look!"
Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Happy Midweek to you too!
X
P.S. No, that wasn't a "I Voted" sticker on me. That was a button with the American flag on it that I bought to put on my torn biker shirt. HA!
Aw...thank you, Martha! Glad you enjoyed these photos.
ReplyDeleteYes, isn't the passport SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 70's?!?!
"You look a little like Greg Brady back in the day in the actors headshot."
And OH...MY...GOD, I cannot believe you said that because whenever I would show that picture to people later in years, I used to say that I looked just like GREG BRADY from "The Brady Bunch" I kid you not! HA!
Thanks so much for stopping by! So glad we met! Enjoy the rest of your week!
X
Hey there Debbie!
ReplyDeleteThank you, my friend. Aren't looking at your baby photographs fun? It's so hard to believe we were all that little.
"I'm pea-green I didn't have one of those rocking horses, though!"
OMG, you have no idea how HAPPY I was that Christmas when I walked downstairs in the morning and saw that horse under the tree with my name on it. I wish I still had it. LOL!
Me too, I abhor polyester! Not only do I not like how it feels on my skin, but it's so HOT. Isn't the WIDE tie insane? I mean, do you think they could have made the ties any wider back then? HA!
Isn't Tut, adorable? And he's HUGE. He was so cute that day because he wouldn't leave my side. He kept wanting me to pick him up. Such a love. And thank you for your sweet compliment.
Have a great rest of your week, my friend. And thanks so much for stopping by!
X
Ron, I'm one of your new readers so I haven't seen any of these. They're INCREDIBLE! I had no idea you were a makeup artist. What a multitalented man you are! Your baby pictures are precious. What cute little boy. The one of you playing drums is hilarious!
ReplyDeleteI love the 70's pictures! It's so interesting to look back on different decades and notice the style and fashion. LOVE the picture of you in the PINK wig. LOL! Your costume and makeup as the evil stepmother in Cinderella is so impressive. How long ago was that? And where did you perform it?
Thank you for sharing your pictorial treasures, Ron. You should do this kind of post once a month. I would love it!
Helloooooooooo Clair!
ReplyDeleteYes, you haven't seen ANY of these. I posted many of them throughout the 14 years of having this blog, so some of my longtime readers have already seen them.
I was a makeup artist for years. I had a cosmetology license for 15 years and worked as a stylist in different salons. I enjoyed doing hair, but I was more interested in makeup and skincare, so I moved in that direction. Not only did I learned makeup in school, but I also learned a lot by being in the theater and studying stage makeup.
Weren't the 70's styles a hoot?
I did Cinderella back in the late 90's. I used work a lot with a professional children's theater company in Orlando, Florida. I had SO MUCH fun playing that role!
Thanks so much for stopping by and for your sweet words, Clair! Have a great rest of your week!
X
Tut is such a handsome cat. I love the color of his fur. I'm a fan of cats. I have two.
ReplyDeleteIsn't he a handsome boy? I love the color of his fur too. I adore cats. I don't have any at the moment, but at one time I had two (a mother and her son).
ReplyDeleteRon, I read your post this morning when I got into work, but we've been swamped today so I didn't have time to leave my comment until now. Oh my god, even though I've seen some of these photos in the past, there are several that I have not seen at all and I laughed my butt off. I hope you don't mind, but I shared this post with one of the girls I work with because I thought she would enjoy it and she wanted me to tell you that you are a RIOT! She's going to subscribe to your blog by email so she can stay updated whenever you post.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember the photos of you in the pink wig, which are hysterical. I love how you have your tongue sticking out in one of them. I never seen your passport photo either or your headshot. All that curly hair! Was it a perm or did you have curly hair when you were younger?
Thank you for sharing your photos, Ron! LOVED them! xox
Oh, and you look so cute with Tut. You can tell he likes you because he looks so relaxed.
Hola Denise!
ReplyDeleteNo, of course I don't mind that you shared my post. In fact, thank you for doing so. And I'm happy to hear that your coworker enjoyed it.
And I'm also happy to hear that you haven't seen some of these photos because you and have been blogging for YEARS, so I thought you'd seen them all. Isn't the pink wig funny? My coworkers dared me to put it on and have my picture taken, so I DID it. HA!
No, that was not a perm, is was MY hair, can you believe it? It was very curly and coarse. I also used to highlight it when I lived in Florida. Over the years, I started cutting it shorter and shorter, until eventually it started thinning, so now I just cut it very short. And my hair grows fast, so I have to cut it every two weeks.
Isn't Tut a cutie-pie? He and I really bonded. I was at my friends house for almost four hours and he never left my side.
Thanks so much for stopping by, girl. Hope you're having a superb week!
X
What a fun look back on your life, Ron. The sweetest ones were you as a young child, especially the one with your mother. Black and white photos are wonderfully nostalgic. Loved the one of yourself on the rocking horse. I had not seen any of these before, so enjoyed all of them the "first" time. Just so you know, I'll take a pass on the french fries up the nose, my friend. BTW, my husband came in the room as I was reading this post. He actually roared with laughter at your costume shots.
ReplyDeleteHelloooooooo there D!
ReplyDeleteThank you. You're right, black and white photos are so wonderfully nostalgic. I love that one with my mother. I was only two months old in that photo. It's crazy to think we were all that little at one time.
"Just so you know, I'll take a pass on the french fries up the nose, my friend."
LOL! I don't blame you!
Glad you husband had a laugh. Like I said, "I ain't right!"
Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you're having a stellar week!
X
Ron, my girlfriend and I read this post together and BUSTED laughing at your photos. I've been reading your blog for eons, but there were quite a few here that I had not seen. My girlfriend wants to know where she can get a pink wig like that, because she LOVED it!
ReplyDelete"This was my old passport photo (from the early 70's) in which I looked like the leader of a drug cartel." ROFLMAO Dude, that was so damn funny because you DO!
That is some great makeup as the biker because you really do look rough, haggard, and scarred. I love the hair and the bandana.
You should write a book about your like in the theater, telling stories of your experiences. I would love to read it!
Thanks for the laughs, Ron! We both enjoyed this post.
Hiya Matt!
ReplyDeleteHappy to hear that you haven't seen all these photos because we've been blogging together for so many years (like 9 years I think?!). Glad to hear you and your girlfriend had a laugh. I laughed too when I found these photos because I hadn't seen them in years. Tell you girlfriend that the pink wig was part of the promotion of the perfume. I actually didn't promote the fragrance myself because I was working for a different company, however, I HAD to put the wig on just for the fun of it.
Yes, doesn't my passport photo look like that? LOL!
I had so much fun creating the biker costume. One of the girls I worked with came dressed as my "biker girlfriend" it was such a HOOT to work all day dressed like that.
Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend. Hope you're having a fantabulous week!
X
Lucky you, Ron! My hair is bone straight so if I want curl or wave I have to use an iron. Back in the 90's I used to get body waves. Loved them!
ReplyDeleteAhhh....the 70s....gotta love it! And you do look smokin' not in that pink wig.....but maybe more of a smokin' hot mess?! 😆 Thanks for sharing and giving us a giggle. As one who loves the CATS musical, your version is head and shoulders above the latest CATS movie I saw (soooo much prefer the stage productions). I know we all look forward to more selfies in the future! X
ReplyDeleteOMG that is so ironic because back in the 90's (and even the 80's) I used to GIVE perms at the salons I worked at. I don't think stylists do perms anymore. Perms and body waves use to be so popular back then. However, now, everyone wants straight hair so it's all about blow-drying and then using a flat iron.
ReplyDeleteHey there Lisa!
ReplyDeleteYes...the 70's...you gotta love it!
"And you do look smokin' not in that pink wig.....but maybe more of a smokin' hot mess?! 😆
Bwhahahahahaha! OMG, that made me laugh out loud because it's true....a smokin' hot mess!!!!
And me too, the stage production of Cats is the BEST! In fact, I just watched it on YouTube. I was so happy to have discovered it. Apparently they filmed it with all the original (British) cast members. It was WONDERFUL!
Thanks so much for stopping by, my friend! Hope you're having a faaaaaabulous week! X
Ron, these photos are so great! I've only known you for a short time on the internet, but I can see that you're very diverse in your abilities. I had no idea you were a makeup artist. That is so cool. Did you do it professionally? And how did you get into it?
ReplyDeleteI love the picture of you as Mr Smee and the stepmother from Cinderella. I know the opera, La Boheme, it's one of my favorites. Didn't know you sang opera either.
Tut is certain a BIG cat. Wow! Fun post. You're a great storyteller, Ron.
Hi Daniel!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your kind words. I first got into makeup when I was in theater. I went to an acting school in NYC that taught stage makeup, so that's how I learned the art. Years later, I went to cosmetology school and again, I learned more about makeup. I serious got into doing it professionally in late 80's. I worked for various makeup companies, but also worked as a freelance artist doing makeup for photographers, weddings, etc. I still enjoy the art of makeup and talking about it, but I took a break about two years ago to try different things.
" I know the opera, La Boheme, it's one of my favorites. Didn't know you sang opera either."
Mine too! I LOVE that opera and enjoyed being in it. As Parpignol, I only had two solo singing lines. No, I'm not an opera singer at all. I sing, but I'm more of a Broadway musical singing voice.
Isn't Tut HUGE? What a cutie!
Thank you for stopping by, I always enjoy reading your comments. Have a faaaaaaaabulous weekend!
X
Ron, even though you're not technically an "opera singer", I'm still impressed that you were in La Boheme and sang two solo lines. And thanks for sharing how you got into being a makeup artist. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteAw...thank you, Daniel. And you are so welcome!
ReplyDeleteOh, Ron, these are fabulous!
ReplyDeleteYou've got some new items I haven't seen before mixed in with some of your greatest hits!
This is the History of Ron told in photos. You should turn it into a video and add a soundtrack. You could become a YouTube star!
That passport photo is a particular favorite: it just screams Seventies porn star!
I can see why you loved acting so much since you are able to completely change your appearance. I feel as if I'm looking at a whole platoon of people instead of just one nutty guy!
Quick question: do you still have that drum set?
That's a great observation you made about being to do anything once the lights or cameras come on.
People have often suggested I do stand-up comedy because I like to joke around. Going out a stage full of strangers both thrills and terrifies me! Hopefully with COVID receding I'll be able to take a stand-up class soon.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderful images, buddy! You really made my day!
Take care!
Rob, thank you so much for your sweet, kind and hilarious comment!
ReplyDeleteOMG....this made me HOWL...."That passport photo is a particular favorite: it just screams Seventies porn star!"...because it's SO TRUE!!!! I do look like a 70's porn star, you nailed it!
And I'm glad there were some of these you hadn't seen because you and I have been blogging for such a long time, I figured you had seen them all.
"Quick question: do you still have that drum set?" HA! No, but I wish, isn't that drum set so cool? I look like a plastered, Buddy Rich!
"People have often suggested I do stand-up comedy because I like to joke around. Going out a stage full of strangers both thrills and terrifies me! Hopefully with COVID receding I'll be able to take a stand-up class soon."
You would be faaaaaaabulous at standup because of your quick and witty sense of humor! Let me know if and when you do it and I'll be there on your opening night!
Thanks so much for stopping by, buddy! Hope you're having an awesome birthday week!
X