In 1985, I had the good fortune to be cast in this movie below as inmate Angelo Crispini (link below) and Muhammad Ali, one of my heroes, graced this comedy film with a small cameo playing himself. I was lucky enough to meet and perform an original poem for him that I used to do him in my Stand-up act, about his loss to Leon Spinks and his Championship Title. (I would bring up a guy from the audience to play him and I would stand behind him and recite the poem. It would always get big laughs.)
He complimented me for my impression of him with just one word, but that one "word" has remained with me all these years later and there is no better word he could have used to communicate my mediocre impression of him, "IDENTICAL!" He said with eyes wide open and and that trademark smile. When he spoke to you, he made you feel so special, so important, and that's an incredible quality to have. Ali was showing signs of Parkinson's back then; a little slower, a little more deliberate in his mannerisms and speech, BUT, he was still very coherent and he was ever so kind, gentle, and humble with me, and everyone else that clawed their way to get a second of his attention. He spent all of his time off camera doing magic card tricks for us which took forever because of his Parkinson's, but no one cared, it was Ali doing them.
I told him how I was in acting class, just a couple years earlier, with Veronica Porsche (his 3rd wife and mother to Laila) and even spent a night in his home (he was out of town) when Veronica decided to invite the entire acting class over for a slumber party, and the next morning she asked me to drive HIS convertible Rolls Royce to go get coffee and donuts. (Talk about being scared stiff!) And to be in his room with all his Championship Belts, Medals, (except for his Olympic Medal which he threw in the Mississippi river) Awards; well, it was simply surreal and overwhelming, especially for me a big sports fan which I have always been. (I wish I had had an iPhone then) He asked me, "Did you take anything?" Then he smiled and said that he was glad I had a good time.
When I asked to take a picture with him, he grabbed my hand and whispered to me to make a fist. Then he took my fist and put it to his chin and made a face, you know the face; it was fantastic! (I am so, so, heartbroken that I cannot locate that pic anywhere.)
And even though we were not related, weren't best friends, nor do I think he would even remember me, (Porsche would however) I feel as if I knew him and I find myself very, very, sad this evening, as if I lost another friend ... again! Funny how a person you don't even know can do that to you.
Goodbye Champ ... you are and forever will be, "The GREATEST!"
