Initially I was reluctant to have anyone see this reel. Venerability, crying and imbibing the emotions produced by the haunting lyrics and rawness, no longer tamed by alcohol for the last 16 years, vanity nor pretense- honesty just flowed. The feelings had always been suppressed, often unconsciously in a state of limbo with nowhere to go just eating away at anything that resembled life. Coupled with the location, the Irish Arts Center and the neighborhood, Hell’s Kitchen where I had driven horse and carriages in the 80’s and frequented every worthwhile public house. Suddenly I was back in the confusion of my youth and the desperation of alcoholic hopelessness. For 30 seconds, years of desperation were recalled and I was overwhelmed by the sadness of it all. The IAC was where I had my first acting job in Judy GeBauer’s play about Bobby Sands and the hunger strike and directed by Nye Heron. Having spent a couple of years out of the spotlight of main event boxing, getting that part in an Off-Broadway play, working with Nye Heron and live on a NY stage, I thought, “I’m back, and this is better than ever!”. Two years earlier I was at the top having challenged the #1 world ranked heavyweight contender Evander Holyfield. It saved me from a hopeless, suicidal state. So 2012 sees me in San Francisco, popping over and back to NY and LA, still acting and still sober. Since 2007 I’ve played the lead in the Off-Broadway play “Kid Shamrock”, in five different runs of the show. I’ve written and directed my first short film which is in post production. I love to write and have many projects in the pipeline. Life is mostly good and there is a spirit in me often blazing with infinite possibilities, and while so called success in this world, whatever one ascribes that to be, may not have come my way, the success of laughing often and feeling such goodness, are plentiful, and I don’t regret one second of this gift, this life I’ve been given.