My last two summers: one with the Obamas, the other with the Kennedys

It is almost 50 years to the day that Martin Luther King made his historical speech: "I have a dream..."

Lots of festivities are planned to mark this day, with 3 Democrat presidents speaking: Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

I like the 50th anniversaries... Especially the ones that have something to do with human rights, like this one or others that have impacted our lives forever. 

This summer - I have been asked by members of the Kennedy family, to join them during one of their intimate family journey that united them like never before.

I have been friends with the Kennedys for years... Yet - I did not know what to expect, when I agreed to jump on a plane... Neither did they!

We all experienced the most emotional journey... Such wide range of emotions... A family seeking  to find out - like many of us - where it all began: their roots.

When we went there, we were all talking about the most important days of President Kennedy 50 years ago... One of the highlights - JFK's  fight for human rights (the showdown with George Wallace in Alabama,  who was trying to block 2 black students, registering to a university...)

The Kennedys took pride (rightly so!) with their family, standing for "Moral Rights." And now - America has a black President: Barack Obama.

Caroline Kennedy-Schlossberg, who was with us this summer, led her family in supporting Obama for President, rather than their old time friend Hillary Clinton. In fact - I was among the few, when Barack and Michelle Obama made their big first visit to NYC, and were introduced by Ted Sorenson, JFK's speech writer. Few days later - I was among the very few guests at Jean Kennedy Smith's home in NYC, with the same Ted Sorenson, and her family members. The name "OBAMA" was all over the place...

Then - came Caroline's famous OP-ED at the NY Times, endorsing Obama.

I have been a Hillary (Clinton) friend and supporter. I still am!!  So that was a disappointment for her, to say the least... After all - President Clinton was the one who appointed Jean Kennedy-Smith - the only surviving sister of JFK and RFK - as an US ambassador to Ireland!

YET... After spending this precious time, traveling with the Kennedys this summer, finding about their roots... I DO understand Caroline (supporting Obama) so much better...

There is so much similarity between the stories of an immigrant, named Patrick Kennedy who boarded a famine ship in Ireland, going after his big dream - A M E R I C A!

Same goes for Barack Obama Sr. - pushed by his step mother Sarah Obama - going all the way from Kenya to  A M E R I C A: The only thing Obama Sr. (and Patrick Kennedy) had in common was their big faith and big dream...

Members of the Obama family stayed at my home last summer, while I penned the autobiography of the family. What a powerful story it is!

Mama Sarah Obama: Our Dreams & Roots 

http://www.amazon.com/Mama-Sarah-Obama-Dreams-ebook/dp/B009518OB2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352165803&sr=8-2&keywords=mama+sarah+obama

But This journey with the Kennedys this summer, cemented it what I discovered last summer: Not only the many resemblances between the Kennedys and the Obamas... The realization, that it takes lots of daring and hard work... 

But, in the end, big dreams can become reality. 

Only in America! 

 

My friend, the new king of Belgium!!

SOooo... You have heard the news earlier today...

Crown Prince Philippe of Belgium is going to become the country's king on July 21st!

His father, King Albert, announced today, that he was stepping down that day.

It follows the abdication of the Queen of Netherlands, few weeks ago, letting her son, Crown Prince Willem Alexander and his popular wife Princess Maxima, to become the King and Queen of Netherlands. 

It had happened before in Netherlands. But, NEVER before in Belgium!

Some would say - "Big News!" Others would nod sarcastically, and mumble: "Poor Prince Charles..."

Of course, they are referring to the Prince of Wales, who has been waiting patiently for 6 decades, for his time to shine.

Though - I must say - I know Prince Charles. I think, he has found his niche, and doing a fabulous job, with his "Prince's Trust", while (well..) waiting...

*** 

I have known Crown Prince Philippe for a decade, though - probably more. He reminded me, when I spent quality time with him in 2001, filming a rare TV special with him in Belgium and Thailand, how he was a volunteer at the Mother Theresa's home in India. He was incognito then, while I was the big television star from the U.S., the only interviewer, who scored 4 days interview with Mother Theresa. Philippe was one of the many special people, who stayed in cheap hotels, and did amazing volunteering  job, saving people's lives, feeding dying people... The only reward was - "to be part of it!" He reflected it back with me.

I know, some of my friends in Belgium, find him: "reserved", "rather shy", "lacking star quality..." 

WELL... 

Philippe was just in Hollywood few weeks ago, leading a delegation of 400 hundred prominent people from his country. Rudi, his Consul General in Los Angeles, asked me (based on my friendship with Philippe) to help out, and bring some Hollywood players to the main gala event.

So I did. AND THEY LOVED PHILIPPE! (See photos)

He could have not been - and I have other royals as friends - more attentive to the Oscar winner Jon Voight (who chose to be there, although it was his daughter Angelina's BDay that night), and stunning new hot actress Rebecca Da Costa (whose playing the lead role against Robert De Niro) in the movie,  Motel, released on December 2013.

I also included to the event, my friend, top LA hair dresser Nick Chavez, as well as my other pal, a top LAPD cop, Orlando Martinez, and introduced them to the Crown Prince (soon to be a king!) ...He was so interested in each one of them and took an extra time to chat with my partner Erbil Gunasti.

*** 

Sounds like an extra ordinary evening?

Yes, it was.

On the other hand - this is MY LIFE!

I love to introduce different kind of people from a wide range of countries, professions, backgrounds to one another. They are all leaders in their own fields or domains. But in my home / parties / charities - they can find their matches either for business, or for social purpose. 

This is way I am so thrilled about the the new club (for members only), opening this Fall. In "Secret Fast" - you will meet kings and queens or crown princes and princesses or head-of-states and candidates or Hollywood A-Listers and - "the next thing in Hollywood or A-Lister musicians and "the next hot musicians" ...

All this high-end mingling will occur, while the club members will detox, lose weight, and go through anti-aging treatments in seclusion and privacy.  Can you imagine, that while losing weight, one would  network and make rare contacts, let alone - have fun??

And like you did not know about Crown Prince Philippe's private meetings in LA until this moment - anything happening in "Secret Fast" will remain secret.

Hey, I think, Belgium just got a GREAT KING!

When Obama met Mandela, twice and in private!

When president Barack Obama landed with First Lady Michelle in S. Africa few days ago, he had one dream - to meet with the legendary Nelson Mandela, the other great son of Africa.

That was of-course a big challenge. Even Obama, the president of the U.S., whose story is full of miracles, could not meet "Madiba," the legend. When he arrived S. Africa, the ailing Mandela has been fighting for his life in the hospital for a while. His well being has been deteriorating with each passing day. 

***

But, this was not the first time Obamas and Mandelas were meeting in a unique environment...

While I was writing the autobiography of Barack Obama family last summer ("Mama Sarah Obama: Our Dreams & Roots"), I hosted some of the Obama family members at my vacation  home in the U.S. They helped me write the powerful story of their family. 

While we were working on the book, I was told that my friend Kweku Mandela, the grandson of "Madiba" was on his way to the states and he wanted to see me. In the past, having conducted numerous interviews with many of the family members, including one with Madiba and another one with his wife, Graca Machel and directed a high-end television special involving him, I had befriended him and his loved ones and we were in close contact ever since.

So I figured this is as good as anytime to have the first ever encounter of an Obama with a Mandela. And I took Marsat Obama, Barack Obama's aunt with me, and told Kweku to meet us at fashionable eatery in Los Angeles. 

These two were so excited to meet with each other! While Kweku was curious about the (young) aunt of the leader of the free world, Marsat kept asking about Mandela.

Four of us, Marsat Obama, Kweku Mandela, Erbil and I, enjoyed ourselves in a private corner of this posh eatery... All the while, everyone was watching Obama making a speech on tube, no one had a clue who were on the other side of the place observing them quietly, unnoticed. 

But of-course not! Because this is MY LIFE. This is the way I have been fortunate enough to live my life: Mixing interviews, business with charities, new friends, introducing different players from different parts of the world to other interesting people, in the most private surroundings. Let alone - having fun!

***

That is why I am so excited about the new membership-only club, opening this Fall - "Secret Fast." The idea of bringing  prominent people all around the world, as club members, covering a wide range of fields of interests and territories, in a beautiful resort, primarily to work on their health... 

WOW! 

If one can lose weight, cleanse, overcome medical problems, and - at the same time - make new friends and/or form business partnerships...

Doing all that in a private & secure atmosphere, among exclusive club members (by invitation only!)!

Can you imagine how many Obamas and Mandelas and the likes, would bond there, enjoying the nature?

I am so excited!

ID is key to victory

News from Pakistan! Nawaz Sharif, whose party PML won the recent elections, is going to be sworn in as the prime-minister, a position he knows well.

Sharif  was the prime minister of Pakistan years ago, and like his predecessor the late Benazir Bhutto, spent time in exile, after he was ousted from power.

It is more than a decade later ..Yet the faces are still the same in the Pakistani politics: Nawaz and his brother Shahbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari - the controversial widower of Benazir Bhutto

Only one fresh player - Imran Khan! Former cricket star has been around for years. But this time around, he got chunk of seats in the parliament. Khan who was injured while campaigning, claims that the elections were rigged - a usual claim post Pakistani elections (though chances are, that he is right!) ...

So how come, the PPP lost power so fast, after victory last elections? Why did people in Pakistan choose to vote against the People of Pakistan's Party??

And - how did the  Sharif brothers  score such a victory, benefiting from the people's disappointments of the PPP, or its current leader, Asif Ali Zardari???

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I know all players well. I have formed close relationship with Shabhaz and his partner Tehmina Durani. I like Imran and have known him and members of his family for years. His passion for democracy in Pakistan is sincere! And of-course Benazir Bhutto was very close to me. She and her husband Asif spent so much time, under my wing in NY, after Asif was released from jail ..I wrote about it in my book: "My Benazir", which is in development into a script these days:  http://www.amazon.com/My-Benazir-Leaders-ebook/dp/B007TGXAKA/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355352090&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=daphnebarak

The reason of the quick decline in popularity for Asif  (and the PPP under his leadership) is simple: The party lost its DNA. It just didn't have any ID people could and would identify with.

After Asif won the last elections, he invited me to his home - the one which belonged to Benazir, while she was in power.

He was acting like many leaders, who just won elections ..There was power in the air. Many people who were seeking to be a part of this power, and wanted few seconds with him. And he bought into it! He was full of power

He told me then: "Since you, the US, have financial problems now, we are not going to depend on the US (referring to the previous approach under president Pervez Musharaf). We have many rich people in Pakistan ..Yes, yes, we do! We are going to depend on ourselves - NOT ON THE US!"

Strong words, by all means. And some people would have been happy to agree with him. Yet ..few weeks later - he changed 180 degrees, and became more dependent on the US than Musharraf was..

That put him into an impossible position: On one hand - to please us, the US, the hand that feeds him. On the other hand - to show the locals, that he was not a US puppet ...

This kind of zig-zag creates problems of trust from all sides, and - can not last long.

Then - came the old corruption cases (against him and Benazir) , which ousted his prime ministerYusuf Ali  Giuliani ..But I do believe that that was one of the side effects of the real problem of the PPP - lack of ID.

Meanwhile - the Sharif brothers managed to keep their (and the PML's) DNA very clear. Re corruptions: They opposed the immunity, Bhutto had asked for on 2007.

They told me: "We have done nothing wrong! Why would we agree for an immunity??" They quit the government with the PPP, when they felt, it was against what they had promised the voters. They have always favored a proud Pakistan, which is not dependent of money from the West. It may be realistic or not? But that has always been their position. At least, when it comes to Sharif and the PML - what you see is what you get! Its ID is there!!

                                                                      ***

And there was another memorable thing Asif told me that night at his home in Karachi: "As long as my son Bilawal is in the game, and I am holding the chair for him, THEY will vote for me .."

A naive sentence, said by somebody who was in jail for 11 years, and then - 3 years in New York. ..Somebody who was out of touch with the people of Pakistan. Bilawal himself (whom I know and like a lot) did not grow up in Pakistan - but with his then exiled loving mother Benazir, in Dubai.

Asif appealed to masses when people were still emotional about the assassination of Benazir. He really thought that everything associated with her - her son, even her hated husband - would live forever.

But without Benazir's charisma ..Without continuing on the path that she believed in ..Benazir Bhutto's ID started to fade out ..People no longer remembered her exact DNA: The kind of clarity one needs before deciding whom to vote for.

Does getting an award bring distribution?

Oscar season is here again ... It has been extended to what we like to call: "The Awards' Season." 

That means practically, that every other night, we need to have hair and make-up done, a fancy designer gown, and applaud "The Man (or Woman) of the Hour" of the Hollywood's industry ..

Winning an award - is like getting a big present, huge boost to one's self esteem, let alone - bank account.

The slight problem, some have with this, is that there is inflation of awards & ceremonies over the years ... Some of us find it difficult to focus on a single or couple awards we should ..

Though - really?! - How can we define one award as more important than the other??

One glamorous award (and to be fair - a fun evening!) is based on votes of less than 90 people, who are not hugely known in the film (or any another) industry.

Still, a red carpet, and many after parties make the magic ..

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Yet - I am glad, I attended another one of those awards' luncheons this year again. 

It was in Palm Springs, earlier this year. The Palm Springs International Film Festival has positioned itself as, "The First of Film Festival Awards of the season (leading towards the Oscars)." 

Not a bad position to have ...

Situated two hours drive from Hollywood, and happening right after the New Year - why would not vacationing A Listers (plus their agents, managers and PR) attend the sunny land?

After all - JFK (president Kennedy), Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe have the same ..

So - as I was sipping champagne with actor Bradly Cooper, director Tom Hooper ("The King Speech"and "Les Miserables"). I noticed an emotional man, trying to get close to us. 

"Look Daphne, this man just won some award .,. He was crying ... You may want to talk with him .." told me one of my friends.

THANKS GOD, HE DID!

I motioned to the guy to get closer ..

"My name is Chhay ..I am from Cambodia.Yes, I won an award here for my film ..It is a true story, about the genocide of my wife's family ..It is the (horrible) story of my wife's mother .."

A tearful Chhay told us, how he had spent all his life's savings, to film this devastating story: "Since we did not have money, I needed to use my wife as the actress ..It was tough for her, to relive her family's tragedy! She was crying ..It broke my heart ..I owe so much money ..I just needed to tell the story .."

It is that moment - when I am being pulled back to lunch - that I decided to hand Chhay my private mobile number, and invited him to lunch at my vacation home. My friends reminded me, that our schedule is hectic, but something in Chhay's body language makes me drawn into him like a magnet.

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The next day - Erbil agrees to pick up Chhay and bring him over to my place. When they arrive - my house guests and I see Chhay, filming my pool, spa, garden ..

"He asked for a permission to film ... He was so overwhelmed!" explained Erbil. It was clear that what Erbil learnt during the ride to my home from Chhay had moved him so much to allow him to film as he wished, freely.

Devastating (story) it is! Chhay is having lunch with us, describing scenes from he genocide in Cambodia. BUT then - we are getting even more emotional!! 

Chhay is telling us, "How when I finished to screen the film in Palm Springs, people in the audience got so moved ..One lady screamed: 'Here is 100$ for you and your family' ..Then - others threw 100$, 20$ bills as well ..I was crying! Yes, I was grateful. Yet .. I did not come to Palm Springs for donations ..They brought me here to get an award ..I got the award! Now - I would like to get a distribution for my film ... I did not come for charities ... I thought, that an award would bring me distribution.."

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Save your tears ... I am trying to help Chhay. His story just refreshed my mind, about the original reason for the film awards, before PR and "packaging agents" took over ..IT USED TO BE ALL ABOUT BRINGING MORE BUSINESS! To the client, and so many people around, generating from such a hipe.

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One - above many things - I liked Chhay's story: it is a true story, being told from a personal POV. Also - it opens our (sometimes limited minds) into  different cultures and territories.

In a way - it relates to my latest book, the autobiography of Barack Obama's family - "Mama Sarah Obama: Our Dreams & Roots". The book has by now publishing contracts in key markets worldwide, as well as offers for  optioning it as a film.

For more info -  visit www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnobles.com or www.pipublic.com