TALL MAGAZINE April 2004

exercise routines • back care • product reviews • teen talk

may - june 2004

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RON PERLMAN THE MAN BEHIND HELLBOY SUMMER FASHIONS 10 PAGES OF SIZZLING FUN! $4.95 U.S. $5.95 Canada/Mexico

Display through June 2004

www.tallmagazine.com

UMA THURMAN

THE BIG MAN SCOOTER CLUB MARFAN SYNDROME BILL WALTON and MORE!

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table of contents MAY – JUNE 2004

volume 1 | number 2

tall tales

30

Ron Perlman Is Tinsel Town ready to crown its new Duke?

Watching Ron Perlman’s on-screen mannerisms, cocky swagger, brawny confidence, and brawler instincts (as well as the way he can handle a sixshooter), you can’t help but notice that he resembles another cocky, brawling, cock-sure actor from Hollywood’s golden years.

Everard Strong

40

Marfan Syndrome What you need to know Find out more about this crippling disease, how the National Marfan Foundation is fighting time to find a cure, and how the tall community is coming together to support those in need.

Kathy Witt

54 Uma Thurman She’s on a mission

While filming Kill Bill, Vol. 1 and 2, 6’ actress Uma Thurman endured underground burials, numerous assassination attempts, and a failed wedding (at least onscreen). Find out what makes the resilient actress keep bouncing back and asking for more.

Amy Longsdorf

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Whatever you do, don’t stare at his two . . .

Oh boy, now you’ve done it.

He’s really mad now!

short stories 22

Bill Walton

24

2004 Olympics Countdown

Meet the Grateful Dead’s tallest fan.

by Dennis McCafferty

6’4” Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps.

TALL staff

26

The Big Man Scooter Club

38

Taking a Hit for the Team

Are you man enough to ride with these guys?

C. Kirk Brian Steele isn’s a monster, but he sure plays one a lot.

TALL staff

12 18

small talk 6

The View Up Here

8

Talk Back

11

Top Culture

12

On the Road

14

Tall Teen Talk

16

Watch Your Back

18

Tall Things Considered

20

Exercise & Fitness

44

Heights of Fashion

52

Maternity Wear

58

Tall Mall

60

World’s Tallest

62

Mike Werling’s Size Matters

To all those who made us work harder: Thanks!

Words from our readers.

Yao Ming, female athletes, and some Twisted news.

Hotel Monaco’s “tall suites”; too good to be true?

“I really like this girl but she thinks I’m a dork.”

Migraines: What you need to know.

Are you a BIG GUY? Also aquariums, tweezers, and more.

Movement speed and leverage in your workout.

Ready for a hot summer? You will be with these finds.

Also, great advice from our fashion editor.

Because tall women have babies too.

44

Resources for your lifestyle.

Malaysia’s Petronas Towers.

Do taller giraffes make fun of shorter giraffes?

www.tallmagazine.com

26 5 TALL

photo by kelly huber

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the view up here

6 feet, 9 inches above ground

Publisher/Editor Everard G. Strong

used to spend the halcyon days of my youth dreaming about winning an Academy Award for my soon-to-be leading role. In this fantasy, some Hollywood director would spot me in the mall with my mullet and cut-up jeans, and fall down on his knees wishing he had more money, but would $5 million do, to star in his next big action/adventure/romance epic. Winning the Oscar by a landslide, I would end up having to go up in front of a roomful of elegantly dressed ladies and men and say something. I even had my acceptance speech written out: “I would like to thank all of the people in my life who told me I couldn’t do this, who tried to steer me away from my dreams. Thank you for making me work to prove you wrong.”

I borrowed the gist of that speech from an awards show presentation. I don’t remember if it was the MTV Awards, the Grammy’s, or my local pub’s annual dart championship dinner. I only remember that in a sea of “I would like to thank my Mom, Dad, Junior, Uncle, Sis, the dog, the milkman, blah blah,” the above statement left an impression. So I assimilated it for what I thought would be my own eventual use.

(We all gotta dream, right?)

Needless to say that beyond a two-second shot of the back of my head that shows up on screen in the new thriller Twisted (it’s in an early bar scene right where Ashley Judd picks up another “victim”), my Hollywood dreams disappeared along with my mullet.

With all the awards ceremonies as of late, and the growing collection of odd acceptance speeches (Richard Gere’s call for universal meditation, Angelina Jolie’s mouth-to-mouth with her brother, Michael Moore’s raspberry for President Bush), thoughts of my would-havebeen acceptance speech popped back into my mind (along with memories of mullets ... sigh).

Looking at the stories in this issue, I realized that unlike me, there are lots of people in this issue who had every right to use my acceptance

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speech as their own (and if they were to ask nicely, I’d let them) as they have fought the good fight—in the face of rejection, disbelief, and seemingly endless obstacles—and won.

NBA great Bill Walton (page 22) suffered through serious physical setbacks and constant injuries throughout his professional career. And as many times as he was written off as a liability to his team, he would run out on court and turn in a performance that would leave critics’ mouths agape.

Many tall people who suffer from the Marfans Syndrome (page 40) have been told by doctors and loved ones that they live a frail existence and must not be exposed to undo stresses.

However, as you will read, many have risen to and surpassed these challenges, with results that are inspiring, to say the very least.

Our cover boy, actor Ron Perlman, who is best known for playing supporting roles, faced major opposition and heat from studios who were afraid he didn’t have what it took to carry a big-time movie. If you’ve seen the movie Hellboy, you know they’ve been proven wrong.

If you peruse our fashion section, you will see lots of great items from vendors who have put a lot on the line because they believe the tall community should not be without quality products and top fashions. Support these advertisers so they know they made the right choice.

Even Mr. Werling, the author of our Size Matters column, faced some tough situations growing up. And ... look where he is now!

There are hundreds of others out there in the tall community who saw the odds and worked hard to beat them. Our mailbox is filled with story suggestions, stories we are planning on giving to you in each upcoming issue of TALL magazine.

Finally, thank you for picking up this issue of TALL magazine. By doing so, you also just proved a lot of people wrong.

editor@tallmagazine.com

Associate Publisher Christina Strong

cstrong@tallmagazine.com

TALL Sales Advertising Sales Inquiries sales@tallmagazine.com

TALL Editorial Fashion Editor Betty Johnson

fashion@tallmagazine.com

Teen Talk Al. T Toode

teentalk@tallmagazine.com

Contributing Editor Dr. Torsten Stein

drstein@tallmagazine.com

Contributing Writers Kathy Witt, Mike Werling, Dr. Paul Kennedy, Bill Mertz, C. Kirk, and some odd interns (very odd).

Staff Photographer Kelly Huber

Story Submissions: TALL magazine welcomes and encourages story ideas from its readers ... this means you!

Send queries or completed manuscripts to the address below. Please enclose a selfaddressed, stamped envelope and contact information. Manuscripts will not be returned unless adequate postage is provided. All materials submitted without a stamped envelope will be considered property of TALL magazine.

Subscription Information: TALL magazine is printed and distributed six times a year. Individual copies are $4.95 (U.S.).

Subscriptions are $24.95, and can be ordered by sending payment (checks or money orders) to: TALL magazine #474 360 Grand Ave. Oakland, CA 94606 You can subscribe via credit card or electronic transfer (Paypal) through our web site, www.tallmagazine.com Donations are encouraged and accepted.

For Canadian addresses, add $10. European rate is $69.95 (in U.S. funds).

Legal Blah Blah: All material contained herein is protected by federal copyright law and cannot be duplicated or distributed, in whole or in part, without express permission of the publisher. So don’t.

Copyright 2004 Big E Productions.

Number 1, Volume 2. May - June 2004.

TALL magazine, 360 Grand Ave. #474 Oakland, CA 94610.

The TALL logo is a registered trademark of Big E Productions, Inc., 2004.

Distribution:

Everard G. Strong Publisher, TALL magazine

TALL magazine is distributed by subscription and newsstand, available wherever quality magazines can be found. Wholesalers contact us at editor@tallmagazine.com.

talk back

Letters from our readers Chris: Thanks for the e-mail. Realizing the impact Marfan Syndrome has on the tall community we are also looking to spread the word. In fact, we have an informative feature about the disease in this issue, starting on page 40.

We too hope that a cure for this debilitating condition will be found soon.

- Everard Strong, Editor TALL Magazine: Wow! You actually have tall women modeling tall clothes. This is so refreshing!

I’m so tired of flipping through other women’s magazines that feature Barbie dolls posing with clothes that are supposed to fit fuller figures. Thumbs up!

- Joanna, (via e-mail) Mr. Strong: I showed your article about how tall people earn more money in their jobs to my boss (“It’s a Tall, Tall World” February 2004). Standing 7’1”, I took out a calculator and “demanded” I should be earning $67,065 per year ($789 x 85 inches), plus commission. He was not amused! (p.s. I sell cars for a living, and agreed with a lot of your car reviews. However, you forgot to add one of my favorite rides: the classic Chevy Suburban. I own a 1997 and love it. It’s my own personal tank!)

- Jeff P., Boston, PA Dear TALL magazine editor: Just finished reading your Eroica Trio issue (February 2004), and must say I am very impressed with this magazine. It is not what I expected at all from a magazine “for tall people.”

However, as a 6’2” woman, I didn’t see a lot of car reviews geared toward us. Maybe next time you can include more? Thanks.

- John D., Cincinnati, OH Mr Editor: As a 6’2” teenager diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, I was overjoyed to notice the ad in TALL magazine pointing out warning signs for this disease. Thank you for spreading the word about Marfan.

Perhaps people will read the ad and help find a cure.

- Chris T., (via e-mail)

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Dear Sir: Hi, I recently read an article about your magazine in the San Jose Mercury News.

What a great idea! Unfortunately, I’m only 5’2”, so I couldn’t get much use out of it.

What about a magazine for us short people? We have similar problems when it comes to finding cars, clothes, and furniture that fit us.

Tina M., San Jose Wow! The odd thing is you are not the only one to inquire about us putting together a SHORT magazine. Being 6’9”, I don’t think I would be the best overseer of such a project. However, if there is a visionary out there who would like to tackle such an undertaking, please let us know.

Everard TALL magazine: Being a 6’4” weightlifter, I was relieved to read Dr. Kennedy’s article (“At Arm’s Length,” February 2004), and realize there was an explanation for why I feel so frustrated going to the gym. I follow almost the same routine as a 5’9” friend of mine and he seems to pack on muscle a lot faster than I do. It irritates me because during most of my sets, I use heavier weights than he does for each set! After reading the article though, I rethought my approach and realized that in fact, I was getting stronger than my friend by packing on mass, but just wasn’t toning out, so it wasn’t that visible.

I now have lowered my weights for each set a bit and am doing more reps. I am also doing more cardio exercises too. The good news is that I’m finally starting to actually “see” my results and it’s actually pushing me to keep going now.

- John H., (via e-mail) TALL magazine: Being a tall Canadian, I absolutely loved your article on comedian Colin Mochrie (“Laughter From On High,” February 2004). I think he’s our greatest export!

Wonderful interview with him and all the other guys. Very funny people!

- Sandra, Toronto TALL magazine: I liked your interview with the comedians, but had to wonder, where’s Ryan Stiles? He’s easily the tallest, and funniest, of the bunch.

- Sandra, Toronto All letters in our feedback section are edited for grammar, continuity, and space.

Send all letters to editor@tallmagazine.com.

TALL magazine doesn’t guarantee a reply.

We love mail!

Send letters, postcards, bank notes, photos, and whatever else you can stuff into an envelope to: TALL magazine ATTN: editor 360 Grand Ave., #474 Oakland CA 94610

5 minutes could mean 50 bucks!

To grow TALL magazine, we could use your input, and we’re not above bribing you to do so. Fill out the following short questionnaire and mail it to us; your 37-cent stamp might win you $50.00! The back of this page is even pre-adressed for your convenience.

Name: _________________________________________________________________ Sex: M F Height: __________________________ Age: ______________ Zip Code: _______________________________________ Marital Status: Married Single Divorced Average Household Income: $ _________________________________ Are you a member of Tall Clubs International? Y N College Education: none 2YR 4YR +4YR Occupation: _____________________________________________ WOMEN: Dress size: _________________________ Pant size: __________________________ Shirt size: __________________________ Shoe size: __________________________

MEN:

Waist size: _________________________ Inseam size: ______________________ Shirt sleeve size: _________________ Shoe size: __________________________

1. What do you like best in TALL magazine? ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

4. How did you find TALL magazine? (a) I’m a subscriber (b) I ordered a copy (c) newsstand 5. Which of the following magazines do you read?

Vogue Glamour In Style Figure Weight Watchers GQ Men’s Journal Cosmo Maxim/FHM Vanity Fair Other: ___________________________________________ 6. Would you pay for a subscription to a newsletter geared specifically toward tall women? Y N 7. Where do you buy most of your clothes? _______________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 8. Have you ever used one of the following online dating services? (Put an “X” by the ones you have used) Lavalife Tallpersonals.com TALLmagazine.com match.com americansingles.com Yahoo personals Other:___________________________

2. What do you like least in TALL magazine? ___________________________________________________________________________ 9. How much (roughly) do you spend on clothes every ___________________________________________________________________________ three months? ______________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ 10. About what percent of your clothes are bought 3. What would you like to see more of? online? ______________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ That’s it! Thanks so much and good luck! ___________________________________________________________________________

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top culture

for those of higher social stature They are doing this for several reasons.

According to our source, they are protecting several of their bigger customers, who don’t like walking around with identifiable merchandise. Also, the store will be celebrating its 100th year of business soon, and wants to reflect its longevity by featuring the chain’s original name.

Rochester fact 1: Did you know that at one time they were known as Rochester Big & Tall, Short & Small?

Rochester fact 2: Did you know that at one time there was a Lady Rochester?

Rochester fact 3: Rochester also experimented with a line of furniture as well.

Rochester decided instead to focus on what they’re best at: offering quality fashions for big and tall men.

be extras during the shooting of a bar scene set in San Francisco’s North Beach district.

According to his account, most of the day was spent sitting around waiting for the lighting to be right, though he did, literally, bump into Ms. Judd. (He thought they were going to throw him off the set!)

Find out more about the movie at www.twistedmovie.com.

Photo: PRNewsphoto 1984 Olympic Basketball player and Harlem Globetrotter Lynette Woodward

That’s a tall order! cDonalds recently announced a worldwide sponsorship deal with 7’6” NBA sensation Yao Ming. Ming will play a key role in McDonald’s global marketing plans, with emphasis in such areas as physical fitness and activity, Olympics initiatives, and the ongoing “I’m lovin’ it” marketing events and customer communications. He will also lend his support to Ronald McDonald House Charities and its work on behalf of children worldwide.

It wasn’t disclosed for how much the deal was signed, but we’re betting he gets free Big Macs and fries whenever he wants.

M

New photo exhibit celebrates female athletes

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Rumors about Rochester not true

Our editor is Twisted !

e have had several e-mails and letters from readers that range from being upset to outraged at supposed rumors they heard that upscale apparel outfitters Rochester Big & Tall will be dropping the “Big & Tall” from their name. We decided to go to the source and asked members of Rochester’s higher management if there was truth to these rumors.

They are true ... but only partially.

Rochester is looking into dropping the “Big & Tall,” from its name, but only on its shopping bags and shipping boxes.

f you look very closely at the above picture, concentrating on that blur behind Ashley Judd, you will notice that it strongly resembles the back of the head of Everard Strong, TALL’s publisher.

Coincidence? Nope. That really is our own Mr. Strong’s head, appearing as an extra in the movie Twisted, basking in his three seconds of glory.

Though the movie is a bit of a yawner (read: wait for the DVD), Everard auditioned for a casting call where they were looking for “tall, tough-looking people,” to

W

ame Face: What Does a Female Athlete Look Like? is a 139photo history of women in sports that will be displayed at Manhattan’s World Financial Center through June 6.

Spanning over a century of women in sports, the roster of athletes includes Brandi Chastain, Marion Jones, Chris Evert, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Michelle Akers, Wilma Rudolph, Jackie JoynerKersee, Serena Williams, Tara Lipinski and Martina Navratilova; along with dozens of lesser-known athletes.

Photographers featured include Ellen Mark, Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, Annie Leibovitz, Tina Barney, Lee Friedlander, Justine Kurland, Ruth Orkin, Eve Fowler, Andrea Modica, Charles Harbutt, Robert Mapplethorpe and Pulitzer Prize winners Annie Wells, April Saul, Melissa Farlow, and Rick Rickman among many others.

Find out more about the exhibit at www.gamefaceonline.org.

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www.tallmagazine.com

Have tall news? Keep our interns busy by sending it to editor@tallmagazine.com.

11 TALL

on the road a travelin’ we will go

photos by e. strong

Hotel Monaco’s Tall Suites: “Would you like that room supersized sir?”

by Everard G. Strong hanks to starting up TALL magazine, I’ve travelled more in the last six months than I have in the last six years.

Several fashion shows, client meetings, and research are all reasons why I’ve been boarding trains, planes, and automobiles to crisscross this great country of ours.

I like exploring new locations, so travel in and of itself is not something I mind; in fact I look forward to it. However, being 6’9”, there are two things I dread when I leave home to travel to points abroad: where my seat is on the airplane, and how small the bed will be in my hotel or motel room.

I deal with the airplane seating situation by arriving at airports at least three hours before my flight and begging, cajoling, or bribing my way onto a bulkhead or exit row seat.

Hotel rooms, however, are mostly a crap shoot. Not being able to afford a “suite,” I get what they give me when I check in. On very few occasions I have been lucky enough to open a door and find that it contains a queen-size bed. Even though I naturally sleep in

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the fetal position, I have spent way too many nights without rest on account of either my legs sticking out the side, my feet sticking out the bottom, or I’m shivering because the sheets and blankets only cover the section of my body from belly button to shins.

So it was with trepidation that I considered a press release from Hotel Monaco inviting me to enjoy one of their “tall suites” at the San Francisco, California location (TALL magazine is based in Oakland, right across the bay).

Tall suites? Knowing how most of the fashion industry defines tall (for them “big” equals “tall”), I figured maybe they had thrown in some queen-sized beds, hung up some oversized mirrors, and had found a clever way to exploit our demographic.

Upon opening room 616, however, I immediately saw I was very mistaken. From bed to bathroom to robe, all the details in this room were clearly designed with taller people in mind.

Brightly colored, sunny, and clean, the room looked inviting. A complimentary bottle of wine was bathing in ice, classical music

on the road wafted from the stereo, and decadent chocolate morsels awaited us (my wife and I) on the bed.

travel stories wanted!

Any suggestions, ideas, tips, tricks, or secrets for tall people on the road? Send a note to editor@tallmagazine.com.

90 inches, (8”). That’s how long the beds are. These are single mattresses on solid beds too, not two twins hiding under one sheet.

Comfortable and inviting, you can lay on it all day (and night), and never worry about your feet hanging over the edge. Blankets and linens are all matching in length, guaranteeing a night of rest without wearing socks on your feet.

According to the hotel’s very warm and knowledgeable staff, the San Francisco location—one of seven Hotel Monaco’s nationwide—was the last in line for their “tall suites” renovations, so most of the furniture, including our bed, in the room was brand new.

Along with the bed, the room had bedside tables, an oversized chair (nice touch), a desk, a console with a 25” TV, stereo, and amenities that could be had for a price, and an armoire that contained two robes.

It is this ability, to transport their guests away from everyday cares and worries, that has set each of the seven Hotel Monaco hotels apart from the national hotel chains, and the individual attention they pay their guests that will keep them coming back.

Hotel Monaco. According to my host, the tall suites were a direct result of Steve Pinnetti, the chain’s Vice President, talking with a tall guest at the San Francisco location. Realizing the needs of this underserved market, each Hotel Monaco has set aside roughly 10 percent of their rooms and designated them as “tall suites.” Decor may vary from hotel to hotel, and it is highly recommended that you make reservations as these suites are available on a first-come first-reserve basis.

Pricing is moderate, but when was the last time you slept in a room customized to your tall order?

Call 1-800-KIMPTON for reservations or visit them online at www.hotelmonaco.com.

60 inches (5’). That’s how long the two robes hanging in the closet measure. Thick and luxurious, I was informed that they were custom-made by the hotel specifically for the tall suites.

Though my 5’5” wife got lost inside of hers, I began planning for an evening of doing nothing but laying on a long bed, in my warm long robe, enjoying a rare opportunity to watch a full array of cable television’s latest offerings. (For reasons I will not explain in this article, we haven’t had a TV for the last three years.)

These plans were postponed as our growling stomachs had more immediate needs. Strolling a couple of blocks away, we enjoyed some great deep-dish pizza.

I decided that before an evening of vegging out, a shower was in order. I am usually recalcitrant about taking showers in hotel rooms, as most showerheads point at my fifth rib bone.

83 inches (6’11”). That is how far these showerheads are from the drain. After an invigorating shower with no stooping involved, I stepped out and into the aforementioned robe and plopped myself on the bed. Propping myself up by the numerous plump pillows, I settled in for some serious prime time catch-up, willing the outside world away for a night. www.tallmagazine.com

13 TALL

teen tall talk

by Al T. Toode

Mr. Al T. Toode: Simple question for you: why

do fashions

for tall girls suck?

- A Very Annoyed Reader AVAR, You’re right, it is a simple question. And I’ll answer it honestly. Fashions for tall girls don’t suck. Not anymore. You have to do some searching, but you’ll find jeans, skirts, tops, and even prom dresses for tall girls like you. But you have to look. Look at what the vendors in this magazine are carrying. You’ll see that they’re trying their hardest to offer you cutting fashions in sizes that will fit you.

Google the words “tall teen fashions” and see how many links you get.

There is a question behind your question though, which is “Why are most mainstream fashions designed for 5’7” girls?”

The main reason there isn’t a a lot of clothes for tall teens is because there haven’t been a lot of tall teens demanding clothes that fit them. So start demanding (in a nice tone of voice, of course), get your tall friends to start asking too, and see what happens. It might take some time, but your voices will be heard.

Mr. Toode: How tall are you? I don’t know if you can help me or not. I’m 16 and a little over 6’4”. I don’t like my body at all. I’m really skinny, even though I eat like a whale! I’m always tripping on stuff too. It’s embarrassing. I really like this girl in my class but I’m sure she thinks I’m a complete dork. I play basketball on the school’s team and all, and I’ve seen her at games. I know she’s not going out with anybody else right now too. I was going to slip her a note in her locker early in the morning to let her know but am not sure what to tell her.

- Mike H. Mike, Wow dude, you’ve got a lot going on in your life right now, don’t you? To answer your question, I’m 6’6”. I won’t tell you how old I am (almost old enough to be your dad, I’m sure), but I did play high school basketball too. I had a knee injury, had surgery, and that was that.

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Anyway, enough about me; let’s talk about you. How much, exactly, does a whale eat? You like this girl, eh? I’ll bet she’s really pretty and a nice girl too. Do you get butterflies when you pass her in the hallway? Does your mouth get all dry when you try and speak to her? (Oh puppy love! Those were the days ... sigh.)

In this situation there’s only one thing I can recommend you do. It’s going to be hard and you’re not going to like doing it, but it’s the only way for us to resolve your problem. Here’s what I want you to do: go up to this girl and say, “Hi Stacy, some of my friends and I are going to the mall/a movie/a concert/the park/fishing/whatever this weekend. Would you like to go with me?” (NOTE: replace the name “Stacy” with whatever this girl’s real name is. Also make sure you put deodorant on and that you brushed your teeth recently.)

Once you deliver the line, smile and wait for her response, which will be one of the

following, in order of preference. a) Ohmigod I WOULD LOVE TO! b) Ummm... okay. Why not? c) Ha! Oh, you’re serious? d) Maybe some other time? e) Do I know you?

If she answers with either choice (a) or (b), you just got yourself a date! Go take a shower, be nice to her parents, open doors for her, and have her home in time.

If her response matched any of the other choices, then tough luck, you just got shot down. Take it like a man, smile, and move on. You’ll live, trust me.

Do not, under any circumstances, send her a note or drop a note in her locker.

That’s a move for guys without any guts. You showed me you got guts by writing me this letter. Now it’s time to show her. Good luck, and let us know how it goes, okay?

Have a question? E-mail us at teentalk@tallmagazine.com.

Q: How is dating like looking for tall clothes?

A: It’s hard to find something in your size.

Introducing TALL magazine’s

TALL Personals Service • Free to post and browse ads!

• Post your favorite picture/s.

• Lowest monthly rates!

Online at www.tallmagazine.com/TALL_personals.html

TALL 16

watch your back

by Dr. Torsten Stein

I am a 5’11” basketball forward for a community college in northern New Jersey. I’ve been suffering from migraine headaches since I was 13 years old.

Why do migraines hurt so much, and why do they always come up at the same time of the month?

– Angela H., Dover, NJ Angela: When you look up “migraine headaches” in the medical dictionary, you will read the following: “A complex symptom occurring periodically and characterized by pain in the head (usually unilateral), vertigo, nausea and vomiting, photophobia, and scintillating appearances of light.”

Migraines appear to be due to chemical imbalances in the body. Most migraine patients I have worked with are female and also experience irregular and painful menstrual cycles. Many of them tell me that they can feel the headache as it is coming on (called an “aura”), and once it blooms into a full-grown migraine, all they can do is rest in a quiet dark room until it recedes.

Having these experiences definitely decreases your quality of life. So what can you do about it? Remember, they are

caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Your glands are responsible for that and these in turn are controlled by your brain. The connection from your brain to your glands (and every other organ) is made up by the spinal cord and the nerves.

If your glands don’t work properly and they are responsible for a problem in your body, chiropractors and other medical professionals need to find out what the problem is, and set things right so your body will work properly again.

With everything in order, this nerve can now transmit the right amount of information from your brain to the glands, and then back to the brain. As soon as this relationship is reestablished, your glands will work properly again and the migraine headaches should disappear.

Several migraine sufferers in my care come once a month so that I can reexamine their spine for subluxations. How often do you need to get adjusted before you see results? It depends on several factors: • How old are you and how fast does your body heal?

• How long have you had this subluxation?

• Are you willing to change certain

habits, including how you stand, sit, or walk, or invest in a chair that better fits your anatomy while assisting your posture?

• What is the quality of your spinal discs?

Are they healthy or worn down? (Seek expert advice to find out.)

• Is your spine properly aligned?

If a migraine headache is caused by a chemical imbalance in the body, then certain poisons could be the cause of these wicked headaches also. A blood test, hair analysis, or other recommended tests from your medical doctor could reveal this.

In terms of exercise, no workout will “cure” a headache, but it can stabilize your spine and improve your muscle tone and endurance, which is a definite plus.

There are many factors which could possibly cause migraines, ranging from sleep disturbances to stress to serious physical illnesses. It’s important that you find out what is causing these onsets, so you can take the appropriate steps to halt them.

Back problems? drstein@tallmagazine.com TALL magazine nor Dr. Stein guarantee any results or recommendations. Consult your medical professionals in all matters.

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TALL ETC. Fashion for Tall Women www.talletc.com

GEORGIA Atlanta 2480 Briarcliff Road 866.738.6919

Eight stores across the nation for women lucky enough to be

TEXAS Dallas 5000 Belt Line Road 877.206.0863 Houston 5878 Westheimer 877.465.8236

tall. Tall Etc. features a wide selection of career and casual clothing for all ages.

New items arrive every

ILLINOIS Oak Lawn 5207 ½ W. 95th Street 866.478.2442

month that reflect the current fashion trends of the season,

COLORADO Denver 201 University Blvd.

877.797.8901

so visit often or shop on-line.

Picture: Trade Winds Collection for Pendleton® www.tallmagazine.com

17 TALL

tall things considered We came. We saw. We bought stuff.

A Big Drink of Water o, this 8’ aquarium is not sitting in TALL magazine’s lobby.

Which is a good thing as we’d be spending most of our time sitting in our Lifeform Executive Grand chairs (see February 2004’s product reviews) staring at the thing for hours, especially after swallowing our daily dose of Protocil (see accompanying review).

Ummm .... moving on.

The 158-gallon aquarium is part of Living Color Enterprises’ Discovery Collection, and a mighty beautiful addition, we might add. Adding an aquarium to your home or workplace has been shown to reduce stress; we certainly could use one around here!

Along with the impressive cabinetry and acrylic shell, the company will also customize the interior, letting you select from several types of saltwater reefs you might want to replicate.

Having your own private sea doesn’t come cheap, unless dropping $19,900 for one of these is nothing more than a drop in the bucket for you. In that case, we would really like to talk to you some more.

However, the company does have several more affordable models to choose from.

Sigh ... back to looking at our screensavers. “Oooh, there goes one! Oh look another one! And there’s one!” www.livingcolor.com

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We are not men, we are BIG GUYS! his booklet was dripping so much testosterone we had to lay it on some towels for a couple of hours before opening it.

“EAT BIG, TRAIN BIG, THINK BIG, AND YOU WILL BE BIG” (Book’s motto). “GRRRR!” (We added that for effect.)

“Go heavy or go home,” he says inside.

There is only one purpose to this book: to sculpt you into the BIG GUY that you should be. Cardio? Pilates? You little sissy babies! We here at the BIG GUY’S GYM sneer at you! Now bring me my porterhouse steak AND the mashed potatoes.

Now, weakling! Salad? Are we rabbits or are we men? No, we are BIG GUYS! “The bench press is by far the best exercise for the tall man to build bulging pectorals,” he claims. “Who cares if some sawed-off grunt is pushing 400+? He will never fill out a Botany 500 suit the way

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TALL 18

you will.”

“When you get huge, we get a great pump,” he says at the end.

We are now scared. We are not BIG GUYS. We do not want to wear Botany 500 suits. We don’t even know what a Botany 500 suit is (does it involve gardening?). We are sorry. Please don’t hurt us! $19.95 at www.bigguysgym.

Following Protocol ocus your mind, direct your attention, improve mental agility, sharpen focus, AND enhance memory.

Those are all claims stated on the box of Protocil, a new over-the-counter supervitamin brought to us by Ohio’s Park Nutraceuticals.

With an introductory free box of 60 tablets available by ordering on their web site (plus $5.95 S&H), we figured it was worth a try. Goodness knows we could use some focus, attention directing, mental agility improvement, sharpened focus, AND enhanced memory in the TALL magazine offices ... nothing against our boss, of course. Heh heh.

At the recommended two-per-day dosage, 60 tablets lasted us a month, which was nice, except that the packaging states, “Desired results have been shown after a 4 to 5 weeks of continuous use.” So, we ordered some more. (If you use a different address, you can get more free samples! Shhhh.)

What’s in these brain pills? Vitamins C, E, B6, Folic acid, and 30 mcg of Vitamin B12, which is 500 percent more than your daily allowance. There’s also Omega III fatty acids, Siberian ginseng, Ginkgo biloba, Gotu Kola extract, and spinach and blueberry juice. A nice cocktail.

Do they work? We think so. We definitely feel good. Real good. Yeah. Let’s work. C’mon, give us work! What are we waiting for. LET’S GO GO GO! WOOHOO! www.protocil.com

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Under our skin e asked the folks at Tweezerman if they could send us a few samples of some of the stuff on their web site. Instead, they sent us a huge box of stuff.

And we don’t have to give them back. Thanks Tweezerman! Unlike our boss, you guys rock!

We don’t have enough room to showcase all the good stuff they sent our way, but suffice it to say that any worries you might have about what to get for Mother’s Day and/or for Father’s Day will be smoothed away when you see the selection of personal hygiene products available. To help you distinguish what is for whom, Tweezerman carries items for Him in red packaging, and for Her in blue packaging. Most of the items cost less than a twenty, so you can impress your parents without going broke. www.tweezerman.com

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www.tallmagazine.com

19 TALL

exercise

Advice for your body

Movement Speed and Leverage

by Dr. Paul Kennedy

When working on free weights, proper movement speed can allow lower weights to do more work. This is a good thing. n our last issue, we spoke about the leverage challenges faced by a taller person when training in a typical weight room environment. These challenges include unsuitable, stackloaded (“selectorized”) machines typically found in fitness centers or home gyms.

Most strength training machines are designed for a loosely-defined “average” male who stands 5’9”. Few models or equipment lines—if any—are adjustable enough to adequately serve taller users (we define “taller” here as 6’3” or above). Because of these inefficiencies, strength training movements that could have been done on a machine must now be replaced using free weights and/or dumbbells.

Some taller people prefer this freedom from confinement and awkward angles posed by machines. But these modalities come with their own set of challenges, especially where “single joint” or rotary movements are concerned. And this is where the use of proper movement speed can make less weight do more work.

Single joint movements are those movements where only one joint is involved—rather than those of a typical pressing movement like a bench press, shoulder press, or leg press, where two or more joints are involved.

On selectorized machines, single joint movements are easy to accomplish, but only if the machine “fits” the participant’s body and allows proper positional alignment with the machine’s rotational axis. Since by design many selectorized machines are not amenable for use by tall individuals, it becomes necessary to use free weights

I

Most weight machines are not made for a tall person’s body.

(usually dumbbells) to mimic or match the movement pattern.

However, because of the leverage disadvantage of longer limbs, these single joint exercises can also be difficult to accomplish; the resistance is being placed or held at the end of a longer lever, which requires additional effort in order to control the movement. Joint safety and integrity can also be compromised for this same reason.

Let’s take a look at a single joint rotary movement called the bent-arm fly, typically used to train the chest. In a bent-arm fly machine it’s difficult to correctly place the joint of rotation (in this case, the shoulder joint) directly under the axis of rotation.

Therefore, an alternative movement is a dumbbell bent-arm fly.

Due to increased limb length associated with taller strength trainers, however, this movement also poses a challenge due to the increased difficulty in controlling the resistance at the elbow joint.

This leverage disadvantage (again, due to a greater limb length) could damage or compromise the shoulder joint (the joint of rotation) and even the elbow joint.

A solution for this dilemma is to use a lower level of resistance to train the muscle but protect the joints. A slower and more controlled movement speed can help the muscle to do more work with less resistance being used. A reminder: it’s always a good idea to lift or move resistance in a controlled manner (see Be Fit, Stay Fit: Why Your Workout Doesn’t Work… And How To Fix It! Blue River Press, 2002 – pp.42-45), but for taller participants it is even more critical in order to protect the joints while challenging the muscles with a proper level of intensity.

It’s the total amount of uninterrupted contraction time—not just the level of resistance and the number of sets and reps that are performed—that a muscle is exposed to during training that drives gains in strength and size. By moving resistance more slowly (in a controlled manner), we can make less resistance provide a greater (not to mention safer) workload to the muscle to help build strength. In the case cited above (bent-arm flys), the chest muscle (which is the true target muscle for this exercise/lift) receives the necessary work load to provide a training stimulus while still allowing the strength trainer to handle and control the resistance at the elbow joint more effectively and safely. By using movement speed properly, it’s possible to train every muscle in the body using a variety of modalities—especially when the “fit” isn’t quite right.

Dr. Paul Kennedy is the author of Be Fit, Stay Fit (Blue River Press, 2002), and the host of Be Fit, Stay Fit America, a nationally syndicated television show. Dr. Kennedy, also served on the American Council of Exercise. Visit him online at www.befitstayfit.com.

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exercise Exercise #1: Dumbbell Bent-Arm Fly

1.

Lie on your back on a flat bench with dumb bells in the starting position, (shown in photo 1).

Press the resistance directly out from the torso in a pressing movement until arms are completely extended.

2.

1

3.

When completely extended, slightly bend the arm at the elbow at about 15 to 20 degrees (shown in photo 2).

4.

Slowly lower the dumbbells out and to the side while maintaining the suggested arm angle (as shown in photo 3).

5.

Pause at the bottom of the range of motion (shown in photo 4), and then bring the dumbbells back to the top position under control.

6.

7.

Do not “press out� the resistance near the top of the movement.

Complete one to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

2

When followed strictly, this movement pattern will isolate your pectorals (chest muscles); the slow controlled movement (about 4 to 6 seconds per repetition) will allow you to maintain the arm position at the elbow with greater ease and less discomfort.

Using a resistance low enough to maintain the correct arm angle is key to the successful completion of this exercise; a slower and more strict movement pattern with less resistance will offer better results.

3

4

www.tallmagazine.com

21 TALL

HAILING DOWN BILL WALTON by dennis mccafferty

TALL 22

“I log on, therefore I am.” onsider a conversation with basketball icon and legendary 6’11”, offbeat guy Bill Walton as a technoexistentialist spin on the standard TV jock’s shtick.

With his incredibly busy travel schedule—crisscrossing the country as a top NBA analyst for ESPN— he’s convinced that the single greatest resource that connects him with loved ones, associates, and fans is the Internet: “I log on, therefore I am.”

It works for Bill. The former three-time college Player of the Year and NBA MVP has made a successful transition to ESPN after a dozen years working high-profile assignments for NBC, CBS, Fox, Turner Sports, and others. ESPN offers more synergistic possibilities than any of the others, with its 24/7 network, national magazine, and web site (www.espn.com). Walton takes full advantage of all of the above. With the latter, he’s constantly pecking away with his various online columns, journals, and fan interaction pursuits, either via ESPN or at his own site, www.billwalton.com. Having his own site allows the ever-colorful Walton to cut loose more than he normally does: visitors can find posts of his official induction into the Grateful Dead Hall of Honor (Walton is one of the group’s more famous diehard fans), as well as the ever-popular “Where’s Walton?” a.k.a., the “Loves It Live Tour,” his written journal of a 30-day, 30-playoff game marathon.

Walton’s, ahem, “observations” read like a stream-of-consciousness, hoops-passionate rant—something that Dick Vitale and Hunter Thompson could concoct if they sat at a typewriter all night while drinking a case of Wild Turkey. (And, in their stupor, kept accidentally hitting the ALL CAP button.)

One Walton excerpt reads: “NEW YORK CITY has never looked finer … A PEACEFUL PLACE, OR SO IT LOOKS FROM SPACE … A CLOSER LOOK REVEALS THE HUMAN RACE … This indeed has become the LONGEST, STRANGEST TRIP OF ALL ... Where would the Nets and Celtics be, if all they did was quit at the first sign of defeat? … BLOW INTO MY FACE WITH SCORN …”

You get the picture. TALL magazine caught up with Walton when, in between watching key highlights of the L.A. Clippers taking on the Houston Rockets, he elaborated on bad hotel web connections, e-commerce, the Dead, and more:

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TALL MAGAZINE: How often do you use the Internet?

BILL WALTON: I live for the Internet. As the son of a librarian,

I’m consumed by information, knowledge, and communication.

There’s no greater tool than the ‘Net for that. If there’s a connection around, I’m on it.

TM: How would you improve the Internet?

BW: I wish there was greater accessibility for people who travel

like I do. I’d like to see high-speed plug-ins wherever you go: hotel rooms, the broadcast table, airports. Wherever I go, I have to battle

to get a connection, and then have to wait for slow downloads.

When I’m on an airplane, I’m constantly on the computer.

When I get off, I simply have to get the information out. I really get irritated at these hotels that advertise so-called high-speed connections and it’s simply not there.

But, hey, I can’t really complain, can I? With my life, I’m the last person, who should complain about anything. If I do, please throw a cold bucket of water on my head.

TM: What do ESPN.com and BillWalton.com allow you to do that other media outlets don’t?

BW: They allow me to stay in touch with people who don’t

know me; they allow me to share my thoughts about anything, not just sports; they allow me to provide fans with work that I can’t do on TV or in print. Everything in the script doesn’t make it on the television show, so we post the entire, uncut script online and fans can see what doesn’t make it on the air.

The beautiful thing about ESPN is—as opposed to networks that only have a Sunday presence for sports—that it’s what they do all the time. If something doesn’t work by today, tomorrow they’ll try something different. That’s ESPN’s approach with everything.

TM: Do you shop online?

BW: I’m not a huge shopper. I’m into the web for information.

But I did just buy a whole bunch of Dead stuff online. We got a great shipment of T-shirts, sweatshirts, refrigerator magnets …

Everything.

TM: What guilty pleasures would we find in your web bookmarks?

BW: I’m pretty serious about everything I go to online. I wish I

had time for frivolity. But I do also like www.bobdylan.com a lot.

You get all the tour information in advance, like the set lists. You get concert reviews within two hours of the concert. And they have his entire music catalogue online. Click on any song and they’ll play the chorus. It’s all right there.

TM: “Where’s Walton? Love it Live” is pretty interesting stuff. What’s the inspiration behind it?

BW: It gave me a chance to be a fan. I could sit in the crowd

and cheer and boo and throw towels in disgust. I wrote 56,000 words in 31 days. The thing about the Internet is that you can go in so many directions that you can’t in regular print or TV because of restrictions of time and space.

TM: Six degrees of separation time: Link your career with Charles Barkley, via respective teammates. The 24-second shot clock is on. Go! BW: I played with Danny Ainge on the Boston Celtics, and he

played with Charles in Phoenix. [Clock stops well before 24 seconds.]

Dennis McCafferty is a Washington-based writer who has contributed to Men’s Health, Salon, Parenting, Maxim and other titles. He lives in Herndon, Virginia, with his wife and son.

www.tallmagazine.com

23 TALL

Photo courtesy Speedo

Diving for Greek Gold

All signs point to 6’4� Michael Phelps becoming one of the greatest swimmers in U.S. history. Is the 18-year old ready to take that plunge?

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“I’m out there to become the first Michael Phelps, not become the second Mark Spitz.” ichael is the closest to Mark Spitz that we have in this country, as far as across the rainbow of distances,” said Jon Urbanchek, four-time U.S. Olympic team coach. That’s saying a lot about a guy who just turned eighteen. But considering his accomplishments (listed on the sidebar below), the statement doesn’t sound out of place. Training in hopes of going for the gold in Greece this year, Phelps found a couple of minutes in which to answer some questions for TALL magazine.

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you used where you’ve noticed a difference?

MP: I leave the physical parts of swimming up to Bob. He’s

made a lot of right decisions about my swimming. The mental part is up to me, so I really like to get real pumped up for a meet and just swim.

TM: Do you have any backup plans beyond or after swimming? Any dreams beyond the gold medal?

MP: I want to get a job doing something in sports, hopefully

sports marketing or management. TALL

TALL magazine: How would you compare your performance and skills and approach to swimming going into the 2004 Olympics compared to the 2000 ones?

MICHAEL PHELPS: In 2000 I was an inexperienced swimmer,

and I think over the past few years that has changed a little. After going to more tournaments and contests that I’ve learned some things about my self both physically and mentally.

TM: With all the inevitable comparisons to Mark Spitz, do you get nervous when thinking about his achievements and others comparing you to him?

MP: No, not at all. I’m out there to swim my best and do what I

can. I’m out there to become the first Michael Phelps, not become the second Mark Spitz.

TM: How do you prepare yourself, physically and mentally, before each meet?

MP: When I’m at the meet I always have my CD player with me

so I’m always real focused on what I’m there to do. This also really just helps me get in to my own world.

TM: How has breaking world records altered your perspective on yourself, your talents, and the sport in general (or has it at all)?

MP: Well it has always been a goal to be where I’m at now. But

then again everything that I’ve done has been little stepping stones heading to where I really want to go with my swimming career.

TM: How did the 2000 Olympics affect your life on a professional and personal level?

MP: The 2000 Olympics helped me start thinking about becom-

ing a professional athlete. On a personal level, I think just being there was the biggest thing. Being able to represent your country in any way you can is so special.

TM: How did you choose your coach, Bob Bowman? What does he bring to your performance?

MP: Bob was a coach on the team that I’m on now (NBAC),

and when I was old enough and fast enough, I was able to move in to his level. And we started working together and things started happening.

TM: You’re in a sport where 1/10th of a second makes all the difference between winning and losing. How does a swimmer shave time off of his lap? What techniques have

MICHAEL PHELPS SNAPSHOT • In 2003, Michael became the first man in history to win titles in three different strokes at one national championship.

• In the 2000 Olympics, at age 15, he finished fifth in the 200m butterfly events, becoming the youngest male to compete in Olympic games since 1932.

• At the 2003 FINA World Championships, Michael became the first swimmer to set 5 world records at one meet. He won four gold medals and two silver ones.

• In the 2001 Spring Nationals, at 15, he became the youngest man ever to break a world record, doing so in the 200m fly.

• At the end of 2002, Michael was ranked number one in the world in three events.

• He has won national titles in six different events between 2001 and 2003.

• Michael’s two older sisters are both swimmers. His sister Whitney was a member of the 1994 World Championship team. He started following in their footsteps when he was seven.

• Besides swimming, Michael is a really good all around athlete. He enjoys playing lacrosse, soccer, and baseball.

• He lists lasagna, pretzels, cheeseburger subs, and waffle cones filled with French vanilla ice cream and Butterfinger bits as his favorite foods.

• Michael likes to listen to rap music before races. “I always listen to DMX. The song is called ‘Party up.’” He listened to that song before making the Olympic Team and before breaking his first world record.

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25 TALL

photos by bill mertz and Nick Pon

big man

scoo ter the

club

are you man enough to join?

by bill mertz member, bmsc

his preconception is all well and good if you’re a tall man who loves his hog, but what if your 6’5” frame has always yearned to hunker down behind the handlebars of a sexy Italian machine? No, not a twowheeled rocket like Ducati. Something a little smaller: a vintage Italian scooter. Impossible? A group of tall scooter enthusiasts from Northern California are here to prove otherwise.

The Big Man Scooter Club (BMSC) is a group of dedicated scooter enthusiasts whose members happen to be all above average in the height department. Still in its infancy, the club was formed last year in the San Francisco Bay Area, when the BMSC’s four founding fathers acquired vintage Lambretta scooters.

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This is how it’s supposed to work: Tall guys ride stretched choppers; small guys ride tiny scooters.

6’4” Joren Clark was the first of the crew to purchase a scooter.

Living in a virtual scooter Mecca, the 24 year-old Joren had seen plenty of the older machines buzzing around San Francisco. He

As the members of the Big Man Club have discovered, the scooter community is a tightly knit group that is always willing to help out a fellow scooterist even if they have never met the person. Unlike other genres in the transportation world, there is not a sense of competition or angst amongst scooter owners, but rather a feeling of camaraderie. And now with the Big Man Scooter Club, tall people everywhere can hop on a scooter and know that there are other people out there whose helmets stick up above the rest.

Scooter recommendations o what does the Big Man Scooter Club have to say about getting yourself on a scooter? As far as choosing the best classic scooter to buy, the choice is really one of personal taste. In the club there are both Vespas and Lambrettas with several different models from each marque. Both manufacturers made great scooters that each have their positives and negatives, and there are ample parts suppliers for both makes.

Lambrettas. Lambrettas carry their engine directly in the center of the frame, which means the scooters tend to be a bit longer and sleeker with a little more legroom up front. Innocenti stopped production of the Lambretta line in the 1970's, so these scooters are a bit scarcer than their Vespa counterparts.

Vespas. Vespas, on the other hand, have their engine mounted slightly off-center, giving them a shorter, more teardrop-shaped appearance. As a result of this more compact design, Vespas are also a bit lighter.

As a tall person it is important to try out different makes and models and see which one fits you best. Remember that it’s always possible to modify these scooters to suit your needs. In the end, whichever scooter you choose, you will be as happy as a kid on Christmas every time you ride it. TALL

S

Bill Mertz lives in Oakland, California, where he currently works restoring vintage Italian cars and—whenever he has free time—riding his scooter.

Contact him at williammertz@hotmail.com for more information about the Big Man Scooter Club.

For More Information Find more about scooters at the following sites: www.lambretta.net www.scooterworks.com www.vespa.org www.scootculture.org King’s Classic is an annual rally where several hundred enthusiasts gather and ride in celebration of the little machines. A three-day event held the second weekend of August, you can find out more information at: www.kingsclassic.com.

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Jamie Tibbets (left) and the author (right) stand in front of a row of Lambrettas. From left to right the scooters are: a 1964 series 3 Lambretta LI 150 Silver Special, a 1960 Series 2 Lambretta LI 125, a 1964 Series 3 Lambretta LI 150 special loved the great lines of the Italian-designed scooters and the classic two-stroke exhaust note; but the apparent ridiculousness of such a big guy atop such a small mode of transportation halted any ideas of ownership.

Giving into his scooter lust, he broke down and purchased a 1978 Vespa P200E. While not the shiniest bike on the block, the patina scooter is certainly charming. To Joren’s pleasant surprise, as he straddled the seat to go for his maiden scoot, he found that the little Vespa fit him quite well. The long two-person seat allowed him to move back into a comfortable position and the rest of the controls were easy to get used to.

After a close encounter with a parked Honda Civic, Joren was up and riding, and instead of feeling ridiculous, he felt great.

Riding the scooter was so much fun that he quickly taught his friends to ride, and in turn they caught the bug.

After a few months of scanning the classifieds, four small scooters—three old Lambrettas and one vintage Vespa—were finally in the hands of four happy giants. 23 year-old Nick Pon, who stands 6’2”, recalled the first time the four friends gathered in one place with their scoots.

“It looked a little funny, the four of us on these diminutive little bikes,” he recalled. “But as soon as we started to ride, we all knew the Big Man Scooter Club was a great idea.”

People constantly stare at the group as they zip around on their vintage scooters, but when you ask the casual passerby what exactly it is that they are staring at, you will indefinitely get the answer, “that cute old scooter.”

Jamie Tibbetts is the tallest of the four standing at 6’7”. This 23 year-old was also the luckiest when it came to finding a scooter. It turned out his father had restored a beautiful Series 3 Lambretta Silver Special when Jamie was a kid. After a little bit of negotiation, Jamie convinced his father to let him resurrect the scooter, which had been sitting in the garage collecting dust. I rounded out the group as the fourth founding father. I always liked the looks of the old Series 2 Lambrettas, and I found that my 6’4” frame fit perfectly on this classically styled machine. It looks a bit rough, but runs great, and provides me with endless smiles.

Vintage Ownership here are several different facets to vintage scooter ownership.

Lifestyle is a major one. Some enthusiasts love the image and way of life that goes along with vintage scooters. Listening to vintage underground soul and rock music, dressing up in mod clothing, and hanging out at hip cafes with your scooter parked in front, these are all hallmarks of the scooter culture, and in San Francisco it is quite a large scene.

Scooters aren’t simply chic accessories; there is an entire after-

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“As soon as we started to ride, we all knew the Big Man Scooter Club was a great idea.”

- Nick Pons

market of companies that make parts to help your bike be the fastest on the street. From hot-rod engines to bigger front brakes, every part imaginable is available to bring out the road rocket buried inside your scooter. If speed isn’t your thing, there are also plenty of people dedicated to the preservation and restoration of these bikes. In San Francisco alone there are a plethora of shops that can help restore these scooters back to original condition.

While the Big Man Scooter Club members love to work on their scoots and participate in the occasional mod night, they also put heavy emphasis on getting the bikes on the road and riding: After all this is why they bought their scooters in the first place.

Always encouraging other riders to come out and join them, the club has an informal open invitation policy. Rides generally occur about once a month, and vary from the hills of the East Bay to the streets of San Francisco. With an average turnout of about eight scooters, the group is pretty hard to miss, especially when the swarm rips through downtown San Francisco and the high-pitched exhaust echoes off the skyscrapers.

www.tallmagazine.com

27 TALL

Ron Perlman

Dukes it Out

by everard g strong

H

is swagger. His sneer. His wry wit.

A strong right hook. A way with a six-shooter. Ron Perlman’s devilish portrayal of Hellboy harkens back to another brawny, brassy, brawling actor.

Is Hollywood ready to crown its new Duke?

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“You could see yourself sitting down and having a beer with this guy.”

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31 TALL

John Wayne. Yes, that Duke.

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he movie Hellboy contains all the mythical qualities of an old-school Hollywood western: six guns firing, fists swinging, wry commentary, a city slicker out of his element, a maiden in distress, lots of bad guys, and even a government posse. Watching it, then, you can’t help but start comparing its main title character, and the actor who portrays him, to the Hollywood legend best known for his portrayal of the ultimate cowboy.

There are a couple of differences. Ron Perlman’s cowboy is red, about seven feet tall, has horns and a tail, and is supposed to signal a coming Apocalypse. And he really likes Baby Ruth candy bars. Oh, and his right hand is made of stone.

In the movie’s many action sequences, Perlman’s Hellboy doesn’t dance around his opponent or try some exotic martial art moves; Hellboy has no grace. He puts his head down, clenches his fists, and strides in swinging. He doesn’t fight; he pummels. He doesn’t walk; he strides with the confidence of a being that can kick most anybody’s or anything’s butt. The character exudes braggadocio.

And the way he handles that gun ... The similarities to the Duke are too uncanny. Add on to the list his terse delivery of the oneliners and it’s pretty much a done deal.

Hellboy, based on the comic book by Mike Mignola (Dark Horse Comics), is a hard movie to explain, but very entertaining to watch. To sum it up, the plot involves Nazis, a resurrected Rasputin, a portal into another dimension, a paranormal investigation arm of the government, a woman who can emit fire, a halfman half-fish creature, Ragnarok (the end of the world), a fourlegged demon that can’t die, and a baby devil that is raised by humans. Pretty standard stuff, really.

After watching the movie, though, you couldn’t picture anyone else playing the title character other than Ron Perlman. The actor, best known for moody, sardonic supporting character roles in Alien: Resurrection and most recently Blade II, doesn’t so much act as Hellboy, he wholeheartedly embodies the role.

This is ironic as it took a long time for Hollywood to warm up to the idea of Perlman playing a leading role of this caliber. It took an obstinate movie director, Guillermo Del Toro, to stand by his first choice in front of Hollywood skepticism.

“This is the part he was born to play,” Guillermo noted in a previous interview (with an online fanzine).

If you have followed Perlman’s diverse career on the silver screen, the choice is not that much out of left-field. Perlman has played a lot of different characters in almost every movie genre conceivable.

And whenever he’s on screen, it’s hard to miss him. Whether leading character or supporting role, Ron has this innate ability to command screen presence. A combination of an intimidating body mass, a rather large head, and a wry smile allow Ron Perlman to steal the scenery with unplanned ease. Perlman doesn’t so much utter his lines as he holds onto them until the time is right, and

TALL 32

then reluctantly allows them escape from his mouth. One would think a role like Hellboy would have been Perlman’s long ago. At 54, it’s been a long time to wait to be the leading man.

It is all the above traits that led me to the comparison with Mr. John Wayne. Put Ron Perlman in some western duds, set him atop a horse with rifle in one hand and six-shooter in the other, and Rio Grande will come alive again. Heresy? Watch Hellboy and check out other movies in Ron Perlman’s oeuvre of work (a filmography can be found on page 50). Check out some of John Wayne’s finest work. Imagine Perlman in those same roles. Works, doesn’t it?

Though we didn’t have a chance to interview Mr. Wayne, we did get a chance to speak with Mr. Perlman. During the conversation, the surprisingly soft-spoken Perlman let us look at the world through Hellboy’s eyes. He also let us in on why he enjoys working with Del Toro so much, and why Ron Perlman, actor, might soon become Ron Perlman, producer.

This interview was conducted about a month before Hellboy was released into the theatres, so neither of us knew it would reach number one in the box office (at time of print, anyway).

TALL MAGAZINE: Guillermo Del Toro, Hellboy’s director, said this about your role as Hellboy: “This is the part Ron was born to play. There is not an inch of Ron in the movie that is not covered in latex, and yet it’s all Ron Perlman.” Is Hellboy the roll you were born to play?

RON PERLMAN: I don’t know … I certainly enjoyed playing

the character. Guillermo has showered me with blessings in his faith that I could do this. Hellboy is his favorite character from his long love affair with comic books. Having read a lot of Guillermo’s screenplays over the years, his adaptation of the comic book Hellboy for this movie is, I think, far and away the greatest he ever wrote.

It’s an amazing, theatrically delicious rendering of Hellboy. And he gave it to me as this gift. It’s up to him to tell whether I was born to play it or not, all I know is I sure had a great time doing it.

TM: How familiar were you with the Hellboy character before Guillermo approached you for the part?

RP: Guillermo took me to dinner about six years ago. He had

just had this incredible meeting with Mike Mignola, who is one of his comic book heroes, and had created this character Hellboy.

Guillermo had approached Mike about adapting it for the screen and he had asked me if I was familiar with the character. I had said no. And he told me, “In a perfect world, you would play the part [of Hellboy].”

At the end of the evening he took me with him to a comic book store, and he introduced me to Hellboy. And my thoughts were, “Hmmm … Interesting. Very interesting.” Then we both shelved the idea, which shows how imperfect the world is. After that evening, I decided to try and forget that the meeting ever took place.

TM: Why? At what point did you start thinking more about how you would play the character?

RP: The prospect of playing what would be a very coveted role

“He’s mythic.

He’s like a Greek god.”

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33 TALL

in a big studio production was too good to be true. Until it eventually became real, it was a beautiful wish. I opted to take myself out of the game and not become emotionally involved with the character or the material. So I stayed as far away from Hellboy as I could.

It wasn’t until March of 2002, when it started to become real, that I started to explore the world of this character.

TM: What did you find in your explorations?

RP: He’s mythic, he’s like a

“Heroes don’t think of themselves as heroes; their acts are what define them.

It’s up to the rest of the world to label them and categorize them as heroic.”

- Ron Perlman

Greek god. In a world of demons though, he’s a friend. There’s this incredible duality that exists within him, what is primal nature is and what his nurtured nature is. He’s rigged to utilize his powers for double endeavors. So there’s this conflict going on in him that we get to see in the film.

TM: In the movie, he comes across as very human, almost humble. He doesn’t regard himself as mythic.

RP: He doesn’t regard himself as anything. He knows he’s a pow-

erful dude; he can pretty much lick anything that comes his way.

That’s where his self-confidence comes in. He doesn’t think of himself as a great character. Most heroes don’t think of themselves as heroes; their acts are what define them. It’s up to the rest of the world to label them and categorize them as heroic. So Hellboy is the last one to think of himself as a hero, as something larger than life; even though that’s what he is.

TM: How much of yourself is present in Hellboy?

RP: His personality is very accessible. He’s rather unextraordi-

nary. He has his exterior trappings [his horns, his big stone hand], but he’s trying desperately to be a normal guy; just a regular guy that works for a government agency. He tries to be a good peer, a good compadre for those around him; he tries to be one of the boys. You could see yourself sitting down and having a beer with this guy. And yet there are things he can do physically and spiritually that set him apart.

who you are, and how straight and tall you are, and how imposing you are, and then suddenly there’s this mental shift that takes place that is serious and unexplainable. And as an actor, you don’t want to presuppose too much so you can allow for those other elements to take place.

TM: What was it like on the set the first time you walked out in full costume?

RP: There were a lot of smiles and

a couple of rounds of applause. It was a formidable character created by the good people at Rick Baker’s effects studio; more specifically Matt Rose, who was the primary sculptor and make-up artist. He invented and executed the look that would go on my face. Wendy Partridge was

behind Hellboy’s costume.

When it was finally all put together for the first time, it felt like Christmas morning, and I was Guillermo’s gift. Guillermo has this wide-eyed, boyish way of looking at the world, very adolescent, and I don’t think he ever stopped responding like he was looking at the greatest Christmas gift of all time in those seven months of filming. He truly truly loved Hellboy, and that’s the reason the movie got made.

TM: You’re mostly known for playing supporting roles in your movies. How did the studios react when they heard you were to portray the leading character?

RP: One of the reasons, I think, the movie took six years to

make is because the studios did not see eye to eye with Guillermo’s vision. Joe Roth, who heads up Revolution Studios, has been very enthusiastic and thinks this was a movie worth making.

TM: Hellboy is a very physical movie. Lots of running, fighting, and action sequences. How demanding was it of you? How did you keep your body in shape?

RP: I didn’t have to look any particular way; that was the job of

TM: You once mentioned that there’s a part of the character that you don’t realize as an actor until you put the make-up and the costume on and you look at yourself in the mirror for the first time.

RP: There’s something that happens once you’ve taken the four

the make-up artist. It was very important for me to operate at peak performance during the 14-15 hour days. I went to the gym every day that I could. I did a lot of cardio, trying to get my wind up, and pumped some iron. I tried to put myself in as many unpleasant and painful situations as I could because I knew that’s what I’d be experiencing on the set while the camera was rolling. You train yourself to bypass the pain and transcend whatever it is your experiencing while you’re going for a shot, while you’re fighting demons.

and a half hours to be transformed with the make-up and the costume, the shoes and the coat, and all the paraphernalia that went into transforming me into Hellboy.

You walk differently, you feel just a little different. You have this strut ... you don’t have to do anything, you just have it. You look at

TM: How demanding was this compared to your roles in Blade II and Alien: Resurrection?

RP: For me this was the most difficult. Hellboy is in three major fights over the course of the movie with some massive opponents.

And he’s a brawler. He’s not a martial artist or this dude that has

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RON PERLMAN: VITAL STATS Birth name: Ronald Francis Perlman Birth date: April 13, 1950 Height: 6’ 2” Birthplace: New York Parents: Father was a radio and TV repairman.

His mother worked with the city’s Department of Health.

Education: Graduated from Lehman College (New York) in 1971.

Graduated from University of Minnesota with a Master’s in theatre arts in 1973.

First movie role: A Neanderthal in Quest for Fire (1981).

Marital status: Married Wife: Opal Stone Children: Daughter Blake Amanda. Son Brandon Avery.

Awards: Golden Apple Award for Male Discovery of the Year (1998); Golden Globe Award: Best Actor (1989); Best Actor Award (1988 & 1989).

Hobbies: Pool, jazz, stand-up comedy.

FILMOGRAPHY 2004 Murder on the Hudson Soloman’s Turn The Woodcutter Hellboy Looney Tunes: Back in Action 2003 Two Soldiers Teen Titans (TV Series Murchison Rats 2002 Hoodlum & Son How to Go Out On a Date In Queens Shakedown Star Trek: Nemesis Crime and Punishment Blade II 2001 Night Class Boys On the Run Quiet Kill Enemy at the Gates 2000 The Trial of Old Drum Stroke

The King’s Guard Titan A.E. Price of Glory An American Tail: The Treasure of Manhattan Island Operation Sandman 1999 Primal Force Supreme Sanction Happy, Texas 1998 Houdini I Woke Up Early the Day I Died A Town Has Turned to Dust Frogs for Snakes The Magnificent Seven (TV Series) 1997 Betty Alien: Resurrection Tinseltown Batman: Gotham Knights (TV Series (voice)) Prince Valiant The Second Civil War Skwids (TV Series) 1996 The Island of Dr. Moreau Mr. Stitch 1995 Mortal Kombat: The Animated Series Picture Windows The Last Supper

star trek: nemesis www.tallmagazine.com

Fluke The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space The City of Lost Children Original Sins Sensation Iron Man Phantom 2040 1994 The Fantastic Four Police Academy: Mission to Moscow The Cisco Kid Aladdin 1993 Arly Hanks Double Exposure When the Bough Breaks Romeo Is Bleeding Cronos The Adventures of Huck Finn Blind Man’s Bluff 1992 Sleepwalkers A Stoning in Fulham County 1987 Beauty and the Beast 1986 Name of the Rose 1985 Our Family Honor 1984 The Ice Pirates 1981 Quest for Fire VIDEO GAME VOICE WORK 2003 Lords of Everquest True Crime: Streets of LA Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu 2001 Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel Icewind Dale - Heart of Winter 1998 Fallout 2: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game 1997 Fallout: A Post-Nuclear Role-Playing Game 1995 Chronomaster

35 TALL

this elegant fighting style. He’s kind of like the Duke, John Wayne.

He’s got a strong right hand and a pretty powerful left. He’s not afraid to pull out whatever he needs to do to prevail.

On a movie, you tend to do shots between three and twelve times, so you have to be ready to take a deep breath, suck it up,

and be ready for the next take.

TM: Where there days after you were done shooting spent in the bathtub, trying not to think about moving?

RP: Yeah. I spent a lot of time in Epsom salt, hoping that my

joints would resemble what they did thirty years ago.

Comic strip courtesy Dark Horse Comics.

TALL 36

TM: How is Guillermo’s style of movie directing different than that of Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Alien: Resurrection)?

RP: They’re both very different kinds of people to be around.

Guillermo is this wonderful spirit with this wonderful way of looking at the world; a very pure and innocent point of view. Even though intellectually he’s in a class all by himself; incredibly wellread, incredibly brilliant, but all wrapped up in this innocent wideeyed enthusiasm. He’s also very fun to be around and provides for an exiting atmosphere on the set. You feel very safe in trying new ways of doing things he might not have thought of. He’s just a fan: he’s a fan of movies, a fan of actors. If I was told I would have to work with Guillermo for the rest of my career, there would be no problem with that.

At the same time, there’s an incredible amount to be said for Jeunet and Marc Caro (who co-directed 1995’s The City of Lost Children, which also co-starred Perlman). The City of Lost Children was as an intense and heady an experience as I ever had. It was incredibly challenging. And when I got the call from Jeunet again to work on Alien, it was a total pleasure. He’s a filmmaker that keeps you very much on your toes, keeps you inventive. He has a singular style, cinematically, and he raises the bar.

You can’t compare anyone to anyone else. Each one is a different individual, each one brings a different set of elements to the game.

But it’s been a blessing to be able to work with both of those guys.

TM: You’ve worked on a variety of different styles of movies with many different directors. Has doing these different roles made you more adaptable to different styles, genres, and methods of moviemaking?

RP: [Long pause] I don’t know. I sure have had a wide and varied

set of experiences, all for which I’m grateful, because they all push you in one way or another. There’s nothing in life that’s just one thing. That’s what it is, 31 flavors. The thing that makes it worth getting up every morning is knowing that there are people who are going to tap into something about you or you’re going to tap into something about them.

TM: Is there going to be a Hellboy sequel?

RP: Ask me that question in about three months!

TM: You’ve done a substantial amount of voice-over work, for animated features and for video games. How different is that environment to work in?

RP: Every time you walk into a room to do a job, whether it’s

soundstage 21, or a lot, or a tiny studio in somebody’s den to do voice-overs, you have to be ready for whatever it is you’re about to experience. There’s no one way to approach anything. I like the variety, the different challenges, whether it’s for 15 minutes or 15 months.

I’m just so enthusiastic about taking a character that is abstract on a page and bringing him to life. I get a charge out of that, so I try to put myself in as many situations as I can where I can afford myself that pleasure.

TM: How important is it with voice work to have some visual idea of who or what the character looks and acts like?

RP: You try to stay away from anything that’s just written or has stick figures, that doesn’t have any dimensionality. I think every actor has been involved—hopefully in a small portion rather than a large portion—in projects that weren’t worthy of being done at all because they lack integrity and dimension and truth. They were more two-dimensional commercial prospects, and you try to stay away from that as much as possible or all together. Pop culture is loaded with crap. If I can’t recognize any germ of a reason of why I should be doing a character, I try not to do it. And I’ve played very disturbed, sick people; there’s something very challenging and interesting about looking deep down inside myself to imagine what it would take to behave this way.

TM: You formed your own production company too.

RP: It’s up and running. We are in the process of getting projects

set up and fleshed out.

TM: In many movies you’ve acted in, you display a unique sense of comedic timing. Very deadpan, but you seem to know just when to go for the punch line. Is this something you’ve worked at over the years?

RP: I’ve got a soft spot for comedy. It’s something I’ve always

been interested in. I don’t get a lot of opportunities to do it professionally, so when I get an opportunity, I grab it. I started out doing a little stand-up comedy when I was in high school in New York.

That was my first association with an audience. When I came to Hollywood, I was this tall, weird-looking guy, so I got cast in a lot of heavy and serious roles. So when comedy presents itself in the remotest way, I jump at it.

TM: Would you like to do more comedy roles?

RP: I take it as it comes. The things that have happened over

the course of time have been greater than I would ever have imagined or hoped for, so I try not to get into the imaginary or hoping state of mind. Why wish for the moon when you have the stars? TALL

FOR MORE INFORMATION: ON THE WEB: Sony’s official Hellboy movie site: www.hellboymovie.com Dark Horse Comics (creators of Hellboy): www.darkhorsecomics.com Ron Perlman site: www.theperlmanpages.i12.com HELLBOY TRIVIA: 1. When director Guillermo Del Toro first met with comic book writer Mike Mignola about turning Hellboy into a movie, they both wrote down on individual pieces of paper their choice for who should play the lead. Their choice? Ron Perlman.

2. Guillermo del Toro turned down the directing jobs for both Blade III and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban to direct Hellboy.

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37 TALL

On the i

Recei v n g End Someone has to play the bad guy, and 6’7” Brian “CreatureBoy” Steele is just the man for the job.

by TALL magazine

rian Steele, a.k.a. “CreatureBoy”, portrays larger than life monsters for movies and television. That’s his job. 17 years ago, though, he never would have thought his life would have taken this turn.

In 1987, while working odd jobs in Los Angeles, Brian came across an ad in a newspaper for an open audition at Universal Studios to perform characters in the park in Hollywood.

Standing 6’7” and weighing in around 210 lbs., he thought it would be a kick to go for the audition. It sure looked a lot more interesting than the current job he had, working in an auto parts store. After improvising with the Wolfman character, he auditioned for and won the part of Frankenstein. Soon he was working the backlot of the largest motion picture studio in the world, in front of over 30,000 guests a day, and having a great time. Brian’s main job was to scare the guests as they were getting ready to get on the trams that would take guests on the backlot tour. Not quite the Hollywood life we all dream about living, but still fun.

After performing as Frankenstein for nearly two years, he heard that they would be introducing the character Harry from Harry and the Hendersons in the park. Brian jumped at the challenge that

B

TALL 38

would come with a new role and got the job. The more gentle nature of Harry allowed more guest interaction, and the guests in turn took fast to Harry. Universal than began sending Brian as “Harry” on promotional tours. By fate or coincidence, during the second season of the television series of “Harry and the Hendersons,” there was an opening on the show for someone to fill the feet, so to speak, of the original “Harry,” played by the late 7’2” actor Kevin Peter Hall (he died in 1994). Having never worked on any kind of production or show, the show was Brian’s trial by fire into the rigors of daily television production. He went to make 48 episodes over two seasons, and launched a career of playing creatures in movies and television shows.

TALL MAGAZINE: Describe your first day of shooting “Harry and the Hendersons.” How scared where you?

BRIAN STEELE: It was pretty scary and a little wild. I had no

experience in [television] production whatsoever. One day I’m interacting with tourists in the park; the next thing I know I’m working on a television show with actors Bruce Davidson, Molly Cheeks, Noah Blake, and the rest of the cast. It was definitely a challenge; it was a job that kept me on my toes.

TM: What was the best thing about working on “Harry”?

BS: The best thing about that whole experi-

ence was that I was so new and inexperienced, yet the cast and crew were wonderful. They allowed me to experiment, to improvise, and to bring new characterizations to Harry.

Anecdote: Steven Spielberg, whose company Amblin Entertainment was producing the show, dropped buy the set one day. He looked up to me in the suit and said “You’re a pretty big guy.”

I smiled then winked at him and said “So are you.”

him that Hellboy was America’s new badass!

TM: What was the most challenging part of portraying Sammael?

BS: Walking like a quadruped, but fighting

as a biped. I had to be fitted with longer arm extensions in order to achieve the quadruped walk. After discussing basic movements with director Guillermo Del Toro, I trained with both a stunt and fight coordinator to help create my character’s fight moves.

Using these extensions in connection with the suit allowed me to create a more unnatural, animal-like performance, which could have only resulted from the use of these TM: From Harry you went to work on the extensions. And, because the director is able television series “Earth II.” How much of a to shoot the creature on the set as opposed to Brian Steele as seen without latex, servo change was that for you? creating it in a computer and compositing it motors, and fake appendages.

BS: We shot twenty-two episodes in Santa Fe, in later, there is a more natural on-set acting New Mexico. My role as a Terrian was not in an progression for every action and reaction between the actors. animatronic suit, like it was for Harry. Instead, I sat through two hours a day of having sculpted foam rubber latex appliances attached TM: What was your favorite scene to shoot in Hellboy? to my face. These appliances alter your facial features; I am totally BS: That would have to be the subway scene: lots of fighting, lots unrecognizable once they are finished. of action, lots of destruction!

But the process helps me get into character; once I look in the Anecdote: We had been shooting the scene for four or five days mirror, I see someone who is not me, and I start transforming into already, and we were all getting worn down. But right in the middle that creature staring back at me. The latex pieces are glued to my of one of the takes, Guillermo is calling, “Cut, cut, cut!” I was wonface in such a way that they move when my facial muscles do; dering if I had screwed up or something, but he says to both Ron learning how to articulate these pieces became another huge learnPerlman and I, “I’m not making Terms of Endearment here. Stop ing experience for me. If you’ve seen the show, the toughest and kissing each other and start wailing on each other! That really got least fun thing was being buried under sand, in full costume, and the adrenaline going. By the end of the next shot Guillermo was being pushed up from holes underneath the ground. It was like yelling “Brilliant! Brilliant!” being dragged around at the beach in a tuxedo.

He takes monsters very seriously, treating his creatures as equal actors.

Other directors might treat a creature as a prop, but TM: Not your average day at work. How did your career Guillermo helps you develop your creative performance. He has a progress from there? great passion and love for movies with creatures in them and he BS: From there, I went to work as the mutated creature on The treats them as if they were real living and breathing beings.

Relic, the human-stalking bear on The Edge, Satan in Bless the Child, a mutated shark in “Creature” (a TV movie-of-the-week), a TM: Do you ever want a role that doesn’t require any creamanifested creature in The Day the World Ended, an alien in Men in ture make-ups?

Black II, a werewolf in Underworld, and most recently, the creature BS: Surprisingly, no. I like my ability to be unrecognizable outSammael in Hellboy. I’ve been very fortunate and lucky to have the side my costume. Part of my philosophy is to never be seen as range of characters in the career I’ve had. myself on-screen; I think it adds a special quality to the life of the creature when you don’t know who’s behind the mask. It suspends TM: Where you the kind of kid who ran home to watch a viewer’s reality, and he can believe that the creature really does monster movies after school? exist as a three-dimensional character in that world on the BS: Hey, how did you know? I couldn’t get off the bus fast screen. enough during Godzilla week. Little did I know.

TM: We talk to Ron Perlman about his Hellboy experiences TM: Where can we not see Brian Steele next? elsewhere in this magazine. What was it like from your end?

BS: I recently finished working on Blade III, which will come out in August of this year. In the movie I will have not one but two BS: I play Sammael, also known as the “Seed of Destruction.” different roles, which is a first for me. In the next couple of weeks I He’s this physically imposing, destructive tour-de-force who has will be starting principal photography for four to five months in numerous slug fests with Perlman’s character, Hellboy. It was a Rumania on a new film called Primal Evil. great experience to work with a pro like Ron. As he and I sat in I don’t plan to stop until my body can’t physically carry a suit, front of our fans on the set, trying to stay cool during lighting setservo motor, or latex appliance any more. TALL ups, eating our candy bars, I would look over at him and remind www.tallmagazine.com

39 TALL

marfan syndrome ththeemmeessssaaggee the management the maintenance a special report TALL 40

by kathy wi

tt

26 year-old Joe Gagliano had just begun his career in entertainment law in New York when an ophthalmologist gave him two words that would change—and almost certainly save—his life: Marfan syndrome.

“I went to my ophthalmologist for my annual check-up. I had always had bad eyesight but this time, the ophthalmologist noticed something unusual: My lenses were dislocated. He told me there was something called the Marfan Syndrome and that I needed to see my primary care provider.” arfan syndrome is a genetic disorder of the connective tissue that can affect the skeleton, eyes, heart and blood vessels. According to Eileen Masciale, director of communications at the National Marfan Foundation, it is estimated that more than 200,000 people in the United States are affected by the Marfan syndrome or a related connective tissue disorder.

Marfan syndrome is often hereditary, but 25 percent of affected people are the first in their family to have the disorder. Thousands do not even know that they are affected.

Gagliano saw his doctor, was screened for Marfan syndrome and given a clean bill of health. At his next eye exam, the ophthalmologist asked Gagliano about the outcome of his doctor visit.

“I could see he was concerned and that he wanted me to pursue this a bit more. I had been practicing law for just a year at the time. I didn’t give Marfan syndrome too much thought and I didn’t go back to see my doctor-but I did tell my mother.”

Gagliano’s mother immediately mobilized. She began researching the syndrome and learned about the serious risks the disorder poses to the heart. Besides poor eyesight, Gagliano exhibited another characteristic of Marfan syndrome: Standing 6’4”, he was always the kid in the school pictures whose head towered above all the others.

“Mom got very nervous; she actually became frantic, and here I was with my head in the sand. She began calling every hospital in New York asking questions. At New York Hospital, she got a telephone operator who knew to put her through to a genetic counselor.”

Mrs. Gagliano’s next phone call was to Priscilla Ciccariello, the “grandmother of the Marfan community,” as she is reverentially called. It was Ciccariello’s leadership that took the local support group from her kitchen table to a national organization that is recognized internationally for its education, support and research programs that benefit individuals and families with the Marfan syndrome.

“Pricilla told my mom what to do. That’s how I found my doctor in Long Island and got the diagnosis: I have the Marfan syndrome.

“It was a little accident and a lot of persistence on the part of my mother.”

M

That was in 1986. Seventeen years and one surgery later, Gagliano is now chairman of the board of the National Marfan Foundation and has a message for people who may be affected with Marfan syndrome: “First and foremost, get the diagnosis and begin medical management. Secondly, be diligent about maintenance.”

According to Gagliano, the danger of the syndrome for those undiagnosed and unmanaged is that the probability is close to 100 percent that at some time during adulthood an aortic dissection will occur. Without proper management (annual echocardiogram, careful monitoring of the skeletal system, periodic eye exams, drug therapy, lifestyle modifications), the aorta is prone to enlarge and could dissect or rupture—a usually fatal condition.

This was the tragedy that befell award-winning playwright

Brooklyn, New York native Anthony Smith and his daughter Jennifer both have the Marfan Syndrome.

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41 TALL

Jonathan Larson on January 26, 1996. Larson, a composer and lyricist, died of an aortic dissection, alone in his apartment in New York City, days after being sent home from two hospital emergency rooms. That nights was also the eve of the opening of his Tony award-winning musical, Rent.

“The Larson family has been pro-active and supportive,” says Masciale. “They are planning to support the NMF’s Emergency Room Campaign, which educates medical professionals about the emergency diagnosis and treatment of aortic dissection.”

Adds Gagliano: “The earlier people can be diagnosed, the much better stead they’ll be in because they can begin medical management. This is the beginning. Depending on the severity of the condition, they may have surgery. Most folks with Marfans have some sort of aortic or cardiac surgery. The lucky ones have only one.”

When Gagliano had his own open heart surgery in 1996, it was a planned surgery.

“Elective aortic surgery has a very high success rate when planned. The success rate of surgery performed in the emergency room post-rupture is still fairly high. Surgery after dissection can set up a situation of multiple surgeries.”

With three aortic operations already under his belt, Bruce Klein considers himself one of the “lucky ones.”

“I didn’t know I had Marfan syndrome until I was 38 years old,”

Bruce Klein, of Hanover Park, IL (a member of the NMF Board of Directors and President of the NMF's Northern Illinois Chapter) talking to NMF Board member Kathleen Mimnagh, MD, of Charleston, WV, at the NMF's 2002 Annual Conference in Baltimore. Both Bruce and Kathleen are affected by the Marfan syndrome.

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says Klein, a member of the board of directors of the NMF and of the Paramount Tall Club of Chicago, an affiliate of Tall Clubs International. “I was hit out of the blue and in the emergency room. Luckily, I had a doctor who didn’t believe I was having a heart attack, but thought there was something underlying and called in a cardiologist. They added it up and did an angiogram right away.

“I was already dissected and had started to rupture. That was in 1982. I am one of the lucky ones: I could have lasted two hours, but not more than two days.”

Now representing the foundation board as liaison with Tall Clubs International as well as president of the Northern Illinois NMF chapter, Klein is a diligent fund (and awareness) raiser. Like Gagliano, he believes that building awareness about early diagnosis and management is a critical part of the Foundation’s mission; through a partnership between the NMF and Tall Club International, he is working toward that goal, raising money through walkathons and other benefits.

“There was a phrase coined in Pittsburgh in 1999 the first time an NMF and TCI conference were held simultaneously: A lifesaving partnership.”

Raising awareness about the different ways the Marfan syndrome presents itself is important to understanding the disorder. It has a number of characteristics (see the accompanying sidebar in this article) and an individual affected with the Marfan syndrome may exhibit several or all of the traits.

“As much as we’re alike, we’re different,” says Klein. “One person might have eye or heart problems and another, structural problems. Others might have some heavy structural problems and no eye problems or arterial and pulmonary problems.”

According to information found on NMF’s web site, Marfan syndrome is caused by a defect in the gene that determines the structure of fibrillin, a protein that is an important part of connective tissue. A person with Marfan syndrome is born with the disorder, even though it may not be diagnosed until later in life. Although everyone with Marfan syndrome has the same defective gene, not everyone experiences the same symptoms to the same degree. This is called “variable expression,” meaning that the defective gene expresses itself in different ways in different people. Scientists do not yet understand why variable expression occurs in people with Marfan syndrome.

“What’s important,” notes Klein, “is when we get to the emergency room for doctors to be aware of not misdiagnosing a possible Marfan patient as having indigestion or the flu and releasing the patient only for him to die.”

“Operating on our hearts and operating on our bodies is not the same as operating on the guy next door. We do have Marfan clinics around the country; in Chicago, there are three. A regular internist or family doctor will not always be able to recognize Marfan syndrome like the doctors in a Marfans clinic.”

Gagliano’s hope is to see Marfan syndrome eradicated to the point where people can “live without living in fear. We do a lot of

matter of how much you can afford to do and how soon. The science is there; we need the funding.”

There is no cure for Marfan syndrome, but with an early diagnosis, proper treatment and careful management of the disorder, the life span can be extended into the 70’s.

“We work hard to get the message out about what Marfans syndrome is,” adds Gagliano. “We still have incidents of unnecessary and undiagnosed deaths. If you can get someone diagnosed as a child, you’re really light years ahead of the game.”

Gagliano says his goal is twofold: “I want to reach the day when everybody knows what Marfan syndrome is; and, not too long after, I want to reach the day when no one needs to know what Marfan syndrome is.” TALL

“Most folks with Marfans have some sort of aortic or cardiac surgery. The lucky ones have only one.” work in research. Work is being done in molecular research that may lead to a drug treatment that can ultimately suppress the effect the syndrome has on the connective tissue so it will be strengthened and not weakened.

“Like any organization involved in genetic disorders, it’s all a

the signs B

ecause connective tissue makes up the entire body, the disorder manifests itself in many body systems.

COMMON CHARACTERISTICS OF MARFAN SYNDROME: a. Tall stature. Affected people are usually, but not always, taller than other people in their family. b. Long digits and limbs. Arms, legs, fingers and toes are disproportionately long, as compared to the trunk. c. Loose-jointedness d. Indented (pectus excavatum)or protruding chest bone (pectus carinatum) e. Scoliosis (an abnormal lateral curve to the vertebral column) f. Flat feet g. Nearsightedness h. Dislocated eye lens i. Hypotonia. Hypotonia involves decreased muscle tone. Infants with hypotonia seem floppy and feel like a "rag doll" does when held.

b

The National Marfan Foundation (NMF), a non-profit voluntary health organization, aims to improve the quality of life of individuals and families affected by the Marfan syndrome and related disorders through a three-prong mission: Educating affected individuals, family members and the health care community about the Marfan syndrome.

Advocating and funding clinical and molecular research into detection and treatment of the Marfan syndrome.

Providing a network of support groups to help affected people and their families share experiences.

1.

2.

c

d

e

i www.tallmagazine.com

3.

For more information, contact the NMF at: The National Marfan Foundation 22 Manhasset Avenue Port Washington, NY 11050. ph: (800) 862-7326.

URL: www.marfan.org.

43 TALL

he camp shirt, a perennial favorite of men, is back, and don't be surprised if it doesn’t show up on a few women’s racks, as well. Women are noticing that the men look cool and collected in these easy to care for smocks. Look for the wild prints to tone down just a bit, and in fact, simple muted single color looks will be emphasized.

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Blue shirt and white pants from Lands’ End. Camp shirt from Rochester Big & Tall.

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hello summer!

A touch of color from a shell or a cute bandeau top, and you’re ready for this season’s hottest parties or a great walk on the boardwalk.

Swimsuits courtesy of Baltex swimwear

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45 TALL

omfort in summer means light colors, natural fabrication (and coloring), and simple styling. The black for this summer is, (drum roll please): White! White tops will go with everything and they will keep you cool. White pants are cool to look at, and cool to wear.

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Women’s blouse and black slacks by Tall Couture.

Men’s shorts by Levi’s.

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fashion

or the chill in the summer evening, keep a few lightweight sweaters handy. These can be tied on your shoulders when not in use.

Men, don’t shy away from a bit of color here. This summer will have marvelous colors that are masculine without being boring.

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Women’s sweater and slacks from Lands’ End. Men’s sweater from Lands’ End.

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47 TALL

hakis are back! This time with a slight flair to the hem and with the addition of cargo pockets. Embellishments will include zippers, clips, and in some cases, ties for visual pizzazz.

The cotton khaki is about comfort and the ability to go from the office to the beach with a simple roll of the cuff. A simple white shirt or blouse completes this outfit for both men and women. It’s a perfect travel outfit, as well!

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Women’s cargo pants and T-shirt from Tall Couture.

Men’s shirt and slacks from Rochester Big & Tall.

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fashion

Pink bottoms, white top, and hat all from Tall Etc.

he rise on pants is still low for women. If you aren’t comfortable showing your belly, a simple tank top in a tall length will tuck away your secrets, and the style will remain consistent with a junior look.

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nother fabrication that is perfect for summer and has one of the best “hands” to it available on the market is Tencel. Tencel is an all natural fabrication that wears well, is easy care, and looks fantastic.

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49 TALL

accessorize!

2

1

3

SUMMER ELEMENTALS 4

TALL 50

1. Made to order, handcrafted shoes by Suzanne George. Any size, any style, for men or women. Prices vary. e-mail: suzshoes@sirius.com.

2. Crush gallery tote ($34) and purse ($24) by Poesis. www.poesispurses.com.

3. The ubiquitous rafia summer hat. $34.99. www.hatsinthebelfry.com.

4. Strawberry Mojito: 1-3/4 oz. of your favorite rum, 3/4 oz. strawberry liqueur, 6 hulled strawberries, and a couple sprigs of mint. Mush the fruit, mint, and liqueur together in a glass. Fill with ice, add the rum, ad mix everything up again. Garnish with a mint leaf and a whole strawberry. Start enjoying summer!

the fitting room for men, women, and teens

Tailored Advice

by Betty L. Johnson

Dear Betty: I am a 6’1” woman, and I am looking for some fashions that will draw attention to what I feel are two of my greatest assets—my legs! I am just not comfortable in mini skirts, though. Any suggestions?

You bet! A form-fitting skirt with a long slit up one side will certainly draw attention to your legs and your curves. A simple skirt pin can keep that slit closed for work, remove it for happy hour with your co-workers.

Another great trend is the slit pant and tie pant. Any embellishment or design element on the legs will help bring some attention to that area of your body.

that you've always wanted to buy him as a gag, but he could never wear! They don’t do silk, however, but the cotton tie does hold up much better than many found in department stores today, and they look great after hundreds of wearings!

It’s swimwear season, and I am sick of bikinis. What is out there for ladies with a long torso?

Are you violently opposed to all two-piece suits, or just bikinis?

Certainly a bit more fabric would accentuate the tall woman, but you can still wear two pieces so that you have versatility in your wardrobe.

Dear Betty: I have some great shirts that I love, but the sleeves don’t make it all the way down my arms. I really don’t want to toss them but the rolled up look is long gone. How can I incorporate them?

First, you can simply tear the sleeves off. Rag tag is the rule of the day; it can be hip and fun.

If you are looking for a more polished image, push up, don’t roll the sleeves, and wear the top over or under a sweater in an accent color.

Dear Betty: My boyfriend has to wear ties to work, and he hates it because he has to tie them so unevenly for them to hang down the correct length. Even then, he looks like Laurel from the comedy team. Where can I find good ties for tall men?

You will love www.briteties.com.

They carry tall men’s ties and suspenders. You’ll find suitable business attire and a few of those “fun ties”

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For instance, a tankini might be perfect for you or a bikini top with a boy cut leg. If you don’t mind your suit from last year, but you want to cover up a bit more skin, a sarong can add elegance while framing your figure at the same time.

There are a number of companies that design for tall ladies; however, you have to look for an indication of such in the labeling. Jantzen and BlueSky, for instance, only increase the torso size with the breast, waist and hip sizing. Any plus size petite woman could tell them that won’t work, and a thin tall woman will float in a suit that fits her torso according to their charts!

Baltex creates most of their line in a tall torso version, as does Lands’ End. Check out their hottest looks!

Dear Betty: Is there jewelry that tall women should not wear?

Jewelry is a very personal item.

You certainly should not give up the lovely pearl necklace your beau presented to you in order to make a fashion statement, simply because it is not the right length. However, you might double accessorize.

When jewelry follows the body’s natural lines, it accents them, making your height appear svelte. This is why a plus size woman should wear larger jewelry pieces, and why a tall woman should wear pieces with some length to them. A drop earring or a long necklace accentuates a statuesque figure. If your favorite item is choker length, just add an additional necklace.

Swimsuit courtesy Lands’ End.

Have a fashion question—for guys or gals—for Betty? Write to her at fashion@tallmagazine.com.

tall stars

STORE SPOTLIGHT Get to know your neighbors

This issue we find out more about

readers show their best side

Plus Woman Store motto: “Made to order” Store founded: 1989, by Laura Adams Why?: “We originally sold sweaters and T-shirts wholesale, but the wholesale market was not what we wanted. So we knew there was a need for the larger plus-sizes over size 26. We sent out a one-page flyer featuring only one sweater and one T-shirt. From there we got feedback from the customers as to what they wanted and needed.

We now offer a 32 page catalog with all types of clothing from Tshirts to tailored suits with the ability to fit any large size no matter if they're petite, regular, or tall.

Tallest customer: 6’6” What sets you apart from others: We custom-make the clothing to fit each persons height and measurements.

Aspect of your business you most pride yourself on: Our ability to make people happy. We hear all the time how we are lifesavers in offering the size and height range that we do. If you're large and tall its almost impossible to find clothing much less custom made clothing at reasonable prices.

Plus Woman is located in Fairview, North Carolina. Visit them online at www.pluswoman.com The Store Spotlight is written as a favor for our advertiser. For consideration and advertising information, contact our sales department at sales@tallmagazine.com

Support TALL magazine: support our advertisers!

Check out the following URLs to find out more about our advertisers and sponsors.

From Desk to Dinner 6’6” Brandon Williams hails from Carrollton, Georgia, where he works as part owner of a small construction company.

“The outfit I’m wearing can take me from a meeting with a client to dinner with my wife. The shirt is from Van Heusen ($39.50), and the trousers are from Claiborne ($65.00). Both pieces were purchased from my local Belk Department store.”

Thanks Brandon! We’ll be sending you $25.00 worth of TALL schwag right soon. Who’s next?

Send us a photo of yourself wearing the newest outfit you purchased, including all the info (your height, where you bought it, etc..), and send it to us at TALL magazine, 360 Grand Ave., #474, Oakland, CA 94610. You could win $25 worth of TALL stuff!

Electronic photos must be at least 300 DPI. Unless you include a self-stamped, self-addressed envelope, all materials are non refundable. No guarantee is made of inclusion.

Final decision rests on what mood our cat Rabbit is in.

www.tallmagazine.com

www.befitstayfit.com www.bigandtalloutlet.com www.casualmale.com www.designelevations.com www.hideawayhill.biz www.huhwear.com www.longtallsally.com www.longtallwoman.com www.lugassist.com www.marfan.org www.onelesstear.com www.pluswoman.com www.rochesterclothing.com www.selectcomfort.com www.tallcouture.com www.talletc.com 51 TALL

fashion

From Here to Maternity

by Raya Newmbold and Betty L. Johnson

your focus may be on your swelling abdomen, it’s not the only growaya Newbold might have been enjoying her pregnancy, but she was definitely not enjoying shopping for materni- ing segment of your body. Your breasts will also increase in size, and ty wear. It had always been difficult for her to find cloth- can become very sore. Look for designs that allow you some room to grow in this area. ing to accent her tall frame, but finding maternity wear The waist to hip area presents a two-fold problem for long-bodied was truly a challenge.

“Though I hated shopping before,” says Raya, “I never could have women. Although, most pregnancy apparel is designed to be long so as to cover up those hidden panels on maternity pants, the tops guessed how awful it would be when you are nauseous, and are tryoften lack some length. Excellent measurements and tall sizes may ing on clothes that fit like a tent. It was also disheartening to have be required, depending on your body type. only six styles and three colors to choose from.

Today’s maternity wear is not all about stretchy panels. Many high “The challenge with growing a baby is that he or she takes a lot end lines now utilize drawstrings, low rise pants, or open panels, of space. Pretty soon the gussets on my clothes would not fit over since the materials that add stretch also tend to be hot and cause my belly, and I had to roll the pants down, underneath my belly.

“Because maternity clothing became so uncomfortable due to the irritation. Wearing a full pregnancy underwear can help with this problem, so although you may fit into your pre-pregnancy bikini ill fit, I ended up undressing when I stepped through the apartment door. The only pair of pants that got me through my first pregnancy underwear, they may not be your best choice every time.

If you generally require tall lengths in pants and skirts, you will was one I had splurged an entire week’s income on. That pair of certainly want to shop for tall sizes in maternity wear. The further pants did at least allow me to leave the apartment.” the baby is protruding, the shorter your pants and skirts will appear Finally, in her third pregnancy, Raya decided she could no longer in the front. Here are some more suggestions: make do with pregnancy apparel that didn’t fit.

• Utilize those pieces of your apparel that can still work for you, “Soon I found myself with twelve pair of pants strewn about a such as jackets, stretch skirts and pants, and overalls. dressing room floor, ranging from sizes 12-3x,” she explains. “Not • Raid your mate’s closet. Many women during their pregnancy one of them was large enough in the waist. I began to cry. have gone into the boardroom wearing suspenders and their hus“Hearing emotionally spent pregnant women crying in a dressing band’s suit. room must not be an unusual occurrence for the sales staff in most • Don’t forget your foundation garments. Buy maternity shops; no one seemed to care or notice Fashions from Round Belly maternity or nursing bras for added support and I was there.” wider straps, and select a few pairs of maternity Raya’s plight is not unusual. Most pregnant underwear for those days you have to wear stretch women have difficulty finding apparel that is panel pants or skirts. comfortable, but tall women are faced with the • Size down your heels for safety and comfort. added test of finding apparel that is comfortable • Shop for dresses and tops that you can add a and fits the tall frame. belt to after pregnancy so that you can get more Every pregnancy is carried different, and for use out of the item. tall women, a first pregnancy that is carried high may not be a problem, but a second pregnancy that may be carried lower can present special FOR MORE INFORMATION: challenges.

Click out the following tall maternity clothiers: How should maternity wear fit, and on what Motherhood.com measurements should an expecting mom focus?

OldNavy.com Let us begin at the top. First and foremost, Gap.com apparel for nursing and pregnant moms should JCPenney hang properly from the shoulders. Your back is Babystyle.com doing enough work during this period of your RoundBelly.com life; you certainly don’t want to add the weight Maternal-instinct.com of extra clothes to the load.

Jakeandme.com Although at the beginning of your pregnancy Momsmaternity.com

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53 TALL

by Amy Longsdorf

The 6’ actress talks about being buried alive, Hollywood sexism, and going Uma on someone.

TALL 54

“I never felt like, ‘I am a woman, and so, I shouldn’t be knocked into the dirt because that’s not good.’ I am a woman, and I got knocked down, and I got right back up.” ooking chic in a Chanel suit, Uma Thurman is sitting in a Beverly Hills hotel suite, patiently handing out pointers about what to do in case you’re buried alive.

“Well, the key thing is don’t let it happen to you,” she says.

“Don’t try it at home because that thing of punching through a piece of wood is very, very unreliable, and very, very untrustworthy.

And you could do permanent damage to your knuckles too.”

Being thrown in a pine box and covered with a couple tons of gravel is just one of the punishments handed out to Thurman’s alter ego in Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Quentin Tarantino’s follow-up to his $70 million grossing hit.

During the course of the second movie, Thurman walks through the desert’s scorching heat; gets thrown through a wall; receives shot in the chest; takes a tranquilizer dart to the leg; and, spends a good deal of time trapped in a makeshift coffin.

“I, of course, am claustrophobic and so, it was a great joy for me personally,” she says wryly. “There’s not a phobia that guy won’t find [Tarantino]. He’ll find every last one, but yeah, being buried alive was pretty gross. Then, spending months afterwards covered in dirt was pretty nasty too.”

As in the first film, Thurman plays the Bride, a sword-wielding assassin who, after being left for dead on her wedding day, sets out to destroy those responsible for the slaughter, including her former boss Bill (David Carradine).

In Vol. 1, the Bride disposed of a duo of hired guns (Vivica A. Fox and Lucy Liu) with relative ease. Taking down Bill and the remaining killers (Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen) proves a little bit trickier.

Tarantino, who wrote the screenplay specifically with Thurman in mind, says he’s still flabbergasted at the lengths to which his star was willing to go in order to pull off the challenging role.

“I can be movie dude making all these cool film references, but she has to ground this movie,” he says. “Uma has to make it about something other than just a fun movie vibe. I expected her to do that but I had no right to expect how good she was going to be,

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and how confident she would get with martial arts. She just embraced the role in such an amazing way.”

For Thurman, making the revenge saga was something of an endurance test. For three months prior to filming, she trained with martial arts masters. She arrived on the set imaging the film would last three or four months. Instead, the production stretched on for close to 10 months.

“One of the things that needled me when I first read the script was that I wasn’t really convinced that I should kill Bill,” says Thurman, laughing.

“But when David finally showed up, close to the end after we’d been hammering this thing for quite a while, I said to him, ‘You’re going down. I’m so glad to see it. I can’t wait to kill you, buddy!’ I knew that once Bill was dead, I was close to home.”

Until recently, Thurman lived with her husband of six years, Ethan Hawke, and their two children, Maya, 5, and Roan, 2. The couple, who split up last year, have separate Manhattan addresses.

Hawke has hinted that Thurman’s decision to go back to work on a massive undertaking like Kill Bill was partly responsible for the end of their marriage.

The actress has no intention of getting involved in any he-said, she-said situation. When Hawke’s name comes up, she says simply, “I’m not going to comment on that.”

Thurman will comment on all the criticism that’s been heaped on Kill Bill: Vol. 1 for its over-the-top violence. Referred to by the Village Voice as “probably the most violent movie ever made by an American studio,” Tarantino’s homage to martial arts movies and spaghetti westerns is not for the faint of heart.

Vol. 2 might be less bloody but it still boasts a streak of sadism a mile-wide. Thurman insists the amount of violence she suffers at the hands of the movie bad guys is in keeping with the revenge sagas that served as Tarantino’s inspiration.

“What my character goes through is something that you wouldn’t blink twice at if it was Mad Max or Clint Eastwood in my position.

“In the movie, I was given a typical male challenge. I never felt

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55 TALL

By the time she hit her mid-20s, Thurman was determined to shed her oh-so-serious image for something a little more fun.

“Nobody thought I could do comedy when I decided to pursue A Month By the Lake and The Truth About Cats and Dogs,” she recalls.

About a decade ago, Thurman followed the one-two punch of an Oscar nomination for Pulp Fiction and the $100-million success of Batman & Robin with a decidedly unglamorous turn, appearing as Fantine in Bille August’s adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic, Les Miserables.

“I’m always on a journey to fly in the face of what people expect of me,” she says.

Thurman points out that it was The Avengers, of all movies, which marked the most significant turning point for her. The film, which co-starred Ralph Fiennes and Sean Connery, ranks as one of the biggest flops of her career.

“It was The Avengers that brought my daughter into the world,” she remarks. “I came home from that movie, and was like, ‘Pull up the stakes, here we go. I’m re-thinking the whole acting thing. I’m

going to do something else. I’m having a baby.’ That movie gave me that. So, hey, maybe it saved my life.”

After becoming a mother, Thurman considered retiring from movies altogether. “I felt completely changed,” says the actress, who’ll turn 34 on April 29. “So, it took me a long time to reassemble myself as a woman and feel like, ‘I’m still a woman, I’m still an actress. I’m still vital like that.”

In recent years, Thurman seemed determined to avoid Hollywood altogether by dabbling in low-budget indies like Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown, James Ivory’s The Golden Bowl, and Richard Linklater’s Tape.

Her involvement in Kill Bill as well as last December’s Paycheck, and two mainstream movies—Be Cool with John Travolta and Hugh Wilson’s Accidental Husband—signal yet another chapter in Thurman’s evolution.

“I follow my instincts and I like to try and surprise myself,” she says. “I never would’ve thought that I would be able to be sitting here talking about slap kicks and roundhouse punches.

“I feel very thrilled with how many different things that I’ve gotten to be a part of. I’ll go forward with that. Who knows what’s waiting for me down the road.” TALL

UMA THURMAN: VITAL STATS Birth name: Uma Karuna Thurman Birth date: April 29, 1970 Birth place: Boston, Massachussets Parents: Robert A. F. and Nena Thurman. Her Mother was once married to Timothy Leary.

Husband/s: Gary Oldman (divorced in 1992) Ethan Hawke (currently separated) Children: Daughter Maya Ray and son Roan (both with Ethan) Height: 6’ Shoe size: 11

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57 TALL

“Who knows what’s waiting for me down the road.” like, ‘I am a woman, and so, I shouldn’t be knocked into the dirt because that’s not good.’ I am a woman, and I got knocked down and I got right back up.”

Thurman says she had two touchstones for her portrayal of the Bride: Pam Grier in the blaxploitation classic Coffy, and Gena Rowlands in John Cassavetes’ crime thriller, Gloria.

“Pam and Gena were the only two women that I’ve ever seen on film, holding a gun and still being really women—not like Starship Troopers comic-book characters, or Army people—but real women who were vulnerable and powerful and incredible.”

Thurman admits that if she’s remembered as one of cinema’s most fierce femmes, she won’t be unhappy.

“I heard that some high school girls were referring to defending themselves by saying that they were going to do an Uma on that person, or they were going to go Uma on them,” she says. “I thought that this was really funny, that, in young girls vernacular, there was such thing as getting Uma’d up.

“Not that I want people to fight or anything, but there is that thin line between self-confidence and aggression. But seeing these little girls at Halloween charging around in yellow track suits like I did in Vol. 1 was fun. Just the looks on their faces, being tough girls.”

The 6’ Thurman, a daughter of a Tibetan scholar father and a Swedish model-turned-psychotherapist mother, began her career as anything but a tough girl. She was 17 when she emerged nude from an over-sized oyster in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. At 18, she disrobed for John Malkovich in Dangerous Liaisons. At 20, her love scenes with Maria de Medeiros in Henry and June forced the Motion Picture Association of America to come up with a new certificate—NC17—to separate art and pornography.

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2X to 10X Made-to-order sportswear, dresses, scrubs, and more to fit any height.

Visit us online at www.pluswoman.com Call 800.628.5525 to request a catalog.

THIS SPACE FOR RENT sales@tallmagazine.com

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Looking to reach your tall audience?

TALL magazine is the most effective and affordable vehicle for you to reach your extended customer base.

Photo: Christine Rondeau

Whether in TALL magazine, online at www.tallmagazine.com, or both, we have a variety of options to fit your message, your audience, and your budget.

You will not find a better, more direct method to reach your tall customers than with TALL magazine.

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59 TALL

world’s tallest putting things in perspective

the petronas towers: kuala lampur, malaysia Claim to fame: World’s tallest office buildings Total length: 1483 ft. above street level Stories: 88 Opened: 1998 Architect: Cesar Pelli & Associates (U.S.) Glass panes: 830,000 sq. ft. arning: the following could be kind of messy.

According to the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitats (CTBUH), an international committee that was put together specifically to argue about these things, the Petronas Towers are the tallest occupied office buildings in the world.

Here comes the messy part: If you include its antenna, the Taipei 101 tower, completed in 2003 and rising a total of 1,671 feet, is the world’s tallest. But, according to the CTBUH, 196 of those feet are taken up by a spiral antenna. Oops. Close, but no cigar.

See, the CTBUH claims that antenna are not part of a building’s original structure and therefore, don’t count.

The spires atop the Petronas Towers are an integral part of the design, and hence, they get the gold ribbon.

This whole Who’s tallest has raised several strong debates, and some diehards still claim that Chicago’s Sears Tower, rising 1,518 feet to the tip of its antenna, as the tallest.

Others are debating what, exactly is meant by the words “building,” and “structure,” and claim that Toronto’s CN Tower, at 1,815 feet, is the world’s tallest freestanding structure.

And more, the stalwart citizens of North Dakota stand by their KVLYTV antenna mast, which soars to 2,063 feet up, but is supported by guy-wires. (Not freestanding? No prize.) All we have to say is ... pretty photo, huh? TALL

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photo by kien huo / istock photo TALL 60

size matters (cont’d from page 62)

(before the comedian of the same name came along). I was Big Foot. I had a “fish mouth.” And some even called me a “horse’s ass.” I wasn't sure whether I was conceived like most kids my age—onstage at Woodstock—or on the island of Dr. Moreau. Things weren’t pretty. I still shudder when I think of my eighth-grade class picture. And my ninth-grade picture. And my sophomore picture …

Never was the abuse more overt than when I stepped foot on the basketball court. My mop-top of long, curly, permed (it was the ‘80s after all), red hair—usually moussed to a helmet-like consistency— earned me more derision than if I’d been Tipper Gore walking into a Twisted Sister concert. Fans in opposing gyms spotted me coming out of the locker room and always had a pet name waiting for me. I was called Malachi (from the movie Children

of the Corn) in a few towns, Ronald McDonald in several (the comparison was easy to make and really insulted their intelligence that they couldn’t do better), and, in one special place, I was Opie (as in Ron Howard’s character in the “Andy Griffith Show”).

The name calling eventually stopped before any self-loathing could kick in and scar me for life—though I am pursuing a master’s degree in political science. Maybe someday I will be elected to Congress on the Tall Party platform: “legroom and headroom for all.” My first bit of business as a legislator will be to make life better for tall adolescents by introducing what will be called the Giraffe Act, which will probably fall short of the votes it needs.

Then, I want all Indianola, Iowa, yearbooks from 1983 through 1988 seized and sealed up with the Kennedy files.

Mike Werling writes and lives in the shadow of Colorado's tallest mountains. Send your comments to Mike at sizematterz@msn.com.

GLOSSARY Osgood Schlatter’s disease: According to Familydoctor.org, Osgood-Schlatter disease is a common cause of knee pain in young athletes. Its symptoms include swelling, pain, and tenderness right below the knee, close to the shin bone (also called the tibia). It occurs mostly in teenagers who are experiencing a growth spurt. The disease can affect one or both knees. Pain and discomfort can become more pronounced during athletic exercises that require lots of running, jumping, or going up or down stairs. It’s very common for teens who play soccer, basketball, or are involved in gymnastics or ballet.

what’s up ahead Just can’t wait, can you? Have to know what’s next, don’t you? Here’s a peek at our July/August issue: • • • • • • • • • • •

The men behind ILM special effects studio.

A special salute to our female Olympic athletes, featuring Jenni Finch, Kerri Welsh, and more.

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size matters

by Mike Werling

Of giraffes, gazelles, and teenage angst rowing up is an awkward phase in most people’s lives. Some kids acquire their attributes before others, some acquire their attributes in a weird order, and some cruise right through without problem. For tall children, the physiologic process (and the societal byproducts) of stretching upward can seem more complicated than figuring out why old rock stars get young models.

Tall kids stand out by standing up, their physical features take a while to get in line with each other, and their brain’s messages concerning movement get to different extremities at different times.

A boy finally gets used to walking without looking clumsy, and then a growth spurt hits—four inches in five months— and that clumsiness returns with a sidekick called Osgood Schlatter’s disease, ensuring that he will stumble painfully through another grade until coordination catches up with hormones. Damn 1985.

At that age (like the weather), though, if you just wait five minutes, chances are things will change.

The promise of quick change isn’t always enough. For those sensitive about their appearance, the barbs can sting on a level commensurate with the discomfort they feel toward their bodies. The wrong comment to the wrong kid at the wrong time can send him (or her) into a spiral of self-consciousness and self-loathing that leads straight to careers in modeling or politics later in life. Though programs like “Average Joe” and “Cops” have made appearance-challenged people acceptable on television, folks still get picked on for their physical attributes. Do you suppose it is that way in the rest of the animal kingdom? Can you picture this conversation between two young gazelles: “Hey, Johnny, check out Ralph.”

“Yeah, he’s so tall he can’t hide from predators in the tall grasses even if he gets down on his knees. And have you seen

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him try to run?”

“Uh-huh. Not pretty. Natural selection will not be kind to him. Let’s see if we can make him fall down.”

(Yelling in unison): “Hey, Ralph, do you smell a lion?”

Thump.

Is it the opposite for giraffes? Do short giraffes get made fun of as pre-teens and adolescencents the way tall humans do?

Do they get asked how the weather is down there? The normal-sized giraffe teenagers say things like, “Look how coordinated Pipsqueak is. Like grace means

The author in all his teenage glory.

anything around here.” Another juvenile giraffe chimes in, “He can have all the limb coordination he wants now. When we’re all adults, he’ll be sharing foliage with the lesser-necked creatures.”

It must be sweet to be a giraffe.

Our poor short giraffe makes like Bobby Brady and hangs by his chin from tree branches in an effort to stretch his neck.

His mom later comes by to console him.

“It’s okay to be different from the other giraffes, honey,” she says. “You just be you and everything will work out fine. And just think, when we get those savanna storms, your chance of getting struck by lightning is much less than all your friends’ chances.”

I was one of those tall, awkward kids.

How could I not be? My mom is 5’10” and my dad is 5’11”. A six-footer by eighth grade, I was taller than my parents, thin as a teenager’s alibi, goofy looking, and I had an unbelievably unmanageable mass of red hair to boot. In profile I looked like a No. 2 pencil with one of those big, removable math-class erasers attached to the top. I was so tall and skinny that they used me to put the holes in dozens of doughnuts at a time.

When I allegedly made a mistake on the basketball court, my coach had to look me up and down with disdain in shifts. Don Johnson’s five o’clock shadow weighed more than I did. When my fat friend and I stood next to each other, we looked like the number 10. Fortunately, I learned to let none of it bother me. A Teflon coat and a self-deprecating sense of humor let me coast through adolescence like I was as normal as the next kid.

Things pointed to me not being as normal as the next kid, however, unless the next kid was a young Bozo and the clown shoes actually fit. My appearance, apparently, inspired those around me to lofty heights of simile and metaphor. I had “arms like a monkey.” I had “legs like a bird.”

I was a “carrot top” Cont’d on page 61