Dino-speakin' With Maria

Hey pallies, likes over the course of a few weeks this summer, I conducted a Dinointerview with our youthful Dinolovin' pallie from Norway..... Maria. Decided to postpone havin' the interview posted until 'round Maria's big 18th birthday on November 29. So, today we are postin' Maria's tale of Dinodevotion, 'cause tomorrow our pallie Ed...y'all knows Ed...of Ed's Epistle is goin' to do a very special Dino post in honor of Miss Maria's date of birth...so stay tuned pallies to checks it out on the morrow.

Maria spoke quite candidly 'bout our Dino and her admiration for our King of Cool, so I hopes that y'all will take the time to read Maria's Dinoreflections. I knows you will enjoy readin' Maria's perspectives on our Dino and will find much Dinoedification in her Dino-observations. You will note that a pix of Maria is bein' shared as well as a trio of her most fav of favs Dino photos. Dinodevotedly, DMP btw, pallies, if you clicks on the tagg of this Dinopost you will be transported to Maria's blogg which is so so full of Dinodevotion.....




DMP: To begin with Miss Maria, would you tell us a bit 'bout yourself.

M: Well, I am 17 years old soon 18. I am going 3 year in secondary school and specifying in computers. I live in Norway, but I was born in Russia, have a lot of blending in my family. I have Italian, Greek and Russian roots. I play professional soccer and I have keeper position.

DMP: I'm wonderin' if you remember the first time that you ever heard....you ever saw our Dino?

Oh, I think I was around 5-6 years old. Back then I loved Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, and once I heard my mother listening to Dean Martin and I just started singing along, even thou I didn’t know the words. I asked my mother once, what was the name of this song and she told me it was “When You’re Smiling”

First time I saw Dino, was when I was around 11 I think, I saw “Some Came Running” with Dino, Frank and Shirley.


DMP: How were you introduced to our Dino and how long did it take you before you fell head-over-heels for our great man?

M: Well, I was raised in this old fashion, loud half Italian family. And my uncle always told us kids, and specially boys that when they grow up, if they are smart and got talent they may become at least 5 % of what great Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra where. And, so whole my life I heard just good things about Dino and after a while I started to get interested and found a lots of films on TV with him. And it didn’t take me long time to fall in love and dream that one day I will meet someone like him. The dream is steel there and I have fallen in love with him even more : )



DMP: Since you are of a younger age, but so advanced in your Dinodevotion, I wonder what your parents think of your deep deep Dinopassion...do they understand and support your amazin' Dinodevotion?

M: Well, everyone from my Italian side of the family, yes. But the other part of the family is kind of worried that I spend so much time to know Dean, as they say: You have to be more interested in what’s cool now days and not about things that happened 50 years ago. But this “side” of the family is from Russia and they didn’t have opportunity to grow up with Dean, course of old regime you know… So they don’t know that much about Dean and Rat Pack etc. But I don’t think about what they say too much, I am kind of in that age where I know everything better that anyone else : P

DMP: Wonderin' when youngens your age discover your love of our Dino, what do they say?.....what do they think? Have you been able to win any of your peers to becomin' Dinocrazed?

M: Well all of my friends really don’t like “old” music and kind of mock me because of my love to Dean. They just think that it is creepy that I am some much in love with some old, dead and not at all handsome guy.. But that’s their choice and I am not trying to make them like him or listen to him if they don’t like it.. But I have a lot of older friends who love his voice and even ask me whether they could borrow my cd’s and stuff like that : ) And that’s something you know J



DMP: One of my fav questions to always ask pallies is based on one of my fav Dinosongs "Welcome To My World." What does it mean to you to be welcomed into our Dino's world and how has that impacted your life?

M: Even though Dean isn’t alive any more.. Just being able to look back in the history and look how one of the greatest entertainer, personalities lived and worked, makes me feel kind of privileged.. The song title itself is just typical Dean.. Course all his life this was really just HIS world, and everybody where just living in it.. This may make someone think that I am just crazy or something, but Dean has really helped me thru most difficult situations in my life.. He has shaped me as a persona and even made me a better person.. And if a person who is no longer with us, but can still have power to shape a person’s life and make us feel better where ever we need it.. Well, I will bow too this person… And that’s one of the reasons why he really was The King Of Cool..

DMP: Yes, it is amazin' how much influence our Dino can and does have over the lives of those who wanna live in his world. If it is not too personal, woulda you mind tellin' us a story or two of times when our Dino has helped you....guided you in the right path to follow?

M: Well, you see my parents decided to get a divorce almost a year ago.. And, well I wasn’t too thrilled about it (to put it mildly) And well, after that I just had trouble sharing my problems with my friends or anybody else.. But then I tough, instead of being angry and going around punching stuff wasn’t a good solution.. So every time I felt blue, angry etc. I just went up to my room, turned speakers as loud as possible and just listened to Dean for hours and hours… And all anger and sadness just went away, and I felt like I wasn’t in my room anymore, but just on a soccer field (it sounds stupid, but that’s really the only place where I feel relaxed) alone, playing a little and listening to Dean… And just like that, everything was just fine and cool… Nothing too worry about, no troubles, just me and Deans voice…

DMP: I know you have read many of the bios written 'bout our Dino....woulda you mind lettin' all us pallies know which ones you have read and what your Dino-opinion is of each?

M: Me and Dean: A love story. Very good and open book, where Jerry really opens up about what really went on when Martin and Lewis where a team. Second one is Dino, Living High In The Business Of Dreams. Here I wound out lots of new stuff about Dean. Good book, that I think tells a lot about his strength, weaknesses and his life. And Martini Man. Good book, but I can’t say anything else about it.



DMP: If some asks you....Why Dean Martin?.....meanin' why so devoted to Dino?...likes what woulda you say?

M: Well, I think the first time I heard his voice I just fell in love in that deep, baritone voice. Then I discovered Martin and Lewis, than his films and not that long ago Dean Martin Show. And I just feel that I have learned so much from him and after all I think that he is the sexiest man that has ever lived :D

Everything he did would be perfect, and the best of all is that he never forgot who got him there, he never forgot himself and never changed just because he was King Of Cool.

And this will sound stupid, but when I grew up I never had a stabile father figure around me but the things Dean did and the way he was gave me an example of what my own father would teach me in life. So there are thousands of reasons why I love him so much. Well there is nothing not to like about him, he was kind, real family person, down to earth, sweet, sexy as hell, talented in almost everything (he could dance, sing, act, be a comedian etc.) So to me he has always been an idol, role model and he gave me an idea for what a real man should be like.

And every time I feel down or I have some problems in live I just think what Dean would do and try to do the same thing and it worked every time!

DMP: I am intrigued by your statement "Everything he did would be perfect, and the best of all is that he never forgot who got him there, he never forgot himself and never changed just because he was King Of Cool."

Would you elaborate more on these cool Dinothoughts.....'specially this thought... "he never forgot who got him there, he never forgot himself ." Woulda loves to hear more 'bout your thoughts and feelin' on this......

M: Well he grew up in, well not poor family but not rich and then he dropped school and worked a lot and really worked for his fame. Then he met Jerry and they got rich, famous and had everything a man would need or want. But he still took care of his parents, he was the same dedicated father and he didn’t go all snobby. He always said that he is proud of being Italian and every person in the entertainment world said that he was easy, relaxed and always fun to work with and that he was the same person on stage as he was off stage. Just look at today’s movie “starts” they have everything and they forget who they were before all this fame. Dean always was King of Cool, and that’s because he was born like that. I think people like that are born once in a 100 years. So no matter how famous he was, he was always down to earth person and never changed.

After he and Jerry got really famous he took care of his parents till the end, the agent with whom he lived before Martin and Lewis (he “lived” in his office because he couldn’t afforded to rent a place for him self), Dean paid back every cent and stayed with him as long as it was possible.

DMP: So, tell me, why do you think that it is our Dino who got to be so blessed to be one of those "people like that are born once in a 100 years?"

M: Well, I think after the war, with all the problems USA needed that laughter. Martin and Lewis gave them that light, something good in the middle of chaos. And Jerry would never become as huge without Dean. And even now I believe that there are people who are feeling down, tuning on Dean and feeling better. I guess he will bring laughter for many many years. And unfortunately I think it will take long time before we see another genius like him... If we ever will…

DMP: Pallie, you said, "but the things Dean did and the way he was gave me an example of what my own father would teach me in life..." So our Dino has been a huge father figure in your life....would you elaborate on some of the essential teachin's of our Dino that you have related to your life?

M: Well, it’s really just the simple things in life.. Being kind, being strong and sticking up for what you mean and want, being proud of your heritage.. And the most important was, never care if people are talking about you, if people don’t like you.. Just living your own life, for yourself, your family and your closest friends. And if u get famous, never forget people who helped you on the way up.. After all you will meet them on your way down!

So just like Dean said: "They can’t hurt your feelings if you never have any."

DMP: Well, Maria, I thinks that this may be a good place to conclude this Dinointerview for now....leavin' us with some of our Dino's best wisdom. Thanks so much for doin' this ilovedinomartin Dinointerview and, btw pallie....Happy 18th Birthday.