Paul Newman

Today I raise my glass to the great Paul Newman.

He passed yesterday at the age of 83.  Sure, I admired him as an actor, but that pales in comparison to the respect I had for him as a man.

The first thing that always came to  mind when I thought about Paul Newman was his 50-year marriage to the love of his life, Joanne Woodward.  That is unheard of under the best of circumstances these days, much less with the pressures of the entertainment industry on a constant basis.

The second thought I always had was his love of auto racing, as that has always been a big part of my heritage.  I loved that he got the sport and was so enthusiastic about it as both a team owner and a driver.  There’s an unexplainable bond amongst those of us who have racing in our blood.

Finally, who can overlook his generous heart.  He started his “Newman’s Own” line of dressings and other foods for which all proceeds go to charity.  He once said that the salad dressing was outgrossing his films, which when you think about it in the longrun, proves that his acting career was merely a means to a far greater end.

Newman even influenced my generation:  He starred in the 1986 film, “The Color of Money” with Tom Cruise (whose career was white hot at the time).  One of my favorite Clapton videos is “It’s In The Way That You Use It” from that movie.  The video has great footage from the movie with Newman all throughout…and I must say, oh my, does he look fine.

Rest peacefully, Mr. Newman.

Well done.