Mally Lewis & Lamb Chop

Beck/Smith Syndicate
(www.arcamax.com/entertainmenttoday/s-213928-670885)

KEEPING UP THE GOOD WORK: Mallory Lewis, daughter of late, beloved children's entertainer/ventriloquist extraordinaire Shari Lewis, is keeping her mom's legacy very much alive. Not only does Mallory have her own puppet characters -- which she has performing in Starz Home Entertainment's upcoming "Phonics 4 Babies" series of DVDs -- she also voices an old friend. "I was mom's producer and head writer, and I was pregnant when she died," recalls Mallory, whose son is now 8 years old. "I always assumed my son would grow up in Lamb Chop's world and I knew that she wasn't done. I was getting letters from kids asking 'Is Lamb Chop dead, too?' I was touring around the country accepting posthumous awards for my mom, and I went to one in Minneapolis … Without saying anything to anyone in advance, in case I wanted to chicken out, I had Lamb Chop with me behind the podium and at the appropriate moment brought her out, and she said, 'Shari would be so proud, Thank you,'" recalls Mallory, recreating the sassy puppet's voice. The crowd went wild, natch.

Now Mallory and producers Joe and Cassandra Giangrasso are aiming to help tiny tykes get a leg up in learning the English language with their fun line of DVDs. "Baby's First Words" (60 minutes), the debut title in the series, will be in stores Sept. 25.

Tuesday, July 24th, 2007:

New videos!

• Mallory & Lamb Chop appear on WGN9 TheCW Chicago

• Shari Lewis: Hello, Goodbye (1998).

• Mally Lewis & Lamb Chop: My Stuff Bags PSA

Monday, June 18, 2007:

Read all about Mallory's new DVD series PHONICS 4 BABIES coming this September!
• Click here to read Mummy's Product Review of Phonics 4 Babies.

Monday, March 5, 2007:

USO Poster

Konrad Braun

Landstuhl Pediatric Ward

(click thumbnails for larger pix...)

My Traveling companion, Chris Cloutier and I were picked up at my house at 11:30 AM on March 5. Our adventure begins! We made it thorugh the 11 hour trip to Frankfrut Germany, and were met by Konrad Braun, the director of the USO Kaiserslautern. What a doll! He fed us (mmmmm… German Bakeries!!!) and took us to the Landstuhl Pediatric Ward where (thank goodness), there were only healthy newborns to cooo over!

Medics at Landstuhl

Newborn Baby

While at Landstuhl, we were told that some injured soldiers were being rushed in for treatment… and we waited with the medics until the injured arrived.

The medics and support staff are amazing, knowledgable, and supportive of the injured, and Lamb Chop and I stood out of their way as they did their jobs, getting the patients to triage as necessary. As a civilian it is awe inspiring to watch them work, and to know that the injured soldiers are there because they believe in the fight for freedom above and beyond anything… and that they are willing to risk their personal safety, in fact give of their lives, to protect our country.

Fisher House

USO Kids!

Welcomed in Germany.

Later that afternoon Konrad took me to Fisher House. The Fisher House™ program is a unique private-public partnership that supports America's military in their time of need. The program recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.

Because members of the military and their families are stationed worldwide and must often travel great distances for specialized medical care, Fisher House™ Foundation donates "comfort homes," built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. These homes enable family members to be close to a loved one at the most stressful times - during the hospitalization for an unexpected illness, disease, or injury.

There is at least one Fisher House™ at every major military medical center to assist families in need and to ensure that they are provided with the comforts of home in a supportive environment. Annually, the Fisher House™ program serves more than 8,500 families, and have made available more than two million days of lodging to family members since the program originated in 1990. Based on a comparison of fees at a Fisher House™ (the average charge is less than $10 per family per day, with many locations offering rooms at no cost) with commercial lodging facilities in the same area, it is estimated that families have saved more than $60 million by staying at a Fisher House™ since the program began.

Anthony Welcher

Fisher Families

Dan Wilmot

The two Fisher houses I visited were fantastic friendly places where I met many families whose mommy’s or daddy’s had been injured in Iraq. The local churches bring in food and friendship to the Fisher House Families… please log onto FISHERHOUSE.ORG if you want to help our troops!

We were pretty jet lagged at that point, and checked into a hotel on Ramstein Air Base called the GENERAL CANON HOTEL. It’s a lovely facility for high ranking (Col. or above) military, or “special guests”. I guess that would be Lamb Chop! That night Konrad and his lovely family (and world’s cutest 2 year old!) took us to dinner… and two glasses of wine later… it was the morning!

Helicopter Ride

Lamb Chop skirts Ramstien security!

Helicopter Ride!

The next three days were work work work!!! Two shows a day first at Vogelweh Elementary School, then the next day at Kaiserslautern Elementary School and the third day at Both Bitburg Air Base Elementary and then Spangdahlem Air Base Elementary. Must say Spangdahem was cool… I got to check out a real military helicopter… and the cute pilot!

The kids on Air Bases are just like the kids at home… except that their mom’s and dad’s are often in danger, and that their whole families make sacrifices, big and small, so that we lucky ones at home can be safe. Amazingly, they feel that THEY are the lucky ones, for they have a chance to serve our country.

USO Welcome Center

Mally and Lamb Chop welcome troops.

The Last Night I visited the USO Welcome Center on Ramstein. This is where the troops come in on their way TO Iraq, and on their way HOME from Iraq. Lamb Chop was a big hit… she must have kisses 200 soldiers… and gotten 200 hugs back!

The trip was amazing, my special thanks to Anne Rhoades, Jim and Konrad and Family for making OUR family feel right at home!