Casting Session

Alyssa as Casey Anthony

Meredith Baxter as Cindy Anthony

At lunch with Connie, we start casting the upcoming Lifetime movie, "Casey Anthony:  Tell Me More Lies."  "I'm seeing Alyssa Milano as Casey."  "She's too old," Connie says.  "Alyssa Milano when she was younger."  "Perfect."  "Who should play Cindy Anthony?" I ask. Connie doesn't skip a beat.  "Meredith Baxter."  "You're a genius."  Connie smiles.  "Thank you.  What about George Anthony?"  "Hmm, that's tricky.  What about Brian Dennehy?" "Oh, God no," Connie says.  "What's wrong with Brian Dennehy?"  "He'll make the set miserable."  "Who cares?  We won't be there to deal with him."  "True."  "So you're okay with Brian Dennehy?"  "I think we can do better."  "How about the Seinfeld guy?  Mr. Peterman?  What's his name?  John O' Hurley."  "Love it."  "So Brian Dennehy's out.  John O'Hurley's in."  "That works."  We go on to cast George Clooney as Casey's brother, Bill Cosby as the judge, George Lopez as Jose Baez, and Randy Quaid as lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton. We look at each other, quite happy with our first casting session.  Except for one thing.  We need to find a part for Connie, star of TV, film and Broadway.  "You have your choice of roles.  Zanny the Nanny or Casey's boss at Universal Studios, Orlando."  "But those people don't even exist."  "Exactly. Think of the creative license."  "I'd rather play someone full of righteous indignation."  "That would be all of America.  You'd be a one-woman Greek chorus."  "I can do that."  "I'm seeing an Emmy in your future." "Kina hora poo poo poo."   (How I love when my favorite shiksa speaks Yiddish. Happy b'day, Connie, and many more.)