Reminiscing on the Past: Performing, Color Guard, and Navigating Tough Times

Do you remember what it was like to be part of a tightly knit team, where you not only had to pull together to succeed but also depended on each other for comfort and companionship?  We'll share some funny incidents and some bitter-sweet memories of our time performing in Color Guard, and Drum Corp, and what it was like to be on tour --  reminding you of the camaraderie, the fatigue, the anxiety, and the thrill of the competition.  Our mystery guest, Tommy Lee chimes in on all the memories and reminds Carmen of what she meant to the activity. 

Amidst the nostalgia, we'll also take a moment to stress the importance of regular medical check-ups and discuss the often-overlooked Hashimoto's disease. 

We also hope to remind everyone how important it is to lean on our friends and loved ones during tough times. And to stay in touch with those who matter!  It's a funny, sweet show of remembrances and a reminder of friendships that last a lifetime.  

As we sign off on this reflective note, we'd like to also extend our warmest Thanksgiving wishes to all our listeners. Until we meet again, remember, it really is all about the joy!

Thank you for stopping by.  Please visit our website: All About The Joy and add, like and share.  

You can now watch the livestream version of the show on YouTube at @CarmenLezeth 

You can also support us by shopping at our STORE - We'd appreciate that greatly.  Also, if you want to find us anywhere on social media, please check out the link in bio page.

Music By Geovane Bruno, Moments, 3481
Editing by Team A-J
Host, Carmen Lezeth


DISCLAIMER:  As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast.  Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance. 

Transcript

Technical Difficulties and Medical News

Carmen Lezeth 0:00

What is that noise which sounds like a train in the background?

Rick Costa 0:04

It's literally a train.

Carmen Lezeth 0:07

Oh my God, we're just going through all this drama with your system. You've been broadcasting for 18 years now.

Rick Costa 0:17

Eight years, eight years.

Carmen Lezeth 0:18

Eight years. Eight years, every day, without fail, and yet we're having technical difficulties. How was your week? I know you had a bad week, like I did.

Rick Costa 0:27

Yeah, work's been crazy Busy and yeah, I still don't know like who's where, what's going on. Well, who's in what building, what's in what building? And then, like at the end of the day, my boss is like oh, it's getting dark, I can't see anything, so I'm going to go home. I'm like you have no lights. What is happening?

Carmen Lezeth 0:45

So you have to kind of explain this, especially for people who are just listening to the audio part of this. You don't work at the site that you're talking about. You are a remote worker who has to deal with your boss and everybody else, and so you're kind of blind by whatever it is they're telling you right?

Rick Costa 1:03

Yeah, they're in Florida. I'm in Connecticut, I work from home and they just don't tell me what's going on. So I'm like literally always feeling like an idiot because I don't know who's where, what's where.

Carmen Lezeth 1:14

So why is it frustrating this week as opposed to last week? Is something worse happen, or?

Rick Costa 1:18

Because by now everything should be situated and apparently we're still not. And I'm like you have no lights, so you have no electricity in this new building. What is happening? I don't understand.

Carmen Lezeth 1:31

So we're supposed to have a mystery guest, and so here's the thing. I am going to say. His name, tommy Lee, who's an old school friend of mine from back in the day, reached out and said he wanted to be on the show and our schedules kind of got a little bit crossed so he might be able to make it later. So we may or may not have a guest coming up, just so everybody knows. That's why I wrote mystery guest, but it's no mystery to be my friend. Oh, I cannot believe. I just said his name and he's trying to come up. Yeah, but I don't know if he's actually on. I can see him a little bit. Tommy's going to have to text me, because all I see is a black screen.

Rick Costa 2:09

Oh, his camera's not working.

Carmen Lezeth 2:10

I don't know, tommy, can you hear us? So I'm going to lock you off and once I see you I'll put you back up, but we're having issues with your audio and your visual.

Rick Costa 2:23

And we don't know if he can hear us.

Carmen Lezeth 2:24

I don't know if he can hear us.

Rick Costa 2:26

Can he see the private chat? Maybe he should be able to see that right.

Carmen Lezeth 2:29

Yeah, can you write in it? Are you able to write in the private chat?

Rick Costa 2:33

Yeah, for us, for people that are on the screen, yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 2:36

But he also has my cell phone. I mean he could text me, or I guess I just turned off my text but he could just text me or whatever. Yes, so you're going to try to help him on the chat.

Rick Costa 2:46

Hopefully he answers my question.

Carmen Lezeth 2:49

Oh goodness, lord, I don't, even know Computer. Okay, he's on his computer. Sorry people, we're going to have to work through this technology to see if we can get Tommy up. Yeah, this is when I should have background music so that we can all listen. Pay attention.

Rick Costa 3:06

Actually, you have AI music built into Re-Stream that you can.

Carmen Lezeth 3:10

I know, but I'm joking, I'm not going to play that.

Rick Costa 3:12

Yeah, I know.

Carmen Lezeth 3:13

Yeah, so yeah, hopefully he'll be able to come back on, so that's why you were having a bad week and I'm so sorry about that. Is it going to get any better anytime soon?

Rick Costa 3:24

I mean now they're finally starting to catch up. So I think hopefully by Monday things should hopefully be back to normal. So yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 3:32

So the reason why I had a bad week but I'm finding joy in it and I wasn't going to talk about it, but I think I'm going to.

Carmen Lezeth 3:39

So I got some bad medical news and I everyone who knows me knows I've been an athlete. I've been an athlete for a long time. Everyone who's listened to this show even a tiny little bit, knows I had hip surgery after years of having a lot of pain. I would say that the reason why I am not a choreographer or try to pursue my dream on Broadway or whatever, is because I had a hip injury when I was a teenager and it got worse and worse and worse. So after that surgery, which was a couple of years ago, I'm like my hip is great, it's fine, wonderful, and I've been having the worst and hardest time trying to get back at it and I didn't know what was wrong. So I found out some bad medical news. But I'm fine. I don't know, rick, how and I don't mean to put you on the spot, it's only because you talked about it before but you don't go to the doctors at all, right, you don't even go yearly.

Rick Costa 4:37

Only if I'm on my deathbed. Pretty much.

Carmen Lezeth 4:40

I go to the doctors every year, I get a physical, I get my blood work done without fail. Whether I have insurance or not, I use the free clinic and I think it's because my mom died so young because she didn't have health insurance. You know what I mean. So I'm obsessed with trying to be as healthy as possible, whatever. And so this thing that happened is a genetic thing. It's Hashimoto's disease, which is a thyroid issue, and I hate to say this, but it's actually more common than you know.

Carmen Lezeth 5:10

Like when the doctor was telling me what was going on and why my blood work, they were worried about it or whatever. I was, of course, freaking out and crying and whatever. But it's a genetic thing. There's nothing you can do about it. I mean, you can, there's medication, but it became like this whole other trigger for me and I just like I'm going to be fine, I'm on the medication now and I have more testing next week or whatever. But like, on the one hand, it was really bad news because I've tried so hard to stay healthy or whatever. On the flip side, I have an answer and I've only been taking the medication for a couple of days or for like three days and I already feel fantastic.

Rick Costa 5:49

So even if you so, you have this condition. It's genetic and you can like go through a lifetime and never know you have it, and then it just turns on.

Carmen Lezeth 5:58

Okay. So Tommy said yes, it is something that can just happen that way. Let's see if I can. I can't see him.

Rick Costa 6:05

I think at this point I would try the phone, and if the phone doesn't work then we're going to have to do it next time because, yeah, all right, let me call him.

Carmen Lezeth 6:12

Sorry everyone, we're just trying to get my cool friend up on the show. There he is. Wait a second. Hey, how are you there? We?

Rick Costa 6:19

go. I don't think we can hear you.

Tommy Lee 6:20

It's so good to see you oh my God, okay, the only thing, we're going to do is this Wait, wait before you start, rick. How do you make this happen?

Rick Costa 6:35

So his phone goes this way can he turn it and see it? We just want you to turn your phone. Will it Like that? There you go.

Reconnecting With Past Color Guard Memories

Carmen Lezeth 6:43

There you go, woohoo Tommy.

Tommy Lee 6:46

Hi Rick.

Rick Costa 6:47

Hey, what's up?

Tommy Lee 6:48

Oh, my God.

Rick Costa 6:50

What are you doing? I need a minute.

Tommy Lee 6:51

I need a minute.

Carmen Lezeth 6:54

I know, but why you've been watching this show. Don't get all crazy on me, baby. I you know what I called Jerry Glover after you reached out to me and I was like he wants to be on the show and he's like let him be on the show. I'm like I already told him he can be on the show, but why are you guys? I need to get him on the show. He's not going to come on the show.

Tommy Lee 7:21

I trust you believe I will make him come on the show, okay, you need to tell Rick how you know me, since you're getting all flustered, okay.

Carmen Lezeth 7:30

I am, I am? I comment? You're just going to make me cry and I have no idea. I'm so confused.

Tommy Lee 7:38

All right, so you match in St Teresa West Rocksbury, correct?

Carmen Lezeth 7:44

Right with Jerry.

Tommy Lee 7:45

With.

Carmen Lezeth 7:46

Jerry, I mean, he was my instructor, he was my coach.

Tommy Lee 7:49

Right, you were captain. How?

Carmen Lezeth 7:51

old were you? I was 11 and a half. My mom had just passed away, so I was 12.

Tommy Lee 7:56

And I'm three years old than you. So I was 15 and I was teaching St Tres Everett.

Carmen Lezeth 8:02

But we, we competed against each other, Didn't we?

Tommy Lee 8:05

Yes.

Carmen Lezeth 8:06

And I think we kicked your ass all the time. No, I'm just kidding. Yes, you did, yes, yes.

Tommy Lee 8:09

Yes, you did, but I'm going to back up a minute.

Rick Costa 8:15

Okay.

Tommy Lee 8:17

So I don't think you know how Jerry and I know each other.

Carmen Lezeth 8:21

I, I don't and I'm scared, but God.

Tommy Lee 8:25

So, jerry, match with St Teresa West Roxbury, really when you much.

Carmen Lezeth 8:32

Look at Laura. Laura Wall and I talked today and talked about you. Laura Wall was in San Francisco. Laura Wall, hi. Laura Wall Hi.

Tommy Lee 8:39

Laura Wall. I much in St Anthony's Revere, jerry and I competed against each other. That's how far we go back, wow. Yeah, so we're talking two generations.

Carmen Lezeth 8:52

Well, let's just say 10 years, because we don't want to age ourselves.

Tommy Lee 8:55

Yeah, well, no, we're not.

Rick Costa 8:57

God, what are you doing?

Tommy Lee 8:58

I'm going, rick, I'm going to tell you something OK, and I will never, ever forget this day. It was Easton Mass Finals at Everett Armory, and Common was so sick, oh yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 9:11

I was really sick.

Tommy Lee 9:12

She had the flu or something, and I'm going to say this she was an amazing performer. That's why she was captain, because she was amazing and I'll never forget. I'm going to call you out Is that.

Carmen Lezeth 9:28

Ok, I don't have a choice because I don't know where you're going with this, but I can edit everything, so go ahead, go ahead.

Tommy Lee 9:35

I'll never forget. She was so sick. Common never dropped a piece of equipment in her life, ever, ever, ever. And it was obvious that she was sick and she almost passed out and Jerry Glover picked her up, carried her off the floor and said I'll never forget it. She walked right by me and she said I tried so hard. I tried so hard. I'll never forget that. Ok Do you remember that?

Carmen Lezeth 10:10

Yeah, I do. I mean, I was just a little kid, you know, but I, you were 11- years old.

Tommy Lee 10:17

Are you kidding me?

Rick Costa 10:18

Laura remembers.

Carmen Lezeth 10:19

Yeah, laura, and I talked today for two hours. Laura's awesome. I know I'm getting back in touch with people, it's just it's like and then.

Tommy Lee 10:30

I don't know if you know it or not, but when you went to Blessed Sacrament you actually matched with my cousin who was your cousin.

Carmen Lezeth 10:37

I don't remember people that well, so who was your cousin?

Tommy Lee 10:40

Well, she's only my cousin by marriage, because my brother married her sister who taught Saint Trays, Sandra Capitalupo.

Carmen Lezeth 10:52

I have to see a picture, and that's you were both in the right line together.

Tommy Lee 10:56

I'll show you a picture.

Carmen Lezeth 10:57

Yeah, I need a picture. I you know a lot of things that happened at Sac. I kind of blocked out. You know, as you know from my book and Laura and I were talking about this like and you know, even Jerry said this and Jerry knew me pretty well, but there was all this other stuff happening while I was performing, yeah. So, rick, I'm so sorry you're going to be stuck in the kind of I'm sorry.

Rick Costa 11:20

Oh no.

Tommy Lee 11:22

This is like a reunion. I have not seen her since she was like 15 years old, yeah Well that was when I stopped doing Color Guard, right.

Carmen Lezeth 11:32

And then I did one year of Lancers, yeah, oh Well, you know I did. I was in JumpCore. Yeah, I did one year of Summer JumpCore and I was done. I didn't know you did that, I'm done. Yeah, I did one year, yeah, it was a good experience. And then I was done, yeah.

Tommy Lee 11:49

Yeah, I did the whole thing, like you. I did the marching thing and then I did the teaching thing and then I did the jumping thing and you did. You were judging too. Oh, I just stopped judging, like maybe four years ago.

Carmen Lezeth 12:04

OK, I'm going to give some background. So, rick, clearly you can tell this is all like. So Color Guard and JumpCore, it's all like band stuff or whatever Does that make sense? And flags and rifles, and there's all this performing and I was going to ask for clarification.

Carmen Lezeth 12:17

OK, I'm so sorry, like we're just all like you could just leave if you want. No, so I love you, but yeah. So that's kind of what we're talking about. We're talking about that time together and the thing is, we all rehearsed so much it was our life. Well, I shouldn't say that because, yeah, no, no, it was our life. It was our life Right.

Carmen Lezeth 12:38

It was my saving grace. Yeah, it was my saving grace, but I remember that performance and I think straight after that they took me to the hospital. There was one time they took me straight to the hospital but I had really bad asthma, and so that's what part of the problem was, is I had the flu but I also had asthma, so it was a combination. But yeah, I'll never forget that day.

Tommy Lee 13:02

I will never, ever, ever, ever forget that day. And I went over to Jerry and I was like, is she OK? He's like, yeah, she's going to be OK. I'm like Jerry, she's like, I'm like Darcy, she's going to be OK. I'm going to say this, ok, and I can say this I'm going to say this as, first and foremost, your friend. I'm going to say this as an instructor and I'm going to say this as somebody who judged this. This lady, oh God, common, I can't handle. This Is amazing. When I tell you an amazing performer, like if I had to equal her to somebody, I would say she was Bet Midler or Boba Streisand. Stop it.

Carmen Lezeth 13:50

Tommy. People are going to think you're a guy. Are you out of your mind, Carmen? I just told Laura we have to talk about something else.

Tommy Lee 14:00

Now, when I say that, I mean that from the bottom of my heart. That is a crazy. This lady is that talented. Oh my God.

Rick Costa 14:11

Do you need some tissues?

Tommy Lee 14:12

And I cannot believe. I am honored that you and I are face to face.

Carmen Lezeth 14:21

But you could have reached out to me any time. I would have. I mean, here's the other thing. I called Laura today and I apologize to her because I don't reach out to people either, but I always OK. So here's what I told Laura today, and some people who might be watching, who are part of that world, are going to probably get upset. You know, I was really in my own little world back then.

Tommy Lee 14:44

Oh my God, Laura is here right now. Yeah, what did you?

Carmen Lezeth 14:49

Oh my, God, you were near the whole time.

Tommy Lee 14:53

You were near the whole time. I was not looking in the comments.

Carmen Lezeth 14:58

Hi, laura, yeah, yes, I talked to her. She's always. She always stops by the show. She's like one of the biggest supporters. Yeah.

Tommy Lee 15:08

OMG yeah, laura Wall.

Carmen Lezeth 15:11

Yeah, you should talk to her. I mean, I don't want to out her on something she told me I'm not going to lie.

Tommy Lee 15:16

I feel like I am in the presence of royalty right now.

Carmen Lezeth 15:23

Well, rick is a king. There's no doubt about it, hey, bobby.

Rick Costa 15:26

And I'm like can I get your autographed car?

Carmen Lezeth 15:28

money. Oh, I'm going to start charging. I used to do autographs. That was like the weirdest thing, like especially, do you remember the Cavaliers? That's when I knew I was big time when the Cavaliers.

Tommy Lee 15:41

I'm not who.

Carmen Lezeth 15:42

Cavaliers is you, that's right.

Tommy Lee 15:45

You did. Yeah, do you remember?

Carmen Lezeth 15:49

Oh my god. Well, yeah, cora Smith was my bus partner in Lancer's. That's, that's right.

Tommy Lee 15:55

I was wondering Wait wait, wait.

Carmen Lezeth 15:57

Look what Laura just said. I wasn't going to out her, but she said she had a crush on you. She told me today I was like well, because, tommy, you are fine, you know, you know fine, ok, like you just embarrassed the hell out of me for 20 minutes. Let's talk about how fine ass you are. Yeah, yeah, talking about my performing.

Rick Costa 16:24

Come on.

Tommy Lee 16:25

Yeah, I matched with you know what? That's right, you did match with Cavaliers and I matched with Madison Scouts. Bonnie Story, you match. Do you remember Carol Dimwitty?

Carmen Lezeth 16:37

Pictures. I need pictures, I'm a big show.

Tommy Lee 16:40

Very, carol Dimwitty. Ok, mary Ann Catrone. Hey, ted.

Carmen Lezeth 16:44

Hey, ted, do we have to do a hard seven? You have a show at seven. Go ahead, tommy. Mary Ann Catrone, do you?

Tommy Lee 16:50

remember her. Oh, yeah, yeah. Aggie, I'm still good friends. Aggie Lubie's Aggie, I'm still good friends All right, so she was badass.

Carmen Lezeth 17:00

I liked Mary Ann Catrone. It was Uh.

Tommy Lee 17:04

God, it was a, it was drum core season. There was a show at Maldon Stadium. This is how I got into Madison. Scouts Carol and Maryam were like, oh yeah, he can spin. And he and um he taught the rifle line.

Carmen Lezeth 17:22

And I don't know, let's see what you can do.

Tommy Lee 17:25

So there I am on your sidewalk. I'm not kidding you on the sidewalk spinning a rifle, doing turn around, catching your back. He goes, go home, get your clothes, get on the bus. Oh, sell, sell, sell us Sell sell.

Carmen Lezeth 17:43

Yeah, yeah, yeah, wait, wait, wait. You didn't have to audition, that was it.

Tommy Lee 17:47

That was my audition Awesome no, it wasn't awesome.

Carmen Lezeth 17:52

Oh why? Why Everyone hated you.

Tommy Lee 17:55

Well no, I went home at like 10 o'clock at night the next time over because remember I lived in Everett and the ship was in Maldon and I was packing my bag. My mother was like where you going? I'm like I'm going on tour.

Rick Costa 18:10

Just like that.

Carmen Lezeth 18:14

Just like that when.

Tommy Lee 18:15

I tell you she was furious. And then all of a sudden I'm not kidding you, Carmen there I am sitting on a bus, traveling, and I'm thinking to myself what am I doing?

Carmen Lezeth 18:28

No, that's the best way. It was the best thing I ever did. That's awesome. I didn't know that story. I did not know, okay, wait, I knew. I knew that I was okay, it's going to be big ego, but I knew I had made it or was a great performer when the Cavaliers who were doing James Bond remember they were doing James Bond, like that you remember that year, right, I remember that year I was up with the tuxedos. I was up to that, oh man, okay. So I knew I made it. When they came out, and they came out and came to me and asked me for an autograph, yeah, and I was like, okay, oh my God, you know, I remember that.

Tommy Lee 19:17

Oh my God, this is amazing. I was like. I was like wait, I know her.

Carmen Lezeth 19:23

Wait, and me and Aggie. Okay, cause this is the vivid memory I have of me and Aggie, so Aggie's there with me, or whatever, and the Cavaliers are all coming up. Rick, are you bored out of your mind?

Rick Costa 19:32

I'm so sorry. No, I'm enjoying it.

Memories of Drum Corps and Judging

Carmen Lezeth 19:35

So all the Cavaliers come out, we exchange autographs or whatever and then we start having like a rifle spinning, spinning thing. Yes, I remember that. Oh my God, it was so much fun, it was awesome and I just that's when I felt the most kind of like I, I felt like I was on cause they were, you guys were amazing that was a great year, when I tell you.

Tommy Lee 20:01

I cried all the way from Dayton, Ohio, back to Boston, cause that was my last year I aged out.

Carmen Lezeth 20:09

Oh, I didn't know that that was when I aged out. That was a great year to age out, cause that was a masterpiece show man. I mean, I was like I'm not sure what it was, but I think it was a great year.

Tommy Lee 20:22

I think it was a great year for me. It was. I loved them back then. It was a fun show, but I gotta be honest with you.

Carmen Lezeth 20:29

You know you've been captain. Yeah it's, it wasn't easy. Oh yeah, nothing. Any of it was easy. What is? It, and you know like we would throw in your equipment across the fucking yes Gymnasium. Yes, linda, really lucky that we had, we could have people outside that I was captain for West Side Story.

Tommy Lee 21:12

Oh, I was amazing.

Carmen Lezeth 21:14

Okay. Rick, imagine this All these gorgeous men in tuxedos, because the Cavaliers were all men, so they already had that going for them.

Carmen Lezeth 21:26

They were all good looking, they were all dancers, they were all performers, I mean. And then all the equipment. I mean it was just amazing. You know what I mean? It was fun Linda just said is in the Norwalk Hot Shots drum corps please, and fire department ran. Oh, the police and fire department ran. Oh, police and fire, okay, okay, well, people have to make the connection like. I remember there was a time when we were so snooty about bands versus drum corps. Yes, do you remember that? You can't do that. You gotta be able to connect people. You know what I mean.

Tommy Lee 21:59

So I love what I hear yeah absolutely.

Carmen Lezeth 22:02

And you know what's funny? What's our class of 83 WHS? What's WHS, bobby? I don't know what that is. Go ahead. No, tommy, not you. I was talking about Bobby's stamp. She wrote an acronym. I don't know what it is. Yeah, I know, I'm trying to figure it out myself. We just had a 40th reunion oh cool, Awesome, congratulations.

Tommy Lee 22:23

Something high school. I just had my 43 shut up. Wait a minute, what are you talking?

Carmen Lezeth 22:28

about 40th. Okay, I'm gonna have to call you later to find out how the hell old you are.

Rick Costa 22:32

You're just gonna go in the aisle baby.

Carmen Lezeth 22:33

what is happening here? Well, I was shocked because I didn't realize how old Jerry was, but in my head not old like that, but he's clearly older than I am. But you know, jerry was my mentor, basically right, he was one of my mentors and him and Susan Kerwin- he's amazing.

Tommy Lee 22:51

Honestly, like Rick, you have no idea, this guy.

Carmen Lezeth 22:54

Well, he read the book, so he knows the story of when he doesn't know the story. You have the book, yeah, so in the book when I'm auditioning, when they tell me you don't have to audition you already, captain, we're just doing this to like bridge every. It was horrible and I was so upset about it because I wanted to audition. But I'll tell you this I've never, I never auditioned, ever for anything when I was in not even for. Blessed Sacrament. No, they wanted me the first. Karen Kelly wanted me the first year.

Tommy Lee 23:24

Karen Kelly is my best friend like.

Carmen Lezeth 23:27

I love her. I mean, I haven't talked to him forever, but we.

Tommy Lee 23:31

Talk every day. We talked together.

Carmen Lezeth 23:34

She's cool so and I love her little quips on Facebook. But you know, she tried to get me the first year and I wouldn't go because I was like I don't want to be because, remember, the year before the first rock and roll dance thing of Majigui they did, they did that whole Kind of slutty Fantastic, yeah, no, the before the first Rockwood, oh, lady is a tramp and and they worked their magic with that and I was like, oh no, that is not me, I am not because she wouldn't tell me that it was the Rockwood that they were changing. But I didn't regret that at all. I was there during glamorous life.

Tommy Lee 24:11

So you know, hey, that was wait you were there for glamorous life and you were there for Rockwood sack right.

Carmen Lezeth 24:18

Yeah, I was there for the second Rockwood sack and glamorous life yeah.

Tommy Lee 24:22

I didn't know these.

Carmen Lezeth 24:26

Yeah, I was there for that.

Tommy Lee 24:27

Yeah, and then oh, I'm gonna watch that video and look for you.

Carmen Lezeth 24:31

Oh God, don't say that people gonna be looking for stuff. I've never even seen ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure. Massachusetts.

Tommy Lee 24:49

Lammers life and I'm pretty sure you're gonna see this lovely.

Carmen Lezeth 24:53

Yeah, I already looked. You really can't see anything like you can see it, but it's all fuzzy and stuff.

Tommy Lee 24:59

Yeah all right. I'll tell you if you go on.

Carmen Lezeth 25:07

No, I'm scared oh.

Tommy Lee 25:09

Lord, if you go on YouTube and I hate that I did this. Even my brother said to me why did you do that? I was like I have no idea. It's just I. I don't know. I just did it when I matched with.

Carmen Lezeth 25:29

We would have a liars, and we have a liars side story.

Tommy Lee 25:32

Yeah, you know, they said all the judges ready. Right is the color God, ready Common I have no idea what this came from Walked out front and I went why I? I have no idea, I have. No, I didn't work.

Carmen Lezeth 25:54

Did it work? It was one, so I guess it. By the way, the Cavaliers were like national champions, for I came up we came off the floor.

Tommy Lee 26:04

We came off the floor and my brother and my sister-in-law was able like where did that come from? I'm like I have no. It's being a natural performer. I have no idea what that came from. It's a natural performer.

Carmen Lezeth 26:17

Okay, I just know. Yeah, we're good yeah so here's the thing. So okay, we have to give it some context, because Rick's like I don't understand what the big drama is. Usually, before you start your performance, the judges ask the team if they're ready and the team is not the right word, but that's what I'm using to explain it and they ask you if you're ready, and then you do like a salute, you do something fancy, whatever, and he's saying he just went out, went like yeah, we got you, or whatever.

Tommy Lee 26:46

Like we're good, like other people. Other people would come out and be like salute.

Carmen Lezeth 26:52

Yeah right, we do something major, you know.

Tommy Lee 26:56

What was her name? Who was your captain at blesses app? With a long blonde hair?

Carmen Lezeth 27:01

Robin.

Tommy Lee 27:02

Robin, yeah, robin, she was. Yeah, yeah, right, right, yeah, everybody would do something different.

Carmen Lezeth 27:10

Right, I just be like, do I I?

Tommy Lee 27:16

Honestly, I was like okay when did you leave?

Carmen Lezeth 27:18

so you stopped judging how many years ago when? Why didn't you love it?

Tommy Lee 27:24

I Did. I really didn't, in fact, you know what I got it. Oh it to Jerry Glover and Jim bow. Remember Jim bow.

Carmen Lezeth 27:33

Yeah, I do remember Jim bow, I do remember him.

Tommy Lee 27:36

They were like you need to judge, you need to judge. I'm like what am I gonna judge? I don't even know what to judge then. So, jerry, god bless, jerry. Yeah, I don't think you know this about me, but back in the day I was a dancer.

Carmen Lezeth 27:57

I thought you're gonna say something really profound. Like I, I was an engineer, I was an astronaut. So I mean, rick, are you surprised that he just said dancer?

Rick Costa 28:10

I was thinking like secret love child.

Tommy Lee 28:14

I got my card in movement and then. Tommy, you've written how many shows you need to judge general effect. Okay, so I had no honestly. Honestly, I had no clue. Yeah, but now you're going into the weeds, you're going into judging and getting my card in To judge general effects, which was like the big thing.

Carmen Lezeth 28:41

And then Don't worry about it.

Tommy Lee 28:44

Equipment like yeah, and that's just. That's just. I don't know what, how. That's how it happened.

Carmen Lezeth 28:52

You did it only for four years. Why did you go? I'm only moving us off that because you're going down the weeds that nobody who's not involved in judging Even I don't know what you're talking about. I just, I just you were tired.

Carmen Lezeth 29:05

Yeah here's what I asked, jerry. I want you to answer this question why I'm surprised that I'm here in Hollywood and I don't run into anyone who was in color guard, drum core drill team Like I, you know, in the way that we were. That's not to say that people haven't done it in high school or whatever, but this is at least. It used to be a very different situation. This is very professional, different, like these people were on tour rehearsing eight hours a day. It was a Livelihood. So my question is and I want to see how you answer it how come no one ever told people in color guard and drum core go to Hollywood, go be a performer, go try acting, go be a dancer, go. There's so much talent in that world. I'm serious. So what's your answer? Don't you wish somebody had told you that when you were younger?

Tommy Lee 29:57

Yes, yeah, I do, I, yes, I do.

Carmen Lezeth 30:02

Okay, but you agree with me.

Tommy Lee 30:03

There's so much time I agree with you 100%, I think, and, and, let's let's talk about where we come from. Okay, and let's talk about the activity as it is.

Carmen Lezeth 30:21

Okay. Well, why don't you start with where we come from?

Tommy Lee 30:25

Why would I'm going to start with where we come from, okay?

Carmen Lezeth 30:30

I have one word what poverty, what I don't know? Selfishness. Oh, why are you using that word?

Tommy Lee 30:40

Because why do you think that somebody would want someone who is as talented as you are to move on when they can keep you? We're from Massachusetts. There's a reason why they call us mass holes, okay.

Carmen Lezeth 30:59

I was going a different way. I was going a different way. I told Jerry, because he's still teaching and he's still judging right. And I said to him if you see anyone who is even a little bit talented and wants just a little piece of being on stage, tell me. I will help them however I can, because I cannot believe no one ever said to them look, and I was going through whatever I was going through as a kid, so I was just barely holding on. So I'm grateful for what I got. But I wish somebody had just said take all that drive and passion and joy and go do a stage play, go do a movie, figure it out. And I think there should be that. Well, yeah, but I'm just saying the struggle is real when you don't have any connections or networks in this town. But I'm just saying I'm here now. Here's the difference. Okay, I can't believe. You said selfish. You think Massachusetts people are just so?

Tommy Lee 32:00

I think they didn't know, I think they didn't know Absolutely. You live in California. Okay, if you're ever going to make it anywhere, it's going to be in California, massachusetts, people. You know how we are. You grew up here. We're very liberal. We're very, you know, on track.

Carmen Lezeth 32:22

Yeah, and performing. I mean, at least when I was growing up, performing wasn't an okay thing, like me dancing on the street or at the commons or, you know, at the VFW or wherever I was doing my dancing. That was kind of like, okay, good, good, she's not doing drugs, but it wasn't like revered, it wasn't like oh, she's so talented. No right, it wasn't taken seriously, it wasn't taken seriously.

Tommy Lee 32:48

Right, it wasn't taken seriously. Yeah, okay, that's cool. And when I say and I'm being completely honest, carmen saw me I don't want to offend you. I don't want to offend you when I say she is talented, she's talented. You're so sweet, like, and the sad part about it is Massachusetts is such a liberal state that you can be so talented, but if you're not over the top which she is, and somebody doesn't recognize you, that's the problem.

Carmen Lezeth 33:28

Well, it is the network that's the problem, right, that is the network, that's the network?

Tommy Lee 33:33

Yeah, you can be over the top, like Carmen is, and if somebody doesn't recognize you? Yeah, it's true, it's not going to happen.

Carmen Lezeth 33:41

Yeah, but still, I still think I'm just saying we can change that now. I think there's so much talent in that pool of people.

Tommy Lee 33:47

I mean there's a lot of shit performers too, Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of people, all right, so let's, let's, let's, let's, let's talk about this for a minute. Okay, so you and bless the sacrament.

Carmen Lezeth 34:02

Wait, say that again.

Reconnecting With Old Friends and Updates

Tommy Lee 34:03

What you match and bless the sacrament. You were in the right line the same year that I competed against you and Karen Kelly and who else I don't know.

Carmen Lezeth 34:15

I didn't yeah, I don't really keep in touch with everybody there.

Tommy Lee 34:18

Yeah, whatever, addie and Mary and okay, we're all friends, we're all good friends. To this day, we're all still good friends, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. It doesn't win, lose or draw, it doesn't. There's nothing about who's better than you know what, right? No, we're all the same people. Why? Because we grew up in.

Carmen Lezeth 34:49

Massachusetts? Right, I mean, that is the good part about Massachusetts, Rick, are you you're? You were born and raised in Connecticut.

Rick Costa 34:56

Yeah, you're the same city that I'm in right now.

Tommy Lee 34:58

Oh my God, you're like you're a hot skipper jumping away yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 35:05

From Tommy. You can go hang out with Tommy.

Rick Costa 35:08

I'll go to Six Flags. That's where I like to go to Massachusetts.

Tommy Lee 35:12

So you know what, though? I will say this, and this is the last thing I'm going to say about this activity and, rick, I hope this, I hope you're being enlightened. What do you mean? We would not be having this conversation tonight If not for this lovely lady who I've known since she was a teenager and.

Tommy Lee 35:40

I was a teenager and she and I can go down memory lane and you can sit there and be like okay, okay, okay, I don't get this, but okay, okay, okay, it's okay, and, and, and. It only makes this friendship grow stronger, yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 36:05

Well, you're going to have to come back on too, like because, okay, because you have to, so we can move on from the color guard zone and we can talk about you. So what are you doing now? Let's, let's talk about, okay. No, no, I live now Because you take these beautiful pictures from your backyard or something, of the sunset.

Tommy Lee 36:27

I, I, um. Well, okay, I'll tell you the truth I was married.

Carmen Lezeth 36:34

Do I know who you were married to?

Tommy Lee 36:36

No, no, I was with somebody for 25 years.

Rick Costa 36:41

Oh, it's a long time.

Tommy Lee 36:43

Yeah, we were married for 10 years but you know he couldn't keep his peepee where it should be.

Carmen Lezeth 36:51

Okay, wait a minute. Wait a minute, wait a minute. Not Kulligar Jump Corps person.

Tommy Lee 36:56

No, oh, all right, I would be better off, it was Kulligar.

Carmen Lezeth 37:01

Jump Corps. Well, I'm surprised it wasn't. I'm surprised it wasn't so okay, so you got divorced yeah.

Tommy Lee 37:11

Oh sorry, it is now yeah, sorry.

Carmen Lezeth 37:13

Rick is divorced and I'm divorced too, so yeah, we're all big club here.

Tommy Lee 37:17

Yeah, it is what it is, it's not a big thing, you know, you move on. Yeah, life goes on Right. Yeah, I don't wish him any ill-hum comedy. You know I'm not that person.

Carmen Lezeth 37:30

You're not that person. Yeah, you're a nice guy yeah.

Tommy Lee 37:33

No, I'm not that person. Good luck. I'm glad you're happy he's with somebody else and I'm glad that they're happy together and that's great. I choose to be single.

Rick Costa 37:46

Yeah.

Tommy Lee 37:48

As you know, I'm very close to my family Always close.

Carmen Lezeth 37:51

That I do know, that I do know. Yeah, yeah, always was close to my family.

Tommy Lee 37:56

Right, always will be close to my family, right? Uh, so you're in a little cottage in Middleborough, really, oh my God.

Carmen Lezeth 38:12

I'm right on the lake Right, yeah, you're right there.

Tommy Lee 38:16

I'm literally three steps from the water.

Carmen Lezeth 38:20

Me too. I'm three.

Tommy Lee 38:21

Well, I'm two blocks from the beach and it's, isn't it, wonderful, it's lovely, it's lovely, isn't it yes?

Carmen Lezeth 38:31

You know, you let the water go there.

Tommy Lee 38:34

You can put your feet in, you can be.

Carmen Lezeth 38:37

I walked by. I don't put my feet in.

Rick Costa 38:40

Oh, I'm just a few rooms from the bath tub.

Carmen Lezeth 38:43

Look at, rick. I'm just a few rooms from the bathtub.

Tommy Lee 38:49

I'm not going to lie. I people call me on occasion. They're like well, what do you think about this, what do you think about that? What should I do with this? What's that? I know they send me videos of their color guide shows and and I'm like, okay, well, maybe you should move the flag line to the left, right, you open it up. I, you're asking my opinion, and that's what.

Carmen Lezeth 39:15

I do. I work for you, you're consulting, you're consulting.

Rick Costa 39:20

Yeah, oh yeah.

Tommy Lee 39:22

I'm thinking about retiring. Okay, you're not battled Like how old do you think?

Carmen Lezeth 39:31

Or or oh. Who is the doggy? Hello?

Tommy Lee 39:35

This is my baby tank, tank, tank. Thank hi, baba. Okay, be gentle Gentle.

Carmen Lezeth 39:46

He's like I think we need attention. Oh wait, tank as in T A N K. Yes, it's a great name.

Tommy Lee 39:55

I love it. Well, you know why he's called tank.

Carmen Lezeth 39:59

Uh, because he looks like a tank.

Tommy Lee 40:02

Well, first of all, he's a pit bull. Is that a bad thing, or? Good no but if I put water in his bowl, he's going to drink it all.

Carmen Lezeth 40:12

Oh okay, I know nothing about dogs, but he's, he's really beautiful, yeah, and he's my color. I'm just going to throw that out there. I love dogs that are that cinnamon brown color.

Rick Costa 40:21

These are good boys, Canella maybe.

Carmen Lezeth 40:24

Canella, right? So wait. So you're going to retire and do what.

Tommy Lee 40:29

Hell. No, I don't want to retire. I love my job.

Carmen Lezeth 40:34

So then why? Why do you think you want to retire? I'm confusion, Confusion.

Tommy Lee 40:41

You know, Jerry, and I talk about this at least once a week, Really about retiring. Yeah, and he's like Tom. I'm like Jerry. I've known you since I was 12. Stop calling me Tom, I promise my father.

Carmen Lezeth 40:57

Oh wait, you like being called Tommy Lee, yeah, yeah, okay, I don't know you, tommy Lee, and that's always.

Tommy Lee 41:07

I mean, you know, I've gotten more places by just my name alone. That's so funny. I'm not going to lie to you. I got a free pizza one time because people thought it was Tommy Lee Lee.

Carmen Lezeth 41:22

It's horrible, that's horrible.

Tommy Lee 41:25

I'm not lying. I totally get that they came to the door and they're like is it really Tommy Lee? Yep, Really is my friend was like yeah well, can we come to the door? No, he's not going to come to the door, but he'll sign off.

Carmen Lezeth 41:44

He'll sign off on the credit card. That's so wrong, so I did. That's terrible, but that's okay. That's okay. I like that because you're not actually lying.

Tommy Lee 41:59

No, I'm not lying.

Carmen Lezeth 42:00

I was not. You must be at first. That's so funny, yeah, I guess I. You know what I think. As I get older too, I'm more confused as to the age difference, because there were certain people like my seventh grade teacher, Alice. I mean, she's not you know, she's like you and Jerry's age, I guess, and but before you know, I thought, you know, like when I was 11, she was so old, I think she was like 20, you know what I mean. She's so old or whatever. But yeah, I still stay in touch with her and I stay in touch with everybody.

Rick Costa 42:38

Yeah.

Carmen Lezeth 42:38

Yeah, alice, she's cool, so I can't like I feel bad to Rick. I this I love that you are always here and hang out and you don't mind that we go down this memory lane. We kind of had to do it. We kind of had to do it because I yeah, rick, I'm kind of sorry.

Tommy Lee 42:57

No, no, no, sorry, I am sorry, no, but Tommy, here's the thing.

Carmen Lezeth 43:01

I'm going to be honest with you. I really didn't understand this whole emotional thing that was coming from you. I had to ask Jerry why you wanted to even come on the show. Like I know who you are, We've been friends forever, you know what I mean.

Tommy Lee 43:16

But I was like I'm I don't understand, and Jerry was like I can tell you I wanted to connect with my friend. Yeah, it's that simple.

Carmen Lezeth 43:28

I know. No, I love that you did that.

Tommy Lee 43:30

Thank you Like I think you're an amazing person.

Carmen Lezeth 43:34

We got you.

Tommy Lee 43:35

I always thought you were an amazing person.

Carmen Lezeth 43:40

Well, I will say this Thank you for reading my book and telling me everything you thought of it. That was sweet. You remember. You did that right. You put that in that whole FB message and you text me too, cause that made me cry and I appreciate you. I look at, I'm not trying to, I never. I'm just going to say it to you, cause if I say it to Tommy, I'll be crying. Whatever I always say, I was a great dancer, I will never not admit that I was a great performer. I loved that, I loved it, I wanted to do that or whatever you don't need, but that was from my point of view. But I always say and this is true, tommy, I was horrible Technically, technically, you could not put me in a line with other people and I would be exactly the same. I really believe that's true. Do?

Tommy Lee 44:29

I'm going to disagree with you, okay, well, all right, well, we're not going to fight on it anyways, but I hear it. Here is why I'm going to disagree with you, okay, okay. So I saw you perform with blessed sacrament, yeah, and you were in a line, yes, with the rifle line.

Carmen Lezeth 44:48

Yes.

Tommy Lee 44:50

And you were technically perfect, as everybody else was. You would not be where you are today if you were not. Okay, that perfect.

Carmen Lezeth 45:00

I'm going to argue with you, you don't give yourself enough credit. I feel like I'm about to get yelled at when I was just giving so much love.

Tommy Lee 45:12

Let me, let me put it to you this way you know when the rifle line comes up and the rifle line does their feature and where and sack and glamorous life, or glamorous life. What, yeah, you do your rifle feature up there. Right, you're right, rifle line is doing their feature. There's always one person that stands out.

Carmen Lezeth 45:38

But that's my point. Sometimes I'm not supposed to stand out.

Tommy Lee 45:43

That's exactly my point, but you can't help. I like how you stand out for a reason because you're that good.

Carmen Lezeth 45:54

Okay, I didn't wanna go back there. So I'm just saying you know, let's talk on the phone, let's stay in touch. I mean, I want you to come back on the show with the group. I don't wanna hang out with the group and you feel comfortable now with Rick, even though Rick, you know I do.

Tommy Lee 46:10

And you know what? Thank you very much for doing this because, believe it or not, I'm okay. You're gonna laugh when I say this, but I'm very shy.

Carmen Lezeth 46:22

I know you are, but that's what most great performers that's the irony, most great performers are really shy. And I told Rick he wants to be on the show. But I think what did I say to you, rick? I said I think he's a little shy or a little nervous about coming on, so I told him he can come on if he wants to, but he doesn't have to. I already knew where you were going with him. I knew it was happening.

Tommy Lee 46:44

I am really that person and I thank you very much, both of you, rick, carmen, you're gonna come on next week, right Look at Brian. Look at Brian.

Carmen Lezeth 46:57

Brian is my nemesis and he's saying I'm shy too. He's like Carmen is shy too. I'm going to try this.

Tommy Lee 47:04

Laura, thank you for being here. It's like you just like blew my mind.

Carmen Lezeth 47:09

Oh you just blew her mind because she had a crush on you and we talked about it for like an hour. So you guys gonna have to talk or something. Get that on your system. You know what I mean. So I mean she's happily married now too. I'm just saying it was just very funny Because they said to her you do know that you're not his type, right, like she was. Like, don't matter, he was fine.

Tommy Lee 47:32

But it's so good looking. I remember her and always.

Carmen Lezeth 47:37

So she was my best buddy. She was my best friend when we were in Color Guard and St Jesus, Laura was right next to me. Her mom and dad were the people that were who helped take me in. You know what I mean? Yeah, Laura is badass. She was awesome.

Tommy Lee 47:52

Laura is badass. She was always a good person. She is a good person. She is a good person.

Carmen Lezeth 47:57

She is a really good person.

Tommy Lee 47:59

I loved talking to you today. I am like what's the word? Hot, warmed, hot warmed to have this conversation with you guys. You, rick, laura, like we went down memory lane. I can go to bed tonight and do like yeah, well, that's what this whole thing's about?

Carmen Lezeth 48:23

It's all about the joy man. I'm not trying to be cheesy, but it really is. That's why I created the show. But I want you look at you and I let's have a phone call this weekend, or we can even do this, but without being live. You know, it's like a Zoom call. We can just kind of catch up and then we'll have you on the show with the group. That'll be fun. But you can't talk about Color Guard on the group show, because they'll be bored out of their mind, because none of them want to hear how great I am, because they all know me from this side of the power and when I say she's great.

Tommy Lee 48:55

She's great. And let me say this before we sign off Okay, carmen, yes, it is so good to see you, my friend. Oh, thank you, it's so good to see you. I have not seen you since we were teenagers, I know, and you are just as lovely now as you were back then, and I have never forgotten you and I think you're an amazing lady and, yes, thank you, you are a lady.

Goodbye for Now, Happy Thanksgiving

Carmen Lezeth 49:28

Thank you so much. I love you. Thank you so much I love you. I love you. All right, we'll be in touch this weekend.

Rick Costa 49:35

Yes.

Carmen Lezeth 49:36

Bye, bye, I'm going to start. Oh, I didn't mean to cut him off, but he's going to make me cry. Oh my God, he's going to make me cry.

Rick Costa 49:45

All right, we're going to sign off, because I was enjoying the Massachusetts accent and I was like I'm waiting to see if Carmen reverts back to it. But you didn't do it.

Carmen Lezeth 49:54

No, but when I was back home for the funeral, it was like a day and I was all in it. They were all like, oh, finally your accent came back. You know what I mean. But OK, everyone, thank you so much Thank you for allowing us to go down memory lane and thank you for staying and listening, and it really is all about the joy. All right, we'll see you guys next week. Oh no, we won't, it's.

Rick Costa 50:17

Thanksgiving, oh Thanksgiving, Happy Thanksgiving everybody.

Carmen Lezeth 50:19

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. We won't see you next week, but we'll see you the week after for sure, so have a great one, see you. Thanks for stopping by. All about the joy Be better and stay beautiful. Folks, have a sweet day.