Ask Rhonda: Love, Loss, and Weight Gain
I heard you got your start in showbiz at the Cartwheel in New Hope. Can you please elaborate?
Signed: Harey Bare
Dear Harey,
I hope you don’t mind me taking the liberty of calling you by your first name. I am not much for formality (truth be told, I didn’t know if I should call you Mr. or Ms.). Regardless of your ambiguous name, thanks for such and inspired and perfect introductory question for my new column.
Truth is, while Madonna reigned the airwaves with Vogue and Express Yourself, Rhonda Weiss (before my two divorces, my annulment and one “death by natural causes”) was peddling my falsies on the Monday night stage at New Hope’s historic (and currently burned down) Cartwheel. There was no better place to learn life’s lessons and hone my skills as a future advice columnist (and not to mention the $50 bucks and five free Sea Breezes). I knew even then that someday the lessons I learned on that stage (love, loss, more love, more loss, and weight gain) would make their way to the people and that the wisdom I achieved could be shared for generations to follow.
It is with this same humility that I offer myself up to Dover’s World readers and hope that in my small way I can make a difference. Thank you for your question and I look forward to hearing from more of you.
Warm wishes,
Rhonda
Rhonda Weiss-Weiner-Baucher-Mahaney-Stendahl
RDover2 — February 11, 2009 @ 7:01 pm
OMG, I completely forgot husband number 4, Mahaney! He came and went so fast it was all just a big blur in a polyester leisure suit that totally slipped my mind, just as I think it did yours. Sorry.
RD
Jean Dover — February 14, 2009 @ 11:53 am
Dear Rhonda,
Just want to wish you a joyful Valentines Day.
I know someone as beautiful inside and out as you will have someone wonderful surprising you with a great day.
Love
Robert’s Mom
Kay — February 17, 2009 @ 7:26 pm
Dear Rhonda,
Not sure if this is how it’s done…
This is a serious question (just setting the tone). I have ridden for a million years, rode “dressage” for less than that. I rode an old schoolmaster who wouldn’t move unless you did exactly what was called for but who never moved very fast in anything (which was good with me cause I’m a chicken). Then along with that I rode a trained to GP wonder horse,also a real sweetheart, retired from really doing stuff due to injury (but, with training from you, believe it or not). Then I stopped. I started briefly again. Quit. Just recently again I started and am looking for a horse but I have no decent budget and I can’t seem to identify a useful horse for an extremely chicken very low level rider which is not very expensive and which doesn’t require a s*load of medicine to keep halfway sound.
Should I just watch the good riders or should I throw my hat in the ring?
I am 56 years old.
PS. If I were in your ring you would throw me out on my hiney; is there room in the dressage world for those of us less disciplined?
Brenda — March 25, 2009 @ 7:50 pm
Dear Rhonda,
I remember the first time I saw you perform at Enigma in West Palm Beach, what a performance! It had to be at least 12 years ago. What I don’t remember is which husband were you with then or “in-between” when we met?
I never remember you having a husband, or maybe I was simply too drunk?
Miss you!