November 16, 2006

‘Cheers’ star Carla comes to town

Rhea Perlman visits Graystone Elementary School to promote new book, ‘Otto Undercover’

By Jeanne Carbone Lewis
Staff Writer

Everybody loved Carla, the wisecracking bar maid on the TV sitcom “Cheers.” Now, students and adults alike at Graystone Elementary are enjoying actress Rhea Perlman’s new book, “Otto Undercover.” Perlman recently visited the school to introduce the book.

Graystone student Nicholas Marcoccia has his ‘Otto Undercover’ book signed.

Perlman wowed the youngsters with magical tales of the kid racecar driver who’s also an inventor and a very bad singer—a character born from tall tales she told her own three children while they were growing up. The adventures of Otto take place on Coney Island, where Perlman was raised.

Most of the kids do not know her from “Cheers,” but rather as the voice of Mrs. Wormwood, the mother in the animated feature “Matilda.” But Perlman has a brand new fan base with four “Otto Undercover” books in print and two more in the works.

“We’re very excited to have Rhea Perlman here,” said Graystone Elementary School literacy event clerk Michelle Taylor. “We’ve had a very longstanding relationship with Hicklebees' bookstore—this is a freebie for us.”

Graystone Elementary was the second stop on a day-long south bay book tour for the Emmy-award winning actress that started with a visit to Holly Oak Elementary School in Evergreen and ended with an appearance at Hicklebees’ book store in Willow Glen.

Author and actress Rhea Perlman makes her entrance to enthusiastic Graystone Elementary School third and fourth graders. Photos by Jeanne Carbone Lewis

Perlman warmed up her audience of several hundred third and fourth graders with a standup routine— “How do you get a handkerchief to dance? You put a boogie in it!” and “Why did Tigger put his head in the toilet? He was looking for Pooh!” The jokes were all met with screams of laughter as the kids waved black and white checkered racing flags handed out by Perlman’s assistant.

Perlman read a few chapters from the book and then answered questions from her young audience.

“How did you get so talented,” asked one young boy.

“We all have potential,” answered Perlman. “You have to work very hard and really practice. We all have talent.”

Another student asked who her favorite character to perform was.

“I like to play the bad guys,” said Perlman with a twinkle in her eye.

Many Graystone Elementary School parents wanted to meet actress Rhea Perlman. Above left: Parent Allison Johnson and Perlman.

After the Q and A, Perlman presented a short slapstick movie of her cooking pancakes directed by husband and fellow actor Danny DeVito. After more hoots of laughter from a very appreciate audience, Perlman was escorted to Graystone’s Doris Dillon Media Center, which the actress compared to the Beverly Hills Library.

“These were some of the best questions I’ve ever had,” said Perlman. “Really insightful.”

Graystone kids were equally impressed with Perlman, who posed for photographs and signed 400 books in the media center chatting with each child and parent and who worked their way to the front of the line to meet the friendly actress.

“I knew her from the movie “Matilda”,” said Graystone fourth grader Sarah Johnson who had two books signed. “She looks better in person and she’s really funny.”

So now not only does everybody love Carla, they also love Rhea—and “Otto Undercover.”