Ask Stacy -- Week of December 17 by Marilyn Beck & Stacy Jenel Smith on Creators.com

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Ask Stacy -- Week of December 17

DEAR STACY: I get a charge every time I see that Citibank rock climbing commercial. What is the music? Also, did they lower the girl onto that rock pillar by helicopter, or did she really climb it? — A.D., Cedar Rapids, Iowa

DEAR A.D.: That's professional climber Katie Brown clambering up that amazing formation in Utah — for real — to the sound of "Into the Wild," by singer/songwriter Laura Pergolizzi, who is known by her professional name of L.P.

She has been heard on TV shows such as "The Hills" and the big-screen "Burlesque." Her "Cheers (Drink to That)" became a hit for Rihanna. L.P.'s working with some heavyweights — especially producer RedOne (Lady Gaga), who signed her to his label. Her in-studio collaborators include The Matrix, Billy Steinberg, Nick Jonas and Isa Summers from Florence and the Machine.

Expect her to break through big-time in 2012.

DEAR STACY: I'm a fan of "I Love Lucy" and have watched the shows many times over. Why was there never a Christmas-themed episode involving the Ricardos and the Mertzes? — Louise C., Reno, Nev.

DEAR LOUISE: There was! However, the special Christmas installment of "I Love Lucy" is not part of the syndicated rerun package that viewers have been enjoying for decades. It did make it into home video release — colorized! — and from there, even onto YouTube, where I just checked it out.

It has Lucy and Ricky trying to convince Little Ricky (Richard Keith) to go to sleep before Santa arrives; decorating a tree with Fred and Ethel (William Frawley and Vivian Vance); and reminiscing. I love Fred grousing that the tree cost "five bucks."

DEAR STACY: How does one become an aide to a celebrity? — Jill H., Oakland, Calif.

DEAR JILL: The internet has seen a proliferation of websites promising to provide an inside track on celebrity assistant jobs in recent years, so beware of any that ask for up-front fees.

Go to the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants' site at ACPA-LA.com; you'll find a lot of good information there.

You also may want to read one of the top books on the subject. For instance, there's Brian Daniel's popular "The Celebrity Personal Assistant Survival Guide: Tips for Finding and Keeping VIP Jobs." Craig Copeland has "The Essential Handbook for Personal Assistants: Tools For Becoming Or Hiring the Ultimate Personal Assistant."

The jobs can be well-paid and exciting, but they're often too demanding to be worthwhile.

DEAR STACY: What has become of Jenny Jones? — L.M., Chattanooga, Tenn.

DEAR L.M.: The former standup comic and talk show hostess is a very active — make that interactive — presence on her JennyJones.com website, where she shares recipes, charity news, photos and videos and updates fans on her doings via her frequent blog entries. It's all there, from shopping trips she's taken to visiting the zoo.

"The Jenny Jones Show" disappeared in 2003 after 12 years — including the long siege of bad publicity and legal woes heaped on Jones and her show in the wake of the 1995 "secret crush" episode that went horribly wrong. That was when Scott Amedure told his friend Jonathan Schmitz of his affection for him; three days later, the disturbed, homophobic Schmitz killed Amedure. Ultimately, the show was found not legally liable for Amedure's death, but the seige took its toll.

Jones, who grew up in London, Ontario, Canada, and now lives in Los Angeles with long-time partner Denis McCallion, prefers to stay out of the big media spotlight.

To find out more about Stacy Jenel Smith and read her past columns, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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