EITM: I Am 6/26/24

Watching the Céline Dion documentary?

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
This is Fromberg. Hey Christine,how are you doing? Excellent? And
I'm a teacher. It's under awesome. Oh dude, you're on summer break.
How then Margarita's Yeah, how manymovies did you watch yesterday? That's
a good question too. Hey.Let me so you watched you watched the
Seline Dion documentary yesterday? Yes,it is very raw and very powerful.

(00:27):
Let me ask you this is it? Let me start with this question.
Is it good? Yes? Isthere? I mean, there's one part
that I keep reading about and andthere's been some press about it, and
like I was trying to see ifthey, like somebody had bootlegged a clip
of it up on YouTube yesterday?Is the scene where she has it's I

(00:52):
believe that she's having a seizure,but like you could tell, like her
body is locked up? Is it? Yeah? Is it bad? It's
it's hard to watch. Yeah,but you're compelled to watch it. But
it's just hard to watch this likephenomenal superstar of a woman be just you

(01:15):
know, just this, Yeah,just locked up body that she can't control
and move. It's it's it's hard. And the clip that I found and
again I don't I don't I don'tbelieve it's the whole scene in the movie,
but it almost looks like she's layingface down on what almost looks like
a massage table. And then yeah, like but like they show her arm

(01:40):
or you could see her arm,I guess, and it looks like her
fingers, Diane, it looks likeher fingers are like like like clog up,
not not even claw, but justlike they're not in the right spot,
and her face watch like she isin such pain, and then she
starts like having a sea here.Uh huh. Yeah, that's like I

(02:01):
guess, like the I don't knowthe episodes that are part of the stiff
person syndrome, but yeah, shewas she as a therapist she works with
who was trying to she could startto kind of feel herself tense and he's
trying to like work her out,and then it just accelerated too quickly when

(02:23):
she was in that saints down positionand they flip her over and you know,
get her to calm him down.I'm not quite sure. There's some
sort of drugs she takes. Theysprayed up her nose and then they just
have to kind of wait until sheunlocks herself. Wow. Hey, I

(02:44):
appreciate the phone calls, well,thank you. And that was the other
thing, Like the clip that Isaw where she's having the seizure. Yeah,
and again I don't think it wasthe whole clip, but I also
have no context as to what wasgoing on. That was one, if
not the single most motivating factor forme wanting to watch it yesterday was to

(03:04):
see the seizure, No, tosee the context, because that clip was
a part of it was released earlierin the day, right, and it
was everywhere and you could not escapeit. It wasn't the whole story that
At first she didn't want it inthe movie, but then they decided to
leave it in, Like there wassome I didn't didn't the director want to
cut it, and she wanted it. That's what it was. That's what

(03:27):
it was. The director was like, let's cut this out, and she
was like, no, no,no, I want people to see what
this is like. Well, thedirector's story alone is so amazing because the
director didn't know Selene was sick.All thought because it was shot during COVID
that Selene wasn't leaving the house becauseof the pandemic, and they didn't have
the diagnosis yet for stiff person syndrome. But the director was not told how

(03:50):
ill Selene was until they finally gotto basically production. Oh wow. So
in all the lead up and theconversations and the negotiating, there was no
indication that something was going on thatwas as serious as it is. And
so you see this scene talked aboutand I had to see a move.

(04:11):
I couldn't let my impression of thefilm be this one moment of extreme vulnerability.
I needed to learn at that pointmore about stiff person syndrome for as
rare as it is, right,I needed to see the management of the
disease, and I just needed tosee how the people around her operate with

(04:36):
her susceptible to the spasms and thenwhen it's really bad, the seizure.
So what was she doing, Like, what's the setup to it? The
setup? Well, and you don'tknow when it's gonna happen in the film
because the film jumps all over theplace. So you get the current interviews,
you get the old footage, youget the archive stuff, you get

(04:57):
newer things with that Love Again moviefrom twenty twenty three, so you're getting
a lot of stuff throughout right.So it almost keeps you on your toes
because at this point everyone knows thisscene is a part of this And the
way her stiff person syndrome is triggeredis if she is over stimulated. So

(05:21):
if she's not like too much stressor it could be stressed, I'm not
a big moment of a concert.Yeah, but well at this point she
is already so she's not performed.He has already canceled the Vegas residency and
shows and stuff like that. Butit's not just stress, it's not just
confusion. It's also happiness. It'sany emotion that can take you to another

(05:46):
level, whether it be positive ornegative, can set her off into these
So she could be having a greatmoment and get excited about it and then
boom. Yet started with the feetin that Caesar video, then it went
to the hands, dude, Andhow bad to her hands look when they
lock up? That looks so painful. Well then how about when her face
starts like twitching back and forth,And like she said, they use the

(06:10):
medication spray in the nose and theycall on the bodyguard and they call it.
Is that the guy who lifts herhead to like put the towel under
her head they have at that point, there's two people. There's the sports
medicine therapists who's hiding, and thenthe bigger guys who's the bodyguard. But
you also have two other assistants whoare in the doorway, and they literally

(06:30):
are they're they're ready to call nineone one because they've had to call nine
one one for her in the past. I think, really, and that's
the thing about the film. Ihow often does she get those How often
does it does it hit her toseize? Yeah, it's that's not that
common. But because she knows itcan be any emotion, and too much

(06:54):
of that emotion that gets her going, she lives in constant of it happening
and has to persevere and try toconquer that knowing it's ta sucks. And
she obviously, as the caller said, but you learned to just be like
cool and steady. Nothing gets me. Well, but that's not easy.

(07:16):
That's also not human life. Hergoal is still ultimately to return to the
stage, and that's sort of anoverwriting theme. Well not in her current
state. But can she for whatfor what brought her such joy over her
lifetime, which was the fans,the music, of course, but then

(07:38):
the voice and the fans response,will she ever be able? And this
almost sounds like it needs to bea sequel, But will she ever be
able to experiencing that with the risksand rewards kind of fighting each other.
Imagine imagine the emotion of her gettingup on stage for the first time.
Again, it makes you wonder howshe came out at the Grammy. She

(08:01):
just did performance. She just presentedan award. Oh that's right, that's
right. Maybe that's though, becauseshe wasn't performing love people gave her standing
applause, but standing of ovation.Every day she probably gives a standing ovation
when she goes to the shop atCouche Tar, she doesn't though she's she's
a very private person. So doesshe not go anywhere? Now? Oh

(08:24):
come on, well, just tothe warehouse to reminisce with the old costumes.
But here's here's why I thought,does she have a miserable life?
Because that'll make me say medically,yes, well, yes, of course,
medicals, because she's she's in pain. The one that told us how
much volume she was taking. Butif if it was just volume she was

(08:48):
taking, then she maybe wouldn't havealmost thought like the amount of medication she's
on, show her vanity in thebathroom, and you're just like, this
is I can't believe this is CelineDion. But I'll tell you this for
as at any point when you seeit, Yeah, do you sit there
and go like right now, likeyour back still hurts from this morning,
don't you hear that? And go, I take some valume right now.

(09:13):
Like, I don't know that I'veever been a spot where I was like,
well, you know what would reallyruin this valium? Valium's great.
Well you also don't have the yeah, but I also don't have yeah,
the Holerance Sport. And I'm alltaking ninety Well that's the million grams or
whatever it was a day, Yeah, and it was. I'm sure she's
taken a lot more than valuum.That's what I'm saying. I'm not saying

(09:33):
the dvanities this volume. Oh yeah, so much medicine and and there's doctors
on call. I mean, she'svery fortunate in that she has the means
to try to manage and treat thiscondition. Is she living in Canada?
No? Or is she living inVegas? Vegas? Is she really no
kidding? Yeah? Oh, Iwonder she goes to Hamet's. She definitely

(09:54):
does not oh door dash, evenfor that buttercake. But you hear leading
up to this so much about stiffperson syndrome, and you hear about this
seizure moment in the movie. Andfor as rare as it is, stiff
person syndrome is not going to affectmost people. It's like one in a

(10:18):
million, one in two million people. It's so rare, is it,
really? But the film, andthis is where I thought the film did
a great job. Seeing someone whois an icon curl up on a table
and sees to me, doesn't humanizethem. It's the other aspects of her
life that made her a person inthe film. Because you made the comment,

(10:41):
I think yesterday or Monday you saidshe's like royalty yes, so you
to me she doesn't have like anormal less yes. But it was when
they were walking through her house,which is large. You have to get
over to opulation that. You haveto get over the amount of shoes in
her close like you, you haveto put aside she bought a house to
be her closet. The riches,but when you see the billionaire probably probably

(11:07):
close Okay, Then she's all right. But when you see the does she
have Edwin Castro money elements in thehome, whether it be uh the Atlanta

(11:28):
Braves hat for her older son,or you see the W W E hand
drawn belts for her twins, oryou see now, yes, they have
an amazing gaming room. It lookslike a Dave and Busters. But when
you see these things that you canconnect to, because most people, again
will never be able to connect tostiff person syndrome. Yes, illness and

(11:50):
disease, but not exactly what shehas. But when you see her experiencing
things in her life through either thethe joy of her children or even her
assistance. At one point, thesports medicine guy gives a friend's reference about
Phoebe to her. Now, Selenedidn't get it because she she didn't know.

(12:11):
She's like, I relate to Selene. But it's those points in her
life that make the film poignant.It's like, oh, this is this
This film humanizes her, but notbecause of her illness. It takes,
it takes, it makes you wantto say, it's not the voice,
it is not Selene the star.It's just Selene the person, and I

(12:37):
love that and it's it is thereis it's melancholy obviously the film is it
funny? There there are moments,but it's not all a downer. It
is pretty serious. I will saythat it's fun going back and learning about
the history. They leave some thingsout, like when she met Renee.
You don't mention that. Well,he's got to get mentioned in the movie

(12:58):
though, of course, and thereis. There's a cut from from his
funeral to a performance that that maybemore tear jerking. That was her first
performance back after Renee died. No, it's not that one watch it,
No, not at all. Iwatched a clip on YouTube. But but
that may be harder to watch thanher seizing no way, because you know

(13:22):
that you know that Caesar's coming atsome point, well, yeah, because
I hit play. It was likeCelene Caesar, Yeah I knew what I
was watching. You don't know therest of the moments in her life that
they're gonna do they show her likewhen she goes into the Canadian's locker room.
No, oh my god, nothey do not. But they they
do show her with Rick D's OhCelene, Oh yes, please welcome Canadian

(13:52):
Royalty, say hello to Celene Deon. Oh Celene, my heart will go
on. I last night on exwoasted, Wow, Rick looks good screen.
Did she do into the night?I don't know if it was into
the night because Rick also did dresslike that to go to work. He
always dressed up to go to work. It was definitely TV. They didn't
make it clear. They didn't.It was a quick clip where he can't

(14:15):
believe how many siblings she has byHe hasn't responded yet, but I did
post this. I wrote Selene dison and tagged him in it, so
hopefully he'll see this. Oh yes, Oh, the media outlets are reaching
out about my interactions with Selene Dion. Oh yes, but I definitely Oh

(14:39):
she never talked to Jaye Thomas.Oh, because Selene is an angel and
jay is in Hell. I woulddefinitely recommend it. I want to watch
it, but you know what,I just there's some barrier of entry for
me. I'm with you. Ididn't think I was going to until yesterday
morning, where I said, youknow what, family's out of town.

(15:00):
I can probably squeeze in this ninetyminutes. And then that scene came out
and I needed to see that withinthe context of the film and the caller
stole the word. I would describethe whole film as it's powerful. Is
it really yes? Is it motivational? Yes, it is it is.
Did you cry? Oh, doesa bear s in the woods? Oh?

(15:26):
Ready, says so did you crywatching the film that you're crying now
talking about? I don't know?Oh yes, Oh I talked to Selene
and Tyler's a pussy. Oh Ellen, yes, Oh, you would have
liked it because you would have knownfrom the Facebook comments that it was outside

(15:48):
It's a small world Disneyland. Ohyeah, but there was a scene at
Christmas time with her and the familyposing in front of the ride. Do
they they did? So? Sheshe does not go anywhere outside of Vegas.
Well that's not true because within thelast year I know that she's been
to Montreal. Think about when thisfilm was done. Oh they thought she

(16:11):
had COVID those were well, no, I'm saying when it was when production
wrapped. Oh okay, So thesethese appearances she's made a couple, they
are. Oh she did the Grammys. Oh, she showed up at a
National Hockey League game. She didInto the Night, Oh with you say
how to Billy Vera and the Beaterscould you imagine, Hey, do you

(16:34):
want to sit in with Billy Vera? Is she likable? She's silly?
She is exactly. She's more vulnerablebecause she's done lying. She's done lying.
She had to lie about why theycanceled shows, right, I had
to blame it on this or that. Were they always being canceled because of

(16:55):
her health? Yes? Right,But I mean she wasn't gonna come out
and say that that's okay. Sheby the way, I'm fine with that
now. And I don't remember this, and maybe I know my mom and
step dad have seen her a coupleof times. There were some shows because
she started the symptoms seventeen years ago. Are you serious? Yes, Oh
my god. It was not untiltwenty twenty two where she revealed the diagnosis,

(17:18):
and it did take them a longtime, but it started just with
her voice. She was having troublewith their voice. And I just I
don't recall this, but she saidthere were concerts where she midway through ran
off stage and they ended the shows. Oh god, Oh that was quick.
Do you remember that being reported on? No? Yeah, I don't

(17:41):
either. I don't either, butthat is but I mean, was it
like she would normally do like threehours, but she did two hours and
forty minutes. No, no,no, no, like so she was
doing like an hour. May I'mtelling you what vegas prizing way out of
control? That was quick bro.Well no, no, it's Scott Shannon.
Oh never did the Titanic song?Oh something's wrong? Kind of crap?

(18:03):
Is that? So it sounds likeshe stiffed me because so much of
the testimonial is uh on the sadderside. They do mix in like her
on Fallon and her on Cordon right, see, but that's what when when
she did make her a little bitso it's not so heavy, no,

(18:25):
but that that's the part of likethat to me, that's the Selene I
want to see, Like I wantto see her have fun and granted and
I don't mean like right now,I get it, but like weird,
like like that's what like where's chaosaround Selene? But that's exactly the crux
of it all if she has toomuch fun? Yeah, head like a

(18:51):
medical emergency reaction. There's a warningas the film starts I put her on
Snapchat last night that that tells you, as a viewer, that discretion is
advised because you were going to seedistressing medical events, the seizure power.
Sorry, the film contains power,powerful scenes of medical trauma, and me

(19:15):
he cannot be in it in aless important role. It sets up Oh
wait, so the the important partsof Selene's life were it captured on her
appearance on Into the ninth. It'sliterally three seconds that I had to pause
the TV and Bear, which Iguess fans of Selene will know, passed

(19:41):
away since they wrapped filming. ButBear is her extremely overweight dog who is
just so sweet and uh like,but like did it get fed? Like
where they just like feed it,like here's another big mac and it's like
one of those dogs you see thatwad adopted out to somebody else. Right,

(20:03):
you can't take a dog away fromSelena. You took her voice,
like did she ever like you neversee her light stopping it like in an
out burger or something. No.No, they don't address that criticism of
her that she dealt with her wholecareer, that she was enter exic,
that is not talked about at allon the film. She was. I
wouldn't expect it to be. Ididn't know this. She was so slight

(20:27):
her whole life, and I guesshad really bad teeth growing up. And
her nickname in school as a childwas Canine Dion. That sounds like Elliott
made that up. I had neverheard that. Oh, let's bring out

(20:48):
Canine, I mean Selim. No, No, wasn't there There wasn't there
a point And yes, she wasalways very very very skinny. Didn't she
actually take heat during like and thisis early on in her career, didn't
she actually take heat? Going theother way where there was one moment and
it wasn't like she got she wasn'tbig, but like where she had put

(21:11):
some weight on, and like peoplewent after her for that, like when
she was pregnant. No, no, no pre pregnancy, this is even
pre renee, but like early earlyon where like she had put on some
weight, which who cares, bigdeal, look at me the where and
but people were like, but becauseyou think of it only now where everybody
goes well not now, but likein her heyday when everybody was like,

(21:33):
she's anorexic, she's anarexic, andpeople back then were saying no, Selene
was always very very skinny, butthere was early in her career there was
a point where she did put ona little extra. It was probably when
she first took off and all ofa sudden is you know, like hey,
I'd go eat and do whatever Iwant to do, and was kind
of letting loose. But then shetook crap for that of like, ooh,
Selene's really packing it on. Idon't remember that, and that is

(21:56):
not addressed in the film, right, But I wouldn't expect it to be
like, I don't think she's anaaxic, although everybody was like, oh,
she hits her chest, she's gonnabreak her sternum. Yes, she and
and continues now with this diagnosis toappear quite fragile. So again i'd have

(22:17):
to watch two thumbs up, Iwant to like her, and many many
tears the no, I really do. I want to like Selene. I
don't dislike Celene, but I wantto like Selene and listen, I like
one of the co stars of themovie, Oh oh, thank you,
sorry kids. I liked one ofthe things she said to the kids though,

(22:38):
so much because her parenting reminded meof my own not in spoiling the
kids. But they can't, theycan do they have a gum alarm to
spit it out. She says they'reapologizing for something, and she says,

(23:00):
don't be sorry, don't do it. I like that line, and I
think you'll identify with Actually, anothervery powerful line in the film, she
says doing a show is easy.Not doing a show it's hard. Yeah,
no, that I get, youknow what, Kindred, No,

(23:22):
I like that. I like thatKindred, Candida the Spirits, Kindred.
Oh my god, oh please,Oh someone's a professional broadcasters. Oh I
am it. Don't apologize, justdon't do it.