Montauk Pioneer - January 16, 2009 -

Once again the velvet like magic that is the interviewing style of Ingrid Lemme was manifested at Gurney's. Lemme taped her first eight shows for 2009 a few days ago. The award winning show, which is beamed into over five million households during prime time, is classic Americana. Produced and directed by Ernest and Gregory Schimizzi, the show zeroes in on heritage, family, and the dreams of the successful and how they unfolded. The show is titled "The American Dream Show" and airs on VVH-TV.

The taping starting at 10 a.m. and the first guest was Lorraine Ferretti who is both director of Regional Development for Remax as well as president of the Long Island Connection of Reike.

For all those interested in the spiritual ramifications of Reike or how to learn more about it, this show is a must. Just listening to Ferretti talk about Reike made the audience feel some new energy flowing right there in the studio. Lemme does her usual smooth interview and gets Lorraine to open up and tell her whole story.

The second show featured Montauk's own Jack Graham, who besides working for Banfi Vintners, played a huge role along with Paul Monte in the rebuilding of St. Theresa in Montauk. A true Montauk icon, gentleman, father, and husband, Jack has been married to his lovely wife Peggy for over 55 years and also received the Nick Monte Community Lifetime Achievement Award later that evening for a life's worth of service to Montauk. Witty and personable Jack talked of his Georgetown University days, his lifetime, and hearing him only brought true warmth and appreciation for the legend that Montauk knows as Jack P. Graham.

Talk about star power, the third show featured the renowned TV anchor-woman Lori Stokes, presently now hosting the morning how on NY WABC Ch 7. The attractive and personable Stokes, who is also a mother, was a fill in on the hit show "The View," until, due to her busy schedule, she was replaced by Whoopi Goldberg. Stokes' life has been a ride through history. Her father, Rep. Louis Stokes, was the first black Congressman ever in Ohio (1968), her uncle Carl Stokes, was the first mayor of a large U.S. City who happened to be black, back in 1967.

The show featuring former Representative Louis Stokes is another one of Ingrid's classics. She talks first hand with someone who is part of American history in many ways. In fact during the show Rep. Stokes will unveil a story that has Barack Obama thanking Louis for paving the way for him. Powerful television. Rep. Stokes credits his mother, a single parent who cleaned houses for his and his brother's success and always saying about schoolwork, "Get something in your head so you won't have to work with your hands."

Show 6 featured the entrepreneur Barry King who is now putting the finishing touches on his rating system for hospitality. Barry once was on top of the perfume world and has lived a diverse life with love from his wife and family always being the true yardstick of his success.

Professor David Reynolds is the star of show number seven, in which the focal point is his new historical biography of Andrew Jackson, titled, Waking Giant, America in the Age of Jackson. The author of 13 scholarly novels, Dr. Reynolds is proud to have perfected a way of abstracting down history so that it's readable to a broader public instead of just graduate students. His wit and charm come off both on air and in the book. He is presently a distinguished Professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

The 7th show also featured the life work and observations of Robbie Woliver who compiled them all in a book called "Alphabet Kids." In this book Robbie explains the many illnesses that go undiagnosed in children. His determination in this field was very personal. His prize for his life's work is that his daughter, once diagnosed as troubled, is an honor student.

The final show was a great way to end a long day of taping. Show eight basically displays the singing talent of Esther Beckman of West Islip, and how this woman, now over 50, has become an award winning Idol Singer in New York State. With Tom Pandel accompanying her on guitar, she sings three tunes including, "Over You, Baby Baby," and "What a Wonderful World." Coming from a large family, Esther's story is full of family warmth, hard work and love.

Check your local listings for American Dream on VVH-TV, starring Montauk legend, and all around good person Ingrid Lemme.