Ask American Profile 9/30/2007

Q On the theme song of CSI: New York, is that Gary Sinise singing with his band? I think it sounds like him, but my husband disagrees with me.
—Katrina Avery, Morganton, N.C.

Even though Sinise, who stars in the CBS-TV series, performs occasionally with his Lt. Dan Band (named after the character he played in the movie Forrest Gump), it’s The Who opening each CSI: New York episode with their rock classic “Baba O’Riley.” Interestingly, the song’s title never appears in its lyrics, and the tune often is mistakenly called “Teenage Wasteland” after the phrase that’s repeated several times in it.

Q How old is Willie Nelson, how many kids does he have, and is he still married?
—Mary Smith, Fairfield, Calif.

Nelson, 74, has been married since 1991 to his fourth wife, Annie D’Angelo, with whom he has two children. He has five other kids from previous marriages. Nelson was born in Abbott, Texas, during the Great Depression. When his mother abandoned him and his father died, he and his sister, Bobbi, were raised by their grandparents. He picked up his first guitar at age 7.

Q I’ve watched Regis Philbin on television for years. How tall is he? He doesn’t look much taller than his co-host, Kelli Rippa.
—D. Carlson, Witmer, Minn.

TV personality Philbin is 5 feet 7 inches tall. Co-host Rippa stands 5 feet 3 inches. Perhaps their height seems similar because, for most side-by-side camera shots, they’re both sitting down—and when they’re standing up, Rippa’s high heels can easily add several inches.

Q Did puppeteer Shari Lewis have any children, and are any of them carrying on her work?
—Betty G., Plano, Texas

The popular puppeteer, ventriloquist and children’s-TV show host of the 1960s and ’70s, who died in 1998, had one child, a daughter. Mallory Lewis, 44, began working with her mom at age 12, ghostwriting Shari’s newspaper column. For the last several years, Mallory has performed some 200 shows a year with her mother’s beloved “Lamb Chop” sock puppet. Additionally, she writes children’s books and recently released a DVD, Phonics for Babies, which uses puppets and music to teach infants the basics of early speech.

Q I really enjoyed Men in Trees. Does Anne Heche have any more TV shows in the works?
—Sue King, Port Clinton, Ohio

Don’t give up on Men in Trees. After its summer hiatus, the quirky series set in Alaska is returning this fall on ABC, airing on Friday evenings. As for other projects for Heche, 38, she voices the character of Lois Lane on the recently released animated direct-to-DVD movie Superman: Doomsday. She spent her time off from the TV series largely out of the public eye in the wake of her divorce proceedings from her husband of five years, Coley Laffoon, and her new romance with Men in Trees co-star James Tupper.

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