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KLEOPATRA GIRL'S RINGSIDE REPORT: Pat Tobin Celebration of Life @ Faithful Central Bible Church in Inglewood.
"I also remember the grand party she threw for Spike Lee when he completed 'She's Gotta Have It.' I had so much fun. I danced all night and then to get a better look at all the party happs I hopped up onto a platform to watch the floor activity and cheer and shout for Spike."
Death always stuns me. I can't say that I accept it well and although at Pat Tobin's Celebration of Life memorial and the positive attitudes and kind words from her daughter Lauren, grandson Aaron (who I met when Pat brought him to the set of You Got Served), friends, distinguished community leaders and sentiments from her clients, I felt sad inside.
Pat Tobin was a great lady and I knew her since the late seventies/early eighties or so when she began her media night at the Speakeasy on Santa Monica Blvd. She threw a huge party there for my husband J.D. Hall who was running as the first Black man ever, to run for the presidency of the Screen Actors Guild.
Since I can remember, the name Pat Tobin has been synonymous with publicity and networking. In "our" community she was the go to person if you wanted to promote and publicize your enterprise, for years. I also remember the grand party she threw for Spike Lee when he completed "She's Gotta Have It." I had so much fun. I danced all night to a frenzy and then to get a better look at all the party happs I hopped up onto a platform to watch the floor activity and cheer and shout for Spike. This was tremendous to have such a prolific young director in our midst. Everyone was proud of his achievement and it was Pat Tobin who brought the news about his work to the fore for the entire world to appreciate.
Pat was sensational and later on as I segued from acting to publicity, I wanted to be just like her. She was warm, friendly and I never heard her utter an unkind word nor frown or show displeasure with anyone. We shared laughs, we shared PR points of views and even clients, but we always remained friends.
Two weeks before her death, I attended her night at the Acqua Lounge where she was re-instating the networking Speakeasy get togethers that she was so famous for, along with veteran promoters Roland Wirt and Marc Gaspard. She stood frail, but as always, jovial with the crowd and even letting everyone know that she was happy that they were dancing and moving about. She even did a little two or three step slide as I recall showing us all that she still had spunk and energy (I wrote about that night in a previous report). I gave her a hug and she just warned me a little to be careful as a big hug might hurt her. At that point I whispered in her ear a little secret about me too to put her at ease. We all have our crosses to bear.
Pat Tobin has been cherished by the community that she served and that was evident as I looked around the church. I spotted,
Glynn Turman, Freda Payne, Dawn Lewis, Art Evans, Babe Evans, Roland Wirt (who I sat in back of), Vinni Ratcliff (who she always referred to as 'handsome') Faye Hauser-Price, Eric Butler, Judge Mablean-Ephriam (who gave a wonderful and insightful look at their client/friend relationship), Business Mogul Angela De Joseph, Producer Rommel Foster-Owens, Producer Sharon Graine, former Temptation Louis Price, Jet photographer Valerie Goodloe, photographer Andre Murray, Rickey of Rickey's photos and although I did not see him I heard that singer Norwood Young whose music I have come to love (and met through Pat) was also present.
There were about 700 or more people in attendance, I would estimate. I was glad I came in spite of being late from the AIDS rally but I have to say Darren D. Dickerson (Pat's recent partner) put me at ease telling me Pat would have done the same, to scurry from one event to another, making them all.
I appreciated receiving the pretty gold Friends of Pat Tobin pin that all guests received upon arrival which Art Evans assisted me in pinning to the collar of my coat.
In the evening I took time to look through the very polished "Legacy of Service" keepsake tribute book with my husband J.D. and enjoy all the photos of Pat in her early years.
Rest well my PR queen. I am sure you are enchanting them all in the heavenlies.
Eugenia Wright is a former actress turned freelance writer/publicist. You may write to her at kleopatragirl117@hotmail.com
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