Tag: legend

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Tribute to a Local Legend..my Dad

For those who knew my father, he was a man like no one else. I guess you could say my own uniqueness, and passion, and desire to go my own way was just like my Dad’s. RIP to a local legend who was arguably the best barber in the world – and best hitting instructor! Below please find his obituary and Celebration of Life event this Sunday.

FRANCIS “RICHIE” TOLA (click HERE to visit the Obituary)

Francis “Richie” Tola (1938-2024) passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer on Monday, October 28th. Born on July 7, 1938, he was 86 years young. For those who knew him, Richie was the greatest guy who had passion in everything he did. Born and raised in Trenton, NJ, he was a legendary barber for nearly 68 years beginning in 1957, one year after graduating from Trenton Central High School and serving in the National Guard. He was also a motivational mentor and hitting instructor to scores of kids and adolescents who ever played the game of baseball. He was revered for helping anyone and everyone who wanted it. The beloved “Richie the Barber” was also a terrific storyteller as well as an infinite source of knowledge, recounting true tales about the Mafia, baseball, Sicily (his home country), movies and anything medical related. As one longtime friend and customer tells it, “before there was Google, there was Richie.” He is survived by his wife, Rose Mary, son and daughter-in-law, Sam and Pam Tola, son Richard, daughter and son-in-law, Karen and Patrick Tuffy, four grandchildren, Matthew and Samantha Tola, and Riley and McGwire Tuffy, brother and sister-in-law, Ronald and Carolyn Tola, his four nieces, and pre-deceased sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Joseph Pallotti. Per his wishes, there will be no funeral services. There will, however, be a Celebration of Life held in his honor on November 10th from 4-6pm, in the main batting cage at Nottingham Little League. In remembrance of Richie’s life and love, the family requests any donations be made to “Nottingham Little League”, P.O. Box 2521, Hamilton, NJ 08690. Thank you for being his friend, patron or baseball player he influenced throughout his wonderful life.

Thanks for your enduring impact on the world Dad, and with love and light, I’ll see you on the other side. RIP – R

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Homage to MLK – Ep 15 – Tola Talks Texas

Today we’re paying tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s a national holiday in the United States and time to honor a great man who stood for never ending equality and justice for all. MLK was also the youngest man to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964, and a civil rights leader who inspired a nation with his “I Have a Dream” speech in front of 250,000 people gathered around the Lincoln Memorial during their peaceful march upon our nation’s capitol. We’re also talking about the Wolf Moon, a full moon that illuminates to its fullest tonight at 6:48p EST. Plus more fitness tips and inspiration as well as three more steps to everlasting youth from my book, How to Drink from the Fountain of Youth. Have an awesome holiday everyone…and get your workout in!

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Homeless in America – Ep 4 – Tola Talks Texas

Today we’re talking about the 580,000+ homeless people in America, most of those individual males and the rest single moms with children. That’s way too many, and with the help of those of us who are not homeless – including my bodybuilding idol from 1979 and seven time Mr. Olympia champion, Arnold Schwarzenegger, we need to end this epidemic now. Plus a special RIP shout-out to Man’s World Gym owner and mentor from my childhood, Joe Dodd, as well as the legendary football coach turned world-class TV broadcaster, John Madden. Not to mention more weightlifting tips from my workout today, and of course, some inspiring talk about holding the line when it comes to your cryptocurrencies…like I’m doing, even as they plunge even further.

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Next Performance at Flappers Comedy Club – July 7th

Rich Tola performing at the Tribal Cafe
Rich Tola performing at the Tribal Cafe (LA)

Hey everyone, hope you’re having a great weekend and looking forward to the 4th of July!

Had a blast at the Father’s Day show and getting ready for next week’s show at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank on Tuesday, July 7th from 10-11:30p in the Main Room. Come celebrate your Independence Day in true New York style, i.e., make it last 3 days.

As the great comedian, Louie Anderson said, “It takes about 100 performances (Stand-up) to even know if you’re good”. About a dozen and counting Louie!

Peace – R

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Tola Talks WTF it’s Raining Dead Geese & Flying Cars

It’s WTF Wednesday on Tola Talks so we’re talking all sorts of crazy stuff including 2,000 dead geese falling from the sky, the world’s first flying car set to debut in 2017, and the largest snowfall ever in Capracotta, Italy. Plus, the awesome light display of Aurora Borealis and a few celebrity birthday shout-outs for Adam Levine, Dane Cook, Queen Latifah, Michael Rapaport and Vanessa Williams. Weekdays on youtube.com/tolatalks and all Social: @richtola

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Tola Talks w/ Hall of Fame Adult Entertainer Bill Margold

 

Tola Talks with Adult Entertainment legend and Hall of Fame-er who performed in more 300 films & videos, Bill Margold. In addition to stories about the early days of Porn, on Throwback Thursdays Rich takes us back to 1972 and also talks about street abductions in Philly, Black Hawk helicopters dropping candy to a private residence on Halloween, Microsoft giving away the free Office app, brown bears in Alaska mauling a hunter, plus the Get Your S#!T Together Award to the waitress in Atlantic City, NJ who sold unsuspecting diners a $3,750 bottle of wine.

Watch weekdays on youtube.com/tolatalks.

Tola Talks' Rich Tola and Adult Entertainment legend and Hall of Famer, Bill Margold
Tola Talks’ Rich Tola with Adult Entertainment legend and Hall of Famer, Bill Margold

 

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Keep it like Clarence Clemons

I just read an LA Times editorial by Randy Lewis expressing his appreciation for the late Clarence Clemons. Similar to Randy, I’ve also been a Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band fan for more than 35 years now. And I agree with Randy that, “Clemons was there to express that which transcended mere language.” Because with the Boss and the Big Man, it was about reaching into your mind, body and soul to echo feelings and images, not just sounds. I still remember a bootleg version of Prove it All Night from 1979 with the Boss’s heart-felt guitar riff and the Big Man’s incredible sax.  “The wondrous thing about Clemons was that everything he played, in solos or accompanying his bandmates, was astonishingly simple from a technical viewpoint.” Thanks for pointing that out Randy, especially to us non-sax people, because technical simplicity should also apply to your daily fitness program. So keep it simple and technically correct with today’s 5 Minute Fat Burning Workout #98 – Elevator Squats.  And thank you Clarence Clemons!  RIP – R

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Thank you Jack LaLanne

Jack LaLanne

My first memories of this pioneer and King of daily exercise and good nutrition were in my Aunt Tina & Concetta’s living room.  My “right off the boat” Sicilian aunts were fascinated by this exuberant dynamo who preached the gospel of health and fitness.  Thus, I became fascinated with an American icon who would impact my life for the next 40 years.  Thank you Jack LaLanne.  For being ‘born again’ after meeting Paul Bragg when you were 15;  for starting a rudimentary gym for police officers and firefighters when everyone thought you were a crackpot;  for opening the first real gym in 1936 – LaLanne’s Physical Culture Studio in downtown Oakland, CA;  for starting the first morning TV show dedicated to health and fitness that encouraged kids to wake-up their moms for their morning workout;  for your multitude of daring feats to get people to believe in you – like towing 76 kids across the Long Beach Harbor while being handcuffed and shackled;  for inciting a national craze of weight rooms, exercise classes and fancy health clubs;  for always accepting people for who they were – like your 300 pound best friend who was a chain-smoker and a boozer;  for all the exercise machines and health related products you created;  and most importantly, for inspiring me to embrace a daily fitness routine since that fateful day I felt your unparalleled fervor.  You’re a true and inspirational legend the world will never forget.  Rest in Peace – R