We’re all just one bad thing away.
I’ve known the endorphin rush, walking down Fifth Avenue carrying a bag filled with $3,000 worth of Prada and also the dull dread of seeing a $23 balance on my food stamp card, two weeks before it’s refilled.
My brilliant career began during this season of “Mad Men,” when I was hired as an assistant producer at Young & Rubicam for $75 a week.
Over the decades, its steady arc grew, as did my paycheck and celebrity. For the better part of 30 years, I commanded six figures.I was my embossed business card – “Executive Producer, Senior Vice President, in charge of … blah blah blah.” I was full of hubris with a killer reel and a menagerie of Cannes Lions. I traveled the world on an expense account, used a Mont Blanc pen, flew First Class and had the best room at the Beverly Hills Hotel. I ordered room service and ate macadamia nuts out of the mini bar with abandon.
I had it all — top of my game, a husband making big bucks, a son in private school, a $1.6 million apartment, house in the country, gold Rolex and a Jack Russell terrier named Spunky.
Never, would I have scripted winding up evicted, broke, and homeless at 70.So, when I found myself laid off from a high paying job, in the middle of a divorce and 9/11 happening, all inside of the same month, I was blindsided. You know the cartoon where Wile E. Coyote chases the Road Runner off the cliff, and then keeps running in thin air?
For years, I was careening off the planet with fear.On September 27, 2009, just as I was making headway as a filmmaker, while shooting in DUMBO, an SUV came out of nowhere and ran over my leg. I didn’t walk for a year. Suffering unspeakable physical and emotional pain, falling further and further behind in my rent, it was only a matter of time before I was evicted. My only income was Social Security. I owed about what I used to make in a year tocreditors and back rent.
Sure enough, like a scene out of a bad movie, April 3, 2012, two marshalls stood in my doorway with a warrant for my eviction, as my camera was blazing, documenting the whole thing.
“Go to the worst-case scenario,” a friend advised.
Sheila and I drove to the Hamptons, where she had a small house in the woods. “You can live here,” she said after a walk on the beach with our dogs. “You can put your stuff in storage and live here.”
So, I did, and I didn’t die. I stayed there until Hurricane Sandy struck, as I had no car, and fearful, I would be identified only by my dental records, I moved onto Sheila’s couch in Chelsea, where I remain, oddly, happier than I’ve ever been in my life.
Couch surfing at 70, who would have thought?
Ms. Bachom is a fraud. She claims to be penniless but here she is in yesterday’s New York Times bragging about how much for enjoyed her recent $5,000 facelift : http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/29/fashion/in-the-wrinkle-wars-a-new-weapon.html?_r=0
I guess you have never experienced a reversal of fortune. It can happen to anyone at any time, and literally overnight. Ms. Bachom experienced such a reversal, none of it her fault, she could not have predicted what happened. Nice to know some people lead such secure lives that they can pick on people when they’re down with such obvious glee. I know Ms. Bachom, and believe it or not, she would not wish her circumstances on anyone, even you.
Ya gotta love the spiteful ugliness of the axe-grinding RARAs. Why? Because someday it WILL all come back to bite them.
What kind of homeless person has 5,000 to inject crap in her 70
Year old face?? That could have been 6 months rent at least.
Jeanine, plastic surgery is sometimes seen as an investment by professional people who must maintain their image. Obviously if Ms. Bachom had known she would be divorced and have a long lasting medical problem she might have made different choices, but it is still HER money, to spend as she’s sees fit, just like yours is.
Jeanine, you are an idiot. And while that may or may not be relevant to your comment, you are also wrong. That is relevant.
Perhaps Jeanine is jealous or has some axe to grind with Ms Bachom but the article she alludes to says nothing that Ms Bachom PAID that amount of money for the procedure she had done only that facelifts by this Dr start at $5,000. Perhaps as a writer doing research there was some sort of bartering going on but truthfully it is no ones business how it was paid for. So unless Jeanine has some other proof that Ms Bachom is indeed a fraud & not penniless or homeless as her article states, Jeanine might well keep in mind the old saying “There but for the grace of God go I!”
Nope, read the article. Sandi Bachom DID pay $5,000 for her facelift this past December — it says it clear as day in the artlcle:
“It was worth the money,” Ms. Bachom said.
The only fraud is “Jeanine”.
Go back to your false accusations , lies and hypocracy.
What a bizarre comment, Jeanine. When interviewed, Sandi stated she was penniless. Several years later, she had a procedure at an undisclosed cost to her. To say that makes her a fraud suggests an ulterior motive for the unsuccessful attempt to discredit her. One wonders if opponents of the social justice causes she fearlessly documents think trying to smear Sandi’s reputation will make the images she captures less accurate. If not, why the slam?
Wow, Sandi and I led parallel lives! From international riding sensation to real estate investor to moving back in with my mother, all I can say right now is, it certainly builds character! I applaud you and send you my Sabra love, Sandi!
OMG….REALLY….who cares how she spends her money. Did ever think think that maybe it was a gift or even better yet since a lot of you folks don’t like to fact Check before going to print that this is ANOTHER BOGUS LIE that someone in your group came up with like all the other mistruths that have been spread by the anti carriage horse people…….really Jeanne maybe someone else should look at how your life has gone and how you have spent your money AND expose your life. I give sandi Bachom kudos for being given so candid about her life which is more than most people and most likely including you. Remember there is an old saying about when you throw stones at glass houses be careful it’s not your own…..
Sandi didn’t tell you that she is sober and clean for all of these events which would have challenged the patience of Mother Teresa,
This is a partial list of hurricane sanding-
The latest is shooting horses – (on video)
Also,
the homeless
Irish boxers
The bottom line, the bitter end,
Paul Colby, Les Paul,
Celebrities who have made great contributions,
Sandi is truly a great pioneer video filmmaker, she champions
The fight for those who pay the way for the rich to be rich, the common man (woman) might not be rich in monies, but never poor in spirit…..
If there is anything to blame misfortune on it is a thing called Karma
The kissing cousin of luck.
Dearest pal Joey, I am so touched by your response, I love you so much old friend, you were the first to encourage me to make my “Schlockumentaries” I am forever grateful on this curvy road to destiny…bring back the Joey Reynolds Radio Show!!!!!
The only fraud here is you jeanne and your groups that you associate your sheepish mind to. You couldn’t make a correct honest statement if your life depended cause you can’t think for yourself. You let your buddies a t NYALA who love to manufacture and manipulate the truth and you just follow along saying bahhhh bahhhh…..
They only fraud that I find is one “Jeanine”, likely a pseudonym of someone with an axe to grind with Sandi. I have known Sandi for over 20 years, knew her at the top of her game and know her now as a homeless video warrior. She is one of the most honest and truthful people I have ever met and I have enormous admiration for her. She has the guts to film real issues, like crazy animal rights people who want to ban horse carriages. Some of these folks resent Sandi for putting the truth out there and I am certain this “Jeanine” is of that camp. Bravo to you, Sandi, for exposing folks like this to the world. Perhaps we should audit Jeanine’s expenses to see where she shops, what she eats and how she spends her money.
A phony spends thousands on her face which by the way does not help in my opinion; yet takes food stamps from New York.
She does not give fair treatment to anyone she films. She picks a current issue takes a side and tries to bully the opposition with camera in hand. NO pity here