Putting the I in ‘Act II’

Drawing inspiration from Kobe Bryant, Hans Gruber and good parents

It’s almost sacrilegious for a Warriors fan to write something praising Kobe Bryant, but this podcast provides an excuse: He transcended sports, from his growing pains to his passion (at the expense of compassion) to his way-too-early death. But, most of all, for a second act worthy of a superstar.

Bryant the basketball player was a prodigy-turned-superstar with a tremendous work ethic, often getting up at 4 a.m. for workouts. But Bryant the man needed work.

Even though his Los Angeles Lakers won three championships by the time he was 24, Bryant’s ball-hogging tendencies led to troubles with teammates like Shaquille O’Neal and coach Phil Jackson, who called him “uncoachable.”

His personal life was a mess, too. He was estranged from his wife and faced a 2003 rape allegation, which was eventually settled out of court.

Whether you consider the Kobe Bryant of that era as a good person plagued by youthful indiscretions or a horrible human on the path to self-destruction, you’d probably agree with this: He got his shit together.

His transformation might not have matched Ebenezer Scrooge’s, but it was dramatic. Bryant ended up spending 20 years as a Laker, respected and often revered around the NBA (even if maybe, just possibly, he still shot too much). He won two more championships — under Jackson, who returned after a hiatus and found him more coachable.

But Bryant’s second-act legacy wasn’t as a one-time MVP, but as a four-time girl dad. He and wife Vanessa rebuilt their marriage and were in the process of raising four daughters when he, daughter Gigi and seven others died in a plane crash in 2020.

When his basketball body began falling him, Bryant used his work ethic, contacts and some of the skills he’d acquired to build a second career, with podcasts, children’s books and even an Oscar-winning short film.

Bryant died at 41, when a lot of second acts are just beginning.

Another Famous and Gravy podcast subject, Alan Rickman, was 42 when had his first Hollywood role: Hans Gruber, the villain in “Die Hard.” Harry Potter fans can tell you where that led. Samuel L. Jackson’s early film credits were impressive; the roles themselves, not so much. There was “Ragtime” (where he played Gang Member No. 2), “Coming to America” (Hold-Up Man), “Sea of Love” (Black Guy) …

Meryl Streep was always a great actress, but she became a beloved one with films like “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Mamma Mia!” Clint Eastwood created memorable roles as an actor, but won Oscars as a director.

Our second acts don’t need to be nearly as dramatic (or comedic). Maybe you become a boss or a mentor, pursue a passion instead of a paycheck, become a better lover or a kinder friend.

Maybe you just grow comfortable in your own skin.

Fortunate parents can have a great second act and possibly an encore if their adult children see them as friends and trusted advisers. But if they don’t relocate that Voice of Authority from Act I into The Land of the Bitten Tongue in Act II, they might find themselves speechless.

Parent-child relationships needs to evolve for a second act. Spousal ones often do, too — if there’s even going to be an Act II.

The podcast mentions that as Bryant matured beyond basketball, he realized that one of his big weaknesses was a lack of compassion. He was wired to get up at 4 a.m. and work out, but others lived differently.

He didn’t always adjust, but did bend a little more. O’Neal even spoke at his memorial service, telling this anecdote about teammates wanting Bryant to pass more, reminding him of the adage “There’s no ‘I’ in team.” I’ll let Shaq tell you the rest.

Murphy Slaw

Something old: Yes, this is technically for people of any age, but we all know a column about fiber and gut health is targeting a certain demographic, don’t we? Anyway, here’s some good advice from a gastroenterologist.

Something new: Andrea Gibson, a queer poet whose powerful words about gender, love and their four-year fight with terminal ovarian cancer touched millions, died Monday at age 49.

Their “Love Letter From the Afterlife” was shared on Threads and you can see them read it here. Here’s one small part:

Something borrowed: This is just a cool bit of trivia. God knows you won’t learn anything useful from me, but at least I have my sources.

Something blue: Amen to this. I would add “tragic” to the list. We live in a clickbait world, where it seems like Every! Story! Needs! An exclamation point!