When Willis met Willis
Allee and Bruce, that is. Plus, 20 lucky teachers can come spend the day with ME!
Knock knock, it’s me again, Willis Wonderland. (Yes, the house.)
Today’s bonus clip from The World According to Allee Willis is a short but fun one: Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman) telling the story of how he introduced Allee Willis to Bruce Willis. It’s a gem of a memory, even if it didn’t happen inside my walls. Which means, unfortunately, no photos. And I never got to meet Bruce myself. Boo.
Now, if you ask Paul, he’ll tell you he made the introduction at a party in Malibu. If you ask Allee, she’ll say it happened at John McEnroe and Tatum O’Neal’s house, which was in Malibu. So, same party. Paul had wandered off, and Allee spotted him deep in conversation with McEnroe, Jon Bon Jovi, and Bruce Willis. She was totally intimidated to walk up until Bruce jumped forward and asked, “Might you be Allee Willis?” He said he got asked ten times a day if she was his sister. She told him she got the same question about him. It was the perfect icebreaker.
They talked for twenty minutes. She never saw him again. But she never forget.
Hit play below to hear Paul’s version.
And speaking of unforgettable moments…
There’s another special event coming up and this one does take place right here in North Hollywood. I’m opening my doors for a one-day Musical Wonders teacher training workshop on July 28, and we’re looking for 20 creative, curious, and music-loving educators to join us.
It’s totally free, includes breakfast and lunch (I know!), and comes with a $350 Sweetwater gift card for first-time teachers (so generous!). You’ll get to write, arrange, improvise, and compose music in the very same house where Allee turned wild ideas into Grammy-winning songs. I mean, c’mon.
Interested? Know someone? Full details and registration link are right here.
Until next time,
—Willis Wonderland
P.S. If you're not a music teacher in the L.A. area but still hope to visit me someday, maybe for a behind-the-scenes tour or special shindig, sign up here. I don’t open my doors often, but when I do, it’s something special.
Big thanks to the Willis Wonderland Foundation for giving me a voice.
They honor the legacy of Hall of Fame songwriter and creative powerhouse Allee Willis by empowering the next generation of creatives. Be sure to see what they’re up to with their Musical Wonders music education program. If you’d like to support what they’re doing (trust me, you do), please go ahead and make a tax-deductible donation today.
Share the magic, not the whole script.
Look, I adore being talked about. That’s how stories spread and legacies live on. So yes, share a photo, a GIF, a quote (just a snippet, not the entire post please). Just be sure to credit the Willis Wonderland Foundation and link back. All images and GIFs are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. That means you can share them with credit, just not for anything commercial.