The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe - 69: "A Little Dab'll Do Ya!"

Episode Date: August 8, 2017

Take it from mother - never underestimate the power of a little make-up, properly applied.

This is the way I heard it. It would be fair to say that Eugene made a fortune in makeup. It would be equally fair to say that Eugene craved his mother's approval. But it would not be fair to say that Eugene's mother was impressed by the $10 million check her son just handed her. This is very nice, Eugene, but tell me, what's next? Eugene sighed and smiled in spite of himself. When he was a teenager, he had mastered four separate languages. Flora had smiled then and said,

that's very impressive, son. What's next? When he expressed an interest in art, she got him canvases and paints, and Eugene created a series of beautiful landscapes and portraits. These are lovely, son. What's next? When he expressed an interest in music,

she got him a guitar, which he quickly mastered. Oh, that sounds lovely, son. What's next? When he mastered a few card tricks and simple illusions, His mother encouraged him to go farther. So Eugene became a magician. Still, his mother wondered, what was next? And now, after jumping headlong into a brutally competitive industry,

Eugene had finally made a fortune, in makeup, of all things, and the $10 million check he presented to his mom was proof positive that a constant willingness to reinvent himself had finally paid off. But Flora Klein returned the check to her son and repeated the same question. What's next, Eugene? What's next? Truth is, Flora was not unimpressed with her son's success.

In fact, she was very proud of Eugene's boundless creativity. It's just that Flora preferred to look forward. And she also knew something about cosmetics that her son did not. As a former beautician, Flora knew that the right makeup properly applied was worth more than 10 million. dollars, much, much more. Flora recalled her very first client, the one she met right after graduating from beauty school 45 years ago. Her name was Teresa, and she had posed a classic cosmetology challenge, an average-looking woman with strong features who had the great misfortune to possess a nose

the size of a baby's foot. She also had money and a very powerful husband. Flora knew what to do, A bit of rouge here to emphasize the cheekbone. A touch of highlight there to draw the eye up and away from the bridge of the nose. Darkened lashes to accentuate the blue in the eyes. When Flora finished, Teresa looked into the mirror and gasped with delight. Oh, my word, she said. Flora, you're a miracle worker. Can you come back tomorrow?

Flora left Teresa's luxurious home, giddy with excitement. Other clients would certainly follow, and after that, who knows? Alas, Flora's optimism was short-lived. That night, her mother explained the situation. Your grandmother has been called, she told Flora, but she's very afraid, and I'm sorry, darling, but I can't let her go alone. So Flora's mother and grandmother left the bunkhouse together and took their place in line. The line moved quickly, and through a dirty window pane, Flora could see her mother and grandmother holding hands as they walked together into the gas chamber. The next morning, the 14-year-old orphan returned to the Commandant's lovely home, where the Commandant's not-so-love wife awaited her next makeover.

Flora suggested a more dramatic eyeliner and applied it with expertise. Oh, that's wonderful, said Teresa. What's next? The following day, Flora suggested a new hairdo. Oh, this is delightful, said Teresa. What's next? The day after that, Flora separated Teresa's eyebrow and showed her how to conceal the mole on her chin.

Oh, that's marvelous, Flora. Thank you. Now, what's next? Every day, a new suggestion. a new improvement, a new compliment. That is how Flora survived the concentration camp. She made the wife of the commandant feel pretty, and with a little bit of makeup, properly applied.

She made herself indispensable. Eugene knew the story, but not the details. He would never know all the details, because Flora would never share them. But back in 1984, when his... His mother wanted to know what was next for the man behind all that makeup. It's hard to say if Eugene had the faintest idea. Did he know he'd soon be a best-selling author?

A reality TV star? A successful real estate investor. A social and political lightning rod. Did he know he would become a musician with more gold records than anyone in history? A sex symbol who would marry a Playboy bunny and have his tongue insured. for a million dollars. Who knows? But one thing's for sure.

Without her makeup, Eugene's mother would have surely perished in the Nazi death camps. And without his makeup, Flora's son would not be worth $300 million today. And the world would have been denied the blood-spitting, fire-breathing,

bass-playing mastermind who brought us the gentle and timeless melodies of little band called Kiss. Who knew? Underneath all that makeup, there was a nice Jewish boy, just trying to impress his mom, an insatiable entrepreneur called Gene Simmons, who's still trying to figure out, what's next? Anyway, that's the way I heard it.