[playful music] [phone ringing] - Hello, darling.

No, no, I'm not looking to book my trip to Phuket.

I'm looking to book a barber shop quartet, darling.

[audience laughing] Yes.

Yes.

For a Jean Parker Christmas Spectacular Extravaganza!

[audience laughing] - [Narrator] This is Jean Parker.

- Hello, I'm Jean Parker.

[audience laughing] - [Narrator] This is Jean Parker.

[audience laughing] This is Jean Parker.

[audience laughing] - Hello, my darling!

I'm Jean Parker.

- [Narrator] This is Jean.

Oh no, that's Annette Palermo.

This is Jean Parker.

Well, Annette Palermo and Jean Parker.

- Hello, darling.

[gentle music] [Jean smooches] [Jean giggles] - [Narrator] This is a story about the power of pretend.

[sleigh bells jingling] This is a story about aliases, masks, make believe.

- Yeah.

It's all fake and smoke and mirrors.

It's showbiz, darling, showbiz.

- [Narrator] This is a story about what happens when your imaginary friend and hero are actually yourself.

- We get the style.

Alright, one last time.

- Alright, so you- [Jean hushes] - Jean Parker, here.

[gentle piano music] - [Narrator] This is a story about a woman who needed the strength of two, and found both within herself.

This is Annette Palermo.

A former Marine, single mother of two, and now a long-term COVID-19 sufferer.

- I don't doubt myself that I can do this, it's just going to be a little more challenging for me, physically.

- [Narrator] But she's also been a living room comic, performing for audiences made up of friends and family for years, complete with costumes and funny voices.

- Yes, this is where the magic happens.

- Love, you are beautiful.

You are ageless.

- [Narrator] They say laughter is the best medicine, but for some people it's making other people laugh that heals their wounds.

[audience laughing] Case in point, Annette Palermo.

Jean Parker.

- [Interviewer] What do you put your camera on?

A tripod?

- An ironing board.

It's very high tech, darling.

- [Narrator] When the going got tough for her then, she decided to go out on a limb, and on social media and on stage.

Was it the right idea for someone who hadn't performed in front of an audience in decades?

Well, the answer depends on who you ask.

Jean Parker.

- It'll be fantastic.

It'll be spectacular.

There'll be snow, and glitter, and everything that Jean Parker adores!

- [Narrator] Or Annette Palermo.

How are you feeling, Annette?

- Oh, I'm terrified.

Nervous.

Might wanna vomit.

[gentle piano music] - [Narrator] Here's the story.

- Oh my goodness.

More packages from Cartier and Tiffany's for Jean Parker.

[man laughs] - And then Jean pushes open the door.

- [Narrator] Right.

- And grandly enters, you know, doing her thing, and says, did someone say, Cartier, and Tiffany's, darling?

And then cue the applause.

- Please welcome Jean Parker to the Jean Parker Christmas Spectacular.

- And then Jean is center stage.

- [Male Actor] Right.

- And she does her thing.

Hello.

I'm Jean Parker.

- [Narrator] Given your health issues, why did you decide to do this show?

- That character, she lifts me out of the doldrums.

She lifts me out of that mental place where I get stuck, when I'm just thinking, I feel horrible.

This long COVID is kicking my butt.

Doctors still don't know enough about it.

And I recently had an appointment with my long COVID doctor, and she said at this point, there's really, there's really no other therapeutic treatments that they can offer me.

I have, I, because I have long COVID, and I have some memory issues.

- [Narrator] Hmm.

- So I'm struggling.

I'm not gonna be able to memorize anything.

I'm really going to have to rely on my improv skills.

And I also am struggling with vertigo pretty badly.

So, I'm gonna load up on my vertigo meds.

But I'm afraid this, like, I don't, I don't doubt, I don't doubt myself that I can do this.

It's just going to be a little more challenging for me, physically.

- [Male Actor] Gotcha.

- I have been living for other people, doing for others, since I was 19 years old.

I got pregnant at 19.

I became a mother at 20.

I was in the Marine Corps.

It wasn't about me.

It was about the greater good.

And then when I got, you know, in the Marine Corps and then when I got pregnant, I was living for that child.

So, now I'm 49.

That's 30 years of always putting myself last.

And because of the COVID and everything.

And I, and I was so sick and I was, you know at one point I was just rewriting my will.

I was like, I'm gonna rewrite my will 'cause I really don't even know if I'm gonna live through the night.

This is really horrible.

And I woke up the next day, and I said, okay, I'm alive.

I'm just gonna, I am gonna get through this.

- Hello, darlings.

Jean Parker here with a terribly important message for you from the Federation.

Help me.

You're the only one that can help me.

Speak into my buns.

[audience laughing] Yes.

Yes, darling.

Let me whisper into yours.

The ticket sales for my Christmas Extravaganza are now on sale.

[audience laughing] It's limited.

It's yours while supplies last.

No lightsabers indoors.

That's videography.

That's right.

Oh, what's that?

I'm tuning in to the force.

[audience laughing] Oh!

It's just one of my former lovers trying to pull me on the ear, darling.

I haven't figured out the psychology yet.

No.

I-I'll call him back later.

Anywho, my loves.

Come to the Jean Parker Christmas Extravaganza!

November 6th.

Be there.

[audience laughing and applauding] - [Narrator] If you had to go out on stage on November 6th as Annette Palermo, would it be more difficult than if you go out once or if Jean Parker goes out on stage?

- I absolutely think it would be more difficult if Annette Palermo went out there, because Annette Palermo is not Jean Parker.

Jean Parker.

[Annette sighs] She's, she's a part of Annette Palermo that Annette is far too fearful to be herself.

And I think that we all have that part of ourselves.

You know, Jean came about when my children were very young.

I was a single mother.

I had no help financially from anyone.

So raising these kids on my own, I had to be very creative to entertain them.

So we had our VHS Disney videotapes, and we had this huge craft tub that we would do our crafts every weekend.

And sometimes, you know, we would even, the kids would, we'd make up a story, so the kids would make up the story and narrate the story.

And I would be all of the characters performing for them.

Or in the morning, in order to get them to brush their teeth, brush their hair.

I had to be Betina the hair stylist.

Like, okay, breakfast is done.

Go, go get your, get your toothbrush, go brush your teeth Betina will do your hair.

And then Betina would come in and do their hair.

And then the chauffeur, I said the chauffeur is waiting outside, you know, get in the car and the chauffeur will take you to school.

And then I was the chauffeur as I drove them to school.

So it's always been a huge part of my life.

However, it was really only for my family.

And Jean came about and you know, it took on a whole other, Jean, took on a whole other part of me, and got me through some really dark times.

And then she kind of went away for a while.

And I actually did not show Jean to anyone outside of my family until last year, last November.

And Jean performed at Thanksgiving.

It was, you know, dinner and a show.

In between dinner and dessert, Jean put on this like 50-minute show for my family, my boyfriend and his family.

Very conservative people.

- [Narrator] Yeah.

- Even my boyfriend had never met Jean.

- [Narrator] Hmm.

- So I said, you know what, if he's gonna stick around, Jean Parker will be the telltale sign.

- [Narrator] And what was the reaction?

- Oh God.

Everybody loved her.

- And I don't want to just walk in.

He said.

[footsteps shuffling] [gentle piano music] - Hello!

Hello, darling!

[man and Jean laughing] Look who's come to visit!

- Oh, hello.

[Jean laughing] I didn't want to walk in and I'm like, thought it was a set up.

- Do come in.

- Thank you.

Thank you.

- Come, please, darling.

- So good to see you again.

- It was my pleasure.

Please enter.

- All right.

Hello.

- Let's close the door.

Keep the riff-raff out.

[narrator laughing] [champagne bottle popping] - Here we go.

I saw this in To Catch A Predator.

They lure you upstairs.

- Yeah.

Darling, come to my lair.

Look at my taco.

- Look.

Exactly.

[Jean cooing] Can we play some cool 70s music?

- Disco ball!

Darling!

[Jean scatting] Okay.

- Feel like we should go to the Tuckered and Skate later.

[Jean laughing] [upbeat music] - I think I'm too thick with this top on.

- [Friend] All right, so do we just wanna.

- What?

Should I do this?

- [Friend] You're fine.

I think it looks great.

Yeah.

- With the belt or without?

- [Friend] I like it.

- [Narrator] Yeah, I like the belt.

- Darling.

Let's sing just one more tune.

And you know what I think would be terribly lovely?

If you took a sleigh ride with Jean Parker?

- Well, I love a sleigh ride.

- I just love a ride, darling.

[friend laughing] [horses neighing] Oh, the horses!

Bounce!

- Yes ma'am.

- It's quite pleasant, isn't it?

- Watch the potholes.

- Dig in, darling.

[friend snorting] Oh, heaven.

Come on!

- [Both] Just hear those sleigh bells jingling Ring ting tingling, too.

- I get tingle darling.

- Come on.

It's lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you!

- It's all about the bounce.

- Outside the snow, is falling and friends are calling, - [Both] Woo-hoo!

- I've always had this fear of rejection.

And even though, you know, I was, I appear to be very confident, and I was in the Marine Corps and I was strong, and then I was in the restaurant industry and hardcore, rah rah rah, on my feet for 15 hours a day.

No problem.

Putting out 200 plates a night.

You know, I'm really, I'm really very shy.

You know, Annette's very shy.

Jean is very, look at me.

So I think Jean is kind of the me that I wish, Jean has all the confidence that I wish that I had.

- So don't forget, we're looking for donations for the Jean Parker Christmas Spectacular.

We love you.

Help Jean make her dreams come true.

- Jean is a dream come true, darling.

And I'd love to share this dream with you.

- I already had an idea in my head of what I wanted the show to look like and to sound like.

So I wanted to have a great opening number.

I mean, every show starts with a great opening number and the drum roll and the tympany.

Ladies and gentlemen, oh, it's the blah, blah, blah show.

- It's time to clench your fannies, and put your hands together for the one and only, because there could be, there could never be another, thank goodness.

Jean Parker.

- And this is where you cut the drum roll and go directly to the fanfare.

And you know, you hear and then [Annette scatting] The curtains come open and the stark or the host comes out or whatever.

- [Announcer] Jean Parker.

- Wait a second.

No.

You skipped.

You skipped the part.

- I had did my homework and all my lines are underlined.

And then you gave me a new script.

- I'm sorry.

It's the same, it's the same thing.

It just had added.

You know, of course I imagined a much bigger stage and lights and cameras and, pow!

You know, all that jazz.

[Jean gasping] - Did someone say Tiffany's and Cartier, darling?

- And then applaud, and then, wait.

But I'm, I'm making it as much of that as possible.

I want them to go home feeling uplifted.

♪ There's a party going on right here ♪ ♪ Right here ♪ ♪ Celebration to last throughout the year ♪ ♪ So bring your good time and your laughter, too ♪ ♪ We're gonna celebrate and party with you ♪ ♪ Come on ♪ - Don't know the words of this.

- Me neither.

Let's all celebrate and have a good time.

- And that's what Jean Parker is all about.

She wants to spread joy.

She's this magical, mythical creature, clad in sequins and lots of bobbles, and, you know, just.

She's a bit ridiculous.

But I think that that's what everybody needs right now.

- [Narrator] Annette, how are you?

- I'm nervous.

- [Narrator] And how many days until the performance?

- Three.

[Annette laughing] - [Narrator] How many days could you use before the performance?

- 33.

Yes.

- [Narrator] And what is your, your feeling right now?

- I'm feeling nervous.

I'm feeling anxious.

I don't know.

It's like if you don't expect anything then you don't get disappointed.

Does that make any sense?

- [Narrator] Yeah.

- So I'm not expecting it to go completely smoothly tonight.

Nor should it.

You know, the announcer Michael Corliss, who's basically my co-star, he and I have only been able to rehearse once, because of our schedules, and he was away.

So it's just a little nerve-wracking right now, but I'm sure it will all come together because Jean flies by the seed of her pants.

I mean, that's what she does best.

So I know that if there are any lulls, or any things that shouldn't be happening, she'll just [snapping fingers] pick it up and go with it.

And Mike will too, because he's really good at that.

Jean and Mike have good banter.

They have good energy.

So I, I know it'll be okay, but it's that anticipation of not knowing.

It's the unknown.

And since nothing has gone right yet, I'm thinking, well why would it tonight?

[Annette laughing] I mean, with my memory issues I have been going over and over and over the lyrics of the songs that I need to sing.

Couldn't tell you one of 'em right now.

So I said, all right, how am I gonna make this work?

Well, in the old shows they had, you know, index cards.

They were holding index cards and talking to their guests.

So I'm just gonna have the index cards with the lyrics and glance down when I have to, and do that.

I mean, what else can I do?

I don't want to stand up there and make up words.

Like my father would make up words to his songs.

- [Narrator] What about cue cards?

- I'm not gonna be able to see them.

- [Narrator] Hmm.

- And then I'm going to have to really redirect my gaze.

I won't be physically free to move about the stage like I need to.

But.

Anyway, I'm just gonna throw some crap at the wall and see what sticks.

[upbeat guitar music] - [Narrator] What was it like in the days leading up to the show?

- I've been very short tempered.

I've been overwhelmed.

Not a lot of sleep.

Waking up in the middle of the night, remembering something that I forgot to do, and then running outta bed, going into the office, writing it down, sticking it on my computer monitor, so in the morning I could do it.

But it was, it was very difficult because I was really logistically, I was doing everything myself.

- [Narrator] Did you ever think at all during the production that maybe you bit off more than you could chew?

- Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Why?

While I was preparing for it, I definitely felt like I was in over my head, or what was I thinking trying to do this?

Yeah.

It was the most challenging, self-inflicted experience I think I've had to date.

- [Narrator] When you asked yourself, why did I do this, what was the answer you heard in response?

[Annette chuckling] - [Annette] It was Jean.

It was Jean in my head.

- [Narrator] And what did she say?

- I'm worth it, darling.

It's going to be fabulous.

You know, she's all, pshew!

She's like it's gonna be this, it's gonna be that.

You worry too much, darling.

Oh, I need to come out of the, you know, she, it's all about me, darling.

Let me out.

And I think she felt cooped up for too many years.

Like, this was her comeback, you know?

- [Narrator] Did you ever consider not doing the show?

- Yeah, I think about a week or two before the show, I had a total melt.

It was a Sunday.

I had a total meltdown.

You know, I'm making lunch for us, and sitting there at the table on a Sunday, just trying to enjoy lunch.

And I just [Annette mock crying] you know, start to do my ugly cry.

And I was so overwhelmed.

I was just, it just all hit me.

What am I doing?

I can't even remember what I'm supposed to be doing from moment to moment on a regular daily basis.

Oh.

I go into the, to this room.

Why did I even come down here?

Where I go downstairs, why am I downstairs?

It was just so much, it's so overwhelming that I really did not wanna do the show.

[harmonizing quartet music] [indistinct chattering] [guitar string plucking] [men chattering] - So thank God I had it.

- Mom left us money and she just said make sure he gets something.

- [Woman] Yeah.

- So he got something.

He got like 10 grand, which was pretty good.

- [Narrator] How are you feeling, Annette?

- I'm terrified.

Nervous.

Might wanna vomit.

- [Narrator] Any thoughts on getting through it, and excelling in this like any kind of ideas of what you're gonna do?

- What I think what I, what Annette needs to do is take a moment to herself, and back away, and allow Jean to come through.

Because right now, she wants to come out, and it's, I'm getting in my own way.

So I have to, I have to go, so I can allow Jean to come through.

- [Narrator] Okay.

- But, uh.

- Do you want us to give you a minute to share with her?

- Yeah, I do.

I do need a minute.

I didn't want to have my anxiety or my fear in the forefront, because if I do that, Jean can't come through appropriately or a hundred percent.

Are they ready?

- I don't see, just, we'll be right in a few minutes.

We are filming and I was talking about the silent auction.

- Yeah.

Did anybody, like, everyone's okay?

- I saw people signing in.

Yeah, they're ready to go.

- Are there people still at the tables or coming in?

No, everyone's seated?

Everyone's in the middle?

- Yes ma'am.

- How many?

How many is it?

- Don't worry about it.

Doesn't matter.

- Five rows?

[Annette sighing] No.

I just.

- Did you want me run to get more?

- Like, did anybody come to my show?

This is what makes me sweat.

- Well, that and the chinchilla you have on you.

- Darling, I think this is fox.

- Oh, all right.

- Foxy lady.

- So.

- [Narrator] In the moments just before you went out on stage, what were your feelings?

What were you thinking?

- I was really thinking, well, this is it, kid.

You know, you just gotta lean in and go for it.

And, and get outta here, you know?

And let Jean in.

- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the moment you've been waiting for is over.

Actually, the moment is about to begin.

The long wait.

- And I, I don't even know if I came in at the right time or not.

As soon as I opened that door and ran on stage, that was all Jean, you know?

So it was okay.

And I, I forgot how much I loved being on stage.

- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the long wait is finally over!

- I forgot how much I loved performing.

And it wasn't about being fearful.

Oh, they don't like me.

I mean, there weren't really that many people in the audience.

And a lot of spaces in between the people that were there.

And I said, don't look at the empty chairs, just focus on the people that are there that you can see and play to them.

Because I think that Jean really works best when she's playing off of others.

- [Narrator] So let me ask you, you just said that you remembered how much you loved performing.

- Yeah.

- [Narrator] Did the show scratch the itch for you?

- A little bit.

- [Narrator] Okay.

[Annette laughing] - Just a teeny, tiny bit.

[soulful guitar music] ♪ Have yourself a merry little Christmas ♪ ♪ Let your heart be light ♪ ♪ Next year all our troubles will be out of sight ♪ ♪ Have yourself a merry little Christmas ♪ - And I really want you to tell me where you've been lately.

- Well, I've been playing a bit locally but I've also been playing very far away.

- Ooh.

Like where?

- This past summer I was in England.

- Ooh.

Did you see the Queen?

- I did see the Queen as a matter of fact.

- Oh.

Oh, I love her.

[audience laughing] She gave me this brooch, you know.

- Well, they had an office party for her.

I'm not sure if you know that.

[audience laughing] - An office party.

And I wasn't invited.

- Everybody had cake at the end of the day.

[Annette groans] - Tea, whatever.

I got the broach.

So, there you have it.

[audience laughing and clapping] ♪ Baby, it's cold outside ♪ ♪ I got to go away ♪ ♪ But baby, it's cold outside ♪ ♪ This evening has been ♪ ♪ Hoping that you drop in ♪ ♪ So very nice ♪ ♪ I hold your hands ♪ [Annette gasping] ♪ Just like ice ♪ ♪ My mother will start to worry ♪ - I do remember thinking that before I went out of the, of the back room to get ready in position backstage, I remember thinking, you go out, you give your best, and hope that the people appreciate it and that's it.

And move on.

If there's criticism, if there something didn't go right, okay, fine.

You move on.

And I, and I have been like analyzing everything about the show, going through it in my head over and over and over again.

What went right, what went wrong?

What could I have done better?

What do I want to do better next time?

And then I think to myself, are you freaking crazy?

What next time?

You ready?

♪ Baby it's cold outside ♪ - [Narrator] What do you hope people take away from your story?

- You can be brave enough to be yourself, not be afraid of who you are.

[soulful music] Not water yourself down.

Jut to be true to yourself, and not allow anyone else to take, to take away your sparkle.

So just be proud of who you are.

Doesn't matter if you're a little chunky.

Doesn't matter if you're a little gray.

It doesn't matter if you're middle aged.

You know, dreams have no expiration date.

- [Narrator] You said at the beginning of the interview that you did it because Jean Parker deserved it.

Do you deserve it?

- Absolutely.

And Jean demands it of me.

I am worth it.

And you know, if I have to put on some sequins, in order to get to that mental state, to where I feel like I do deserve it, and I can do it on my own, fine.

And then maybe eventually at some point, I won't need Jean to help me along.

I'm still gonna be me.

I'm really happy with me.

[upbeat music] ♪ We are ♪ ♪ Exactly what you see ♪