The Total Package

The Total Package by Chiron O'Keefe

Just like my heroine in Sidekicks, I have a deep appreciation for a tasty leading man. Just about everyone has celebrity crushes. I mentioned in my last post how the character, Derek Flint, played by the incomparable James Coburn, made my youthful heart go pitter-pat.

Flint, was a master of at least a hundred professions, including Russian ballet, biochemistry and surgery. Wow! While Bond relied on Q to invent suitcases with cool devices, Flint created his own nifty gadget, a gold cigarette lighter with no less than 87 functions.

Zoom to a scene from In Like Flint where he's recording dolphin sounds to create a dictionary. He takes Colonel Lloyd Cramden to his private library and comments on his attempts.

Flint: "However, we are making such scientific strides...that last year's book is already outdated."

Cramden shakes his head in disbelief. "How do you find time to read?"

Flint dismisses the colonel's astonishment and comments, "No, no. I wrote that. Already obsolete."

Suave, handsome, brilliant, ah yes, The Total Package. Yum.

The next actor to sweep my youthful heart away was the delicious Cary Grant. Cary won my heart with classic comedies like His Gal Friday, Bringing Up Baby and The Philadelphia Story. Yet he's as suave as they come.

Few can resist John Robie in the romantic thriller, To Catch a Thief.



These days there are plenty of drool-worthy guys to choose from. Johnny Depp is one.

I'd be hard-pressed to kick this bad boy out of bed!

Jason O'Mara qualifies for a definite hottie. An incredible actor, this Irish actor shows great potential for fantasy material.

Jeffrey Donovan has a definite rakish appeal. Burn Notice is one of the best spy shows ever. But are any of these mighty fine fellows worthy of the title, The Total Package?

Some would say the leading contender to compete with the ultimate leading man, Cary Grant, would have to be George Clooney.

An actor, director, and activist who is as handsome as he is debonair - Clooney certainly fits the bill. Ah, but The Total Package is a subjective choice. As much as I adore Georgie-boy, he's just not The One for me.

Then I watched an obscure drama on AMC called Mad Men.

From my first glimpse of the lead actor, Jon Hamm, my mouth began to water.

Fine, I thought, he's unbelievably handsome. A fantasy on many levels but to qualify for the ultimate title, he needs to be more. When SNL announced he'd be hosting, I couldn't resist checking it out. The result?

My laughter rocked the house. Like my beloved Cary, this actor could pull off drama and comedy with the true ease of a leading man. When I caught his guest stint on 30 Rock I knew my quest had been fulfilled. The episode titled, The Bubble, where Jon spoofed his own good looks is one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

His acceptance speech at the Emmys where he ironically thanked the brilliant but underviewed Mad Men's "dozens of viewers" proved this fine fellow is sharp and witty too. Heart be still!

I hereby nominate Jon Hamm as my top pick for The Total Package. Now it's your turn to sound off. Who would you nominate and why?

For a glimpse of Jon and SNL's spoof of Don Draper, the lead in Mad Men, pour a fresh cup of coffee and take five minutes to savor Don Draper's Guide to Picking Up Women.

Smiles to you all!

Chiron O'Keefe

Journeys of self-discovery in both women’s fiction and psychic suspense.

As a toddler, Chiron O’Keefe knew exactly who she wanted to be—Casper the Friendly Ghost. Finding out such an option wasn't available to the living, she focused instead on creating a life filled with giggles and all things otherworldly. Her books reflect her passion for both the light and the dark. Whimsical stories with a touch of romance and shadowy tales that explore the hidden realms of the psyche. Her inspiration springs from a diverse background as a professional astrologer, singer-songwriter and comedy improvisational performer. Avoiding the glare of the spotlight, she now dances on an inner stage, where dreams come to life.

In addition to her novels, Chiron also pens motivational essays for writers, posted weekly on her blog, The Write Soul. When asked about her unusual name, she responded, “The name stems from Greek mythology, and very few people pronounce it correctly the first time. Phonetically, it’s Ky-ron. Don’t worry if you stumble, even my “Chiro-practor” gets it wrong!”

Find me on Facebook and Twitter under ChironOkeefe!

Holy Aphrodite, Megan Reed has finally made it! Her book's soaring up the NYT's bestseller list. There's only one hitch. With the greatest accolade of her writing career comes an even greater responsibility - hiding her true identity: a wannabe love goddess who couldn't find a leading man if he leapt out of the pages of her own How-To Guide.

Two men step into the spotlight, making her head spin. Between dodging the nosy media, and searching her own heart, Megan discovers not only who she is, but also the real meaning of the term 'Leading Man'.

Stardom isn't all it's cracked up to be........when you're hiding the real you.

SIDEKICKS, October 2009, Eirelander Publishing.