Meeting Santa

While Janice was putting herself through Art School she took a job at a department store. At Christmas time the store was always swamped with shoppers. As a sales associate, Janice was expected to maintain a certain degree of decorum and in those days the customer really was always right! Janice was busy wrapping a purchase when she looked up to greet the next customer. "SANTA!" she exclaimed involuntarily! There in front of her was the spitting image of Santa Claus! White hair, rosy cheeks and a real long white beard! Janice immediately started to apologize for her outburst, but the "Santa" just laughed. He explained how he loved being mistaken for Santa Claus. During one summer (he told Janice) he was walking in the surf in Florida when he overheard a little boy talking to his mom. "Mommy," the little boy said, "There's Santa. He's on vacation!". This "Santa" really had the true spirit of Christmas!

The Orangutan Incident

After Janice left the Golddiggers she joined the Beautiful Downtown Beauties on the last season of "Laugh-In". During that time the Dean Martin Show featured an exotic animal at the beginning of the show for Dean to interact with. Both shows were recorded at NBC Studios in Burbank.

Janice was walking through the walkway between sets and came across a trainer who was showing off a very nervous baby Orangutan. A crowd had gathered to admirer the little cutie. They say that animals are color blind . . . but that little Orangutan took one look at Janice's red hair (a very close match), scurried through the crowd, ran up Janice's leg and held on for dear life! There was Janice hugging the little guy, who obviously thought he had found his Mom!

Janice has loved Orangutans ever since!