Big storm yesterday blew away the choking heat that held the town all week. I was just up on the roof and you can actually breathe out there.
Summers in Rat City, the smell of baking garbage, the homicidal rage that gently slips over you, the knowledge that you are well and truly damned already, may as well just start plea-bargaining and drop the innocent act...
Deep weirdness out in Stroudsburg, PA. Saw a man wearing his pants higher up on his waist than I have ever seen.
And I grew up in Missouri.
Interview today with The List, sort of Edinburgh's TimeOut New York. Had a nice little piece in TimeOut New York last week. TimeOut New York is sort of New York's The List.
Working on a mobius sentence up there.
First rehearsal for The Invitation tonight. Getting my notes together, reading the play again, getting out the beret and the megaphone, seeing if those riding pants still fit.
I direct old-school.
And speaking of all that in the past, anyone remember Johnny Carson?
He ruled the night when I was but a boy and this morning's MMMQ concerns his last televised appearance.
When Carson bowed out it actually meant something to the country, or at least it meant something to me. It was like a landmark announcing it was going to tear itself down. His last guest was the divine Ms. M, Bette Midler, and she sang to him and broke him up, the camera cutting back and forth between her sad smile and his tears.
What was the last song sung on the Johnny Carson show?
1. Bye, Bye, Blackbird
2. One for my Baby (And One More for the Road)
3. Wind Beneath My Wings
4. With a Little Help from my Friends
or
5. Itsy-Bitsy Teeny-Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini?
Winners get the satisfaction of knowing that only the righteous win, losers are doomed to roam in cyclical existence driven by deep-seated habitual tendencies.
So, the stakes are kind of high this week.
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6 comments:
Oh John -
You know I have a cold little heart, there really isn't much out there that can move me to tears...but the memory of Bette singing "One More For My Baby" to Johnny does it Every. Time.
I remember watching this show with my dad (I think it was Johnny's second to last night, actually) and we played Frank Sinatra's version at his funeral.
No prize necessary for me this week, I feel as though I got it already.
Thought it was the last night. Version I have has her calling herself "the last fool Mr. Carson has to suffer".
Can't listen to it without crying.
Then again, I am a big pussy.
Yeah, John, it was the second to last night. On the very last night, Johnny just introduced clips of old shows.
Well, he just introduced clips and gave the farewell that made *me* cry...and I am not a big pussy:
“And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it.
You people watching, I can only tell you that it’s been an honor and a privilege coming into your homes all these years to entertain you. And I hope when I find something I want to do and think you would like, I can come back and (you will be) as gracious in inviting me into your homes as you have been.
I bid you a very heartfelt good night.”
Class. Even Damn Ann the Lampshade Queen can recognize class when she sees it.
Right. So Bette was the last guest, but on the second-to-last show.
Johnny Carson.
A class act in this business is a rare, rare thing.
Awww.
So sweet when people get together and talk about things that are mostly fantasy and bed time stories for me. I'd vote but ya'll are just too darned cute without me.
Awwwwwwww.
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