Week of 12/9/2007

After the War

Nobody told me that when I had a child he would try to kill me the first chance he got. The whole thing played out like some strange alien movie. First he had to infect himself in order to pass the infection along to me. But while he lay there, fully recovered, smiling and cooing, I would have to fight for my life, covered in a film of mucus and phlegm.

I rarely get sick. And when I do it lasts a day, two days tops. But whatever that child gave me knocked me out of commission for nearly an entire week. I honestly can't remember being that sick for that long. And so parenthood delivers another unexpected hazard.

I've also been wound tight as a fucking top lately. Whether it's from the illness, the holiday bullshit, deadlines at work, or being a new parent I don't know. But the slightest things have been setting me off lately with some interesting results. The funny thing is, I don't mind being a total fucking asshole sometimes. It's sort of therapeutic, actually. Shit I would normally take on the chin now sends me into a rage, and acting upon that rage has helped blow off some steam.

I really need January to get here.

Hilden's on his way over tonight to record some more episode of After Hours. I've gotten even more emails since I last wrote so that's inspiring. I'm sure the novelty will wear off once people realize they're just listening to a couple jerkoffs discussing the minutia of their daily lives, but until then I hope it's at least somewhat enjoyable.

John



More Often Than Not

There's nothing quite as sad and pathetic as a four month old with a cold. He sits there and sniffles or rests his head on your shoulder and whimpers. His little coughs and sneezes, while adorable, are pitiful and heartbreaking. You can't give him cold medicine and you can't tell him to blow his nose. You just have to let him plow through it, mostly on his own.

Thus went my weekend.

Game time has been limited, replaced by the wiping of snot and drool. In between screaming fits and soiled diapers, I've managed to watch a few movies with a warm sack of bones sleeping on my chest.

Of the movies I watched, the one that impressed me most was Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project. I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of "old Hollywood" and movies/stars from previous generations. And I've always been a casual fan of Don Rickles. But what inspired me to sit down and watch the movie was the promise of old footage of Frank Sinatra, Johnny Carson, Bob Newhart, and other old-school personalities that conjure up images in my head of the days when show business was magical.

In the movie, they discussed old Las Vegas - The Stardust, Golden Nugget, The Lounge, etc. - and how the corporatization of Vegas really took away a lot of the magic. Apparently, back in the day, as long as one of the hotel's facilities was picking up the slack, the others could be allowed to not turn as much of a profit. For example, if the casino in The Stardust was raking in enough cash to cover for the entertainment, they'd be more willing to bring in different acts. But once corporations took over, each area had to pull in hefty profits or else they'd get the axe. Thus, cutting edge comics and acts were gradually replaced with proven hitmakers, and the old Vegas of the Rat Pack gave way to the Vegas we know today.

It was a fascinating movie that also gave a very touching window into the life of Don Rickles, a guy who everyone assumes is just a cold, jaded old man based upon his persona. As it turns out, he's a sweet, kind, and supremely talented individual who's beloved by everyone he knows.

If you have an interest in the craft of comedy, or just want to see some great footage of Dean Martin and the gang, be sure to hit that link above and check for show times.

Before I leave, I just want to thank the people who wrote in with kind words about our first episode of Team Fremont Live: After Hours. It's cool to know that we can just throw something like that out there and get a positive response. Hopefully I can talk Hilden into posting the second episode sometime later this week.

John