Mon. 4/27 Big Show Synopsis
Brady
go ...
*DESK CHAT HIGHLIGHTS*
After promo'ing the night's guests, Dave turned things over to Alan
Kalter. Alan was going to give us the rundown of the guest lineup for
the remainder of the week. Just as Alan was getting started, a woman and
a young man -- a kid -- approached his stand. The woman told Alan that
she had something to tell him. What was it? She wanted to introduce him
to ... his son. Wow. He sure looks like Alan. The kid spoke up and said,
"Is that you, Pa?" Alan said this was impossible. He said his parents
gave him a vasectomy for his 18th birthday. They were very focused on
their careers, and they didn't want grandchildren. Oh, well. The best
thing about this: Dave laughing heartily after the kid said to Alan, "Is
that you, Pa?" Funny.
The Top Ten List: 'Thoughts That Went Through Matthew Stafford's Mind on
Draft Day,' as presented by the # 1 pick (Detroit) in Sunday's NFL
draft, Matthew Stafford (UGA).
It's been rather warm in New York City. (Earlier, Dave threw to a
weather report. The five-day forecast called for temperatures in the
120s-130s, possibly reaching 140 in some spots by the weekend.) Dave
said he always worries about stuff. He wonders whether it'll just keep
getting hotter. Could it be due to climate change? Biff took a moment to
give us a concise explanation of climate change. He explained it while
walking off the stage and down the aisle and ... right out the door.
Dave finally decided that Biff wasn't coming back. I played at home and
lost. (I thought Biff would exit the door and go right to the restroom.)
*MATTHEW FOX*
He was a pretty good guest. He's on "Lost."
*CAROL LEIFER*
This was nice. The book is "When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists
Win."
*THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS*
I didn't like that 'breathing/breathy thing' the singer did at the
beginning. I liked the harp. The album is "When The World Comes Down."
*MISCELLANEOUS MEANDERING*
I'm glad I'm not the White House aide who approved that 'photo op' over
the skies of New York City yesterday. Louis Caldera, the director of the
White House Military Office, has apologized for approving the photo op.
He also reportedly was called in to a meeting with White House Chief of
Staff Rahm Emanuel and Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina.
In a statement released Monday afternoon, Caldera said, in part, "I take
responsibility for that decision. While federal authorities took the
proper steps to notify state and local authorities in New York and New
Jersey, it's clear that the mission created confusion and disruption. I
apologize and take responsibility for any distress that flight caused."
ABCNews.com reports, "Although the shoot was authorized, the normal
system of public notification broke down, multiple officials said."
ABC News further reports, "A New York City employee has been disciplined
for failing to pass on the FAA fly over information when it arrived on
the employee's desk at City Hall. According to city officials the
employee was 'reprimanded' and a 'letter was placed in his file.'"
"No information was immediately available on what if any discipline was
meted out at the NYPD, where a second FAA notice was received last
Thursday." [http://tinyurl.com/ABCNews-PhotoOp]
I have a feeling Mayor Bloomberg might not be content with the City Hall
employee merely getting a 'letter in his file.'
What else is going on? Hey, I just thought of a game -- a Google Earth
scavenger hunt. A prize will be involved. Before I give the first clue,
tell me if it's a stupid idea. I mean, do people even enjoy scavenger
hunts? But this one will be a *cyber scavenger hunt*. I don't know. The
concept sounded kind of fun to me a few minutes ago.
That's all I got, for now.
Brady
Maybe
> The Top Ten List: 'Thoughts That Went Through Matthew Stafford's Mind on
> Draft Day,' as presented by the # 1 pick (Detroit) in Sunday's NFL
> draft, Matthew Stafford (UGA).
Good list. Too bad the best guy in the draft always has to play for
the worst team. Do they ever make the worst team better?
> *MATTHEW FOX*
> He was a pretty good guest. He's on "Lost."
I like him. But, he is sick of working in Hawaii? Come on! After
this season of Lost ends in May, it doesn't come back until January
2010. I hope they get everybody back to the same year.
> *CAROL LEIFER*
> This was nice. The book is "When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists
> Win."
I like her. Jerry Seinfeld modeled the Elaine character after her.
Too bad the lesbian thing happened too late to be included in the
show. That would have been funny. Dave was funny when he kept
saying, "When I knew you before you became a lesbian." Wonder if she
made him nervous?!
> *THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS*
> I didn't like that 'breathing/breathy thing' the singer did at the
> beginning. I liked the harp. The album is "When The World Comes Down."
The harp was good, I'm glad Dave asked her to play a little something
at the end. What was that box thingie the guy behind the singer had?
I couldn't figure out what it was.
>
> *MISCELLANEOUS MEANDERING*
> ABC News further reports, "A New York City employee has been disciplined
> for failing to pass on the FAA fly over information when it arrived on
> the employee's desk at City Hall. According to city officials the
> employee was 'reprimanded' and a 'letter was placed in his file.'"
Well, the best part was that guy. He got the memo which also said not
to tell anyone so he didn't! Silly guy!
> What else is going on?
- Well, they say Barack Obama was exposed to the swine flu while in
Mexico last week.
- They are also saying that Jay Leno was possibly hospitalized for
swine flu last week.
- The Fox network said no to Obama's speech on Wednesday and will run
a crawl telling people if they want to see the speech, they should
turn to Fox News.
- There was a guy who fell asleep at a staff meeting Obama was giving
and he said he was bored. If he is bored at staff meetings, maybe
they should get rid of him.
> Hey, I just thought of a game -- a Google Earth
> scavenger hunt. A prize will be involved. Before I give the first clue,
> tell me if it's a stupid idea. I mean, do people even enjoy scavenger
> hunts? But this one will be a *cyber scavenger hunt*. I don't know. The
> concept sounded kind of fun to me a few minutes ago.
I like to play with the Google Earth so it sounds like fun to me.
Count me in.
Maybe...not in it for the prize!
randwill
"Maybe" <Maybe...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:932cfd5b-1e84-45f4...@x31g2000prc.googlegroups.com...
> *THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS*
> I didn't like that 'breathing/breathy thing' the singer did at the
> beginning. I liked the harp. The album is "When The World Comes Down."
The harp was good, I'm glad Dave asked her to play a little something
at the end. What was that box thingie the guy behind the singer had?
I couldn't figure out what it was.
*****************************************************
I'm glad Dave had her play it after the song too. I couldn't hear it at all
during the song. I did hear drums, which was strange since, even though
there were two percussionists back there, neither one was playing drums.
That thing one of them had looked like three of those canisters from the
bank you use at the drive-thru, taped together, maybe with pebbles inside.
Tom W
>
> *THE ALL-AMERICAN REJECTS*
> I didn't like that 'breathing/breathy thing' the singer did at the
> beginning. I liked the harp. The album is "When The World Comes Down."
I was mesmerized by the eighteen string guitar. The song bored me and I was
thinking about how nobody uses a double necked guitar any more when I saw the
top neck had 12 tuning pegs.
Tom W
R H Draney
>> *CAROL LEIFER*
>> This was nice. The book is "When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists
>> Win."
>
>I like her. Jerry Seinfeld modeled the Elaine character after her.
>Too bad the lesbian thing happened too late to be included in the
>show. That would have been funny. Dave was funny when he kept
>saying, "When I knew you before you became a lesbian." Wonder if she
>made him nervous?!
The story about coming out to her parents served a socially important purpose
too...it sent people back in Indiana scurrying to look up the word
"shaygetz"....r
--
A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?
Brady
> On Apr 27, 11:29�pm, Brady <watercl...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> What else is going on?
> - Well, they say Barack Obama was exposed to the swine flu while in
> Mexico last week.
> - They are also saying that Jay Leno was possibly hospitalized for
> swine flu last week.
> - The Fox network said no to Obama's speech on Wednesday and will run
> a crawl telling people if they want to see the speech, they should
> turn to Fox News.
> - There was a guy who fell asleep at a staff meeting Obama was giving
> and he said he was bored. If he is bored at staff meetings, maybe
> they should get rid of him.
Larry Summers? I believe this was the second time he's dozed off like that.
Somebody needs to jab him or poke him, or something.
Brady
Maybe
Yep, it was a meeting with credit card executives.
Maybe...who always tried to stay awake during meetings
Brady
Maybe the double neck guitar is poised for a comeback.
Brady
Brady
I can't even begin to tell you how absolutely overwhelmed I've been with
the enthusiasm generated by this Google Earth *cyber scavenger hunt*
thing. You should see my email inbox.
Now I've just got to flesh out the rules.
Brady
Jess Band-ee-Coot
> Hey, how's it goin'? Did you *have* a good weekend? Mine was OK. Here we
> go ...
>
> *DESK CHAT HIGHLIGHTS*
> After promo'ing the night's guests, Dave turned things over to Alan
> Kalter. Alan was going to give us the rundown of the guest lineup for
> the remainder of the week. Just as Alan was getting started, a woman and
> a young man -- a kid -- approached his stand. The woman told Alan that
> she had something to tell him. What was it? She wanted to introduce him
> to ... his son. Wow. He sure looks like Alan. The kid spoke up and said,
> "Is that you, Pa?"
Wonderful stuff! I hope they bring young Alan back for more.
>
> It's been rather warm in New York City. (Earlier, Dave threw to a
> weather report. The five-day forecast called for temperatures in the
> 120s-130s, possibly reaching 140 in some spots by the weekend.) Dave
> said he always worries about stuff. He wonders whether it'll just keep
> getting hotter. Could it be due to climate change? Biff took a moment to
> give us a concise explanation of climate change. He explained it while
> walking off the stage and down the aisle and ... right out the door.
They should sub-contract a Steadicam operator next time they do this
bit. I almost vomited from the shaky-cam.
--
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Did you ever once show me any kind of friendship?
Ask my help with a personal problem?
Include me in one of your little bull sessions?
Can you imagine what it feels like to walk by this tent
and hear you laughing and know... that I'm not welcome?
Did you ever once offer me a lousy cup of coffee?"
-- Major Margaret Houlihan "M*A*S*H" ("The Nurses")
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Steve Curtis
>Tom W wrote:
>>I was mesmerized by the eighteen
>>string guitar. The song bored me and I
>>was thinking about how nobody uses a
>>double necked guitar any more when I
>>saw the top neck had 12 tuning pegs.
>Maybe the double neck guitar is poised
>for a comeback.
Yeah, Jimmy Page popularized the guitar during his Led Zeppelin days.
Brady
And there was ...
Who am I thinking of?
(I'm not being facetious. I don't know who I'm thinking of.)
Steve Vai? Did Steve Vai play a double neck guitar?
Brady
Donz5
John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu Orchestra
Steve Curtis
>Brady wrote:
>>Steve Curtis wrote:
>>>"Brady" wrote:
>>>>Tom W wrote:
>>And there was ...
>>Brady
The guitar:
http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/gibson_sg_double_neck.html
Jess Band-ee-Coot
Nigel Tufnel played one in "This is Spinal Tarp"
Sally
Sorry I didn't get to read this message sooner, Brady. I think your
cyber scavenger idea is brilliant. Please do flesh it out.
Sally
Alan Page
"Steve Curtis" wrote...
>>John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu
>>Orchestra
> The guitar:
> http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/gibson_sg_double_neck.html
I'll see your guitar and raise you by 3...
Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen has the five-in-one model.
http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=rick_nielsen
They also make 6 &12 string bass guitars.
--
Alan
~WWWWW~
What a Wonderful Web We Weave
Greg Evans
> "Steve Curtis" wrote...
>>> >>John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu
>>> >>Orchestra
>> > The guitar:
>> > http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/gibson_sg_double_neck.html
>
> I'll see your guitar and raise you by 3...
>
> Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen has the five-in-one model.
>
> http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=rick_nielsen
>
> They also make 6 &12 string bass guitars.
I was just about to mention Rick Nielson's 5 necker. He also has
(on the page you linked, scroll down from the 5'er)
a double necked guitar that's a caricature of himself, where the
necks are his legs.
I saw Cheap Trick perform around 1980 or so. Rick played that
5-necker. He also came out at one point with about 8 guitars
strapped around his neck. He'd play each one for a bit, the heave
it to a roadie waiting in the wings. The guy caught every one of
them, despite the fact that Rick seemed to be *trying* to make it
difficult for him.
I'll never forget the look of concentration on that guy's face. I
wonder what the penalty was for dropping a guitar?
This off-topic ramble brought to you by the letter "S"
Greg
Steve Curtis
>"Steve Curtis" wrote...
>>>John McLaughlin and his Mahavishnu
>>>Orchestra
>>The guitar:
>>http://www.kellyindustries.com/guitars/gibson_sg_double_neck.html
>I'll see your guitar and raise you by 3...
>Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen has the
>five-in-one model.
>http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=rick_nielsen
>They also make 6 &12 string bass
>guitars.
And then, there's the "Quad" guitar:
Steve Curtis
>http://www.hamerguitars.com/?fa=rick_nielsen
>They also make 6 &12 string bass
>guitars.
The "Fender VI" 6-string bass has been around since 1961. I once played
with a bass player who had one.
Alan Page
"Greg Evans" wrote...
> I saw Cheap Trick perform around 1980 or so. Rick played that
> 5-necker. He also came out at one point with about 8 guitars
> strapped around his neck. He'd play each one for a bit, the heave
> it to a roadie waiting in the wings. The guy caught every one of
> them, despite the fact that Rick seemed to be *trying* to make it
> difficult for him.
> I'll never forget the look of concentration on that guy's face. I
> wonder what the penalty was for dropping a guitar?
They played at the nightclub I worked at in the early '80's and right
after soundcheck I went up onstage and got *this* close to all of his
guitars that were perched on stands.
Just had to have an up-close look at them custom jobs. They were
beautiful.
It was the same night I met Todd Rundgren.
Felicia plays on the Hamer guitars also.
Greg Evans
Yeah, he's always had a lot of really nice looking guitars. Since I
wrote my last message I've been trying to remember who the opening
bands were (I remembered it was a 3 band bill). Suddenly (just now) it
came to me! Krokus / Pat Travers / Cheap Trick. Good times.
Pretty good recall considering that was ~25 years ago and, well...
just considering.
Yep,
Greg
Jess Band-ee-Coot
Mark the date down.
Nobody has mentioned Krokus in 20 years.
If you say their name three times,
they'll join the newsgroup.
Default User
> Maybe wrote:
> > - There was a guy who fell asleep at a staff meeting Obama was
> > giving and he said he was bored. If he is bored at staff meetings,
> > maybe they should get rid of him.
>
> Larry Summers? I believe this was the second time he's dozed off like
> that.
I'm a notorious non-fan of staff meetings here at work. While I don't
fall asleep, I have been known to be unattentative. Fortunately, the
boss has been making real efforts to shorten up the meetings. Chief
among these is getting curtailing the practice of "going around the
room". That's where each person in turn lets everyone know what they've
been doing lately. ZZZZZZZZ.
Brian
--
Day 86 of the "no grouchy usenet posts" project
replyo...@emailprivate.com
wrote:
At least Obama didn't fall asleep at the meeting like Reagan did.
Brady
> On Apr 27, 11:29�pm, Brady <watercl...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> *CAROL LEIFER*
>> This was nice. The book is "When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists
>> Win."
>
> I like her. Jerry Seinfeld modeled the Elaine character after her.
> Too bad the lesbian thing happened too late to be included in the
> show. That would have been funny. Dave was funny when he kept
> saying, "When I knew you before you became a lesbian." Wonder if she
> made him nervous?!
What I want to know is: did she *become* a lesbian, strictly speaking,
or is it that she simply eventually came to accept & embrace her lesbianism?
I mean, I assume it's the latter.
Brady
Brady
Yeah, I don't like the 'going around the room' deal.
I'm more a fan of: 'Does anyone have anything to add?'
Brady
Sally
> Maybe filted:
>
>
>
> >On Apr 27, 11:29=EF=BF=BDpm, Brady <watercl...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> >> *CAROL LEIFER*
> >> This was nice. The book is "When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists
> >> Win."
>
> >I like her. �Jerry Seinfeld modeled the Elaine character after her.
> >Too bad the lesbian thing happened too late to be included in the
> >show. �That would have been funny. �Dave was funny when he kept
> >saying, "When I knew you before you became a lesbian." �Wonder if she
> >made him nervous?!
>
> The story about coming out to her parents served a socially important purpose
> too...it sent people back in Indiana scurrying to look up the word
> "shaygetz"....r
>
> --
As a Jewish woman, I was surprised that Carol used the word "shaygetz"
with Dave, and he responded with the word "Ouch." Evidently he knows
it's a somewhat patronizing and unwelcoming term for non-Jewish men
although many Jews would deny that. I don't know when else I've ever
heard the word "shaygetz," except in respect to marriage My father
used to warn me to marry a Jewish man only, as it was always possible
that during a fight, my non-Jewish mate might lash out at me and call
me a Jew.
Anyway, I dated a Jewish doctor (pleasing the folks) who was 17 years
my senior (not pleasing to my folks,) and, during a moment of eager
anticipation, commented that I was a beautiful "Jewess." Now, the only
time I had heard the word Jewess was while watching the film
"Ivanhoe," with Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Taylor. I didn't
appreciate it, and broke up with him before he got to call me anything
else objectionable. No "shaygetz" I ever dated, and I did date several
men of the Christian and even Moslem persuasions, ever called me a
Jewess.
I'd like to apologize to Dave for the verbal slight, but, as we all
know, DAVE IS NOT HERE. Words like that can hurt. She ain't too
sensitive, but I believe her when she said that's what her Dad said. I
think he was kidding around, somewhat, to make her feel better when
she "outted herself" to him. It sounds like a Mel Brooks joke anyway.
Today, I spent a couple of hours wondering how you spelled "shaygetz"
anyway. I had trouble with Google today, but it was worth it to read
r's comment about the people in Indiana and the spelling of the word.
Words can be a great source of estrangement, keeping people from
really communicating. (That's an Ayn Rand observation in THE
FOUNTAINHEAD.)
Sally
Brady
I'm still fleshing.
I'm also working out the first clue.
Brady
Brady
> On Apr 28, 8:47�pm, R H Draney <dadoc...@spamcop.net> wrote:
>>
>> The story about coming out to her parents served a socially important purpose
>> too...it sent people back in Indiana scurrying to look up the word
>> "shaygetz"....r
>>
>
> As a Jewish woman, I was surprised that Carol used the word "shaygetz"
> with Dave, and he responded with the word "Ouch." Evidently he knows
> it's a somewhat patronizing and unwelcoming term for non-Jewish men
> although many Jews would deny that. I don't know when else I've ever
> heard the word "shaygetz," except in respect to marriage My father
> used to warn me to marry a Jewish man only, as it was always possible
> that during a fight, my non-Jewish mate might lash out at me and call
> me a Jew.
>
> Anyway, I dated a Jewish doctor (pleasing the folks) who was 17 years
> my senior (not pleasing to my folks,) and, during a moment of eager
> anticipation, commented that I was a beautiful "Jewess." Now, the only
> time I had heard the word Jewess was while watching the film
> "Ivanhoe," with Elizabeth Taylor and Robert Taylor. I didn't
> appreciate it, and broke up with him before he got to call me anything
> else objectionable. No "shaygetz" I ever dated, and I did date several
> men of the Christian and even Moslem persuasions, ever called me a
> Jewess.
<snip>
How do you feel about non-religious guys who watch TV naked?
Brady
Greg Evans
I don't like either. I'm more a fan of: 'For the love of God, everyone
just shut the fuck up so we can get out of here.'
I tolerated staff meetings much better when we used to have
doughnuts*.
Greg
*Up yours, spell-check, that's how I'm spellin' it!
R H Draney
>
>I'd like to apologize to Dave for the verbal slight, but, as we all
>know, DAVE IS NOT HERE. Words like that can hurt. She ain't too
>sensitive, but I believe her when she said that's what her Dad said. I
>think he was kidding around, somewhat, to make her feel better when
>she "outted herself" to him. It sounds like a Mel Brooks joke anyway.
>
>Today, I spent a couple of hours wondering how you spelled "shaygetz"
>anyway. I had trouble with Google today, but it was worth it to read
>r's comment about the people in Indiana and the spelling of the word.
I used Google myself, knowing full well that there would be variant spellings
("shegets", "shehgetz", etc) and found that "shaygetz" was the most common
version on the web, so that's what I went with...as luck would have it, it was
my first guess anyway...while Dave appeared familiar with the word, I notice
that she turned to Paul for approval after using it....
Carol's father's main objection to the marriage may have been that the guy
wasn't Jewish, but I sensed a little shared history between her and Dave that
there were some other issues that troubled her more...checking Wikipedia
confirms that her ex was Ritch Shydner, who I remember from standup (as a cross
between Jeff Foxworthy and Tim Allen) and from a guest appearance on "Designing
Women"....r
--
A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?
Default User
> Carol's father's main objection to the marriage may have been that
> the guy wasn't Jewish, but I sensed a little shared history between
> her and Dave that there were some other issues that troubled her
> more...checking Wikipedia confirms that her ex was Ritch Shydner, who
> I remember from standup (as a cross between Jeff Foxworthy and Tim
> Allen) and from a guest appearance on "Designing Women"....r
I remember him. "Canyon Man".
Brian
--
Day 87 of the "no grouchy usenet posts" project
kat...@earthlink.net
> What I want to know is: did she *become* a lesbian, strictly speaking,
> or is it that she simply eventually came to accept & embrace her lesbianism?
>
> I mean, I assume it's the latter.
4/30/09 Q&A: Carol Leifer, Late Bloomer
When it comes to comedy careers, Carol Leifer has been there, done
that. Besides being a popular stand-up comedian, Leifer, 52, is an
Emmy-nominated writer and producer for work on shows like Seinfeld,
Larry Sanders and Saturday Night Live. But it's her personal résumé
that is the main focus of her entertaining new book, When You Lie
About Your Age, the Terrorists Win (Villard). Leifer's notable
relationship history has included two famous former boyfriends
(comedians Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Reiser), one not-famous former
husband, a female partner for the past 12 years (Lori Wolf) and one
adopted 3-year-old son (Bruno). TIME senior reporter Andrea Sachs
reached Leifer at her home in Santa Monica, Calif.
TIME: You describe yourself as a late bloomer for having come out
after you were 40 years old.
Leifer: I'm finding, especially with women, a couple of different
kinds of gays. I've met people who say, "I knew I was gay my whole
life, and I lived this lie, and then I finally came out." My kind of
gay is like the late-breaking-lesbian kind of gay. I mean, I was
attracted to boys. My first crush was on Davy Jones. My kind of gay,
meeting a woman and falling in love, is a different experience because
it wasn't anything about "Oh, I've always been gay and I'm breaking
the chains." The whole experience spun me around. I really thought
this was going to be a fun fling, and I had no idea that it would
become this finding my soul mate, the love-of-my-life sort of deal. It
does make you feel reticent about talking about it at the beginning
because you're not sure if it's real, if it's going to stick. I didn't
want to pull an Anne Heche, sheepishly heading back to the car
dealership.
You've been together 12 years now. Are you thinking of getting
married?
We're kind of die-hard holdouts. We have so many friends who got
married right before the election, and it was a really fun time. We
went to a zillion parties. But I [could] see the writing on the wall,
and I had a feeling that Prop. 8 was going to pass. It was a really
crushing blow to our friends to go from this kind of high of
exhilaration to this stunning defeat. So Lori and I feel we're going
to wait until there's one marriage across the board, and it might be
awhile. We just feel strongly about it.
You have another member of the household, your 3-year-old son Bruno.
Tell me about him.
We made a very late-in-life decision to adopt. I was 50 when we
adopted him, and Laurie was 43. I have to say that it's awfully
strange to get Parents magazine in the mail along with AARP magazine,
but it has really been an amazing thing. I never thought I was going
to have children. I just thought after 45, that was it. But I like the
surprises in life ... I never thought about having kids at 30, but I
think I'm a much better mom now at 52 than I ever thought I could be.
The pace of this age is really good and fits well with a child,
especially because we have a lot in common, my son Bruno and I. We
both like books with large print, and napping is always on the agenda.
Tell me about the beginning of your career. Was it really hard to get
started as a female stand-up comedian?
In those days, when I started stand-up in the late '70s, it felt so
easy to get into stand-up because there were so few people doing it
and so few women. I always saw it as a tremendous advantage, and I
always tell women that if you're in the minority in whatever you do,
there are advantages to that which I think are enormous. Especially in
a performing way. It sets you apart. It was kind of sexist in my early
years, but they would put together a show, and it would be like, Well,
we need the guy, we need the ventriloquist, we need the monkey act,
and we need the woman. Well, at least I got on. And I really also felt
and still do feel that the guy comedians that I came up with, and boy
did I come up with a great class — Jerry Seinfeld was the MC the night
I auditioned at the Comic Strip along with Paul Reiser, whom I went to
college with. Jerry introduced me to Jay Leno when I moved out to
L.A., and we quickly became friends. I think of them all as big
brothers to me to this day.
What was Jerry Seinfeld like as a boyfriend?
Oh God, it's so long ago! We had a really fun, happy time. We dated
for less than a year. We had a really great time. The thing that
always stands out to me about Seinfeld that I'm just blown away by is
he's the most together person I've ever met who has not had a day of
therapy. It's staggering because he's so together and very sage. He's
a great person to ask advice from, be it personal stuff or career,
because he's always right on and he always knows what the right thing
to do is ... He's the hardest working of all the comedians I came up
with. I remember when we were all partying until 4 and getting up at
noon. He always cut out time during his day as a young comic to make
sure he sat down and wrote ... So his success, I think, for the people
who knew him from when he started, is so not surprising because he was
always kind of a rock star to us.
How did you meet David Letterman?
I was performing at the Comic Strip in 1979, I think, and I came off
stage, and the manager at the club said, You know, this guy named
David Letterman just saw you. I was like, Wow! I was excited because
he didn't even have his morning show yet, but we knew he was a great
comic. But I got a call the next day from the talent coordinator of
the Tonight Show who said, David Letterman said he saw you and that
you might be a good candidate for the Tonight Show. I didn't get on
until 12 years after, but once Dave got his NBC show, which was a
little bit later, they just booked me. It was a really terrific break
for me, because David Letterman basically said to me the first time I
was on the show, I think you're terrific, and any time you have a set
ready, come on. Just come on the show. So I think I did it 25 times
through the '80s and early '90s.
Are you doing stand-up now?
Yes. I'm still doing my stand-up. I learned very quickly in my
Seinfeld years — I got a little lax about it, and then I went onstage
after not having been onstage for a while, and it was like, oops. If
you don't use it, you lose it, and I saw that it's a really nifty
skill to have learned, especially so early in my life when you're not
fully formed, to have all the fear mechanisms in place. I feel I've
always got to keep my stand-up because I never want to lose it.
Your mother was a shrink when you were growing up. What was that like?
Well, Andrea, it's hard to picture my mom solving other people's
problems when she's the root of most of mine. It's a challenge. In one
way, I do feel that my mother did instill in me the old get-ye-to-a-
shrinkery, the value of therapy and its good effect on your life. I
think that's been great, but shrinks as parents is a little tough
because they're not that adept at switching out the shrink hat with
the parent hat, which are two very different roles. Everything is
always, Well, how do you feel about that? Well, I'm hungry. My mother
is 89 and stopped practicing as a shrink at 88. It's really something.
I do remember that when I was learning to drive — talking about
keeping the shrink hat on all the time — we were driving together, and
I accidentally hit a squirrel and felt horrible. My mother was like,
Don't worry about it; the squirrel clearly displayed suicidal
tendencies anyway.
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1894980,00.html
Helen Read
<< The new buzz phrase coming out of contemporary studies is "sexual
fluidity." >>
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/personal/04/23/o.women.leave.menfor.women/index.html#cnnSTCText
--
HPR
Brady
The headline: "Why women are leaving men for other women"
To paraphrase George Costanza: 'You've gotta respect that.'
Brady
Brady
> On Apr 29, 6:15 pm, Brady <watercl...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> What I want to know is: did she *become* a lesbian, strictly speaking,
>> or is it that she simply eventually came to accept & embrace her lesbianism?
>>
>> I mean, I assume it's the latter.
>
> 4/30/09 Q&A: Carol Leifer, Late Bloomer
>
> [...]
> [...]
>
> http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1894980,00.html
Very interesting, K. Thanks for posting.
Can I be serious for a moment? It's the weekend.
Actually, forget it, for now. I've got a headache.
Brady
Brady
> On Apr 29, 6:15 pm, Brady <watercl...@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
>> What I want to know is: did she *become* a lesbian, strictly speaking,
>> or is it that she simply eventually came to accept & embrace her lesbianism?
>>
>> I mean, I assume it's the latter.
>
> 4/30/09 Q&A: Carol Leifer, Late Bloomer
>
> [...]
>
> You've been together 12 years now. Are you thinking of getting
> married?
> We're kind of die-hard holdouts. We have so many friends who got
> married right before the election, and it was a really fun time. We
> went to a zillion parties. But I [could] see the writing on the wall,
> and I had a feeling that Prop. 8 was going to pass. It was a really
> crushing blow to our friends to go from this kind of high of
> exhilaration to this stunning defeat. So Lori and I feel we're going
> to wait until there's one marriage across the board, and it might be
> awhile. We just feel strongly about it.
I guess my attitude has been: *why not?* In fact, isn't it really an
issue of living up to the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, as
well as to both the spirit *and* letter of the US Constitution?
The 14th Amendment says that no state shall "deny to *any person* [my
emphasis] within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."
How can bans on same-sex marriage *not* violate the Equal Protection
Clause of the 14th Amendment?
Brady
--------
Gay marriage law signed in Maine, advances in N.H.
May 6, 2009 07:35 PM
By Jenna Russell, Globe Staff
Maine and New Hampshire took steps toward the approval of gay marriage
today, bringing to five the number of New England states that have moved
to legalize marriage between same-sex couples in the past five years.
Governor John E. Baldacci of Maine became the first governor in the
country to sign a gay marriage bill into law without being spurred to
action by a court decision. In New Hampshire, legislators took the last
of several votes approving a gay marriage law. Governor John Lynch, a
Democrat like Baldacci, will have five days to veto the bill, sign it,
or let it become law without his signature.
<snip>
[http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/gay_marriage_la.html]
--------