As it turned out, I didn't have to go to a Knicks game to run into Spike Lee. Turner Classic Movies presented a free screening (yay for free activities!) of To Kill a Mockingbird as part of the classic film fest series, and Mr. Lee was present for a discussion with host Robert Osborne about the film, and for a Q&A session with the audience. It was held in the spectacular Ziegfeld Theatre- a theatre so beautiful that I wish I could just live inside of it. It's an opulent and romantic old-school movie palace with massive chandeliers, gold trimmings, and red velvet in abundance. Though I've seen Mockingbird more times than I can count, seeing it on the Ziegfeld's massive screen, as all films are intended to be seen, was such a pleasure. It's as if I was seeing it for the first time. Shot after shot, I was left with my eyes wide and my mouth agape- what a brilliant film Robert Mulligan made in 1962! I actually met Horton Foote, who is from Texas, and who wrote the screenplay for Mockingbird, when I was in college. I attended a reading of his memoir Beginnings; he was lovely and humble. As I studied theatre, I always had admiration for him as a great playwright. And he certainly deserves high praise for his adaptation of Harper Lee's novel. It's always fascinated me that Mockingbird was Harper Lee's first and only novel. I suppose that winning a Pulitzer Prize for your first book sets up an enormous amount of pressure and expectation.
A young Robert Duvall in his first film role, alongside Gregory Peck, Mary Badham, Phillip Alford, & Frank Overton
"And now, and maybe now I should change/ Because I’m starting to lose all my faith/ While those around me are beaten down each day" --The Boo Radleys, Lazarus
And because I'm in love with Jack White (If he was from NY he'd be on every post, but because he's not I have to fit him in where I can), and because I am adamantly opposed to Catholicism yet adore thisCatholic duo:
Anyone who knows me knows how much I love free activities. After years of watching The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, it was pretty awesome being in the studios and watching the taping of the shows- for free! Both of the shows began with a comedian who warmed up the audience with irreverent humor. Then Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert came out and answered questions from the audience. For this part, Colbert came out as himself and not as his character, which was cool. I must admit that I thought the Colbert taping was more fun. It might just be because I got to sit in the front row, and because I got a high-five from "the greatest living American" Stephen Colbert who was running around the studio with the enthusiasm of a five year old. I had to sit in the back row for The Daily Show taping, which really wasn't a big deal since the studio is so small, but it was trumped by the front row Colbert experience. Colbert was wild and energetic, while Stewart was very reserved. They were both hilarious, and I think that while Stewart was very serious in a more obvious manner, Colbert was also very serious in his kookiness, in the way that you hear comedians are generally incredibly serious about their comedy. It was fascinating to see their differing approaches to filming. After the Q&A session, Stewart jumped into the show. He was a total pro, going through the taping without a single mistake, without any second takes, without any breaks except the commercial breaks- during which his desk was immediately swarmed by writers and producers going over what appeared to be hundreds of pages of notes in the short time span. His process was quick, no nonsense. It was impressive. His guest was Calvin Trillon, a writer whom I wasn't aware of before the taping. but he seemed like an interesting guy. Colbert's process was a bit different. He screwed up a few times and needed several takes, especially during one of his long rants where he just couldn't get the words out properly. That was more enjoyable to watch, really, because it was hilarious and endearing. And there were more breaks in between segments. He did a funny skit where he 'maced' himself (and then poured yogurt all over his face) as a response to the pepper-spraying incidents during Occupy Wall Street and the report by the idiots at Faux News describing pepper spray as a food product. As he needed to get cleaned up, there was a longer break after that. His guest was Chris Matthews, who seemed very happy, very smiley. I'm not really a fan of Matthews' style but, surprisingly, he gave off good vibes. He was promoting his book about JFK, and he made certain to get in his signature "HA!" at the very end when Colbert asked him if he thought Newt Gingrich would be the next JFK. It was a good one.
While I was waiting in line outside The Daily Show studios with 200 other people, I saw Giancarlo Esposito walk by. Three days prior I had watched Gus Fring get his face blown off concluding an amazingly dramatic story arc of one of the best tv characters ever, so it was surreal to then just see him in front of me. He's a diminutive man, but he has an intensity to him. And he also looked pretty smooth in his black fedora. In my starstruck state all I could think to say was, "Hi Giancarlo!" in the absolute dorkiest way possible. Ugh. He turned and smiled and said hello back. None of the other 200 people in line recognized him; they just stood there witnessing the awkwardness. Breaking Bad is a great show and I highly recommend it, but I do think the writers have issues writing for the female characters. All of the male characters, leads and supporting, are amazing, yet the two female characters both come off as stupid and annoying. I hope next season the writers put some effort into making them as complex and as interesting as their male cohorts. Agree/disagree?
What are your favorite Colbert Report and/or Daily Show moments? And what is your favorite Jack White song? I am still recovering from the White Stripes breakup *tear*:(
"So Charlene, I'm so over you / So say so long/ If I wasn't over you/ Why would I write this song?/ Think about it/ No more carrying a torch/ I'm blowing out the flame/ But if you need to reach me/ My E-mail's still the same/ It's Stephen@Charleneforever.com" --Stephen Colbert, Charlene II (I'm Over You)
