The moment we have all been waiting for has arrived! And it has not disappointed. Dr. Drew, what heart wouldn't swoon at your sophisticated ways? But are you up for the challenge? You are a man of the times, and I'm certain that after a few more months of Vera's humorous cliches, you will be a happily married man - excuse me, happily married doctor.
Last night’s Larry King interview with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison was amazing. They were at the Mirage in Las Vegas celebrating the one-year anniversary of Cirque du Soleil's Beatles show, Love. The interview was great.
Larry has that annoying “Stop interrupting my questions with your answers” attitude. He asks things like, “Do you ever just want to pinch yourself when you wake up in the morning thinking, I’m a Beatle?” and as a follow up, “Tell me about John’s death.”
Larry King asks Ringo, how is life? To which Ringo answers, "Life is great."
How's the wife? "Great!"
And gorgeous. "She’s gorgeous and she's great."
Then Larry immediately turns to Sir Paul: And Paul, how are you adjusting to what was tumultuous times? (Referring to Paul’s divorce.)
"I'm okay, thank you Larry, thank you for asking," with just a touch of irony that cracks Ringo up. "I'm doing surprisingly well."
Larry: I mean that had to be rough. "It is currently rough, it is very rough, but I don't talk about it and that helps."
Larry, who’s been through a few tumultuous times himself, takes the hint: But life's good aside from that? "Life is good, life's good, life is wonderful. And with friends like these, who needs life?"
They remained cheerfully cocky and occasionally cynical toward Larry, just like they always have treated the press. Especially when Larry called Ringo, George. Paul mocked Larry like crazy, until Ringo told Paul, "Tell the man what he wants to know."
Then there was this odd moment:
Larry, bringing Yoko and Olivia back on: We're going to bring out the widows.
Ringo: The Widow Cranky.
Which I believe is some totally obscure reference to an old old old British pantomime. Regardless of where the remark came from, it could have been seen as completely inappropriate. Yoko had commented earlier that one of the things that first impressed her with the Beatles was their humor, and that other composers had always struck her as so serious, but the Beatles were constantly clowning. Putting your foot in your mouth probably just goes with the job.
But some of the interview they took quite sincerely:
Larry asks about whether or not George’s death had been a surprise (which was a typically lame question since he suffered with cancer for a while). Paul begins to talk about his last visit with George. As he tells the story, he takes Ringo’s hand quite tenderly and says how he held George’s hand, just like this, how this was a guy he’d known since childhood and you don’t hold hands, and it is really a tremendously candid moment. To which Larry touchingly responds: “Let’s go to a commercial. And tomorrow night, Paris Hilton’s first interview since her release from jail!” He says to the lads, “You’ve heard of her.” And Paul and Ringo just stare dumbfounded.
I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and let the brilliance of Mary Worth speak for itself. (If the image is too small to read, click on it and you'll see a slightly larger version.) How can people not read this stuff religiously? It is the funniest strip in the paper. Actually, it isn't in my local paper any more. The Washington Post stopped printing it a few months ago. I was so upset I actually wrote to the paper. Did they have the courtesy to write me back? No. Mary would call that "Bad Form."
In this age of instant gratification (so well portrayed by Dr. Jeff's son, Drew), the lingering story lines and complex character development of Mary Worth are quickly passed up for the titilating sensationalism of Brewster Rocket and On the Fast Track. Sad really. But eventually we all need to savor the sweet serenity of Charterstone. It's as soothing as one of Mary's window-sill-cooled cherry pies.
Poor Mary. No one seems to want to come to her pool party. I have to say, though, that this is the lamest excuse I've EVER heard. He won't go because he's FUND RAISING? As a former professional fund raiser, all I can say is, "Why wasn't Dr. Jeff on my board of directors?!" Getting them to raise money was like swimming in the Amazon - and their excuses were the piranhas. However, I never had a problem getting a board member to attend a party.
If I've learned one thing from Mary Worth over the years, it is that if she thinks it, it's going to happen. Oh, Vera, you whose life has been so full of loneliness, please, go to the party. For love awaits if only you will heed every word of Mary's advice.
