12th & 13th July, 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Photo by Dan Chapman ©2001 Stanyan Entertainment Group

A Thought for Today

If it feels like love it probably is.

 

TO BEGIN WITH

Here’s a bit of correspondence I had earlier today with Christoph Dallach the entertainment editor of Der Spiegel:

Dear Rod,

The street date for Der Spiegel is Monday, the 14th of July. I saw the photos today; they’re beautiful, thanks for making this happen. Tell me how many copies of the magazine you want and we will send them to you.

Best,

Christoph

No Christoph, Thank YOU for making this happen. How many copies do I want? Two or three thousand would probably do it. Still, I guess I should leave a few for the newsstands and Der Spiegal subscribers –– so do you think you could swing half a hundred or so? Just a thought. Lets face it, for you Spiegel comes out every week, for me this is probably a once in a lifetime event. I wouldn't mind being able to spread copies around (with pride) where they'll do the most good.

On the other hand if you get caught smuggling too many copies to me you might be accused of dealing and lose your job. In that case I'd feel obliged to adopt you –– not to mention your wife and a little girl I haven't even met yet that I'd have to worry about putting through school. At the very least I'd want to help you find a new position and in this day and age, with world economics being what they are, how many jobs are available out there for German journalists addicted to vintage LP's whose musical tastes, while eclectic are nonetheless slightly warped? Not many I suspect. So I'll let you be the judge on how many copies you can get away with purloining from the firm.

It goes without further elaboration that I'm more than a little excited about being featured in what many, including me, consider to be Europe's premier news weekly. It is comforting to know that I only have two more days to worry about Englebert Humperdink being hit by a truck or one of the members of Abba stubbing a toe and thus bumping me and your story from its rightful place in current Deutschland culture.

My fingers are crossed, my pulse has quickened and my German to English dictionary is at the ready. Incidentally Monday the 14th is Bastille Day. Eat your heart out Paris Match. As Ever, Rod

THE EXPERIENCE, 2

He’s Big, he’s scary and he kills people. So given this reputation for mayhem without mercy who in his right mind would elect to while away a perfectly good California Friday with Jason Voorhees –– even if this particular start of the weekend didn’t happen to fall on the 13th?

Well I’ve just returned from spending the better part of the day at the same table with Kane Hodder who portrayed the czar of slice and dice in such films at “Jason Takes Manhattan” and “Jason Goes to Hell”, among other Friday franchises, and so far I’ve experienced no ill effects. Not even a headache.

Rod & Kane Hodder Burbank, CA 7/11/08. Photo by Jay Hagan

Hodder is big all right but in person he’s a good looking, genial guy who off screen seems to have fun with his image as one of movieland’s meanest hatchet men. More than one head did do a double take as side by side the slasher and the sentimentalist greeted fans and signed pictures and autograph books on this first day of the annual Hollywood Collectors Show. And we’ll be doing it for yet another day. Kane is flanked to his right by an old friend and one of my hero’s, the lean and green Ed Bagley Jr. To my left is another friend Hugh O’Brian, looking dapper as ever.

I can report that this unusual quartet has yet to discuss the possibility of remaking “The Four Musketeers.” Tomorrow I’m determined to talk Jay into photographing me with Tori Spelling. She’s sitting across the way not far from Edd Byrnes.

By the time Edward and I arrived for the gig the ever-resourceful Mr. Hagan had already scoped out a former playgirl and a renowned adult film actress. They are, of course, ensconced in another wing of the building. Jay hasn’t shared with us just which wing.

RM 7/11/08

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ROD McKUEN CONCERTS

ROD McKUEN APPEARANCES

notable birthdays

SATURDAY 12 July

Milton Berle o George Washington Carver o Van Cliburn o Bill Cosby o Ken Curtis o Kirsten Flagstad o Buckminster Fuller o Oscar Hammerstein II o Mel Harris o Mark Hatfield o Jean Hersholt o Max Jacob o Cheryl Ladd o Christine McVie o Amedeo Modigliani o Pablo Neruda o Vera Hruba Ralston o Richard Simmons o Henry David Thoreau o Josiah Wedgwood o Andrew Wyeth o Kristi Yamaguchi

SUNDAY 13 July

Isaac Babel o Sidney Blacimer o James Brolin o Kenneth Clark o Pope Clement X o Didi Conn o Bob Crane o Cameron Crowe o Bosley Crowther o Father Flanagan o Harrison Ford o Robert Forester o Nathaniel Bedford Forrest o Dave Garroway o Alex Karras o Jack Kemp o Louise Mandrell o Cheech Marin o Erno Rubik o Haile Selassie o Patrick Stewart o Sidney Webb o Norma Zimmer

Rod's random thoughts Everything wise has been said, so the wise man keeps his mouth shut.

No kind word is ever wasted.

Love words roll from the tongue as easily as ill advice. Say it when you mean it.

THE SINGING OF THE WIND / EIGHTEEN

I stood watching
as you crossed the street for the last time
trying hard to memorize you
knowing it would be important
the way you walked
the way you looked back over your shoulder at me.

Years later I would hear the singing of the wind
and that day singing would come back
that time of going would return to me
every sun gray day... April or August
it would be the same for years to come.

No man has made the kind of bromide
that would let me sleep without your memory
or written erotically enough to erase
the excitement of just your hands.

These long years later it is worse
for I know what it was
as well as what it might have been.

- from "Listen To The Warm", 1966

 
    AND FINALLY

After a long day of smiling and signing I didn’t get around to answering the mail for Ask Rod today so expect that feature later in the week. Sleep warm.

-RM / Holmby Hills, CA July 12, 2008 01:48AM PDST

 
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