Goat Day 26: Reflecting on the Past
1Afternoon kids. It's another journal entry. I'm running out of time to earn some kind of goat respect (or loathing), so I gotta make thing count.
RETROSPECTIVE, AKA FEELING OLD
David Letterman is retiring on May 20th of this year. By the time all is said and done, he will have hosted a late night program for over 33 years. 33 years! That's a remarkable achievement. I remember being a wide-eyes kid watching his old Late Night show on NBC and giggling at the absurdity of it all.
I was able to interact with Dave during a show in 1997. It was one of the biggest highs of my life.
Adjust your volume as necessary. It runs a bit loud:
Soon after, I found like-minded fans on a Newsgroup. We had a special bond, and we thought it would be a hoot to go to the show together and interact as friends. We've been doing it since 1999, and this May will be our last show together. It certainly will be bittersweet.
Today, one of my buddies asked for a list of all the guests during our DaveCon Experiences, and I was able to compile a list. Looking over it, it was rather interesting:
May 20, 1999: Helen Hunt, Courtney Love, Hole
I recently saw Helen Hunt in a movie called "The Sessions." I wasn't prepared to see her in a full frontal nude role when she was nearing 50. And now Courtney Love is showing up in a Kurt Cobain doc where she'll be topless... So yeah, I've seen all of that day's guests nude.
June 22, 2000: Samuel L. Jackson, B.J. Olson
I just signed up for a Capital One card, so this was a good guest lineup.
June 18, 2001: Dikembe Mutombo, David Bouley, Cesaria Evora
Dikembe was tall. I mean freakishly tall.
June 20, 2002: Harrison Ford, And You Will Know Us by the Trail of the Dead
A President in the Movies! Han Solo! Indiana Jones! Regarding Henry.... Ummm.... Other roles we don't really remember!
June 16, 2003: Hillary Clinton, Emmylou Harris
Possible future President? I don't know... I didn't get a chance to see her server.
June 14, 2004: Paris Hilton, Patty Scialfa
Paris Hilton is a terrible human being.
May 16, 2005: David Arquette, Gordon Ramsay
I don't know about you, but I prefer British Gordon Ramsay compared to American Gordon Ramsay.
June 15, 2006: Sandra Bullock, Widespread Panic
The only Academy Award winner we saw. I barely remember this show.
June 14, 2007: Turkey Callers, John Cusack, Pink Martini
Who doesn't love a good Turkey Call?
June 19, 2008, Jason Bateman, Teri Garr, and Keyshia Cole
It was kind of sad seeing Teri Garr. MS is a terrible disease.
May 14, 2009: Kid Scientists, Teri Hatcher, Rick Ross (with Magazeen)
Kid Scientists are always fun. And if I recall correctly, Teri Hatcher referenced me and two of my friends after Dave gave us ties.
May 20, 2010 Katherine Heigl, Steve Cohen, Band of Horses
I don't remember this show. I honestly don't. But I believe Steve Cohen is a Millionaires' Magician, or something.
June 8, 2011: Jon Cryer, Roy Haynes
I want to say this was soon after the Charlie Sheen Fallout.... And Iit was. Wow, that was 4 years ago?
June 18, 2012: Denis Leary, Olivia Wilde, Top Ten with Matt Cain, The Pierces
Olivia Wilde is pretty. And for some reason, I have Denis Leary's autograph. I won it on the internet one year. I think it was because I was the only one that entered.
June 3, 2013: Neil Patrick Harris, Tony Kanaan, Frank Turner
I remeber this one because I asked Dave before the show about a non-existant blog I wanted to write.
June 2, 2014 Donald Trump, Ryan Hunter-Reay, Elizabeth Cook
You know what's cool about seeing the Indianapolis 500 winners? You get to see the trophy. That trophy is impressive. They have two guys in white gloves handle it.
And this May will be our last ride. I have many fond memories of our travels together. It'll be great.
TODAY'S DEAL
I like a good headphone. But I already have decent headphones. I'm sure they're quite adequate.
TODAY'S QUESTION
Do you participate in any yearly reunions, whether it be family or a group of old friends or college buddies?
Until tomorrow, BLEAT!!!!
- 8 comments, 13 replies
- Comment
No not regularly organized. However it sounds like fun.
Pink Martini! Way cool.
@SIMBM I love hang on little tomato!
No - but I'll attend the monthly, semi-annual, or annual local, regional and/or national Meh member picnic / beer garden / jam session / key party / whatever, if ever it be organized if they'd have me and the Mrs. I'm good for a couple kegs, a few DECENT bottle of bourbon and 20 slabs of Joe's KC ribs (aka Oklahoma Joe's). Especially if I'm flying the BBQ to Texas to show them how the fuck it's done.
(Flame on.)
But seriously, there ought to be a gathering - I hear @snapster has a hell of a lawn in Plano.
@Pavlov meh should totally have an annual gathering. Maybe at some offsite location (or maybe at the warehouse), so, yaknow, no one has to take out a restraining order against any of us for stalking or shit like that.
@joelmw Are you suggesting Meh Con?
@BillLehecka That would work. But somehow it reminds me of this:
@Pavlov I can't tell if this is the best or the worst idea, but it's definitely worth thinking about for the future. I do want you to come out because I want to try Oklahoma Joe's really badly. My SO is from Missouri and her entire family swears by Kansas City BBQ, I haven't had the pleasure of trying it but I'm looking forward to it when I head out there in May.
@Pavlov I'm not going anywhere near @snapster's yard. That Glen looks dangerous.
@JonT Make sure to go to Arthur Bryant's (who shortly before he passed away was quoted by Esquire magazine in answering the interviewer's query as to what makes his BBQ taste so good as saying, "The dirt and grime on my attendant's hands, of course."). Only ever go to the Brooklyn Ave location in KCMO . . . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Bryant%27s
Joe's KC (Oklahoma Joe's) is arguably serving what may be the best BBQ in the US right now, IMO the only location worth a visit is the original (yes, inside the gas station) location at 3002 West 47th Avenue in KCK.
As for the other recommends - I could (and many have) write a book on KC BBQ, but the hot joint right now is Slap's at at 553 Central Ave. in KCK. They only serve lunch (you wouldn't want to get out of the car after dark anyway) and when they sell out, they shut her down (usually sometime around 1:30-2:00 PM). People start lining up pretty early in the mornings, especially on the weekends. Texas influenced KC style, multiple American Royal wins, worth the trip.
I'm scheduled to be on a location shoot in late April through the first week of June, but if I get back to KC on a weekend you're in the area, dinner and drinks are on me.
@Pavlov @JonT Midwestern BBQ? PSSSHHHHHHH NC BBQ, Eastern or Western, wipes the floor with anything I've had elsewhere. Pork shoulder slow cooked for 16 hrs with a spicy dry rub is the only way to make real BBQ.
@RedHot 1) Proof right there that there is no accounting for taste. 2) If NC BBQ is so damn good, why do we win so many awards? 3) What's the difference between roadkill and NC BBQ? Exactly. 4. Your mother.
Okay, seriously - 5) You're right. People always believe that all KC/Memphis BBQ is wet and sweet. It isn't, and more of it is cooked dry than not. I've had GREAT BBQ in NC, but my tastes don't lean to either heavy vinegar or mustard sauce. I've had GREAT BBQ in Texas too - but I've also had what may be the best BBQ experience in the world, in Korea.
Really great BBQ is about how it tastes - not where it is made.
@Pavlov Where in Korea?
@SIMBM There was a traditional maekjeok place in Busan that was amazing, no idea the name of the place, I could have eaten there every day for the rest of my life . . . this was maybe three or four years ago - in the Haeundae District near the beach near the Paradise Hotel. We'd walk past it from the hotel to the location we were shooting a little further inland. Hands down, best BBQ I have ever had. The hotel had a couple of pretty amazing restaurants also - but we ate outside the hotel every chance we were afforded. Those meat skewers though, heaven.
I've been to two Letterman tapings, but for the life of me I don't remember all the guests as it was a long, long time ago. I only recall Patrick Stewart (awesome!) and Melissa Etheridge who sang her annoying song 'Come to my Window.' Not a fan. After Dave jumped ship to CBS we had done a tour of Rockefeller Center. When we got to the windows above the SNL studio the guide looked down and mentioned we were rather lucky because the curtains were supposed to have been closed. There was a temporary studio set up and Conan O'Brien was sitting at a desk practicing in his new role as host of Late Night. This was about 2 weeks before his first airing. As we were watching him he swung his hand down and accidentally clipped the side of the desk with his fingers. You could lip read what was obviously a very loud "Fuck!" from about 75 feet away. It's the funny little moments that stick with us...
@cinoclav This last Letterman taping will be my 24th. Wish I made it to 25. It's always fun. I love the cold theater.
@BillLehecka Probably helps living there. I'd have gone to many more if I didn't have to deal with the ride up from Philly.
That's an awesome and admirable retrospective, @BillLehecka. I feel like this makes you a b-list celebrity. And I knew you (sort of) when you were just an aspiring goat.
Oh, wait, I knew you after you'd fallen from the ranks of b-list celebrity.
Yeah, I have no idea where I'm going with this . . .
In answer to your question, I'm a very nuclear guy, so the only reunion I have every year is with my onlyest daughter (and now her husband) for Thanksgiving (nuclear family).
I don't have any regular reunions, but after moving halfway across the country and leaving almost all of my friends in California it's definitely something I want to start doing.
I've thought about setting up some kind of regular gathering where everyone pitches in for a big lake house or a cabin in the mountains and meet ups every few years to catch up. But doing that still requires the money to be able to pitch in and catch a flight, and the vacation days to take the time off and those two things seem to be in short supply for all of my friends right now.
Did all of the Meh goats have a meet-up in Seattle yesterday?
"The goats reportedly chased a group of children before they were captured."
http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/pets-and-animals/2015/03/26/goat-herd-chase-seattle/70504690/
I used to get together with a group of friends every year in Vegas. We did that for about 5 years before things fell apart. I would totally do that again with a good group of people.