The Big Bang Theory and Vanity Cards

The wife and I have become big fans of The Big Bang Theory. We watch it weeknights in between Jeopardy episodes, and are never disappointed. It's a terrific show that makes us laugh constantly. Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, Raj, and Penny all have their quirks, and Amy, Stuart the comic book guy, and others all add to the mosaic to what is 22 minutes of great TV programming.

Another thing I like is show co-creator Chuck Lorre's Vanity Cards at the end of each episode. Typically the card flashes up there long enough for me to see the number and maybe a thought or two. It's not possible (unless you pause the DVR) to see the entire message, so I look online to see what the man has to say, because I find myself looking forward to reading his stuff-- it makes me think a little, and it gives insight into a man that I wouldn't understand by seeing scripts interpreted by others.

As this post goes to press there are 431 vanity cards, and they include his other shows, such as Dharma & Greg, Two and a Half Men and Mike and Molly. I obviously won't share everything, but here are a few snippets that get my mind to working.

"It's safe to talk openly and honestly with people because they're not really listening." (#331)

I don't know how accurate the 'openly and honestly' part is, mainly because it frightens me. However, I am reasonably sure we don't really listen to each other. It seems as though any pause in a conversation is someone else's chance to jump in with what they have to say. That the first person isn't done talking is irrelevant. Do we really pay attention?

Many of his cards are parables. Others are good stories (#321).

Some are too long to share here, but are riotously funny. Google Chuck Lorre #329 and then try to tell me otherwise.

But the first one I remember seeing (I remember because I saved it to my favorites) is #196:

my soul's journey

To let go of the fear and anger which imprisons my heart,
To relinquish all childish expectations and live joyfully in the world as it is --
      not as I wish or imagine it to be,
To be free of the always craven and ever-craving ego,
To be released from the endless hungers of the body,
To see God in others,
To see God in everything,
To die without death and merge my consciousness into the
      cosmic sea of bliss from which I came,
To crank out two sitcoms a week that can compete
      with a deaf chick dancing her ass off...
This is my soul's journey.

I get a lot of insight from things like this. I can see a part of his soul and also a sense of humor and realism that has helped him crank out so many sitcoms over the years.

Movie Review, Enough Said

The First Lady and I went to the movies earlier today to see Enough Said, with James Gandolfini and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. It's a movie that did not disappoint.

The movie played at Cine, here in Athens, Georgia. They sell beer at this movie house, so I certainly hope we go back to see another picture.

The last show I saw at the theater was Man of Steel, the most recent entry in the Superman cash grab. I'm not a big 'special effects' guy, so that movie didn't impress me. Enough Said wowed the both of us because it was a movie about real people dealing genuinely with real-world problems. And if you tell me a story, you don't need special effects. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel also did this and succeeded.

Anyhow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus is Eva, a masseuse who is divorced and about to send her one child to college (side note: Seinfeld irony, since a famous episode is about Jerry dating a masseuse). Albert is also a divorced parent in a similar situation, and Eva meets Marianne, a poet, at the same event where she meets Albert. Eva soon gets Marianne as a client and friend, and she starts dating Albert, and the movie takes off from there.

We both loved this movie. Gandolfini (sadly, in the next-to-last role before his passing) was outstanding in his portrayal of Albert. Louis-Dreyfus proved to me that she's more than a comedy actress. The side plots all added to the mosaic of the film, in the sense that it helped us see how the characters were trying to resolve their issues, and in helping us to identify with them. The wife and I don't share anything in common with the two protagonists, but we sure could identify with their idiosyncrasies.

Seeing this movie does make me sad that I will have but one more chance to see James Gandolfini do anything. There's one more film coming out next year, but it won't have writer/director Nicole Holofcener's name on it, so we'll see. I may have to find more of Holofcener's work, as well as go back and see The Sopranos. I may also latch onto Veep, which is Dreyfus' latest comedy series. I was that impressed.

The movie did not get a wide distribution and has only grossed about 15 million dollars, which tells you what the average movie goer expects nowadays. It's their loss, because I thought Enough Said told me a story, the characters were genuine, and it held my attention.

Outstanding movie-- one I would strongly recommend.

Three Questions

Hindsight is typically 20/20. We can look at the actions of another and wonder what she/he was thinking. We're not in the cauldron with them, and we don't share any of their life's experiences that helped lead to the choice they made. 

I think I'd like to meet some makers of history, away from the bombast and TV cameras. I get that these people need to have a certain public persona in order to inspire. I think that can be done without sacrificing who you are. I'd sure like to speak to some people in a down-to-earth, relaxed format. We'll assume that they're still alive and that we'd get honest answers. In return, treat them kindly and fairly. 

So here are three questions I'd ask The King, Elvis Presley. From a list of millions, I'll narrow it down to three. Instead of speculating as to how he'd answer, I'll try to explain why I'm asking and maybe let you think about his reply. 

First, a few words. Elvis is still one of the most talked about people in America, even 35 years after his death. His music still resonates, and Graceland is a major tourist attraction. He is a musician who still had so much to contribute, which means we are lesser for his not being here. I am not a music savant, and I only have a basic knowledge about the man himself. I was six years old when he died and I remember seeing all the news coverage, not understanding why this was such a big thing. I get it now, though.

Question one: 

Thousands and thousands of fans loved your music and your act, but talk show hosts like Ed Sullivan didn't seem to appreciate them and took steps to sanitize your on-stage presentation. Those guys talked about the bad influence you had on society. But obviously there was a huge demand. Given where our culture has gone, do you think your music played a bad role in society? Was the sentiment already out there and just needed someone (not necessarily you) to express it? How much of a part do you think you played in this shift?

Question two:

Your twin brother was stillborn, you were picked on/bullied as a kid, and a lot of people said you had no talent. You didn't seem interested in color lines in the segregated South when it came to music. With those things in mind, what role did your experiences as a youth play in creating your musical identity?

Question three:

Though you made a lot of movies in the 1960s, there were some other more substantial and golden opportunities to stretch your horizons throughout your career. In addition, the music late in your career sounded different than the songs that made you what you are. But things did seem to go pretty well there for a long time. So-- Colonel Tom Parker: good choice or bad choice? 

Bonus question:

You spoke of loneliness/emptiness, your marriage to Priscilla didn't work out, and of course there's the way it all ended. Is there one thing or one decision you look back on that could have changed how those things played out?

Wow. The more I wrote and thought about this, the harder it became to narrow it down. What a fascinating person. 

And for the record, my favorite Elvis tune is Kentucky Rain. It's sung with such emotion and feeling, and it paints a vivid, colorful picture of a man who is looking for answers to a question he never thought he'd have to ask. You can almost hear his heart breaking.