EPISODE 544: THIS IS CLEM FANDANGO
Fire the Nuclear Weapons.
POP CULTURE SPIRIT WOW
Hi and Hello. Gobble Gobble!
So as promised, I watched Sleepless in Seattle this week. It’s been a long time. Maybe twenty years?
It’s a strange thing to have a movie make you feel sad and yet to be grateful for that experience. And even though I know part of the emotion is actually a kind of happiness, a natural response to a story telling you yes, things do work out, yes, it’s going to be okay, yes, life is such a treasure, still somehow I think there’s a lot of actual sadness mixed in there as well. Like so many Christmas films and songs, Sleepless is about people for whom things are not right. It’s not primarily a movie about finding, it’s a movie about longing, about feeling alone and going without. It’s literally right there in the title: he’s sleepless in Seattle. (As compared to the Hanks/Ryan sequel, You’ve Got Mail. There the title is about them being given something, about receiving. Sleepless is about lack and loss.)
(Attention to anyone new to the newsletter: I am an English major, I have been trained to interpret everything and I do not choose to control it.)
You really see that difference at the end. If I were to ask you how much time Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan spend on screen together, what would you say? My memory going in was a half hour. In fact, it’s about 3 minutes. They have three scenes together, plus one scene where Ryan’s Annie is watching Hanks’ Sam and son from a distance.
And in those scenes they exchange only a handful words. Which is kind of insane, because both characters are enormously and delightfully verbal. Sam’s monologue on the radio about his dead wife is what sells the movie, really – it’s so powerful they have Annie listen to it a second time; and she herself is a charming and effervescent conversationalist.
Meg Ryan, I don’t know where you are right now, but I love you.
So these two kids love to talk. But once they’re standing before each other on the top of the Empire State Building (spoilers, I guess?) …
(also, King Kong dies at the end of King Kong)…
(and Godzilla is actually the hero)…
…they mostly just stare at each other. A LOT. Uncomfortably so. I think the idea must have been after all the words, once they find each other there’s nothing left they need to say. Also, anything they would say would probably catapult us off into new questions and adventures, when this is the end of the movie. I still think it’s a bit too much.
See what you think.
Her staring, right? What is that? I think it’s Meg Ryan saying, I’m not sure what’s happening now but this is what Nora (Ephron) wants and I love her.
Either way, it’s a great movie with I think maybe the best Christmas soundtrack. And if you’re looking for a double feature it’s very well paired with An Affair to Remember.
(Fun fact:I just went looking in my brain for the title Affair to Remember and initially came up with Interview with a Vampire. I know this surprises none of you.)
I was saying last week that I’ve been hearing people talk about jumping into the Christmas season early this year. Fast forwarding to a season of hope and light right now? Yes, please, more, please.
But watching Sleepless – btw, is it funny or horrible that I watched Sleepless when/because I was sleepless? 2020, you make nothing easy—I wonder if what’s drawing us to all of that is the distance between desire and reality that’s built into so many of those stories. Sing to us our pain and somehow it feels better, sad in a beautiful way, like fresh fallen snow on a dark night.
A propos of nothing but joy.
So, Thanksgiving this week. How you feeling about it?
My sister has invited me to a family Zoom. I was like, Wait, are you putting our parents in cages again? Because I’d rather you did that to their dog, the Insidious Villain Maverick.
That’s actually his full name, and I can confirm that it is an understatement.
Once I realized I had misheard my sister, we planned some bigtime hijinks. Have you ever seen someone in Appleton offer a piece of turkey to someone in Los Angeles and then somehow the Angeleno eats it? Join our Zoom and you will.
I’ve actually long been considered the David Blaine of McDermotts. I’m looking at this Thanksgiving as my Times Square Ice Trick.
Seriously, my plans are Chinese food, Planes, Trains and Automobiles and maybe a good book. And that will be fine.
A writer I follow posted a list of things you could do with this strange awful Charlie Brown Christmas tree of a Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for some ideas, she has great ones.
Like this:
(I swear I will not be doing this exactly, but I love the intention behind it.)
#16 is also the best.
Whatever you’re doing, I hope you choose safety, both yours and others. That also means, if you don’t feel safe wherever you are, I hope you say your goodbyes and leave.
Thanksgiving is not the holiday for being afraid. That’s Easter.
(I really don’t like Easter baskets.)
To more joy: Yes.
I saw this piece from comedian Amber Ruffin this morning. Some great insight into that way that forgiveness can be weaponized to reinforce and silence and shame.
“Searching for the good in someone who thinks nothing of you is how they condition us to being treated like shit. Don’t become accustomed to being treated like shit.”
Also, this happened, and it was pretty hilarious.
A couple little side hustles: For the Advent/Christmas season I’ve restarted my Little Spiritual Exercises newsletter. I’m calling it “One Good Thing” now. Every day I’m going to send people one good thing.
If you’re interested, find it here.
Also, given that things are um….
Right movie, wrong act.
…I’m starting a daily check in on Facebook Live. Every week day at 5pm PST between today and Christmas, including Thanksgiving, I’m going to show up for a couple minutes and things will happen.
What things, you ask? I have no idea. Jokes maybe? Or music. Or maybe we will do one of my duolingo French lessons together. (14 days, you guys! I still don’t know how to ask for directions, but Duolingo says I am on fire! Also chouette means “owl”!)
Anyway, if you’re ever around and looking for a little human connection/glimpse at a life that will make you feel way better about yours, I am wanting to provide that. My Facebook page is public, which think means you don’t even need to have a Facebook account of your own. If you’re searching for me, my image is of a little kid dressed as an astronaut (my nephew Patrick).
I really do love these.
Whatever your Thanksgiving looks like, I hope you find some peace and beauty there. I know it’s kind of insane all around us right now. I hope you can give yourself the chance to stop look around and take a beat to breathe from time to time. No day but today!
Also, if you’re having cranberries, go for canned, you will not regret it.
Jim, this is HYSTERICAL!