Anyone who doesn't realize Leonard was deeply and profoundly funny doesn't really understand Leonard. Some of the funniest stuff ever. Darkly humorous? Yes, usually, but not always. And often quite subtle: "Very close companion" sounds so very much like "varicose companion" - and that's just funny as hell in the context of Closing Time (she's a hundred but she's wearing something tight). Don't think for even a second that Leonard didn't know exactly what he was doing there. Makes me laugh out loud every damn time I hear it!
I have the same reaction to "giving me head on the unmade bed." And, of course, the entirety of something like "One of Us Cannot be Wrong" or "Is This What You Wanted" ("You were K.Y. Jelly, I was just Vaseline!") . . . I personally thought "Jazz Police" didn't quite succeed, but that one line -- "Tell me now, O beautiful and spacious!" -- is an all-time keeper. I remember seeing Leonard at the Beacon Street Theater in Boston, and there was some kind of party going on in the performance space above us; you could hear the throbbing disco beat through the ceiling. Leonard cocked his head, tapped his foot to the beat for a second, and then said something along the lines of, What a blessing -- to know that my elitist songs and musings can be brought back down to earth by DISCO! Ah, there is a God!" (And don't even get me started on written passages like the "constipation" routine in "Beautiful Losers" ("In the tiled dawn courtroom, a folded man tries a thousand oaths . . . ' How can I begin today with half of yesterday still in me? . . . Has the old machine turned the food brown? . . . Lord, make me empty, because if I'm empty I, I can receive, and if I can receive it means that I'm not alone!" -- Classic stuff. )
It's too often forgotten how funny Leonard was -- I've heard early interviews with him, back when he was still a "Young Lion" poet in Canada, that were literally fall-down-on-the-floor-and-roll-around-helplessly hilarious.
"Are you humouring me? If so, I accept your compassion. You sure know how to treat the elderly." - What a guy.
Ah, Jerry Lee eat your heart out!
Guy's a great storyteller and has a beautiful way of seeing life.
"...without the annoying interruptions..."
TOO funny. Thank you for this, Mr. Showalter - the best.
I love it, as I love him!
Love it Allan. Great job. I have had the joy of seeing LC twice. I love these moments of humor.
Good interview. I'll always love, respect and be inspired Leonard and his work.
Wonderful, thanks for sharing this Allan
Fantastic as a Canadian I salute you and tweeted you. this will have a few thousand views soon
So funny. Love this man so much.
The bit from 7:58 when he is introducing the drummer to the audience is hilarious!
This reminds me when I saw him on stage ;-)
Anyone who doesn't realize Leonard was deeply and profoundly funny doesn't really understand Leonard. Some of the funniest stuff ever. Darkly humorous? Yes, usually, but not always. And often quite subtle: "Very close companion" sounds so very much like "varicose companion" - and that's just funny as hell in the context of Closing Time (she's a hundred but she's wearing something tight). Don't think for even a second that Leonard didn't know exactly what he was doing there. Makes me laugh out loud every damn time I hear it!
I have the same reaction to "giving me head on the unmade bed." And, of course, the entirety of something like "One of Us Cannot be Wrong" or "Is This What You Wanted" ("You were K.Y. Jelly, I was just Vaseline!") . . . I personally thought "Jazz Police" didn't quite succeed, but that one line -- "Tell me now, O beautiful and spacious!" -- is an all-time keeper. I remember seeing Leonard at the Beacon Street Theater in Boston, and there was some kind of party going on in the performance space above us; you could hear the throbbing disco beat through the ceiling. Leonard cocked his head, tapped his foot to the beat for a second, and then said something along the lines of, What a blessing -- to know that my elitist songs and musings can be brought back down to earth by DISCO! Ah, there is a God!"
(And don't even get me started on written passages like the "constipation" routine in "Beautiful Losers" ("In the tiled dawn courtroom, a folded man tries a thousand oaths . . . ' How can I begin today with half of yesterday still in me? . . . Has the old machine turned the food brown? . . . Lord, make me empty, because if I'm empty I, I can receive, and if I can receive it means that I'm not alone!" -- Classic stuff. )
He was/is so very great.
Thanks for this. You (and he) made my da
Why so few views? He was a genius.
Great, I love it...
So good, so good!
Subtitles would be very, very good!
I agree -- the sound quality on some of those in-concert clips is really poor.
I like it!
subscribed and shared, Allan. Kind regards, John Ryan Scrivener
+Ryan Scrivener Thanks, Allan
Génial !!!
Yeee! Hungarian subtitles !:-)
It's too often forgotten how funny Leonard was -- I've heard early interviews with him, back when he was still a "Young Lion" poet in Canada, that were literally fall-down-on-the-floor-and-roll-around-helplessly hilarious.
Cool! :)
Wit and wisdom... and women.
Actually, the "Kris Kristofferson" routine was part of his actual worked-out stage act during that tour. It's still funny, though.
Genial. Spanish, please.