#sexy french depression song = the interview

[variousqueerthings]

every day avoid making amvs of MASH using crazy ex girlfriend songs, but I should at least make a list....

[pleasureactivism]

An Annotated Playlist to Accompany Your Reading of Pleasure Activism

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2eoQwDJipqb2BpIZqCIscQ?si=bRg4s4uhSqOXw02Ai2Pc2Q

In Section Three: A Circle of Sex, there is an essay, a compilation of interviews, titled “The Highs, Lows, and Blows of Casual Sex.” Upon reading this title, I immediately thought of one of my favorite songs at the moment, “High Highs to Low Lows” by Lolo Zouaï. I put this song on while I read this essay, and while not directly about sex, the concept of peaks and valleys really resonated with the text. “High Highs and Low Lows” set the mood for me to engage with “The Highs, Lows, and Blows of Casual Sex,” not just because of the lyrics but also the multidimensional sound and authenticity and vulnerability of Zouaï’s voice. Singing in both English and French, she covers so many deeply human feelings, from sexy to vulnerable, cocky to depressed, sensual to silly. Intentionally pairing this song with this reading (instead of just putting a random playlist on shuffle) gave me the idea of creating a playlist- this book needs a soundtrack, which I have attempted to create below. 

A compilation of R&B, hip hop, pop, Latinx music and some 1970s Black feminist icons (namely, Nina Simone and Diana Ross), most of these songs are performed by people that identify as women of color, partly because that is in line with Pleasure Acitivism which “center[s] the experiences of Black women” and partly because that is what I often find myself listening to. However, as was true for adrienne maree brown and her book, this soundtrack “includes a few voices that are not Black or women-identified but that I trust in the human experience of finding pleasure beyond oppression” (brown 5). This playlist was inspired by and accompanied much of my reading of much of Pleasure Activism, shifting and growing as I read, enhancing the experience and adding meaning to both the text and the music. The songs in the soundtrack can be listened to while reading any section of the book, but there are some that deal directly with themes of the book, and for those I have identified a “pairing,” or specific essay or section that I recommend pairing with that song. The songs on the soundtrack are in the order of the recommended paired sections. It should be noted that given the time frame of this project and the fact that I am simultaneously finishing up my undergraduate senior thesis, I was only able to annotate a select few of the songs on the playlist, but in no way are the songs that are not described any less important, relevant, or magical. 

Oh My God by Sevdaliza 

Pairing: “The Legacy of ‘Uses of the Erotic,’ A Conversation with Cara Page” OR the Introduction to Section One, “Who Taught You to Feel Good?”

I originally added this song to the playlist because of its sound, described in one article as “a blend of trip-hop, avant pop, and electronica,” and its lyrics about self-discovery, realization, hope and dreams (Ingvaldsen 2020). Savdalize asks “Who should I be?” and notes that “I view myself from above/Roamin’ in the fields of hope/Will it make or break me/As my dreams are heavy, they outweigh me.” These comments about her exploration of self and the intensity of her dreams initially led to its inclusion on the playlist. However, after finding an interview with Sevdaliza, I realized just how crucial this song is for Pleasure Activism’s soundtrack. She is Iranian Dutch and a refugee who, according to the interview, “acnkowledg[es] the oppressive regimes and institutions of the world in an effort to reflect peace and solidarity through her aural artform” (Ingvaldsen 2020). In the interview, Sevdaliza says she “believe[s] in collective energy,” a concept not only explored in Pleasure Activism but also in our course throughout the semester. Additionally, she says that “heritage stands for a gift of profound insight, wisdom, and love. My heritage to me is like an inner-oracle. The one who knows. It is a mesmerizing voice, that becomes more clear as I am close to my authentic self. My heritage also connects me with deep feminine instincts; the wise woman within” (Ingvaldsen 2020). This connection to her heritage and ancestors reminded me of brown’s exploration of her own “personal pleasure lineage” and encouragement that her readers do the same (brown 21). Sevdaliza says, “our voices are meant to be heard, our stories meant to be shared,” a concept embodid by brown in Pleasure Activism. 

Feeling Good by Nina Simone 

Pairing: “The Sweetness of Salt, by Alexis Pauline Gumbs”

Video by India.Arie

Pairing: “Pussy Power, by Favianna Rodriguez”

Formation by Beyoncé

Pairing: “Wherein I Write about Sex” OR “The Pleasure of Living at the Same Time as Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter”

“High Highs to Low Lows” by Lolo Zouaï

Pairing: “The Highs, Lows, and Blows of Casual Sex”

How Deep Is Your Love (feat. Yebba) by PJ Morton 

Pairing: “Feelmore, A Conversation with Nenna Joiner”

Girls Need Love (with Drake)- Remix by Summer Walker

Pairing: “Liberating Your Fantasies” or “The Highs, Lows, and Blows of Casual Sex”

Girls Need Love is a seductive, passionate, and honest piece in which Walker creates a personal narrative about her desires for sex and love while also grappling with the double standard that “girls” can’t be sexually liberated. She pushes back against the societal norms that “girls can’t never say they want it/girls can’t never say how/girls can’t never say they need it/girls can’t even say now.” She also stresses that her desire for casual sex is okay, a topic which brown analyzes in Highs, Lows, and Blows of Casual Sex” (“I don’t need a reason baby/Please don’t get in your feelings”). Another soulful R&B track, this song has a simple production with a main focus on the vocals. 

BROWN SKIN GIRL (feat Blue Ivy Carter) by Beyoncé, Saint Jhn, Wizkid 

Pairing: “The Pleasure of Living at the Same Time as Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter” OR “Wherein I Write about Sex” OR “Black Woman Wildness by Junauda Petrus”

Q.U.E.E.N. (feat. Erykah Badu) by Janelle Monáe

Pairing: “Fly as Hell, A Conversation with Sonya Renee Taylor”

Multi-Love by Unknown Mortal Orchestra

Pairing: “On Nonmonogamy” 

Multi-Love is a song about polyamory, full of intimacy, vulnerability, and even discomfort and torment. Despite these intense feelings that are on display in Ruban Nielson’s (the lead singer’s) voice and in the lyrics, the instrumental aspect of the song is lighter and catchy, consisting of an upbeat keyboard tune and light, quick drum beats. These components come together to create a non-pretentious, spiritual, futuristic song that touches on many of the same topics as Pleasure Activism. For example, he talks about god, asking, “who is your god? Where is she?” Similarly, adrienne maree brown said that she “think[s] a lot about what god is, how god is, and where we are relating to and running from and surrendering to god” (brown 7). He sings about transitioning between single-love and multi-love (“We were one, then become three”), which reminded me of brown’s comments that “nonmonogamy tends to suit [her] best, even if [she is] occasionally focused on one lover” and her further analysis of multi-love in the subsection “On Nonmonogamy” (brown 8, 409). And finally, he talks about alludes to the non-binaryness of gender: “she doesn't want to be a man or a woman” (though the use of the pronoun “she�� is somewhat troubling in this case). All in all, this song that is somehow at once crystal clear and mysteriously muffled belongs on the soundtrack because of its soulful, groovy nature, relevant lyricism and personal discovery about love, spirituality, vulnerability, and meaning. As a side note, I also felt like it fits well because Ruban Nielson’s delivery has been compared to that of Prince’s, who brown dedicates the book to. 

The Other Woman by Nina Simone

Pairing: “Being Second”

Golden by Jill Scott

I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross

Universe by Ambar Lucid

La Negra Tiene Tumbao by Celia Cruz

Pairing: “On Fear, Shame, Death, and Humor, A Conversation between the Rocca Family and Zizi” OR “On the Pleasures of Wardrobe, A Conversation with Maori Karmael Holmes”

Beyond being an absolute Afro-Cuban and Latin music icon, and the Queen of Salsa, Celia Cruz is known for her fashion style; she always had on colorful wigs, sequins, crazy high heels, and incredible makeup (for this reason her song is paired with “On the Pleasures of Wardrobe”). This song was chosen because of its multifaceted nature; it spans the genres of jazz, salsa, reggae, and hip hop. She talks about the style, attitude, swag and sexiness of a black woman (in Spanish). Igniting the spark of pride in Latinx and Black identities for many, “La Negra Tiene Tumbao” is a timeless anthem about being proud of who you are, embracing blackness, and never moving out of the way for anybody. 

Pelo Suelto by Gloria Trevi 

The Pleasure Principle by Janet Jackson

February 3rd by Jorja Smith

Satisfaction Guaranteed by Junglepussy

This song is lush and deep as it envelopes you into its mesmerizing tune. Junglepussy’s slow, intense words of confidence and encouragement to feel fully, both spiritually and physically, wash over the listener like a wave (“Yeah, I’m the brown hottie with the body, looking like Rum Spice… Relax, as the aura ease you/In the flesh, let the physical please you”). 

Soul Liberator by Kraak and Smaak feat. Sanguita

Feeling Myself by Nicki Minaj feat. Beyoncé

Cranes in the Sky by Solange 

Hurry by Teyana Taylor feat. Kanye 

Mujer Latina by Thalía

A Quién Le Importa by Thalía

I’m Every Woman by Whitney Houston 

                                                           Works Cited

Ingvaldsen, Torsten. “Sevdaliza Returns With New Protest Song ‘Oh My God.’” HYPEBEAST, HYPEBEAST, 30 Jan. 2020, hypebeast.com/2020/1/sevdaliza-oh-my-god-single-stream-premiere.

LS

[elizadoolittlethings]

The Monday Interview: Mark Gatiss - Top of the League

The Monday Interview: Mark Gatiss - Top of the League 

Published: 19:14 Updated: 19:27 Sunday 16 November 2008

ALTHOUGH it's bad form to ogle someone else's husband, I can't help admiring Mark Gatiss's rather sexy legs. They seem to stretch to his neck, meeting a scruffy beard that adds a raffish edge to his air of sexual devilry. 

This tastiness is a far cry from the grotesques he's so often portrayed, from his days as a member of The League of Gentlemen, to frizzy-haired, gap-toothed Glen Bulb of Nighty Night, and Doctor Who's maniacal Dr Lazarus.

This dishiness is very on-message, since we're here talking about his third mainstream novel, Black Butterfly, starring charismatic spy extraordinaire Lucifer Box, whose adventures in bisexuality are every bit as breathtaking as his undercover work for monarch and country. Each Box novel visits a different era, allowing Gatiss to pay homage to some of his favourite authors. The Vesuvius Club, set in the early 1900s, evoked Conan Doyle. The Devil in Amber found Box battling Nazis and Stalinists, and was Gatiss's homage to Dennis Wheatley and John Buchan. Preparing for Black Butterfly, set in 1953, heimmersedhimself in Ian Fleming and contemplated the machinations of John le Carr's spies. But for all these acknowledged influences, Lucifer Box is a spy like no other. Gatiss explains: "I am a gay man who loves James Bond films and snooker – all kinds of working-class pursuits. I didn't set out to deliberately respond to themasculinity. I'mfascinatedthat somanyspieswere or are gay,but I also like the idea, which le Carr showed, that the real job is much more prosaic." Surely a great spy would be ruthless enough to shag anything? "Yes, and also back in the day, the natural people to approach were people who were already lying about themselves.When homosexuality was illegal these people already had a different identity. What's interesting is that simultaneously to recruiting known homosexuals, they were also perceived as a security risk, precisely because of the blackmail thing.The recruiters must have known and actually relied on it, but it was always a worry." "Black Butterfly" is the French nickname for depression, but here it's also the name of a nefarious drug that imbues people with a euphoric sense of infallibility – before propelling them to grisly ends.When Box is poisoned he believes that he's young again – and behaves accordingly – until the antidote is administered by the object of his affections, a dishy CIA operative called Kingdom Kum. With a respectful nod to JaneMarple, I suggest there must be special challenges in writing about a geriatric spy. "I've never been specific, but he's obviously in his late seventies. I thought the thing to do was mention every now and then how much it hurts (to leap about], but if you keep going on about it then readers stop wanting to go on the journey. You have to believe he's still in good shape even though he's very old. "I was thinking about whether therewouldbeany sex scenes and how to handle it; itmademethink that maybe I couldgetawaywith this idea of thedrugmaking him young again. "The bit when he's on the drug was my favourite part to write. I carried a notebook around and wrote in a stream of consciousness way. I found it really liberating. I'd open my eyes on a beach – what did I see? What colour are my eyelids when closed with the sun on them? I was filming in Morocco and noticed a beetle that was like a sculpture rolling down the dunes. I was trying to create very vivid snapshots." Proving that the lines between life and art blur,whilewritingBlack Butterflyhewas sent theDoctorWhoscriptthat foundhimplaying a man in search of eternal youth. "I thought, 'Oh, there's a message here,'" he jokes. At 42, he must be increasingly aware of his ownageing? "I'vebeenhavingthose thoughts since Iwas 20! Evenwhen Iwas a childI always wanted to be older. I realised just in time that it's a mistake and to enjoy my youth while I hadit. If Imeetsomeonearound20,who's a bit like I was, I want to say, 'Get out! Have fun.' Becauseyourknees start togo,myeyes aregoing. Ithappens overnight. In the car, trying to read the A-Z, I'msuddenly like my dad!" He also says he had a youthful morbid streak: "Mymumused to say I had an old soul. As long as I can remember Iwas looking backwards. I remember my mumorganised a singalong for pensioners in about 1970, and I used to love singing the old Blitz songs." He smiles. "They are called Emos now, and before that they were Goths. They didn't have a name for it when I was one, but I was that black-wearing teenager and yes, I wore a little eyeliner. I was really into horror. On the less negative side, I was fascinated by the idea that peoplehadbeenhere beforeme. Ihave a print Julia Davis (the writer and star of Nighty Night] gave me of (my neighbourhood] around the time my house was built, in the 1760s, and it has cows on it, yet it's recognisably the same street. I love that idea of the changes." This historical bent dovetails nicely with his delight in wordplay. The Box novels are peppered with silly names, which often occur to him in the bath, a site he finds conducive to deep thinking. Thus Lucifer's sister is Pandora Box, and his Black Butterfly nemesis, Melissa ffawthawte, is affiliated with nefarious baddies A.C.R.O.N.I.M. My own favourite is the "cadre of psychoanalysts-cum-mercenaries known as the Jung Turks".

Both times we've met, Gatiss has patiently explainedthat itonly looks as thoughheworks night and day, but I'msure you'll agree his output is impressive. In addition to the novel, he recentlywrote (andappearedin) an episode of Poirot, filmed the upcoming TV programme Purves & Pekkala, written and directed by Annie Griffinandfilmedhere in Scotland,and the sitcom Clone, which stars Jonathan Pryce. He's busy writing episodes of the next full season of Doctor Who, for an as yet un-cast (or so he says) Doctor.Knowinghowmuch he coveted the role, andthat he's close friendswith all involved, I try teasing an indiscretion out of him, but Gatiss remains frustratingly closedmouthed. "I haven't a clue. I found David's announcement incredibly moving. I knew he was going, but I love the fact he did it in the interval, dressed as Hamlet, and he was accepting the award, but he had to find the moment to tell everyone. He's going at the top of his game which is always the best and themost difficult thing to do, because I know he loves it." Is there a Hamlet, a Lear, or another classic role he longs to play? Without hesitation, he says, "Oh yes, Richard II. It's a very underrated play, a fabulous part – beautiful. He was a very weak king but there's this fantastic poetry about his desire to stay on the throne despite being incredibly compromised. It has that wonderful line, 'I have wasted time and now doth time waste me.' I'd like to do that." Amidall this activity, Gatiss foundtime, last spring, to get married. He and Ian have been together for nearly a decade, so I wonder if marriage changed their relationship at all. "I feel subtly different," he says. "I don't know what it is, but it's nicer. It was a lovely, very moving day. I was most moved by the notion of our families coming together. My brother said it's the best wedding he's ever beento. Itwasamazing to think that our families were so completely at ease with the whole idea of a gay wedding. And then there was the incredible irony that it took place in Middle Temple underneath a portrait of Sir Edward Carson, the man who prosecuted Oscar Wilde. So when I did my little speech the first thing I did was flick him two fingers. 'This one's for Oscar.'"

Black Butterfly is out now from Simon &Schuster (15).Mark willbein conversation about his work on 18 November at 6:30pm at Waterstone's (Sauchiehall Street) in Glasgow, 0141 332 9105; 19 November at 7pm at Waterstone's (Union Bridge) in Aberdeen, 01224592440; 20 November at 6pm at Waterstone's (West End) in Edinburgh, 0131 226 2666. For more details, contact the stores or log on to: www.simonsays.co.uk

BACKGROUND A FEW things that might surprise you about Mark Gatiss: • The League of Gentlemen won the 1997 Perrier Award for comedy, the first sketch group to win since the awards were inaugurated in 1981. • A massive fan of the show, Gatiss started writing Doctor Who novels (four to date) when he was a penniless actor. • Growing up in County Durham, he lived opposite a psychiatric hospital, where both his parents worked and where he toiled as a gardener during his first year at college. He and Ian are the devoted 'parents' of Bunsen, a Labrador retriever. • He's starred opposite Julia Davis twice –as Glen Bulb in Nighty Night, and again as Johnnie Cradock in Fear of Fanny. • In 2003 he was the script editor for eight episodes of Little Britain. • As French poet Louis Aragon, he played opposite Ewan Bremner's Salvador Dali in Surrealissimo: The Trial of Salvador Dali. The cast list included Stephen Fry (Andre Breton), Vic Reeves (Paul Eluard) and both members of The Mighty Boosh! Read more at: https://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-monday-interview-mark-gatiss-top-of-the-league-1-1147037

[rhythmofafrica-com]

Interview: STA7CK on African House, Brooklyn's Techno Scene

RISING STAR

On staying true to his roots and bringing African house to the masses.

by E.R. Pulgar for POPDUST // 11.18.2016

Deep house aficionado STA7CK (pronounced "stark") grew up in a multi-cultural household. Surrounded by French music and old soul tunes, he remains deeply entrenched in his West African roots, which have become a part of his life in the form of Rhythm of Afrika, a monthly dance party that brings African sounds to Brooklyn and Queen's nightlife. His parties have gained momentum and recognition in recent months despite still being relatively new, and he has found himself at the forefront of increasing awareness of African culture in electronic music.

We sat down with him to talk about the unique lens of an African techno musician in Bushwick, and what exactly he wants to leave behind in New York City's music scene.

How did you get your start?

I started out as a dubstep DJ. I played dubstep, drum and bass, and grime music, which is part of African diaspora music. Then, I stopped and started focusing on managing. So what happened is that one day my artist's just stopped working with me; they got poached by another agency. I got depressed for a while and decided to shut down the agency and work on myself instead of other people.

Tell me about that.

The music we push is African house music, kuduro music, Afrobeat, African music... anything that's hot coming out of the continent or the diaspora. Grime, french pop, reggae. We just take all these elements and put them into one thing. I was born in a French-speaking country in West Africa. I went to school in Paris, and came to New York at a very young age because my mother lived here. When I was a kid, my parents divorced and my mother moved to America. I was living with my father, and then at 12 or 13 I moved to America. I was a kid who was passionate about our culture, and I wanted to put all these elements into one thing. I grew up around popular African diaspora music and American pop music, so i wanted to put all that together.

And growing up in that multi cultural environment, do you remember any song you first fell in love with?

It was hip-hop. R&B. You know, soul music.

Any artist in specific?

I like oldies.

Otis Redding?

[Teddy] Pendergrass, James Brown, Earth, Wind and Fire, Musiq Soulchild, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Carl Thomas, Luther Vandross, Kanye, Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, N.E.R.D, Pharrell, Future, Nas, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Biggie, Bob Marley, Lenny Kravitz, Raphael Saadiq, Linking Park, Coldplay, Phil Collins, 2 Chainz, some Drake, 12th Planet, Diplo, Skrillex, Major Lazer, Sintra, Serge Gainsbourg I really love their music. As far as African music, I like African reggae artists: Tiken Jah Fakoly, WizKid, Davido, Tekno, Fuse ODG, Disiz, La Fouine, Stromae, Corneile, Skepta, Stormzy, JME, Wiley, Section Boyz, Sexion D'Assaut, Kaysha, Magic System, Boddhi Satva, Djeff Afrozilla, Fela Kuti, Salif Keita, Lucky Dube, Prince Nico Mbarga

E.R. Pulgar© 2016

How does a Rhythm of Afrika party usually go? What can people expect?

A lot of dope music that you've probably never heard of before. Afrobeat, deep house, soulful house.... This is the music I grew up around. Afro deep house. Could be anything; traditional West African music, Mende folk music. I DJ that, we DJ urban American music: hip hop, R&B, electro. It all has to be African, deep in the diaspora.

Any contemporaries you are influenced by or listening to now?

I'm listening to a lot of African stuff: Djeff Afrozila. I hung out with him the other day, actually. I like Black Coffee. He was here last week for Halloween at Brooklyn Hangar. I dig that the industry is still building, so i think around this time next year we'll have a steady flow. We still have all the pioneers, all the dope DJs on the rise. I feel like by this time next year, we'll have something big going.

Did you do anything for the Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival?

I tried to get booked. I guess when people hear African music… we're still not sexy yet (laughs). That's the whole reason I created this thing; growing up as an African in New York, I've noticed Africans aren't branded properly. We don't have a "cool" brand, we're not telling our own stories. We have a lot of outsiders going to Africa to tell our stories for us, so we're not really putting our own images out there. I did this to tell my own story, because every time I go out into the world as an African man, it's a stupid conversation. People who don't really understand the culture or people of Africa say "oh, you live in a teepee." And I'm like "come on bro, we got cities." We got a comedy culture, a dance culture, we have festivals, we have fashion shows.

When people focus on the tragedies that happen, which happen everywhere––England, Paris, Sandy Hook, Belgium, all these places––this paints a negative image of Africa, and doesn't even stay in the headlines for a long time. But when it happens in Africa, the world writes about it and it just stays there. When u google an african country like Soweto in South Africa, you see pics from the 70s or 60s, Google doesn't refresh the content.

It's very Euro-centric.

And they don't focus on the culture that's there; they only focus on the bad things. Bad things happen everywhere, in Munich, in France, in Belgium. But when you come to Africa, that's the only thing the media focuses on, so my collective wants to fight that stereotype. We're not what the media has been portraying for decades.

E.R. Pulgar© 2016

And by pushing your collective through the unique the lens of the unapologetically African man living and making music in Bushwick––a rapidly gentrifying area where indie rock thrives more than electronic–– what mark do you hope to leave on NYC's music scene?

Dope parties, man! Dope parties, and changing the viewpoint of how black people are viewed in the media. It's not just about the music, but it's about the social issues behind that. It's about the fashion, the changes in the world. I want to leave cool parties and create opportunities for other young black people. What we see in the media does not represent a lot of us. The reason I created this is because when you go on, say, World Star Hip Hop, it's a whole other vibe. People posing with guns and shit, and it's like…. That's not just blackness. There's a whole wide variety of back people; there's only, like 10% that are into that.

We have people who love soul, people who love R&B, people who love Britney Spears, people who love rap music. I created this collective to show the other black experience while highlighting African culture. I hope to create a space and a platform for young black artists and anyone influenced by black music and culture, so we can go and create something. I also look to build connections with a lot of venues, release new records on my label, and again, just dope parties, man.

Keep up with Rhythm of Afrika on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

[thisguyatthemovies]

Three for one

“Diane” (not rated, drama, 96 minutes, directed by Kent Jones) is the story of a woman, Diane (Mary Kay Place), who is on the doorstep of her senior years and is dealing with as much as life can throw at her. Her son, Brian (Jake Lacy), is a heroin addict who seems on the verge of death. Her cousin, Donna (Deirdre O’Connell), with whom Diane has had a close but trying relationship, is in the final stages of cervical cancer. Diane is surrounded by people older than her who are dying off. Her best friend, Bobbie (Andrea Martin), is dealing with many of the same issues as Diane but tries to be a stabilizing influence. Diane handles all of this with (mostly) a certain grace, but as we find out, she has even more on her plate than it seems. Diane is one of those people all of us knows – a tireless giver who rarely stops to take care of herself. She enables her son by doing his laundry and checking on him regularly, even though he’s an adult and is abusive toward her. She works at a soup kitchen, where she absorbs the stress of the less fortunate. She’s perpetually in her car, going from one do-gooder stop to another. The story in “Diane” is minimal; it is day-to-day life, with conversations typical of people living a lower middle-class, blue-collar existence. The only drama here is seeing what happens to Brian and which characters pass away. The film is an honest, poetic and often depressing look at life, the aging process and dying, with a focus mostly on women. This is the first narrative film for writer/director Kent Jones, who previously has made documentaries (including “Hitchcock/Truffaut”), worked as a film critic and is the director of the New York Film Festival. He knows his way around film. “Diane” is a linear narrative (with a few jumps ahead in time that are unannounced) that plays it straightforward except for some artsy flourishes of filmmaking in the second half. Place, a veteran character actor, is the real star here. She manages to convincingly portray a character who is both worn down by life and burdened by guilt but still hopeful and helpful. She makes Diane easy to root for. Martin also is outstanding as the perfect best friend, one who can be blunt but change the topic when the conversation requires it. “Diane” is a film that can be emotionally taxing but ultimately rewarding if you hang in there.

“High Life” (R, art-house science fiction, 110 minutes, directed by Claire Denis) is as much a series of beautiful, disturbing and confusing imagery and patchwork of ideas as it is a cohesive film. Robert Pattinson stars as Monte, who is part of a space mission that is sending a crew of male and female death-row inmates toward a black hole in the far reaches of the universe in hopes of finding a perpetual energy source for Earth. If you put murderers in close quarters and send them into outer space for many years, you would expect things to go horribly wrong, and they do. Making matters a lot worse is a nurse, Dibs (Juliette Binoche), who not only is charged with taking care of the crew but also is trying to get the female crew members to successfully reproduce. This isn’t accomplished through familiar relations among the crew members; in fact, that is forbidden. Instead, Dibs collects sperm from the male crew members (all except Monte, who has chosen abstinence from any sex) in exchange for drugs. When her efforts are failing, she drugs the entire crew so that they sleep, then forces herself on an unconscious Monte, collects his bodily fluid and uses it to inseminate Boyse (Mia Goth). When we pick up the non-linear narrative, Monte is taking care of that baby, and they are the sole survivors of the mission. “High Life” jumps back in time to tell us what happened to the rest of the crew, and it is not good. In fact, not much in the film is pleasant, which is likely the point. “High Life” features many uncomfortable scenes of violence and sex. It is, to put it lightly, a difficult watch. French director Claire Denis (who co-wrote) seems to be making a statement about the awfulness of solitude and the failings of prison systems. She also is making a statement about sex (self-gratification is a big part of the film, and there is even a room where crew members can go to relieve the tension, so to speak), but it isn’t obvious what that statement is. Pattinson is solid as Monte, who seems to be the only one of the crew not cracking up. Binoche’s character is like a sexy, even more cruel version of Nurse Ratched from “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” “High Life” is slow, disjointed, twisted and plays like a collection of those head-scratching short films you might see at an art gallery. It’s not for everybody, not by a long shot. But if you find the combination of pretentiousness and perversion appealing, go for it.

From the moment Aretha Franklin belts out her first note in “Amazing Grace” (not rated, concert documentary, 87 minutes, no director), the audience knows it is in for something extraordinary. The Queen of Soul was at the height of her popularity and artistry when, in early 1972, she decided to return to her roots and record a gospel record. This would be no ordinary album. It would be recorded not in a studio but at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, where her childhood friend, the Rev. James Cleveland, led the congregation. Franklin would record the album over two nights, backed by her band, Cleveland on piano and the Southern California Community Choir. Filmmaker Sydney Pollack was commissioned to document the proceedings, but it would be four decades before theatergoers saw his work because he and his crew failed to synchronize image and sound. (The album became Franklin’s biggest- selling record and is the highest-selling live gospel album of all time.) Under the guidance of producer Alan Elliott and with the help of modern digital technology, sight and sound were matched, and the results are nothing short of miraculous. Franklin enters the church on the first night like a champion heavyweight boxer, and when she launches into Marvin Gaye’s “Wholly Holy,” she instantly commands the room; it’s as if time stops. Franklin’s voice is sublime -- a mixture of power and soulfulness and all the right notes. She is all business here. Except for a brief behind-the-scenes moment when she discusses with Cleveland what key a song is going to be in, she does not talk on microphone until thanking the congregation at the end of the second night. She might seem reserved or even indifferent except that it is obvious from her stunning performance that she is zoned in. “Amazing Grace” doesn’t use any fancy film techniques, and that is part of its beauty. Excepting some split-screen shots near the end of the film, it is presented as it happened. It does not include interviews with the participants or any analyzation; it’s just the supporting cast and Aretha with that amazing voice. Pollack and his cameramen are visible throughout, but that does not distract from the performance. Many times, the cameras zoom in tight on Cleveland and Franklin, so close that it seems the movie audience might get wet from their profuse sweating. A lesser performer might be overshadowed by Cleveland, who when he isn’t performing serves as a sort of master of ceremonies/show promoter. But this is clearly Franklin’s show. “Amazing Grace” includes some lighter moments (mostly provided by Cleveland), and it includes some wonderfully poignant scenes, like when Franklin’s father, the Rev. R.L. Franklin, has finished speaking, sits back down in the audience and then gets up again to use a handkerchief to wipe the sweat away from his daughter’s face while she plays piano and sings. “Amazing Grace” took more than 45 years to see the light of day, it took several years to produce from Pollack’s footage, and Franklin herself stopped it from being shown a few years ago, vaguely hinting at legal reasons. Now, it has been released about eight months after her death, and the wait was well worth it.

[wowheadquarters]

Interview with Taedal

As a celebration for gaining (somehow) 300, For the past few days you could asked various questions which Taedal is supposed to answer in this interview. So, everything you ever wanted to know about him,or just to know what he knows, here it is! Additional warning: It’s long.

Q: Does Luxien is also a dreadlord or is she an other kind of demon?

Taedal: Both our parents are dreadlords, genetically speaking Luxien is also a dreadlord. Taedal: However, given her experiments with the Void, Twisting Nether, undeath and other things… It’s hard to tell what she is now. Taedal: Most of people settle with that she is still quite sexy when her form is stable.

Q: How does the Golden Torch react when you start to talk about Blizzard (Breaking the 4th wall, simply)?

Taedal: To quote one of my advisors, Corrazzale. Taedal: (In a very irritated voice with strong French accent) “Oh here he goes again, cursing the weather.”

Q: What make you take the decision to leave the Legion?

Taedal: The official version I give to people varies from “I saw the error of my ways” to “I hate being bossed around”. Taedal: The unofficial… Taedal: Look, in a game where players kill things, you don’t want to be a member of the All Evil Organization. Especially not one of the people in charge of something.

Q: What were you doing before you get the idea of the Golden Torch?

Taedal: Eh, you know. World destruction. Soul tormention. Sentient race conquering. Taedal: And also the Annual Volleyball Tournament. There were so many teams participating in AVT that when one ended, we had to start the next one right away.

Q: How did you convinced the others to became the Golden Torch?

Taedal: I didn’t really convince anyone. Taedal: Once I just mentioned to Cheret that I was really thinking about quitting and he asked me if he could quit with me. Taedal: And suddenly I had a bunch of demons eager to leave at my heels.

Q: What is your favorite(s) zone(s) in all Azeroth? (Outland and Draenor included)?

Taedal: Hm… The Forgotten Isle is easy to say, but there are better places. Taedal: Nagrand is beautiful. But I’m going with Zul’drak which is also beautiful and has one of the most awesome soundtracks. Taedal: And yes, I do hear soundtracks.

Q: If you could get high (as in height, no drugs) and sing, what would you sing?

Taedal: I don’t really sing. I am a terrible singer. Even if I could push my voice high or low, it’d be terrible, I am sure of that. Taedal: But if I have to say a song… When I Get Low I Get High.

Q: Tell us something embarrassing that’s happened to you.

Taedal: Alright, seat yourself, it’s story time. Taedal: Back in the Legion we were invading this one world, its name doesn’t matter as it no longer exists. And I come into a temple to destroy it. And there is this highpriest and bunch of bishops and acolytes. But most importantly the highpriest. Taedal: Now the Legion has the rules of epic, because when you are evil, you have to be evil with style. So dreadlords are pretty much expected to deliver a speech whenever there is even a minor chance of an epic battle or a boss-fight. Taedal: So I start the speech as I am supposed to do, I do the nice “cover mortals” and “kneel before your lord” and “your ultimate demise”. Now I’m getting to mention “reign of chaos will soar thorough your world”, which is my favorite part and this highpriest had apparently never heard of the rule of epic, because he banishes memid-sentence. Taedal: Irritating and embarrassing for it was in a crowded temple.

Q: I’m pretty sure you got an hidden talent, what is it?

Taedal: Whatever hidden talent I have, it is hidden so well I hadn’t found it yet. Taedal: But I’ve been always strangely good at locating lost and hidden treasures. Does it count?

Q: With which leader(s) you like to hang out the most? (And the one to not bring in your opinion)

Taedal: Ji and Anduin make for good companions to talk to, both show a lot of interest. Baine is less happy with me but the best person to play Hearthstone with. Taedal: And… Look, I have nothing against Velen, however he could be less… Less exorcising me on sight. Taedal: On the other hand, being around Thrall is even worse. He has a terrible paladin syndrome and is supper depressive person to talk to.

Q: How many walls did you broke?

Taedal: Ever since I managed to crash our nethership into the Labyrinth at Descension point, I lost count. Taedal: Before that it was 36. I get thrown around quite often.

Q: So, how was Argus?

Taedal: Dunno. Never been there. Taedal: My parents were from Argus, yeah, but me and Luxien were born after they joined the Legion. So me and sis are pure felbreed.

Q: What was the more surprising thing on Azeroth for you when you came?

Taedal: The variety of races. Taedal: I had visited a lot of worlds, you know. Most of them has one or two sentient races. Some of them has also some still-sentient-but-less-civilized races. Taedal: And then there is Azeroth with 17 playable races and some sentient but not playable races like the Nighborn, Nagas or Ramkahen plus some less civilized but sentient races such as Gnolls, Murlocs or those shrimpy things. Taeda: And I’m not even talking about the sub-races.

Q: Do you have a profession? Which one? Or which one would you like to do?

Taedal: NPCs don’t get professions like players do and even those we have don’t work the same way. They are more… Normal, less game-like. Taedal: As a hunter, I of course know how to skin a beast and cook it into something edible. Tame and train the beast as well, preferably before it gets skinned. I am a skilled arrowmaker too and as every demon with hooves I can smith a decent horseshoe. Taedal: If you want to give it a label… Skinning and Blacksmithing.

Q: Do you regret something?

Taedal: Yeah. I should have brought myself a glass of water for this interview, my throat is as dry as Tanaris. Taedal: Alright, let’s be serious. I sort of regret not bringing Luxien to the Golden Torch. On the other hand if I’d made her to leave the Burning Legion against her will she’d turned against me or maybe she would go insane with time, so we’d have to fight her anyway. Taedal: …I’ve mentioned to you that we have to fight Luxien as a raid end-boss, right? Taedal: Oh. I totally forgot. I’ll fix that. Taedal: Listen everybody! I have a really powerful sister and she is evil and has a working plan how to dissect this world to atoms so we have to fight her!

Q: Do you have a favorite mount?

Taedal: As a matter of fact, I don’t. Taedal: I mean, I already have a favorite pet and it’s unfair as it is to the other pets. Taedal: No need to be unfair to the mounts, of whom all are perfect.

Q: Do you like to live on Azeroth? 

Taedal: Better to be living on Azeroth than to be dead somewhere else. So I am not complaining. Taedal: But if I had to choose a retirement resort, I would most certainly not pick Azeroth.

Q: How is your relationship with the other demons of the Golden Torch?

Taedal: They think I am weird but that I know what I am doing so they don’t mind doing what I tell them to do, as long as they have something from it too. And I think that strength is in numbers and there are not many people who listen to you if you don’t have an army. Taedal: So I think we have the “mutual trust and cooperation” relationship.

Q: Can you tell us more about Luxien?

Taedal: She is big and beautiful. By dreadlord standards anyway. She could dress more and her hair has its life on its own, I suppose. She doesn’t as much praise knowledge as experiments, she has to see everything on her own. Taedal: I mean, she is pretty much that kind of a person to whom you tel not to put a fork in an outlet because it’d zap you, and she’d do just that to find out whether it’s true or not. Or maybe even better, she’d find someone else to put the fork there. Taedal: She is also a skilled spellcaster. A fel-mage, if you want. Not really good with weapons, but she never needed them. She is clever enough to booby trap any place she lives, rarely anyone wanders onto her. Taeda: She is also lactose intolerant. No idea what are you going to do with this information.

Q: How would you feel becoming the main character of a fanfic?

Taedal: (Excited bat noises) Taedal: Erhem. I meant… It sounds quite cool.

Q: Your favorite(s) activity(ies) to do?

Taedal: I really love volleyball. And walks with my pets. Seriously, my pets and I spend a lot of time together, whether it’s walk, training, hoofcare, clawcare or things like that.

Q: Any fun fact(s)?

Taedal: My name is in fact Latin taeda, which means torch, with additional L so it looks like a name. Taedal: Luxien, as you have probably guessed at this point, is delivered from lux, which is Latin for light. And Czech for vacuum cleaner, which connects her to her experiments with Void. Taedal: A lot of demons that have to do something with the Golden Torch have light-themed names. When it comes to it, a lot of places on the Forgotten Isle follows the pattern too. Taedal: And Torchkeep is a play on Candlekeep - starting location in Baldur’s Gate. We have a lot of books there too. Just ask Cheret.

Q: One time, we ask you to draw something. You drew seven stickmen. Can we have an explanation or still not?

Taedal: Oh yeah, this… Those were the Seven Deadly Sins. Taedal: Considered my drawing skills, I was seriously thinking about drawing seven different sines, but that’d be too nerd.

Q: Did you and the Golden Torch tried another planets before coming to Azeroth?

Taedal: We had three ideas where to go, Azeroth among them as the Legion’s prime thorn in side. Me and the advisors were voting then with the resut 3:1:1 for Azeroth Taedal: Vand’tet abstained from voting as her idea was “we rush in and kill everyone within the Legion”.

Q: Is Illidan a good godfather or did the Illidari got a new member?

Taedal: Yeah about that… Taedal: I hate to tell you that but it was all fake news. You know, a shipment of damaged pregnancy tests can cause mass panic. Or celebration. Taedal: Illidan was really disappointed he isn’t going to be a godfather. Taedal: The only children we actually got were Garrosh’s 37 adopted ghost children for the simple reason that pregnacy tests have to effect on adoption. Taedal: Of course, Illidan asked Garrosh if he could be godfather of at least one of those children, but Garrosh, being Garrosh, was against that.

Q: How was it among the other Dreadlord? 

Taedal: Quite good actually. The arguments could get quite heated and you don’t want to be in a room full of Dreadlords making angry bat noises setting each other aflame, but aside form that it was nice. Taedal: I miss the sleepovers. There is nothing like hanging upside down from the ceiling side by side with your fellows and whispering quietly not to wake the others up.

Q: If you get your own datadisc, what would you do with it?

Taedal: No spoilers, sweetheart, sorry. Where would the thrill of waiting be? Taedal: Well… I guess I can give you a little teaser, so you’re going to be angry with Blizzard for not making it happen anyway. Hold your hats and grab a good chair, here we go! Taedal: A playable demon race with 6 Classes. Hellfire Nights event, celebrated the last week of April and with its own event dungeon. 4 new raids, such as Voidforge or Ivory Sanctum, and 12 new dungeons, for example Cavern of Time: Descension, K’areshan Manaforge or Eternal Prison. Also 4 new big factions with which you may gain reputation. There is a lot of lore explained and some minor interesting things, like Ethereal or Wrathion, will once again be of importance. Not to mention the Fogotten Isle and some distant worlds added as a location. And also a new profession, Painting. Taedal: And I owe Lord Theron ten golds, ‘cause we had a bet going on whether I would or wouldn’t spill the beans. Damned Elves and their psychology.

Q: As we are the First of April, a question of circumstance: Are you a trickster? Or something like that?

Taedal: I wouldn’t call myself a trickster, on the other hand a lot of other people do. For sure I am no such a person as, say, Loki, but I enjoy a good joke just like everyone else. Taedal: What I am trying to say is that from time to time I do a little harmless mischievous joke. But even I admit that making everyone else read 50 Shades of Gray was a kinda… Overboard.

Q: How is the average day for the Golden Torch?

Taedal: We start our day with emergency, because some Voidforge battlesquad has been bored and decided they need their ass kicked and go attack us. Taedal: Then we have a quiet and nice afternoon, everyone minding their own business. Handing out quests, taking care of pets and mounts, preparing lunch and such. Taedal: By lunch usually return the nether-stalkers, so we (and by we I mean I) update the map of the Twisting Nether along with the positions of the Void and Legion forces. Taedal: After that me and my advisors have an argument what are we going to do with it and usually settle with “sabotage but keep low”. Taedal: Later Khadghar pops in to see how are we doing and stuff, so we tell him that nothing unusual happened and there’s nothing to worry about. And so we can proceed to the dinner.

Q: If you could meet the anon who asked for you to exist, what would you do? :)

Taedal: I am not really sure. Maybe hug. Maybe thanks. Most likely I’d play it like no big deal. Taedal: ‘Twas you, wasn’t it?

[kansascityhappenings]

Comedy icon Jerry Lewis dies at 91

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LOS ANGELES — Jerry Lewis, the manic, rubber-faced showman who jumped and hollered to fame in a lucrative partnership with Dean Martin, settled down to become a self-conscious screen auteur and found an even greater following as the tireless, teary host of the annual muscular dystrophy telethons, has died. He was 91.

Publicist Candi Cazau says Lewis died Sunday morning of natural causes at age 91 in Las Vegas with his family by his side.

Lewis’ career spanned the history of show business in the 20th century, beginning in his parents’ vaudeville act at the age of 5. He was just 20 when his pairing with Martin made them international stars. He went on to make such favorites as “The Bellboy” and “The Nutty Professor,” was featured in Martin Scorsese’s “The King of Comedy” and appeared as himself in Billy Crystal’s “Mr. Saturday Night.”

Jerry Lewis attends the ‘Max Rose’ photocall during The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 23, 2013 in Cannes, France. Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

In the 1990s, he scored a stage comeback as the devil in the Broadway revival of “Damn Yankees.” And after a 20-year break from making movies, Lewis returned as the star of the independent drama “Max Rose,” released in 2016.

In his 80s, he was still traveling the world, working on a stage version of “The Nutty Professor.” He was so active he would sometimes forget the basics, like eating, his associates would recall. In 2012, Lewis missed an awards ceremony thrown by his beloved Friars Club because his blood sugar dropped from lack of food and he had to spend the night in the hospital.

In his 90s, he was still performing standup shows.

A major influence on Jim Carrey and other slapstick performers, Lewis also was known as the ringmaster of the Labor Day Muscular Dystrophy Association, joking and reminiscing and introducing guests, sharing stories about ailing kids and concluding with his personal anthem, the ballad “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” From the 1960s onward, the telethons raised some $1.5 billion, including more than $60 million in 2009. He announced in 2011 that he would step down as host, but would remain chairman of the association he joined some 60 years ago.

His fundraising efforts won him the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2009 Oscar telecast, an honor he said “touches my heart and the very depth of my soul.” But the telethon was also criticized for being mawkish and exploitative of children, known as “Jerry’s Kids.” A 1960s muscular dystrophy poster boy, Mike Ervin, later made a documentary called “The Kids Are All Alright,” in which he alleged that Lewis and the Muscular Dystrophy Association had treated him and others as objects of pity rather than real people.

“He and his telethon symbolize an antiquated and destructive 1950s charity mentality,” Ervin wrote in 2009.

Responded Lewis: “You don’t want to be pitied because you’re a cripple in a wheelchair, stay in your house!”

He was the classic funnyman who longed to play “Hamlet,” crying as hard as he laughed. He sassed and snarled at critics and interviewers who displeased him. He pontificated on talk shows, lectured to college students and compiled his thoughts in the 1971 book “The Total Film-Maker.”

“I believe, in my own way, that I say something on film. I’m getting to those who probably don’t have the mentality to understand what … ‘A Man for All Seasons’ is all about, plus many who did understand it,” he wrote. “I am not ashamed or embarrassed at how seemingly trite or saccharine something in my films will sound. I really do make films for my great-great-grandchildren and not for my fellows at the Screen Directors Guild or for the critics.”

In his early movies, he played the kind of fellows who would have had no idea what the elder Lewis was talking about: loose-limbed, buck-toothed, overgrown adolescents, trouble-prone and inclined to wail when beset by enemies. American critics recognized the comedian’s popular appeal but not his aspirations to higher art; the French did. Writing in Paris’ Le Monde newspaper, Jacques Siclier praised Lewis’ “apish allure, his conduct of a child, his grimaces, his contortions, his maladjustment to the world, his morbid fear of women, his way of disturbing order everywhere he appeared.”

The French government awarded Lewis the Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1983 and Commander of Arts and Letters the following year. Film critic Andrew Sarris observed: “The fact that Lewis lacks verbal wit on the screen doesn’t particularly bother the French.”

Lewis had teamed up with Martin after World War II, and their radio and stage antics delighted audiences, although not immediately. Their debut, in 1946 at Atlantic City’s 500 Club, was a bust. Warned by owner “Skinny” D’Amato that they might be fired, Martin and Lewis tossed the script and improvised their way into history. New York columnists Walter Winchell and Ed Sullivan came to the club and raved over the sexy singer and the berserk clown.

Lewis described their fledgling act in his 1982 autobiography, “Jerry Lewis in Person”: “We juggle and drop a few dishes and try a few handstands. I conduct the three-piece band with one of my shoes, burn their music, jump offstage, run around the tables, sit down with the customers and spill things while Dean keeps singing.”

Hollywood producer Hal Wallis saw them at New York’s Copacabana and signed them to a film contract. Martin and Lewis first appeared in supporting roles in ��My Friend Irma” and “My Friend Irma Goes West.” Then they began a hit series of starring vehicles, including “At War With the Army,” ”That’s My Boy” and “Artists and Models.”

But in the mid-1950s, their partnership began to wear. Lewis longed for more than laughs. Martin had tired of playing straight man and of Lewis’ attempts to add Chaplinesque pathos. He also wearied of the pace of films, television, nightclub and theater appearances, benefits and publicity junkets on which Lewis thrived. The rift became increasingly public as the two camps sparred verbally.

“I knew we were in trouble the day someone gave Jerry a book about Charlie Chaplin,” Martin cracked.

On July 24, 1956, Martin and Lewis closed shop, at the Copa, and remained estranged for years. Martin, who died in 1995, did make a dramatic, surprise appearance on Lewis’ telethon in 1976 (a reunion brokered by mutual pal Frank Sinatra), and director Peter Bogdonavich nearly persuaded them to appear in a film together as former colleagues who no longer speak to each other. After Martin’s death, Lewis said the two had again become friendly during his former partner’s final years and he would repeatedly express his admiration for Martin above all others.

The entertainment trade at first considered Martin the casualty of the split, since his talents, except as a singer, were unexplored. He fooled his detractors by cultivating a comic, drunken persona, becoming star of a long-running TV variety show and a respected actor in such films as “Some Came Running,” ”The Young Lions” and “Rio Bravo.”

Lewis also distinguished himself after the break, revealing a serious side as unexpected as Martin’s gift for comedy.

He brought in comedy director Frank Tashlin for “Rock-a-bye Baby,” ”Cinderfella,” ”The Disorderly Orderly,” ”The Geisha Boy” and “Who’s Minding the Store?”, in which he did a pantomime of a typist trying to keep up with Leroy Anderson’s speedy song “The Typewriter.”

With “The Bellboy,” though, Lewis assumed the posts of producer, director, writer and star, like his idol Chaplin. Among his hits under his own direction was the 1963 “The Nutty Professor,” playing a dual Jekyll and Hyde role, transforming himself from a nerdy college teacher to a sexy (and conceited) lounge singer, Buddy Love, regarded as a spoof of his old partner Martin.

He also directed “The Patsy,” ”The Errand Boy,” ”The Family Jewels” and “The Big Mouth.” Lewis’ more recent film credits included such low-budget releases as “Arizona Dream,” co-starring Johnny Depp, and “Max Rose,” which came out in 2016. He had a guest shot on television’s “Mad About You” and was seen briefly in Eddie Murphy’s remake of “The Nutty Professor.”

He was born Joseph Levitch in Newark, New Jersey, on March 16, 1926. His father, billed as Danny Lewis, was a singer on the borscht and burlesque circuits. His mother played piano for Danny’s act. Their only child was often left alone in hotel rooms, or lived in Brooklyn with his paternal grandparents, Russian Jewish immigrants, or his aunts in New Jersey.

“All my life I’ve been afraid of being alone,” Lewis once said. In his later years the solitude haunted him, and he surrounded himself with an entourage at work and at home.

Joey Levitch made his professional debut at age 5, singing the Depression tearjerker “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” to great applause. He recalled that he eventually lost all interest in school and “began to clown around to attract people’s attention.”

By 16, Jerry Lewis (as his billing read) had dropped out of school and was earning as much as $150 a week as a solo performer. He appeared in a “record act,” mouthing crazily to the records of Danny Kaye, Spike Jones and other artists. Rejected by the Army because of a heart murmur and punctured eardrum, Lewis entertained troops in World War II and continued touring with his lip-sync act. In 1944 he married Patti Palmer, a band vocalist.

The following year he met Martin, on a March day in 1945 in Manhattan, Broadway and 54th to be exact. Lewis was on his way to see an agent, walking with a friend, when his friend spotted an “incredibly handsome” man wearing a camel’s hair coat. Lewis and Martin were introduced and Lewis knew right off that this new acquaintance, nine years older than him, was “the real deal.”

“‘Harry Horses,’ I thought,” Lewis wrote in the memoir “Dean and Me,” published in 2005. “That was what we used to call a guy who thought he was smooth with the ladies. Anybody who wore a camel’s-hair overcoat, with a camel’s-hair belt and fake diamond cuff links, was automatically Harry Horses.”

Lewis couldn’t escape from small-time bookings. The same was true of Martin, who sang romantic songs in nightclubs. In 1946, Lewis was playing the 500 Club, and the seats were empty. Lewis suggested hiring Martin to bolster the bill, promising he could do comedy as well as sing.

Fame brought him women and Lewis wrote openly of his many partners. After 36 years of marriage and six sons, Patti Lewis sued her husband for divorce in 1982. She later wrote a book claiming that he was an adulterer and drug addict who abused their children. Son Gary became a pop singer whose group, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, had a string of hits in 1965-66.

In his late 50s, Lewis married Sandra Pitnick, 32, a former airline stewardess. They had a daughter, Dani, named for Jerry’s father.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports http://fox4kc.com/2017/08/20/comedy-icon-jerry-lewis-dies-at-91/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2017/08/20/comedy-icon-jerry-lewis-dies-at-91/