Chasing Chevy

Back when I was ten years-old, I read a newspaper interview with Chevy Chase, my favorite actor at the time, aloud to my mother. He was bemoaning the critical panning of his latest work to the paper. Mr. Chase seemed to consider himself, the actor, above the critics, the God of them even. And at the time of the interview, Chevy Chase was an angry God. He questioned the very existence of the critics. “Without actors,” I read aloud to my mother in my best impression of Chevy Chase, “critics wouldn’t even exist.”

I found this statement very profound, believing Chevy Chase to be a God at that point in time. He was Fletch! The National Lampoons' Vacation movies! I wished all film critics dead, and said so to my mother.

My mother, however, thought his statement ludicrous. “Without patients,” she said in her best impression of Chevy Chase, “doctors wouldn’t even exist.”

That statement has haunted me to this day. Am I supposed to hate doctors, patients, critics, or actors? Is my mother, sometimes a patient, the Lord of the Doctors, on level-footing with Chevy Chase? Or is it the other way around? My father is a doctor, and now my wife is as well... Should I hate them or worship them? Is my wife my father? Is my father my wife?

It’s a wonder I ever sleep at all.

Here are some things the Blood Arm has been up to lately:

Performing in Edinburgh with Hot Hot Heat—It was Hot Hot! And Heated!

Flying back from Edinburgh to Los Angeles—We were high! And flying!

Knitting—Dyan got darnding and done-darnded Zach a scarf!

Performing at the Troubadour—It’s good to be home!

Sharing—The band lent Spoon their practice space, and Spoon gave us passes to see them at Arthurfest!

Arthurfestering—Spoon! Sonic Youth! Sleater-Kinney! Magic Markers! The Circle! The Black Keys! Yoko Ono! The Modey Lemon! Alcohol! Other bands!

Strip-Clubbing—We found ourselves at a lesbian strip bar with Maximo Park! Just like in the Jonathan Richman song!

DJ-ing—Nathaniel spun at some parties, and boy is he dizzy!

Eating—Hey, if we didn’t, we’d die!

Paper Mache-ing—When it dries, it’s tough as cement!

Loving you—It’s easy ‘cause you’re beautiful!

My Leeds report will be posted on thisisfakediy.co.uk shortly!

xxxooo,

Ben Lee