It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
I now grant you the power to color correct your photos by brightening them ever so slightly.
So be it.
In case you check this instead of email on the road:
SONY HIRES BIG BROTHER
I decided to watch the PINEAPPLE EXPRESS red-band trailer via the Sony site and was asked to verify my age. So I did what I normally do – made up a name, different birthdate and my old Zip code.
I was then denied access. When I went back to the start, I saw this chilling notice at the bottom: “To verify my age, I hereby authorize Sony Sentry TM to confirm the accuracy of the information I have provided against government issued records.”
You. Have. Got. To. Be. Shitting. Me.
Like I said, when I read those words I was literally chilled at the implications. Welcome to the 21st Century, where personal records being a private matter is a quaint idea.
I don’t think stuff like your date of birth was ever a ‘private’ matter.
My significant other and I eat in Chinatown on a regular basis and while walking back to the core often go down Dundas and past the restaurant you are talking about. We too recently, for the past few months, noticed the Roger Ebert star in front of it. My assumption is that it is one of Ebert’s favourite places to eat in Toronto.
If you are into it while you are here, you should also try both East Indian and West Indian foods. Toronto also excels at both.
Dhaba on King St is quite exceptional.
Enjoy your stay.
Sony has used DMV records for the last year or so for things like this. It’s one of the reasons that it only works in the US.
I do find it odd that it is information available to a commercial business for use, but for Sony, it makes sense. If you can just make it up, it’s not really a wall, is it?
I’m pretty sure the only time Roger has ever gone into Spadina Gardens was to go to Dusty’s dinners… but he is a star.