A Controversial Figure Passes
RIP radio icon Don Imus, 79. He spent 50 years in broadcasting. Before he found his life niche he was a Marine, honorably discharged, a window dresser, railroad brakeman and miner. One of the first to be dubbed “Shock Jock,” he had long stints at WNBC, WFAN and WABC, often interrupted by personal demons or going too far in his commentary and attracting lawsuits. He also had a successful run as a standup comic. His lone novel, God’s Other Son, was a New York Times best seller. He also wrote a memoir with his brother Fred, a frequent on-air contributor. Five albums of his work were issued. In deep contrast to his sins, he raised millions for wounded veterans of the Iraq War, and for sick children. I listened to his WFAN show each morning before going to work. It was frequently hilarious, especially the parodies featuring Richard Nixon and Mike Tyson impersonators, and the brilliant lampooning of him and the sports scene by Knicks’ play-by-play man Mike Breem, which Imus ate up. I stopped listening when he became a critic of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, although time may prove he was right. Unfortunately, his comments were vicious. He won four Marconi awards and is a member of the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. Here’s a quote attributed to him: “I regret the times I’ve been mean to people… It’s fine to pick on people who can defend themselves and deserve it. Some people don’t deserve to be picked on who I picked on, so I don’t do it anymore.”
My Friday night movie fix was interesting if unsatisfying. Transit (2018) is a baffling portrait of a man trying to flee Europe and fascism. That would set it during WWII, but it’s shot in the present, although without the presence of cell phones and PC’s. It isn’t sci-fi. It is likely existential drama, although I’m not confident in saying that. It also has a lot to do with identity. The protagonist impersonates a writer who committed suicide. There is also voice over narration by a writer/bartender, which had me wondering if the flick is a sort of novel in progress. It certainly has the feel of an unfinished work, especially in characterization. Director/writer Christian Fetzold, a German, adapted the screenplay from a 1942 novel by Anna Segher. He has more than ten full length features under his belt. There is a long review of the film on its page at IMDb by paul-allaer. He makes interesting points about history repeating itself and there being no difference between then and now, which is smart given the rise of neo-fascism in modern Europe. 4000+ users at IMDb have rated Transit, forging to a consensus of 6.9 on a scale of ten, way too high in my opinion, although it is refreshing to see work that dares to be different. It runs, or meanders, an hour-forty minutes. Here are the stars, Franz Rogowski and Paula Beer, in character:
I left the winter coat home, as the temperature was in the 50’s, perfect for sidewalk enterprise. My thanks to the young woman who bought two novels by Isabel Allende: The House of the Spirits and Daughter of Fortune; and to Mike, who purchased Deeper Than the Dead by Tami Hoag for his girlfriend; and to the gentleman who selected Inca Gold by Clive Cussler.
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