On today’s Fresh Air, songwriter Bret McKenzie talks about writing the songs for the new Muppet movie: “They take it very seriously, and sometimes in the studio, they kind of ‘Method’ Muppets, where in between takes, they stay in character. So I’m in the studio, we do a take and then we’re like, ‘Can you do it again? Just a little more energy?’ and then they talk back to you as Fozzie the Bear. So it’s like I’m having a conversation with the Muppet in there. Pretty strange, very surreal job.”
In our theater school Method assignment to study and inhabit an actor/character, I chose Marlon Brando (not very Method of me). For the project, I dressed my then-five-year-old sister in a Longshoreman’s shirt and newsboy cap and made her act out the famous “I coulda been contender” scene with me (since I was Marlon and she was my “brudder,” Charlie, she should have been wearing a trench coat and fedora but whatever).
She dutifully learned her lines and piped them out in the cutest little girl’s voice you ever did hear (though in the video, you can clearly see me jabbing her in the ribs when she forgot ‘em).
“I had some bets down on ya. You saw some money.”
Good golly we’ve got to track down that video.
Happy 19th birthday to the best thing that ever happened to me.
Never let it be said we don’t give good pose.
Love,
Your sister
PS: Last year’s teary-eyed birthday post.
Fido hasn’t been the same since Gena left. The things that once brought him joy — a stray string, sitting on people — now feel so empty. His will to live is almost completely depleted (not his will to eat, though, that remains strong). I’m really starting to worry about the little porker.
We miss you, Gena-Bean!
Today Gena leaves. But maybe if we stuff her with Russ & Daughters she never will!
For Gena’s last supper in New York, we can’t do much better than Hot Kitchen. Soft bean curd pudding with sliced fish, cold cucumber, dumplings in red oil — all foods we know and love — and something new to us: super-spicy lamb and vegetable soup. Just as outrageously delicious as everything else on their menu (so long as you stick to the Sichuan and/or slightly crazy-sounding dishes). They won’t let you order certain things for delivery — the mark of a place that takes its food seriously. God I love you, Hot Kitchen.
Sister looking like one classy broad.
Favorites.
Sisters. (Taken at Ward III)
Gena’s chic NYE manicure.
My sister made these marzipan figures. Adorable!
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