Good Fellow
Congratulations to Warren Beatty for being honored with the 36th AFI Life Achievement Award. The ceremony starts this evening at the Kodak theatre with drinks at 6 pm and dinner at 7 pm. Variety's Steve Chagollan has written a tribute piece called "Warren Beatty Perfected Art of Evasion," and...oh, man, do I know the meaning of that!
I've been fencing on and off with Beatty for 15 or so years, and I've gotten next to nothing printable from the guy (98% of our chats have been OTR). And it's been mostly okay because I've enjoyed the pleasure of the game that we play each and every time. And I love his flattery, which he throws at you from time to time. Not too much -- he's no glad-hander -- but just enough to keep you sweet.
A couple of years ago at a party I reminded Beatty that our very first non-interview was in '81, to which he replied, "Eighty-one? What were you, twelve years old?" I've never heard the words "how are ya?" spoken with more apparent feeling and sincerity than from he. There's not a lot of different ways to massage those three words, but for whatever reason I've never forgotten his delivery. Knowing that it's a bit that he's practiced and perfected doesn't matter, for some reason. Because he's so good at it.
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on June 12, 2008 at 1:41 PM
comment #1
lipranzer
says ...
I have the non-interview he did with Rolling Stone, as well as writer Bill Zehme's piece remembering it, and remembering how he used a stopwatch to time all the pauses. According to Zehme, Madonna (Beatty had just broken up with her) would spoof it in her "Truth and Dare" shows.
Posted by lipranzer
at June 12, 2008 2:11 PM
comment #2
Spacesheik
says ...
Warren Beatty gets an AFI award. So does Tom Hanks.
But Not Richard Widmark.
Or Charlton Heston.
Or Mickey Rooney.
Or Stanley Kramer.
Or the countless other legends, most of whom have sadly passed now.
A travesty.
Posted by Spacesheik
at June 12, 2008 2:33 PM
comment #3
CinemaPhreek
says ...
Meanwhile, everyone else is putting out their reviews of HULK.
Posted by CinemaPhreek
at June 12, 2008 2:35 PM
comment #4
gruver1
says ...
Aaaackkk...okay, Jesus.
Posted by gruver1
at June 12, 2008 2:42 PM
comment #5
thevisceral
says ...
Beatty should've played the Hulk. That would've been cooooooool.
Posted by thevisceral
at June 12, 2008 2:54 PM
comment #6
George Prager
says ...
Or Dorothy Malone
Or Richard Fleischer
Or Rin Tin Tin
Or Stella Stevens
Or Rondo Hatton
Or Red Buttons
Or Joseph Bologna
Or Richard Thorpe
Or Richard Deacon
Or F. Murray Abraham
Or Phil Karlson
Or Sammy Petrillo
Or Doodles Weaver
Or Jane Withers
Or The Ritz Brothers
Or Arnold Stang
Or the countless other legends, most of whom have sadly passed now.
A travesty.
Posted by George Prager
at June 12, 2008 3:01 PM
comment #7
anti-sardine
says ...
I was at a party at Warren Beatty's house once.
I asked where the bathroom was.
After about 15 minutes of him talking to me I still didn't know, so I gave up and pissed in the pool.
Posted by anti-sardine
at June 12, 2008 3:09 PM