My dad died of pancreatic cancer. It was so late it was basically the Nazis versus Poland and all he could do is surrender, but even then, cancer is a battle. Can be long and drawn-out, can even be a victory. After my mom remarried, my stepdad got cancer in his back that he was supposed to have died of 12 years ago,…

Like when somebody asked Bill Monroe about the 'high lonesome' country tenors: "there ain't but two, and Ira's dead.".

Don't forget the lampshades with the interesting tattoo-like designs.

Our sandwiches are da bomb! Right, Zoki? (Sadly, slowly looks down and shakes head)

Three words: Doris Kearns Goodwin. I forgot her name and googled "that lady historian who likes the red sox" and her name popped up as the first link. Something about her drives me nuts. I'll take eight hours of Crystal, who at least is a good storyteller, over 10 seconds of her. Also: Given the history of the Red Sox…

I'm hip is actually a pretty good song: I'm hip, I'm in step, when it was hip to be hep, I was hep…

Double-bangs chest followed by peace sign.

That's why they invented coffee. I think you guys are looking at it the wrong way. If you actually want to *do* something, getting high is bad. But what's wrong with just burning a day off when you're in your '20s? That kind of life is not sustainable, but for God's sake, you haven't lived until you've waked and baked…

"You should destroy this immediately."

Nobody mentioned Sarah Silverman? I've never seen her interview anybody though. I could watch a hour of her, for sure.

I say this every time his name comes up, but World's Greatest Dad was a revelation. He was so good in that - it just blew me away. Back in the day, he was the epitome of that joke about cocaine: take an annoying person, and make them just that much more annoying. I obviously don't know him, but it is nice to see what…

See: Atkins diet. Americans are really weird about food fads.

Oh Out of the Past, where in Ebert's classic words, Douglas and Mitchum were smoking at each other. One of my favorite lines in all of movies: Douglas: Cigarette? Mitchum: Smoking!

That's definitely in the translation: We'll have pizza! IIRC the waiter tells him that this is not a pizza place so they get the sandwiches. The rich kid had tons of pasta, again IIRC. I never found this movie boring or dull, there is a lot going on and a great economy of style (but then again, there had to be, in…

Bernie Brewer sliding into the vat of beer was pretty awesome too. Drowned in a vat of beer: oh death, where is thy sting?

I got to see both Steve Howe and Mike Norris when they played for the San Jose Bees (a sub-A, unaffiliated team) on their rehab stints. It was so weird seeing Howe pitch in this tiny stadium with like 1,500 people in the stands. Damn he was good.

I was at an Oakland A's game back in the '80s during the Bash Brothers days. Mark McGuire was known for being injured a lot. He had a small autograph signing before the game with some kids on the side there by the dugout. Somebody handed him a crutch to sign. He got mad and the session ended. You'd be surprised, fans…

Nothing about Charlie O, the donkey mascot for the A's in the '60s and '70s? Do I have to do all the work around here, kids?

I read this in the Voice of Rip Torn from the Larry Sanders Show. And it was good.

But even Waylon would say that Bob Wills is still the king!