A few days ago I ranted away the workday blues....today I am chilled and at one with the world. Yesterday was the best day. We saw Stephen Fry at the festival, speaking about America. He reminded us of something. Our habit of laughing and looking down on the Americans is a bad one, we seem to have acquired a bad habit (unfounded, in his opinion) of thinking that just because we have a history and know literature well enough to speak about it in an articulate way that we are somehow superior. His travels around the US have taught him otherwise, he says. They are such a smart race, and we should not underestimate them. (George W Bush aside of course!!) A lesson in humility here.
7pm and we saw, in my opinion, one of the greatest movie stars of our time, Tony Curtis. Aged 83, still with a twinkle in his eye and a sharp and sardonic humour! What a privilege it was too. And for him too, he said. The stories kept coming, he commanded the stage and audience alike, despite a frail body (a stroke 3 years ago), he is a true fighter. He even stood up on stage and attempted to show us how he perfected a woman's walk for "Some Like it Hot", nearly falling off stage in the process but he laughed it off - much to the interviewers distress I might add!
Two power cuts did not faze him either. He just kept on chatting to the front row, as if nothing had happened. Actually he was chatting up an attractive woman in row two. Life in the old dog yet!! Afterwards, we ran round to the bookshop to get his book signed. A first for me - I don't do the "autograph thing", just admire from afar. We had our friend's six year old with us, who was totally oblivious to who he was or what he represented. AfterTony signed his book for my Mum, he then had a chat with Max - I always think it is so lovely when an old person sees a child - for a few minutes they regress and enter their world. Their eyes light up, their smile widens, and they totally engage with them. Max was probably wondering why on earth this old man was talking to him! He then grabbed another piece of paper and wrote on it "Max - A pleasure - Tony Curtis". I then plucked up courage and shook his hand - such smooth skin for an old fella, and he smiled and winked as we went on our way.
It totally made my day! Perhaps I'll pluck up more courage to do the "autograph thing" in the future. But I'll choose wisely.
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Hi Jilly I just dropped by to say hello and to thank you for sharing your time at the Hay with us. I use to fancy the sock off Tony Curtis when I was in my teens watching all his old films.
ReplyDeletebest wishes
Annie
Hi Jilly.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Reg.
I had to smile when you mentioned Tony Curtis. My Dad used to really fancy himself as the Welsh Tony Curtis. It went to the point of asking us kids if he still looked like Tony when one of his movies were on. Sad that, innit, lol.
It's very true about Brits looking down on our cousins across the pond, I'm afraid.
I was in Colorado Springs for four weeks in '86. We stayed at Fort Carson, (I was a soldier then) but we had a lot of free time to spend with the local population.
They were the friendliest people I have ever met, in my life.
Anyway, nice Blog, have a nice time.
All the best, Reg :-)
Hi Reg, thanks for visiting my blog, I don't get many visitors! Tony is a legend to me and my Mum, we love his films. I gave her the book today and she was thrilled. It's his 84th birthday today, so here's to you Tony!
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