Haines Logo Text
Column Archive
May 20, 2010:

COCK AND BULLY STORY

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, there have been very few times in my life when I’ve allowed myself to be bullied. It’s happened twice with Kritzerland projects – time one it wasn’t worth it for me to fight the bully. And in between time one and time two there were some minor skirmishes with some folks asserting certain things that they had no right to assert. I played their game and beat them at it – and they crawled away and disappeared like the little maggots they were. And then there was time two, which happened a few weeks ago on the eve of a CD announcement. Now, this particular bully is well known for his being a complete jerk. He takes what he considers a high moral ground but is about as moral as a pimp, and I mean that in the nicest possible way. He threw a last-minute monkey wrench into the announcement and I allowed it – I postponed the release, despite having a signed contract with the rights’ holders. I shouldn’t have postponed anything, and as the days and then weeks went by it became very obvious that this man was, as always, full of hot air and sound and fury signifying nothing. He was playing a game – a game, I’m happy to say, he lost. I was contacted by several others who fell victim to his obnoxious ways, but they were smart enough to tell him to go fly a kite. So, we’ll be releasing the title shortly and I don’t care one or even two whits whether he chooses to make a stink or not. The point is, he has no RIGHT to make a stink about anything. In fact, I look forward to ignoring any stink he thinks he can make – everyone is on to this guy and his games. He recently tried to cause trouble at another label – to no avail. Well, to this person I say phut and should have done so four weeks ago. Instead I allowed him to bully me and cause me to have to jump hoops to get a release ready in four days. Never again, ever. Phut. Phut I say, and say again. And that is my cock and bully story for today. That reminds me of a wonderful LA restaurant called the Cock and Bull. Like most wonderful LA restaurants, it bit the dust sometime in the 1970s.

I had an okay day yesterday. I got up early so I’d be ready for the nine-thirty arrival of my helper. Only my helper had e-mailed me and asked if it could be ten-thirty because she’d gotten home late. I said fine. At ten-thirty she informed me her roommate’s car was blocking her car and her roommate was out jogging. So, the helper didn’t get to me until eleven-fifteen, which really played havoc with how I had my day planned. We got everything packaged up (a lot of overseas shipments) and over to the postal office, then had a quick sandwich for lunch, then picked up one teeny-tiny package and then came home. She went on her merry way. I was, of course, supposed to be at David Wechter’s house by twelve-thirty. Instead, we decided to work on the phone but then we both realized we had iChat on our computers, so we used that and could see each other while working, which was fun. We worked for close to two and a half hours, and then called it a day, although it really doesn’t like to be called a day – no, it likes to be called an it. After that, I sat on my couch like so much fish.

Last night, I watched the second to last episode of Lost. It was much better than the previous week’s show. I’m not holding out a lot of hope for the final episode – there’s simply too much stuff to sort out in too short a time. But, come Sunday, I think you know where I’ll be. I then watched a motion picture in high definitions on the DVR, Chilly Scenes of Winter, starring John Heard and Mary Beth Hurt. I’ve always liked the film and I liked it all over again seeing it these many years later. Originally released as Head Over Heels, that version of the film had a happy ending of sorts. The film died at the box-office, but was reissued a few years later under its original title of Chilly Scenes of Winter, and the ending was not happy, but rueful. I prefer the second version – the happy ending really is kind of silly. John Heard is terrific as an obsessed lover – he’s creepy, almost a sociopath, and at times quite disturbing, but he also has moments of charm. Mary Beth Hurt is wonderful as the object of his obsession. The supporting players are fine, and the jazzy score is really nice and features the guitar, whistling, and harmonica of Jean “Toots” Thielmans. In fact, I liked the score so much that I found a website for the composer and wrote him to say I could conceivably license the music IF he had tapes. I haven’t heard back, so maybe it’s not really his own website. After the movie, I listened to a couple of upcoming Kritzerland projects, and also a couple of CDs.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below whilst we perhaps tell the story of The Randy Vicar and the Cock and Bully Story.

Today will be quite a busy little day. I have to be up early so I can go get the motor car washed, then David and I will work again for a couple of hours via iChat, and then I’m meeting dear reader Jeanne for a yummilicious luncheon at Hugo’s in West Hollywood. After that, I’ll hie myself back home to do some work on our upcoming releases.

Tomorrow, I’m getting a well-needed haircut from Teddy. I will, of course, be bringing him the new book, since he’s mentioned in it. Then I’ll come back home and work, and then I’m seeing Jason Graae in the musical play he’s doing. Saturday, of course, is my signing – although I have no idea if anyone will be showing up. It’s always this way – I ask people which date would be best, I get opinions, and I choose the date that seems to work for the most people. And then systematically everyone suddenly has things to do that day – it’s quite irksome, but, I suppose, it comes with the territory. I just hope I’m not sitting there alone.

Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, get the motor car washed, work via iChat, lunch, and then have the evening all to myself. Today’s topic of discussion: What are the things you love about the Internet, and what are the things you loathe about the Internet? Let’s have it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst we put a period on the Cock and Bully Story.

Search BK's Notes Archive:
 
© 2001 - 2024 by Bruce Kimmel. All Rights Reserved