my new york moment with lou dobbs

one of those wacky, random things that happen, as they say, only in new york, kids.

kirk and i went to a free screening of “whatever happened to baby jane” last night. the turner out employees group had the event in the screening room in the new time warner center.

we had a great time, especially with the audience laughing and joking around with the movie. it’s the classic so-bad-it’s-good movie with bette davis and joan crawford chewing the scenery.

and there’s an unforgettable moment when bette davis, looking a thousand years old and dressed as the former child star her character was, sings “i’m send-ing a let-ter to dad-dy” in that inimitable voice. great stuff, if you like your camp really campy.

so, on the way out, kirk and i were in a great mood. and we were alone in the elevator going down to the lobby, and we started singing that song together, in our best bette-davis-soundalike voices. singing probably a bit too loudly.

and we weren’t paying attention to the floor, and the elevator doors opened, and we stopped singing, and kirk started to walk out.

onto the third floor.

smack into lou dobbs.

now, is that surreal or what?

he looked pretty bemused. and i have to say, though i’m largely not a fan of his stand on immigration policy, he seemed like a pretty cool guy. and he had real presence as well, the kind you don’t see often. i’ve met lots of famous people, and i’ve experienced that whoosh feeling of projected power twice in my life.

lou dobbs, and bill clinton.

anyway, he laughed, i made a joke about “almost there” down to the lobby, he asked us (in reference to don rickles on larry king on the elevator tv screen) “is that guy still alive?”

i almost said “which one?”

but thought better of it, and just said, “well, it may be a repeat.” he laughed, the elevator doors opened, and that was that.

definitely a weird chance encounter, but surprisingly enjoyable.

lou dobbs. a guy i’d like to knock back a scotch with. who knew?