If Only I Could Use this Gift for Good
Graham and I both decided to be good housepeople and go grocery shopping--SEPARATELY. So now instead of some rotting lettuce, two jars of jam, and some coffee left in our refrigerator, we now have 2 dozen eggs, enough chicken and porkchops to constitute a smalltown petting zoo, an entire forrest of mixed greens and lettuce, two bottles of half and half, FOUR loaves of bread, and enough produce to start a civil war in an unaired episode of the Veggie Tales. The difference between our experiences going shopping, is that I went after work, during RUSH HOUR, fighting off hoards of fellow young professionals, and Graham went during the day and got to see a CELEBRITY FROM THE BRAT PACK, Andrew McCarthy, shopping for organic goods.
The thing with Graham when he sees celebs, he can never remember their names. So it's a guessing game, sometimes including guest stars and entire resumes of films. He described Andrew McCarthy, as "An actor who had been in cheesy 80's movies." When I asked him what movies, did he say, PRETTY IN PINK? Did he say ST. ELMO'S FIRE? Nope. His two examples were Weekend at Bernies and Mannequin. The insane part is that I got who it was RIGHT AWAY. Believe me, this is how I know we deserve each other. I didn't think anyone in the world remembered the movie Mannequin, where a goofy, cute cut-up (McCarthy) haphazardly gets a job dressing windows in New York, when one of the mannequins (Kim Cattral)comes to life. Oh, the ROMANCE!
By the way, I didn't have to do any research to pull up the description of that film--and that's how I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM. I remember WAY TOO MANY movie facts from my childhood. Sometimes, I'll relay entire personal histories in a conversation on someone like Andrew McCarthy, and the people who will have started the conversation, will look at me like they are A LITTLE AFRAID. More than a few times people have stopped me and said, HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS STUFF? And I'll look at them, and shrug. "It's a gift." I say. Now, if only I could use it for GOOD.
The thing with Graham when he sees celebs, he can never remember their names. So it's a guessing game, sometimes including guest stars and entire resumes of films. He described Andrew McCarthy, as "An actor who had been in cheesy 80's movies." When I asked him what movies, did he say, PRETTY IN PINK? Did he say ST. ELMO'S FIRE? Nope. His two examples were Weekend at Bernies and Mannequin. The insane part is that I got who it was RIGHT AWAY. Believe me, this is how I know we deserve each other. I didn't think anyone in the world remembered the movie Mannequin, where a goofy, cute cut-up (McCarthy) haphazardly gets a job dressing windows in New York, when one of the mannequins (Kim Cattral)comes to life. Oh, the ROMANCE!
By the way, I didn't have to do any research to pull up the description of that film--and that's how I KNOW I HAVE A PROBLEM. I remember WAY TOO MANY movie facts from my childhood. Sometimes, I'll relay entire personal histories in a conversation on someone like Andrew McCarthy, and the people who will have started the conversation, will look at me like they are A LITTLE AFRAID. More than a few times people have stopped me and said, HOW DO YOU KNOW THIS STUFF? And I'll look at them, and shrug. "It's a gift." I say. Now, if only I could use it for GOOD.
posted by Summer Pierre at
11:11 AM
5 Comments:
OMG--Andrew McCarthy!!!!!! I was so OBSESSED with him in high school and college... He *exemplified* my type...
And don't forget the classic "Class"....
Now I can't WAIT to meet you this weekend!
I also remember cheesy movies (even the ones i didn't see - like mannequin - just based on the trailers for godsake!) ... and TV show theme songs (even the ones i didn't watch) ... and commercials ... and the one hit wonders from the 60's, 70's and 80's ... it's really quite scary. 'Specially since I'm convinced that this has swallowed up the brain space that is where anything related to math and organizing my office should be.
I have seen Mannequin probably 100 times. I used to watch it over and over when I was younger. I thought it was so much fun and I wanted to have Kim Cattral's personality. I'm with you, I have WAY too many movie facts in my brain. Could have spent my teen years much more productively.
This is so funny, because earlier today, I tried to leave a comment telling you that now that I read this post, I just know you're gonna *love* Deb, because she has the same gift ... but the comments function wasn't working in Blogger temporarily, so I couldn't ... and now she beat me to the punch. She knows more about pop culture from those three decades than anyone I know ... and even beyond the 80s, I'm sure.
I remember Mannequin, too!
I've gone to one Knicks game in my life, and who would happen to be standing right next to me at the condiment stand when I bought a hot dog, but none other than Kevin Bacon! Woohoo. I tried to be cool. Love celeb sightings (... I'm such a cheeseball).
I have never admitted this in public before but I used to have a wee bit of a crush on Andrew McCarthy. Now I look back at the 80s and think omigod, what where we thinking??
My memory is like that of a goldfish and I envy people like you and Deb who remember the most amazing and fun trivia. This is a GOOD gift to have! :)
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