So, first off, let’s tend to the logistics—yes, it has been awhile since I’ve actually had time to sit down and write a full Funny Strange post, and for that I am sorry. I got totally inundated with work again and got all scared of my inbox, and then I finally broke down and hired some people, so I feel better about that whole thing now and can take a whole deep breath without wanting to yell “OH MY GOD I HAVE SO MUCH WORK TO DO.” If you really miss me, though, you can see a funny/ strange photostream right here, and of course you can find me on Twitter.
Also, we went to Kentucky to celebrate my dad’s birthday, which was very fun and involved a full-size roasted pig, in case you are curious. My father is now 70, and has now probably done more cool daredevil stuff than you have ever dreamed of. Stephan rode motorcycles and speedboats (I did neither of these things because I am a big fat chicken), the trip was short but overall very good, and while we were down there—guess what! Amy Winehouse died!
Oh, by the way, if you’re going to ask me if it was hot in Kentucky—what do you think? Of course it was hot, dude. But, I will add, when we took off from Newark Airport, it was 107 DEGREES THERE, so the “86 and muggy” in the South was like a welcome summer breeze. I feel like I say this every year no matter where I live—I HATE SUMMER SO MUCH OH MY GOD. Perhaps I will fulfill my dream of living in 365 days a year, 65 degrees with fog. It could happen!
Whew, I think I got that out of my system. Let’s get back to Amy Winehouse, shall we? Winehouse really falls into the category of not if, but WHEN you were going to hear that she died. She also shares the distinction of being the second celebrity-type person (along with Ol’ Dirty Bastard from the Wu Tang Clan) who, when I asked him what they died of, Stephan said “Oh, their head fell off.” Actually, in case you are keeping track, it was Jim Maloy who first said this, but now we have adopted it.
I don’t mean to make light of someone dying, because of course that’s a sad sad tragedy (though honestly, did it not seem like Amy Winehouse just LOVED DRUGS? I feel like that will be her legacy along with her cool voice and that one good album). It’s actually pretty sad because it was so NOT shocking. Oh, and I also wanted to mention that my favorite suckerfish Dr. Drew was back in the news right after this death, saying that Amy Winehouse tried to contact him DAYS before she died. So surprising.
This brings me to the Wikipedia entry for the 27 Club that Stephan and I were looking at last night, because we got into a discussion about OTHER musicians/ celebrities who died at age 27. Generally speaking, we made the following observations:
–Oh my God, {insert name} was only 27? They look so old! This is especially true in the case of Jim Morrison, who seriously looks like he’s in his forties, and also, his picture looks like a mugshot.
–Oh my God, {insert name} looks like they smell so, SO, SO BAD. Can you even imagine the breath on Janis Joplin? Just— gaaahhhhhhh. I don’t suppose you’d expect people who die at age 27 to keep themselves clean, but I’M JUST SAYING. We also learned that Ron "Pigpen" McKernan from the Grateful Dead died at age 27, prompting the question: "How filthy do you have if your nickname is "Pigpen" and you're in the GRATEFUL DEAD?" Good Lord.
–Oh my God, {insert name} must have put in a ton of effort to die of “natural causes” at age 27. Good grief, people—that means they used up all of their body’s natural resources and powers of recovery—resources that are supposed to last about 100 years at the modern rate of decay and medical technology—in ONE QUARTER OF THE TIME. Which really, almost makes you want to say, “Well done, sir!”
–Should {insert name} really be included in this list if their death was a suicide? I know, no one would ever take Kurt Cobain off of a “Dead at 27” list, but it really does seem like cheating, doesn't it?
So—what’s new with you? Have you been attending to your inbox, as well as your dental hygiene? Do you share my hatred of summer? What do you think Amy Winehouse died of?
