January 18, 2008
Well, I did two things last night I haven't done in a very long time: I went to a honkytonk (The Buffalo Chip) and I danced with a couple good lukin' ladies. Met Darly Newman, who does the PBS show Equitrekking, and is also a columnist for True West. We had dinner with her and her husband Chip Ward and their cinematographer Greg Burnes. They are filming in Cave Creek this weekend and we all got together for dinner and dancing. Did the country-swing with Meghan and the Texas two-step with Darly. Got two comments from the other dancers out on the floor: "Hey, you're that guy on the Westerns Channel," and "I like your outfit." Older guy, I think he was sincere, although it sure looks gay in print. Ha.

It Was Twenty Years Ago Today. . .
"Here's an email that's taken over 20 years to write...

"When I was but a wee film student at the University of Colorado in Boulder back in the mid 80's I was reading the Denver free paper (Westword?) when I came across a comic/page bit that you did on, 'Ten Things I would Do to Improve Football' that blew my mind. Seeing as how I actually don't like football, it's unusual for me to still think of it all these years later. I think I value excellent humor and tight writing above all else, even my dislike for the true American pastime.

"Number 8, 'When a forward pass is touched by a defending player, everyone in the stadium become eligible' I consider to be one of the greatest sentences in the English language. Hemingway? That guy couldn't write a slapstick joke to save his life.

" Oh, sorry bad taste. Too soon?

"Did you do a series like this, or was this just a one off? I kept looking through that paper for years after that hoping to see more of your work, but alas that was the only one I ever found.

"So with the magic o' thar innerweb, I was able to find you and finally thank you for making me laugh."
—Thanks!
John Venzon
Film Editor

John,
Yes, I did two books of the best of those comics (Low Blows, and Even Lower Blows). Unfortunately, I don't think that football one you mention is among the articles included in the two books. I vaguely remember writing that, but am thrilled that you remember it and still think it is funny.

I did those "doubletrucks" originally for New Times Weekly in Phoenix (1983-1988) and for a short time tried to syndicate them to Westword and maybe five other alternative papers in the West. Never could pull it off consistently.

And what have you edited?
—Bob Boze Bell

Bob,
"Thanks SO MUCH for clearing that up. I have always thought that I just missed it because I didn't look closely enough. I think Westword missed out, your stuff is really funny.

"Anyway, I've been editing for Dreamworks Animation Studios for the past 8 years, I edited on shows like, Chicken Run, Shark Tale, Madagascar and Flushed Away. I also cut the South Park Movie.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0893487/

"Funny how your career isn't something you really 'control,' that's something they don't teach you in film school, it just sort of happens.

"I'm on my way to Amazon to check out Low Blows. Thanks for the heads up, and I'll check out True West as well.
—John Venzon

That's pretty amazing, that something I did twenty years ago is just now coming back to me. Gee, I wonder if the Old Vaqueros have anything to say about this?

"Give a person a fish and you feed them for a day. Teach a person to use the internet and they won't bother you for weeks."
—Old Vaquero Saying