Thursday, May 31, 2018

The Inside Skinny On Doc's Diet

May 31, 2018
   File this one in the Can't-Leave-Well-Enough-Alone slot. 

   Two friends on Facebook ripped me on the previous illustration of Billy the Kid, showing a dreaded tie-down ("Bob, I dare you to find a tie-down on any pre-1900 photograph."). So, I got up this morning and took another run at it


Daily Whip Out:
"Billy Title Page Redo, Number Two"


The Inside Skinny On Dennis Quaid's Diet
   Turns out Dennis Quaid is going to be the Grand Marshal of the Doc Holliday Parade on August 11, in Tombstone. I thought it would be a good time to finally interview Dennis about how he lost 38 pounds to portray the deadly dentist.




Wyatt Earp (Kevin Costner) and Doc Holliday (Dennis Quaid) in a scene from 1994's "Wyatt Earp." Quaid had a doctor on the set to monitor his health and he does, indeed look like death warmed over. Photo by Ben Glass

So, thanks to the photographer Ben Glass, above, I was able to get in touch with Quaid's manager who gave me the following instructions:

"Okay, Dennis is a very busy guy. I am going to give you his cell number and you need to call him at 4 P.M. on Saturday. He probably won't answer, but he will see your number and call you right back. Be concise, don't waste his time and you will be okay. Got it?"

   Got it.

   I lined up two phones, one to tape off of and the other to call with. As four o'clock approached, to be honest, I was a little nervous. At exactly four, I called the number and it rang and rang, then went to an automated answering service (not his voice). I left my number, and waited. 

   And waited. 

   Saturday turned into Sunday and by Monday morning I chalked it up to celebrity arrogance and got on with my workday.

   At noon, our publisher, Ken Amorosano and our regional sales manger Greg Carrol, got in my Flex to go to a business lunch. I was driving down Scottsdale Road and we were discussing ad revenue projections when my cell phone rang. I looked down and recognized the number. My Flex picked up the call and ran it through my console speaker. I hit answer and said:

"Hey, Dennis."

"I'm calling about the interview."

"Listen, I can't talk right now. I'll have to call you back in an hour."

   I hung up. From the back seat, Greg says, "Who was that?"

   "Oh, Dennis Quaid."

"Vengeance is a dish best served cold."
—Old Vaquero Saying  

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