For years I had this fleeting thought that 'Bare Bum' reminded me of someone. It was the style of writing more than anything, but the real person too. And I couldn't ever quite get a hold of that thought for long enough to place the connection.
Eventually, I gave up trying and in fact, until yesterday, I'd forgotten that I'd ever thought that.
Unconnected... or so I thought... I once saw a fantastic monologue on TV, 'Swimming to Cambodia'. I know it was on very late at night and I was rather drunk at the time. It was probably around 1988. I tried to get it on video, then as time went on, on DVD. But I couldn't find it anywhere. Periodically, I'd remember this film and have another search on the internet. Yesterday, as I drove home from work 'findanyfilm.com' was mentioned on the radio. I wondered if Swimming to Cambodia would be listed there?
It wasn't.
But I set off for a bit of a search once more. I found a 'new' DVD listed on Amazon, just one cent short of $300. No typo there, this is a very rare collectors item. I didn't want to see it that badly.
But since I last searched, someone has cut it into ten bite-sized chunks and placed it on Youtube. Excellent!
As I sat down to part one, there was Bare Bum in the form of Spalding Gray! I don't really know why and I don't know if anyone else will get the connection. And really, it's not the connection that matters. I've got a feeling that anyone who watches this will consider it to be a 'Marmite moment', and either love it or think WHAT? WHY?
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCGmra0eFQk
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d097wLM9swQ
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBnS77TGLJE
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDbbNBQ2uLw
5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDx2Cl6WiUo
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNU38mAvoQE
7. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taEO500A3Oo
8. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEL9m6qd1yQ
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4h3xkLZvQg
10. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW0EN2j90fo
One of the greatest monologues I've ever seen.
And if anyone hasn't seen The Killing Fields, it is one of the best films ever.