The stars at night are big and bright...

The stars at night are big and bright...
The stars at night are big and bright...

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Good Lord, Am I Really That Old? or Welcome To Middle Age Crisisland


Working with a bunch of High School kids will definitely give you perspective. Being the self appointed king of the obscure reference( forgive me Dennis Miller) apparently does not help.


Tonight I came to reference Blazing Saddles. To my shock, none of the kids working had any idea what the heck I was talking about. Now if I had tried to discuss the significance of the Korean War or the Cuban embargo I would understand the lack of intellect on the subject. But Blazing Saddles???


What in the wide, wide world of sports is a goin' on here?


I definitely struck an unfriendly tone when I recited Gabby Johnson's alert of the approaching sheriff. They also had a less than understanding reception of the "laurel and hardy handshake to our new..."


1974 was a long time ago, even longer for those born ABS (After Blazing Saddles), it's twue, IT's TWUE!! But convincing them it's possibly the greatest comedy ever filmed and the context in which it was written is another matter. "Dude, Where's My Car?" or "Date Movie" apparently hold a higher esteem than a Mel Brooks film with today's young Americans.


I never wanted to be that old creepy guy everyone wants to avoid, but it looks like that is exactly where I have landed. So, to be proactive about it, I challenged (OK, threatened) my co-workers to a deluge of Blazing Saddles quotes until they watch the film and understand what the heck I am talking about. This is not just authentic frontier gibberish, it DOES express a courage seldom heard in this day and age!


Cruel and unusual? Please Baby, I'm NOT from Havana! For the greater good? You betcha!!


Whether they will understand the significance of the film or it's references to past cinematic greatness is unknown. But, failure to bring this film (uncut) to their attention is, at best, incompetence on my part.


How on earth would they ever learn of the awesome power of the CandyGram?
Screw you guys, I'm working for Mel Brooks!!!!


1 comment:

Sydney Bristow said...

Blazing Saddles is a classic. The older I get (even though I am a mere child), the more I realize that there is nothing new under the sun, especially in the entertainment industry. Old jokes and ideas just keep getting recycled. Mel Brooks is hysterical. "We don't need no stinkin batches" ... I love it.