Taken from “Inside the Actors’ Studio”, this is the 10-question quiz that closes every interview on the show. Anyone who has watched the show finds him or herself answering these questions anyway, so here’s my response.
I originally posted this on Facebook in 2009 when I was 57 years old, still living in Southern California and just over one year into what was then involuntary retirement. I repost it here with italicized comments and a few changes.
1. What is your favorite word?
It would have to be “love,” which can mean so much (“I love you”) or so little (“I love pancakes”) taken in exactly the same context. One might be willing to die for the person they love, yet not walk a block out of their way for pancakes.
Pretty much nailed this one.
2. What is your least favorite word?
A tough call here, and I’m going to cheat a little with a hyphenated word — “free-market,” when used to glorify what former French President Jacques Chirac called “capitalisme sauvage.”
Civilizations go in cycles and we are in a bad part of the cycle now.
3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
Both spiritually and emotionally, the amazingly alert, intelligent look in my 6-month-old granddaughter’s eyes.
Madison Nicole is now Artemis Nicole and is graduating from high school this spring. Damn, but time passes so fast.
4. What turns you off creatively, spiritually or emotionally?
People who do nothing more than parrot the words of someone else. For lack of a better word, and perhaps to make the point, call them “Dittoheads.”
Add to that 17 years of cookie-cutter filmmaking.
5. What sound or noise do you love?
The sound of a waterfall.
As I age, I find myself more and more appreciative of the sound of silence.
6. What sound or noise do you hate?
Dogs that won’t stop barking.
As well as the sound of Donald Trump barking.
7. What is your favorite curse word?
Sadly on my part, the “f” word. Call it freakin’, frickin’ or whatever you want, it’s one of the few words that can be noun, verb, gerund, whatever. I believe Lenny Bruce was the one who said, “Shouldn’t ‘f**k you’ be something you respond to by saying ‘Thank you?'”
It’s funny, but a long time ago, when I first discovered the comedy of Richard Pryor, I frequently used longer curse words. The 10- and 12-letter ones. Not much reason to use them anymore.
8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?
Politics.
It was never more than whimsical thoughts, but I was always a very good public speaker and I was told by numerous people that I had at least some charisma. Too many skeletons in the closet, though.
9. What profession would you not like to do?
Anything involving waiting on people.
Few jobs involve taking more crap from customers than service jobs, which is one reason I have always tipped well in restaurants.
10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates?
“What took you so long?”
Nuf sed.