Thursday, April 08, 2010

Getting Weird?
About a week ago our friends Lynn and Tom were  at the house for the evening.  I had just acquired a walking-puppet from my friend René. Until he finds a better place to reside, the new puppet now stands next to John Henry (yellow shirt in the picture ) who occupies one of my Helen Hayes theatre seats in the pool room.
While Lynn and Sandi were in the kitchen, Tom and I were playing pool.  Tom said the puppets were throwing his "Nine Ball" game off by staring at him, so he wanted to have them face another direction.  I try to understand the idea that not everyone is comfortable with the unblinking attention of these effigies.
In an effort to improve Tom's pool playing, we left our Nine -ball game to "re-pose" the wooden people so they would not be giving the pool table their undivided attention.   Several tableau's were contemplated, but a scene of them watching the people who would be coming into the room was the idea  we went with. 
It took several attempts and a photograph or two for us to be satisfied with our scenario, and soon the pool game was abandoned completely in favor of moving around these life size action figures.
So, here are two grown men posing puppets and photographing them as their wives suddenly walk in the room.
Sandi looks at what we are doing and says, "Now this is getting weird." 
Lynn immediately said, "Getting weird? At what point was this not weird?"
If we were moving furniture around or hanging pictures we would be decorating.  By moving puppets to suit the room we are "weird."  It goes to the thesis of my theory that ventriloquists are not crazy, they only appear to be crazy by the nature of their art form.  I am sure this defense will be of no help when Sandi and the boys have me committed (any day now).
Just a note... Tom's Nine-ball game did not improve afterwords.
As you were,
Jay

7 comments:

  1. When I first seen the red hair figure I knew he was a Rene. I prefer Rene figures, and it's always fun to talk to him.

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  2. I love hanging out with Rene'! I recognize that figure from his office. At current count I own 22 of Rene's puppets. I also have 3 Krofft "Les Poupees des Paris" puppets Rene' "authenticated" (in a sense).

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  3. dan payes6:44 PM

    I love hanging out with Rene'! I recognize that figure from his office. At current count I own 22 of Rene's puppets. I also have 3 Krofft "Les Poupees des Paris" puppets Rene' "authenticated" (in a sense).

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  4. dan payes6:46 PM

    sorry I posted that twice, I don't know how to post on blogs.

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  5. Ventriloquists aren't crazy, we're just different, that's all. I received my copy of "I'm no Dummy" from Amazon today, nice to see ventriloquism treated as an art form and not a bunch of deranged freaks, with figures that possess them. As usual you were excellent! Liz and Jeff came off looking very good, as did Jimmy Nelson and Willie Tyler, and it was a treat to see Winchell, Senor Wences, and Edgar Bergen again.

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  6. I recognize those seats...

    Love it!!

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  7. I wish I had been there to enjoy all the WEIRDNESS with you 4as only you could do it....and a wonderful evening was had by ALL....
    Carry on,
    D&M

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