Kinkster!

Well, we had a nice night. Went down to the Birchmere to see one of my all time faves, the original Asshole From El Paso, Kinky Friedman. It was a fun show, maybe a little more lowkey than in the past, (the Kinkster is now 65, and takes breaks between songs). He was ably backed by longtime stalwarts DC Ratso and Little Jewford who performed several solo numbers, (those are the Kinky breaks I was mentioning). Interestingly, Kinky's long-time theme song, They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore, was NOT performed! But he did my two faves, Sold American* and Rapid City, as well as several other classics like the Wild Man From Borneo and Homo Erectus.
He also read from his latest book, a collection of short stories about his heroes when growing up. He read a very moving section he'd written about his own Father.
And he gave a sort-of campaign speech. Kinky's running for the governorship of Texas. I think he might just win the primary...
Like I said, it was sort of a low-key night. Kinky, like the rest of us, is slowing down. But I'm glad I went.


*Sold American is one of the greatest songs of loss and failure. I remember my last day at William & Mary, before dropping out; the car was packed, I had one last exam to take, and would be driving directly home from there - no looking back. Not since Napoleon dragged himself out of Moscow had there ever been a sorrier retreat.
At any rate, just before leaving my room, I called up the DJ on the college's wonderful radio station, WCWM, and requested he play Sold American for me, which he graciously did. I shuffled out with the radio still playing in my room.