The Flaming Nose: "Hey, is that who I think it is?"

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

"Hey, is that who I think it is?"

Aww, thanks, Lisa...I'm blushing after that last story. It wasn't too hard for me to settle on the 180 films I finally included on filmicability. But I would like to do just a little more thinking and maybe make it an even 200 American Movies Movie-Obsessed Americans Should See. I'm sorta bothered by it not being a round number. But I have to say, I'm loving that post. It could easily be expanded into a book in about a week or two for me. So, ummm...anybody know any publishers?

Anyway, enough. Really off point here, but, man, I had a great experience today. Wanna hear about it? Okay, so I was walking in the West Village, when I see this tall bald guy get out of one of those, y'know, van-cabs they have? And he walks out and talk to a couple of guys covered in all this technology and stuff. So, I see this tall guy and his hair's totally shaved off, and I says to myself "Hey, wait, is that some old friend of mine? Who IS that guy?" Then I saw the hatchback of this taxi-cab/van open, and some guy in a jumpsuit is fiddling with knobs on this huge console back there.

Then it hit me!!! "I can't believe it! It's Cash Cab!!!!" Ben Bailey! CASH CAB!!! Right in front of me!!! Then I looked around and thought "Maybe...maybe I should go down and maybe hail this sucker. I could use a coupla grand."

But I just couldn't help reacting any other way but to talk to them. I wasn't shy at all, 'cause Ben's so personable on the show. I mean, he sorta has to be, meeting all those people like he does. So, I go up and gently inturrupt his meeting with his collaborators. Then I congratulated all of 'em on a great show! They were glad to hear it, very receptive, y'know...So I broke the ice by telling Ben about including Cash Cab on my list of my 100 favorite TV series of all time. I told them it was at 80 or so (79, actually).

The director guys said "We wanna move up the list." Ben said "Up, up up!"

"Well, now, don't worry, you're only on one five games shows on there, so that would put you in the top five of all time, which ain't too bad, y'know?" And they agreed, especially after I told them the best ones on the list (but they were a little unreadable when I told 'em that Match Game was the only other quiz show I've revealed on the bottom fifty. They got a far off look and went "Ohhhhhh, Match Game...right..." They didn't disagree, I like to believe. And then I told them all about the Nose...gave em the URL, y'know?

"Flaming Nose?" Ben said.

"Yeah, it's a nod to Lucille Ball, who's listed as "Our Oracle." They liked that, remembering the nose-flaming episode (so they'll remember that URL). Anyway, basically I gave them my congrats again and went on my way, glowing but now quickly pinched, wishing I woulda had enough dang monkey sense to try and catch the blasted cab so..so I could win me a sweet $2K or so. Hey, maybe I can double back a few blocks...yeah, sure! I'd tell 'em to take me to Jersey--maybe Parsippany, just 'cuz I like sayin' it. Two hours later, got me $110 grand or somethin'. BHOO-hoo-hahahhahahhhh!

But I thought that was stupid, especially after I doing that evil laugh, y'know? Word of advice: don't do a Jekyll-and-Hyde laugh like that at lunch hour in NYC! Really. I mean, people think you're crazy! Anyway, I did kick myself 'bout not getting to catch Ben's cab. But just a teeeny-tiny li'l kick. After that, I just felt so dang lucky to meet those guys!

Ah, here are a few obvious fans stepping into the cashmobile. Kevin, Jessica, and Jeremy, I think, in back--and Jeremy, notice he knows the what the deal is before the lights even come on--I mean, that guy's a fan. Well, all these guys love the show--watch it every chance they get, too, with a big bowl of nachos or some rice cakes or whatever, y'know...