Is there anyone out there?

When I lived in San Francisco, there was this great cable access show called Local Butter, hosted by this guy who ran around town and interviewed people, and described himself as (I think) manic-depressive, and would go on these long, singing tangents where he would spin around for minutes on end. It was always really scattered, but his interviews were intelligent and funny, and he'd always apologize for not being more organized. At some point during every episode, he'd state that it didn't matter what he did, because no one was watching him, and then he'd ask people to call in if they were watching. So, finally one week I did. I got a voice mailbox, and said something casual like, "Hey, just wanted to let you know we're watching the show, and think it's great, so keep up the good work!" I didn't leave my name, or anything.

The show was on, as I remember, every other week, and so it was probably two weeks before I saw another episode and I'd kind of forgotten that I'd called him at all. I remembered as soon as the show started, because he began with this grateful speech to "whoever it was that had called," and it was clear that only one person had. (Me.) He went on for a while about how my calling had "changed Local Butter forever," and how now he knew that someone was watching, he'd try harder to make it a quality show, or words to that effect. The rest of the show was completely incoherent. The idea that someone was paying attention seemed to throw him for a loop. I had to stop watching for a while after that, because I felt so uncomfortable about disrupting the rhythm he had going before I called.



Star of the day. . .Simon Le Bon
posted @ 3:03 p.m. on September 29, 2004 before | after

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She lay awake all night,

zzzzzzzzzzz......