AISLE SAY is thrilled and honored to
introduce the iconic actor/director Clint Eastwood to its venerated
column. Mr Eastwood, still on a high from the Republican Convention:
as stratospheric an emotion as his movie 'Space Cowboy' (which soon
after release plummeted to earth). Eastwood offered a free ranging
interview on the openings of 3 shows at local venues: DE Theatre
Company's “The Ongoing Tide:, UD REP Ensemble's “The Weir” and
New Candlelight Theatre's “Putnam County Spelling Bee”.
AISLE SAY: Thank you so very much for
being with us today. In fact, in your honor I wore the same sombrero
that sat atop Eli Wallach in “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly”.
CLINT EASTWOOD: You nitwit. Wallach
was a bandido in “The Magnificent Seven”. You're crazy,
absolutely crazy. You're getting as bad as Biden. Now we know there
are two intellects in Delaware; you and the Vice President.”
AS: You are aware, sir, that DTC
welcomes a TV icon, Michael Learned, from 'The Waltons' in their
opening show, “The Ongoing Tide”. Her tag line at the end of the
each installment gained as much cultural traction as your own from
'Dirty Harry'.
CE: Damn. I told myself that I was not
going to use that at the Convention. I was caught up in the moment of
my daring improv and was egged on by the Tea Party constituents. It
is just that conservative people pay closer to the vest. They don't
go around hot-doggin' like the Dems.
AS: Miss Learned was quoted about the
show: “When I read the play the first time, I found myself
laughing out loud . . . and at the end I wept; sort
of how viewers responded to your flic “Pink Cadillac” but not for
the same reasons.
CE:
You have to ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?
You're beginning to get me annoyed. I had to make the tough decision
between Bernadette Peters or Clyde the chimp for a leading lady..
They're my movies. I'm the supreme decider.
AS: Would you decide to make “Dead
Pool” again? Okay, Okay...a little humor from me. Now, moving on:
..in your interview with a seated President Obama, you commented:
“You are an ecological man. Why would you want to drive that
around.” With all due respect that comment left much of the
audience scratching their heads.
CE: That wasn't the word I planned,
knucklehead. I meant to say something else but spelled it wrong on
my post it note. I was never a great speller. My special gift is
mumbling through movies and intimidating the perps through my well
rehearsed squinty eyes.
AS: Well, then to freshen up, Mr.
Eastwood, I suggest you attend NCT's show, “Putnam County Spelling
Bee”. Each night the show is quite different and unscripted;
similar to your Convention speech. 'Putnam' is audience
participation. Some nights a panelist gets the word correct;
sometimes not. The actors must improvise
CE: That idea makes my day. I would be
great in that – as I showed at the Convention. Hey, does Candlelight
serve food with the show? I go for red meat!
AS: The UD REP Ensemble opens with an
Irish play “The Weir” Taking place in a pub, it's a tale of
hauntings and ghosts; a mere souffle compared to the intellectual
gravitas you brought to your classic man/chimp oeuvre in “Every
Which Way But Loose”, which Aisle Say suggested be renamed “Every
Which Way But Good.”
(Eastwood rises out of his chair and
leans down into my face.)
CE: Ever notice how sometimes you come
across somebody you shouldn't have #^*#ed with?" Well, I'm that
guy. Listen, you delinquent, it's time for a business man....or at
least a good writer to take over your column.
Putnam County Spelling Bee –
September 14 – October 28 NCTstage.org 302.475.2313
The Weir – September 27- October 14
REP.udel.edu 302.831.2204
The Ongoing Tide – October 10-28
DelawareTheatre.org 302.594.1100
