The Sonny Bono Incident

Happy New Year All!

I just recently read Steve Martin's biography, "Born Standing Up, " and I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the creative process. Martin does a great job telling the story of how for nearly two decades he developed his amazing stand-up act. He also reveals many of the personal setbacks that shaped his character and his routine.

When I was a kid I spent hours listening to, laughing at, and memorizing his iconic albums. I recently started doing some standup in New York, and reading this book gave me a whole new appreciation for this genius who created hours of hilarious original material with almost no punch lines.

One story in particular popped out at me. Martin wrote and performed on the Sonny and Cher show for a spell, and he tells about the time when Sonny and his producer took him aside to say they loved his work, and that they were going to develop a show around him. Naturally, Martin was thrilled and looked forward to great things. The punch line here is that nothing happened. Sonny and his producer never said another word to Martin about their big plans.

So what lesson should you draw from this? People, especially television and entertainment people, are often totally full of it. They say things without thinking or because they're high on drugs or because they have a pathological need to please or whatever. At Haverford we like to think we can take people at their word, but I'm sorry the rest of the world (and sometimes Haverford) just doesn't work that way.

Having spent my entire academic life in a relatively honest Quaker cocoon, this kind of behavior (and not returning phone calls) was perhaps the most difficult for me to understand. How could someone not say what they mean?! Even though my eyes have been opened by some of the magnificent jerks I've come across, I still like to take people at their word. Only now I try to live by the great words of that terrible President, Ronald Reagan, "trust but verified."

Thanks, I'll be here all week.

David

P.S. In case you were wondering. I am completely honest.