I got to thinking about my ideal situation for a formal Thanksgiving dinner. What would it be like if I could invite anyone I wanted? I thought of ten people I would love to have over for my Thanksgiving dinner party. My guests are listed in no particular order and are narrowed down to real people living or dead. I left off fictional characters otherwise this would be the Whedonverse edition of Thanksgiving (that’s for another post). I left off Tarantino as I feel like he would dominate the dinner conversation. I also excluded Gary Oldman as I feel his staunch Republican ideas would be much too taboo for this crowd. It was really hard to narrow down my list to just ten people. I could name ten directors and actors alone. Anyhow here goes:
Gullermo del Toro
Del Toro is one of my favorite film directors hands down. He brings a beauty and awe to the fantasy genre that others only dream about. He also brought to life one of my favorite comic book characters, Hellboy. I’ve watched countless interviews with del Toro and he is so affable. His projects are made with such love and care because he is a fan first and foremost. His passion really shows through in his work. He would be the perfect person to carve the Tofurkey.
Elvira
Elvira is such an icon. Her beauty goes beyond her signature black dress and wig. I read a book by Pamela De Barres with a chapter by Elvira. She speaks candidly about her experiences with musicians including Elvis. After this short read, I was even more fascinated by the Mistress of the Dark. As a big animal lover, she is also a strict vegan. She would be responsible for bringing some vegan sides.
Joe Strummer
It’s hard to believe it’s been more than ten years since Joe Strummer left this Earth. I remember that sad day like it was yesterday. A little bit of the light in the world ceased when Joe Strummer died, but fortunately his amazing words and music live on. Growing up in the 80s I was well aware of The Clash, but I had yet to figure out what punk rock was. Once I made the correlation, it was like a spark went off in my head. I can never put into words how much The Clash affected my life. Even now, when I feel like a boring ass sell out, I just listen to London Calling and I still feel that same spark.
Patty Hearst
I have a strange fascination with Patty Hearst, much like John Waters. When I first heard the story of Patty Hearst, I couldn’t believe it. Imagine if someone like Paris Hilton (not to diss Patty like that) was kidnapped today and subsequently robbed a bunch of banks before the public realized she was suffering from Stockholm Syndrome. That’s pretty much what happened to Hearst. She was born into more money than 99% of us will ever know. My fascination also lies within the afterthought. Hearst dabbled a bit in acting, but mostly led a relatively quiet life after her short prison term. I recently came across her Instagram page and it’s mostly pictures of her grandchild & dogs, such normal things for an extraordinary life.
Bruce Springsteen
You either love The Boss or you hate him. I choose to love him. I indeed enjoy his music as I have a soft spot for almost any 80s music. However, The Boss is a rock icon. For all his success, he seems like such a down to Earth man. The kind of guy you can grab a beer with and just shoot the shit as evident with his cameo in HIGH FIDELITY. He’s also a great philanthropist who always contributes to charity. He’s a true working class hero who believes in power for the people.
Clive Barker
Barker has been one of my favorite writers as long as I can remember. When kids my age were reading Goosebumps, I was reading The Books of Blood. He’s created some of the most frightening yet intriguing characters in the horror genre. Where I feel like greats like Wes Craven have fallen from grace, Barker has been consistent with his films and books. He is still very active in the art world; his Tumblr page is filled with racy art photos. Sometimes it catches me off guard as I;m scrolling through pics of dogs then, BAM pics of dicks. Barker is still very involved with the Hellraiser comic book and writes another storyline (which I read regularly).
Bill Murray
Murray is hands down the funniest man alive. From stories I have heard, he also loves to party. Murray got pulled over in Switzerland a few years ago for driving a golf cart drunk. He just seems like a really fun guy to hang out with. Even after all these years of success, Murray doesn’t even have a publicist or a cell phone which makes him sort of an enigma. He would be on bartending duties at my dinner party. If anyone is keeping it real, it’s Bill Murray.
Robert Smith
Robert Smith has got to be the most wonderful person in the world and he’s written some of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. I would love nothing more than just to sit & talk and maybe hug Robert Smith. Robert and I could eat cranberry sauce and trade pie recipes. He just seems so happy and pleasant to be around. In middle school, I had, “I heart Robert Smith” written on my shoes in permanent marker. I also had the lyrics to “Lovesong” scribbled on my binder. Seriously, he’s perfect and after all, he did save the world from Barbara Streisand.
Joss Whedon
You’ve heard me go on endless rants about how much of a genius Whedon is. It’s true; he’s brilliant and he has brought so much joy to my life. His charming sense of humor really shines through in his writing. However, since catching a glimpse of his interworkings via twitter, I’ve come to realize he’s as dorky as I am. I feel like we would be best friends. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I know Joss Whedon would be awesome to hang out with and have over for Thanksgiving dinner.
HONORABLE MENTION
My Dad
My dad died when I was 16 years old and I still think about him almost everyday. In some ways, I’ve never gotten over that. I would just love to see what he thought about me now and the person I’ve become. I’d love for him to meet my dogs. I just wish I knew what he thought about everything. I still miss him very much.
There you have it folks, my ideal guest list for Thanksgiving dinner. My family isn’t as crazy as a lot of others so my actual guest list will be almost comparable to this one. I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. No matter how you celebrate or where you go, remember to be grateful for your loved ones and the time you share together.
Happy Holidays
No comments:
Post a Comment