Lent Day Eight

Lent Day Eight
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 – Late again. It is SXSW in Austin. It is probably one of the largest festivals in a city that is running out of days of the year to hold festivals. SXSW is a showcase of cutting edge technology, music and film. It is when hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world descend upon the city. They fill all of the hotels, clog traffic for miles, take all of the taxis, crowd into eating establishments and walk along the many blocked off streets drunk and/or stoned. Reduce the number of people and it is pretty much like Austin all the time. But Jimmy Kimmel is in town and producing his show live from The Long Center. Last night his guest was the longest reigning governor on the Lone Star State – Rick Perry – aka Captain Hairspray and Governor Good Hair, as the late, great Molly Ivans referred to him. Jimmy Kimmel’s guest Monday night was Snoop Dogg and his people. Governor Perry had the same green room on Tuesday as the Snoop Dogg entourage had on Monday. Jimmy Kimmel apologized to Governor Perry for not being able to have the room fumigated and was sorry if it was still ripe from Snoop Dogg’s “show time preparations.” When Captain Hairspray came on, the crowd’s reception was a bit chilly to say the least. When Jimmy Kimmel asked him “Why do these people hate you?” Perry’s analogy was “that Austin and Travis County are like the blueberry in a bowl of tomato soup.” I did not know Rick Perry played drums. And a film clip showed he is not bad. I think he should pursue that route rather than continue in politics. The governor was actually pretty amusing. He giggled a lot. Kimmel asked him about the shooting of the coyote while jogging. He asked if he always carried a gun. Perry said yes. It is a concealed handgun and he especially has it when he is on talk shows. That green room must have been really ripe. Thank God Kimmel did not have the governor in the green after Snoop Dogg AND Willie Nelson.