Filename:
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ds_0027_malzwab_cap_01.mp4
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Identifier:
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ds_0027_malzwab_cap_01.mp4
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Title:
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Presentation
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Creator:
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Malzkuhn, Eric
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Subject:
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American Sign Language literature
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Subject:
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Deaf, Writings of the, American
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Subject:
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American Sign Language
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Subject:
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Deaf Poetry
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Subject:
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American poetry 20th century
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Subject:
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ASL poetry
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Summary:
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Kenny Lerner and Peter Cook (Flying Words Project duo) wrote a NY Humanities grant for this Writers and Books event, inviting Eric Malzkuhn to present on sign poetry. Robert Panara introduced Malz and talked about his groundbreaking poem, Jabberwocky, famous for his creative use of sign language. Malz was also involved in a sign language performance of the Broadway play, Arsenic and Old Lace and in the National Theatre of the Deaf. Malz shares how he became deaf and attended Michigan School for the Deaf where he learned sign language. He describes performing Jabberwocky and getting involved with Arsenic and Old Lace. After sharing more stories, he plays a game with the audience encouraging creative self-expression. He signs a poem, "The Cat" in PSE, ASL, and the 'Malz' way. He then performs a San Francisco poem using fingerspelling to show the unique features of the city. Finally, he performs the poem, "If I were a King" in ASL and the 'Malz' way.
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Publisher:
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Writers and Books
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Digital Publisher:
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Rochester Institute of Technology - RIT Libraries - RIT Archive Collections
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Contributor:
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Panara, Robert
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Contributor:
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Writers & Books (Firm) institution
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Date of Original:
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1989
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Date of Digitization:
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2018
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Broad Type:
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moving image
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Digital File Format:
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mp4
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Physical Format:
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VHS
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Dimensions of Original:
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88 minutes
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Language:
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American Sign Language
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Language:
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English
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Original Item Location:
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RITDSA.0027
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Library Collection:
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Sculptures in the Air: An Accessible Online Video Repository of the American Sign Language (ASL) Poetry and Literature Collections
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Library Collection:
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Miriam and Kenneth Lerner ASL Poetry Collection
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Digital Project:
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2018-2019 CLIR Grant-ASL Poetry and Literature
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Catalog Record:
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https://albert.rit.edu/record=b3954529
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Catalog Record:
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https://archivesspace.rit.edu/repositories/2/resources/815
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Place:
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New York - Rochester
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Rights:
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RIT Libraries makes materials from its collections available for educational and research purposes pursuant to U.S. Copyright Law. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. It is your responsibility to obtain permission from the copyright holder to publish or reproduce images in print or electronic form.
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Rights:
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CC BY-NC-ND: Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivatives 4.0 International
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Transcript:
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[INDISTINCT CHATTER]
WOMAN: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.
MAN: OK. WOW.
IT'S REALLY EXCITING NOW.
ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO,
THIS STARTED OFF AS BEING
JUST THIS LITTLE NOTHING
OF A THING.
TWO YEARS LATER, IT STARTED
GROWING AND GROWING
AND GROWING AND GROWING.
PEOPLE STARTED BECOMING MORE
AWARE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THE THIRD YEAR, IT GOT
BIGGER AND BIGGER,
AND LAST YEAR,
WE STARTED THINKING,
"HOW CAN WE GET MORE PEOPLE
TO COME HERE?"
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE
ONLY HAD LOCAL POETS,
AND WE WANTED TO SEE
WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE
TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE COME
OUT OF TOWN,
SO WE WROTE A GRANT
FROM THE NEW YORK STATE
COUNCIL ON THE ARTS,
AND THEY GAVE US SOME FUNDS,
AND NOW WE'RE REALLY EXCITED
BECAUSE ON THIS FOURTH YEAR
WE'RE GONNA BE BRINGING PEOPLE
IN FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
AND THE FIRST ONE, I'M
NOT GONNA EXPLAIN OR INTRODUCE.
LERNER: HEH HEH. I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T HAVE A MIND RIGHT NOW.
[LAUGHTER]
FIRST OFF, WE'D LIKE TO THANK
THE NEW YORK STATE
COUNCIL ON THE ARTS
FOR GIVING US THE FUNDS
FOR OUR DEAF POETRY SERIES.
IT'S A VERY
VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK
WRITERS & BOOKS
FOR ALLOWING US TO USE
THIS SPACE
FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE'D LIKE TO THANK
JIM COHN,
WHO'S A HEARING POET
WHO SAW THE POSSIBILITIES
OF DEAF POETRY
IN ROCHESTER,
AND HE KIND OF GAVE US
THE KICK--GAVE US THE START,
SO WE'D LIKE TO DEDICATE
TONIGHT TO HIM.
[APPLAUSE]
STAND UP, JIM.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
AND MIRIAM NATHAN,
WHO ISN'T HERE
BECAUSE SHE TOOK OVER
SOME INTERPRETING DUTIES
FOR SUSAN QUINLAN
SO THAT SUSAN COULD MEET
WITH OUR POET THIS EVENING,
AND SHE TOOK OVER SOME KIND
OF AN ENGINEERING CLASS
OR SOMETHING.
[APPLAUSE]
LERNER: SO WE SHOULD SHUT UP.
ONE MORE. ONE MORE,
AND I'LL SHUT UP.
VOICING TONIGHT
WILL BE SUSAN QUINLAN.
WOMAN: YAY, SUSAN!
MAN: DID I SPELL THAT RIGHT?
AND FOR THE COLD SEAT
WILL BE MARIE BERNARD.
WOMAN: YAY, MARIE.
MAN: AND NOW THE PERSON
WHO WE'LL INTRODUCE
WILL BE ROBERT PANARA.
HE'S BEEN TEACHING AT NTID.
HE WAS THE FIRST DEAF TEACHER
IN THE AREA,
TAUGHT ENGLISH AND DRAMA
AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS.
HE'S REALLY BEEN INTO IT
FOR A LONG TIME,
AND HE WAS A POET
AT GALLAUDET.
BEEN GOOD FRIENDS
WITH MALZ FROM A LONG TIME,
SO WE'D LIKE TO
HAVE HIM INTRODUCED.
[APPLAUSE]
PANARA: THANK YOU,
THANK YOU. PETER.
[INDISTINCT]
TONIGHT, WE'LL HAVE
A VARIETY OF MEDIUM.
MEDIUM. SOME PEOPLE
ARE TALKING.
TALKING FOR MYSELF.
REMINDS ME
OF THE CRYSTAL BALL GAZER
A MAN...
AND A YOUNG LADY...
ASKS FOR HER FUTURE,
HER FORTUNE.
WELL, HE BEGAN TO
LAUGH, LAUGH, LAUGH.
HA!
YOUNG LADY ASKS HIM,
"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING ABOUT?"
"I SEE SOMETHING
VERY AMUSING.
WHAT HAPPEN TO YOU
IN THE FUTURE."
YOUNG LADY...
HIS FACE.
[LAUGHTER]
"UGH.
WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?"
YOUNG LADY SAID,
"MY MOTHER ALWAYS TOLD ME
TO STRIKE A HAPPY MEDIUM."
[LAUGHTER]
TRY TO STRIKE
A HAPPY MEDIUM,
VERY COMFORTABLE.
BY TALKING AND SIGNING
AT THE SAME TIME,
IT'S A SHORT CUT FOR ME.
IT'S A GREAT PRIVILEGE
FOR ME TO COME HERE.
SEVERAL REASONS.
I HAD HEARD ABOUT THIS PLACE
WRITERS & BOOKS,
READING ABOUT IT
IN THE NEWSPAPERS OFTEN.
TWICE, I WAS ASKED--
I WAS INVITED TO COME
BUT COULDN'T MAKE IT,
AND THAT WAS AFTER I HAD
ALREADY EITHER WORKED
WITH THE PERSON WHO WAS
GOING TO SPEAK
OR MADE AN INTRODUCTION.
I FORGOT HOW MANY YEARS AGO,
BUT FAMOUS POET ALLEN GINSBERG
CAME TO RIT AND NTID,
STAYED TWO DAYS.
WE HAD A WONDERFUL WORKSHOP
WITH HIM,
AND THAT WAS MADE POSSIBLE
MOSTLY THROUGH JIM COHN,
WHO A WHILE AGO PETER
INTRODUCED HIM TO YOU.
JIM COHN WAS REALLY A FRIEND
OF THAT FAMOUS POET
ALLEN GINSBERG
AND WAS A STUDENT,
AND HE BROUGHT HIM
TO ROCHESTER.
HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE
WITH HIM.
PETER WAS IN THAT CLASS.
VERY EXCITED,
AND I THINK THE GERM,
THE WORM OF THE IDEA
IN HIS MIND BEGAN TO--
THE FUTURE OF DEAF POETS.
HIM AND JIM TOGETHER.
THEN ABOUT A MONTH AGO,
A FAMOUS WRITER OLIVER SACKS
SPOKE AT NTID AND HAD
OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE HIM,
AND AGAIN, THE NEXT DAY,
HE CAME HERE TO SPEAK.
I COULDN'T MAKE IT.
CONFLICT FROM BEFORE.
I WAS ASKED TO DO THAT
AT THE LAST MINUTE,
BUT NOW I'M VERY HAPPY
THAT I CAN MAKE IT HERE
AND SEE THIS PLACE--
WHOO HOO!
AND SEE WHY IT'S
SO SUCCESSFUL.
THE CAR PARK. HEH HEH.
TOOK A LONG TIME TO PARK.
[LAUGHTER]
I'M REALLY PLEASED TONIGHT
TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT OUR GUEST
ERIC MALZKUHN,
NOW FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AND MSSD.
BEGAN WAY BACK IN 1940, 1940.
BEFORE MANY OF YOU WERE BORN,
I WAS AT GALLAUDET COLLEGE--
UNIVERSITY.
NEW STUDENT,
AND MALZKUHN WAS
TWO YEARS AHEAD OF ME.
HE TEASED ME.
OH, HO!
[LAUGHTER]
AFTER A WHILE,
WE FOUND WE HAD
A LOT OF THINGS IN COMMON.
LOVED POETRY, LOVED DRAMA,
LOVED--MMM--BASEBALL! HA!
[LAUGHTER]
AND MANY, MANY THINGS HAPPENED.
I REMEMBER GALLAUDET HAD
A LITERARY CLUB
CALLED LS LITERARY SOCIETY.
EVERY MONTH, DIFFERENT
STUDENTS WOULD VOLUNTEER.
PRACTICE MEMORIZING POETRY,
SHORT STORIES,
PART OF A PLAY.
ON THE STAGE,
WE HAD A CONTEST.
ONE TIME, MALZKUHN
CAME IN MY ROOM AT NIGHT.
HE SAID, "BOB, I WANT TO
SHOW YOU SOMETHING.
I MEAN TO ACT THAT
ON FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE LS."
I SAT ON THE BED
IN MY ROOM, AND...
"HMM. OOH! HA!"
IT WAS A POEM,
BUT NEVER SAW
ANYBODY SIGN THAT.
NEVER BELIEVED ANYBODY
COULD SIGN THAT.
"THE JABBERWOCKY"
FROM "ALICE IN WONDERLAND."
WOMAN: WOW.
PANARA: I FELL OFF THE BED,
LAUGHING.
[LAUGHTER]
"BOB, [INDISTINCT]
THAT IN LS."
AT THE TIME, LS,
THE FACULTY WERE CHOSEN,
AND WAY BACK IN 1945,
THEY WERE VERY--MMM, MMM--
STRICT ABOUT SIGN LANGUAGE.
MMM, MMM, MMM. EHH.
AND THEN "OOH!"
[LAUGHTER]
"WHAT THE? WHAT THE?"
"HE'LL NEVER WIN."
BUT HE WON
A YEAR LATER.
ANYWAY, TWO YEARS LATER,
HE WAS A SENIOR
AND DRAMA CLUB--EH...PRESIDENT.
HE WANTED TO--MMM--
HAVE A PLAY
THAT AT THAT TIME, 1943,
WAS GOING ON BROADWAY.
FAMOUS PLAY--
"ARSENIC AND OLD LACE." HMM.
NTID DID THAT
3 OR 4 YEARS AGO. REMEMBER?
YOU WANT A PLAY ON BROADWAY?
NO COLLEGE CAN
GET THAT PLAY.
YOU CAN'T GET PERMISSION
UNTIL IT'S FINISHED,
THE PLAY,
1 YEAR, 2, 3 YEARS.
UH-UH. HMM.
THE FACULTY ADVISER SAID,
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT."
HE, "HMM." MALZKUHN,
UH, "TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF.
HMM, HMM."
SENT IT TO
DRAMA PUBLISHING COMPANY.
THEY SENT THE LETTER
TO THE TWO MEN
WHO WROTE THAT PLAY,
LINDSAY AND CROUSE,
IN NEW YORK CITY.
ANSWER THEM,
THE LETTER CAME.
"HMM, HMM, HMM."
BEFORE THE DRAMA CLUB
AT GALLAUDET.
AND THE FACULTY
ALMOST FAINTED.
[LAUGHTER]
THE LETTER SAID WHAT?
"WE'RE HAPPY TO LOAN YOU
THE RIGHT TO GIVE THAT PLAY,
"AND SECOND, WE THINK
YOU'LL BRING MORE EXPERIENCE
"TO OUR PLAY IN SIGN LANGUAGE,
"AND WE WILL LOAN YOU
THE SET FOR THE STAGE
THAT WE USE
FOR THE TRAVELING COMPANY."
GALLAUDET, "MM-HMM."
HAD THE LEADING ROLE
OF JONATHAN BREWSTER,
BROTHER WHO WAS SUSPECTED
OF KILLING ALL THE PEOPLE.
IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL PLAY
IN GALLAUDET COLLEGE.
THEN ANOTHER SURPRISE.
TWO WRITERS,
LINDSAY AND CROUSE,
WROTE A LETTER.
"WHY DON'T YOU COME
TO NEW YORK FULTON THEATRE,
"PRESENT THAT PLAY,
"GALLAUDET COLLEGE GROUP?
"WE WILL--MMM--THE COMPANY,
AND YOU GIVE THE PLAY."
AHH. THE GROUP REHEARSED,
TO NEW YORK
ON WEDNESDAY,
3 DAYS BEFORE SUNDAY.
REHEARSED. THAT NIGHT,
AT THE REHEARSAL,
BORIS KARLOFF...
"UGGHH!"
[LAUGHTER]
HAD THE LEADING ROLE
IN THE PLAY.
HE MADE HIM UP,
AND HE SAID,
"WHAT SIZE SHOES
DO YOU WEAR?"
HE SAID, "13."
EHNN, EHNN, EHNN.
EHNN, EHNN.
HE WALKED IN KARLOFF'S SHOES
THAT NIGHT...
[LAUGHTER]
AT THE FULTON THEATRE.
VERY SUCCESSFUL.
MADE A BIG HIT--BROADWAY 1943.
NTD, NATIONAL THEATRE
FOR THE DEAF,
OFTEN BOASTS
ABOUT ACTING ON BROADWAY.
HIS GROUP, GALLAUDET COLLEGE
ACTORS, WERE FIRST,
MORE THAN 20 YEARS
BEFORE NTD WAS FOUNDED.
ANYWAY, MALZKUHN GRADUATED.
HE TAUGHT IN MICHIGAN
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
THAT'S WHERE HE MET
HIS BEAUTIFUL WIFE--
WAS HIS STUDENT.
HIS WIFE HAS A Ph.D.
IN GOVERNMENT
AND HAD A LOT TO DO
WITH ENCOURAGING STUDENTS
IN THE GALLAUDET PROTESTS.
SHE TEACHES GOVERNMENT HISTORY.
THEN AFTER MARRIAGE,
HE WORKED WITH THE VR
IN DETROIT,
VOCATIONAL REHAB,
THEN GOT A JOB TEACHING
IN CALIFORNIA
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF
IN BERKELEY.
WHEN NTD WAS ESTABLISHED,
HE AND I FINALLY
GOT TOGETHER AGAIN.
WE BECAME ROOMMATES.
THAT SUMMER, 1967,
WROTE AND TRANSLATED
THE PLAYS THAT NTD
BROUGHT ON TOUR.
WE DID THAT FOR SEVERAL SUMMERS,
MALZ TEACHING ME,
TEACHING, ALSO.
MALZKUHN CAME--WAS INVITED
TO JOIN THE FACULTY
OF MSSD IN 1973,
NEW PROGRAM THERE
ON THE CAMPUS
WITH GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY.
BECAME DIRECTOR OF THE THEATER,
SIGN LANGUAGE COACH,
AND TAUGHT ENGLISH--
MANY, MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
MMM. HE HAD DEVELOPED
A REPUTATION
FOR DOING EVERYTHING AND MORE
CONNECTED WITH SIGN.
YOU TALK ABOUT ASL.
IT'S MORE THAN THAT.
CALL IT S-I-G-N. BLLNNN!
EVERYTHING.
HE IS THE MASTER,
THE M-A-E--MAESTRO.
VERY HAPPY TO INTRODUCE
ERIC MALZKUHN,
BUT BEFORE THAT--
[LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER]
HE HAD BALTIMORE ORIOLES HAT
THIS AFTERNOON WHEN WE MET.
AHH. BALTIMORE!
I HAD BALTIMORE'S FARM TEAM,
ROCHESTER.
[LAUGHTER]
[APPLAUSE]
THAT'S FOR MALZ.
[APPLAUSE]
WOMAN: IF I FALL DOWN,
THEN, YOU KNOW,
THAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES.
IT'S THE SAME
AS TOM HOLCOMBE. HE KNOWS.
SOMETIMES, WHEN HE'S SIGNING
AND GOING CRAZY,
HE FALLS DOWN, TOO,
BUT...BUT IT'S NOT
AS EASY AS IT LOOKS.
IF I FALL DOWN,
PLEASE HAVE A PRETTY GIRL
HELP ME GET UP.
IS THAT CLEAR?
[LAUGHTER]
OK. SO NOW IF YOU NOTICE--
WHERE IS HE?
THERE HE IS.
BOB PANARA STOLE
HALF OF MY SPEECH.
[LAUGHTER]
THAT'S ALL RIGHT.
I'M GONNA CORRECT SOME
OF THE THINGS HE SAID, THOUGH.
I'M GONNA TELL YOU A STORY
ABOUT BROADWAY.
THAT'S ME.
[LAUGHTER]
I REALLY DON'T FEEL
COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
THAT'S BETTER.
OK. IS EVERYBODY READY?
WAIT A MINUTE.
[LAUGHTER]
[LAUGHTER]
THAT'S IT.
SO I'M MALZ.
HOW DID I GET MY NAME?
WELL, I'LL TELL YOU.
IT WAS--LET'S SEE--
ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO.
WELL, FIRST OF ALL,
WHEN I WENT INTO COLLEGE--
WELL, LET ME SEE.
I'LL TELL YOU.
SO DO PEOPLE STILL USE
YOUR FULL NAMES?
DO YOU KNOW MY FULL--
I USED TO.
I USED TO TELL PEOPLE
MY FULL NAME.
FREDERICK MALZKUHN.
MR. ERIC FREDERICK--
"MR.?" PEOPLE WOULD SAY.
"I HAVE TO CALL YOU THAT?"
I'D SAY, "EH, YOU DON'T
HAVE TO CALL ME MR."
BUT THAT'S MY FULL NAME,
SO I HAD TO SPELL OUT
"I AM"...
[LAUGHTER]
"GODDAMN ERIC MALZKUHN
FROM THE GODDAMN STATE
OF CALIFORNIA,"
AND I FINGERSPELLED ALL OF IT.
SO I WOULD DO THAT
ALL THE TIME,
AND THEN FINALLY, IT SEEMED
THAT MALZ BECAME ENOUGH,
SO I STOPPED,
AND I LIKED IT.
SO MALZ WAS ENOUGH.
IT'S A LOT EASIER,
AND THEN ABOUT 17 YEARS AGO,
I WENT TO A MEETING FOR RID,
AND I WAS TAKING CARE
OF THE MONEY
FOR WASHINGTON'S RID,
AND A WOMAN--
A SINGLE WOMAN--
SHE WASN'T MARRIED YET,
AND SHE HAD AN ADOPTED SON,
A VERY NICE LITTLE BOY.
HE WAS A BLACK BOY,
AND HE WAS DEAF,
AND THE WOMAN WAS WHITE.
AND THE MOTHER INTRODUCED ME
TO THE LITTLE BOY AND SAID,
"THAT'S MR. MALZ,"
AND HE ONLY USED
THE LETTER "M"
AND MADE A "Z" WITH IT,
SO MALZ HAS BEEN MY NAME SIGN,
SO HELLO.
I AM MALZ.
I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE.
I'M GONNA GO BACK IN TIME,
BUT FIRST OF ALL,
I WANT TO KNOW
IF I'M DOING A GOOD JOB OR NOT
OR IF THE INTERPRETER IS DOING
A GOOD JOB OR NOT.
HA HA!
[LAUGHTER]
SAW ALL 4 TONSILS, SO, OK.
I FEEL BETTER NOW.
IF I ONLY SAW 3,
I MIGHT WORRY A LITTLE BIT,
BUT I SAW 4,
SO I GUESS IT'S OK.
SO CAN YOU TURN UP
YOUR VOLUME A LITTLE BIT?
YOU CAN YOU SPEAK
A LITTLE BIT LOUDER?
OK. THAT'S BETTER.
THAT'S JUST PERFECT. OK.
[LAUGHTER]
SO, NOW I WANT TO EXPLAIN
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT ME.
WHEN I WAS SMALL,
I WAS HEARING.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THIS,
AND THEN WHEN I GOT
A LITTLE BIT OLDER--
OH, I LIVED
IN CALIFORNIA.
IT WAS A SMALL TOWN,
AND I WENT TO THE SAME DOCTOR
WHILE I WAS GROWING UP,
AND HE WAS ONLY
ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY,
SO I COULD WALK THERE
TO SEE HIM,
AND, YOU KNOW, HE'D GIVE ME
THE COMPLETE PHYSICAL
AND TEST EVERYTHING,
AND IT WAS REALLY EASY FOR ME.
SO EVERYTHING WAS FINE.
I WAS HAPPY,
AND I'D GO SEE HIM REGULARLY,
AND...
AND THEN SOMETHING
WAS WRONG,
AND SO HE DECIDED HE NEEDED
TO BUY A BIGGER PRACTICE,
AND IT MEANT MOVING FAR AWAY.
SO I LOST HIM,
AND SO I HAD TO FIND
ANOTHER DOCTOR.
WELL, NOW HANG ON
TO THAT, OK?
SO THEN ABOUT--
LET'S SEE--
2, 3 MONTHS LATER,
I BECAME DEAF.
[LAUGHTER]
MY EARS WERE TURNED OFF,
AND IT HAPPENED
DURING THE NIGHT.
I GOT SICK.
IT JUST HAPPENED.
I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL,
AND THE WAY THAT THEY FOUND OUT
IS BECAUSE MY FATHER
ALWAYS READ THE NEWSPAPER
TO ME, THE COMICS,
AND MY MOTHER WOULD TELL ME "GO
LET YOUR FATHER READ TO YOU."
AND MY DAD TOLD ME
"STOP WHISPERING"--
OR I TOLD MY FATHER
"STOP WHISPERING,"
AND MY FATHER WAS SURPRISED.
AND HE THOUGHT
SOMETHING WAS WRONG,
SO HE TOOK ME
TO THE HOSPITAL
BECAUSE HE WAS
SPEAKING NORMALLY.
IN THE MORNING,
THE NURSE CAME IN,
AND SHE LET THE BLINDS UP
ON THE WINDOW,
AND SHE SAID, "GOOD MORNING."
ONLY, I HEARD NOTHING
AND ONLY SAW HER LIP MOVEMENTS.
IT FELT JUST LIKE
A SILENT MOVIE.
THERE WAS NO SOUND.
I WAS DEVASTATED.
IT HIT ME IMMEDIATELY
THAT MY HEARING HAD LEFT ME.
I COULD HEAR NOTHING.
I DIDN'T HEAR WHEN THE BLINDS
WENT UP ON THE WINDOW.
SO, THAT'S IMPORTANT.
REMEMBER THAT, TOO.
SO, THEN FOR TWO YEARS,
I READ EVERYTHING.
MY FATHER DIDN'T WANT ME TO GO
TO A SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF.
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO SEND ME.
AND WHEN HE DID FIND
A SCHOOL FOR ME,
I FELT LIKE I WAS PLOPPED
INTO THIS NEW ENVIRONMENT.
I WANTED PEOPLE
TO HELP ME,
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW
ANY SIGN LANGUAGE.
IT WAS REALLY AWFUL.
I WAS BITTER AND FRUSTRATED,
AND THEN ONE DAY,
I CAUGHT MY FIRST SIGN.
I LOVED IT.
WHAT WAS--
SUPPOSE THERE WAS A BOY THERE.
HE SIGNED WHAT TO ME?
THAT.
[LAUGHTER]
WIGGLE OF HIS NOSE.
AND I WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW,
"WHAT DOES THAT MEAN
WHEN YOU WIGGLE YOUR NOSE?"
AND HE TOLD ME IT MEANT "YES."
I WAS THRILLED! WOW!
MY FIRST SIGN!
SO I THOUGHT, "OK.
SCHOOL'S NOT SO BAD."
AND THE TEACHERS WOULD SAY,
"ERIC, DID YOU DO
YOUR HOMEWORK?"
I USED THAT.
AND THE TEACHERS DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT IT MEANT.
I WAS SURPRISED THAT
THE TEACHER HAD ASKED ME
WHAT TO SAY.
I HAD JUST LEARNED SIGN.
I'D BEEN HEARING MYSELF.
BUT I REALIZED THAT
IT WAS A DEAF SIGN,
AND THAT'S WHY.
ANYWAY, THE TEACHERS
WHO WORKED THERE
DIDN'T SIGN
VERY FLUENTLY.
THEY SIGNED, UH,
ENOUGH TO GET BY.
IT WAS AWFUL.
IT WAS REALLY HORRIBLE.
IT WAS A SLOW PROCESS FOR ME,
AND IT SEEMED THAT
THE OTHER STUDENTS
WERE LEARNING REALLY QUICKLY,
AND FOR ME,
IT TOOK FOREVER,
BUT I HUNG IN THERE UNTIL--
ALSO, I WAS VERY SHY
AT THAT TIME.
I WAS A SIMPLE PERSON,
BUT THE ONLY THING
THAT I REALLY LOVED
WHEN I WAS YOUNG
WAS PLAYING FOOTBALL,
BUT I COULDN'T.
I WAS TOO YOUNG.
THE OTHER KIDS WOULD THINK
I WAS REALLY SMART
BECAUSE I COULD WRITE
REALLY WELL,
AND I THOUGHT,
"THAT'S NO BIG DEAL,"
AND THEY TENDED TO AVOID ME.
I WAS REALLY LONELY,
BUT I KEPT ON READING
AND WRITING AND SUFFERING
AND HANGING IN THERE,
AND THEN LATER,
MY TEACHER SAID THAT NEXT MONTH
THERE WAS GONNA BE
A SENIOR PLAY.
AND I THOUGHT,
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME
THERE'S GONNA BE A PLAY?"
THE TEACHER SAID, "YOU KNOW,
I WANT YOU TO ACT IN IT,"
AND I THOUGHT,
"ME ON THE STAGE,
"PEOPLE LOOKING AT ME?
NO WAY."
[LAUGHTER]
"I CAN'T."
I FELT THAT MAYBE I HAD
A HEART ATTACK AND DIED.
JUST THE THOUGHT OF IT--
"NO THANKS."
AND THE TEACHER SMILED,
AND SAID,
"WELL, IF YOU WANT TO GRADUATE."
THEN I SAID, "WAIT A MINUTE.
"IF YOU'RE GONNA PUT
IT THAT WAY,
"THEN I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO
CHANGE MY MIND.
"I DO WANT TO GRADUATE,
SO, OK.
I'LL BE ON THE STAGE."
BUT GUESS WHAT.
WE HAD TO CREATE
THE PLAY OURSELVES.
SO I THOUGHT, "WOW.
I HAVE TO MAKE UP MY OWN THING,"
SO--THIS WAS IN 1938,
AND WHEN I WAS FINISHED
PERFORMING,
THE KIDS ALL CAME UP
TO ME AND SAID,
"WOW! THAT WAS GREAT.
I LIKED THAT!"
THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
THEY'D PAID ANY ATTENTION
OR GAVE ME ANY KIND OF PRAISE.
SO THAT CONTINUED WITH ME
FROM 1938 TILL NOW.
A LONG TIME.
[APPLAUSE]
SO I WENT INTO GALLAUDET,
AND IN MY FRESHMAN YEAR--
BOB ALREADY TOLD YOU
ABOUT "JABBERWOCKY,"
WHEN I MADE UP THAT POEM--
WHEN I TRANSLATED IT.
SOME OF IT ARE
SOME REAL SIGNS,
AND THEY WERE GOOD SIGNS
A LONG TIME AGO,
BUT SOME OF IT WAS DIFFERENT.
LIKE, THESE SORT OF
HAND MOVEMENTS.
MAYBE LIKE WATER,
BUT I DID SOME
OF MY OWN HAND MOVEMENTS,
AND...
[LAUGHTER]
I REALLY HAD
NO COORDINATION, SO...
I KNEW THAT I NEEDED
TO JUST GO AHEAD
AND LET GO AND TRY IT.
I WANTED TO BE INVOLVED
IN THINGS THERE,
AND I KNEW I DIDN'T REALLY
HAVE THE SKILL,
SO I SEARCHED INSIDE OF MYSELF
FOR SOMETHING
THAT I COULD PERFORM,
AND I FOUND THE POEM,
AND IT SEEMED--
WELL, IT WAS INTERESTING.
IT WAS NOTHING I HAD
EVER SEEN BEFORE,
SO I SHOWED IT TO BOB
AND SIGNED IT FOR HIM,
AND HE WAS TOTALLY IN AWE OF ME.
[LAUGHTER]
THE OTHER PEOPLE ALSO
WERE REALLY SHOCKED
AND ASKED ME
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
AND I'D SHOW THEM THE POEM,
AND THEY'D SAY, "BUT IT
DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING!"
AND I'D SAY, "I'M SIGNING
EXACTLY NOTHING,
AND THE POEM
MEANS EXACTLY NOTHING."
[LAUGHTER]
PEOPLE AVOIDED ME.
BUT I WAS
VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH IT.
ANOTHER BOY DID BEAT ME
IN THE CONTEST
THAT BOB WAS TALKING ABOUT.
HIS POEM WAS ABOUT A BOAT
GOING IN WATER
AND BEING INSPIRED,
BUT AFTER THAT,
I WAS INVITED
TO PERFORM AND TOUR,
AND HE WASN'T,
SO I GUESS WHO WAS
SUCCESSFUL ANYWAY?
I WAS IN A WAY.
SO I TRAVELED
AND PERFORMED
AND DID "JABBERWOCKY."
THEN LATER,
DURING MY SOPHOMORE YEAR,
I WAS IN "ARSENIC AND OLD LACE."
SO, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW
WHY I PICKED THAT PLAY?
BECAUSE I WANTED SOMETHING
NEW AT GALLAUDET.
THEY ALWAYS TENDED TO DO
THE SAME OLD KIND OF THING.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, IF YOU GO
DOWN TO THE DINER
AND GET THE BLUE PLATE SPECIAL.
HASH BROWNS WITH SOME KIND
OF SAUCE ON TOP OF IT.
I WANTED SOMETHING NEW,
SOMETHING THRILLING.
SO I HAD READ THAT PLAY
DURING THE SUMMER,
THE SUMMER
BEFORE MY JUNIOR YEAR.
NOT '43. '42, BOB,
AND I READ IT RIGHT
BEFORE MY JUNIOR YEAR,
AND IT SEEMED TO FIT
WITH WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR.
SO I SHOWED IT TO SOME PEOPLE
AT GALLAUDET
AND EXPLAINED MY IDEAS,
AND EVERYBODY THOUGHT,
"NOPE. YOU CAN'T DO IT."
AND THERE WAS A VOTE.
IT WAS 5-1.
AND THE ONE PERSON DIDN'T COUNT,
SO WE KICKED HIM OUT.
SO I SENT A LETTER
TO THE WRITERS AND SAID,
"I'D LIKE TO USE THIS PLAY,"
AND THEY SENT IT BACK
AND SAID, "SORRY, NO.
"IT'S NOT AVAILABLE
FOR ANY PRODUCTION OF ANY PLAY
UNTIL IT HAD BEEN ON BROADWAY."
I WAS FURIOUS!
SO I TYPED A LETTER BACK,
AND IT SEEMED THAT THERE WAS
SMOKE COMING
FROM THE TYPEWRITER.
I MAILED THE LETTER
BACK TO THEM AND SAID,
"WELL, WHAT ABOUT ME?
"I'M ONE OF THE BEST
SIGN LANGUAGE ACTORS
IN THE WORLD."
AND IT SEEMED THAT THE LETTER
WAS GIVEN TO SOMEBODY
WHO WAS HIGHER UP
ON THE TOTEM POLE,
AND WE WERE ACCEPTED.
IT WENT THROUGH
TELEGRAPH SYSTEM--
POSTAL SYSTEM, NOT LIKE
WHAT WE HAVE TODAY,
BUT THEY SAID, "FINE.
"WE'D LIKE FOR YOU TO DO IT,
"AND WE'D LIKE FOR YOU
TO USE OUR SET
AND TO DO SO IN FEBRUARY."
AND I WAS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AT THE TIME,
AND I THOUGHT, "WOW! AM I
SUPPOSED TO TAKE CONTROL HERE
"AND GET THINGS SET UP?
"OH, MY GOD!
I DIDN'T EXPECT THAT."
I THOUGHT, "I HAVE TO ACT
IN IT AND TAKE CHARGE OF IT?
NO WAY."
BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT IT,
AND I MADE
SOME OTHER PHONE CALLS,
AND IT SEEMED LIKE
THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME THAT IT
WAS POSTPONED UNTIL JUNE,
SO THERE WAS ENOUGH TIME.
AND I TOLD THEM,
"OH, I'M SORRY.
"I MISUNDERSTAND YOU.
FEBRUARY'S NOT ENOUGH TIME.
WE NEED TO PRACTICE."
SO THEY TOLD US TO GO AHEAD
AND PRACTICE IT,
AND WHEN WE WERE FINISHED,
THEN WE COULD COME
TO BROADWAY AND DO IT
AT THE FULTON THEATRE.
I THOUGHT, "BROADWAY?"
BROADWAY."
[LAUGHTER]
ALL MY LIFE,
I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT
THAT THE BEST THEATER
IS ON BROADWAY
WITH THE LIGHTS
AROUND THE MARQUEE,
AND I THOUGHT,
"I CAN'T TAKE THIS.
THIS IS SILLY."
SO I PICKED SOMEONE
WHO WOULD BE REALLY
THE BEST DIRECTOR.
DO YOU KNOW...
HE'S A SMALL MAN.
FRED.
FREDERICK.
HUGHES.
FREDERICK HUGHES.
THE GYM AT GALLAUDET
IS NAMED AFTER HIM.
HE WAS A CHAMPION
IN FOOTBALL
ABOUT 1920s, '30s.
HE WAS THE COACH
WHEN THE FOOTBALL TEAM
WAS CHAMPIONS.
SO, ANYWAY, I RAN
AND KNOCKED ON HIS DOOR
AND EXPLAINED
THE SITUATION.
AND I SAID, "LOOK AT ME.
LOOK AT ME.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN THIS."
AND HE WAS SAYING,
"WELL, UH, UM..."
I ASKED HIM,
"CAN YOU HELP ME?"
BEFORE, HE HAD BEEN
IN THE CLUB WITH US.
HE HAD HELPED US SET IT.
BOB WAS IN IT, TOO.
REALLY, THERE WAS NO
DRAMA MAJOR AT THAT TIME,
SO IT WASN'T A CLASS.
IT WAS A CLUB.
SO I SAID,
"WOULD YOU HELP US?"
AND HE SAID, "WHAT?"
AND I WAS SO NERVOUS,
I COULD BARELY GET IT OUT.
AND I SAID,
"WELL, THE DRAMA CLUB
"WANTS TO GIVE A PLAY,
AND WE WERE WONDERING
IF YOU COULD DIRECT IT."
AND HE SAID, "NO. ME?
"I TEACH ALL DAY.
I'M SO BUSY.
"I'M SORRY.
"I'D LIKE TO.
I APPRECIATE IT,
BUT I CAN'T."
AND I SAID,
"WE'RE GOING TO BROADWAY."
HIS HAIR STOOD UP.
"BROADWAY?!
OK. I'LL DO IT."
SO I GUESS WE GOT HIM.
THEN I MET THE PRESIDENT--HALL
AND ASKED HIM FOR PERMISSION,
AND I EXPLAINED
THE SITUATION,
AND HE SAID, "NO. SORRY. NO."
AND I SAID, "WHY?
"ARE YOU AFRAID THAT WE'RE
GONNA GO TO NEW YORK
"AND RUIN IT?
BROADWAY IS PROFESSIONAL."
AND HE SAID, "THEY'RE
GONNA MAKE FUN OF YOU."
I WAS BOILING INSIDE.
THERE WAS SMOKE,
I WAS SO UPSET.
DO YOU KNOW
JONATHAN HALL?
HAVE YOU HEARD OF HIM BEFORE?
DO YOU KNOW HIM?
HE'S THE SON OF PRESIDENT HALL.
SO I ASKED HIM
TO ORGANIZE A MEETING
OF THE FACULTY AND STAFF.
SO THERE WAS A MEETING,
AND THEY ALL VOTED
"YES, WE'LL GO."
SO AT FIRST,
WE WENT TO NEW YORK
JUST TO DISCUSS BUSINESS.
THAT WAS
WITH HOWARD LINDSAY
AND RUSSEL CROUSE.
SO WE JUST TALKED
BUSINESS WITH THEM.
WE WERE STAYING
IN A HOTEL.
IT WAS REALLY KIND OF NICE.
IT WAS EXPENSIVE.
AND WE WOULD GO
TO THEIR OFFICE
TO TALK BUSINESS.
AND THEY SAID, "ARE YOU
GONNA GO TO THE PLAY?
"AND THEN WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED--
WHEN WE'RE DONE,
"YOU CAN COME
TO OUR DRESSING ROOM
"AFTER THE PLAY TONIGHT,
AND WE'LL TALK MORE.
"AND WHEN YOU GO EAT
IN THE HOTEL,
"JUST SIGN OUR NAMES
ON THE CREDIT.
THAT'S ALL.
JUST GO AHEAD."
AND WE THOUGHT, "WOW!"
SO WE WERE SO EXCITED
THAT NIGHT,
AND WE ORDERED
EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD.
IT WAS REALLY
SOPHISTICATED, FANCY,
AND THEN WHEN WE WERE FINISHED,
THEY BROUGHT THE CHECK TO US,
AND WE BROUGHT OUT OUR PEN
AND VERY DEFINITELY SIGNED
HIS NAME.
THE WAITER LOOKED AT IT,
LOOKED US UP AND DOWN,
AND SAID, "I'VE NEVER
SEEN YOU BEFORE."
SO THE WAITER WENT
AND CALLED AND FOUND OUT
THAT WE REALLY WERE
WITH THE WRITERS,
AND THEN HE WAS
VERY NICE TO US.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME
IN MY LIFE
AND THE ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE
THAT I FELT I WAS
OF AN UPPER SOCIAL CLASS.
SO WE WERE IN THE THIRD ROW
CENTER AT THE PLAY THAT NIGHT.
IT WAS REALLY
THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE.
DURING THE FIRST ACT,
RUSSEL CROUSE CAME
DOWN THE AISLE,
AND HE WAVED TO US.
- "IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?"
- "IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT?"
HE ASKED.
SAID, "OH, JUST FINE."
AND EVERYBODY LOOKED
AT US AND THOUGHT, "WHO'S THAT?
WOW. THEY MUST BE IMPORTANT."
[LAUGHTER]
MY LUNGS WERE BURSTING
I FELT SO PROUD.
THEN WHEN THE PLAY WAS DONE,
WE WENT AND DISCUSSED
BUSINESS SOME MORE,
TALKED ABOUT WHAT TIME
THINGS WOULD HAPPEN
AND ALL OF THAT.
AND THEN FREDERICK SAID,
"DO YOU WANT A DRINK?"
AND I SAID, "SURE.
I'LL HAVE A WHISKEY SOUR,"
EVEN THOUGH I WAS ONLY 19,
AND YOU KNOW THAT
IT WAS FORBIDDEN THAT
I WOULD DRINK AT GALLAUDET.
SO, UM...
[LAUGHTER]
WHAT DID HE GIVE ME?
MILK.
AND HOWARD SAID,
"OH, GO AHEAD.
NOBODY WILL TELL."
SO WE WENT AHEAD
AND ORDERED BEER.
ALL RIGHT.
SO WE WENT AND REHEARSED,
AND THEN WHEN IT WAS TIME
TO PERFORM IN NEW YORK,
WE CAME AND ACTED,
AND--WHAT BOB SAID--
WAS SUCCESSFUL.
I DID GET TO--I DID NOT
BORROW BORIS KARLOFF'S SHOES.
HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED
TO USE HIS LUCKY SHOES,
BUT THEY WERE A SIZE 13,
AND I ONLY WEAR A SIZE 10.
AND I SAID, "OH, FINE, FINE,
SO HE GAVE THEM TO ME,"
BUT THEY WERE TOO BIG.
MY TOES WEREN'T APPROACHING
THE END OF THE SHOES,
SO I PUT PAPER IN IT,
STUFFED IT REALLY GOOD,
SO THEN I FELT BETTER.
THEY FIT,
AND I COULD WALK IN THEM,
AND HE ASKED ME,
"DO THEY FIT?"
AND I SAID, "I'M FINE."
WHY WERE THEY LUCKY?
BECAUSE HE USED THEM
THE FIRST TIME
HE HAD BECOME FAMOUS,
SO EVER SINCE THEN,
HE USED THEM.
THEY HAD BEEN
HIS LUCKY SHOES.
HE SAID, "MALZ, TOMORROW,
YOU CAN USE MY DRESSING ROOM.
"USE MY SHOES.
"YOU CAN USE MY COSTUME,
AND I'LL MAKE YOU UP.
AND MAYBE A VALIUM
WOULD HELP YOU."
[LAUGHTER]
WOW!
OR A VALET.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT SILLY
THAT I COULDN'T DO IT MYSELF,
BUT IT SEEMED TO BE
THE POLITE THING TO DO.
THANK YOU. THEN
I WENT AHEAD AND ACT,
AND IT WAS SUCCESSFUL.
MY PICTURES WERE
ALL OVER THE PLACE,
ALL OVER IN THE U.S.
MY HEAD WAS GETTING BIG,
YOU KNOW?
BUT WHAT DO YOU
THINK HAPPENED?
WHEN IT WAS OVER,
I CAME BACK
TO WASHINGTON, D.C.,
AND I GOT IN A FIGHT
WITH MY GIRLFRIEND.
BOY, DID MY HEAD SHRINK
BACK TO ITS NORMAL SIZE.
[LAUGHTER]
SHE MADE ME FEEL
SMALL AGAIN.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
SHE INSULTED ME.
THEN MY HEAD WENT RIGHT BACK
TO WHERE IT WAS BEFORE,
BUT ANYWAY...
IN MY SENIOR YEAR
AT GALLAUDET--
REMEMBER I TOLD YOU
ABOUT THE DOCTOR
THAT I HAD VISITED REGULARLY
WHEN I WAS A CHILD?
OK. IT HAPPENED
DURING THE SUMMERTIME,
AND IT WAS THE SUMMER
BEFORE MY SENIOR YEAR.
I GOT A LETTER THAT SAID
THAT I NEEDED TO GO TO--
I NEED TO REPORT FOR MY
PHYSICAL FOR WORLD WAR II.
I THOUGHT,
"WELL, FINE. I'LL GO."
SO I WENT,
AND THE DOCTOR
FOR MY PHYSICAL WAS
THE SAME ONE
THAT HAD BEEN MY DOCTOR
WHEN I WAS A CHILD.
I THOUGHT, "WOW! I'VE KNOWN HIM.
THIS IS FINE."
AND HE TALKED.
I LIPREAD HIM.
IT WAS EASY,
AND MY VOICE WAS STILL NORMAL
BECAUSE I HAD LOST
MY HEARING WHEN I WAS 10,
SO BY THE TIME I WAS 20,
I STILL SPOKE THE SAME.
HE ASKED ME HOW WAS COLLEGE.
I SAID FINE.
HE CHECKED ME OVER
AND LET ME GO.
AND AT THAT TIME,
I WAS PRESIDENT
OF THE STUDENT BODY.
I WAS THE PRESIDENT
FOR THE STUDENT BODY
OF THE BOYS
AT GALLAUDET,
AND I GOT A LETTER THAT SAID,
"PLEASE REPORT TO FORT"...
BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL
WAS A 1-A.
I THOUGHT, "ME? 1-A?"
I WAS SHOCKED,
AND THEN THE DOCTOR,
WHO HAD SIGNED IT,
WAS THE ONE
THAT I HAD KNOWN
WHEN I WAS YOUNG,
AND I THOUGHT, "OH, NO.
SHOULD I TELL PEOPLE,
"OR WHAT?
"I MEAN, I CAN'T CHALLENGE
THE U.S. ARMY, CAN I?
"I MEAN, GO TO GERMANY?
"MAYBE I'LL BECOME A GENERAL.
WELL, OK. THEN A LIEUTENANT."
SO I WENT,
AND I THOUGHT,
"MAYBE I'LL GO TO GERMANY
AND TAKE OVER HITLER."
[LAUGHTER]
"SHAVE HIS MUSTACHE OFF."
SO I DID GO,
AND THE FIRST PLACE
THAT I WENT TO, I WAS
SITTING IN THE FIRST ROW.
AND I SAW HIM SAY, "MALZKUHN."
I RAISED MY HAND.
I PASSED.
[LAUGHTER]
AND THE NEXT THING WAS
THAT I HAD TO GO FORT MEADE.
AND LINES WERE
EXTREMELY LONG
AND TURNING ALL
AROUND THE CORNERS.
IT WAS AWFUL.
DO YOU THINK THAT
THE ARMIES LET
PEOPLE TAKE A BREAK?
NEVER. THEY'RE ALWAYS WORKING.
SO I STAYED IN LINES
AND WAS PATIENT,
AND THEY USED A STICK.
GAVE ME A STICK
WITH A NAIL IN IT
TO PICK UP PAPERS
AND TRASH.
I DIDN'T MIND.
I WALKED AROUND
AND PICKED UP PAPERS,
THREW THEM IN THE GARBAGE.
AND SOME OF THE SOLDIERS
WERE PLAYING FOOTBALL,
AND I LOVED IT.
SO I WATCHED FOR A WHILE,
AND SOMEBODY CAME UP TO ME,
SOMEONE WITH STRIPES
ON HIS ARM,
AND ASKED ME, "ARE YOU OFF?"
AND I SAID, "NO,"
AND HE YELLED,
EVEN THOUGH
I WOULDN'T HEAR IT,
I KNEW HE WAS YELLING AT ME.
HE CAME CLOSER TO ME,
YELLING AND YELLING,
AND I HADN'T HEARD IT.
I THOUGHT, "I FEEL
A BREEZE NEAR MY EAR."
AND HE STARTED TAPPING
ME ON THE SHOULDER,
AND I SAID, "SORRY."
AND HE SAID, "ARE YOU DEAF
OR SOMETHING?"
[WOMAN LAUGHING]
"WELL...YES."
"WHAT?!
"YOU GODDAMN LIAR!
"YOU'VE GOT TO GET
OUT OF THE ARMY!
I'LL FIX YOU!"
SO HE TOOK ME TO THE DOCTOR,
AND I GOT TO CUT IN THE LINE,
AND HE SAID SOMETHING
TO THE DOCTOR,
AND THE DOCTOR LOOKED ME
UP AND DOWN
AND SAID, "MM-HMM."
I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY WERE SAYING.
SO THE DOCTOR
CALLED ME OVER
AND TOLD ME TO TAKE OFF
MY CLOTHES.
[LAUGHTER]
SO I DID,
AND I LEFT MY BRIEFS ON,
AND HE TOLD ME "I SAID
TAKE OFF ALL YOUR CLOTHES!"
[LAUGHTER]
NAKED.
THE DOCTOR WALKED
AROUND ME.
AND EVERYBODY WAS
LOOKING AT ME
BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS NUDE,
HAVING THEIR PHYSICALS, TOO,
AND THEY WERE ALL LAUGHING.
DOCTOR WALKED
AROUND ME AGAIN AND SAID,
"YES, YOU'RE DEAF.
PUT YOUR CLOTHES BACK ON.
GO HOME."
NOW HOW DID HE KNOW
BY LOOKING AT ME NUDE
THAT I WAS DEAF?
WELL, ANYWAY, SO I PUT
MY CLOTHES BACK ON.
FIRST I TALKED
WITH ONE OF THE SERGEANTS,
AND HE TOLD ME I NEEDED TO GO
SEE SOMEONE WITH TWO STRIPES,
AND I WAS GOING
UP AND UP THE LINE
OF RANK OF ORDER,
AND FINALLY I WAS TOLD
I HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HEAR
20 FEET AWAY,
AND I HAD NO RIGHT TO BE THERE.
SO THEY TOLD ME I COULD GO
TO WORK IN A WAR FACTORY,
SO I WENT BACK TO GALLAUDET.
[LAUGHTER]
MY TAIL WAS BENEATH MY LEGS
AS I WENT BACK TO GALLAUDET.
AND I SAW ANOTHER MAN
WHO HAD BEEN IN LINE WITH ME,
AND HE HAD GOTTEN
KICKED OUT, TOO.
WHY? BECAUSE HE HAD FLAT FEET.
SO I WROTE A NOTE TO HIM
AND SAID...
"WHY DID THE DOCTOR
THROW ME OUT?
HOW DID HE KNOW I WAS DEAF?"
AND THE MAN SAID, "EASY.
BECAUSE HE WALKED BEHIND YOU."
AND HE SAID, "SORRY, BUDDY..."
[LOUD LAUGHTER]
"I HAVE TO STICK THIS LARGE
NEEDLE UP YOUR FANNY."
AND I DIDN'T SHOW ANY REACTION.
OF COURSE IF I WAS HEARING,
I WOULD HAVE HAD
SOME SORT OF LOOK OF PAIN
ON MY FACE.
SO THAT'S HOW HE KNEW I WAS DEAF
FOR SURE.
AND SO THAT'S HOW THE DOCTOR
HELPED ME
SO THAT MY ARMY CAREER WAS
ONLY ONE DAY.
BUT BELIEVE ME, IT WAS
ONE FULL DAY, FULL DAY,
FROM MORNING TO NIGHT. OK.
[APPLAUSE]
NOW...I WANT TO SHOW YOU SOME OF
MY POETRY,
AND I'M GOING TO START WITH
"JABBERWOCKY."
DO YOU WANT TO SEE IT?
- YEAH!
- NOW, FIRST OF ALL,
I'D LIKE TO EXPLAIN,
THIS WON'T BE THE SAME...
THIS WON'T BE THE SAME AS WHAT
YOU SEE LOU FANT DO,
BECAUSE WITH HIS BODY
AND HIS FACE,
IT JUST LOOKS REAL DIFFERENT,
BUT FOR MYSELF, I DO IT
A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY
EVERY TIME.
AND SOMETIMES, I'M WONDERFUL.
AND SOMETIMES I STINK,
TO BE HONEST WITH YOU.
BUT...REALLY, IT DEPENDS ON
MY MOOD.
SO, LIKE, WITH MY WIFE
THIS MORNING,
SHE WAS GIVING ME--WHEN SHE
WAKES ME UP, SHE SAYS,
"ERIC, YOUR COFFEE IS READY."
AND SOMETIMES, I LOOK LIKE THIS
WHEN I WAKE UP,
SO THAT'S WHAT MY ANIMAL
LOOKS LIKE.
BUT THEN SOMETIMES SHE SAYS,
"GET OUT OF BED, YOU BASTARD.
YOU'RE LATE."
AND THEN MY ANIMAL
LOOKS LIKE THIS,
AND I POUNCE OUT OF BED.
SO, GEE, I WONDER WHAT MY MOOD
IS TONIGHT.
SO ARE YOU GUYS READY?
'TWAS BRILLIG, AND THE SLITHY
TOVES DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE;
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
[LAUGHTER]
"BEWARE THE JABBERWOCK, MY SON,
"HIS JAWS THAT BITE,
HIS CLAWS THAT SCRATCH!"
"BEWARE THE JUBJUB BIRD,
AND SHUN
THE FRUMIOUS
BANDERSNATCH!"
[LAUGHTER]
HE TOOK HIS VORPAL SWORD
IN HAND;
LONG TIME THE MANXOME FOE
HE SOUGHT--
AND SO HE STOOD UNDER
THE TUMTUM TREE IN THOUGHT.
WHILE IN UFFISH THOUGHT
HE STOOD,
THE JABBERWOCK,
WITH EYES OF FLAME,
CAME WHIFFLING
THROUGH THE TULGEY WOOD...
[CLANK]
AND BURBLED AS IT CAME!
[LOUD LAUGHTER]
ONE AND TWO!
THROUGH AND THROUGH,
THE VORPAL BLADE
WENT SNICKER-SNACK!
HE TOOK ITS HEAD
AND LEFT IT DEAD,
AND WENT GALUMPHING BACK.
"THOU HAST SLAIN THE JABBERWOCK?
"O, COME TO MY ARMS,
MY BEAMISH BOY!
CALLOOH! CALLAY!"
[LAUGHTER]
HE CHORTLED IN HIS JOY.
'TWAS BRILLIG, AND THE SLITHY
TOVES DID GYRE AND GIMBLE
IN THE WABE;
ALL MIMSY WERE THE BOROGOVES,
AND THE MOME RATHS OUTGRABE.
[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
YOU GUYS ARE ALL SPECIAL.
SOMETIMES I CHANGE IT,
YOU KNOW.
FOR EXAMPLE, I WENT TO DETROIT.
YOU ALL KNOW WHERE DETROIT IS.
DETROIT, MICHIGAN.
AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TOWN'S
FAMOUS FOR?
YEAH, OF COURSE.
THEIR AUTOMOBILES.
AND SO THIS IS
WHAT MY HEAD WILL LOOK LIKE,
WITH THE LIGHTS AND SMOKE
BILLOWING OUT THE BACK.
SO IT REALLY DEPENDS UPON
WHERE I GO.
SO NOW I'M GOING TO TAKE
A BREAK,
AND I'D LIKE TO PLAY A GAME
WITH YOU.
I KNOW YOU'LL APPRECIATE
THIS GAME.
AND DON'T SIT ON YOUR HANDS.
I'M GONNA ASK YOU
TO BE ATTENDING
AND PARTICIPATING IN THIS GAME.
ME.
I KNOW YOU GUYS
WILL ALL ENJOY THIS
WHEN THE JOKE'S
ON SOMEBODY ELSE,
BUT WHEN I PICK ON YOU,
PLEASE DON'T JUMP OUT.
THIS IS A GAME I USE
FOR TEACHING SIGN LANGUAGE
AND DRAMA AND ENGLISH--
ALL THREE OF THESE.
WILL YOU HELP ME OUT HERE?
OK, COULD I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION
BACK UP HERE?
EYES DIRECTED UP TO THE FRONT.
I WANT TO EXPLAIN
HOW THIS GAME WORKS.
USUALLY I USE THIS WITH
A SMALL GROUP...
...OR 5 AND 5 OR 6 AND 6.
AND THIS IS A GAME FOR ALL AGES.
YOU'LL SEE HOW IT WORKS
AS IT GOES ALONG.
YOU'LL BE CHALLENGED.
BUT YOU CAN'T SIGN
AND YOU CAN'T SPEAK, OK?
BUT I'LL SHOW YOU ALL
HOW IT WORKS.
SO YOU CAN SIGN ONE.
YOU CAN DO WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I'LL ASK YOU TO DO
A FEW THINGS.
AND LET'S GO. FIRST...
FIRST, I'LL SHOW YOU ONE
OF THESE.
IF I SHOW YOU THIS--OH,
AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU THE VERB.
AND THEN, OBVIOUSLY, ME.
I'M POINTING TO ME.
BUT I CAN'T SIGN "MINE."
AND I CAN'T SIGN
"MY..." WHATEVER.
OK. NEVER MIND. LET'S GO.
WELL, YOU HAVE TO STOP ME,
IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS.
OK, FINE. JUST STOP ME.
I'M UNFLAPPABLE.
OK.
- OK, YOU GUYS READY? ERIN?
DON'T HIDE YOUR HANDS.
WHO WANTS TO VOLUNTEER?
YOU. OK. "THE."
YOU GOT IT.
"CAR."
"NOT."
PAST.
SOMETHING IN THE PAST.
BIGGER.
BIGGER. YEAH?
NO. NO, THAT'S NOT--
OK. IT SOUNDS LIKE...
YES!
"WOULD."
"START."
WHAT IS THIS?
COME ON.
YEAH?
"IN."
[LOUD LAUGHTER]
LITTLER.
"THE."
YES. "RAIN." OK, YOU GUYS GOT
THE IDEA NOW?
OK. ALL RIGHT. I WANT
PEOPLE VOLUNTEERING HERE.
OK.
A LITTLE WORD HERE.
AN ARTICLE.
"THE."
BIGGER.
- A WATCH. A WATCH.
A WATCH.
- [INDISTINCT].
- YOU GOT IT.
- SECOND.
- "SECOND."
PERSON.
NO, NO. HE WAS RIGHT.
HE SAID, "BASE,"
BUT I JUST WANTED TO
EXPAND THAT A LITTLE.
"BASE" WHAT?
A PERSON.
- MAN. MAN. MAN.
- YOU GOT IT.
"BASEMAN."
ARTICLE. UH, NO,
VERB. LITTLE.
"IS." OK.
ANOTHER SMALL WORD. "A."
- [INDISTINCT].
- PUT "GOOD" HERE.
- FIELDER. FIELDER.
- "FIELD"? EXPAND THAT.
WE GOT EVERYTHING.
OH, WE GOT "VERY."
"FIELDER." OK.
"FIELDER."
- "FIELDER."
I HOPE YOU GET THE IDEA OF WHAT
I'M TRYING TO DO HERE.
I'M TRYING TO GIVE
YOU YOURSELVES THE OPPORTUNITY
TO BE CREATIVE, BUT I DON'T WANT
YOU TO SIT ON YOUR HANDS, OK?
OK, THIS IS THE LAST ONE,
AND IT'S A HARD ONE.
OK. A PERSON.
COME ON. COME ON. COME ON.
CHANGE IT A LITTLE BIT.
UH-HUH. YEAH. SPELL IT OUT.
NAH.
[LAUGHTER]
YUP, THERE IT IS, BACK THERE.
"MALZ." OK.
COME ON. CAROLINE, YOU'RE ON
THE RIGHT TRACK.
"HAS."
A LITTLE WORD HERE. "A."
- "FACE."
- THERE WE GO. "FACE."
"LIKE."
LITTLE OTHER WORD HERE.
"A."
[LAUGHTER]
PULL IT OUT.
YOU'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.
STRETCH OUT THAT WORD.
[MAN LAUGHING]
YEAH, BUT THERE'S MORE TO IT
THAN THAT. EXPAND IT.
IT'S THE RIGHT WORD.
JUST ADD TO THAT A LITTLE BIT.
NO, NO, NO. COME ON.
ANY OTHER IDEAS?
YOU KNOW IN A NEWSPAPER...
THEY TALK ABOUT "JOHN DOE."
WHAT COMES AFTER "JOHN DOE"?
[LAUGHTER]
"DECEASED."
- "SOCCER BALL"!
[LAUGHTER]
FOR YEARS AND YEARS,
WHEN YOU ASK PEOPLE
TO DESCRIBE MY FACE...
YOU KNOW HOW, LIKE,
A BALL GETS KIND OF DEFORMED
AFTER BEING KICKED?
THAT FITS ME TO A "T."
NOBODY EVER LOOKED AT ME
AND SAID, "THAT'S CLARK GABLE."
NEVER!
SO ANYWAY, THANK YOU FOR BEING
PART OF MY GAME.
[APPLAUSE]
THEN KEEP ROLLING HERE?
PANARA ALREADY TOOK UP 3 HOURS
OF MY TIME.
[LAUGHTER]
SO CAN I GO ON?
IS THAT ALL RIGHT WITH YOU?
I PROMISE
IF YOU'RE ALL SNOOZING...
THEN I'LL BE QUITE NICELY
IN BED.
HOW MANY OF YOU
HAVE GONE TO GALLAUDET BEFORE?
DO YOU REMEMBER
DR. FUSFELD?
HE USED TO TEACH PSYCHOLOGY.
DO YOU REMEMBER HIM?
FUSFELD.
ANYWAY, HE TAUGHT PSYCHOLOGY.
AND THE SIGN FOR HYPNOTIC--
OH, HIS SIGNS WERE HYPNOTIC.
STUDENTS GO TO SCHOOL
TO LEARN PSYCHOLOGY.
AND I HAD THIS CLASS
AFTER LUNCH. IT WAS ALL OVER.
EVERY DAY, I'D...GO IN THERE,
AND I'D TRY TO ROCK MYSELF
TO KEEP MYSELF AWAKE,
BUT IT WAS NO GOOD.
I'D GO OUT EVERY DAY.
THEN ONE DAY,
HE GOT EVEN WITH ME.
I WENT OUT AS USUAL.
AND I WOKE UP.
HE WASN'T THERE.
THERE WAS A STORY GOING ON UP
FRONT, BUT IT WASN'T MY CLASS.
[LAUGHTER]
MY WHOLE CLASS HAD GOTTEN UP
AND LEFT ME THERE.
SO I WAS EXTREMELY
EMBARRASSED...
AND THE TEACHER CAME UP TO ME
AND SAID,
"MR. MALZ, MAY I SUGGEST...
TOMORROW THAT YOU BRING
A PILLOW?"
[LAUGHTER]
I COULD HAVE CRAWLED
OUT OF THE ROOM.
BUT ANYWAY...
I WANT TO SHOW YOU
HOW YOU CAN CHANGE A POEM.
AND WE'RE GONNA DO ONE CALLED
"THE CAT."
FIRST I'LL SIGN IT IN PSE,
BUT THEN I'LL SIGN IT IN ASL.
AND THEN I'LL SIGN IT
MY WAY,
ALL 3 WAYS.
OK, HERE WE GO.
THE TROUBLE WITH...
[AUDIENCE MEMBERS LAUGHING]
KITTENS IS THAT EVENTUALLY...
IT BECOMES A CAT.
THE TROUBLE WITH A KITTEN
IS THAT EVENTUALLY,
IT BECOMES A CAT.
I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT
BETTER.
SO THE TROUBLE WITH KITTENS
IS THAT EVENTUALLY,
IT BECOMES A CAT!
THREE DIFFERENT WAYS THERE.
YOU HAVE TO CHANGE AND PLAY
WITH THE LANGUAGE.
NOW WE HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE
CALLED "THE CENTIPEDE."
THE SIGN THAT YOU USE FOR
A CENTIPEDE? IT IS AROUND HERE.
HUH. OK.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE.
I'LL SIGN THIS FOR "CENTIPEDE."
OK?
WE OBJURGATE THE CENTIPEDE,
A BUG WE REALLY DO NOT NEED.
AT SLEEPY-TIME HE BEATS A PATH
STRAIGHT FROM THE BEDROOM
TO THE BATH.
AND IF WE STOP, THERE IT IS NOT.
AND IF IT IS, IT MAKES A SPOT.
[LAUGHTER]
WE DON'T NEED THE CENTIPEDE.
IT'S SLEEP TIME.
IT BEATS A PATH INTO THE BATH.
AND IF WE STOMP,
THERE IT IS NOT.
THERE IT IS! OH, GOOD.
THERE IT IS NOT.
[LOUD LAUGHTER]
IT CAN BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
NOW I WANT TO WORK ON A POEM
THAT I MADE UP MYSELF.
AND WE CALL THIS
"SAN FRANCISCO."
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN
TO SAN FRANCISCO?
1, 2...A FEW OF YOU? OK.
SO HERE I'M TRYING TO SHOW YOU
HOW TO USE FINGERSPELLING,
AND FINGERSPELLING CAN BE
INCORPORATED INTO A POEM.
WHAT DOES SAN FRANCISCO HAVE?
THE BRIDGE,
THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE.
WHAT ELSE DOES IT HAVE?
THE HILLY STREETS.
RIGHT. THERE'S A BAY,
THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY.
HILLY STREETS...FOG.
OK. AND CABLE CARS. OK.
I FIRST WROTE THIS POEM IN 1966.
IT WAS WHEN I WAS WORKING
FOR A PLAY WITH NTD
AND WE WERE IN SAN FRANCISCO.
BOB SAW IT AT THAT TIME,
BUT I CHANGED IT OVER THE YEARS.
I THINK IT'S IMPROVED, TOO.
SO HERE WE GO
WITH FINGERSPELLING.
SAN FRANCISCO,
YOU ARE NOT A CITY.
YOU ARE A DREAM.
YOUR PEOPLE ARE NOT
WHAT THEY SEEM.
YOUR PEOPLE
ARE PRINCES AND KINGS,
COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
TO DO FABULOUS THINGS
IN SAN FRANCISCO.
YOUR VERY ELEGANCE,
THE WAY YOUR PEOPLE DANCE...
YOUR UP-AND-DOWN STREETS
WITH THEIR MIXTURE OF CHINESE
AND ITALIANS AND GREEKS...
YOUR CRAZY CABLE CARS,
YOUR RESTAURANTS
GIVE A TOUCH OF ROMANCE
TO YOU, SAN FRANCISCO.
SAN FRANCISCO...
YOU WILL NEVER GROW OLD.
YOU ARE FROZEN IN TIME,
A CITY ALONE,
A SONNET OF SAND AND STONE,
WITH A SEA-SPLASHED RHYME.
SAN FRANCISCO...
BELOVED DREAM OF MINE.
[APPLAUSE]
- BEAUTIFUL!
OK, I'D LIKE TO SHARE A SECRET
WITH YOU.
I HAVE A HEALTH PROBLEM.
I HAVE MALZHEIMER'S DISEASE.
[LAUGHTER]
HAVE YOU HEARD OF IT?
MALZHEIMER'S DISEASE?
IT MEANS THAT MY MIND IS...
A LITTLE BIT SHOT.
YOU SAW THAT WHEN I SHOWED YOU
"JABBERWOCKY."
YOU KNOW, THE FIRST TIME
I SHOWED IT,
1/3 OF THE AUDIENCE THOUGHT
I WAS GENIUS.
THE OTHER 1/3 THOUGHT I WAS
INSANE,
AND THE LAST 1/3 COULDN'T REALLY
DECIDE WHICH.
[LAUGHTER]
SO HANG IN THERE WITH ME.
AND NOW I WANT TO HAVE
A YOUNG LADY VOLUNTEER
TO COME UP HERE.
WHO WOULD DO THAT?
COME ON.
SOMEBODY VOLUNTEER? ANYBODY.
YOU? OK.
OK. NOW I WANT TO DO
ANOTHER POEM
CALLED "IF I WERE KING."
FIRST OF ALL,
IT'S A VERY OLD POEM.
I FOUND THIS
WHEN I WAS MUCH YOUNGER
AND I HAD A FULL HEAD OF HAIR
AND A MUCH SMALLER BELT.
MANY YEARS AGO.
AND IT'S A VERY ROMANTIC POEM.
AND I HAVE TO ADMIT,
I AM VERY ROMANTIC.
I'VE NEVER CHANGED, AND I'M VERY
OLD-FASHIONED.
I DEVELOPED THIS POEM
A LONG TIME AGO,
AND THEN LATER...
I TRANSLATED IT INTO ASL.
AND I WANTED A GIRL TO VOLUNTEER
FOR THE FIRST ONE,
AND THEN I WANT ANOTHER GIRL
TO VOLUNTEER
FOR THE SECOND TIME I DO IT. OK.
WELL, COULD I HAVE
YOUR ATTENTION UP HERE?
OK, WHEN I'M FINISHED WITH HER,
WE'LL GO ON TO YOU, OK?
[AUDIENCE MEMBER LAUGHS]
OK. IF I COULD HAVE YOUR
ATTENTION, PLEASE.
I FLEW HERE A LONG WAY
TO SEE YOU.
"IF I WERE KING."
AH, LOVE, IF I WERE KING!
WHAT TRIBUTARY NATIONS
WOULD I BRING
TO KNEEL BEFORE YOUR SCEPTER
AND SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO YOUR
EYES, YOUR LIPS AND HAIR.
BENEATH YOUR FEET
WHAT TREASURES WOULD I BRING:
YOU WOULD HAVE
THE SUN AND THE MOON TO WEAR,
THE STAR AS YOUR NECKLACE
ON A STRING,
THE WORLD A RUBY
FOR YOUR FINGER RING.
[LAUGHTER]
IF I WERE KING.
LET THOSE WILD WORDS
AND WILDER DREAMS TAKE WING,
DEEP IN THE WOODS
I HEAR A SHEPHERD SING
A SIMPLE BALLAD
FOR THE SYLVAN AIR,
A LOVE THAT ALWAYS FINDS
YOUR FACE MORE FAIR.
I COULD NOT WISH FOR THEE ANY
GODLIER THING IF I WERE KING.
[APPLAUSE]
THANK YOU.
DON'T BE EMBARRASSED.
I DON'T BITE AN APPRENTICE.
OK. HERE WE GO AGAIN.
NOW, THIS IS MINE.
I'VE DONE THIS SEVERAL YEARS.
IF I WERE KING--AH, LOVE,
IF I WERE KING!
WHAT TRIBUTARY NATIONS
WOULD I BRING
TO KNEEL BEFORE YOUR SCEPTER
AND TO SWEAR ALLEGIANCE TO YOUR
EYES, YOUR LIPS AND HAIR.
BENEATH YOUR FEET
WHAT TREASURES I WOULD BRING:
YOU WOULD HAVE
THE SUN AND THE MOON TO WEAR...
[LAUGHTER]
THE STAR AS YOUR NECKLACE
ON A STRING...
THE WORLD A RUBY
FOR YOUR FINGER RING.
[LAUGHTER]
IF I WERE KING.
LET THOSE WILD WORDS
AND WILDER DREAMS TAKE WING,
DEEP IN THE WOODS
I SEE A SHEPHERD SING
A SIMPLE BALLAD
FOR THE SYLVAN AIR,
OF LOVE THAT ALWAYS FINDS
YOUR FACE MORE FAIR.
[WOMAN LAUGHS]
[AUDIENCE LAUGHING]
I COULD NOT WISH FOR THEE ANY
GODLIER THING IF I WERE KING.
[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
OK, THIS WILL BE THE LAST ONE.
NOW, YEAH.
BRING THIS RIGHT AROUND HERE.
I AM KING HENRY VIII.
HOW MANY WIVES DID I HAVE? 6.
THEIR NAME IS LEGION. WHY?
YEAH. BECAUSE I KILLED A FEW
OF THEM. THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THIS IS PART OF THE PLAY
THAT I ACTED IN.
AND THIS IS JUST BEFORE
KING HENRY VIII PROCLAIMS
HIS WILL TO HAVE ANNE BEHEADED.
SO ARE YOU READY?
SHALL I GO ON? OK.
THIS IS SO HARD TO DO.
WHEN YOU COME TO PUT PEN
TO PAPER...
ANNE MUST DIE. SHE MUST.
IF THINGS ARE TO GO AS PLANNED,
YES, IF THEY'RE TO GO AT ALL.
IF I AM TO RULE...
AND KEEP MY SANITY...
AND HOLD MY ENGLAND
OFF THE ROCKS.
IT'S A LEE SHORE
AND A LOW TIDE--
AND THE WINDS ARE STRONG.
THE SPANISH ROCKS
ARE BARE AND SHARP.
AH, GO BACK TO IT, HENRY,
GO BACK TO IT.
KEEP YOUR MIND
ON THIS PARCHMENT YOU MUST SIGN.
YOU'VE CONDEMNED MEN,
NOBLES AND PEASANTS.
SHE'S STRUCK DOWN
A FEW HERSELF--
OR DRIVEN YOU TO DO IT.
IT'S ONLY THAT A WOMAN
YOU'VE HELD IN YOUR ARMS
AND LONGED FOR
WHEN SHE WAS AWAY,
AND SUFFERED WITH HER
AND WAITED FOR THE OUTCOME
OF HER CHILDBED--
NO, SHE PROMISED ME AN HEIR.
WRITE IT DOWN.
AND WHEN THE HEADSMAN
WILL CRY OUT SUDDENLY,
"LOOK, LOOK THERE!"
AND POINT TO THE FIRST FLASH
OF SUNRISE, AND SHE'LL LOOK,
NOT KNOWING WHAT HE MEANS,
AND HIS SWORD WILL FLASH
IN THE FLICK OF THE SUN,
THROUGH THE LITTLE BONES
OF HER NECK AS SHE LOOKS AWAY,
AND IT WILL BE DONE.
WHAT WILL IT SEEM TO MEN
I WAS LIKE WHEN I DID THIS?
IT WILL BE WRITTEN AND STUDIED.
THE HISTORY OF KINGS
ARE NEVER SECURE.
THE LETTERS THEY HAVE HIDDEN,
SECRET CIPHERS
ARE UNRAVELED AND CHUCKLED OVER.
"HE LOVED HER AND HE HAD HER
AND HE KILLED HER."
THE LETTERS WILL BE PRINTED,
BUT ONE OF THE STOLEN LOVE
LETTERS WHERE I PLAY THE FOOL,
AND THERE'S A HEART DRAWN
AT THE BOTTOM OF ONE,
AND IN THE HEART "A.B.,"
LABORIOUSLY PRINTED.
"HENRY REX SEEKS A.B.
AND NO OTHER."
NO. SHE BETRAYED ME.
SHE BETRAYED ME.
NOW I SEEK HER DEATH.
BUT I FELT LIKE WHEN
I LOVED HER LESS AND LESS,
SHE LOVED ME MORE.
BUT SHE BETRAYED ME.
EVEN IN MY ANGER,
SHE BETRAYED ME.
THANKS.
[APPLAUSE]
OK, ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS
FOR ME?
ANYTHING THAT I'VE FORGOTTEN?
THEY WOULDN'T PERMIT ME
TO DISROBE, WOULD THEY?
- WE'D PERMIT THAT.
- JUST A LITTLE.
BUT NOT HERE.
THIS IS NOT
A PETER COOK UP HERE.
[LAUGHTER]
THIS IS NOT
AN R-RATED FLICK. SO...
I'M DEFINITELY PROUD OF MY JOB.
THE FIRST MAN WHO DID THIS
IS NOW WORKING FOR DISNEY,
AND HE WORKED MANY, MANY YEARS,
AND WAS VERY, VERY FRUSTRATED.
AND HE'S BEEN DRAWING CARTOONS
EVER SINCE.
SO LET ME SHOW YOU THIS.
[LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE]
THE REASON I SHOW YOU THIS IS
BECAUSE...
THIS ISN'T ONLY FOR E.T.
IT'S FOR [INDISTINCT].
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE]
[APPLAUSE CONTINUES]
I'M GETTING OFF.
GIVE ME A BREAK.
[LAUGHTER]
I'M GETTING THERE.
[LAUGHTER]
OK. THANKS VERY MUCH
FOR COMING TONIGHT.
WE REALLY ENJOYED IT.
AND THERE'S GONNA BE SOME MORE
DEAF POETRY COMING UP SOON.
SO WATCH FOR THE ADVERTISEMENTS.
AND IF YOU WANT TO SIGN UP
FOR OUR MAILING LIST...
[LAUGHTER]
STAY THERE.
HA HA!
PUT YOUR NAMES DOWN HERE,
PLEASE,
AND WE'LL SEND YOU NOTES
WHEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE MORE
DEAF POETRY.
THERE'S ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF
PEOPLE COMING UP.
THERE'S GONNA BE A COUPLE PEOPLE
FROM MONTREAL--FROM CANADA.
THEY'RE GONNA DO SOME FRENCH
POETRY FOR US,
SO WE'RE BRINGING THEM IN
IN JANUARY, I THINK.
AND SO PUT YOUR NAMES DOWN,
WE'LL SEND YOU
SOME POSTCARDS,
AND YOU CAN COME SEE IT.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, EVERYONE.
[APPLAUSE]
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Notes:
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"This project is supported by a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant from the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR). The grant program is made possible by funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation."
|
Notes:
|
Title supplied by cataloger
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