Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Better On Stage Than Off

During a column about the perils of being a comedian, Dick Cavett tells of a Judy Garland appearance on his show.

She was garrulous, witty and wickedly, wickedly funny. What they say was true. She made you feel you were an old friend, while keeping you in stitches.

But afterwards we couldn’t get her out of the dressing room. I left the theater and later walked back well after tape time, and she was still there.

She couldn’t make a false move on stage and so did all she could to delay leaving it; and, equally, leaving the cozy womb of the dressing room. She was home in those two places.Leave them, and you are back in so-called real life — where it seemed poor Judy made only false moves.

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