The Rotowhirl (Live)-Laurie Anderson

[ti:The Rotowhirl] [ar:Laurie Anderson] [al:The Ugly One With The Jewels And Other Stories] [by:] [offset:0] [00:00.00]The Rotowhirl (Live) - Laurie Anderson [00:05.01]Around 1978 I met a comedian Andy Kaufmann [00:10.08] [00:12.56]And he was performing his avant-garde Elise act in a club in Queens [00:17.45] [00:19.63]The performance started with Andy playing the bongos [00:22.36] [00:23.23]And for some unknown reason sobbing [00:26.55] [00:29.09]We became friends [00:29.91] [00:31.44]And I acted as Andy's straight man in clubs and field trips [00:35.60] [00:37.54]At the Improv in New York [00:39.22] [00:40.05]Andy would begin his show by insulting women and saying [00:43.96] [00:45.53]I won't respect them until one of them comes up here [00:47.54]And wrestles me down [00:48.68] [00:51.82]This was supposed to be my job [00:53.83] [00:55.71]I sat in the club drinking whiskies trying to get up the nerve [01:00.31] [01:02.31]In the meantime I was also supposed to be heckling him [01:05.19] [01:07.02]And after three whiskies I managed to get pretty abusive [01:12.23] [01:14.21]Wrestling him down though was really hard [01:16.28] [01:17.18]Because Andy really fought [01:18.99] [01:21.40]On our field trips we would go to Coney Island [01:24.46]To try out some of Andy's theories on cutting-edge comedy [01:27.77] [01:30.56]We'd stand around the “test your strength” games [01:33.31]The one with the big sledgehammer in the bell [01:35.40] [01:36.52]And Andy would make fun of all the guys [01:39.50]Who were swinging away [01:40.80] [01:41.98]And I was supposed to beg him for [01:43.71]One of the huge stuffed bunnies [01:46.00] [01:48.86]Oh Andy Honey please get me a bunny please please [01:57.88] [02:00.41]Finally Andy would step up [02:02.40]To the big thermometer and take a swing [02:05.15] [02:06.35]The indicator would rise a few inches and [02:08.86]“Try again weakling ” would flash [02:10.87] [02:12.26]At this point Andy would start yelling [02:14.79]That the game was wicked and demanding to see the manager [02:18.28] [02:21.54]We also went at the rotowhirl [02:23.19] [02:23.99]The ride that plasters everyone against the walls of a spinning cylinder [02:28.01]And stretches their bodies into Dopplered blobs [02:30.49] [02:32.95]Before the ride actually starts [02:34.50] [02:35.26]There are a couple of awkward minutes [02:36.87] [02:37.56]While the attendant checks the motor and the riders [02:40.72] [02:41.36]Bound head and foot stare at each other [02:44.44] [02:46.71]This was the moment that Andy seized [02:50.01] [02:51.75]He would start by looking around in a panick [02:54.13] [02:54.74]And then he would start to cry [02:56.35] [02:57.77]I don't wanna be on this ride [02:59.29] [03:00.02]I've changed my mind; we're all gonna die [03:04.55] [03:06.36]The other riders would look around self-consciously [03:08.32] [03:09.55]Should they help [03:10.33] [03:11.00]He would then begin to sob uncontrollably [03:14.51] [03:17.89]I loved Andy [03:18.70] [03:20.79]He would come over to my house [03:23.01]And read from a novel he was writing [03:24.79] [03:26.21]He would read all night [03:27.35] [03:29.17]And I don't know if any of this book was ever even published [03:32.11] [03:34.77]I have never been one that hoped [03:36.44]That Elvis is still hanging around somewhere hiding [03:40.87] [03:43.80]But I will probably always expect to see Andy reappear someday