SOUNDTRACK: RHEOSTATICS-Bathurst Street Theatre, Toronto, ON (October 7, 1994).
This show was broadcast on the radio, and indeed, this is an encore broadcast that you can download from Rheostatics Live.
Anyhow, it begins with people raving about the Rheos on the radio. And then the band kicks in. The set is 45 minutes, although I assume the original must have been longer. Why? most of their shows are longer and this feels like it might have some cuts for commercials and whatnot.
They play ten songs, and it’s alike a highlight reel of their earlier music: “Take Me in Your Hand,” “King of the Past,” “Queer,” “California Dreamline,” “Soul Glue,” “Claire,” “Northern Wish.” But it’s also got its far share of goofiness: some improvs and the resolutely silly “Full Moon Over Russia” and “Alomar” (which sounds really tight here). It’s a great set and a great introduction to early Rheos live music.
[READ: January 29, 2014] “My Man Jeremy”
Everyone mostly knows Cera as an actor (who I’ll see in anything). But he’s also a writer. His previous piece in McSweeney’s was very funny. And so is this one. Although now the two published things I’ve read by him were both about being an actor, so maybe its time to broaden the range a bit.
Anyhow, this is basically a set up about text messaging. He opens by explaining that people ask him is he has any funny stories about texting (this part is in italics). Then he tells us this tale about Jeremy. The text messages are written straightforward, with interjected comments by Cera as he “studies” the exchange.
It begins with a text from an unknown number “Sup you coming to this thing?”
Michael writes back. “Hi oops I don’t know this number. I’m Michael, who is this?”
Now, this isn’t especially funny, but it did make me smile to think that anyone would respond to a wrong number this way. At any rate….
The story builds from there, with Michael trying harder and harder to befriend this unknown guy. Their initial texting goes on for four days (in spurts of five or six messages, mostly from Michael). Finally Michael ask his name and it is revealed to be Jeremy. Michael asks if Jeremy has ever seen anything with his friend Michael Cera in it. Jeremy says hes cool. Then Michaels asks if he thinks that Cera’s range is limited. When he gets an interesting response, he reveals that he is indeed Michael Cera. The respond is muted by pleased. And thus the awkward chats continue but then cease after a few days.
A week later Jeremy writes back and asks if Cera parties. Cera is thrilled to get this invitation and says he’ll make soup. A few hours later Cera writes back to say that he has flushed the soup down the toilet–what a waste–since he never got the address where to party. But Jeremy says he was just busy “dealing with people actin crazy.”
Michael: “what people??? Me???”
Jeremy: “nah.”
There’s a very funny situation on Christmas Eve which ends awkwardly. Then after months of silence, Michael gets another text from Jeremy I LUV UR MOVIES!!! That’s when Jeremy reveals that his girlfriend wrote that. Michael takes that as an opportunity to reopen the dialogue. But nothing much comes of it.
Until June. When Jeremy says his girlfriend wants to me the actor. And over the next few texts we read about just what happened at that party and why Jeremy won’t take his calls anymore.
Cera’s “study” of the exchange is particularly funny and really reinforces the character that he has created with the texts themselves. This was one of the longest shouts and murmurs that I can remember and I laughed a lot at it.
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