In Love with Words

I can watch television shows and films written by Aaron Sorkin over and over and over. I have worn through the box set of Sports Night -- I have watched the first four seasons of The West Wing at least three times each (in some cases four times I think). The American President is a rare film in the vein of Shawshank and Jaws in that it really doesn't matter where I start watching.

I took a bit of criticism last week when my friend came over to find my newest Sorkin purchase: the first (and last) season of Studio 60... I'm no dope -- I get it -- Studio 60... was insulting to the average American and many a viewer were, by now, tired of Sorkin's knack for scenes in which 15 people all spoke, rapid fire, over one another.

It doesn't take away from the man's brilliance. Sure his words are coated with cocaine and according to a co-worker who got to see an episode of The West Wing being shot (I want to get into his brain and steal that memory)the man lends new meaning to the term "motherf$cker." I get it, but good LORD the man can write. I'll lend you my dvd of the first season finale of Sports Night (and by lend I mean bring it to your house, watch it with you, and bring it back home) and you'll get wrapped up in the words too. Sure, they're not how real people talk, but his language is intoxicating and his characters so wonderfully idiosyncratic that it just doesn't matter that they aren't speaking realistically.

Saturday the 2nd, Aztec Two-Step at the Bottom Line with Gordon. Sunday the 10th, Turandot at Lincoln Center with Gordon. I'm assuming, although your modifier was dangling, that you were going WITH Gordon to SEE Turandot, and that you weren't going to SEE Gordon IN Turandot."