Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

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Natalie
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Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by Natalie »

Hi everyone,

Elizabeth Gilbert, the best-selling author of Eat, Pray, Love quoted Leonard today on Oprah. She likened an experience to "there's a crack in everything; that's how the light gets in." She mentioned that Leonard Cohen had said it.

I wonder if Oprah is familiar with Leonard. Does anybody know?

Cheers,

Natalie
brady
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by brady »

I like that quote: "There's a crack in everything; that's how the light comes in." Where does it come from?
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peter danielsen
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by peter danielsen »

It`s from Cohens song Anthem, but I believe I've read and interview where cohen said that he hear a sermon once from which the line was taken


Peter
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Partisan
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by Partisan »

Oprah is only familiar with things she can make money from. She is a used car salesman with delusions.

p.
Steven
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by Steven »

Hi Natalie,

I don't know if Oprah is familiar with Leonard. Recently, I was at a poetry reading
and someone read a poem that prompted me to quote those lines from Leonard to
the poetry reader, afterwards, in response an issue raised by his eloquent reading. I mentioned the lines you quoted to him, but added that when it comes to people, there needs to be a receptivity to the "light" for it to have any positive affect.
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Yankovic
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by Yankovic »

brady wrote:that's how the light comes in."
That's how the light "gets" in
They sentenced me to twenty years of boredom
Natalie
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by Natalie »

Hello,

I just finished reading the book -- it only took a day and a half -- and Elizabeth Gilbert mentions Leonard Cohen, albeit briefly in her novel. She's going through a depression, and she writes about (I am paraprasing) how she doesn't want to hear the words "Leonard" or "Cohen."

This begs the question: "are Leonard's songs depressing?" I have asked this before, and many of you have responded that you do not find him depressing.

So, what do YOU think?

Cheers,

Natalie
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linda_lakeside
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by linda_lakeside »

Okay, hold the phone. I only drop in from time to time, and have no way of being up to date on Leonard's comings and goings (my fault).

Is Leonard going to appear on Oprah? Used car salesman or not, what a boon for Leonard if this were so. It would introduce him to an entirely new audience. At this point in his career/life, what a legacy he could leave with the gift of his poetry in the hands of this and newer generations.

OR (more likely), my heart-beat just spiked when I saw Leonard and Oprah in the same sentence. No one has to 'like' Oprah, if it be their will, but if she can bring a new audience of Leonard Lovers to the fore, well, I'm all 'fore'? it. Pipe dream, right? Someone just 'quoted him' on her show, and I'm getting all abuzz. Okay, I can live with that. Vincent Van Gogh made nada from his paintings while alive. I am confident, that Leonard, at some point, even posthumously, will let the 'light get in'. We are not a 'cult' of ravers and lunatics, we just know the goods when we see it. Hmmm. A "We love Oprah drive!!!" No? Okay, but let it be on the record I was in from the git-go, as were most of you. There were too many things working against Leonard for him to profit in the way he should have. Mainly his own trust. He has and always will have 'something' tucked away in his dresser drawer, but he will never lose the admiration of so many people. Book him in a mega-dome with the Spice Girls and we have a hit! :lol: Yeah, go ahead and hit me.

Edit: There was a thread a while back in which people named the most depressing songs, Leonard didn't make the list. 'We' don't find Leonard depressing, likely because we look beneath the surface, and see 'more' than 'the grocer of despair'. Depressing, no. Insightful: yes.
~ The smell of perfume in the air, bits of beauty everywhere ~ Leonard Cohen.
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lizzytysh
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by lizzytysh »

Vincent Van Gogh made nada from his paintings while alive. I am confident, that Leonard, at some point, even posthumously, will let the 'light get in'. We are not a 'cult' of ravers and lunatics, we just know the goods when we see it.
Exactly, Linda. I simply want Leonard to be unequivocally aware of his place in literary/poetic/musical history.

It seems to me that if Oprah wasn't already aware of Leonard that she is now, since he was quoted. It seems she would already be, with so many being already. It would be an interesting meld to see them together on her show.


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st theresa
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by st theresa »

Perhaps Oprah Saw his name next to hers on Al Gore's list of planetary heroes
http://mindprod.com/ethics/heroes.html
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linda_lakeside
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by linda_lakeside »

That's wonderful! However it came to be, makes no difference. He deserves a place in history beside all other good people.

I see you're from Edmonton? I guess that means you'll be doing the Event? Lucky you, you can go home every night instead of spending mega$ on The Westin. My cousin lived in Edmonton for years, as well as some other close relatives. I don't suppose you know....? :lol: Nah. Couldn't be.

Thanks for the link, St. Theresa, very informative, and very good for bringing one's spirits out of the doldrums and into the holiday season. A merry, happy one to you.

Linda.
~ The smell of perfume in the air, bits of beauty everywhere ~ Leonard Cohen.
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lizzytysh
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by lizzytysh »

Hi St. Theresa ~

I think that it may be that Al Gore is first on the list, reading from the top/left; it seems the list, however, is that of Roedy Green ©1996-2007 and/or Canadian Mind Products? Kinda hard to decide who/which...

Great list, though, and Leonard definitely belongs on it. Oprah does, too.


~ Lizzy
"Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
~ Oscar Wilde
che
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by che »

Natalie wrote:Hi everyone,

I wonder if Oprah is familiar with Leonard. Does anybody know?

Cheers,

Natalie
Does any one care?
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linda_lakeside
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by linda_lakeside »

I can't say I really 'care', but a gig on Oprah is worth a book sale of at least 50,000 units. I bet Leonard could use some of that dough. Not only that, a gig on Oprah is exposure to the max. and she really 'is' a good interviewer with a sense of humour. I think she'd do a good interview with Leonard, I really do. It's not all about 'stardom' and glitter, but she can get to the 'heart' of the matter, which could bode well for our erstwhile thin gypsy thief. Not saying it's something the big Uni. in the sky has planned, but it sure couldn't hurt. I'd love for the world to have Leonard Cohen on their lips. We all know how rich in words he is, I'd just like others to take those words into the next generation. Not have them buried away in some dusty old tome for scholars only. I'm not saying it will ever happen, but what they hey, worse things could and will def. happen.
~ The smell of perfume in the air, bits of beauty everywhere ~ Leonard Cohen.
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st theresa
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Re: Author of "Eat,Pray,Love" quotes Leonard Cohen on Oprah

Post by st theresa »

Hi lizzy tysh and linda lakeside

sheesh--I will know better than to check in here on my lunch hour and try to say something clever. As you might guess I simply googled Oprah and leonard and then quickly glanced under the list. Seeing Al Gore at the bottom, I quickly surmised, duh! Oh well it is a kind of cool list--glad to see a few other luminaries listed. LInda--I am from Edmonton mais je suis tres desolee. On the date of the 2008 event, I may well be in Portugal and therefore unable to attend. If anything changes, I will be there (with bells on) but for now I continue to volunteer on the cohen nights committee, and to help as I am able. Obviously, with my scattered approach to information, I am not their event manager or anything even close. But I do love Leonard.
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