old 1994 interview... deadpan Leonard

[HelenOE]

I'm sure everybody else has seen this, but I only just now came across this interview Hand in Hand Met Cohen and it is just hilarious: not only the part at the beginning where Leonard explains to the interviewer that he last performed in Belgium about 150 years ago, just as the medieval period was giving way to the Renaissance and that he speaks fluent Flemish and that "I'm just about aware of everything there is, everywhere" but later, after Leonard has been talking passionately and precisely,for more than four minutes, about his own very idiosyncratic definition of racism and why he's in favor of it, culture, race, and mistrust between cultures, the interviewer asks (at 4:44): "Are you someone who is engaged, are you an engaged artist?" (note: the interview is actually taking place at a "festival of tolerance" where LC will be performing) Leonard says with a perfectly straight face, "No, I'm totally self-involved and only interested in myself. It's very difficult for me to get interested in anybody else." The interviewer just swallows this whole and moves on. And they say the man has no sense of humor.

[lizzytysh]

Oh my gosh, your description is delightful, Helen!

[lizzytysh]

I'll watch this tomorrow.
Thanks, Helen!