Saturday Night's show went well.
The crowd was "cold" during John's set - and that's always a challenge for a comedian - but he was funny and by the time Gab was on stage everyone was into it.
But I don't think that's what you're interested in me writing about, is it?
You wanna hear about me and Cyril, don't you?
Well here is (if my memory serves me correctly) the bottom line: While not backtracking on why he was upset (and there was no reason to) at DA Stephen Zappala and his investigator FBI Agent Bradley Orsini, Cyril said that he shouldn't have used the word "goombah" in his description of their relationship.
He was sitting not 3 feet to my left when he said that and once I heard it, I seriously contemplated leaping to my feet and shouting "Well, my work here is done!"
The longer version: Before the show began John told me he might touch on the "goombah" thing at the end of the panel discussion, to fill out some time, if needed. I was a little nervous at that point so I was relieved that any discussion about the dueling Op-Ed pieces would be tacked on if the audience was fading. Whew.
The show began and John did his set. Then he interviewed Cyril, which was very very funny. Then Gab went on and she was very funny. I don't think I'm very funny so I'll just say I went on. We talked about the oil spill and my disappointment with the Obama administration (not about the oil but about his lack of movement in prosecuting the torture of the previous administration). I mentioned some rightwing conspiracies regarding the spill (it's all Bill Clinton's fault - so says Dick Morris).
John and Keith talked for a bit on stage. Keith's main point seemed to be "let's fix the gusher before assigning the blame."
Then the panel discussion began. We all shook hands and sat down, Keith to my right and Cyril to my left. John was on Keith's right.
And John opened with the goombah stuff.
Oh, shit.
I said I felt like this was a scene from Godfather III where Al Pacino says "Come, make the peace with Joey Zaza." To which Keith chided me for quoting the worst Godfather movie. He's right, of course, but I didn't feel like going to the mattresses over it, so I let it pass.
And that's when Cyril said he shouldn't have used the word.
Well my work on this issue is done.
Thank you and good night.
Ahem. Please note that my paisan, Cyril Wecht, will be there, though the topic of discussion will be the oil in the gulf.
But I'll be a part of the show tomorrow.
