Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Be Still, Jack Black
Did you see Jack Black on Letterman last night? Black was promoting King Kong — which looks like it might be good. Black is one of those performers you like the minute you see him. Like Chris Farley or John Belushi or a ton of other comedians — they have something convivial that emanates from them on first sight. They don't even try — at least outwardly; but you can just see that Old Debil inside these comedians is yearning to get out, and you know it will.
Jack Black came out after Letterman's intro, the usual performer perp walk. That celebrity walk has its own interest — watching a celebrity just walk onstage. I'm not sure why. Years ago one of Howard Stern's guests said that he watched a talk show in which a beautiful actress was to appear, just to see her walk out — he tuned out immediately after her entrance. In that case you can understand the interest; but that odd ritual of the entrance of a guest on a talk show is strangely engrossing.
Coming out from side stage Black seemed the usual celeb, centered, undistracted by the crowd so happy to see him, then, in the midst of the walk, he did one of those little wild dances comedians are so good at — comedy is music after all, a kind of rhythmic series of incantations — nearly all comedians have tremendous physical grace. I remember what a joy it was to watch Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin dancing behind the credits in All Of Me.
I really posted this note for one reason, to point out the quiet on the other end of the manic comedic spectrum: Black sits down and says a few things; then he says something funny — and then he is just very still, almost disinterested, as the audience laughs. He looks off, not at Letterman, nor the audience, just off somewhere into his own quadrant of the universe. It was fascinating — that stillness.