January 1-6, 2002

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I wanted to wish Paul a Happy 32nd Birthday this week! As you know, PTA was born on January 1, 1970 in Studio City, CA. Here's to a healthy & happy 2002.

Remember that Ricky Jay appearance in San Francisco in early December? Here's a recap of the event from site reader Michael Alessandro:

Just a note to let you know I saw Ricky Jay last night, interviewed by Michael Chabon and it was a great evening. Michael seemed to truly be a Ricky Jay aficionado and fan, they talked much about Jays Journal of Anomalies (Ricky's new book - a compilation of his short magazines, which is fabulous!) and some of his film work.

At the end of the chat, before questions from the audience Ricky Jay consented to perform a poem written for him by Shel Silverstein before he passed, it's to be part of his new show. It was truly delightful, a story of a hustler (Jay) challenged to an honest game of cards in a room with no windows, and a door locked from the outside, and a table of glass, the men wear no rings, no items in which to mark the cards, so he says yes to this "honest" game, and when he wins through skill his challenger pulls a knife at which Ricky throws a card twenty feet across the heads of the audience hitting the balconies edge and "disarms" assailant, at which the man says he'll use his bear hands and Ricky Jay then shoots another card across the opposite wall with equal force "cutting the hand" from the man, at which the man pulls a gun and Ricky sends a card right between his eyes.

It was a wonderful cap to the evening, and a great poem. Ricky Jay took some questions from the audience, was generous in his responses and then signed books after. I had him sign my worn copy of "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women" and then chatted with him for a few moments about the film I directed "Smoke & Mirrors" which he and PT were a great inspiration for. He was very nice, and I was grateful for this time. (Not to slight Chabon - who gave a wonderful interview and was also a pleasant guy)

M. Night Shyamalan mentions how much he loves Boogie Nights in an interview that was conducted by Creative Screenwriting Magazine with the writer/director of the "Sixth Sense" You can check it out here. (Thanks Kurt!)

I will return with a new site feature entitled "PTA Influences" by site reader Bob Ellis. Stay tuned...