Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Guilty Pleasure


Clincher enjoys a perpetual project, collecting autographs of Jewish-American celebrities in an Army-Navy surplus prayer book for Jewish Armed Forces Personnel.

It has taken perhaps more than four years to get only three signatures up to this point. But it's a labor of love and a guilty pleasure. Those who you will find inscribed in this Book of Life (click on image to enlarge), so far, in order of appearance are:

  • Kinky Friedman, founder and leader of the seminal outlaw hard-country band Kinky Friedman & The Texas Jewboys, author of many many entertaining hard-boiled detective mystery novels and unsuccessful candidate for governor of Texas.
  • Marv Levy, Pro football Hall-of-Fame inductee (2001 CE), coached the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowls, only to lose them all. A real mensch -- who achieved a monumental if bittersweet accomplishment -- and an example for us all.
  • Marc Maron, comedian and radio personality, currently co-hosting the pioneering internet show Breakroom Live with Sam Seder on Air America.

Clincher doesn't travel in the kind of circles with access to many celebrities. So, we wait for the club appearances and book signings of those whose crafts enrich our lives, and seize those kinds of opportunities to honor them as they present themselves. And for no better reason than to celebrate, with as much well-intentioned irony as you can stand, the achievements of shamelessly secular American Jews and the contribution of our extended family to a greater American heritage.

UPDATE: Marc Maron talks about signing Clincher's Prayer Book for Jewish Armed Forces Personnel, for nearly a whole minute, 6:16 - 7:14 on the counter. But I encourage checking out the entire show if you have the time.

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