How the Mighty Party cont…
By Carrie • Feb 27th, 2009 • Category: NewsWe watched the show here at my house, where we could shout ironic amusements at the screen. Bruce Wagner (author of quite a few amazing novels and perhaps the funniest person I know) and his girlfriend, Laura, Michael Tolkin (nominated for the screenplay of “The Player”, who was in the bathroom when his category was called and consequently missed the moment), a cinematographer friend of his, whose name I forget, (like so many things—-ECT gobbled his name up whole) Dave Mirkin ( one of the most unfortunate last names in the world) Dave is the exec producer of The Simpsons and hilarious himself, with him was his girlfriend, Savanah, Garret Edington, who picks up where I dont leave off and is the engineer of my elsewheres, Helen Fielding, the writer of “Bridget Jones Diary” and one of my favorite humans, Melissa Mathison, who wrote E.T. —–and a bunch of other films—–AND was married to one of my Star Wars Co stars and survived to tell the tale.
We all assembled at the very last moment. None of us being red carpet types………
I don’t always know what you are talking about, but I love to read your blog. For those of us who lead mundane but fulfilling lives thanks for the true insight to Hollywood. I really like that you write about the real things and you are so brutally honest, that I look forward to reading about what you are doing.
Carrie, I just wanted to say that your coverage on the Oscars far outshines what those “entertainment” shows have been putting out! You certainly have a way with words….
And btw, just wanted to say how much I admire you for having the courage to go public about your battle with depression and ECT. I’ve got a history of depression and had to resort to ECT when all else failed. Not long before I went on disability, word about the kind of treatment I had leaked out and some of my coworkers acted like I had the plague. Why mental illness and ECT has been so stigmatized, I don’t know.
What I do know is that if more people had your attitude about this issue, those who have mental health problems wouldn’t be so reluctant to speak out and seek the treatment they need! I’m currently going through a relapse and am in the process of seeking another physician who can help me. I finally had the courage to tell a couple of my friends about the ECT I had nine years ago.
Being honest about that was refreshing. I can’t tell you how liberating it feels to finally be able to come out and tell the people I am close to about what I went through 9 years ago.
God bless you!
You go – sounds like great fun with real people.
I’ve gotta tell you, I enjoy both styles…writing about your life and fiction. On one hand, fiction can take us out of our box into a nice fantasy-land (which has its place in these trying times). And then there’s, well…you’ve seen/experienced a lot. Very few of us have had the kind of adventure you’ve had. Your writing about it allows us to live vicariously through you now and then.
Wishful Drinking is a great read (I laughed, I cried, I couldn’t put it down) and I’m thrilled about the movie. I loved how Postcards From the Edge was adapted to film. The drama queen in me has been known to recreate the “instant gratification takes too long” scene for friends and family…always giving credit where it’s due.
If I’m wrong ah well but it seems a room full of writers would be more stimulating than a bag of red carpet types.
Hello Mrs. Carrie! Sorry for my bad English – I am from Belarus and I am your great fan. And one of my dreams was to write something for Princess Lea! And now I am very happy.
Great blog! I am now going to visit it every day. I hope I can find there more information about you and maybe some interesting stories with you.
Thank you again for the attantion.
С уважением и любовью, Ваш большой поклонник Найдовский Андрей (Naidovsky Andrey)
This is totally off the subject of your blog, but how did you get past the stigma of having bipolar disorder? I am angry that there is a stigma and that it is not seen as an illness like people see illnesses of other parts of our bodies. I want to be able to say to people that, “yes, I have bipolar disorder and that is why I’m feeling bad today,” but I just can’t seem to do it. Fortunately I am on a good combination of meds and have VNS implanted in my chest, and the two combined have put me in the best place I’ve been my entire life! I never thought I would ever reach this point of extended happiness. I always wondered why people were always happy and what they saw that was so great in life, and now I know. Don’t get me wrong, I still have my bad days, but I also have long periods of time where I am actually happy to be alive! Before I had very long periods of time where I just wanted to die the pain was so intense. Anyway, I need to get to the point that I can say to people, “yes, I am bipolar!” How did you get to that point?
Isn’t a merkin a wig for your va-jay-jay area?
Oh, to have been a fly on the wall for that party…
Helen Fielding! I adore her writings and have been hoping for something new from her.
Carrie I love you! Thanks so much for talking to me while u were at wonder con on my friends phone. You are the best!
I don’t know why all your books haven’t been made into films yet.
Perhaps if you put a space age twist on them George (Lucas) will produce them!
There may be no undies in space, but there are relationships. Relation Ships. Space stations where one goes to rehabilitate. All the men that fuck us over can be imprisoned on Uranus.
Let’s see – The Oscars!
Well, I thought Jennifer Anistan (sp) was terrific under the obvious pressure of having to publicly “not notice” Brad and Angelina, sitting right there “in her face,” at arms length and potentially “in harm’s way. It would have been SO easy for Jen to simply reach out and really push around that cute pair of “Buttons,” but Jen took the high road and didn’t “go there.”.. She DID have a job to do and she did it quite well – Jen also did other “curious” things (like suddenly wiping her make up off her face and then leaving the stage way too early). But she was a good sport.
And what a timely close-up of Angelina, smiling… (Why was she smiling?)
Oy…
Hi Carrie-I enjoy reading your blog which I came aware existed recently. I e-mailed the “engineer of elsewhere” last week about future presentations of your ” Wishful Drinking” show which I’d love to see. The ” engineer” said that you MAY take the show to broadway and that you’d love to ” cross the pond ” to present in London. I’ll be in New York in August, and have been known to take the odd theatre break in London ( in fact I’ll be off to see Judi Dench in a few weeks time there ). So, hopefully, I’ll be able to catch the show if you take it over to the U.K.
Best Wishes, Maeve.
P.S. Even BETTER still, Why don’t you ” cross the puddle ” from the mainland to dear old Northern Ireland where I’m from-we have some great venues and would love to see you especially as you graciously included Ireland in a list of famous and accomplished alcoholics in your most recent book-you are right – some of the population have hollow legs!!!!!
I just discovered your website via a friend who is a friend of Arnold K’s. For years, I have been enamored of your writing, your raw ‘truthiness’, and the vulnerability that comes with opening yourself up so deeply to others. And of course, you make me laugh. Thanks for your courage, I’ll keep checking in on your blog. It’s a delightful offering for those of us out her who appreciate who you are. Robin
I just read your newest book (Wishful Drinking) and I am grateful to you for describing your disease in terms I can understand. Without going into it too much, I have a friend who is bi-polar and alcoholic and I now have a better understanding of how to deal with her after her newest return to rehab. So glad to have found your Blog because you just have to find a way to laugh about these things. And I’m really glad to have your alternate Oscars party to reflect on. My dog and I ate leftovers while watching and I’m sure glad I had Hugh Jackman to spice it up!
Thanks again!
Hi Carrie, I watched the Oscars at home too. I enjoyed seeing Shirley and Sophia as well as all the actors doing it up in a different fashion for the best actor and actress of the year..I for some reason thought that Jennifer Jones would be there. I hope she is doing well and she is a gem of the screen…The Song of Bernadette, A Duel in the Sun, The Portrait of Jennie and many more Love Letters…if you know how she is doing…please do tell, and my car was parked in my driveway by me before the awards and what’s up with the quick flashover of cinema people who passed this year? Good lord, Cyd Charisse and Charleton Heston deserved more as well as everyone else…it was like a poor slide show for the living room and Eartha Kitt…gosh wasn’t even mentioned…Have a great Sunday…rushing off to a birthday party…oh wait…no need to rush. It’s happening at my house…:) Bill
It sounds like yours was the far better party to attend.
Just a few days ago I was lamenting the fact that you had not yet followed in the footsteps of the great luminaries like Shaquille O’Neal and gotten a twitter, the thought never crossing my mind that you must have an official website and that on said website you might have a blog. Then shazam, I was linked. And people question the American education system.
I saw your show in DC in early september with mis padres, traveling home for the occasion. It brings a whole new (and wonderful) meaning to family friendly. I remember there was one point in the show where you made a joke about everyone in the audience either being a star wars fan, over 50, or gay (sorry I don’t deliver it as well as you do). As a 20 year old who hasn’t seen star wars since the days of vhs and is only a sympathetic outsider for gay rights I felt like having a Norma Rae moment in recognition of a small, vocal group of young film enthusiasts who don’t need a bradgelina reference to understand the debbie/eddie/liz triangle because they may or may not have stumbled on your mother’s autobiography at the age of 17. What can I say, I’m part of the entitlement generation. We like to be recognized (adored, worshiped, etc).
This is far too long winded for someone who hasn’t done anything of importance yet but suffice it to say that I am very glad that I found your blog. And as an as yet unimporant nobody who would love to make films “within the system” but has no interest in the vapid vacuum of Hollywood, is it possible to retain sanity in that world? Am I grasping at something that isn’t there?
Hi Carrie -
Hope you have recovered from today and the endless line of folks! I think you could write a book called “Come again?” with some of the questions people ask (and you know I was nearly peeing myself trying not to laugh, especially how you handled them *wink*) – when you come to Seattle, I’ll come by and bring some ‘replacement’ cookies!
Thanks for the lovely time – it was a real treat! But I’ll have to get you to write on something other than my ticket home next time! *laugh*
Much love,
Paulie
I know it would never happen…but, if you ever have a what the heck moment – you should get your oscar watching buddies. And run a a live video feed to your site on oscar night . If it was done in the science theatre 3000 mindset, I can assure you I’ watch you over the real oscars.
Everytime I see Dave Mirkin’s name I think the same thing. I’ll bet he has a great sense of humor about it.
Carrie, I love you, I love this blog, and I am going to be so happy to actually see you live opening night in Seattle. The plan is to take the train up there and be picked up by my niece, see the show, spend the night at her place and next morning drive over to my brother’s cabin on the Olympic Peninsula. It’s right on the Dosewallips River at the edge of the Olympic National Forest. Tons of food and nothing to do but listen to the river and read books (like yours), watch some old WC Fields or maybe Space Balls, and sit in the wood-heated hot tub. You’re invited!
Hey Carrie,
When are you ever coming back to Chicago to work? I’am a Chicago Teamster Transpo Driver and we miss and love here it would be great having you in our city again it’s been a long time…
Michael C
i suppose i’m the token inhabitant of the ice cave in greenland…
“Oscar who?”
but the pretense sounds missable.
admittedly, it could be wildly amusing to watch from the outside.
thanks for the window
I never knew what a merkin was until I read this blog and looked it up on wiki. That is so funny. Yes, that is an unfortunate name.
I’ve never acted and I really, really can’t sing. So how would I know what a merkin is? At least his name is spelled differently… that’s something, I guess. When he’s introduced and someone is obviously holding back a laugh he can say, “Hey! It’s spelled differently!” ~~~~ I could never have been in show business. I really can’t sing, and my sense of rhythm is particular to me. No one else can hear it. I nursed my firstborn until she was 2-1/2 years old. One afternoon while I was rocking and nursing her and singing a little song, she stopped sucking for a moment, looked up at me and said, “Please no sing okay Mommy?” ~~~~ She was born in 1972 and when she was 3 she climbed onto my lap and promptly observed, “Mommy, you smell like guinea pig cage.” Needless to say that was the last time I wore patchouli oil.
Oh Carrie, I was so hoping to wake up to a new blog. I hope things are well with you. Hope to read some more soon!
Sarah