Bill Kirby: How do stars align to play in the movie of life?
"Sometimes you can’t see yourself clearly until you see yourself through the eyes of others."
– Ellen Degeneres
One of the insightful periods of my young career was back in the old newsroom when we would sit around waiting on the final edition pressrun.
While we sat, we discussed the deep issues of journalism – life, liberty and pursuit of crappiness. And sometimes, things would get really serious – like, "What Hollywood star would play you in the movie about your life?"
I think this might have been inspired by our laugh-out-loud amusement that female favorite Robert Redford played Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in "All The President's Men."
On the best of his days in the darkest of nights, the real Bob Woodward never looked like Robert Redford. The thought still makes me laugh.
Of course, I'd quit laughing when the copydesk consensus had me resembling actor Dabney Coleman, the smarmy boss chasing Dolly Parton in "9 to 5." (As the years progressed, that perception changed to actor Wilford Brimley.)
It was also a game I sometimes took away from work. I once had a shy, but lovely girlfriend, and I made the mistake of telling her she looked like actress Natalie Wood. Boosted with newfound confidence, she dumped me, a struggling and barely paid sportswriter, for the assistant manager at a nearby Blockbuster Video, which she had begun to visit to review Natalie Wood films.
We lost touch.
I tell you all that to ask you this: Who do friends say should play you in a movie about your life? And I don't mean who do YOU THINK SHOULD PLAY YOU?
Send me an e-mail at bkirby@augustachronicle.com.
If you've ever been mistaken for a movie star in … say, an Atlanta bar, share that story, too. I, for one, can tell you few people want to buy Dabney Coleman drinks.
TODAY'S JOKE: As a group of soldiers stood in formation, the drill sergeant said, "All right! All you idiots fall out!"
As the rest of the squad wandered away, one soldier remained at attention.
The drill sergeant walked over until he was eye to eye with him, and then raised one eyebrow.
The soldier smiled and said, "Sure was a lot of 'em, huh, sir?"
Bill Kirby has reported, photographed and commented on life in Augusta and Georgia for 45 years.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Bill Kirby: Get ready for the closeup in the movie of your life
