The Hangover: The Last Day of Summer
posted in Word of Reason |
Welcome to the Hangover, a column aptly named since I have one right now. Why do I feel the need to get absolutely wasted on Sunday nights? Well, that’s neither here nor there right now. What is important is that we’ll be coming to you every Monday to recap the weekend, spinning pithy yarns about some of the amazing events that took place.
I tell ya, I really picked quite the week to get this going. Between the Emmys and the last game at Yankee Stadium, it was quite a weekend for the sentimentalists out there. Luckily, I’m no such thing, so instead of letting tears of joy stream down my goose bump covered face, I soaked my self in the aforementioned alcohol and tried to take it all in stride. You see, it’s pretty much only self-parody at this point, and though that may account for “30 Rock” deservedly taking home multiple awards, as a viewer I found both of these events quite painful.
Cutting to the chase, I think this year’s Emmys was maybe the worst award show I’ve ever watched and that includes this year’s MTV video music/promise ring award show. Watching the five-headed hosting and stupid patter between Ryan Seacrest (really?), Heidi Klum (five costume changes), Jeff Probst (flubbed his own name at one point), Tom Bergeron (should never try to be funny), and Howie Mandel (still the shiniest head in showbiz), I actually longed for the constant gaffe machine that is Russell Brand. I know, shoot me. Not even Ricky Gervais tickling Steve Carrell could make this thing watchable.
What is perhaps most amazing is that this three plus hour self-congratulatory stroke job barely even compared with the shit storm that was the last day for Yankee Stadium. Look, obviously I’m a Mets fan (and things have been tough lately), so I’m predisposed to hate the Yankees, but I think that even Yankee fans aren’t able to justify this crap. If Yankee Stadium is so great, so fucking important, a true monument, all this shit, why on earth would you replace it? It’s so historical, it’s so important, but its time is up? It’s not like the Yankees are going away, it’s not like they’re gonna hang up their pinstripes forever. Nope, they’re just moving half a block away to some other building with the same short porch in right, the same little collection of name plates. I just find it disgusting that they dusted off Yogi Berra and did an All-Star game redux because the Yankees need more adoration. Although, I did really like when Wilson Betemit grabbed a little infield dirt and put it in a paper cup. Because when I think about all the iconic Yankees and all the supposedly great things that happened at the Stadium, Wilson Betemit is right up there.
The question that I can’t answer is: what’s in a building? The Yankees believe that their home has some aura and mystique, the “ghost of Yankee Stadium” as Jeter calls it. Guess he decided to take the year off, since the Yankees are one loss from elimination. Hey, maybe the new stadium and another fifty mil dumped into the payroll might turn things around. I wish you nothing but the worst of luck.
And then, at the end of Sunday, the summer ended. For me, there’s always something somewhat somber as Summer ends. There’s something about the promise that Summer always holds, the long days and warm nights that make it entirely special. That promise is now gone, chased off by quicker winds and shorter days. But, it’s not all bad. When you work freelance, nearly every day can be filled with the exquisite nothingness that is Summer’s hallmark. And that means many mornings can also be filled with headaches and heart burn. Like a little gold statue, or a gold plaque, my hangover is my reminder.
