Saturday Music invites Satire (which George S. Kaufman defined as the thing that closes on a Saturday Night)

Oh, the woes of a head cold or respiratory infection or sinus infection!! Who the Hell knows what it is? Whatever it is THE FUTURIST! has got it ... a week of coughing that started off as small sounds resembling the "ahem" a CPA might make before he discloses you are bankrupt; then progressing into Anton Chekhov-like tubercular retching that made THE FUTURIST! do a body contortion reminiscent of a Swiss Army Knife Olympic diving position. Now, he is blowing his nose, still coughing, but a tad less, and feeling as light headed as a James M. Barrie pixie. Did he mention the recurring fevers? He's thinking of sleeping under a malaria tent tonight muttering, "Is that you, Dr. Livingstone?" Oh, the night sweats and the delusions. Last night he had a fevered dream that he was 17 again, but the teen THE FUTURIST! was portrayed by Kristen Stewart. How odd.

If THE FUTURIST! hadn't been so under the weather, he was hoping to get tickets to see director Mike Nichols appear live on stage at The Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. The film department of the museum is presenting a retrospective of his films for two weeks. It has been noticed that The Day of the Dolphin is missing from the roster ... hmmm ... why would a movie about intelligent sea mammals being used by nefarious agents to assassinate the President of the United States not be on tap? Maybe a suitable print couldn't be found.

Mr. Nichols is to be on stage to take questions or just chew the fat with three of his past screenwriters; they being Buck Henry, Nora Ephron and Elaine May. The thought of the brilliant Elaine May made THE FUTURIST! think of her genius collaborative work with Mike Nichols during their days as the supreme improvisational comedy duo. Their humor was so intelligent and witty and full of rich character. There is nothing like their type of humor today being displayed in comedy clubs or television or film. So, instead of music this Saturday, let's indulge in some recorded comedy.



Here we see Nichols and May advertise a new GE refrigerator in the style of sophisticated soap opera; full of word play and innuendo:



One of their perfect telephone routines:



And, finally, a dentist and patient melodramatic love story:



COMEDY ALBUM SAMPLES
performed by Nichols and May