GG: A Kazdin rant

[KImmoor@aol.com]

   Well, I finally got a copy of Andy Kazdin's book. I was excited to read
it, but a little unprepared, I guess. I knew it wasn't the most glowing
remembrance, but having a good sense of humor and being a little
temperamental myself, I assumed I could handle it. Instead I found it to be
one of the most bitter recollections since Christine Crawford memorialized
mom. 
   Sure, I appreciate the perspective of someone who holds no starry-eyed
illusions, but I think Kazdin comes across as whiny. Every chapter seems to
contain a variation of "Glenn never really liked me, blah blah blah, Glenn
didn't respect me, Glenn never honored our true friendship, blah blah blah."
It makes me want to say "Andy my man, sometimes you need to let go and let
God, baby. Everyone in the cultural universe seemed to suspect that Glenn was
perhaps not the pinnacle of normalcy, so why did you look to him for personal
validation? Among his gifts of musical wizardry and witty (if not didactic)
conversation was not a knack for deep interpersonal relationships. I'm sure
that many envy the resepct that he gave you and the trust that he put in you,
and surely you can look back now and see what a large role you played in the
development of the career of this significant artist. He may not have shown
his appreciation the way most people would, but I have no doubts that he
trusted and respected you; he was just a weird guy Andy, sometimes you just
have to take what you can get." 
   I wouldn't call the book a character assassination, it's more of a
character slapfight. One of my favorite acerbic passages denounces the
Payzant bio as a ghostwritten piece of Gould propaganda (owing to the fact
that since the book contains no direct interviews and is based solely on
previous interviews and articles conducted and written by Gould himself, the
book is therefore just a repackaging of Gould's own self approbation.) That,
and the charming aside concerning the dubious placement of the crossbar in
the seat of Glenn's favorite chair! Very funny indeed... Kazdin's a real
prince for filling us in, no? I wonder if this GG list would frustrate
Kazdin; just think of all the kind and fond remembrances we share, and yet
how many of those among us really know who Gould was? It would seem that GG's
allegedly cruel friendship tactics are essentially immaterial, that how he
lived matters not quite so much as what he gave - and he gave a lot. 
   Perhaps we should start a Kazdin webpage so he can tune in and chat
therapeutically with people who hold unresolved grudges against Glenn Gould.
It could be called 'F-you Minor.' I can see it now: 
   Bitter@AOL.com: Glenn Gould was such a jerk! One time in 1967 I loaned him
.50c to buy some Mike & Ikes, and he ate the whole box right in front of me -
didn't even share! It was at that point that I knew that I valued our
friendship more than he did. I mean, there were days at the beginning when I
would buy some JuJu Bees or some Milk Duds, and we would eat them together,
smiling with upturned palms as we passed the lovely sugary confections
between us. But towards the end, nothing! He would eat whole Moon Pies
without even offering me a bite. What!? You didn't know he had a sweet tooth?
Oh sure, that was just one of the many filthy secrets he hid from the public
- Mr. Bland Food, who never ate a Mars Bar, right? Let me tell you, boy, he
POWERED down the junk food! SHOVELED it into his musical-genius face! Why, I
remember with particular clarity an occasion where (now Sir) Yehudi Menuhin
had just expressed a fondness for Junior Mints, and Glenn (that little
kiss-up) took from my jacket pocket the box of Junior Mints that he KNEW I
was saving for lunch, and...
   Of course I'm not serious, it's just a thought I've been toying with. No
offense Andy, I don't mean to flame you. I probably would have been pretty
crushed if he cut me out, too. Still, did you have to mention the chair?  :-)