April 9 - United States: 

Heidi: Los Angeles, CA 

Jon: Amarillo, TX to Los Angeles, CA

Ketron slept in this morning, and I went into the hills for a long run/walk.  I went the steep way, and again found myself doing much more walking instead of running.  But at least it's exercise.  

Ketty decided to go into work for the afternoon.  While she was at work, I went to Santa Monica to walk around the Third Street Promenade.  Santa Monica is beachy area with a pedestrian mall, and it was here that I entertained myself for a few hours today.  I wasn't really in the mood to shop, and intended to sit on a bench on the beach and write my journals.  Unfortunately, the weather was really chilly and windy, so I stayed away from the beach.

The Third Street Promenade

The Man Show

As I walked down the promenade, I noticed a small film crew doing something on the other side of a backdrop. When I got closer, a man with a headset asked me if I wouldn't mind being questioned about back problems.  After a brief hesitation, I agreed and signed the release form.  I asked him what this was for, he said it was for a show on Comedy Central.  So we waited for the interviewer to finish asking questions to the girl in front of the camera, and then my headset guy said, "Jimmy, this is Heidi.  She's going to be your next interview.".  Imagine my surprise when I looked up and found myself facing Jimmy Kimmel.

Now, for those of you who don't watch Comedy Central, this name won't mean anything to you.  But Jimmy Kimmel was the former host of "Win Ben Stein's Money" and is now the host of the infamous "The Man Show".  He is notorious for his acerbic wit and very quick, sarcastic humor.  My first thought as I stepped on the little stage was "Oh no.  I'm toast!".  Jimmy introduced himself and I said, "Jimmy?  You're going to make fun of me, aren't you?"  He laughed and said no, that he was just going to ask some questions.

Sure enough, that's what he did.  But I made sure that my answers were bland enough and vanilla enough so as not to give him any ammunition. Here's how it went:

Jimmy: Heidi, where are you from?

Me: New York.

Jimmy: So, you're staying in a hotel?

Me: Nope.  I'm staying at my friend's place.

Jimmy: And how is the mattress at your friend's place?

Me: It's just fine, thanks.

Jimmy: Any back problems?  Soreness?  Stiffness?

Me: Nope.  None at all.

Jimmy: Have you heard that it's been scientifically proven that people with back problems do crazy things?

Me: Why no, Jimmy.  I didn't know that.

Jimmy: Would you be interested in trying out our new double coiled mattress?

Me: A double coiled mattress?  Is it free?

Jimmy: Uuuhh... no.  It's not.

Me: Then, no.  Thanks.

Jimmy: Well, thanks for your time.  Here's a complimentary back-scratcher for your time.

 

And so now I have a bamboo back-scratcher, compliments of Comedy Central.  Now, I don't watch "The Man Show" (really, what woman does?), but I can be pretty sure that I didn't do anything to rate a spot on the show.  But if you happen to see it and catch the segment on "back problems", let me know what it was about.  Jon thinks that - knowing the potty humor of "The Man Show" - it will probably turn into some episode on boobs.  In which case he'll tune in.

An Unexpected Visitor

Ketron and I ordered pizza for dinner because she was in the mood for and she's sick so there you have it.  We sat around watching TV.  Around 9:30, Speedy Gonzalas (I mean Jon) showed up at the door.  He had called Ketron this afternoon and told her he'd be here an entire day early!  What a nut.  His eyes were red and glazed over, and he was completely drained from driving across the desert without air conditioning in the car because the A/C has stopped working.  So much for the great deal we got on the car.