Penn Jillette’s Glorious Things
Wag likes to ask geniuses to share 3 gifts from the Muses. This week, Sir Penn Jillette, whip-smart raconteur, podcaster, inventor, jazz man, and sleight-of-hand partner to Teller, proffers a few of his creative inspirations. His new novel, Random, is a corker about a Vegas guy in a tight spot who has a stroke of luck—and turns it into a life philosophy. It hits the world on Oct. 11— place a bet on it.
Of course, family, friends, life, food, water, breathing, health, all that stuff [inspire me]. But the question is about a gift from the muses, so I’m going to ignore the stuff that really matters and go to the art that really matters…
Bob Dylan — The Minnesota Bard. It’s likely there hasn’t been a day in the past 57 years that I haven’t listened to Bob Dylan. That’s likely to be true. I’m trying to remember days when I was in the hospital and unconscious for most of the day. If I put headphones on, even for a moment, it was Dylan. When times are tough, if I’m confused, and I don’t know what to do, I “talk to Bob,” (And yes, that’s every day). I give his music a listen and let my mind work it out with him. He always inspires me. He has something for every dilemma, every mood, and every desire. Sometimes, I’m lost in the rain in Juarez at Easter time, and sometimes, you gotta follow me close because I’m going to Ballinalee. Fucking Bob.
Moby Dick. You know what I said above about Bob. Well, let’s say it again about Moby Dick, okay? Fucking Herman.
The Three Stooges. You know what I said about Bob and Moby . . . um, that doesn’t apply to the Stooges. Kind of none of it. They are knuckleheads, but they make me happy to be alive. Our TV show Bullshit was done out of the same offices where the Stooges did their shorts. I’m prouder of that than I should be. Larry is one of my favorite actors ever. He is always working, but never distracting. Acting at its best. In Larry’s last interview, after his stroke, with that college guy, he knew what mattered in life — food, friends, and sex. Moe is also great, of course; Curl(e)y was everything and more. Do you think I’m going to leave out Shemp? No way, also a genius. Do you think I’m going to leave out the others? Yup, sorry. Fucking Larry.
