Yay! I Finished Another Book - Dick Van Dyke's "My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business"

Hey, Len, didn't you just finish a book? Are you really reading fast these days?

Umm, I was on jury duty and needed to kill eight hours in a day. That's how I finish a book really quickly.

It also helps that the book is one of those celebrity memoirs which usually read faster than a Hallmark card. You know the kind I mean.

"I was born in...."

"I went to school at..."

"My father/mother was a...."

"Then I got married..."

"Then I got a job..."

"Then I got my big break..."

"Then I did..."

"And then I did..."

"And then I did..."

"This is when I started to drink/take drugs..."

"And then I stopped..."

"This is why I'm happy today..."

That's pretty much the outline for Dick Van Dyke's new book, "My Lucky Life In and Out of Show Business." Okay, I am giving him very short shrift here. He truly comes off as a nice guy and, let's face it, that five-year body of work called "The Dick Van Dyke Show" is the type of artwork you would find hanging in the Louvre. That's why I read the book at all. But, if you're looking for revelatory gossip, you've picked up the wrong memoir. Even if it's there, Dick ain't sharing.

And that's okay. Yes, he appears to be quite guarded and aloof. Yes, he does cheat on his longtime wife but that's after the marriage starts on its long, protracted way to divorce. But, the man is a genius and I would like 1/1000th of the success he has enjoyed. And the fact that he has remained as grounded as he appears, well, kudos.

Dick Van Dyke is one of the true television stars of my youth and you can't help but give him your attention. That's the same reason why I am still reeling over my chance meeting with Carl Reiner several months ago when the two of us shared a bonding moment over crumpled paper towels on the floor of the men's room at the TV Academy. These are folks that really merited your reverence and respect. They knew how to entertain.

Look at television today. The stars that are touted are from reality shows. Who's this? Who's that? I flip through People or the Star while getting my hair cut and I can't name a single person plastered in photos on these pages. What exactly is their claim to fame?

Folks like Dick Van Dyke are the last of a dying breed. So, at the end of the day, who cares if his memoirs don't give you dishy dirt on Rose Marie or Morey Amsterdam? The simple fact that he documented ever so briefly what contributed to that shining light in our living rooms is what's ultimately important.

Dick Van Dyke may say little in his book. But, for years and years and years, he spoke clearly and with authority. And we're all the better for it.

Dinner last night:  Chicken and tortellini in pesto sauce.