Notes from the Porch by Thomas Christopher Greene

Author:Thomas Christopher Greene
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sociology of Rural Areas
Essays 
Happiness Self-Help
Publisher: Rootstock Publishing
Published: 2024-01-08T18:24:35+00:00

Being John Turturro

A year or so after we launched our graduate film school at VCFA, the iconic actor John Turturro got in touch through a Brooklyn screenwriter friend involved in the program and said he would love to come up and show one of his films and meet with students.

I had been a fan of his forever. Do the Right Thing, Barton Fink, Quiz Show and of course, his role as the nemesis, Jesus, to The Big Lebowski.

And on and on. So, we quickly said yes. John flew to Burlington on an October afternoon. He would show his film at seven at the Savoy Theater and take questions afterward. But before, I decided I would throw a party for him at my house. I invited faculty and staff and local VIPs. Trustees were there. The mayor. City officials. All of us, admittedly, a little small-town star-struck by having this Hollywood actor in our midst. I had it catered, a giant spread of food across a huge table. A full bar. John was scheduled to arrive around four thirty, and by four my house was full of people, eating and drinking and waiting for the car with Mr. Turturro to arrive.

Well, when John arrived, he came through the kitchen, saw the crowd before anyone saw him, and ducked into what was my daughter’s, who was maybe six at the time, playroom. One of my staff told me he had done that, and I opened the door to find him in one of those tiny chairs little kids use in kindergarten, wooden and painted, and facing the wall with his back to me. I went over and he said, who are you? It sounded more like, who you?

He said this without ever making eye contact with me.

And I told him, I’m Tom Greene, we talked on the phone, I’m the president of VCFA, and this is my house.

He said, oh, Tom, okay. Thank you. Do you mind if I just stay here for a bit? I have some things I need to do on my phone.

Of course, whatever you need.

I left him alone. But the thing was, he never came out. The party went on without him and people were aware he was in this other room, and wanted to meet him but after a while, it became clear, through several conversations I had with him, that he would not be coming out. And this became a thing: Is he coming out? No, I don’t think so. So he won’t be coming out? I think he’s busy on his phone. Hours went by. And he stayed put. He had to be the shyest, most introverted person I had ever met.

By then, it was time for his film to be shown and the party emptied out because everyone was going to the showing. Only then did John emerge from my child’s playroom and that tiny chair, and we took him downtown where his film was shown and where, after, he stood up and spoke and took questions.

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