Yesterday

Yesterday, I saw my cardiologist, and he confirmed I was still alive. I did not take with me my list of medications about which the TV keeps telling me, "Ask your doctor if it's right for you," because the man has no discernible sense of humor. Besides, my yeast infection has cleared up, and my Attention Deficit Syndrome has been in remission since the third grade.

Actually, Dr. Mumbles (as my physical therapist used to call him) was relatively lucid and pleasant, and he only admonished me for my excessive weight in passing. I can't decide if he was only in a good mood, or he had adopted the Obamacare philosophy, "He's practically dead anyway." When he used to lecture me sternly, it was easier to imagine he cared.

Then, last night, I watched the final performances of those folks on the misnamed talent show as they put their futures in the hands of their friends and relatives and millions of strangers who will bring their own biases to the voting. For instance, I would never vote for a man with a wart on his nose. The winner will be that person or persons who did that thing.

Finally, I watched the new Jay Leno Show. I thoroughly enjoyed the car wash skit, and Seinfeld was cute. (He seems to enjoy being perceived as "cute.") Then Kanye West came on. After his earlier insult to President Bush, and his recent behavior that ruined the evening for Taylor Swift, I am reminded that the premiere prime time variety show host, Ed Sullivan, wouldn't have allowed him in the building. Why did Leno?

I don't pretend to understand what rappers say or what that means, but West's liberal use of the word "black" makes me suspect he was saying something intended to offend me. He's really good at that.