Sunday, February 27, 2022

Sally Kellerman ( 1937 - 2023 )

Sally Kellerman loved to sing.

Which explains why she took a plane to Ottawa in winter to tape a doomed variety show at the CTV station best known for Galloping Gourmet and Celebrity Cooks. It was the 1970s.

As part of this fever dream, I was at the Park Lane while she regaled the crew with ribald tales of movie debauchery and dirty jokes. (The mastubation joke made it into her cabaret act above.)

The next day, Sally taped two tunes with a live band, her melancholy air and sultry voice alarmingly touching and tearful. You and Me Against the World (Paul Williams). It was unexpected.

You could hear otters' hearts break, two miles upstream.

It was the only time the audience reaction seemed genuine, surprised and delighted. 

Everybody involved got a hug as we watched the tape playback. It got her gigs for a decade.

At the airport she gave us hick TV wannabees her home phone number--this after one day in Ottawa--and blew us kisses at the gate. 

Three airports to get home. Damn.

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