Highway to Hell

Before I begin, please watch this video Stairway to Heaven It's Heart performing Stairway to Heaven at the Kennedy Centre with Barack Obama and a host of luminaries in attendance, including the surviving members of Zep. Funny to watch Yo-Yo Ma tripping on the performance and when the choir kicks in as the song hits its crescendo it always bring a tear to my eye...powerful performance I must say.

Today's little spiel is about the other place...Hell...metaphorically speaking of course. I was sharing a glass of wine with a friend last week and I made some comment or observation about something that I can't recall. She laughed while telling me that I was going to hell...and that she would gladly be the bus driver. Which got me thinking of who I would want on a bus trip to hell. So in no particular order...here are some of the people (real and not) that I would like to have surrounding me for this journey.

Despite the fact that she volunteered to drive the bus I think I'll give that position to someone else, for my friend Lena though....she's the master of the karaoke. She likes to belt out tunes so let her belt out an homage to the bus ride to hell. The position of driver of the bus is going to be Cosmo Kramer from Seinfeld fame. Anyone that can come up with the Peterman reality tour and save the little toe while making all the stops on a ride to the hospital, well...he's got things covered I think and he'd always be good for a few laughs. We'll bring along George Costanza as well...because he's George. Oh, and Joe Pesci. You think I'm funny?

Of course Scott would be there...hell, he's half the reason I'm on the bus in the first place, willingly of course, because in the end it will simply be a hell of a ride. A combination of anarchy meeting a three ring circus on steroids while living a Marx Brother's movie. Anna and her hubby Danny along with their three daughters would be a great addition as well...unique good people to join the ride.

While Lena entertains with her sing alongs I think I'll have George Carlin and Dave Allen for comic relief, maybe throw in Danny Bhoy as well. I think Neil Young, Johnny Cash, Elvis and John Lennon would be some good musical guests to bring along, to name just a few. Bob Marley, Pink Floyd, U2, Peter Gabriel, Genesis and of course Rush to name a few more. It should go without saying that this bus will have any music I want at the ready so we will never be without tunes.

We're going to need some fun loving ladies that don't take life too seriously. Suzanne, Sarah, Joni, Elizabeth, Susan, Margo....and one of my closest friends Daveda. Please feel free to bring any friends that you feel like bringing, we have lots of space. I think a few guys from high school would be in order as well; Dom, Dave, Steve, Joe, Vernon, Rudy, Connie, Lena-Marie, Stacey, Ciupa, Dennis, Flip and John.

I'll need a bartender, so I think I'll have Don Draper mix a few drinks while smoking his lungs out. Scratch that, Sinatra can do it. Since there's no way in hell that I'm feeding this lot of misfits and malcontents, I'll need Chef Ramsey to do the cooking along with Nigella Lawson, I have a thing for her. Speaking of people that I have a thing for, Minnie Driver, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, J.K Rowling and Isabella Rossellini...just to name a few...they will be there as well.

We will want this ride documented, so Aaron Sorkin, Ernest Hemingway and Pablo Neruda can put paper to pen. I think I'd like to have Einstein there....my son could talk to him. Of course my kids will be there. They should get to see this side of dad...hahahaha

Sitting in the corner will be Leonard Cohen doing what he does best, making every other male feel inadequate. Since I'm a fan of movies and a few TV shows, I'll need Alan Alda, Martin Sheen, Jack Nicholson, Dick Van Dyke, Bogart and Steve McQueen to keep order, such as it were. Alan Rickman and Richard Schiff along with Paul Giamatti....I'm starting to think I'm going to need a bigger bus.

I think you're getting the idea...this is going to be one interesting bus ride, it better take a good long while. a take on the classic what person from history would you want to have lunch with. The list is immense and I have scratched the surface, barely.

All aboard
D