SWAYZE AND HEALEY

Heard the unfortunate news today about actor Patrick Swayze having cancer. Canadian rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey died last Sunday of the same malady. It has not been lost on me that these two appeared together in the 1989 movie, Road House.

I admit I watched that one way back then... one of the worst movies I have ever seen: A product of Hollywood; a designed film in the purest sense. One made to appeal to a specific market. I still cannot get over my reaction at the time. However, my own was not as pronounced as my brother's. He told me that as the screen lit up he knew it was going to be offensive in some way. My brother clarified, "at the beginning of the film when Swayze started singing to the car radio, then took his shirt off, I said, 'that's it, I'm outta here!' "

I hope Swayze succeeds in his battle against cancer.

Jeff Healey was a talented guy. A day or two after he died, The CBC replayed a (jazz) music special they had done with him back in a few years ago.

It was kind of sad.