I ventured to New Jersey for a Super Bowl party tonight (I left after half-time) and on the trek there and back, I listened to back episodes of Alec Baldwin’s podcast “Here’s the Thing.” It really wiles away the time on the subway. Anyway, I unintentionally chose interviews with two Canadians! Robbie Robertson and Gordon Lightfoot–two interesting guys (and friends with Bob Dylan).

The funny thing about Alec as a host/interviewer is that he clearly goes in thinking his guest will be a certain way–and, in the case of Gordon Lightfoot, he was surprised that he’s just a regular guy who writes songs and sings them. I think Alec thinks there is some secret to being a great artist and he interviews as if he is pumping his guest for that secret. But the great artists have a gift that clearly comes from elsewhere–that is, there is no secret. Is The Last Waltz still on Netflix? I’m going to watch it this week.