"Fishing with John" Lurie

I received a gift from my brother in the mid-1990s; a set of VCR tapes of the one-season show "Fishing with John".  I had never heard of it, but I had limited access to television, never mind cable, at the time, and I love a good fishing show, so I received the gift with enthusiastic appreciation and started watching it right away.  

It appeared that  John and his friend Jim Jarmusch were going shark fishing out of Montauk.  Cool!  My daughter was way into sharks at the time, so I got her up on the couch to share.  A few minutes into Episode 1 and one of the guys asks the other, "Do you want to see my penis?"  It was clear that this was not an ordinary fishing show.

I'm not the hippest guy, and I didn't know much of anything about John Lurie or his guests at the time.  But I enjoyed the tapes enought to send them off to friend; and he did the same, and so on, until I lost track of them.  Fifteen or more years later, I recently rediscovered this show on Hulu plus, and I've enjoyed revisiting this show.  I can't believe it didn't get picked up for subsequent seasons!

But before I delved into the show this time, I did a quick Google search on John.  Let's say it appears that he was All That in the mid-1980s in the NYC music and film culture of the time.  Reportedly, everybody wanted to kill, marry, f@@@, or otherwise work with him or be part of his world at the time.  And it's obvious he likes to travel and fish, so I guess his show was inevitable.

And while the show is fairly ridiculous, and can barely be considered a fishing show considering the general lack of fish or fishing information, it offers a few worthwhile thoughts.

Why am I here?  This is a recurring theme throughout the episodes.  Of course there's no single, correct answer, especially within the context of the episodes' adventures.  But there's a certain philosophical thread running through the shows that indicates perhaps the question is being asked in a more general sense.  In which case, perhaps the best answer is "I'm here to fish!"

It's a Wonderful World we live in.  Life is so beautiful.

Real Men doing Real Things.  Whether it's circumnavigating Jamaica in a canoe because they've destroyed the car, gathering local debris in order to construct a shelter against the elements, or communing with Squid Monks and confronting Pirates in search of the Giant Squid, there's no doubt that these are indeed, Real Men doing Real Things.

Cheese.  A surprisingly recurring theme, whether it's for food or bait, or simply a matter of survival.  Although Tom Waits has caught all of his bigger fish on cheese, he still has to wonder, How often does a fish have the chance to try some of the finer cheeses?  It just doesn't happen.

Possibilities.  Willem Dafoe realizes that the best thing about ice fishing is that it is filled with possibilities.  I can relate; and not just with ice fishing!

In actual fact, the Giant Squid might not actually exist.  But whether or not there is a Giant Squid, Life is Beautiful.  

Finally, may I offer a tip of my cap to narrator Robb Webb?  This might be a pseudonymn; Mr. Webb's voice seems more familiar than his IMDB credits would indicate.  This might have been a calculated career move.  Regardless, his recognizable voice provides credible authority to the videos and juxtaposes with the incredible statements emanating from his mouth.

• When it comes to sharks, Man is on his menu.
• Life is so beautiful; for some, more than others.
• Here, the simple saga of life and death are the reality.
• Lon has wooden legs, but real feet!
• It's not likely the Giant Squid inhabits these parts, but one never knows.
• The Giant Squid is incredible!  It's the largest, fastest, strongest, cruelest and most cunning creature in the sea.
• The Giant Squid has the power to hypnotize most mammals.
• John and Dennis (Hopper) have been hypnotized!  The experience is completely pleasurable, though they won't remember any of this...Perhaps just some euphoric inkling as they complete their search of they know not what.

But most importantly,

Every Breath, Every Day of our Lives....Ahhhhhhh, Fishing!