Opinion: Grizzard, Nero Wolfe line memory lane

First came Maria Hoover’s interview of me, followed by interviews by Eric Olson of Rusty Saber readers. Those Rusty Saber 25th anniversary-motivated articles left Rusty free of two deadlines.

A couple of names mentioned in Hoover’s article may be unknown to some. Americans have short memories. Hard as it may be to believe, in a few years, the names of most of today’s biggest TV and movie stars will be the answers to trivia questions. How many Grammy Award winning performers can you remember from 2000?

I told Maria my favorite columnist was the late Lewis Grizzard. A few years ago, virtually everyone would have known the name.

His column appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was syndicated in more than 400 newspapers. That’s a lot of stature, but I feel the need to at least reintroduce my idol.

A clue to his persona is that he made sure no one called him Gra-zard; he was Grizz-erd. No affectations for this Georgia boy, who insisted that his Georgia University football team be called the “Dawgs,” not Bulldogs.

I’m aware of at least 11 best-selling books made up of select columns. His book titles alone define his sense of humor. Among them: “Chili Dawgs Always Bark At Night,” “Elvis Is Dead and I Don’t Feel So Good Myself,” and “My Daddy Was A Pistol, And I’m A Son Of A Gun.”

I liked Grizzard because he was funny, but he wasn’t just a stand-up comedian who published his act in the newspapers. Usually, there was a point to be made, and he would sneak it in somewhere among the laughs.

Never in these 25 years have I tried to emulate my idol. I lack Grizzard’s keen sense of comedy. While I have shunned going for the laugh, I have tried to keep things light, but with a point. My columns only sometimes call for a serious tone.

The trait of Grizzard I most admired was his disdain for political correctness and those who would foist it on us. He had no political agenda; he would equally roast Democrats and Republicans. His saber would have been rust-free. Unlike my Rusty Saber that only pokes, his was honed for cutting. I see my role with SBJ to only poke at some who might need a poke.

Grizzard suffered from a serious heart condition that he sometimes mentioned in his columns. Having been down the same path myself, I could tell from his health comments that he was more ill than he let on. He eventually died from heart problems.

Following heart surgery, he titled a book: “They Tore Out My Heart And Stopped That Sucker Flat.” You’ve got to love a sense of humor like that.

For readers who may remember Grizzard, I hope you enjoyed the retrospective. If he was a new experience for you, he was worthy of a notation. He was one of a kind.

Hoover’s article also mentioned a column I once wrote about author Rex Stout’s character Nero Wolfe; I heard from former Springfield City Manager Tom Finnie that we shared an interest in the fictional detective.

Since Stout died in 1975, all but his most loyal fans may have forgotten him. From 1934 until his death, Stout penned 73 well-crafted Nero Wolfe mysteries.

Not your run-of-the-mill literary hero, Wolfe was an overweight, overbearing genius, who solved most of his cases without leaving his New York City mansion. He rarely allowed a perplexing murder case or anything else to keep him from his daily routine of raising rare orchids.

I have read more than half of the Wolfe novels. The most artful feature of Stout’s writing is that he wrote about the same characters for 30 years, and none of them changed a bit. The Wolfe of the 1930s was consistent with the ones to follow. The author grew older and became involved in political issues, but his characters never aged nor did they take up his political causes.

Fortunately, Stout’s books are still available in bookstores, and some may be found in the library.

Warning: It’s easy to get hooked on Nero Wolfe.

Joe McAdoo is former chairman of the communication department at Drury University.