Tom Waits is gifted with a special kind of synesthesia, an innately unique way of pulling poetry directly out of the most ordinary observations, and circumstances the rest of us live in and pass through every day, without noticing anything special. I find him to be a far more authentic American folklorist, in the vein of Mark Twain and Woody Guthrie, than even Bob Dylan, who worked very hard to craft and model his persona. I believe Dylan's notorious reticence, is not a facade, but a real fear of being discovered as a fraud, poser, the classic Imposter syndrome, but with some credence. Waits might have started out a bit that way, but he paid his dues, and spent his life "devoted to the unification of the diverse aspects of himself." "
I loved the interviewer, but the only that irked me was him imitated Tom swinging back and forth (which is a thing common in autism, though that stuff wasn't widely known and understood then) That kind of thing probably wouldn't go so well now, but I could tell Don loved his music and just wanted to engage with him in a positive way.
i might be the only one who got a laugh out of him calling out the interviewer for reading off the paper. its funny because the interviewer says he didnt, he probably thought Tom was in no shape to read what the paper said, i guess he spent plenty of time looking down though. regardless i was pretty impressed by his observation and thought it was hilarious when he was like it says low life right there, then the interviewer acts dumbfounded, "where?"
This host is as professional as can be, trying to mirror the body language and be hospitable, but Tom Waits is, um, insane, so he's having a hell of a time of it. And the audience seems to enjoy that. And I enjoy that.
