It’s a rollercoaster, folks.
I don’t do rides. Never really have.
Over the weekend I was shooting some promos for Bad Guys 2 with the rest of the cast. We were doing them on the Universal lot which is adjacent to the theme park. At some point, Sam Rockwell got it in his head that he wanted to go on the Mummy ride. They couldn’t pull it together for us on Saturday but on Sunday they made it happen.
When he asked if I wanted to go I was like, ‘Hell, yeah! Let’s do it!’
I’m not sure who that guy was. He was a me that loves rollercoasters I guess.
I really thought in that moment it would be fun. It would explode me into the present with speed and menace and a bit of terror.
I was never a rollercoaster person or a ride person at all. Years ago, I was married to a woman that loved them. So, I went on some very daunting roller coasters. Somehow the fact that I had done that in my past evolved into me believing that I actually liked them. I don’t necessarily dislike them, but I don’t like them. I had forgotten that any time I’ve been on one it was just something I felt I needed to get through. The ‘fun’ part of it eluded me. There is a relief of getting through it but that’s anything in life.
I realize that the reason I don’t like amusement park rides is because I’m on a fairly terrifying ride everyday. On an average day, I go up and down many, many times. I get jerked around constantly. The bottom falls out and I free fall a couple of times a day. I wonder when it’s going to be over the entire time I’m on it. It’s just that all these feelings are coming from inside the head.
So, to actually be on a ride stops my internal ride for a minute or two. Except the part of me that is wondering if I should be gripping harder or relaxing to avoid a neck issue. Which is also a big life question. Do I hold on harder or let go?
Now that I write that, the act of climbing into the car of a rollercoaster is letting go of your patterns and putting your life into the hands of the machine.
Me and Sam and Natasha Lyonne got on the ride.
As it turns out, when I let go I get pretty queasy.
Pretty big life lessons all around.
It was fun enough. Natasha Lyonne thought we should do it everyday. Which I think, even with how it felt, would probably be a good idea. Like an alternative to a cold plunge. Just another thing to get addicted to. Like all addictions once you get past the feeling sick part you really grow to like it and need it.
Today I talk to Sarah Silverman about her new Netflix special, PostMortem. On Thursday I talk to The J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf about all the amazing people he’s come in contact with in his life and a bit about the band. Good talks.
Enjoy!
Boomer, Monkey and LaFonda live!
Love,
Maron