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EVERYBODY'S PAL, HAL
March 31, 2009A quick word today about Hal Durham.
Not only was Hal the guiding force behind the Grand Ole Opry for years, and a distinguished personality and announcer on WSM Radio, he was also one of the funniest men I've ever known.
For some reason I still recall one particular dialogue, years ago, as Hal and I passed each other in the hallway outside the radio studio. This was back when WSM radio was in the same building Channel 4 is still in today.
At that moment a song by Olivia Newton-John was playing on the air, and we could hear it there in the hallway.
I said to Hal something like, "I really like Olivia Newton-John's music, and she's such a pretty woman."
In his classic deadpan, matter-of-fact delivery, he said, "Yes, I met her a while back and, I can tell you, she was totally smitten with me.... I think she wanted to connect." (or words to that affect)
"Really" I said, "what did you say to her?"Hal replied, "Well, we didn't talk because she was so infatuated with me that she became flustered and tongue-tied and simply walked away."
He went on, "...but I could see in her eyes that she was terribly attracted to me.""Did you ever get the chance to talk with her?" I asked, playing along now.He said, "No, interestingly she has spent all these years completely staying away from me, in an obvious attempt to control her emotions and her burning desire to possess me."So you never actually exchanged any words with Olivia Newton-John?"
I asked.
Hal deadpanned, "Didn't have to, I could tell she was crazy about me. Why else would she go to the trouble of actually marrying some guy in England, other than to make me jealous, and to demonstrate to me that she wouldn't let me control her life with my petty jealousy?"
He stood there staring at me for a few seconds....
Then he walked away.
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Not only was Hal the guiding force behind the Grand Ole Opry for years, and a distinguished personality and announcer on WSM Radio, he was also one of the funniest men I've ever known.
For some reason I still recall one particular dialogue, years ago, as Hal and I passed each other in the hallway outside the radio studio. This was back when WSM radio was in the same building Channel 4 is still in today.
At that moment a song by Olivia Newton-John was playing on the air, and we could hear it there in the hallway.
I said to Hal something like, "I really like Olivia Newton-John's music, and she's such a pretty woman."
In his classic deadpan, matter-of-fact delivery, he said, "Yes, I met her a while back and, I can tell you, she was totally smitten with me.... I think she wanted to connect." (or words to that affect)
"Really" I said, "what did you say to her?"Hal replied, "Well, we didn't talk because she was so infatuated with me that she became flustered and tongue-tied and simply walked away."
He went on, "...but I could see in her eyes that she was terribly attracted to me.""Did you ever get the chance to talk with her?" I asked, playing along now.He said, "No, interestingly she has spent all these years completely staying away from me, in an obvious attempt to control her emotions and her burning desire to possess me."So you never actually exchanged any words with Olivia Newton-John?"
I asked.
Hal deadpanned, "Didn't have to, I could tell she was crazy about me. Why else would she go to the trouble of actually marrying some guy in England, other than to make me jealous, and to demonstrate to me that she wouldn't let me control her life with my petty jealousy?"
He stood there staring at me for a few seconds....
Then he walked away.
Click Here to send a comment to DanClick Here to return to Dan Miller's Notebook
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