GOOPED AND SPRITZED

An important factual discrepancy has been pointed out to me in the Washington Post piece. I was alerted to this problem by an email from an old buddy, Peter Sagal, who now works for NPR. He wrote the Post this letter: “To the Editor: I am writing to correct the historical record in regard to the anecdote Andrew Sullivan tells about his acting career at Harvard. While Elizabeth Shue was indeed a stage manager for the production of The Tempest in which Mr. Sullivan played Ferdinand, she did not apply the oil to his back to make him appear sweaty. I did. I played Antonio, and as such, was available backstage for the last-minute faux sweat application. I certainly understand why Mr. Sullivan might want to amend the story, perhaps even subconsciously, because it is far more entertaining for him to say that Elizabeth Shue greased his torso. However, it is also very entertaining for me to say, as I have for years, that I greased Andrew Sullivan. Mr. Sullivan must have thousands of amusing anecdotes about his odd encounters with the famous and influential. Please, let me keep the best of my paltry few.” But in a simultaneous email to me, Sagal’s memory is somewhat different: “Here’s my complaint: you say that Elizabeth Shue covered you with goop before your entrance in the wood cutting scene as Ferdinand in The Tempest. While the lovely Ms Shue may have provided a last second touch up spritz, the person who did the lion’s share of the goop application, backstage, was me. I’ve been dining out on this story for years, and I can’t have you or the Washington Post ruin it.” The latter is indeed true. Peter put the goop on me and Elizabeth sprayed me with a water mix. I actually enjoyed Peter’s libations more. I don’t know how the Washington Post fact-checker let that one through.