Freakin'

Once upon a time, an LPGA Major tournament used to be held annually in Rochester. One year Jill got to go to one of the luncheons before the event and called me on the way home to inform me she had met Betsy Rawls. Betsy Freakin' Rawls? I responded. Jill asked why Betsy Rawls gets a "Freakin'". I had a hard time answering precisely. But it was a fair question. A middle name of Freakin' is one I bestow on people who are noteworthy enough. How much is enough? I know it when I see it.

Tonight I was watching an old episode of Taxi: Latka the Playboy (S3E20). This episode is worth watching in its entirety. It is an absolute tour de force by Andy Kaufman, in which he rolls out a new (then) character, Vic Ferrari.

I noted that, watching Taxi, it was easy to forget that Latka was not merely Latka, he was Andy Freakin' Kaufman.

Andy Kaufman, gone too soon.