search for something...

search for something you might like...

John Lurie Paints your Television Painting with John

John Lurie Paints your Television

Painting with John

by Lake, Film Editor
first published: January, 2021

approximate reading time: minutes

"Bob Ross was wrong, Everybody can't paint."

"Bob Ross was wrong," Lurie says in the first episode of his new HBO TV mini-series, Painting with John, "Everybody can’t paint."

John Lurie, oh I'd probably run out of my 400 words here if I had to relate even a fraction of his stuff, accomplishments whatever you would call a career in music and art as a film star, Lounge Lizard musician, tv fisherman. So I won't. John Lurie, now ensconced on an island in the Caribbean, which is not named, paints. He paints joyfree trees and unhappy flowers, he says, and for the next six weeks while he's doing that, you can be right there alongside him. If you have a subscription to HBO.

It just feels like the right time, and a masterstroke from HBO to get Lurie back on TV. It’s precisely 20 years since Lurie’s cult hit, Fishing With John, featured Lurie taking international fishing trips with various celebrity friends. Tom Waits, Matt Dillon, Jim Jarmusch, Tom Waits, Willem Dafoe and Dennis Hopper all went along. Dennis Hopper went to Thailand, for two episodes.  

Fishing with John pops up on TV from time to time and in charity shops that still sell DVDs, and seeing a Fishing with John DVD in a charity shop these days is a pretty sobering experience. If you find Fishing with John you’re very likely to find further along the shelf, Blue Velvet, Down By Law and a bunch of other movies you’d enjoyed way back when, that were part of someone’s DVD collection, someone just like you, who has just gone and died, or maybe more hopefully, been downsized, but either way, in that moment of recognition, you’ll recognise the end, just feeling a little bit closer.

One time I was in a charity shop, a thrift store, perusing the jackets, when a middle-aged woman approached me and asked whether if I would put on the suit jacket that she was holding, she held it out for me to take. I will do anything and I can never say no, without, you know, ruminating over that for an age, later, so I put the jacket on, and it felt pretty good, like a superfine wool maybe, I remember as I felt it,  and it was a remarkable fit. She stepped back and she was with another woman, maybe her sister, they looked alike, and they both l scrutinized me, a bit, for a moment, “Yes,” she said, “I want it to bury my son, he is around the same size as you.”

Over the years, in my head, I always reply, "He'll look good in this." But I'm glad I didn't.

When I was changing continents another time, I was convinced by me, to downsize hundreds or more of my CDs by ditching the jewel cases and putting the discs in big wallets. I can’t look at them now because of that and I can’t donate them either.

Painting with John begins on Jan 22nd and runs for six unmissable episodes.

Lake
Film Editor

Kirk Lake is a writer, musician and filmmaker. His published books include Mickey The Mimic (2015) and The Last Night of the Leamington Licker (2018). His films include the feature films Piercing Brightness (2014) and The World We Knew (2020) and a number of award winning shorts.


about Lake »»

Pete Williams web banner

RECENT STORIES

RANDOM READS

All About and Contributors

HELP OUTSIDELEFT

Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]

WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT

If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]

WRITERS thru' the Years

A.I. House-Painter, Agata Makiela, Alan Devey, Alan Rider, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Becca Kelly, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Cassie Thomas, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, Danny Rose, David Hackney, David O'Byrne, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Dr. Rich, Dr. Richard Bennett, Duncan Jones, Erin, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Gracey Babs, Graham Baker, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, J.Lee, Jay Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jenny McCann, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Jonathan Thornton, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Kiah Cranston, Kleo Kay, Lake, Lee Paul, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Martin Devenney, Meave Haughey, Michelle Williams, Mike Fox, mindy strouse, Neil Campbell, Neil Scott, Ogglypoogly, OL House Writer, Pam, Paul Burns, Paul Hawkins, Paul Mortimer, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Richard John Walker, Rick Casson, Rikki Stein, Ronan Crinion, Rowena Murphy, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sheridan Coyle, Sofia Ribeiro Willcox, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Spanish Pantalones, Speedie John, Spencer Kansa, Steve McCarthy, The Conversation, Tim London, Tim Sparks, Tony Fletcher, Toon Traveller, Trevi, Urs Lerch, Wayne Dean-Richards, and founders, Alarcon & Lamontpaul

OUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE

Last Night of the LTB Showrooms
OUTSIDELEFT Night Out
weekend

outsideleft content is not for everyone