Know When to Fold 'Em

Remember Kenny Rogers' famous song "The Gambler"? The classic line was "You gotta know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em" referring  of course to a poker hand. TNB recalled the line this week as a result of the bizarre performance by Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood at the Republican National Convention when to the dismay of the convention producers (and the candidates) old Dirty Harry had an imaginary conversation with an empty chair supposedly representing President Obama. This invisible Obama  "conveyed"  a message for Clint to relay to Mitt Romney to "go .... himself " [an anatomical impossibility].

Thus, another beloved personality has obviously overstayed his welcome in the spotlight, because he
didn't "know when to fold 'em" i.e, gracefully step back before diminishing and humiliating himself.

Think in sports Willie Mays, Muhammad Ali and even recently Brett Favre, among others, all of whom are unfortunately remembered not only for their massive accomplishments but alas for hanging on way past their primes, not only for ego reasons but certainly for financial  rewards. And in the entertainment world how many embarrassing "farewell tours" have there  been where the performer was way over the hill, one example being Frank Sinatra, probably (for most of his career) the greatest pop singer of all time.

After all the great movies, as an actor and director, that have starred Clint Eastwood, will  this 12 minute long disgrace be his  lasting legacy?   Interesting that Clint has a new movie "Trouble with the Curve" coming out soon (was this maybe a promo??). Will the public shun him as they have an even badder boy, Mel Gibson? Or are there enough people who, like the delegates who applauded him wildly, believe this crap because it was uttered by a "celebrity"?

After all, these were the same people who lapped up  a pack of lies so blatant that even Fox News blanched at some of the falsehoods, especially Paul Ryan's. Clint fit right in.