2016 continues to be the worst year ever. Carrie Fisher died this morning. She was only 60. Carrie was a wonderfully funny person who led a rollercoaster of a life.
For awhile we were email buddies. Her missives were always wickedly funny. She had the world's greatest bullshit detector. And God was she smart.
At some point she stopped answering my emails. Eventually I just stopped corresponding.
A few years ago she wrote an autobiography and mentioned how the shock treatments she had received to combat depression were a God send. But there were side effects. One she mentioned was that the treatments erased some memory of people in her life. It's like part of her mental address book was deleted. Anyway, in the book she apologizes to those she no longer remembers. I was in that group I guess. But losing the relationship was a happy tradeoff for her improving the quality of her life.
Last time I saw her was a few years ago when she was performing a one-woman show. It was pure Carrie -- honest, insightful, poignant, harrowing, and hilarious. Oh, and she sang!
Carrie will of course always be remembered for STAR WARS, but for years she was an A-list screenplay doctor. You've doubtless loved her work without even knowing it.
Damn! 60 is way too fucking young.
My heart goes out to her mother, daughter, and brother. And to all of us who were lucky enough to know her. She may have forgotten me but I will always remember her.