The Man On The Edge Of Forever
Words fail me. Harlan Ellison plans on making his final convention appearance this weekend in Baltimore.
“I’m not afraid of death, and there is not one iota of suicide in me. All I want to make sure is that when the paper comes out, it says, ‘Harlan Ellison died in his sleep.’ You’re talking to, essentially, a pretty happy guy. No, not ‘pretty’ happy — that’s television talk. I am inordinately happy. I am wonderfully happy. I am Icarus-flying-to-the-sun happy. I have led a magical life. I have led exactly the life I would wish to lead. I have led the life I guess that everybody in their heart of hearts wants to lead.”
September 23, 2010 at 6:08 pm
I’m with you on this. DAMN! I wish I could be there at that convention. Thanks so much for posting this, christian.
September 24, 2010 at 3:43 pm
aw, what a great interview and what an amazing, interesting life – but so sad that he’s not long for this world. ellison is such a talent, such a character. i’m thinking he must have cancer or something degenerative if he’s looking (in his words) like gollum, sort of wasting away; he’s adorable when he talks about how hot he was in his youth (he was a bit of a looker, ellison), and how emphatic he is about his wife not letting anyone else finish his stories…fair enough, the end. what a life.
this has made me melancholy.
September 27, 2010 at 6:26 am
That sucks but I completely understand. The man has done and said it all and deserves to take it easy. I have fond memories of meeting him in the late ’80s at a comic convention in Toronto with my dad who got me into him. He was super nice and very graciously signed a couple of books and took a few minutes to chat with us.