Swayze, Cancer, and High School Musical?

I was reading about Patrick Swayze’s cancer in People magazine. I always liked him……he usually played the tough guy, even in Dirty Dancing and Ghost. Its true, despite the pussification of the roles, when you get down to it, he was awesome in both. Nailed Baby in Dirty Dancing, and that was just because he tired of nailing the bored housewives all summer….a graduating senior was a different direction and Johnny Castle liked a different direction every once in a while. In Ghost, he was married to Demi Moore (who was still in her dirty, smoky voiced St. Elmo’s Fire stage), He died early on and then actually TORTURED AND KILLED the guys responsible for his death and STILL got to go upstairs. That is pretty big. You don’t see that all of the time from ghosts, especially not ghosts that are going to heaven.

Anyway, I was reading and they are getting comments from former costars and shit like that…Tom Cruise, Whoopi, a bunch of other people….and then I read the name Kenny Ortega from Dirty Dancing. I know that name! Why in the HELL would I know the name of the choreographer from Dirty Dancing? It then hit me, he is also the director and choreographer for the High School Musical movies, which if you have kids, you have seen more than once…Hell, I know most of the words to the movie at this point. ANYWAY, I decided that there really are only two choreographers in the world. Kenny Ortega and Debbie Allen, that’s it. I have been dropping his name randomly the past week too, just to see if anyone else knows who he is…no one. I guess I can’t say I’m surprised, who the hell knows choreographers? I was watching one of the making of shows from High School music and there is something comedic/awesome about seeing a guy that is almost sixty do all of the ‘latest’ dance moves and hanging out with the Disney generation. I guess he can kind of pull it off too without looking too much like a pervert. I think so at least.

So, two questions for you that hit me because of this article (and totally not related):

Question 1: Are there other Choreographers besides Debbie and Kenny? (1b) Should we really know their names anyway? I mean Fame for Debbie is an F-ing CAREER. Actually that is really all she did…I mean she showed up in plenty, but she is pretty much known for Fame (I think.) Kenny rocked out with Xanadu, Dirty Dancing, AND the High School Musical series…the guy just keeps making movies for each generation. But, does that matter? I don't think so...I think knowing a choreographer is more pretentious/gay than even knowing assistant directors/editors/cinematographers. Yep, I think we should only be aware of directors and actors...maybe some writers too. Thats it.

Question 2: With Patrick battling cancer (much love), what is your favorite Swayze film….and Road House is not an acceptable answer..because its too easy. And he wasn’t even that great in it. That movie was all about Sam Elliot. And if you disagree with that…you are 100% wrong.

Selected Filmography:

• The Outsiders – Darry…Pimp older brother, famous for telling Pony Boy to keep it under a pack a day. I love responsible parenting.
• Uncommon Valor – Kevin Scott, he was kind of a bitch in this film….I’m putting it here because it’s about POW’s…oh, and Gene Hackman was in it. That’s it.
• Red Dawn – Jed, another awesome older brother role…C Thomas Howell again too. I love this movie. Again, war…propaganda, good times….I still like yelling ‘Wolverines’ every now and again too…even if My Name is Earl kind of ruined it.
• Youngblood – Derek Sutton, to be honest with you, I don’t remember much about this movie, I just know that it was a Rob Lowe vehicle, and that bothered me.
• Dirty Dancing – Johnny Castle, I think I made my feelings known above on this one.
• Next of Kin – Truman Gates, inbred super cop! I love this movie…..definitely worth watching whenever its on cable. Plus, Ben Stiller has a role as a bad (tough) guy…The hell? Also Helen Hunt before she turned into an egomaniacal bitch!
• Ghost – Sam Wheat, it’s pretty gay, but if you look deep enough its still awesome…you just have to look deep.
• Point Break – Bodhi, Bodhi was fantastic….banged chicks, robbed banks, got Zen, dared the Feds to take him down, and convinced Keanu Reeves to let him die in the ocean instead of going to jail. NICE.

He did some other movies too; most recently I enjoyed his role in a film called 11:14. (if you haven’t seen it, its worth checking out.) But, he hasn’t been “Swayze” in almost 20 years. Which is ok, we all don’t keep our fastball forever. None the less, big fan and I hope for the best for him and his family.

Buford..