Genius

I have a lot of respect for Edward Norton as an actor. He gets big points for being Tyler Durden before Brad Pitt. He made a better Bruce Banner than Eric Bana. He's got a lot of artistic integrity. None of those things made it any easier to listen to his interview with Bruce Sprinsteen on National Public Radio. It made me think of the Steve Martin quote: "Talking about music is like dancing about architecture." It made my wife think about James Lipton. As much as I admire both Bruce and Ed, this interchange didn't bring me any closer to the music.
It makes me think of the way I can marvel at Robert De Niro's performances, but listening to interviews with him are like watching paint dry. It does not diminish the art in any way. I would much rather listen to "Darkness on the Edge of Town" than listen to the discussion about it. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of anecdotes, but the dissection of pop culture usually ends up being a pretty unsatisfying conversation. It's the part of Bruce Springsteen's shows that I miss these days. He used to do lengthy introductions to songs that infused the lyrics with meaning. These days, those moments tend to be saved for fitting in one more big hit or a pitch for the local food bank.
Nothing wrong with that, but as I sat there listening to forty-some minutes of back and forth between the Boss and his little buddy, I found myself wishing that they would just shut up and play some music. Contrast this with the joyful treat of Jimmy Fallon and that same Mister Springsteen singing their version of Willow Smith's "Whip My Hair." At just under four minutes, Neil Young and a scruffy, young Bruce bash away at a song that will be gone tomorrow, but I'm betting that their cover will be in your head for a good while after that. That's genius.