i am in my mid-thirties, twice-married - now to the absolute love of my life - so celebrity crushes are pretty much a thing of the past for me. however, if i *had* to pick *one* person, i pick john lurie.
it's no wonder that the brilliant fishing with john is already available through the criterion collection. it didn't take long to proclaim that a classic. and while i'm not a big jim jarmusch fan i always did love down by law. and did you know john lurie played the apostle james in the last temptation of christ? he's one of those everywhere-people, and yet stays above the radar of the lowest common denominator; it's almost like he's lived forever (i had no idea he was a regular on the series oz, and was recently reading a biography of painter jean-michel basquiat when, lo and behold, lurie popped up again, right in the center of everything as usual.)
recently john lurie has begun exhibiting his artwork, which i like as much as i like his music, which is pretty much. i am, however, not going to pay five hundred dollars for an inkjet print, particularly when a selection of his paintings have just been reproduced in a literary magazine which i bought for ten bucks. that solved that. however, mazel tov to john for having work recently added to MoMA's permanent collection.
when it comes to john lurie and textiles, it's really very much in the way the man wears his clothing. i love john's clothing, which all looks like he probably bought it at a time when he cared but that time has long since passed. but he dances beautifully.
the video for "big heart" by john lurie and the lounge lizards shows how john can dance wildly in native sardinian robes and also rock the sharkskin suit and skinny tie with equal aplomb. this video has, in fact, much of the "fishing with john" charm that comes from lurie's ability to be himself anywhere and be, if not comfortable, willing to leave as much of himself in a new place as he takes from it, and vice versa.
i can't say i'd ever want to meet him, but i like to watch him work.