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The Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool
(From the Grand Midway Hotel, given to one or two individuals of character per year.)
Cinematographer and writer Baird Bryant receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool at the first Kerouac Fest, October 2003.
Later, Baird wrote:
10/18/03
Blair,
how can I thank you enough for this definite high point in my life -your Baird Bryant Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool is Gate, Gate, Paragate (gone, gone, completely gone) as the Tibetans say -and when you're that gone you're out of sight, which you are. Who could have dreamed of this when I advised you to make the move to Windber? You were the inspiration and the prime mover in this Kerouac Festival as well as the "Souvenirs of the Beat Hotel." The Fest a landmark event -a watershed event. You could mark time as before K and after K.
Much love,
Baird
Other recipients to follow of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool
2004 David Amram, musician
2005 Stan Rice, poet (posthumously)
2005 Gary Gygax, game creator
2006 Gary Snyder, poet
2006 Bob Dylan, singer / songwriter
2007 Stan Lee, comic book icon
2007 Alex Grey, painter / writer
2008 Martin Scorsese, filmmaker
2008 Francis Ford Coppola, filmmaker
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Of his Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool, game creator of Dungeons and Dragons Gary Gygax posted on another website that he received the award with no explanation, that it just arrived one day in the mail. A fellow blogger replied, Don't trust it.
Mr. Gygax wrote several letters to me, many with comments on the hotel. As 'Uncle Gary', his first email advice was to not fill the hotel with art, but with women! He often expressed his appreciation on being updated about the place, but declined any potential invitations due to health reasons:
Hi Blair,
So I have posted a greeting (on the hotel webpage) and will come back to do a bit more in that regard over the coming days.
BTW, do feel free to address me as Gary if you will. After all, Sync magazine has named me the #1 Nerd of All Time, and someone with that distinction cannot have a Mr. before their given name, eh?
A hero perhaps, but one with feet of clay, always remember that!
Cheers,
Gary
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16
Comic book icon Stan Lee sent word upon receiving his Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool a thank you and that he was amused by it.
Other recipients to follow of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Cool
2008 Rickie Lee Jones, singer songwriter
2008 Chuck Yeager, United States Air Force Brigadier-General
2008 Leonard Cohen, singer songwriter
2008 Gary Cullen, Los Angeles bar owner
2008 B.B. King, blues guitarist
2008 Ray Harryhausen, stop motion model animator
2008 David Bowie, singer songwriter actor
2008 Robert Redford, founder Sundance Film Festival, actor
2008 Joni Mitchel, singer songwriter
2008 Ray Palumbo, 12th Aviation Brigade commander
2008 Art Bell, paranormal radio host
2008 Paul McCartney, singer songwriter record producer
2008 Bill Murray, actor
2008 Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama
2008 Lou Reed, singer songwriter
2008 Muhammad Ali, World Heavyweight Champion boxer
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