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Welcome to Axiom, the online magazine that mixes media theory, politics and cocktail culture into a frosty brew of ironic satisfaction. |
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briefly... My Dinner with Gary I recently had the pleasurable experience of having dinner with none other than Gary Coleman. That's right, the '80s star of such shows as Diff'rent Strokes and, well, Diff'rent Strokes. How this all came about is a story in and of itself, but suffice it to say that Gary was in New York this weekend for a good cause. UGO Networks and acclaimed webzine FI are hosting a Webathon for the financially troubled former star, and he was in town to talk turkey about the details. You can read more about the Gary Coleman Webathon here: http://www.ugo.com/welovegary/ But, the pressing question I'm sure you all have is: What was Gary like? Well, first thing, he's smaller than you might think. Very tiny, actually. He's also a big videogame fan. I spent about an hour playing Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast with him. He's actually very skilled and beat all comers by at least a six to one margin. Although a little on the loud side (and a little rough with his language) Gary was a gracious competitor and only occasionally took to hitting his opponent after they were down. Another Coleman tidbit: His favorite character is the female warrior Sophitia. After that it was off to the Chat and Chew restaurant on 16th street, near Union Square. We sat near the front of the restaurant, in full view, and Gary insisted on helping move the tables together to make room for the 12-person crew. Gary's dinner choice was surprising, but understandable in hindsight. While the rest of us were chowing down on huge plates of southern-style food, Gary had just a small cup of macaroni and cheese. Actually quite an appropriate portion considering his size. The dinner conversation was centered around, of all things, videogames. Gary was quite knowledgeable about hardware and software. There was no mention at all of his starry past, Diff'rent Strokes or his run-ins with the law. And then, as quickly as he came, he was off--heading uptown to meet some Yankee players. Will we have further adventures with Gary Coleman? Only time will tell… Next up: Our brunch with Conrad Bain.
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