Every Oral History Ever

The Classical did an oral history of Fire Joe Morgan this week. And while it makes for great reading (especially if you love FJM as much as I do and have ripped off FJM as often as I have), it occurred to me while reading along that every oral history is virtually identical. Here now is your universal oral history template:

PERSON 1: We were just fooling around. The whole (song/book/TV series/film) was a happy accident, really.

PERSON 2: The (label/network/studio) didn't even like it. We must have gotten a thousand rejections before (generous benefactor) said yes.

GENEROUS BENFACTOR: One look at it and you knew it was special. It still holds up, you know. I went back and (listened to it/watched it), and it's still all there.

PERSON 1: We had no idea it was gonna be that big. If we had, we probably wouldn't have done it! Ha ha ha!

PERSON 2: It was when my grandma told me she had (seen it on TV/heard it on the radio/read about it). That's when I knew shit was going bananas.

PERSON 1: It was a moment in time, you know? It perfectly captured the feelings of people back in (1984/1992/2010). Whenever you hear (completely different contemporary work of art), there's a little bit of (my song/my show/something from Bridesmaids) in there. And that makes me proud.

PERSON 1: (looks back with a mix of wistfulness and ambivalence) It was a great ride. But I don't think it means as much to me now as it does to other people. I've moved on with my life, you know? There's so much more I want to do. But sometimes ... sometimes I (see my show on TV/hear my song on the radio/see a kid wearing my shirt) and I get a little smile on my face. It represents a really wonderful chapter in my life and it'll always be a part of me.

And fin.