i found out on Saturday afternoon at a bridal shower in New Jersey that Paul Newman had died. i was stunned. i had heard the cancer rumors a few months ago, but had forgotten. it wasn't that i'd seen all of his movies or was some sort of fervent fan. but if your vision is decent and you have air in your lungs, it's impossible not to like Paul Newman. i can't think of too many actors today who seem as nice, normal and down-to-earth as he did.
and then, of course, there's his marriage to Joanne Woodward.
i saw a clip of an old interview on the Today show this morning, during which Joanne spoke about her relationship with Paul. i really believe it was one for the ages. to me, they exuded grace. (you know how i feel about grace.) they also seemed to have such an ease together - just a comfortable, sweet, not-a-doubt-in-the-world ease that i think is extremely rare to achieve, extremely rare to hold onto.
but then something Joanne said in the interview that made me smile. this is how it went:
Joanne: “Somebody once said: ‘what is your relationship based on?' And I said, he’s very good looking and sexy and all of those things but all that goes out the window and what is finally left is, if you can make somebody laugh, then that’s important.”
Paul: “And I keep her laughing…”
Joanne: “And he sure does keep me laughing.”
she's right. and maybe i'm lame, maybe i'm weird, but i was really happy this morning to realize that i knew that she was right, that i know how that feels, that maybe their love for the ages wasn't quite so mysterious or unattainable. Paul himself said once that "correct amounts of lust and respect" was the key to their success. sometimes love really is that simple.
rest in peace, Paul Newman.
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