Roger says the Colbert on Zorn piece is his second-favorite Zorn item of all time. First? SF Weekly:
On May 15, 1997, out-there experimental saxophonist John Zorn was in the middle of a set at New York City jazz spot the Knitting Factory when he abruptly stopped. He proceeded to chew out a group of patrons in the balcony who, in a fit of impropriety, were talking loudly over his skronk-jazz stylings. “You up there,” he snapped angrily. “Shut the f*** up and listen to the music.” The chatterboxes at fault? Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel and his wife Dagmar, Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Lou Reed, and Reed’s girlfriend Laurie Anderson.
Nevermind Zorn for a minute. What are Havel, Albright, Reed and Anderson doing in a balcony together? Picturing this gives me hope for the world (though it was nearly a decade ago).
I hate people who talk loudly at shows….. I would be REALLY conflicted if it were Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, though.. :)
Havel, being a poet and playwright, is good friends with Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson. It’s probably reasonable to assume that Albright was there to meet with Havel.