38
It’s a Mad, Mad Monk
| Date: | Tue, 10 Jun 2003 11:07:55 -0700 (PDT) | |
| From: | “Gabe Kaplan” <gabe@gabekaplan.com> | |
| Subject: | New Rasputin Play | |
| To: | alex@disinfo.com |
Dear Mr. Burns,
Your website talks about some of the misinformation about Rasputin. I am in the process of developing a theatrical project entitled “Raspy and Unpredictable.” It chronicles the lighter side of “The Mad Monk.”
Let me start out by telling you some thing I’ve heard. Things that are not in any of the Rasputin books or reference materials. For instance, I’ve been told that he did impressions. His Nijinsky was supposedly dead-on.
Also, all the comedy hypnotists of the last 90 years owe their livelihood to his trail-blazing work. I’ve heard that one time he hypnotized the entire Czar’s court and got them acting like drunken, sex-crazed Polish soldiers.
Speaking of sex, in your opinion what is the truth about his relationship with the Czarina and was there anything amusing about it? Remember, funny is what I’m looking for. Have you heard that he met with a teen-aged Eleanor Roosevelt when she visited Moscow with her high school rhythmic gymnastics team? I’m not sure if this is based on reality or just wild speculation.
Was he really able to change the color of his eyes at will? Or, do you think, as is rumored, he had access to early contact lenses, a la Lon Chaney Sr.? And, in your opinion, did he really have no concern for personal hygiene or was that just his “hook?”
The climactic comedy scene will, of course, be the assassination. After all, what could be funnier than trying to kill a guy eight different ways and the mofo refuses to cash in his chips? Write me back soon so we can share information and I can start sending you some completed pages. I hope you’re not offended that I intend to do a comedy on his life.
Cyanide-a,
Gabe Kaplan
gabe@gabekaplan.com
PS I’m taking some Rasputin pictures tomorrow. Could I send you one so you can critique it?
| Date: | Wed, 11 Jun 2003 21:39:35 +1000 | |
| From: | “Alex Burns” <alex@disinfo.com> | |
| Subject: | Re: New Rasputin Play | |
| To: | gabe@gabekaplan.com |
Gabe,
I’ve not looked, at Rasputin’s material in 18 months, but you’ve definitely got some good ideas for your play. The Roosevelt story is speculation.
He may also have had access to early contact lenses, possible. His influence on latter-day comedian hypnotists may be the play’s selling point.
Alex
Alex Burns
alex@disinfo.com
| Date: | Wed, 11 Jun 2003 15:38:28 -0700 (PDT) | |
| From: | “Gabe Kaplan” <gabe@gabekaplan.com> | |
| Subject: | Re: New Rasputin Play | |
| To: | alex@disinfo.com |
Alex,
Rasputin has gotten a lot attention in the last 18 months. He’s hot. Everybody is writing about him. I think there is a lot of misinformation going around.
What speculation have you heard about the Roosevelt situation? I heard she carried a picture of “The Mad Monk” for 20 years, until Lorena Hickok made her destroy it around 1936. Supposedly, Franklin found the picture amusing.
You’re right about the comedy hypnotist thing being a good hook. He was and is comedy hypnotism. In fact, the New York theatrical agent had a phrase to describe each form of variety entertainment. An agent would say, “I need three hoofers, two crooners, and one comic Rasputin for a job.”
I’m attaching one of the digital pictures we took, any input about how authentic looking it is would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your help.
Gabe
gabe@gabekaplan.com
PS There was a guy in London named Leonard Zelig who worked for 20 years as a comedy hypnotist under the name “Leon Rasputin.” He claimed to be Raspy’s cousin. Zelig was once introduced to Anna Tchaikovski, she disputed his claim and thought he was crazy. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall that evening.
