Mr. Waits.

We all need a palate cleanser after the urn post. Jesus, what a thing to wish on your heirs.

The NYT dug up this clip from Fernwood Tonight and suggested that maybe Martin Mull didn't understand Tom Waits' act, which does a huge disservice to Mr. Mull's truck-sized sense of irony.

As is often the case, the only one left out of the joke is the New York Times.

Years ago, a few years before this clip aired, I went to a big party and at the door the hostess asked, "Will you be getting naked tonight?"

I said that I hoped so, eventually, because I hated sleeping in my clothes.

She explained that many of the partiers would be shedding their clothes and those people would be designated by a gold star.

I declined.

It was a good party and as the crowd loosened up, first one, then two, and then more people appeared sans clothing, drinking, smoking, talking as if there was nothing untoward about a naked person standing at the buffet dipping into the canapes. I heard there was some group sex happening in another room, so I knew which room to avoid.

One fellow, gold star afixed to his forehead, sat in a corner, naked except for his briefs. He looked uncomfortable and very alone.I wanted to tell him it was OK to put on his pants. And it was OK to shed the jockeys. But choose.

That guy? That guy probably went on to work at the New York Times.