Beautifully said, Kevin, and condolences to you and Pegge on the loss of a cherished friend.
 

    On Thursday, March 1, 2018 6:42 PM, Kevin Bochynski <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 

 My wife Pegge and I have known Barry Crimmins for 25 years. When he signe=
d
on to the Mark Twain Forum, I asked if he was the same Barry Crimmins tha=
t
wrote that great feature article on Mark Twain for _The Boston Phoenix_
literary section in February 1993. He was. We corresponded off list for a=

while and soon became friends. The Phoenix piece was about how Barry
discovered Mark Twain, stumbling upon "Fenimore Cooper's Literary Offense=
s,"
after being forced to read Cooper in grade school.

I quote the last portion of his essay:

****

Since I am writing in a literary supplement, I know I am expected to be a=
=20
critic. Let me try to be a good one and eschew surplusage. I love=20
everything Mark Twain ever wrote. If I could get hold of his laundry list=
s,=20
I would read them.

Heavy or light, humorous or serious, long or short, all of his works spea=
k=20
to me and inform me about the world and, more important, about Samuel=20
Clemens. Twain is fun to quote, better to understand. I strongly urge you=
=20
to avail yourself of his words.

PARENTAL WARNING: the rest of this piece contains unauthorized advice to=20=

youth.=20

In deference to younger readers, let me suggest that if you have yet to=20=

discover Clemens, start with some of his shorter works. The options are=20=

endless. There are collections of his short stories, his essays, his=20
speeches, his letters, and his humorous sketches from which to choose. If=
=20
you are really lazy, there are entire books of quotations available. Chec=
k=20
the table of contents and find subjects that pique your interest. Develop=
=20
your own opinions about his opinions.

If your, parents or teachers are encouraged that you have developed an=20=

interest in a great American writer, do not despair. They will probably=20=

have no idea what you're reading. Something about riverboats or something=
.

They will assume you're beginning to conform, when, in fact, you're being=
=20
subverted. Revel in the true boldness such sedition requires. "Oh, you're=
=20
reading Mark Twain. He was the quintessential American," they'll say. And=
=20
you can respond with a warm, knowing smile because, if only that were tru=
e,=20
America would be a quintessentially wonderful place.

Were Twain "the quintessential American," this country would be a place=20=

where the citizens would not be afraid to study the rest of he world befo=
re=20
imposing their will upon it. Patriotism would be considered a character=20=

flaw. Racism, imperialism, chauvinism, sexism, monarchism, religious=20
intolerance, and hypocrisy would all be regarded as reprehensible=20
impediments to the development of a just and peaceful world.

The abuse of children, animals, paupers, and innocents in general would=20=

raise our ire the way it now seems raised only when a dictator fiddles wi=
th=20
the wrong emir's oil fields. It would be a place where soulless politicia=
ns=20
=97-petrified by power=97-would never dare invoke the memory of Samuel La=
nghorne=20
Clemens. In fact, they would never have gained power in the first place.

America would be somewhere that old men who have suffered the countless=20=

sorrows and indignities life brings were honored for having the commitmen=
t=20
and optimism to continue to refute conventional wisdom. Old men would be=20=

celebrated for possessing the bravery to divide mobs into people. That is=
=20
what Samuel Clemens did with his last precious days. He lovingly stayed=20=

right in there, pitching. Anyone who's ever read Gene Schoor knows you=20=

can't ask any more of a person. You can quote me on that.

****

Barry was a passionate man who did not suffer fools lightly but he made a=
n
exception in my case. He was also the first to respond when anyone needed=

help. He organized countless benefits for good causes, for fellow comedia=
ns
and other friends who had illnesses, and he always showed up whenever the=
re
was work to do.=20

Barry's friend and filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwait made a documentary about
Barry's career and advocacy which reveals where much of his passion
originated. Warning: It is strong stuff and not for everyone.=20

The trailer for the film may be viewed at:

callmeluckymovie.com

Sharp-eyed Forum members will notice a bust of Mark Twain and a copy of
Rasmussen's _Mark Twain A to Z_ on Barry's desk in one of the newspaper
clippings shown in the trailer.

On July 25, 1995, Barry Crimmins testified before a U.S. Senate Judiciary=

Committee, which included Strom Thurmond and Chuck Grassley, against AOL'=
s
lax policies regarding child pornography. Footage of that hearing is
included in the film and is quite extraordinary.

We last saw Barry at the Boston premier of the film. He was deeply loved =
and
will be missed by all who knew him.

Kevin and Pegge Bochynski









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