When I worked at the newspaper in Michigan City, I was once sent to interview the city controller, a well-known local political figure, who had just resigned to fight an ultimately losing battle with cancer. After 10 or 15 minutes of awkward questions and answers, the man cleared his throat, looked me in the eye and said, "This is for my obituary, isn't it?" I admitted that it was, and the interview went very well after that. We actually printed the story before he died, then used some of the information again when he succumbed a few months later.
One of the creepy things we do in the news business is write obits ahead of time for well-known people. Groups such as the Associated Press have ones on file for national figures, and local operations such as The News-Sentinel do their own for people in their circulation areas. When the people actually die, the pre-written obits are pulled out and can quickly be made current. I know some of the people who read this blog, and I have to tell you that at least one or two of you have an obit on file, just waiting for the day . . . As I said, creepy. On the other hand, if there isn't one waiting for you, it's one indication you might not have quite made your mark on the world yet.
All of that was just an excuse to link to this, the script from one of the funniest (certainly in the top 10) "Saturday Night Live" sketches of all time. It features Dana Carvey as Tom Brokaw, recording "pre-obits" of Gerald Ford that cover every conceivable contingency. (Hat tip to Ryan Lengerich) I wish I could find a video clip of the segment, but even in cold type it's hilarious.
Mr. Ford, now 93, is in the Mayo Clinic for testing that no one will talk about. Hope nobody has to use the pre-obits soon.
