OFF THE MARK

We humans are notorious for forming preconceived opinions about others based on limited knowledge. Those we see briefly across a crowded room to those who grace the news. It is hard not to, even when life shows us time and again that we should know better.

Sometimes we are dead on, other times we are disappointed and the pleasant times we are amazed by their being so much more. I am guilty as charged of prejudging celebrities from their original press and am often so off the mark when the real person stands up.

Bill Clinton whom I loved as a president, disappointed me greatly as a family figure with zipper problems. Jimmy Carter who had a rather dismal presidency, stands very tall as a man of fine example. These are but two samplings of persons whom I had to alter my preconceived opinions radically as the facts became known.

I am a recent fan of Craig Ferguson who is a late night talk show host. This man is rather different from the usual fare in the dark of night. He is not scripted, does not use writers and relies on cheeky, stream-of-consciousness that is sometimes silly but is often brilliantly funny. He comes on very late for an old lady so I record him.

When I heard he had won the prestigious Peabody Award, I was a bit stunned. Craig?? All I had seen of him was his entertaining but ribald, quick witted sense of humor and bleeped out profanity delivered with an impish grin and a marvelous Scottish accent. Oh, I do love a Scottish accent. I learned he was given the award for his interview of Archbishop Desmond Tutu. HUH??

That he had Desmond Tutu on his show was a surprise in itself. Normally Leno and David get the big names while the later into the night the shows garner the lower ranked, lesser known guests. Most often,I have never heard of Craig's guests.


I had missed the show so I felt I would never know why he deserved this prestigious award and was a bit dubious that he actually did. Then Dianne, at the delightful blog, "Forks off the Moment," told us that particular show was being re-aired so I set my recorder and waited. Thanks Dianne. It was not to be missed.

The Desmond Tutu that I saw on Craig Ferguson was not what I imagined. I held him pretty much in the category of Mother Theresa or the Pope. I saw him only as the deeply religious world figure who had done so much to end apartheid in South Africa. That is entirely true. This Anglican priest helped to bring down a dreadful human rights policy that was almost eclipsed by our own nation's history of slave ownership.





I was prepared for an informative and sober night from a man I greatly admired. He and Craig talked about everything from race, forgiveness, God, good and evil, to nagging wives. Yes wives. As an Episcopal priest he can marry and has been since 1955.



Where I expected a very serious, deeply convicted man, I was completely surprised with this great man's sense of humor. Right off the bat, Craig said something that sent Mr. Tutu into spasms of giggles. Yes giggles. Prolonged, totally infectious giggles.

This is a tiny man, possibly from birth but most likely age has helped. He is not impressive in height but his stature in the world community is enormous. To see this world figure collapse into delightful giggles was wonderfully unexpected.

Much of the conversation was serious but the twinkle was always there, ready to be set free. This is a man who has won the Noble Peace Prize, who helped to bring down a bloody regime in South Africa, who galvanized world leaders to join in the effort to end apartheid and is a name recognized around the world. He is also a man who loves a good joke.


At the end of his show, Craig does a wrap up of the nights show. He said of Tutu, that he "is the single most impressive human being I have ever met." Have to agree with Craigy.

So where was I off the mark in my preconception of the man? I learned that while Desmond Tutu is truly an amazing world figure, he was not the stuffy, dogmatic man I had envisioned. I was correct in that he is an amazing human being who has used his life and abilities incredibly wisely. What I would never have guessed is that he is also a delightful person that I would love to spend a day with and I would do most anything to hear that giggle.

Have you ever been off the mark?