Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 72

Roger Miller will always be 'King of the Road' 2 01 CM 0) cr 'By (juy ftjcfiarrfson Roger Miller was probably the smartest human being I've ever talked to, face-to-face. His writing was exuberant, seemingly effortless, and irreverent about everything including himself. Yet the last time that we talked, when I asked how he'd like to be remembered, his witty mask came off for a moment and he said, "He tried. He didn't give an inch." Roger died Sunday night of throat cancer. He was 56, and I think he wrote some of the most sublime lyrics ever to come out of an American.

We all know the opening of "King of the Road," but consider this, the crushing first line to an anti-war song called "Animal of "His footprints can be found on the faces of dead young soldiers." I asked him about his camouflage of cleverness. As a too-smart kid in a little town, he learned how to get along. As an incredibly bright adult, he learned that being a clown kept people liking him, even though "I say-things sometimes that don't always reflect me." He enjoyed being thought of as a character. "In your 20s you're wild, in your 30s you're misunderstood. As you get older, insanity turns into eccentricity." Back in his wild days, Roger fooled around with drugs, and unlike a lot of performers, didn't moralize or apologize later.

"I was about 20, a guy walk around and things fall into your head. Then you write them down." In unguarded moments, he'd admit to being serious about his work. "But being the silly country boy," he said, "I dance around the room and hide behind one-liners." No dancing any more. But hum a few bars of "King of the Road" and I think somewhere Roger Miller will smile a bit. Recognition comes late When the Vegas Flamingo Hilton opens its showroom in November, they'll call it "Bugsy's Celebrity Theatre" in honor of Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel.

How about that. A lounge named for a gangster. How very, very Vegas. Sad state of political affairs In case you hadn't noticed, the election is upon us. For months, I've been quoting one-liners from comics about the candidates, but this week I called Danny Marona who not only is a comic but a keen-eyed observer of what used to be called "The Passing Scene." I asked Marona to assess the election, not to be funny, but just share his observations.

"This has been the most depressing election I've ever witnessed," Danny said. 'You can see utter despair on the audience's face every night when the curtain opens. In the show, I ask who is excited about the presidential election and hardly anyone applauds. Then I ask who is more excited about Halloween, their Halloween costume, than the election and everyone applauds." On the three candidates, Marona said, "What Clinton proposes to do has never worked in the history of the world other than Sherwood Forest, taxing one class of people to give to another. Perot is an expert in identifying what the problems are, which we already know, and as far as Bush is concerned he's not my all-time favorite president." Jack Kemp would be Marona's pick.

Lacking that, "I may write in my own name." The country's problem, said Marona, "is there's very little inspiration Sec AFTER DARK on page 9 Roger Miller slipped me a pill. I took it and wrote two albums, married two women, and left town. I don't do it any more." Merv Griffin once asked him if he'd taken drugs because of the pressure. Nope, said Roger. "I took 'em because they got me high." He was a charmer.

When I asked how he created phrases like "No phone, no pool, no petsAin't got no cigarettes" Roger cocked his head and said, "Where I'm at is always a certain amount of fog. You know, you Strike a demj? BREAKFAST, LUNCH DINNER 14 lb. Burger 3-Egg Omelette Fries Breakfast It happens 24 hours a day in the all new Miner's Cafe -complete with soup and salad bar! 888199 Add tasty items like bacon, mushrooms, ham and cheese for just 10c a piece! ocpn JLf Hotel nrAMT DOWNTOWN RENO 2nd West Streets 329-1880 Lotsa FREE valet and validated parking! fl a.