Maya Angelou, Studs Terkel, and Con Men

The one thing that con men will tell you; the only way you can be a mark is if you want something for nothing. If you’re greedy, you’re set up.

Perfect.

I realize that I’ve written about Blank On Blank’s great work in the past. But their latest, an animated interview between Studs Terkel and Maya Angelou, certainly does nothing to diminish my appreciation. I am compelled to share.

Fantastic, no? And the best part (as far as I’m concerned) is that BoB only animated a small part of the Sterkel-Angelou conversation. Head on over to www.studsterkel.org for the whole, fascinating 53-minutes.

When I think about myself,
I almost laugh myself to death,
My life has been one great big joke,
A dance that’s walked
A song that’s spoke,
I laugh so hard I almost choke
When I think about myself.

Sixty years in these folks’ world
The child I works for calls me girl
I say “Yes ma’am” for working’s sake.
Too proud to bend
Too poor to break,
I laugh until my stomach ache,
When I think about myself.

My folks can make me split my side,
I laughed so hard I nearly died,
The tales they tell, sound just like lying,
They grow the fruit,
But eat the rind,
I laugh until I start to crying,
When I think about my folks.