That's Some Bad Hat, Harry

Last night one of my favorite leisure time activities came to an end by choice. House, M.D. which, much like Ferris Bueller though dipped in battery acid, is broadcast someplace in the world at all times, concluded an eight year residence on the Fox Network and in my television set.

I will so miss that b'tard. Hugh Laurie had a career as half of the UK comedic institution with Stephen Fry, Laurie and Fry though I'll wager Stephen often thought of it the other way round. Laurie was successful in motion pictures, if not always believable. But I suspect should he live to be 200, upon his passing, the first line in the obituary will be "...known to millions as Dr. Gregory House."

I had friends at work early on who insisted I reminded them of him, complete with the three day growth and the bad leg. I don't see much of a resemblance but I've considered wearing ball caps since we do have a similar bald spot though his is about ten inches farther away from the ground because he's amazingly tall. And I've given up having friends at work.

As someone who has too much experience with mechanical assistance in order to walk, I've never been happy Dr. House always walked with his cane in the wrong hand for the leg he had injured. I read where Laurie deliberately did that because of his understanding of the character he was playing who was so filled with self-loathing he had to denigrate himself even while suffering. I think I liked him better when all we had in common was the bald spot.

When I say I watched the show for Laurie I really should say for his interaction with some amazing people often in cameos, like Dave Mattthews, and short, recurring roles like Chi McBride and my favorite episodes of the entire series, the ones made with Franka Potente of Run, Lola, Run.

Thanks to syndication, the program will roll on forever, in all likelihood though even the repeats on the shopping channels, just above the police calls, will never be sponsored by Dos Equis because when all was said and done, as it was last night, Gregory House is, and remains, the most interesting man in the world.
-bill kenny