Why Dick Gregory Is Cool

Straight from his gig last night at Caroline's Comedy Club in New York City, Dick Gregory stopped by for a visit with his pal Imus. Gregory, the legendary activist and comedian who is now 78 years old, said today that he spends 200 days a year on the road.

"That's why my marriage has lasted 51 years," he said. "I haven't been home most of the time!"

His wife lives in Plymouth, Mass. because, he said, "Me and my Indian friends think they're coming back one day. We'll be ready this time now."

All kidding aside, Gregory and his wife made a decision a long time ago that he would come home once every 90 days. "Liberation will happen for minority folks," he said. "But it won't happen in my house."

Black History Month ended yesterday, and Gregory pointed out the unfortunate fact that it occurs during February, the shortest month of the year. He also griped about the stupidity of Groundhog's Day, saying he'd never seen a groundhog sandwich on a menu anyplace.

"If a groundhog got run over by a car," Imus began. "Dagen would eat it."

Gregory is in the middle of a hunger strike to bring attention to the tragic earthquake that rattled Haiti on January 12. He has since called on people to give up one meal a week to show solidarity with the people in the disaster zone.

"Now you feel like you're a part of it," said Gregory. "And just concentrate and think about it, what you witnessed in your living room."

People who can't give money to the cause, or who don't know where to give, or who feel helpless, can experience a different kind of bond, said Gregory, by joining his fast.

"We don't know how connected we are," he said of the world, and cited this past weekend's 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile, which generated tsunami waves in places like Hawaii and Guam as proof. "One ripple went all the way around the world."

On Saturday, March 6, Gregory will join Jerry Stiller and Professor Irwin Corey on stage at the Tarrytown Music Hall. Though he joked that Corey, who is 95, lies about his age, Gregory said he actually enjoys the aging process.

"I wanted to be old all my life," he said. "I thought old black men were cool!"

Well, this one certainly is.

-Julie Kanfer