Idle Idolatry
"THE TRUTH ABOUT FONZIE"
By Peggy Herz, Scholastic 1976 PB
This is a book for Winkler fans written by one seriously gushing Winkler fan. It's written as a diary of the author's meetings with Winkler, both before and after the show took off. What's spooky about it is that Winkler's comments are quoted verbatim with little comment or counterbalance; the author lets him talk for page after page about himself, his childhood, his career, his inspirations, his ideal woman… you get the idea. One gets the impression that the author hung on every syllable as though it were gospel. For all you Winkler-pickers out there, a book dedicated exclusively to your hero, with photos and everything!
Why this book qualifies as Idol Idolatry, as opposed to just fandom:
Winkler is "a superb performer and a good friend"
(page 2 - NB she only met him twice.)
"The Fonz has become the coolest, most popular character on television today" (page 3).
"The biggest thing to hit TV since the invention of the picture tube"
(page 4,- though in fact the cathode-ray tube actually precedes the TV - but that's probably the nitpicker in me, and something which Ms Herz probably didn't care about back in '76, so busy was she making sure she "didn't miss a weekly episode" (page 2).)
Some chapter titles:
- "Fonzie for President"
- "In the midst of all that craziness, a human being"
- "Henry Winkler made it work".
And, on the back cover, without any irony whatsoever: The Fonz lets Winkler "play a role that allows him to grow as an actor".
Obviously he eventually outgrew acting itself, preferring to be an Executive Producer instead. I bet it pays more, and as a side benefit you don't get so many sycophantic books written about you.
(On a side note I would like to tell you that Batman wrote this review - in fact he wrote two.
And his first was soooo in depth, that (appalled) I laughed at him and suggested that he, like the esteemed author, knew waaaay too much about The Fonz and then I implied that I would never have moved in with him if he had told me this 12 years ago.
So, as a result, here is the current review. And I feel bad for stifling his creativity. Not to mention depriving you of some hilarity. Sorry. BGH)