Recorded Books Inc. - Im A Lebowski, Youre A Lebowski: Life, the Big Lebowski, And What Have You

IM A LEBOWSKI YOURE A LEBOWSKI

LIFE, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, AND WHAT HAVE YOU

BILL GREEN, BEN PESKOE, WILL RUSSELL, & SCOTT SHUFFITT
FOREWORD BY JEFF BRIDGES

Copyright 2007 by Bill Green, Ben Peskoe, Will Russell, and Scott Shuffitt
Foreword copyright by Jeff Bridges

All rights reserved.
You may not copy, distribute, transmit, reproduce, or otherwise make available this publication (or any part of it) in any form, or by any means (including without limitation electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, printing, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. For information address Bloomsbury USA, 1385 Broadway, New York, NY 10018.

Published by Bloomsbury USA, New York

Bloomsbury is a trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Im a Lebowski, youre a Lebowski : life, The big Lebowski, and what have you / Bill
Green... [et al.].1st U.S. ed
p. cm
1. Big Lebowski (Motion Picture) I. Green, Bill, 1973 II. Title: I am a Lebowski, you are a
Lebowski.
PN1997.B444I4 2007
791.4372dc22
2006103251

First published by Bloomsbury USA in 2007
This e-book edition published in 2010

eISBN: 978-1-59691-794-1

To find out more about our authors and books visit www.bloomsbury.com. Here you will find extracts, author interviews, details of forthcoming events and the option to sign up for our newsletters.

They have neither our blessing nor our curse.

The Coen brothers, in reference to the writing of this book

Contents

INSTRUCTIONS FOR
ENJOYING THIS BOOK

Please take a minute to read through these seven simple steps to ensure that you get the most out of this book.

Watch The Big Lebowski at least three times. If for some reason you have not seen it yet, dog-ear this page and do so before proceeding to step 2. Well be waiting right here.

Good. Now that you have achieved in the modest task which was your charge, proceed.

Are you employed, sir? If you are reading this on your coffee or lunch break at work, stop. You must leave work immediately. We dont know. Tell them, uh,youve got an "appointment" that may take up the rest of your day. Whatever you tell them, be vague.

Good job. The gastrointestinal line was a bit much, but it looks like they bought it. Now you need some provisions. Before making your way home, stop and purchase these items from your local liquor store:
One (1) 750 ml bottle of Kahlua
One (1) 750 ml bottle of vodka
One half-gallon carton of half and half. (Acceptable substitute: nondairy creamer.)

Now were getting somewhere. Once youve arrived home,youll need to change into the most comfortable clothes at your disposal. They dont even have to be yours. Youd be surprised how comfy your special ladys or special fellas bathrobe can be. No laces. No zippers. No buttons. Everything must be of the slip-on, pullover, or drawstring fashion.

Put on some relaxing music. Whale songs are a good start. Your favorite bowling tournament on tape will also suffice. Whatever you do, no fuckin' Eagles, man!

Fix yourself a Caucasian (see recipe on page 20) and grab your Thai stick if youre into that sort of thing.

Kick back in your bathtub, pour yourself some Mr. Bubble, light some candles, and enjoy.

FOREWORD
SAYING WHAT
CANT BE SAID

People often ask me if Im surprised at the amount of attention The Big Lebowski has received over the past few years. They usually seem to expect me to say "yes," but my answer is always "no." What surprises me is that it didnt do as well as I thought it would when it first came out. It was so damn funny, and the Coen brothers had just won the Academy Award for FargoI thought people would flock to this thing. To tell you the truth, I was sort of disappointed. But now... well... Im glad people are digging it... that it found its audience.

Diehard fans will sometimes ask me, "What is it about this movie? I cant figure it outhow come people like it so much?" Well, that ones a little tougher to answer. I usually point them toward the script, to what the Stranger says at the end of the movie. I think the Strangers enjoyment of the story sums up what most people like about it:

THE STRANGER

... I dont know about you, but I take comfort in that. Its good knowin' hes out there, the Dude, takin' her easy for all us sinners. Shoosh. I sure hope he makes the Finals. Welp, that about does her, wraps her all up. Things seem tove worked out pretty good for the Duden Walter, and it was a purty good story, dontcha think? Made me laugh to beat the band. Parts, anyway. CourseI didnt like seein' Donny go. But then, I happen to know that theres a little Lebowski on the way. I guess thats the way the whole durned human comedy keeps perpetuatin' itself, down through the generations, westward the wagons, across the sands a time untilaw, look at me, Im ramblin' again. Wal, uh hope you folks enjoyed yourselves.

Whats great about that is how it says it all without really saying anything. Maybe thats one reason people dig the movie and are able to watch it over and over again. Its like picking up a kaleidoscope. You see something new each time.

Then theres this perspective. A few years ago I met a guy named Bernie Glassman. Bernie started an organization called the Zen Peacemakers and has founded a number of Zen centers in the United States. He calls his brand of Zen Farkatke Zen. Hes a Jewish fella... a wonderful cat.

Anyway, we got to talking, and he said, "You know, a lot of folks consider the Dude a Zen Master." I said, "What are you talking about... Zen?" He said quite a few people had approached him wanting to chat about the Dudes Zen wisdom. Id never heard of that.

I never thought of the Coen Brothers as Zen guys. They never talked about it. I dont think the word Zen was ever mentioned... or