So, I did film school last year into earlier this year. During it I met my friend Ryan. He and his girlfriend were introduced to each other by Rick James. How did this happen? Well, Ryan's folks were friendly with Rick and he was asked to be Ryan's Godfather. Lauren's sister married Rick, so she was his Sister-In-Law. Both had known Rick for years, and were very close.
As you know, Rick James died a week ago.
So, my old roommate Andrew borrowed Ryan's box van 2 weeks ago to move a bed and some furniture. He then didn't return it for over a week. Ryan needed it back, so he asked me to drive it to him (he lives 20 minutes away) and he would bring me home. This was last Wednesday.
I drive it over, and when I get there, he and Lauren are in a tizzy. They are late to Rick's viewing. We jump in the car and drive back. Traffic is bad so they tell me they are going straight to the viewing and ask that I drive myself home in the car and they will get a ride to my place afterwards.
So I drive myself home. After about 2 hours, I'm wondering how they're doing. I don't want to call because nothing worse than being in a church and having a phone go off. So I decide to go over. Earlier I had been in just track pants and a t-shirt and felt like Joe Shit the Ragman when we pulled up so I threw the suit on and drove over.
I get there, Ryan and Lauren are shocked to see I came to pick them up, and that I threw the suit on so they invite me inside to meet the family. I walk into the chapel and there's Rick, layed out in the coffin. Next to him? A beautiful white and red rose arrangement.
IN THE SHAPE OF A BLUNT.
I say hello, talk to some people. As we're leaving, Ryan says they're going to a friend of Rick's house for some drinks and dinner, and I'm invited. I agree. Free food and drinks in LA is something you never pass up.
So I'm at a house in Laurel Canyon, having a drink, talking to people. Someone asks what I do, I say I'm a writer. All of sudden from nowhere I hear this loud Australian accent?
"Hey, you a speechwriter?"
"No, I'm a writer."
"Close enough. I need help, come on."
"With what?"
"My eulogy."
"What?"
"For Rick."
So I spend the next 2 hours helping this guy, Mark, write his Eulogy for Rick James. At the end of the night, Lauren and Ryan are leaving, so I'm saying my goodbyes. I tell them I enjoyed meeting them and I hope everything goes well tomorrow. Rick's ex-wife tells me "Bullshit. You've been here all night with us, you helped him and Lauren write their speeches, you're coming."
So she puts my name on the VIP list.
That's right folks, it's not Hollywood without a VIP list for a funeral.
So show up the next day. And it's a full fledged affair. I meet up with Ryan and Lauren and I walk in with the family and VIPs. We all mill about in the first few rows. There's Charlie Murphy. There's Jamie Foxx. It's unreal.
Then we sit down, about an hour and a half late for the start of the funeral. Suddenly Mark pops up, and turns to his wife.
"I have to go hun, I have to make the flight to Minnesota."
He hands over the script to her, and leans down and whispers to her. He then heads off. I was upset, because I wanted to hear him say it, it was a decent speech.
So the funeral goes off, and it's pretty amazing. People speak, share some funny and heartfelt stories about Rick.
The kicker is Lauren's where she talks about Tuna Boona Huna, Motzart and Rick trying to introduce her to Ryan several times after they had gotten together. She had everyone laughing and crying and I was so proud of her. She was a trooper. She was in tears the entire time. At one point she couldn't go on and walked away from the podium and asked Ryan to finish it for her. He started to read, and after 4 sentences, she came walking back to the podium and finished the speech. It was like a Rocky comeback or James Brown running back on stage after getting the robe thrown over his shoulders. Everyone was blown away.
The entire event was ridiculous. Louis Farakkahn was on the dias and spoke. A member of the Temptations sang. Jamie Foxx spoke. The Stone City Band played a medley of his songs and when they struck up "Mary Jane" a dude lit up a FAT blunt that I was able to smell from my seat. But most amazing of all.
I got to see, meet, and hear Stevie Wonder sing. In person.
I will say this much, the thing people make fun of him for? How he bobs his head all the time and acts like he's hearing something? In person, it's like God or an angel is speaking to him and he's listening and then repeating what he's heard. It's amazing. He turned the entire service into a Mississippi Delta Tent Revival when he sang. It was moving.
Then came the most surreal part. In the program, Mark was listed as part of the fourth group of people to go up and speak. As this approaches, Mark's wife turns to me and hands me the speech. She says that she is not a public speaker and Mark's friend is too worked up to go on stage.
"So?"
"Mark asked for you to read it."
"No."
"Please. He really wants people to hear what you two wrote."
So.
I ended up speaking at Rick James' funeral.
And now you know, and knowing is half the battle.
