Nil by Mouth by Roger Ebert

In addition to being on a lifelong quest to experience the perfect example of every kind of food the world has to offer, I am a big movie buff. I have worked at two video stores in my lifetime (one of them is Vidiot’s Video in Santa Monica, which is the poor man’s film school), and I consider myself to be an armchair student of the art form. I have always respected Roger Ebert as a film critic. I frequently disagree with his opinions of films (case-in-point: He seemed to totally miss the point in his review of Team America: World Police), but even when I think he’s being retarded, I still respect his opinion as a far-more-educated-than-most film lover. And every now and then he writes the most awesome review of a film available anywhere (case in point: The Tuxedo)

Thankfully, somebody brought my attention to a recent post on Roger Ebert’s blog called Nil by Mouth. Most people know that for years Ebert has been dealing with serious health problems. He recently experienced a round of surgeries that left him with the inability to eat or drink. Roger was always a big fella, so it’s not tough for anybody to tell that the man enjoyed his food. But the post isn’t about how sad it is to not be able to eat anymore. Instead it’s a celebration of the memories of food as an excuse for social gatherings.

So please forgive me for indulging in a bit of a weepy subject, but I commend Roger for his ever-elegant treatment of the English language. I frequently take eating for granted, so it’s nice to hear what it might be like to lose such a thing, eloquently written from a unique perspective.

And now, just for fun, here is an hilarious compilation of some of the funniest “At The Movies” clips I had never seen. Don’t forget to enjoy your dinner.