Famed participatory journalist George Plimpton (1927-2003) was a writer, editor, amateur sportsman, actor and friend to many. The American Masters series is showcasing his remarkable life in Plimpton! Starring George Plimpton as Himself, premiering nationally this Friday, May 16, on PBS (check local listings).

Fellow Notre Dame author, Jerry Barca, author of Unbeatable was one of the producers (along with another ND Alum) of this feature on George Plimpton and gave me the opportunity to view it in advance of its airing. Seeing as George Plimpton’s writing style was a lot like my “Where Are They Now” pieces in a Q&A writing style … I thought I’d do a little Q&A with Jerry Barca to let you hear more about this upcoming documentary.

Q: Why did you decided to do the documentary about George Plimpton?

A: “Well, I became involved in the project in early 2010. The film is the brainchild of the directors Tom Bean and Luke Poling. Luke had the light-bulb moment when he took a look at his book shelf and noticed Plimpton’s Open Net and he realized no one had done a film on Plimpton. Luke spoke to my business partner and the co-founder of Joyce Entertainment, Dennis Joyce, a double Domer, ’98 and ’03 MBA. They were at dinner in 2008, Luke pitched the idea. Dennis loved it and provided funds for the project to begin immediately.”

Q: What drew you to George Plimpton?

A: “The man lived an amazing life. It is remarkable and inspiring when you realize all he did and all he accomplished, from his writing, his groundbreaking sports journalism, his literary exploits and even his relationship with the Kennedy family. His life is the type of story that begs to be told.”

Q: Do you feel your writing style took any guidance from George Plimpton?

A: “On the surface, Plimpton is known for stunts – playing quarterback for the Detroit Lions, goalie for the Boston Bruins, pitching to Willie Mays at Yankee Stadium – but I tell people if that is all you know, you’re missing out on a lot. Those “stunts” are a literary device that serve as the entry point, one where George takes you into the world of each endeavor. My biggest take away from reading his work is to get out of the way of the story and let it, the story, be told. He did that so, so well.”

Q: How was working on this documentary different from writing the book Unbeatable?

A: “While the focus of both is on telling good stories that people will enjoy, they’re very different, especially my role. Tom Bean and Luke Poling, the directors, did a wonderful job telling George’s story. They are really the “authors” and I’m a role player on a great team. Being the author of Unbeatable, that means I’m the one accountable to produce the research, interviews, and craft the story.”

Q: What was your favorite story from the George Plimpton documentary?

A: “You know I love sports, and there is so much great stuff there from boxing to football to baseball and even the trapeze work. But the stuff Tom Bean and Luke Poling were able to unearth with regards to George’s interviewing Ernest Hemingway and George’s relationship with the Kennedy family is pure brilliance. Those parts just show you how big George’s life was. He intersected with history that will forever be studied.”

Q: What can we expect next from Jerry Barca? Another book? Another documentary?

A: “I’ve got another book cooking. A non-fiction sports book. I love immersing myself in the research and then crafting a narrative readers will enjoy. Thanks so much for taking the time to watch Plimpton! We are really so excited to share it with people, and thanks for taking time interview me.”

Please do me a favor and check out this wonderful documentary about George Plimpton. It’s a wonderfully crafted story of a participatory journalist who literally ‘knocked himself out to get the story.’ He had a never-ending curiosity about life and never let his fears govern him.

“George’s life was about seeking out and trying new things, regardless of the outcome. And as an artist, life was his greatest work of art,” said co-director, c0-writer and co-producer Tom Bean. “We hope Plimpton! inspires audiences to find that adventurous spirit within themselves and the desire to live life to the fullest.”

“For the uninitiated, we hope our introduction makes new audiences fall in love with George Plimpton. For the people who knew and read him, we hope our movie brings him and his joie de vivre back for 90 minutes,” added co-writer and co-producer Luke Poling (Twelve).

Okay folks, go check your listings on PBS and don’t miss Plimpton!

Cheers!

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First Round: Tyler Eifert was a lock to go in the first round. The only real questions were “when?” and “to whom?” After The Jets and The Vikings passed on him, the Cincinnati Bengals grabbed Tyler with the twenty-first pick overall. You can read more about Cincy’s newest “Ochocinco” here.

Second Round: Manti Te’o should have gone in the first round, but weighed down with questions about his fake girlfriend, he fell to the San Diego Chargers with the thirty-eighth pick overall. Actually, Te’o was never a consensus first round pick and the Chargers traded up to get him. You can read more about San Diago, which of course means “whale’s vagina in German,” and their newest, classiest linebacker here.

http://youtu.be/9NdTuyHog9A

Sixth Round: Jamoris Slaughter ended a multi-round drought for Notre Dame when The Browns grabbed him with the one hundred and sevety-fifth overall pick. Coming off a season-ending Achilles injury against Michigan State and the disappointment of being denied a sixth season by the NCAA, Slaughter was surprised to get called. You can read more about his injury status and his draft experience here.

Sixth Round: Theo Riddick had to wait until the one hundred and ninety-ninth spot to get his call and it came from Detroit, but I am sure he will not let the pain of either hold him back for long. You know that Theoooooooooo did pretty much everything at ND, from returning kicks to catching passes in the slot, but did you know that The Lions’ number one pick sounds exactly like Dikembe Mutombo? And is a recent convert to football? You can listen to him, and learn more about Detroit’s thoughts on Theo, here.

Sixth Round: Kapron Lewis-Moore made it back-to-back Irish. True story, though, the last time Kap heard his name called on draft day, he got sent to Anzio. But, seriously, was there a better pair of draft day stories than Kap and Jamoris getting drafted after everything they had been through? Sure, EJ Manuel made a great story, but he wasn’t the only person in the Bills organization crying when they heard his name. Anyway, after shredding his ACL in the National Championship Game, KLM had every reason to pack it in or doubt himself. His selection is a massive credit to his performance and character over the years. You can read more about Baltimore’s newest Raven here.

Seventh Round: Zeke Motta was the last Notre Dame player selected in the 2013 Draft, going to Atlanta with the two hundred and forty-fourth pick. While getting drafted by The Falcons will condemn him to a first-contract’s worth of disappointment behind The Saints, Motta had a strong senior season and anchored a secondary that you, me, and your cousin thought would cost us at least two games last season. You can read more about Zeke’s new nest here.

UDFAs: Once, or, more accurately, AS the draft was going on, other Irish were getting calls that would ultimately lead them to signing free agent contracts. As of Sunday afternoon, four Irish signed as undrafted free agents: Braxston Cave, Mike Golic, Jr., Cierre Wood, and John Goodman.  Obviously, it’s great that these men get to chase their dream for another day.

Analysis: So, that’s nine total players who signed on the dotted line in the most public and hyped “Match Day” in the world. The six draftees make this the second-best Irish class in the last decade. Still, compared to their peers, Notre Dame had a strong, but not superlative NFL Drat. Florida State saw ELEVEN players get drafted, while Alabama, LSU, and Florida had nine, each. Although D.J. Fluker may count for two. Anyway, good luck to all of them and Go Irish. (Author’s note: this post reflects “passerby”‘s correction in the comments section below.)

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