Jamie Lee Curtis accepting an honorary doctorate at the AFI graduation at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. PHOTO: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI
By BERNICE FOX
It’s an exciting time for Pacific Palisades couple Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest. Curtis has received a special honor. And Guest has finished filming, what could be, his most anticipated movie ever.
Curtis now has an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from the American Film
Institute (AFI). Director John Carpenter presented her with the honor during the film school’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, August 10. It was Carpenter who started Curtis’ film career rolling by casting her in her first movie role — the 1978 horror classic, Halloween.
Carpenter told those at the ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood that Curtis made an impression when they first met, “She was, and is, a force of nature.”
Curtis got a standing ovation when she stepped to the podium to accept her honorary degree. She then shared one of her favorite quotes: “Life hinges on a couple seconds you never see coming.”
Later, Curtis wrapped up her comments with advice for the graduates, telling them to “Stay open, stay free, stay engaged, stay absolutely enthusiastic. Don’t get lazy, fight for it, work for it, save the universe please.”
When Curtis returned home to Santa Monica Canyon, that made two honorary doctorates in the house. Back on December 1, 2007, Guest received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music in Boston.
You might be wondering how a member of the fictional heavy metal band, Spinal Tap, was worthy of an honorary doctorate. Well, Guest, like the other members of that faux band, truly is a musician.
He attended New York’s prestigious High School of Music and Art. He’s done some serious music projects. Guest also won a Grammy for the title track of A Mighty Wind.
Currently, Guest and the others in Spinal Tap have finished filming the sequel to the 1984 mockumentary, This is Spinal Tap. Like the original, it’s directed by Rob Reiner.
The new storyline has the band reuniting for a final concert. Paul McCartney and Elton John are in this sequel.
An audience is seeing a test screening of the sequel this week. Spinal Tap fans are among those eagerly waiting to see the finished film. A release date has not yet been announced.
Rob Reiner and Christopher Guest in This Is Spinal Tap.
PHOTO: Embassy Pictures