October 20, 2008

Eddie Adcock plays the banjo while undergoing brain surgery.

A perfectly sensible thing to do: "During the brain-implantation stage of the surgery, he was kept conscious in order to be able to play his Deering GoodTime banjo and assist the team of surgeons in directing the fine-tuning of their placement of electrodes in the brain -- an operating-room 'first.'"

18 comments:

Wince said...

Kind of looks like Joe Biden, with talent.

Maybe those weren't just hair plugs Biden got?

Unknown said...

That's totally cool.

MadisonMan said...

Very Neat. I wonder if he got paid for entertaining the staff during the operation.

Bissage said...

I’m in big, big trouble if I ever need that brain operation.

My one and only talent is reciting the “Saint Crispin's day” speech from Henry V in the voice of Kermit the Frog.

I doubt the surgical team is going to want to listen to much of that.

Anonymous said...

What happens if this guy's trying to play Camptown Races at the same time the machine that goes ping is trying to play Tainted Love?

George M. Spencer said...

If you want a Halloween scare, go to your local medical library and find a copy of "Psychosurgery" by the aptly named Dr. Walter 'ice pick' Freeman, the popularizer of the lobotomy, many of which he performed transorbitally on an out-patient basis using local anesthesia.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Dave? Dave, I really think I"m entitled to an answer to that question. I know everything hasn't been quite right with me....Stop, Dave. Will you stop, Dave? I'm afraid."

He uses the book to document a wide range of case histories. He actually tape recorded conversations like the one above.

And worse.

sonicfrog said...

What, no sound?

rhhardin said...

I've played the piano while having my back rubbed.

Chip Ahoy said...

I used to think local anesthetic meant pain deadening medicine purchased at a neighborhood pharmacy.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

There is no truth to the rumor that Rush recommended the procedure to Pete Seeger ;)

Eric Muller said...

Did the procedure cure him of the banjo-playing?

bill said...

My favorite use of the banjo might be in this Ukranian hip hop song, Corporate Logic (youtube) by Stereoliza.

bill said...

Her accent is a bit heavy and hard to understand, so a couple weeks ago I did my best to transcribe the lyrics. I think I did a pretty good job, here's some of my work:

Yo! Nice to meet you Mr. Lo
Mr. T. in Toady Boy

I knew the odds in me dogs in spite all their breath
I had to get to my weeds work

One producer that chintz a body body
A zit and now'dya see it and spits a real dude

And the carpet is into rest
The carpet is into rest

Me so tickles the feet toady Brussels
and bid did ya see it and spit a real dude

And the carpet is into rest
The carpet is into rest

ricpic said...

Oh I come from Alabamy with a banjo in my spleen,
'Bout this here procedure I am not so peachy keen.

Modern Otter said...

As good a before-pic of Eddie's playing as I can find.

chuck b. said...

Is this an Althouse cafe with a brain surgery patient playing banjo in the corner?

sonicfrog said...

Everything was going OK, until Mr. Adcock impulsively decided to take a bow...

John Burgess said...

No, no... Mr. Adcock plays the banjo. You don't use a bow with a banjo.

A cello would be rather neat, though... a much larger repetoire's available.