Bob Rue - 03/03/2009

Remember the writing on the Oriental Rug store's wall on St Charles Avenue after Katrina? It was all over the news: "Don't try. I am sleeping with a big dog, an ugly woman, two shotguns and a claw hammer." Meet Bob Rue. Bob's sarcasm in person is just as real as on his walls, but his woman is far from being ugly. That's the "liar" side of him. Bob is described in the book as a "profound liar" — his words.
A few days after the first posting on his wall, he put up another one: "Still here. Woman left Fri. Cooking a pot of dog gumbo." Two months later, a reporter from the New York Times went to look for him to ask for the dog gumbo recipe. I guess Bob couldn't resist, and very seriously, he obliged (Bob says the reporter was French, convinced the recipe was authentic and very determined to get it — but no, we don't eat dogs in France!) Well, a couple of weeks later, he received a phone call from an editor at the New York Times who had a hint the story may not be completely true... Bob's dog is doing just fine, and he is happily married to that beautiful woman (who happens to be a dear friend of mine).
Bob's picture was taken on the steps of the old Coliseum Theater (which you may remember from a scene of "Interview with a Vampire"). Unfortunately, the steps are all that's left of the building that burnt in 2006. I asked Bob to lie on the steps, and started shooting. When I thought I was done, I packed up, but at the last minute turned around and asked Bob to get back on the steps. Here is the last picture we took, before double-imposition. It's the one that ended up in the book.


When you get the book, come back here and compare the photos. I think that picture really came to life with the double exposure.