It’s the day after Lou Reed’s passing and the internet is drowning in glowing Lou Reed tributes. Because it’s important to strike a balance and perhaps remember that not everyone liked Lou Reed, I bring you this anecdote from the Tumblr of Letterman staff writer Bill Scheft.
According to Scheft, he and Reed once frequented the same clinic in Manhattan and were apparently on the same schedule to have blood work done for a spell in the 90s. Scheft says that at this clinic the blood was drawn by a a “don’t-start-with-me Latina” nurse named Inez.
The whole thing took a couple of minutes and I always tried to be as pleasant as I could. If you’ve had blood drawn, it’s an art. The people who can do it never hurt you. Inez had the move. Finally, we were friendly enough that I could take our relationship to the next level.
“You know, you have a celebrity here?”
“Who?” she said.
“The guy who came in before me.”
“Lou?”
“Yeah. That’s Lou Reed. He is one of the most influencial rock musicians of the last 30 years.”
“Well,” said Inez, “that guy? He may be one of the most influencial rock musicians of the last 30 years, but he’s also a f*cking a$shole.”
RIP, Lou, you f*cking a$shole.
