Duke's dieet

Duke Ellington (prentje) voerde zijn hele leven -zonder veel succes-  strijd tegen de extra kilo's. Misschien was zijn dieet wellicht ook niet helemaal je dat. Wel origineel:

Duke, who is always worrying about keeping his weight down, may announce that he intends to have nothing but Shredded Wheat and black tea. . . . Duke’s resolution about not overeating frequently collapses at this point. When it does, he orders a steak, and after finishing it he engages in another moral struggle for about five minutes. Then he really begins to eat. He has another steak, smothered in onions, a double portion of fried potatoes, a salad, a bowl of sliced tomatoes, a giant lobster and melted butter, coffee, and an Ellington dessert — perhaps a combination of pie, cake, ice cream, custard, pastry, jello, fruit, and cheese. His appetite really whetted, he may order ham and eggs, a half-dozen pancakes, waffles and syrup, and some hot biscuits. Then, determined to get back on his diet, he will finish, as he began, with Shredded Wheat and black tea.

Uit: Terry Teachout, Duke. A Life of Duke Elllington, 2013.

Ellington was beter in muziek dan in dieet. Hier in 1962 samen met Charlie Mingus en Max Roach in Very Special: (muziekje).