Thank you for all your support!
 

This is Bobby again. I usually go by Robert in my professional life but you guys are all family! I had to take a few minutes to read some things. You guys are awesome! I never realized what an impact my smart ass lil sis had on people. We all enjoyed and will continue to enjoy her crude rude way of making people laugh. Well, frustrated mom but we all ended up laughing our butts off. If there was a line to be crossed, she had no problem in leaping over it! Keep it alive!

We're all hanging out at my house listening to some Boston, Patton, and David Cross, making some bad puns, playing some bad Spurs like b-ball.

I was told earlier that there were things posted to a site called something like averyspecialthing.com. I can't seem to find it. Could someone send the link to me so I can forward it to my mom. Thanks much.

I plan to keep up with this site as often as I can. If anyone needs to get in touch with any of us, the best way is probably my email...rrackley@satx.rr.com

Farts (keepin it alive!)
Bobby Rackley

Re: Thank you for all your support!
 

Bobby since I'm not worried about offending you guys, here's something I wrote about Julie in my blog a couple months ago. I hope it doesn't make you cringe too hard. We joked around like this pretty much every time we talked.

Why isn't this thread in a more prominent place on our main page. "General Discussion" just gives you a headline. "News & Articles" gives you a little more meat! I say, let's give Julle some MEAT! Mr. Admin, do up somefim SPECIAL on our main page! This is fucking JULIE, for crap sakes!!

If Bill Maher has his own thread, I think Julie deserves one.

That's pretty hip. man, Unbelievable that she made such an impact on so many important (to comedy geeks) people. I'm thinking it would be a BAD idea to approach, say, Patton and say, "Yeah, that's really a shame, man. I was really close with her. By the way, I have this script, and if you could just..." BAD fucking idea! Although... Could there actually be a fucking sketch there? A little lemonade, perhaps? NAHH! Y'all have met my good friend Ben Dunn, right???

FUCK, I've gotta stop posting in this thread while really, really drunk. (That's why that other post I did got edited, I think, maybe.) ANYWAY, edit at will, Cap'm!

Susie, Bobby, Rocky, Kyle and everyone else: Thank you so god damn much. I've only really just met most of you and I already feel like I'm part of your family. I love you all. Don't hesitate to call me if you need to.

For everyone who couldn't make it: I think I might have been the only one lucky enough to have attended, but I just wanted everyone to know the service was absolutely beautiful and lasted about an hour. Just beforehand, Julie's sister-in-law somehow found me without knowing what I looked like and told me Julie's mom would like it if I could make a speech. I'm absolutely terrified of public speaking and was extremely nervous to say "yes" at first but then I quickly decided I would do anything to help. The chapel was absolutely packed with many people having to stand. Numerous extremely large floral arrangments were splayed around Julie.

I hope I am able to remember enough of the order and everyone who spoke, but a family friend of, i think, 23 years was the first to speak. There were some touching and funny things said, but I really couldn't help but laugh at his dissertation on "Bruce Almighty." I know it was well-intended but I could just imagine what Julie really thought of that movie.

I'm pretty terrible with names right now and for that I apologize, but I believe Julie's "Nana" was up next. She told stories of watching after Julie and her cousin when they were kids and how much mischeif they would get into.

Julie's best friend from high school, Cristina, was up next and she did a terrific job. Her stories made me smile and tear-up at the same time. She talked about how she became fast friends with Julie after Julie noticed her Conan keychain--a story Julie actually recounted to me a couple of times. She had some great tales of visiting Italy and Greece and all kinds of other stories that I don't feel I remember enough to comfortably attempt to retell.

Next was a guy named Estevan. Unfortunately, I honestly couldn't pay much attention to his speech since I was up next, but what I caught was that he originally met Julie when she prank called him.

Next was a very, very unprepared me. The only thing I had figured out in advance was that I was going to end with the "Bygord to yourself" story which I recounted here as well. I told stories of us in NYC, in Texas, and ones of her friends from all over the continent. I know they know it but I just had to reitterate how much Julie loved her family to them, reminding them how much she called when she was out of town and telling them how much she talked about them when she wasn't on the phone. Just telling those stories made me feel better enough to be able to control my tears, some how. I'm not sure how, but some how.

I think Julie's Aunt Barbara was after me and she was very well thought out, organized, and funny. She told about all the things she loved and will miss about Julie--one thing not being sharing stuff about her online, like her accidental quote of "Is anyone else dying in here?" right after Julie's grandmother passed away.

I hope I am not leaving anyone out, but I believe the service was ended with a very beautiful song sung by a young woman whose name I did not catch.

Before we got on our way to the cemetary, I was able to talk to Cristina; We shared more stories and were able to laugh remembering Julie for the fucking goofball that she was.

During the precession I made calls to as many people as I could, telling them about everything.

When we got to the cemetary, I was more than a little freaked out. I knew what was going to happen but I just couldn't handle it. I'm going to keep this brief because I'd rather just not think about it too much. I was able to touch the casket, have a moment, talk to her family briefly, and Susie was nice enough to grant me permission to write a brief note. The only piece of paper I had was the index card I had already written on both sides of with the address and phone numbers of our friend Billy in NY, so I dedicated one side to our trip to NYC and everyone who was there. I was crying and shaking, pretty much unable to think of anything so I just wrote what was true: "We all love you from BUTM and AST." Short, simple, sweet, and 100% true. I was chewing some gum and was tempted to stick it to her casket just to fuck with her one last time, but I chose not to. Damn my respect for my friends.

A large group of people went back to Bobby's afterwards for a get-together/rememberance party. I have to say it was tough at times but otherwise very therapeutic. It was great to meet Bobby and talk to everyone else. Sharing funny stories about Julie (what other kind are there?) really helps out a lot. Julie's mom asks that everyone call her. She wants to hear stories and tell some herself--it makes her feel better. Also, Sarah's dad, little sister, and two uncles were able to make it down to Bobby's and it was very nice meeting them. Andrea looks and sounds just like her big sister and I wish her and her whole family the best. I want to make it down to Sarah's funeral on Saturday, but we'll see. It's kind of a far drive and I haven't been sleeping. I was lucky enough to have another ASTer drive me down today. Her dad said they are setting up a scholarship in Sarah and Julie's name to give away to one Tom Clark High School student going into the photography major and there will be details and a website soon.

I hope I covered that well enough for everyone. Ive been up for 27 hours straight on 2 hours sleep the night before (total hours of sleep since Friday night = 11 to 12). If not, please correct me, Bobby.

One bit of information that I learned was that a new witness came forward and this is apparently what happened when the accident occurred: The demoness cunt who was originally reported to have just tapped her brakes? NOT TRUE. There was green paint on Julie's REAR bumper and the witness says the woman clipped Julie from behind, sped around her, and then hit her brakes. I want her head.

Time to watch episode 303! The one with "Steve Kinda"! With commentary, of course! Good night.

huond
 

I just wrote what was true: "We all love you from BUTM and AST."

thank you huond. your strength and compassion is really amazing. XO

Thank you so much Huond.

I'm glad that your heart is so fucking big.

Hey, I've never posted on boards before really. I registered for myspace to post this letter for Julie but it wouldn't let me because it was way too long so you guys and aspecialthing are getting it. I'm not trying to rub in that you weren't my first choice just to explain the myspace references in here. But do keep in mind you weren't my first choice. I'm just kidding.

But it is true.

Honestly I'm glad to see the outpouring of kind words for Julie here. That's very nice.

Below I suggest people in NY (or wherever) congregating in a bar to root for the Spurs in her honor tonight. In fact my girlfriend is sick tonight so I might be limited to the second half but I encourage you to do this on your own wherever you live if you want to and are able. I'll try my hardest to come. (I was about to edit that last sentence to remove the double meaning which was accidental but out of respect, I'll leave it just as it is.)

Anyway, I hope there's no word limit here. Hey, tied-for-second choicers! Here's the myspace letter.

For Julie:

I want to give my very deepest sympathies to all of Julie’s and Sarah’s family and friends suffering through this unbearable tragedy. This is so overwhelmingly sad.

I’m Andy Blitz, “A Jew who tells jokes” as Julie’s words here (and my own tax return) describes me. If I was one of the people Julie wanted to meet, I’m very touched. After we did meet in New York, she was someone I wanted to meet again.

Julie told me she wanted me to join myspace. Now, to my disbelief and sorrow, I’m doing it just so I can write something in her memory. I assume she would have loved mocking my complete confusion/inability to figure out how to load a picture of myself onto my profile. I was really surprised and moved to talk to her good friend and learn that Julie’s final screen name PANCAKES (Get it?? Anyone?) was a reference to a bit I did on Conan once. Frankly, though, if I didn’t get the reference and it was my own line, I’m not sure what hope anyone else had. (But then again I see everyone else managed to figure out how to get your photos loaded up so who knows what kinds of other master riddles you braniacs can solve.) I found it very sweet anyway.

When I called Tuesday to order flowers for the service, and listened to the inept florist lady read back the card I’d dictated and she’d screwed up for about the twentieth time- (I heard things like “Woopsie! I misspelled ‘friend’” and “I’m sorry sir, your card MUST begin with the phrase “Our thoughts and prayers…" (really?) and “With sympathy, Andy Bilz” who I assume was supposed to be me) I realized Julie would not be proud of the patience I showed in the face of such crazily incompetent service. I felt the impulse to do what I imagined Julie would’ve wanted me to - to point out that “Our Thoughts and Prayers I will always remember Julie…” is a gibberish first sentence. And to gratuitously start every sentence I spoke to the florist lady on the other end of the line with the words “Our thoughts and prayers” to prove my point. (Our thoughts and prayers do you take Mastercard?) Also to ask how this woman, if I am sending this card alone, how I myself could possibly have our thoughts and prayers? Am I having them for both of us? Are you not having your own thoughts? Or are you co-signing this card with Andy Bilz? I reflexively wanted to respond that way and e-mail Julie the story and hope she’d pass it on to Sarah but because I couldn’t anymore, and it didn’t even make sense, I just felt too soft and sad and calmly coached the lost woman through it.

To the family and close friends of Julie's and Sarah's, my thoughts and prayers are with you. I wish they were still here.

If last New Year’s Day I could have somehow known I’d be fated to suffer a friend’s death before the year was half over, it would break my mind. And if I could somehow have known that I wouldn’t even meet this person for months yet, it would amaze me. But that is how immediately likeable and rudely funny, sweetly vulnerable, and unmistakably good-hearted under her gruff exterior, Julie was. I knew her a couple of months and feel a terrible loss.

I’ve talked about it with many people, including some who literally never met her, talked to her, or e-mailed her once in anyway, just read her posts on message boards and even they seem to genuinely miss her.

I met her only on May 1st when she came up to see a comedy show I was in up in New York in a place called Pianos. (The CD/DVD of these shows is now going to be dedicated to Julie and Sarah.) I got to hang out again and meet Julie's friend Sarah Laws and their other friends the first weekend of June down in Texas. A trip I made after Julie hooked me up with free airline tickets. When I asked how I could repay her for saving me the cost of airfare, she suggested I could buy her plane tickets as a gift.

The last night I saw them, June 4th, the city of Austin, Texas hosted not only my show with Eugene and Langhorne but also a biker party weekend with something like 20,000 middle-aged motorcyclists invading town as well as the logical companion to any Texas Biker Rally: Gay Pride weekend. Sarah snapped photos constantly, I guessed to prove to reasonable people who weren’t there that Austin really would decide to have those two events at the same time. I love Sarah’s photos and I loved the hilarious directions she gave me when I posed for a couple.

I remember Julie not drinking that night so she could be the designated driver and being relieved to see that but still feeling vaguely afraid for some reason. I was hoping to see her in New York later this summer.

I’m glad for whatever Julie got to enjoy in her time here and hope I played even a little part in that. I know I enjoyed her and am really, really grateful for every nice thing she said to me. And every not nice thing that made me laugh.

Sorry if my note is way too long by the way. I’ve never used this thing before and apparently have been confused by the name “myspace”.

Grief puts in perspective the triviality of things like sports but since loving the Spurs was a part of who she was, I intend, if I am at all able to go, to pick a bar in Manhattan tonight and pull for them like I promised her. If they lose, I’ll be very depressed and if they win, maybe I’ll be even more so that she’s gone but I’ll feel like I’m honoring her. Once I figure out the bar, I’ll post it and anyone in New York is more than welcome to come find me and join me. I look just like my picture. I know that doesn’t help you but it’s true.

(For anyone who doesn't understand basketball, just cheer when the people around you in Detroit jerseys look depressed. Unless it's because of marital problems or something in which case just leave it alone. No matter what happens in the game I'll raise a glass for my friends Julie and Sarah.)

Julie, I’m really so happy and grateful I had the brief chance to be your frined, ferind and especially friend. Our thoughts and prayers I miss you and will never forget you.

Goodbye Julie,
Andy

From the Austin-American Statesman yesterday:

Thanks huond, I think you might have found the ideal charity to donate to in light of this.

Here is that webpage: http://claryfoundation.homestead.com/Claryhome.html

Yes, please do. I live in New York and am dying to hang out with someone who knew her, have a few drinks and watch the Spurs mop the floor with whats-their-names.