Joe Bodolai, television writer, found dead on Dec. 26, 2011 at age 63 in a Hollywood hotel room. Bodolai, obviously talented, scored 1600 on SATs and smart enough to resist Vietnam War. You have to love his last blog entry, where he describes difference between Dubya, Cheney and himself, “…leaving for Canada as a draft resister, not ‘dodger’. (Dick Cheney and George Bush are dodgers. I resisted. I was wanted by the FBI.)“. Bodolai wrote scripts for such notables as Saturday Night Live, Wayne’s World and helped create the Comedy Network.  There are suspicions of foul play, but Bodolai lists his chief regrets, alcoholism and move to Los Angeles. Some suspect Bodolai’s demise hastened by his views, quite clear, for a confessed alcoholic, and perhaps, got him black-balled?

It may also be true, if you’re truly brilliant self-deception becomes difficult, maybe impossible? Bodolai predicted for 2012, “more wars for Israel, our rulers. Probably Syria soon“; also, depression greater than thirties, martial law, war with Iran, world war with Russia, most Americans go along and resisters FEMA camped, etc. Intelligence may, in fact, be debilitating if you only see horrific days ahead. With weakening body and an aged mind, Bodolai may have concluded he no longer felt up to life’s challenges?  Or, the challenges simply weren’t worth it?

Bodolai’s last residence was, on the other hand, the Re-tan Hotel in Hollywood, and clearly, a depressing place. What was he doing there? Its long term residents are people who can’t pass an apartment application? Had Bodolai sunk that far because of drinking? A Yelp.com entry reviews the Re-tan Hotel:

“This is a slice of Hollywood depression with no odd charm, no history…just a sad place full of broken-down people being rooked for $1100-a-month by the vampires who own and/or work at this hellhole. New in town? Chasing dreams of stardom? Good for you. Just stay away from the ReTan. It’ll break your spirit in an L.A. minute. And they won’t pay for the repairs.”

It’s sad to see someone talented like Joe Bodolai slip away! The present article points to alcoholism and circumstances as precipitating suicide? But is it the case? We’ll probably never know!  One last observation, Bodolai’s last blog entry was Dec 23 and his body discovered on Dec. 26. Are dates close to the winter solstice significant? It is California, after all, with no dearth of alternative religions!