Daddy

Almost every evening, Keisha Grant and I have dinner while watching Brian Williams.  During a Michael Jackson story this week, she casually mentioned that her father (a.k.a. “Daddy”) appeared in one of Jackson’s videos.

I looked up from my ham and cheese, and said something equivalent to “pardon me?”  (I don’t believe those were the exact words.)

I have had the privilege of spending time with Daddy, who is as delightful and gentle a human being as you will ever want to meet.  As a matter of fact, I even called him Daddy because I didn’t know his first name for the longest time.  (And we’re not that far apart in age.)

His name is Basil.  And Basil Grant does something that, it’s safe to say, your daddy never did and never will.  Basil Grant eats fire.  (My dad occasionally breathed fire.  But eat it?  No.)

And so he did in the 1992 Michael Jackson video, “Remember the Time,” which also featured the likes of Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. Basil Grant, a.k.a. “Daddy,” who appears 2 minutes and 12 seconds into the video.  Enjoy!