Meat Loaf and Robbie Williams: Ghost Hunters

Folks, I’ve been building up to this article for the past two articles. This is the most bizarre thing I’ve ever covered on this blog: Meat Loaf is enlisting Robbie Williamson his quest to search for the ghost of Charlie Chaplin. No, I didn’t make any of this up.

Meat Loaf told The Sun: “Robbie should absolutely come ghost-hunting with me, There are so many places to go – we could head to the old A&M recording studios in LA. They think Charlie Chaplin’s down there. There are people they say are conduits, who are more open to it, and so this stuff’s been going on since I was a kid. I’ve seen my mother after she died and my grandmother. I talked to my mother, and she talked back. And I’m not crazy, but people would think, ‘He’s crazy’.”

Here’s the thing: In 1952, the site of Charlie Chaplin’s studios was sold after HUAC had him kicked out of the country. It changed hands until A&M purchased the site and made it their headquarters. In 2000, the Jim Henson company purchased the studios. Ever since Chaplin’s 1977 death, people have suggested that his ghost has haunted the studios.

But there’s one big problem with this, and it’s not going to be “there’s no such thing as ghosts.”  My problem is this: In the past 25 years of Charlie Chaplin’s life, he constantly refused to return to his adopted homeland, relenting exactly once: in 1972, so he could accept his honorary Academy Award and his Academy Award for the best score for Limelight. He was offered the chance to return to his old studios, but he declined, only driving past the gates. Why would Charlie’s everlasting soul roost there? Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to haunt Manoir de Ban, his villa in Coursier-sur-Vevey, Switzerland, where he spent the last quarter century of his life?

But still, Meat Loaf and Robbie Williams hunting ghosts? That’s something I’d like to see.

Also, one thing to note:  it looks like Meat Loaf is making his “Last at Bat Farewell Tour,” and there’s been several dates announced, all in Europe, most in the UK, some even happening in less than a week.  I just hope that he finds some time to go to Chicago. It’s not like he did that in any of his previous five tours.