Fun facts about Phil Collins and me: 

• The first concert I ever went to was a Phil Collins concert. I went with my dad. It during the period that Phil was divorcing his second wife, and at one point between songs, he held up his right hand, fingers outstretched, and announced to the audience that “I may be able to fuck my hand, but my hand will never fuck me!” I didn’t get it until several years later, but needless to say my dad was mortified.
• My mom interviewed Phil Collins right after the Genesis-era. He had the mumps. She wanted nothing more than to catch the mumps from him, so much so that she delayed her next scheduled MMR shot by about 3 years. Also, their knees touched at one point during the interview, and I’m pretty sure it’s the highlight of my mom’s romantic life. (Again, sorry Dad.)
• The This American Life episode that interviews Phil Collins while playing “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” is responsible for the only time that I’ve cried uncontrollably on the subway.

Happy birthday, Phil!