Mandy Patinkin, Kathryn Grody & Gideon Grody-Patinkin
Ahead of their Valentine’s Day appearance in the Music Center, we asked Mandy Patinkin and his wife, Kathryn Grody, some lovey-dovey questions about their marriage. Then, we challenged their son Gideon Grody-Patinkin, who is responsible for his parents’ recent social media fame and will be moderating the February 14 event, to guess how they would answer them.
WHAT IS THE KEY TO YOUR ENDURING MARRIAGE?
MANDY: Our mutual unwillingness to never give up or let go of our deep connection, no matter what our troubles appear to be.
KATHYRN: Hmm . . . humor is essential, but I suppose as difficult as life has sometimes been as a couple, I couldn’t imagine life at all without my husband. Being without him as my life partner seemed a little death to me. So, taking the long view to deal with the short, immediate agonies.
GIDEON: Codependency.
WHAT IS YOUR SPOUSE’S BEST TRAIT?
MANDY: Her never ending commitment to her community of true lifelong friends.
KATHRYN: His humor, his curiosity, and his fierce care for his family’s welfare—short term and long. Never ever giving up on being a better version of himself and trying to do some daily goodness, and reminding me to be in the present moment and not spend hours foreseeing future disasters.
GIDEON: Dad would say Mom’s ability to make deep and enduring friendships. Mom would say Dad’s generosity, loyalty, and dependability to his family and loved ones.
WHAT IS YOUR SPOUSE’S MOST IRRITATING HABIT?
MANDY: Never putting the food back in the refrigerator.
KATHRYN: Continuously asking me for something “crunchy” and to fetch him things when we are both comfortably sitting together.
GIDEON: Dad would say that Mom never stops talking. Mom would say that Dad won’t talk to her enough.
WHAT IS THE MOST ROMANTIC GESTURE YOUR SPOUSE EVER MADE?
MANDY: Early on in our courtship, Kathryn told me emphatically she’s never getting married because she didn’t believe in marriage.
KATHRYN: On my 31st birthday, he blindfolded me and took me on a carriage ride around Central Park at dusk.
GIDEON: Once it was pouring rain, and they were rushing to get my mom to an important appointment. My dad was going to drop her off and then continue home a few blocks away. He was trying to get her to jump over this massive puddle, and she just couldn’t bring herself to do it and get wet. Without missing a beat, my dad laid his body down in the puddle and convinced her, through fits of laughter and tears of charmed gratitude, to walk over his body across the miniature lake to safety. She made her appointment unblemished while he sauntered back home dripping and covered in a soggy putrescence of NYC street juice. What a guy! (In all honesty, my dad just offered me $5 to make him look good).
WHAT IS THE SILLIEST SUBJECT YOU EVER HAD A FIGHT ABOUT?
MANDY: When it comes to home renovation, her unwillingness to change anything and my desire to change everything.
KATHRYN: We had a fierce and ridiculous fight about an antique bench we bought and whether to return it or to make it fit. If you had heard it, you would have assumed it was seriously about life or very much death!
GIDEON: Whether or not an old bench was a good fit for the living room. It nearly broke them.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG TO DANCE TO TOGETHER?
MANDY: Any great ’40s big band-era jitterbug number.
KATHRYN: Actually, we do not dance together because he is a great dancer and likes to lead, and I’m not good at following. But we have swayed together to “A, You’re Adorable,” and I occasionally try to turn swaying into any kind of waltz.
GIDEON: “WAP” [by Cardi B. with Megan Thee Stallion].
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!
Photo credit Cleveland Jewish News