Meeting Ketut Liyer from Eat Pray Love

During that trip to Bali last month I actually had a chance to meet Ketut Liyer, the healer depicted in the Julia Roberts film Eat, Pray, Love. Whether Mari made me watch the movie a month before because she knew we would be going to Bali or the trip to Bali happened as a function of watching the movie is still a mystery for me, but I have to assume that there is some kind of correlation there. Anyway, after Mari had taken care of everything she needed to for business, we decided that our one day of sightseeing wouldn't be complete without a trip out to his temple.

Thankfully, that afternoon we were going to Ubud (the area famous for its terraced rice paddies) around lunchtime and then to Uluwatu for the sunset viewing of the Kecak Dance (the only time you can see it- it only takes place at dusk) and the area he was in was right in-between the two destinations.

Walking into the temple it looked pretty much just like it did in the movie (although the spaces seemed to be a bit tighter). When we arrived we actually had to get in line with throngs of other women there (who Im guessing had also seen the film). He seemed to be in great spirits however, and despite his age didnt seem to mind at all. Im guessing he's probably never had so many foreign visitors before. Anyway, given the fact that he was pretty busy (and it was near approaching his lunchtime) Mari and I decided to simply say hi and leave it at that.

In the film, he was actually portrayed by another actor because at the time he had a bad attack of kidney stones, but I was surprised just how similar he looked to the other guy. (Right down to having about the same amount of teeth- well done Hollywood!). When we met, he shook my hand and we had the following conversation:

Ketut: Is this your wife?
(Mari and I look at each other)
Chuck: Well...not yet. Working on that.
Ketut: Do you live together?
Chuck: Yes, we do.
Ketut: Do you sleep together? (He smiles wryly)
(Mari and I look at each other again)
Chuck: Uhh... yeah dude. I guess so.


At which point it bursts into laughter and slaps me on the shoulder as if to congratulate me. I guess this little old Balinese healer has the same overtly sexual sense of humor that other little old Balinese people have. I really liked the guy. After our little conversation he also showed us around just a bit and our tour guide Dicxie, also showed us some of the artwork that he himself had contributed to the modest little temple. After leaving the temple (and seeing others lining up at the door behind us) I couldn't help but think about how with all the bad things that people say about Hollywood films this is one of the good things.

The fact of the matter is, big movies create tourism. Mari had read in a Japanese tour book that now an audience with him costs about $30. That may not seem like a ton of money to us, but given that the average Balinese person probably makes about $200 a month, now this little old man, (and his temple) are ballin'. Not to mention the fact that after visiting him, all these people will go off to places around there to have lunch, buy souvenirs or see other sites as Mari and I were doing.

This was one more reason that I really wished the Michigan Film Incentives program in my own state hadn't gotten killed off so soon. Michigan has a lot of beautiful and scenic places to see, and creating films in those places are just another way to not only bring in revenue for the people working there at the time, but if it is spun correctly, tourist revenue afterwards. Well, anyway, if I ever get to the point that I am producing films on my own, maybe it will be something to keep in mind. ;)