2 nights ago I went to go see Curly make her debut at the WYSIWYG Talent Show, held every month at the Bowery Poetry Club. This month the topic was WAY GAY. heh heh (Read her account of it here – as well as the text of what she read.) Curly said she was nervous. Freaking out quietly, etc. But I’m telling you; once she got up on that stage, you NEVER could have discerned the nerves. She was funny, snarky, and seemed completely and utterly at home up there. It was just awesome. Awesome, too, to hear the rolling waves of laughter go thru the club at some of her lines. I particularly lost it at the “adopt a whale” moment (which is, Curly said, the “gayest thing I have ever done” – still can’t stop laughing about that) – but still: It was SO great to see her up there, knowing how petrified she was beforehand, knowing her nerves – and to see her just soar!
Also, apparently Jess served as “wardrobe consultant” – and I have to say that the red shirt worn by Curly was perfect. Great color for her – so well done, Jess!
It was also a cool night because two of the other people reading are kind of, well, stars in the blog world – and people I have been reading for a couple of years now. I felt a little bit starstruck. They are Joe.My.God and Faustus. I read those guys daily (well, I read whatever they post, let’s just say that – fanTAStic writers, both of them) – and to see them in the flesh was really cool. I will love Faustus forever, because it is through him that I became acquainted with the Brick Testament. And honestly, that is a gift that just keeps on giving.
It struck me, sitting there, in that raucous friendly funny NY blog community – folks with book deals, terrific writers all of them – they all have followings, almost like a cult – but anyway, it’s such an event – and it struck me, yet again, how odd it is that political bloggers (you know the ones I mean – the stars of the genre, the ones whose names we all know) truly believe that they are at the center of blogging. Maybe they’ve gotten the most press – although come on, Dooce is probably more famous than any of ’em. Dooce has now become a VERB. “You got Dooced? Oh no!” Dooce doesn’t have to have a day job anymore. Her blog pays her mortgage. Uhm – what? But political bloggers truly think that THEY are the forefront of this new medium. It’s insufferable. Once you’re out of that ghetto, you realize how insular it is.
Curly had a ton of friends there to support her – and I had met some of them before, at various birthday parties or gatherings – but some I had not met. A couple of them were “characters” from her blog – which was also really cool – and I got to meet Mejack!! Who, from the little I have seen, is one of the funniest people on the Internet. (I forgot – I had linked to one of her classic American Idol posts. Genius.) You know – it’s awesome to actually meet these folks who only have a screenname.
Here’s a link, again, to Curly’s piece – which is hysterical.
Great GREAT job, girl, and I look forward to more performances!
UPDATE: My bad, I totally forgot to mention that Chris was there! Which was yet another treat of the evening. Haven’t seen him since our Hitchhikers Guide extravaganza last year when Emily flew into town with just a towel and a Douglas Adams prose-poem in her heart! So fun to catch up with him.
A great night all around.
Thank you SO much, Sheila! It was so awesome to have you there cheering me on. My nerves were soothed by the familiar faces throughout the audience. I could feel you all willing me to do well. It was amazing. I’m still floating. And, um, applause and stuff? Totally addictive. I want more so, fear not, I WILL get up there again. If I may quote the Beastie Boys… pass the mic!
Thanks again for everything. I appreciate it so much. :)
Sounds like a great night – wish I could have seen it. Congrats, Curly on what sounds like a job very well done! How exciting.
I love what you wrote about political bloggers, Red. A lot of them take themselves soooo seriously. This is especially funny when you encounter one of them that gives you the superior “oh, this is just a vacuous post about art/entertainment/pop culture” snubs. “I write about IMPORTANT world issues.” Well, I bet if you stop your average blog reader on the street, more of them have heard of the Fug Girls than Instaprofessor or Kos. When I want to read up on important world issues, that’s what the subscription to the Atlantic Monthly is for. Get over yourselves.
Oh Emily – I just added a coda. Mr. Ubik Central was there! It was a reunion of such – but we missed you.
Curly –
hahahahaha Applause can be like blood to a vampire. You’re right – now you NEED it!
Chris! It would have been great to see you guys! Damn this evil thing called “geography.” Damn it to hell!!
I know, right???
Again: where the hell is that private jet that I should have so I can ship my friends around the country!
Some people are just made to suffer. I’m afraid we must accept our lot in life.
This is probably a job for Stretchy Colorado, come to think of it.
Hahaha. That could be his super hero hook.
It was indeed a good time! I was beyond thrilled that my business trip coincided with the WYSIWYG.
And yes, geography is a cruel mistress.
Oh yay! I miss going to that place. The last time I was (kinda) there was when it was across teh street and called Urbana in CB’s basement. That was back when I was young and had time and money to kill. Ah, the good old days. It Morris Stegosaurus still hanging out around there? I love that guy. Congrats to Curly for getting the nerve up; that can be a tough crowd.
Emily – wow, you just quoted C-3PO!
I LOVE the Internet. That absolutely made my June.
Marti – I don’t know Stegosaurus – who is he? Does he tend bar? Or is he just a regular in the crowd? I’m new to the scene.
But yeah- I loved it!
It was a great space, too. Also air conditioned – which made it a better venue than PS 122 where they’ve had the WYSIWYG show before.
Fecking geography. Wish I had been there.
Sounds like a cool event, and WYSIWIG is such an interesting idea overall. I don’t know if I could ever summon the courage to get up there like that. One of the niceties of bloggging is the safety and security of being at home, in front of the keyboard. But saying what I write? I’d probably be a stammering buffoon!
Nobody does it gayer
Our third annual Pride extravaganza was Tuesday night, and a gay old time was had by all! Somewhere around a hundred people packed into Bowery Poetry Club to get their gay on, have some cocktails, and hear a bunch of…
Thanks, everyone! Alex, I thought I would be a stammering buffoon but miraculously, something took over and I managed to make it through without getting all mealy-mouthed. I’m still amazed that I pulled it off. Also, I credit the extremely supportive WYSIWYG environment. The audience is comprised of bloggers and we all know that writing is the preferred means of communication for most of us. As a result, everyone really rallies around the performers. I’m very grateful for WYSIWYG. I’ve been exposed to a lot of great writers thanks to it. And now I’m the toast of the Bowery and will use it as a springboard into superstardom. HA HA HA HA. I’m such a punk. :)
Sheila the Red,
Stegosaurus is a slammer who is/was a regular slammer at Urbana when I last went there. He did awesome poems like “The Intergalactic Warlord Cantata… of Love.”