It's a three-for-all

When the National Book Award nominees were announced I was thrilled to see that three Happy Ending Series veterans were included: Lydia Davis, Jim Shepard and Joshua Ferris.

I was equally as thrilled to see Happy Ending Series readers Charles Bock and Lauren Groff make it onto the New York Times Best Seller list this month, and now, David Shields, who will be reading on March 12th just emailed to tell me he, too, will be on the list right before his reading. So that makes 3.

And now, I've heard that THREE Happy Ending Series veterans have been nominated for the LA Times Book Award: Tom Bissell, Ellen Litman and Rebecca Curtis.

Let's hope this is a trend. Then I can change the name to Happy Trending Reading Series.

Maybe one day I can read at the Happy Ending Series and get nominated for something. Doubtful though, the girl who runs it is really picky.

You give me fever

Last night's Happy Ending Series was a smash hit. I was in slow motion with fever and when friends said it was the most mellow they'd seen me, I took that as an insult, although today I realize it wasn't an insult, not even a compliment, but perhaps a...request? Alas, the fever has broken. The regular photographer couldn't make it, so I've nicked some photos from the world wide google instead. (Except for the one of Lou Reed and Guy Lesser - Gillian Crosson - the regular Happy Ending photog took that).

Andrew Vladeck's banjo wouldn't plug into the sound board so he played in front of the microphone which gave the night a sort of living room salon feel, which was nice.



Chris Adrian read from a dark, political children's book he wrote (9/11, slaves, Bush) and then read a poem he wrote about wishing he was a dog. The poem was so sad and sweet it made me wish I was his dog. Or that he were mine. Or that he had brought his prescription pad and written me a script for happy pills.



Steve Toltz read from his buzzy debut, "Fraction of a Whole." Then, he told us a story about being a parking PA on a movie (I job I had once on "Frankie and Johnny") and in the boredom of waiting to place the orange cones (I'm so Jewish I almost wrote Cohens) on the street he taught himself the mouth trumpet. He's quite good, actually. Might try and get him as the musical guest next time. In his entourage -- everyone from America's Next Top Model? He was surrounded by leggy bombshells.



Margot Livesey (Margot I lovesey) read a story involving theft and wooing. Then she told us a story about how she used to want to be a nun, but more than a nun, a nun who walks on water, a nun whose dog she taught how to speak English. It was charming and funny and I lovesey her.



Nathan Englander and Rivka Galchen were in attendance. As was Laurie Sandell, whose graphic Novel, "This is Mt. Rushmore" comes out next year. Almost as heavy hitting an audience as when Lou Reed and Guy Lesser were there.

High fever. Big show.

I woke up with some flu thing. I have a fever, I ache, I'm exhausted, my head hurts, I'm miserable, but I have a show to host, so my sweat and I will see you tonight.

Tonight:

Steve Toltz
Chris Adrian
Margot Livesey

with music from Andrew Vladeck.

I may not make it through the whole show. I don't even know if I can make it to the subway. Regardless, you have no excuse. Unless you do. But you don't. So, please come.

8pm 302 Broome Street between Forsyth and Eldridge. Free.

Getting Rid of the Clown

Hi people of the Interweb. A story of mine is being serialized all week on Five Chapters, helmed by the indefatigable Dave Daley.

The story: A girl and her mime.

Give it a go.

or read the other stories on there.

Monsters of Baton-elton

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Ex-cheerleader, Lauren Groff gives good cheer with her baton.

More photos from this event coming soon....

We even do yoga

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At Happy Ending, we cover all ground. Even the actual ground. Daphne Beal, folks. Reciting a poem on her head. As if she doesn't do that everyday...

Tonight I am Reading at Mixer

Mixer presents: The Competition

(A reading by the hosts of our favorite rival series)

Amanda Stern, Nicole Steinberg, Evan Glasson, with
music by Spectacular Bird
Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 p.m., FREE
Cakeshop
152 Ludlow St. bet. Rivington and Stanton
F, V to 2nd Ave., F, J, M, to Delancey

My favorite series I've never been to

TRAMPOLINE HALL, FOLKS. In San Francisco, which is not New York, but doesn't invalidate the series (if you can believe that). I know these people in San Francisco so they should go: Stephen, Vanessa, Rebecca, Jonathan, Sarah, Russell, Melanie, Adam, David, Sasha, Andrea and...that might be all.

Thanks for coming!

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Charles Bock

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Which actor?

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Does he look like to you? I can't place it, but it's on the tip of my tongue. Holy shit! I just got it. He looks like one of those London boys. Jeremy London or one of those. Remember, from Party of Five? Yes? No?

Luke Temple

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Hitting the high notes

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The sweetest thing ever

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Carl Wilson sings, holding hands with two audience members. It was a true collectively felt experience and I'm glad I was part of it.

Audience love

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More Wilson

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Carl Wilson

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He's the guy whose book I have a crush on.

Trinie with clothes

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Pre-nuditidinous

Off with these pants

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Stage one of reading without your clothes on.

Stage two

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Pants off.

Stage three

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Shirt off.

Stage Four

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This is it folks, as far as she goes. Good enough for me.

Floor audience

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Confused Host

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What now, folks?

The Bockstar

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And his fans.

The artful crooner

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Luke Temple might be making a return appearance on March 26th. Keep your fingers braided.

Before you arrive

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Some of us tune up.

Audience

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Mixing it up

I'm reading tomorrow night at Mixer -- 2/20 -- with Nicole Steinberg and Evan Glasson.

Here's the info:

Mixer presents: The Competition
(A reading by the hosts of our favorite rival series)
Amanda Stern, Nicole Steinberg, Evan Glasson, with
music by Spectacular Bird
Wednesday, February 20, 7:00 p.m., FREE
Cakeshop
152 Ludlow St. bet. Rivington and Stanton
F, V to 2nd Ave., F, J, M, to Delancey

I didn't know about the "Competition" part of the reading until recently, so who knows what I'm in for. Come on down and watch it unfold...

Stuff White People Like

In honor of President's Day (white people, all -- so far), I thought I'd share with you something my friend, Ted Hope, shared with me (and others).

Stuff White People Like. Have a look.

Ah...childhood.

Me and John the Carpenter.

That's not rain, folks.

Don't let a little dampness get in your way

It's a great show tonight at Happy Ending

JONATHAN SCOTT FUQUA
JANICE ERLBAUM
LAUREN GROFF

with musical guest:

MIKE ERRICO

PLUS, I'm a little grumpy, so that's always a big treat for everyone.

As always, I'll be your host.

Serialization -- Part 1

The Computer, the Courthouse, the Judge and me.

Some people have good apartment karma, others money. I am of a rare breed. I have good Jury Duty karma. For the four times I’ve been called, my dismissal’s come within three hours of walking through security check point. It’s a fact I’ve come to rely upon, so when I was called to Jury Duty two Thursday's ago, I thought -- not a big deal. I’d be out of there within three hours. I arrived an hour late, laptop bag strapped like a suicide bomb across my chest, so cocky I think I flirted with the beef who confiscated my tape recorder upon entry.

While a hundred plus people sat in cushioned chairs awaiting their turn to serve, I sat on the floor near a socket, plugged in, pulled out all my papers, created a virtual office space and worked on my NYTimes article due the next day. Names were called out over the loudspeaker, one after another. I made myself comfortable. I knew mine would not be one of them.

It wasn’t.

At noon they dismissed us for lunch and I thought, “Hmmm…this is odd. I’ve been here three hours. A record.”

I went to lunch worried I had lost the mojo. It was my first Jury Duty in Brooklyn. Maybe the luck was relegated just to Manhattan?

I returned from lunch early. A woman had taken my place on the floor, plugged her computer into my socket.

“Hey, you’re in my office,” I said, jokingly but not kidding.

She looked up at me. “I saw you here earlier. I thought it was a good idea.”

"It was."

She barely made room for me. I made room for myself. I saw sparks when I plugged my computer into the wall. I turned to look at my computer whose screen was a procession of static lines, hundreds of them like a 1950s set between channels.

“Holy fuck,” I quickly turned and unplugged from the outlet. My computer screen turned straight black. I was bold or I was stupid and I tried another socket thinking that might change things...

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2...

Trampoline Hall meets Happy Ending

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Heard of Trampoline Hall? It's this amazing lecture series in Toronto started by my friends Sheila Heti and Carl Wilson. They have non-experts give lectures to audiences. It's genius, compelling, spellbinding. Of course, I've never been.

This guy walked in to Happy Ending as the show was getting started and, bags still in hand, I had him come up to the stage to give us on impromptu lecture on...PEARLS! yelled someone from the audience. I'm not sure I could do justice to the astonishing ease at which this guy lectured on a topic of which he knew nothing, but if I had that skill, I too would walk in late to random urban events hoping I might get called to the stage to shine on cue.

Well done, stranger. Really well done.

A quick preview

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From January 23rd's show. I've been too busy reading the rave reviews for Charles Bock's book that I've forgotten to post photos from that night. Here is a quick preview. More to come...Here is Mr. Bock encouraging the crowd to sing along to a Black Sabbath song.

Crashed, burned.

I had a computer mishap that involved an outlet, a court-house and a woman who stole my seat. It's a long-ish story, but I've got to wake up early because J, A and I are going out of town for my mother's art opening. We're not leaving town because she's having an art opening, we're leaving town in order to attend it. So I'll tell my computer story in a day or so. I'm sure you'll just sit where you are until then, refreshing your screen.

Look out for new One Word Celebrity Interviews. Coming up: Hal Hartley. Scroll down a bunch of post to read Moby's.

On Deadline

Trying to get a column done here for the New York Times. Having trouble so am cursing and throwing myself on and off my bed. Taking a break and watching CNN. Mitt Romney is talking about winning Utah and Massachusetts. He says, "We're getting the nomination! We're winning this thing! And we're gonna make it to the White House!" And his wife, standing behind him and facing the viewer has a slight grimace when he says this, shakes her head ever so slightly side to side and is thinking, just what we are, "Poor dear. No you're not."

Coming soon: the 2nd One Word Celebrity Interview with HAL HARTLEY. Don't miss the first one with MOBY, two posts below...

Person of the Week / Katie Merz

KATIE MERZ is a brilliant artist. I've known her a couple years now and not only is she the real deal as a person, she's the real deal as an artist. There's nothing pretentious or disingenuous about her or her work. In an effort to get the word out about her extraordinary and authentic art, I have chosen her as the person of the week.

Some of her work:



Facts about Katie: (other than the fact that she's a terrible speller and that I call her K-dawg) Her Favorite Music: De la Soul. Rides: a bike since 1969. Worked: in a newsstand for one year. Has: bad bones and lots of cavities. Feet: the size of transvestites. Born: Brooklyn. Has been: to confession

If you want to purchase one of her limited edition yoga mats and learn more about her and her work, go to katiemerz.com

Person of the week launches tomorrow...

Stay tuned. Tomorrow I will introduce the person of the week.

A teaser...




And of course, please see the post below where the first One Word Celebrity Interview has launched. Premiere interview with Moby.