Idiots' Box

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April 12, 2007

My New Crush

Move over, Beck - because here's my new crush:

So, tonight was the second event of the WC Lit House Humor and Satire Festival. It was a panel titled "Which One is 'Fake' News?" and they were addressing the current trend of fake news shows like Jon Stewart and Colbert etc. (I promise, this has a lot to do with my new crush, I'm getting there...). So, the two panelists were Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times (I did a google image search and this is the first image it came up with - vs. this, which is what he actually looks like (sorry, bad photo, no flash) - there's something to be learned here about the internet, or about truth, or something, but I'm not sure what) and Joe Garden (whose image search came up with this, and so, relieved, I returned to doing all of my doctoral research via google) of The Onion. The moderator of the panel was John Harwood who has some kind of link to WC, but I wasn't clear what. These three gentlemen were smart, entertaining, and inspired in me the desire to be someone who is smart and cares about the news.

But, instead, I ran home to blog about my new crush.

Now, I've always liked The Onion, but I love Joe Garden. There's a whole new level of smart and clever when it isn't written online or in some free "newspaper" that they hand out on every streetcorner, when it just flows forth from someone's mouth like manna. I just love that shit. Luckily, in response to someone's question about how bloggers influence the news, he stated in no uncertain terms that he finds blogging "really boring" so my secret is safe with you. Because I'm really quite sure that blogging about new crushes is probably way off his radar. Now, I don't mean to underappreciate Jim Rutenberg, who was also crushingly smart and charming - but his kind of smarts just mostly makes me feel stupid, while Mr. Garden makes me feel stupid and amused.

I have been asked to do some little drawings/sketches/caricatures for some sort of book/pamphlet/dvd that the Lit House will be producing about the Humor and Satire Festival, so I brought along my sketchbook and came up with this:

Yeah. So, they might be regretting that request.

Anyway - the Humor and Satire Festival is running through the weekend and will feature Stories of the Moth with DMC (YES! of Run DMC!!!) and Jonathan Ames tomorrow night, and Saturday will feature a reading by George Saunders. GEORGE SAUNDERS!!! Who rejected Matthew from grad school with a toss of the application, crushed his hopes, and sent him down this road of misery, bookmaking, and jumping! Yes, we had packed our bags for Syracuse, fully expecting the red carpet treatment (shuttle bus, cheese and crackers, etc) from the English Department, only to be sent packing to this hellhole we call Chestertown. Ah, but what a tragic turn of events. So, this year, instead of me working at some drudgery in the great white north and matthew searching his soul for stories that have endings, we have been spending our time doing drugery here with stories that don't have endings. The best! Thank you George Saunders! Thank you! Anyway, George Saunders is matthew's long-time crush, so I feel okay posting here about Joe Garden.

And, by the way, Joe wants to take over for Conan (who I also, incidentally, love) (but, um, that kind of love that I can't stay up after 11 to satisfy) (you know what I'm talking about, ladies!) when Conan leaves to take over for Leno (whow, am I out of the loop) - so Vote for Joe (I'm too stupid to figure out how, but it must be in there somewhere)!!

Posted by ribbu at April 12, 2007 09:07 PM

Comments

Posted by: VoteJoe at May 31, 2007 03:56 PM