what will happen in the future and most other subjects
Well tonight's Hodgman extravaganza was, as advertised, different from yesterday's and equally awesome. I brought my camera this time, and took lots of pictures, some of which I am very pleased with. The entire album is here.
Instead of free hotdogs, there was instead free liquor. What was this free liquor and what is it's story?
But let us start from the beginning. I got there quite a bit earlier than I did yesterday, which was good because there were far more people there tonight. I wasn't there too long before leahrosmerta arrived, as did izzat, who I didn't even know was coming. We got in line near the front, which I was excited about not only because it meant front row seats, but also because they had a stock of official Areas of My Expertise railroad chalk (for chalking the H-in-sunrays around), and I would get a piece. The lobby in front of the E.T.C. stage became progressively more and more crowded until pretty much it couldn't hold any more people. They handed out "tickets", because apparently there were so many people the venue might not be able to hold them all.
FInally they let us in and we raced to the front and snagged spots front and center. We were literally right underneath him. There was definitely the air that this was a more "professionally" run gig, and it was compared to the bookstore event yesterday (but both were very good of course). There were no introductory songs by Jonathan Coulton, only John Hodgman's own personal song. John started out much the same as yesterday, though the jokes were all still hilarious. We recited the Six Oaths of the Virtuous Child again; when John explains how the recitation was going to work, he says "you will repeat after me when I gesture thusly", and of course no one says anything, so he says "no, thusly" and the audience repeats "thusly". Anyway, since he did that yesterday I knew, and was the only one who said "thusly" the first time. He wasn't expecting that of course, and replied "Oh, I see we have someone who's seen this before. You are correct. Thusly." He also complimented us (the audience) on our resonance, which was apparently particularly good.
Tonight he did a reading from the Mall of America section of the book, and also notably did not do a section on Hobo Matters, "because quite frankly I'm sick of it." He instead explained that when the Hobo documentary didn't pan out, they planned to do a similar style documentary on lobsters, complete with crappy folk music and a single picture of a lobster over which the camera will pan. Unfortunately for that documentary, lobsters are litigious and will not give consent for the use of their images. John did a reading set to music, and afterward Jonathan piped in and asked if he could do a song for his cause, Friends of the Old Furry Lobster. John grudginly agreed, and Jonathan sang his song.
Then John noted that it was the point in the show when they get tired, and need a drink. They wanted to tie in the audiobook somehow, so he explained that they would play us a part of the audiobook that he could not perform, and while it was playing he and Jonathan would have a drink of that fine Chicago spirit, Malort. Someone in the audience groaned and he replied "Oh, someone knows it. Yes, it kills men." He then set up a small CD boombox and positioned the microphone in front of it . It was a part in which he gets Paul Rudd to read the 5 worst jokes ever, which if you tell them will surely end your comedy career right then and there. John could obviously not, so he got Paul Rudd to do it, who noted (refering to his own comedy career) "you can't lose something you never had." John and Jonathan then reposed to the back of the stage and poured themselves snifters of Malort.
After the segment was over they came back to the front of the stage and announced it was time for the Q&A. Also, John asked if anyone would happen to want some Malort. leahrosmerta raised her hand, and he asked if we had cups. We did not, so he just told us to take swigs and pass it around. We obeyed. Now, those that know me fairly well probably know that I have long held that the worst liquor I've ever had is bai-jiu, from China. Nothing could beat it, until today. That stuff was unbelievably foul; it tasted, as leahrosmerta so eloquently put it, like fermented earwax. I cannot believe he was drinking that stuff.
The walkie-talkies were brought out, and the rules explained. John handed the walkie-talkie to me first, so it was fortunate that I had a question prepared (although I was still reeling a bit from my swig of the Malort). I asked him about his segments on the Daily Show and how much of those were him and how much were the Daily Show writers. He said that one day he'll be sitting at home and he'll get a call, "and the voice on the other end of the line will say, 'write a piece about nuclear proliferation in Iran' and I will say, 'Ok.'" He writes a draft and then goes in and hones it with the head writers.
Then a woman a few rows back began her question as, "You seem pretty bookish..." John cut her off, with a "what?! bookish?" and snatched up his snifter, held it up, said "call this bookish, motherfucker!" (good-naturedly, of course), and proceeded to slam it down. Everyone in the front row who had tasted that stuff was shouting "nooooo!" but he didn't seem to mind. He finished it half way, then chugged the rest. He spilled out a bunch on his chin, and advised us not to do shots out of brandy snifters.
Before the next question he went back into the weird circular cutout that was at the back of the stage, and announced "this is John, calling from this weird circular thing." I think it was that question that asked how one catches a feral mountain man (ala, Jonathan Coulton), and John suggested one attend Yale University with him.
The Q&A session ended then, and John announced he would end with some Hobo poetry, like yesterday. He pulled out his chalk then, and inscribed the H-in-sunrays on the back of the stage wall. He read the poem, then Jonathan did one last song. It was a funny song, and John sat in the back laughing during it.
After the show they hustled us out (there was another show in there later) and into the packed and chaotic lobby. The line for signing formed haphazardly, but we were near the front. leahrosmerta and her boyfriend got their books signed first; John asked if he'd met leahrosmerta before and she said no, but he'd met me. He affirmed that this was true and they went back to their signing. When I got up there he was all smiles and good-to-see-you-agains, which made me happy. He asked me "how's that Jurassic Park thing going" and thanked me for coming to both shows and said that they try to mix the material up but apologized for the repetitive material. Of course I had no issue with it and told him so, and said that both the shows were very good. He signed my book again, crossing out his name once again on the front page, and wrote on the next, "have you found the non-bird yet?" He also signed my chalk (box), just in case I don't remember what is inside the box. He thanked me for coming again and I said my goodbyes to leahrosmerta and her boyfriend. And then I stood in the lobby of the building for a while, since it was absolutely pouring outside. At one point I was outside and lightening struck literally right down the block from us. It was petrifying and ear-drum shattering. But I made it home safe with my goodies, and pleased after another evening with John Hodgman.
ETA: John Hodgman has explained a little more about his history with Malort over on his blog. I, for one, hope I never encounter it again.
Instead of free hotdogs, there was instead free liquor. What was this free liquor and what is it's story?
But let us start from the beginning. I got there quite a bit earlier than I did yesterday, which was good because there were far more people there tonight. I wasn't there too long before leahrosmerta arrived, as did izzat, who I didn't even know was coming. We got in line near the front, which I was excited about not only because it meant front row seats, but also because they had a stock of official Areas of My Expertise railroad chalk (for chalking the H-in-sunrays around), and I would get a piece. The lobby in front of the E.T.C. stage became progressively more and more crowded until pretty much it couldn't hold any more people. They handed out "tickets", because apparently there were so many people the venue might not be able to hold them all.
FInally they let us in and we raced to the front and snagged spots front and center. We were literally right underneath him. There was definitely the air that this was a more "professionally" run gig, and it was compared to the bookstore event yesterday (but both were very good of course). There were no introductory songs by Jonathan Coulton, only John Hodgman's own personal song. John started out much the same as yesterday, though the jokes were all still hilarious. We recited the Six Oaths of the Virtuous Child again; when John explains how the recitation was going to work, he says "you will repeat after me when I gesture thusly", and of course no one says anything, so he says "no, thusly" and the audience repeats "thusly". Anyway, since he did that yesterday I knew, and was the only one who said "thusly" the first time. He wasn't expecting that of course, and replied "Oh, I see we have someone who's seen this before. You are correct. Thusly." He also complimented us (the audience) on our resonance, which was apparently particularly good.
Tonight he did a reading from the Mall of America section of the book, and also notably did not do a section on Hobo Matters, "because quite frankly I'm sick of it." He instead explained that when the Hobo documentary didn't pan out, they planned to do a similar style documentary on lobsters, complete with crappy folk music and a single picture of a lobster over which the camera will pan. Unfortunately for that documentary, lobsters are litigious and will not give consent for the use of their images. John did a reading set to music, and afterward Jonathan piped in and asked if he could do a song for his cause, Friends of the Old Furry Lobster. John grudginly agreed, and Jonathan sang his song.
Then John noted that it was the point in the show when they get tired, and need a drink. They wanted to tie in the audiobook somehow, so he explained that they would play us a part of the audiobook that he could not perform, and while it was playing he and Jonathan would have a drink of that fine Chicago spirit, Malort. Someone in the audience groaned and he replied "Oh, someone knows it. Yes, it kills men." He then set up a small CD boombox and positioned the microphone in front of it . It was a part in which he gets Paul Rudd to read the 5 worst jokes ever, which if you tell them will surely end your comedy career right then and there. John could obviously not, so he got Paul Rudd to do it, who noted (refering to his own comedy career) "you can't lose something you never had." John and Jonathan then reposed to the back of the stage and poured themselves snifters of Malort.
After the segment was over they came back to the front of the stage and announced it was time for the Q&A. Also, John asked if anyone would happen to want some Malort. leahrosmerta raised her hand, and he asked if we had cups. We did not, so he just told us to take swigs and pass it around. We obeyed. Now, those that know me fairly well probably know that I have long held that the worst liquor I've ever had is bai-jiu, from China. Nothing could beat it, until today. That stuff was unbelievably foul; it tasted, as leahrosmerta so eloquently put it, like fermented earwax. I cannot believe he was drinking that stuff.
The walkie-talkies were brought out, and the rules explained. John handed the walkie-talkie to me first, so it was fortunate that I had a question prepared (although I was still reeling a bit from my swig of the Malort). I asked him about his segments on the Daily Show and how much of those were him and how much were the Daily Show writers. He said that one day he'll be sitting at home and he'll get a call, "and the voice on the other end of the line will say, 'write a piece about nuclear proliferation in Iran' and I will say, 'Ok.'" He writes a draft and then goes in and hones it with the head writers.
Then a woman a few rows back began her question as, "You seem pretty bookish..." John cut her off, with a "what?! bookish?" and snatched up his snifter, held it up, said "call this bookish, motherfucker!" (good-naturedly, of course), and proceeded to slam it down. Everyone in the front row who had tasted that stuff was shouting "nooooo!" but he didn't seem to mind. He finished it half way, then chugged the rest. He spilled out a bunch on his chin, and advised us not to do shots out of brandy snifters.
Before the next question he went back into the weird circular cutout that was at the back of the stage, and announced "this is John, calling from this weird circular thing." I think it was that question that asked how one catches a feral mountain man (ala, Jonathan Coulton), and John suggested one attend Yale University with him.
The Q&A session ended then, and John announced he would end with some Hobo poetry, like yesterday. He pulled out his chalk then, and inscribed the H-in-sunrays on the back of the stage wall. He read the poem, then Jonathan did one last song. It was a funny song, and John sat in the back laughing during it.
After the show they hustled us out (there was another show in there later) and into the packed and chaotic lobby. The line for signing formed haphazardly, but we were near the front. leahrosmerta and her boyfriend got their books signed first; John asked if he'd met leahrosmerta before and she said no, but he'd met me. He affirmed that this was true and they went back to their signing. When I got up there he was all smiles and good-to-see-you-agains, which made me happy. He asked me "how's that Jurassic Park thing going" and thanked me for coming to both shows and said that they try to mix the material up but apologized for the repetitive material. Of course I had no issue with it and told him so, and said that both the shows were very good. He signed my book again, crossing out his name once again on the front page, and wrote on the next, "have you found the non-bird yet?" He also signed my chalk (box), just in case I don't remember what is inside the box. He thanked me for coming again and I said my goodbyes to leahrosmerta and her boyfriend. And then I stood in the lobby of the building for a while, since it was absolutely pouring outside. At one point I was outside and lightening struck literally right down the block from us. It was petrifying and ear-drum shattering. But I made it home safe with my goodies, and pleased after another evening with John Hodgman.
ETA: John Hodgman has explained a little more about his history with Malort over on his blog. I, for one, hope I never encounter it again.