Lena Dunham Wants You To Work For Her For Free
Hamilton Nolan writes at Gawker:
This week, rich and famous human Lena Dunham will begin her 12-city book tour. Several dates will feature regular people performing. They will not be paid.
He does the math on that:
Forbes' estimate of Lena Dunham's annual earnings: $6 millionLena Dunham's book advance: $3.7 million
Tickets sold for Lena Dunham's book tour: 8,000
Price per ticket: $38 (or $900, from scalpers)
Total book tour ticket revenue: $304,000
Percentage of book tour revenue reserved for regular people performing as warm-up acts for Lena Dunham: 0%
Scummy.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, this wasn't something she was in the dark about. The open call for performers to work for free as warmup acts for her book tour was posted on her website.







No Class, no talent, and really, no reason to read her book. . .
Keith Glass at September 29, 2014 8:13 AM
I'm guessing the regular people are performers wanting to get their foot in the door. They probably would have PAID her, if she had required it.
mpetrie98 at September 29, 2014 8:15 AM
This is Lena Dunham explaining why she votes:
"I wore fishnets and a little black dress to vote, then walked around with a spring in my slinky step. It lasted for days. I can summon it when I’m blue. It’s more effective than exercise or ecstasy or cheesecake...."
http://womenarewatching.org/blog/lena-dunham-5-reasons-why-i-vote-and-you-should-too
Conan the Grammarian at September 29, 2014 8:19 AM
This is Kevin Williamson explaining why Lena Dunham is an idiot:
"That’s 21st-century U.S. politics in miniature: a half-assed listicle penned by a half-bright celebrity...."
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/388945/five-reasons-why-youre-too-dumb-vote-kevin-d-williamson
Conan the Grammarian at September 29, 2014 8:21 AM
You were expecting a woman who tries to shame the world into fact acceptance (as opposed to, you know, actually losing weight) to act with some modicum of fairness and class?
Dream on.
Patrick at September 29, 2014 9:43 AM
working for free, for something you are passionate about is no new thing... what is new is how the view has gone from volunteerism for the less fortunate, or the bettering of mankind...
To volunteering to help celebrities with their own work, which is essentially engaging in the Cult of Personality.
Regardless if they request you provide your OWN artistic output for free to them for "Exposure", or you clean up after their book signings... this is about taking advantage of willing hands.
And it's on them. Great good can be done with a celebrity word, and has been done, but come jump through hoops to entertain at my book signing? This is just "look at what I can make the rubes do."
Hope these 15 minutes of fame are up soon.
SwissArmyD at September 29, 2014 10:13 AM
If someone wants to work for free, then why shouldn't they. Don't want to, don't do it.
I don't really care about her either way. Her show was ok, but not great.
NicoleK at September 29, 2014 10:34 AM
"Scummy" is really aggressive language for something like this.
I've never seen her shows or movies or books or her line of sunglasses or whatever: Presumably her people love her. Why shouldn't they be allowed to interact with her, and she with them, as each sees fit?
Country music is cancer. Those bastards ride around in air-conditioned tour buses, drinking beer and Mr. Pibb, rolling into these cities for concerts with tickets costing more than $20... And that's the price for working people! They perform simplistic, childish melodies for listeners who ought to save the money for something else... And the listeners smile when they hear it!… Some even applaud. Then these "musicians" turn off their spotlights, pay their federal, state and local taxes, and move on to the next show. It's hideous. It's 'scummy.'
Except that, y'know, why not?
People deserve what they accept... Never more so than with entertainment.
This is much like the Huffington Post. People who were stupid enough to give their attention so lavishly, whether as writers or readers, are perfectly free to do so... And to stop whenever they want.
When I was a kid, there was a tale of a gazillion dollars from a teentsy-leedle want ad —
You shouldn't be angry just because Ariana, or this Dunham person, thought of it first.Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 29, 2014 10:58 AM
A chubby verbose screeching neurotic white chick that is sexually unappealing to her upper middle class demographic reaches out to equally untalented hipsters to entertain fans for no monetary compensation. Both parties agree that while money in an unimportant motivator each secretly hopes for a couple of bucks to be thrown their way via some unknown force known as "karma" aka "exploitation". Dunham wants to exploit and hipsters want to be exploited. In a cruel twist of fate neither realizing that Dunham made her way to the top through the sheer work ethic of her famous parents like most self proclaimed Hollywood social justice warriors who write books about rich mean cunts with too much childhood therapy.
Ppen at September 29, 2014 11:39 AM
I'm not understanding her appeal. She's unattractive and irritating and does vulgar and stupid things.
Art Deco at September 29, 2014 11:57 AM
I'm not understanding her appeal. She's unattractive and irritating and does vulgar and stupid things.
Posted by: Art Deco at September 29, 2014 11:57 AM
And thus, the perfect role model for Millennials.
Isab at September 29, 2014 12:15 PM
"And thus, the perfect role model for Millennials."
Pfft, like Boomers are in any place to judge.
Elle at September 29, 2014 12:35 PM
I'm with Art; I don't "get" Lena Dunham. Maybe I'm not supposed to.
Cousin Dave at September 29, 2014 12:43 PM
"In a cruel twist of fate neither realizing that Dunham made her way to the top through the sheer work ethic of her famous parents"
I've never seen Dunham's show or movie(s?), and haven't read anything she's written, so I have no personal opinion of her work.
This particular criticism has always baffled me though. There must be tens of thousands of people more famous than Carroll Dunham or Laurie Simmons. Is HBO really that likely to say "hey, if we can get *Laurie Simmons'* daughter to fill a prime spot for us for multiple seasons, how can we say no"?
kf at September 29, 2014 1:14 PM
In what world do you live where that's how fame and connections work?
Ppen at September 29, 2014 1:24 PM
It's a stupid criticism. Thousands upon thousands of people have connections and "fame" of the type that Lena Dunham's parents have.
But no, please do tell me how fame and connections work, and how all those thousands of people have become as famous and successful as Lena Dunham.
kf at September 29, 2014 1:33 PM
"In a cruel twist of fate neither realizing that Dunham made her way to the top through the sheer work ethic of her famous parents"
Famous to whom? I've never heard of these people. They appear to be denizens of the high art business with no connection to the entertainment business.
Melissa Rivers had a famous mother and an exceedingly well-connected father, which, with a complete absence of an ordinary person's sense of privacy, may largely account for her career as a producer/personality. (She's also attractive, if you do not mind somewhat indelicate features).
Art Deco at September 29, 2014 1:34 PM
And thus, the perfect role model for Millennials.
Don't know. Those in my circle take their time about getting their adult life off the ground and you see indications that many of their contemporaries seem to suffer from exceedingly sleazoid sexual mores and a susceptibility to social fashion that you did not see 15 or 20 years ago. Otherwise, they're fairly benign, if strangely attached to their technology. (My sister-in-law looking at her son's friends calls them 'roamers' who've lost the ability to make plans because they're always in touch via smart phones and such).
Art Deco at September 29, 2014 1:40 PM
Actually, when I first heard of her and people started bitching about her "famous" parents, I thought her father was that guy with the puppets.
kf at September 29, 2014 1:41 PM
Why is the price from scalpers even mentioned. Assuming it's accurate, Lena Dunham doesn't get revenue from scalpers, nor is she in any way responsible for anyone scalping her tickets.
Not that I have any interest in her whatsoever, but why be bitter over what scalpers do...with anyone's tickets.
Patrick at September 29, 2014 2:24 PM
"Exposure".
Hmm. By that standard, a new restaurant ought to serve a customer for free on their first visit. Fot "exposure".
An author's first book should be free. For "Exposure". . .
Yeah, right.. .
Keith Glass at September 29, 2014 2:40 PM
It's quite simple just because you're not in the entertainment business doesn't mean you don't run in the entertainment circles. Her mother is famous for the latter.
I don't get in what fucking planet you live where that scenario you presented even seems like a plausible argument against what I'm essentially describing as networking (ya know the shit you and I do but on a different scale--for rich artsy people).
There is no way Dunham would have gotten where she is now if she wasn't wealthy and with the Hollywood connections afforded to her by her famous parents. She's a fat unfunny justice crusader for fucks sake who luckily hit it off with the target demographic of other prissy over educated over psychoanalyzed upper middle class women.
Dunham was guaranteed an audience with Mommy's friends. 90% of all the work you need in Hollywood is getting heard by other famous people who will distribute your shit. So Dunham had a 90% free pass.
JUST FYI Dunham isn't unique in that regard. Angelina Jolie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Anniston, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, Jean Harlow all had mommy's help.
Ppen at September 29, 2014 2:42 PM
"Pfft, like Boomers are in any place to judge."
Along with our errors, we gave you the Internet, the Summer of Love, good coffee and seatbelts.
If you'd like to focus just on our errors, please don't use the Web we wove to do it. That's as crappy as saying you're into moombahton when you're really into house.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 29, 2014 2:54 PM
Who?
Radwaste at September 29, 2014 3:22 PM
Ppen, maybe switch to decaf.
There's a difference between "help" and attributing 100% of her success to "Dunham made her way to the top through the sheer work ethic of her famous parents".
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that maybe she has a work ethic of her own, and in all likelihood a smidgen of talent. Even if she's fat and icky and all that.
This whole idea that "mommy's friends" are sufficient to support 3 seasons on HBO and a $3.5 million book advance is loopy. Famous parents with connections, at the absolute highest level, gets you Chelsea Clinton's career at NBC news. It's obvious that Dunham (and Jolie etc.) have accomplished a bit more than that.
kf at September 29, 2014 4:04 PM
I don't think there is anything scummy about it. She's hosting an open mic is all that's happening here.
whistleDick at September 29, 2014 4:09 PM
Are you a dolt that lacks reading comprehension?
Where did I attribute 100% of her success to her parentage? And where do I say that having a famous mommy and daddy made her show popular to support 3 seasons of it?
I SAID IT PUT HER FUCKING FOOT IN THE DOOR and that is the HARDEST part of making it in Hollywood as an comedic entertainer. That's why people mock her for it. There are a million trillion better people than her who will never get heard by anyone famous. She just got it handed it to her.
What happens after is luck of the draw. She was able to tap into the upper middle class early 25-30's female demographic. Same appeal that Aniston, and Paltrow have. Neither particular flowing with talent, beauty, or charm. But because Denham is chubby with famous parents she had to go a different route than the two above.
People know it. People mock her for it. You're the only one that doesnt get it.
Ppen at September 29, 2014 4:48 PM
The part of your post I quoted attributed 100% of her success to her "famous" parents. I forgot to factor in luck. How gracious of you.
You can use allcaps, boldface or 72 point font if you like, but putting her foot in the door is the opposite of your original post, which says her parents got her "to the top". I don't know her parents personally and have no idea what their work ethic is; maybe you're right about that. Maybe her show is like a fourth grade diorama and she just puts her name on it.
I mean, I'm sorry there's a famous person out there who you don't like, and a person on the internet who disagrees with you. I hope other things in your life are going well enough to compensate.
kf at September 29, 2014 5:01 PM
No it's apparent you lack reading comprehension. Got it. Carry on.
Ppen at September 29, 2014 5:17 PM
"Scummy" is really aggressive language for something like this.
It's not. Because you can get something for free doesn't mean you should.
And yes, Ppen is right -- the foot in the door is the hardest part and having parents who grease the way for you with their money and connections gets you in. It is NOT a meritocracy. It's a who-you-know-itocracy.
Amy Alkon at September 29, 2014 8:00 PM
Ah yes, an overcrowded city, rampant drug use, public sex, homeless teenagers begging and selling themselves in the street, sanitation and health issues, long-term destruction of a neighborhood, and failed political objectives the ill effects of which we're still trying to recover from.
And this you hold up as a positive thing, a victory.
To paraphrase Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, this county can never again afford the luxury of a Baby Boomer victory.
Conan the Grammarian at September 29, 2014 8:08 PM
Country music is cancer.
Cridland, you're so messed up in the head. You should really watch Lena Dunham's "Girls" because she wrote and produced it for you. And you should give her all of your money.
This is music and storytelling.
Really, if you're in the Los Angeles area, it does have some interesting country music history. Surprised you don't know that, since you're a janitor/sound engineer at that club in Arcadia. Or is it El Monte?
Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris at the Palamino Room, man. You should know this.
Better than Steely Dan, better than Zappa.
Jason S. at September 29, 2014 8:12 PM
> Because you can get something for
> free doesn't mean you should.
Okay, you're going to make me read the blog post, rather than just scan it, like the first time, aren't you?
( )
OK, so:
> Several dates will feature regular
> people performing. They will not
> be paid.
The thing about "regular people" —and Jason should read this carefully, because it addresses his concerns as well— The thing about "regular people" is that generally they're not "performers" you'd pay to see. That's why they're described as "regular."
Never having seen her shows and movies or books or music videos or exercise tapes, I don't know what her audience would demand of her, either... What happens on a "book tour" that's worth $38?
Stop, stop, it was a rhetorical question, and it duzzenmadder: This sounds like a vaguely experimental bit of show business. Considering the stupidity of most television, perhaps it's to be encouraged. Maybe her audience (Boomers? X? Y? Sub-Z, or whatever follows?) would be tickled if she said "Here's are some people I don't know well, but they said mildly amusing or poignant things once in an airport or a coffeehouse, so let's see what happens."
Zappa did things like that with audience members and passerby pseudo-celebrities all the time. It was mostly mundane, but that's the hazard of Dada. Maybe responses to "regular people" in "performance" are how Dunham calibrates her understanding of her audience... How much unusual stuff they can tolerate, and the value they assign to mere good intentions.
> Because you can get something for
> free doesn't mean you should.
Is anyone expecting these "performers" to knock the shit out of harpsichord concerto or anything?
I can't understand why all the sudden this woman, who's achieved some success with an-audience-not-me, is now forbidden from doing playful things, simply because she has money to be somber about everything.
I think you just envy the success and the money.
Nowadays, Americans sincerely believe they should have a say in what happens to every dollar held by distant rich people... Nothing better describes Obama's voter base. (See signature link: We're closing in on 18 trill.)
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 12:28 AM
> you're so messed up in
> the head.
You're name's not familiar, but please believe that if you're someone I've somehow offended somewhere along the way, you almost certainly deserved it.
> This is music and
> storytelling.
Before following the link: Who gives a rat's ass about "storytelling"? Who brought that up? I like music. If you wanna read books and watch movies and tell ghost yarns around the campfire with the other Webelos, have at it. Uniforms and pomposity and shared hipster koans and air-sniffed political signalling are not what I care about. (The link....?)
Porter Waggoner.
Hair; spangly suits... Those are what come to mind from reading that name. I closed the page after a two-second glance a full minute ago, and can remember only that name. 55 seconds were spent in shock from learning that's where you're head's at. I guess I was expecting home video of some intellectual 'folk' performance from 2011's Occupy Topeka or something.
See, here's the deal, Jasee-bug: When you're the sort of person who likes music, they don't have to dress it up with "storytelling" or Dolly's tits or a feminine pompadour on a skinny man or some other tortured pretense of an interpersonal bond, or shared experience, with me, their ticket- and record-buying listener. Their narratives are their own beeswax. I just want some interesting music.
Back in the 'hood, Gram Parsons was a name that came up a lot but which never seemed worth investigating. Similarly "Emmylou Harris," and her name's in quotes just for the emotional distance: I've seen her face too much for not liking her music. The preciousness of her grooming and the blue-edness of her denim offend me. No tunes come to mind but if I recognized a title, I wouldn't like it. I hated celebrities like that as a matter of course. Really? These are the people who are going to make sounds that move you? Their behavior is worth your money? Storytelling?
I don't care if their lives are just like mine, or if they're romantic narratives are familiar, or if we'd even get along if we met at Denny's. I want to hear music from truly talented people who deliver it when the concert starts. Gifted people who gave it discipline and can do things that other people cannot do.
Zappa was instructive about this: He never really begrudged such talents their audiences. He thought people should listen to whatever they want to hear. (But he never bothered with bogus expressions of respect, either.)
Here's a favorite sample of his storytelling…
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 1:26 AM
…And here's how it sounded.
> it does have some interesting
> country music history
A contradiction in terms. Y'know, the "cancer" thing this morning was satiric... Hence the part about being loyal taxpayers. Y'know, sure, I really do hate country music in most all its forms, but those people are giving their audience what they want in a free nation.
I went to the Palomino a couple times, but forget who to see. Dr John maybe? Twennyfive years ago. It was a venue for things besides country.
Zappa had Pete Kleinow in the studio for an afternoon, so he wrote this solo for steel guitar, probably the only time he thought about it across his whole life. He never passed up a chance to exploit a sight-reader.
I don't love you enough to follow your
Parsons/Harris link. I don't love anyone enough to follow a Parsons/Harris link... I am about as evil as a boogieman can be.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 1:27 AM
"And yes, Ppen is right -- the foot in the door is the hardest part and having parents who grease the way for you with their money and connections gets you in. It is NOT a meritocracy. It's a who-you-know-itocracy."
Which makes it a strange thing to rip Lena Dunham in particular for, as if she's one of a very small handful of people in Hollywood with connections.
And what an odd thing for a writer to say. Do you think you don't have any talent or work ethic, Amy - that you were just lucky to get your foot in the door and everything after that was dumb luck? I'm certain that's not the case for you, and apparently Dunham's writing (and directing and acting) appeals to enough people to keep her in business.
kf at September 30, 2014 5:07 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/09/29/lena_dunham_wan.html#comment-5164121">comment from kfI'm not from a wealthy family. I'm from a middle-class family, and that provides certain advantages, like that I didn't grow up hungry (though I grew up disgusted, because my mother's "health food" isn't fit to be fed to starving livestock).
How about you not play let's pretend to prove your point, kf. PPen is absolutely right -- coming from wealth greases doors open for people they would not have otherwise opened for.
Amy Alkon
at September 30, 2014 5:30 AM
I just can't get excited about how other people spend their money or their time. Some of them go to Starbucks and pay a lot of money for bad coffee served by pretentious servers. It's their money and their time. There are other things I'd rather have or do, most of them guaranteed not to float the boats of 99.9% of the entire internet community.
I've sort of heard of this Dunham person, and my take is good for her. Someone with marginal ability and average looks makes it in Hollywood. None of her success costs me a dime. I wasnt auditioning, so she didn't cost me a job.
MarkD at September 30, 2014 5:46 AM
"To paraphrase Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands,"
Well, that's a win.
As for the fallout of the Summer of Love, that's fallout, not the event itself.
Did the Summer change America and open people to new ways of looking at life? Yes. Did idiots miss the message and use it as an excuse to party and create naive political movements (including hyper-reactionary love-it-or-leave-it fear-driven hatred of the new generation?). Yes.
Ultimately, nothing is as rationally pure in America as Nancy Reagan's ouija board-generated advice for her Alzheimer's-addled President, but we make do.
We make do.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 30, 2014 7:55 AM
In any case:
Lighthearted fat-shaming.
Gog_Magog_Carpet_Reclaimers at September 30, 2014 7:58 AM
It's quite simple just because you're not in the entertainment business doesn't mean you don't run in the entertainment circles. Her mother is famous for the latter.
Her mother lives and works in New York and Connecticut and has made one unimportant film, completed when she was 57 years old.
You know, you can check IMDB for the repertoire of once prominent actors who had their foot in the door and then disappeared at a later date (as Dunham might). Not sure what connections some of them had. Here's one, who was a generation ago roughly as prominent as Lena Dunham is today.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0447057/
Art Deco at September 30, 2014 9:46 AM
So Dunham has to pay for everything!
If the hotel leaves a mint on her pillow, does she have to leave a dollar for it on the bedspread in the morning?
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 10:26 AM
I guess I was expecting home video of some intellectual 'folk' performance from 2011's Occupy Topeka or something.
I wish.
From what I've heard it was a great performance. I think they took it off YouTube because of some copyright thing.
The storytelling was amazing. I hope they get a kickstarter campaign going so I can give them money.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 10:44 AM
You're pressing your ironies too hard, and are unclear.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 11:17 AM
Where did you see Frank Zappa and his band play, Crid?
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 12:18 PM
The first time was here, various Indiana venues thereafter.
Please tell us you never bought a ticker for Porter Waggoner.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 12:34 PM
Crid: You're name's not familiar,...
But he's very perceptive.
Patrick at September 30, 2014 12:43 PM
Thanks, Patrick, but really I'm more dull and slow like a bucket of mashed potatoes. I don't possess the wit & perception that you and Crid have.
But dull and slow are good things -- like in the movie "Tropic Thunder" when the drug cartel spared the actor's life because his role in a movie as a mentally challenged character was so believable that they grew to idolize him. That, and it was the only movie they owned, so they didn't have much to compare it to.
Same thing w/ Crid's idolatry of Zappa. He just doesn't know that there is better stuff out there, so you just have to nod your head, sigh, and agree.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 1:41 PM
Porter Waggoner.
"Emily Lou Harrissssssssssssssssss"
Give your free time and deepest attention to the finest talents you can find, Pum'kin... Go nuts with that shit.
Just be sure they're wearing the right clothes. Then, surrender your spirit.
Also, spend time watching tv shows, so that when you want to insult people, you can tell them to watch the wrong ones! Har!
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 1:55 PM
looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooHHHHAAAAARRRRRRISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
sssssssssssssssssss
s
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 1:59 PM
Chicago. Fascinating. Never been there, but I hear great things.
Please tell us you never bought a ticker for Porter Waggoner.
Nope, never did. But on his last tour he opened up for the White Stripes before passing away. That woulda been a good show.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 2:00 PM
EmmmmmmMMMMEEEEEEEEEE
LOOOOOOoooooooooooooooooo
HHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRR
RRRRRRRRRRIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Ssssssssssssssssssssssss
ssssssssssssssssssssss
sssssssssssss
ssssss
sss
With an overbite. Darling!
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 2:02 PM
"Give your free time and deepest attention to the finest talents you can find, Pum'kin."
Did ya hear the one about The Spice Girls?
They found their missing spice girl "Pumpkin Spice". They're going to make a new movie. Written and directed by Lena Dunham. Gonna be good.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 2:05 PM
It's gonna be GOOOOOOOOOD!!!1!eleven1!!., dah-link.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 2:11 PM
Scientologists can't do Dada, or humor.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 2:59 PM
You laughed. But you don't have to pay me... even though the guilt eats away at you. Yes, it was that funny.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 4:29 PM
Amy, you win.
http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2014/09/30/lena-dunham-to-pay-book-tour-acts-after-criticism/
Conan the Grammarian at September 30, 2014 5:00 PM
What was the funny part? Serious. Don't see it.
If you're NOT a Scientologist, are you just one of those guys? I met a couple on a Scuba boat once, on the other side of the planet. They were from, um, another part of the United States. He was in some mundane business, but successful. She was a bodybuilder in her early thirties. And good at it. Gifted and hard-working. And enjoying her time in a bikini on the deck of the boat in equatorial sunshine. Turned out she'd had the one daughter before they met, and he'd been a good Daddy-graft.
He was a nice guy. He wasn't dim or anything, and he was certainly pleasant enough. A little flabby and pale, essentially a photocopy of myself. Good diver! Sober with his equipment, attentive to the conditions... Just not naturally verbal.
At dinner one night he told a joke, and none of us noticed... The table happened to be chewing. And he said something like, 'I shoulda warned you about my jokes!', and chuckled as if we'd all groaned at a bad pun.
We hadn't. I glanced at his musclewife, whose thoughts were a thousand miles away as she neatly & silently sliced her island fruit: 'He's a great provider, and good with the girl.'
Maybe it's like that.
How's the Missus?
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 6:25 PM
I bet the musclewife likes songs from Looloo Emily Harrisssssssssssss, especially that one with the lyrics that go
Remember that one? I think she plays guitar on it, too. It's an acoustic guitar, and it hangs on a strap from her Harrissssssssoidal shoulders while she sings it. In a spotlight.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 6:31 PM
There's a meme on Twitter about Pumpkin Spice.Ya gotta keep up with this stuff because it's very important to keep America laughing through these troubling times.
This is how the joke works: You say, "give your free time and deepest attention to the finest talents you can find, pum'kin"
Pumpkin is the key here. Lena Dunham is a basic white girl who made this show on HBO called "Girls". So you know there's the "girls" thing -- and then there's The Spice Girls band that you used to listen to back in the day. So, the Spice Girls found out there's another girl who is really into pumpkin spice, and now Dunham wants to collab on the new movie about Grrrl power and feminism, and pumpkin freakin spice w/ the Spice Girls.
Pumpkins+spice+girls+Dunham = a great gag about the finest talents in our culture -- and how we're living through a ghoulish, nightmare-havin', Halloween year 'round, terrifying new age where nobody laughs anymore.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 7:50 PM
"A little flabby and pale, essentially a photocopy of myself"
Cridmeister, this is a dream you had. Scuba diving is a symbol of the unconscious. In the dream you discover that you have no sense of humor. The photocopy repair guy who is a photocopy of yourself is actually you.
You realize at dinner that you can't tell a joke correctly. Sounds like a great time though. Good luck.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 8:03 PM
> a great gag about the
Oh.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 8:10 PM
I'd say Emmylou Harris got prettier as time went by.
Name the bass player. You remember him from The Section band?
http://youtu.be/BH2VZG5I4Aw
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 8:31 PM
When was the last time you heard someone say they were really moved by Sklar's work? I got nuthin' against those people, nuthin' against anyone on that that stage. I just don't want to hear another note from any of them for the rest of my days, and it would be great to push this injunction back into the past as well, because blechhhhhhhhhhhhhhh partonronstadtememe meeeelooloo harrrissssssss. (YouTube allows muting so no harm was done in this instance. Didn't have to hear any Porter, either.)
Y'know, if you wanna be a person who has conventional tastes, and then you want to identify conventional performers within that ridiculously compressed spectrum of behavior as brilliant and feel great things for them, go ahead. If you're further convinced that their grooming makes the music even —what was your word? Ah— "better," well, good luck.
Barry Gibb was every bit as melodic as Big Mac, OK? I git it. We all have moods and cultural affinities that aren't about experimentation or having our understanding challenged: Sometimes we just want something small performed well, with a girly little ribbon wrapped around it so we know which side to open.
But if you try to build a life around those tastes, don't come cryin' if you one day feel cheated. The miracle of human hearing, and the diversity of human invention, are more powerful than social conventions. They deserve and will respond to deeper respect.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 9:46 PM
In other words, Dunham realized she had to pay those people because she knows her hair isn't as pretty Emily LoooLou Harrrrrrrrrris's. Conventional audiences want conventional things.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 9:48 PM
When was the last time you heard someone say they were really moved.
Heard? I think you mean "see". Because this music makes the dance floor come to life and movement. Anybody can see that. A lot like your favorite movie Footloose.
I get it, though. You want to be moved. Moved. It's why they shoulda called it Doodoo instead of Dada. it's a bowel movement. That's how moving it is.
But at this stage in life that's a good thing. A good healthy crap is something to build a life around. If the color's good and you don't have to put your head in your hands and push push,push out a couple rocks, then yeah, there is a deeper appreciation of the miracle of human invention -- or an appreciation of the miracle of the Mothers of Invention. I got nothing against 'em. They can hit a note and form chords and make ya think feel important, deep feelings.
Jason S. at September 30, 2014 11:29 PM
> Heard?
Never, then.
> I think you mean "see".
Right. You want a visual experience: LooEmm's hair?, why gosh, it's only gotten prettier!
Be entertained! Porter Waggoner.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at September 30, 2014 11:45 PM
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