The Weekend in Foolish Attention

Bits and bytes of the week

ALTERNATIVE HEADLINES?

“Hundreds of Graduating Seniors Do Not Walk Out of Jerry Seinfeld Commencement Address”

“Thousands of College Students Focused on Education Rather Than Activism”

“92 Out of Every 100 Americans More Concerned With Almost Anything Other Than Middle East Warfare”

“Boycotts Work: Disruption Doesn’t”

THE DEVILS HAIRCUT. I wrote Monday that “I believe that a haircut is a low-rent reboot of the self” and the proof is here: on Mother’s Day, my brilliant and talented little sister cut my hair and I feel like a slightly new man. An aspect I didn’t fully consider before is that when I’m decidedly not chasing women, I decidedly do not give a shit what I look like to others. That said, I’ve been surprised at how many folks took notice of the fresh ‘do. One co-worker asked where I got my cut because she was desperate to find a new stylist. I told her she’d need to drive to Kansas to take advantage of mine.

CAN’T WAIT FOR JUNE. Got home Monday night and launched into the week like I had a raging fire just underneath my ass. Four ten-hour days getting things ready for the summer concert and festival season. This is that strange window of May that requires a lot of heavy lifting prepping everything for Gospel Fest, House Music Fest, Blues Fest. Holy crap. Hired forty-five ushers and we train them next week. Came home Wednesday night and crashed at 7:00pm. Oh yeah, gang, this is how I like it!

NO TIME FOR DOOM. The benefit of being very busy is that I have little time to indulge into the doomscroll of the shitshow that is the world—no news equals better living. Get busy living or get busy worrying about the November election, amiright?

THE DAME BITES BACK. Dame Judi Dench goes hard on the inclusion of trigger warnings before shows.

"Do they do that? My God, it must be a pretty long trigger warning before King Lear or Titus Andronicus!" the Notes on a Scandal star said. "Crikey, is that really what happens now?

Although Dench understands the need for warnings under certain circumstances, she also feels it can impact the viewer's experience while watching a stage production.

"I can see why they exist, and it is preparing people, I suppose, but if you're that sensitive, don't go to the theater, because you could be very shocked," she explained. "Where is the surprise of seeing and understanding it in your own way?"

SOURCE

It’s laudable that a tiny percentage of the kids would like to create systems that prevent anyone from be shocked or offended but is both unlikely and a deadening of art to accomplish. Practically speaking, almost nothing shocks or offends me anymore and I’d guess it has something to do with being exposed to shocking and offensive ideas. I’d like to think I’m better off for it.

HOW ABOUT A PRESIDENTIAL ARM WRESTLE, INSTEAD? As much as I’d love to see Trump attempt to debate Biden, sans any audience to play to, I’d rather see these two geezers arm wrestle. Faster, more entertaining, and I’m guessing Trump’s fat-laden heart would cease to function under the stress.

A NAME CHECK COURTESY OF ‘MEET THE AUTHOR.’ Joe’s show is up and running and he received a very solid write-up in the Chicago Reader this week. Surprisingly, despite the fact that most old school WNEP Theater types have effectively erased it’s existence on their resumes, Joe manages to toss me a shout out:

Janes found the seed of the idea back in 2009. That was when, inspired by Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks’s 2006 project, 365 Days/365 Plays—in which she created a new short play every day for a year—Janes came up with 365 Sketches, and wrote a new sketch every day for a year. (He started on January 19, 2009, so there was some overlap into 2010.) The finished collection was produced in concert with Janes’s longtime friend Don Hall and his then company, WNEP Theater, in June 2010.

SOURCE

“Longtime friend” does not imply we had sex despite the animal sexuality we both possess.

ALSO, IT’S REALLY GOOD! No surprise, but Joe is very, very funny in Meet the Author. As he has continued down the comedy train, his use of his face and physicality has evolved into a tiny symphony of tics and goofiness that is simply a hoot. His supporting cast is solid. As usual, I went and laughed with such abandon I made a bit of a spectacle of myself. Funny is funny, gang, and I like to laugh.

It’s free but bring some cash for the Pay What You Can Can.

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It’s been a busy week! Whew. Go out and enjoy some sunshine!