Rebels, cameras, hot dogs

That wig you like is going to come back in style

May 31, 2024

Hello again from your favorite middle-school essay citation!

Last week I heard from a few of you regarding an old TV appearance of mine that had resurfaced on social media. I can’t bear to watch old videos of myself (or new ones, for that matter), but I do like this pic of myself and Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne (R.I.P.):

Thanks to Chris M. for sending this pic.

I appeared on TCM 10 years ago to celebrate the network’s 20th anniversary. I wore my own clothes, did my own hair and makeup, showed a movie I loved, and had a lovely, unscripted conversation with Mr. Osborne. It was the best, most genuine TV experience I ever had — in fact, I think that was the final TV appearance I made.

**trudy update**

Here I am, signing and mailing copies of my short book of short fiction, TRUDY SELLOUT! I’ll be mailing a handful of books today, but most of you should have received yours by now. If you’d like to get a copy, here’s how.

Thanks to everyone who is sending photos of TRUDY in the wild and sharing their thoughts about the stories. I spend so much time making things in a bubble, so it’s exciting to finally connect with folks who experience it.

Thanks to Barbara in Florida for feeding TRUDY SELLOUT to the birds.

Recently I read RENTAL PERSON WHO DOES NOTHING, the true (but seemingly unbelievable) memoir by Shoji Morimoto, a Japanese man who embarked on a surprising anti-career when he started offering his services … to just being present and nothing more.

Someone asks Morimoto to sit across from them at a cafe while they try to get work done. Another person doesn’t want to go to an ice cream shop alone, so he hires Morimoto to accompany him. Someone has trouble cleaning their apartment, so they ask if Morimoto could just be present while they tidy up.

The book is full of fascinating mini-stories, and it also highlights our universal need for other humans, even if they seem to *do* nothing at all. Morimoto describes himself as nondescript and boring, but he clearly whipped that into a valuable gift.

Well boy howdy, I thought REBEL GIRL was a home run. (I realize this quote will not land on the back cover.)

If you’re like me, maybe you’ve whispered to yourself, What more can I possibly learn about riot grrrl and Bikini Kill and that whole scene? I lived through it, saw the movie, memorized the songs, got kicked in the head once, etc. etc. But Kathleen Hanna’s memoir is a real triumph, with a voice so clear you can’t stop turning the page. If you’ve been on the fence about cracking this one open, hop off of it.

I also read Chuck Palahniuk’s writing book, which escaped me when it was released a few years ago (probably because I was too busy getting/skirting Covid.). It’s a worthy companion to Stephen King’s On Writing. He shares what he’s learned, tips from his best writing teachers and a few unsettling anecdotes, like how he used to give away signed fake limbs at book events. It’s in paperback, audio, all the formats.

The new documentary Uncropped focuses on James Hamilton, the best photographer you’ve probably never heard of. Hamilton worked for several publications, including Crawdaddy! and the Village Voice, where he shot just about every famous person in New York. Wes Anderson produced the film; Hamilton often works as his set photographer. Rent it now.

Other things:

Longtime friends/supporters Mel and Dave just launched a new season of their podcast, Strong Sense of Place. Each episode takes listeners to a different location — in the latest ep, it’s France — and offers loads of book recommendations that make us feel like we’re actually there. (said in a low serious voice) Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
I just bought Paul Scheer’s new memoir via Audible. I’m only 30 minutes in, but I know I’ll dig it, because I’ve liked everything Paul has done for the last 15 years.
I want to buy Magical/Realism by Vanessa Angélica Villarreal, but it has been sold out at the last three bookstores I’ve visited! This is a good sign.
Hacks makes me want to call every female friend I’ve lost touch with. It was just renewed for a fourth season. I loved Season 3 from top to tail.

Right now there’s a 65-foot hot dog in Times Square that spurts confetti every day at noon. It made me crave a hot dog, but apparently the artists are hoping for the opposite.