Lectures, Layoffs, and Landmarks
New work from October and November, including an award-winner!
Is it really almost Christmas? Sources say yes.
My recommendation: queue up the Sufjan Yule Log and settle in for a brief look at some stuff I’ve written over the past few months.
Additionally, I’d like to extend my appreciation to the San Francisco Press Club for recognizing my City Arts & Lectures feature (see below) with an award in the category of “Newspapers (Daily): Feature Story / Light Nature” last week.
October
First, we have my aforementioned profile on City Arts & Lectures, which SF Chronicle published as a Sunday Pink cover story. This is a deep dive on an iconic cultural institution that I’ve long admired. As a passion piece I’ve had in mind for years, it’s meant a lot to see it be received so warmly!
Next was a Q&A I did with comedian Eddie Izzard ahead of her return to SF for three nights at the Orpheum, also for SF Chronicle. It was a true honor to chat with Izzard, who continues to be an indefatigable source of punchlines and poignant perspectives three decades into her seminal career.
In an incredible twist of fate, on the morning I was set to see Izzard’s show, I spoke with comedian Alex Edelman for 48 Hills. Fresh from an acclaimed run on Broadway, Edelman’s one-man show “Just for Us” details the time the very Jewish comic decided to crash a meeting of white nationalists at an apartment in Queens. When I mentioned I was seeing Izzard that evening, Edelman told me the two were close and shared that he was actually scheduled to be Izzard’s surprise opener that very night! Suffice it to say, it was supremely cool to see them both and I can’t recommend Edelman’s show — which I caught a few days later — highly enough. Luckily, “Just for Us” is set to return to the Bay Area in January at Berkeley Rep!
November
In the wake of substantial layoffs at Bandcamp, 48 Hills asked me to put together a feature assessing the situation. I’m immensely grateful to Sadie Dupuis of Speedy Ortiz, John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, Andy Pastalaniec of Chime School, and Todd Derr of Bandcamp United for their time and candor. The outlook is bleak but better remains possible — and necessary.
I spent an afternoon strolling the Ferry Building with SF Chronicle architecture critic John King and discussing his new book on the local landmark. It was delightful to pick King’s brain about a place we both love, resulting in this Q&A published in SF Chronicle.
November also saw me head to Berkeley for the opening night performance of Shotgun Players’ take on Hedwig & the Angry Inch. Reviewing live theater is a rare pleasure and I relished this chance from SF Chronicle to share my thoughts on the show (a personal favorite) and to celebrate this version’s phenomenal performances and clever immersive components.
Those who know me know that I am physically unable to hold a conversation of any length without bringing up the topic of cults. Simply put: they fascinate me. As a result, my appetite for documentaries, books, and podcasts focused on them knows no limits. To make something mildly productive out of this obsession, 48 Hills kindly allowed me to plug ten of my favorite books on cults. Need the madness firsthand? I suggest you dive headfirst into the nightmare rabbit hole that is the Twin Flames Universe.