Friday Potpourri Vol. 13
I wasn’t going to do one of these today, but the opportunity to have Vol.13 on the 13th was irresistible.
Amy at @lucysfootball tried to help me figure out how to link to those of you that I refer to here. I have been fooling with it for a while and it might be a little longer before that happens. She gave wonderful directions. I am just a little slow at learning new stuff on the computer. She offered to walk me through it, but it is almost 2:00 in the morning. I am not going to send out a Twitter alert for something like this.
While I am talking about her, she has a book of poetry coming out Aug. 1st. Out Of True is the name of it. The cover is beautiful. @lahikmajoe took the photo that adorns the front of the book. I can not wait to buy a copy and I have NEVER said that about a book of poetry.
In other news, there is a week long event that emphasizes how difficult it can be to get by on food stamps. @joshmalina is a celebrity who is trying it out . I don’t think you get the full effect of how hard it can be to make the money stretch and still try to eat healthy in one week, but I like that he and others are trying it. I know I have said it before, if you make the decision-makers live on minimum wage or on a food assistance program for an extended length of time maybe they would see just how devastating their actions or inactions can be for average folks.
Sunday, if you are in my former hometown, Kevin Costner and his band Modern West are appearing at the Allen County Fairgrounds. 700 tickets have been purchased so far. He must be serious about this music thing. Fort Wayne isn’t exactly a destination for musicians.
Finally, there was a lot of talk on Twitter about a comedian and his run-in with an audience member.
The comedian is Daniel Tosh. He was telling a series of jokes on the topic of rape. I guess he was trying to prove that anything can be a source of humor. A woman in the audience took exception to the run of jokes and said so to him, interrupting the act. As she gathered her things to leave, he doubled down on his concept and suggested it would be funny “if five guys assaulted her right now.”
My first reaction was: Why would anyone go to a comedy club to watch him? He is aggressively unfunny. No matter what the topic. And I don’t think rape is a topic for humor. Also, his reaction to her was so far from what anyone could consider appropriate.
As these things unfold on Twitter, sides were taken.
He was within his rights to say what he did to her.
She was right to call him out.
Comedians have to push the envelope.
He has free speech rights.
This last one was the one I didn’t buy at all. If it is a matter of free speech, doesn’t she have free speech rights as well? I think booing would have been fine. In his case, mandatory.
Anyway, he got to be a trending topic for a day which probably made him happy. Free publicity.
Well, that is all I have for this post.
I have to study putting links in the blog.
And don’t forget Amy’s book is coming out Aug. 1st.
Out Of True
A book of poetry on your coffee table or your book shelves will look fantastic. Christmas stocking stuffer.
Seriously, she is realizing a dream that all writers have. To see their writing in book form.
Congrats, Amy!
Peace
Bellbottom Blog 
Aw, thank you, John! This made me all glowy. It really is a dream come true. Sometimes (a lot lately, actually) I think back on young-Amy and how she would just be so thrilled at how now-Amy turned out, and it just makes me grin. (And also a little teary.) I’m so glad you’re excited! I can’t wait until it’s ready and people can buy it and I can share it with everyone!
I was asleep at 2am but will be on today if you want to go back into this and edit it! I can talk you through it if you want to try to add links!
I’ve read a lot about this Daniel Tosh thing. I’ve never seen the guy’s show, but it seems a lot of people who have say that they don’t expect much more – that’s his sense of humor, and anyone going into one of his shows would be aware of that. (So I’m glad I don’t watch his show, then, I guess.) A comedian I follow wrote a thought-provoking piece about what it’s like to be heckled – your brain kind of shuts down, and you don’t always say the most intelligent things in response. I can see that happening. I think anyone’s like that when they’re attacked. I’m not sticking up for the guy – far from it – but I can see how it happened. I guess I think there were better ways it could have been handled all around – from Tosh, from the woman who was offended. It’s my curse – I tend to see things from all the sides and have trouble being all “THIS IS WRONG” because I can see where everyone’s coming from. Do I think rape jokes are funny? No. I never do. Should they be banned? Well, we have free speech here, so that’s a fine line, isn’t it? He should know better, but he obviously doesn’t.
I’m spamming up your comments with a blog-post-length note, here. Sorry.
I love when there are comments. Never apologize for leaving one. The book is a big deal. I am happy for your success in getting a book published.
I wrote about the Tosh thing just to see what others think. Opinion on Twitter was all over the place. Which made the debate a lot more interesting than his actual performance was.
I would go see Kevin Costner if he came around here. Not so much for the music, but I like him. He’s comfortable, like a great pair of shoes.
As for Daniel Tosh…rape is NEVER funny. Free speech or not, shame on him for even uttering the words. I wonder what his mother, or sister, or girlfriend (if he has any of those things) would say?
Will be looking for Amy’s book with Ken’s picture gracing the cover. A Twitter double-feature for sure!
The story in the paper quoted guys who bought tickets for Costner because their wives insisted on it. I see he is playing the Opry Tuesday.
Tosh is awful. Even before this.
Isn’t this book news great? I am so happy for her.
I lived on food stamps a lot of my childhood and when my daughter was very young. My mom worked, as did I, and anything we made was held against us, making it seem like we were making things worse on ourselves when we worked all day for crap pay. I’m sure this is why lots of people don’t bother. The whole system seems engineered to keep people feeling hopeless.
Can’t wait for Amy’s new book. She writes like a house afire, and I’m looking forward to seeing how that writing manifests in poetry.
Also: Daniel Tosh is a big stupid dummy!
My daughter had some public assistance before she moved back home. It was helpful, but it wasn’t extravagant like politicians try to portray it. Welcome to the blog and thanks for leaving a comment.