Oh my.
I see that the kids over at The House Next Door have gone and begun posting the epic podcast featuring myself, the delightful and trenchant Karina Longworth (Spoutblog), and stalwart hosts Vadim Rizov and John Lichman…not to mention House honcho, recordist, and hosting pinch-hitter Keith Uhlich…that was produced as part of Rizov/Lichman’s infamous “Live” at Grassroots Tavern series. For those of you unfamilar with the concept of this series, it involves everybody meeting at St. Mark’s Place’s very “charactery” bar and getting bombed and discussing the cinematic issues of the day. I’m not going to discuss my own intake, but as the thing has been divided into three parts, I can see that we did go on.
I do, however, very much want to state for the record that I had nothing to do with the title of the podcast, which involves some small mockery of an Entertainment Weekly critic who was, among other things, quite kind to me on those occasions that I spoke to her at Cannes. As it happens, said title is a reference to something this critic supposedly fumed during the clusterfuck that was the wait to get into the press screening for James Gray’s Two Lovers back on the Croisette, not that I heard it myself. And in fact, if she did indeed say it, I don’t blame her. But I don’t even remember if Lichman/RIzov/Uhlich/Longworth/myself even got into that incident. Maybe we did, and maybe you can hear me begging them not to use their proposed title. But use it they did. You can’t get these kids to listen these days, I tell ya.
So Lisa, if you’re reading this, I know “I didn’t do it” is the Bart Simpson defense, but really—I didn’t do it!
That aside, the podcast may have some entertainment value for many of you.
Speaking of kids, I learned during the recording session that the suave and debonair Mr. Rizov is, like, 12. Okay, he’s over 21, obviously—they do card at Grassroots—but not by much. This strikes frighteningly close to the heart of the fallacy inherent in the 30-something Nathan Lee’s constant plaints that big media doesn’t employ enough young film writers, e.g., NONE OF US ARE ACTUALLY GETTING ANY YOUNGER. I dare say that a drinking session with Vadim would have even Lee recalling Marvell’s immortal lines, “But at my back I always hear/Time’s winged chariot drawing near…”
UPDATE: Never mind. See comment below. And check out the podcasts!
It should be noted that the lovely Ms. Schwarzbaum addressed this “international incident” in a blog post at EW.com. Here’s the link:
http://popwatch.ew.com/popwatch/2008/05/the-unbearable.html
Just doing my part to keep the peace.
Wow, I gotta read the EW Popwatch blog more regularly. I kinda feel a little like Emily Litella at the moment…
yes, may the record show that glenn nor karina had any say in the title.
it was entirely my concept and done with a tongue firmly in cheek.
and if first-time listeners are disturbed at this title, may I also refer them to this one: Will Smith…
http://www.thehousenextdooronline.com/2008/03/lichman-rizov-live-at-grassroots-tavern.html
Good ol’ Grass Roots. That was a real haunt during my NYU filmschool days.
That and B’way Charlie’s, which had a three-legged dog and where the sanitation workers would roll in just before last call for a dollar shot of Fleischman’s.
Or the Dugout, next to Variety Photoplays, which advertised “Frosty mugs o’ beer – 50 cents” and had a “FREE BUFFET!” every St. Pat’s. (Featured items: One plastic bowl of iceberg lettuce, and another of creamed corn.)
Or Adam and Eve’s, which had cheap pitchers and dollar footlong hotdogs and was open all night, until someone was stabbed in the vestibule.
I will draw no inferences from the fact that most of these places closed shortly after I graduated.
Still, I’m glad to see the Grass Roots is still around. I haven’t been in it for a long long time – mostly because the last time I was there, I used the bathroom and all the power in the place went out. “Damnit,” the bartender shouted, “someone flushed the toilet again!”
Great bar. I think if you squint, sometimes late at night you can see Sport and Iris at a back table.
Wow. I hung out at Grassroots at least twice a week, from ’97 to ’99, and I lived far far away in Brooklyn. Is there still a dog walking around with a glow stick around its neck?
Negtive on the dog, sorry to say. I live out on Jefferson St. off the L, yet I’m still there 1–3 times a week. Someone start a neighborhood bar please.
I’m sure any offense will be offset by the very flattering photo of LS, a lady who once gave me a look of mild curiosity.
Hi Glenn (or is it Glen w/ 1 n?),
I am making a documentary called The Indie Film Bloggers, about bloggers & other people who write about indie film on the web; http://indiefilmbloggersmovie.blogspot.com/. Let me know if you are interested in finding out more about the project to see if you are interested in participating in it/being interviewed for it (e‑mail me at: wilddiner@aol.com).
[i didn’t see a contact link for you at the blog, so i am leaving this comment]
Thanks!
– Sujewa
http://www.diyfilmmaker.blogspot.com/
http://indiefilmbloggersmovie.blogspot.com/
Hey! Can I just say? I’ve waited for plenty at Cannes! (Just not for fucking James Gray at a 10:30pm screening.)
Pretty in pink I remain,