For those not keeping score through my Facebook page, here's the aftermath of my earlier post here re Gerald Locklin's "iceberg lettuce" poem and my opinion of the LA/OC scene as one not caring for "iceberg lettuce poetry":
Rick Lupert [long-running Cobalt Cafe host, Canoga Park CA]:
Definitely not an accurate assessment of the Cobalt Cafe's 'preference'.
Well you're leaving it wrong then. I don't know how you can look at the huge variety of styles presented at the Cobalt reading by the many different poetic sensibilities who are given the opportunity to pick and present poets, along with the many different styles of Cobalt regulars who have been presented and make a blanket statement that the Cobalt has a specific preference of any kind.
.Terry McCarty: Standing by my post--the Cobalt reading has evolved, along with other long-running Southern California readings, in terms of the poets and poetry that are favored by hosts--both yourself and those you outsource to--and often featured. Most of the "many different poetic sensibilities" are now on display solely during open-mike segments.Really, Rick, your standing is secure in Southern California. You shouldn't worry about what my assessments are.
Rick: Not sure if you are aware of who has featured or if you've ever seen them perform or are aware of their work...but Ron Gregus and Gerald Locklin who we're presented just the last couple weeks are hugely different from people like Florence Weinberger and Dorothy Barresi presented within recent previous months. I can't see how anyone can look at the list of people presented as featured readers just within the last 6 months and make any kind of legitimate blanket statement about any one "preference". You can stand by your statement if you'd like but I'm going to stand by my assessment of it's inaccuracy.9 hours ago via ·
I'm not personally worried about your statements but I am concerned when inaccurate comments are made about the Cobalt reading that may be seen by other people who aren't as familiar with the reality of the situation.9 hours ago via · ...
LOB INSTAGON [poet/musician and former host of the Club Mesa reading in Costa Mesa CA--now living in Sacramento] Terry.. your bitter "why cant anyone appreciate ME" attitude is really really old. whining crybabies never deserve or will get any respect. If you want respect as a poet or a performer of any kind.. you should really give up this epic complaining about OTHER people and other venues. Start your own venue if you have so much issues with the control that successful happenings enforce to keep on being successful. PROVE IT..make a scene of your own..you talk a good talk..but you do nothing about it...but complain about not getting a feature..wah wah wah. You are the cause of your misgivings. Rick runs one of, if not THEE most respect reading in his region.. and your crying because you cannot keep up with the ever changing dynamics of performance poetry and open mic protocol is just pathetic and harms no one but YOU. Once I had respect for you as a person and a poet, but your insistence at begging for attention and your down right mean back handed complaints and comments regarding the community have earned your opinion the class of being valueless, and destroyed our "friendship" .and you wonder why you keep losing friends and not getting any readings? grow up and stop being a little bitch.
Terry: I'll concede Ron Dvorkin booking Ron Gregus (who I respect) as being out-of-the-box. But a lot of bookings smack of the same conception of Prestige Features as seen at the Ugly Mug, Coffee Cartel, the latest incarnation of The Rapp Saloon, Murray's monthly in Long Beach etc. etc
Rick: Maybe you should just go down the list and give an assessment, feature by feature of which you feel are "prestige" bookings, versus whatever the other categories might be. And for the "prestige" one's maybe you can advise, should we just not feature those poets? They don't deserve a chance to read to the Cobalt audience? The Cobalt audience shouldn't be exposed to those folks. Then maybe, when you've gone through the list you can provide some percentages as to how many of the featured poets were good choices that you can live with. I'm sure all of the poets involved would love to know what category they fall in to help with their own sense of legitimacy. Looks like you've got some work ahead of you.
Terry: Perhaps the real question of today's scene vs. when I arrived is: How much time should be devoted to giving first features to developing talent vs. booking an easy Brand Name who has (hopefully) a following? And, if people like Gerald Locklin and Dorothy Barresi were beginners now, which (if any) venues would give them their first shot to hold an audience for 20-25 minutes?
Rick: I don't really think about how many first timers versus so-called established poets I book. Not at all concerned about the numbers or percentages...but if you look at any given year's worth of people at the Cobalt (including 2011) you'll find both categories well represented. Many people give their first featured reading at the Cobalt including names from this past year.
Lob: Terry.. your issue is with hosts. And its a job dynamic you know NOTHING about. Perhaps if you had ANY understanding of what that means you would be singing a different tune. So, my suggestion, again.. is to EDUCATE YOURSELF.. start your own reading.. see how long you can keep it going. I dare you.
IMO, if a poet can hold a room for 5 minutes.. and the room is begging for more, applauding profusely.. they deserve a feature. when was the last time you had a room of people applauding you and asking for more????? Have you ever ??
A feature is an EARNED honor.. not a given right.
Rick: To be fair Terry did start his own reading and did many of the things that were pointed out that he should do before lobbing criticism at others...and he also, despite occasional poetry community withdrawls, is given features at venues in L.A. and S.F. so I don't think this is about Terry's efforts in that regard.
Lob: Rick, I disagree. I have given Terry features in the past, they were not nights you want to write about. Hosting a reading for more than a year.. regularly.. consistently providing a good entertaining show that people enjoy and want to come back to week after week is hard WORK. You know what I am saying.. but I feel that Terry does not.. trying your hand at running a reading and then giving up, or having it discontinued within a month or 2 does not equal understanding the dynamic of presenting a long running series. Also..everything evolves.. and the poetry community is NOT the same as it was when Terry first decided to join it. I am pretty tired of seeing Terry hash up old complaints from 3 or 5 years ago in his blog like the issues were still relevant. they are not. Times change, flavors change, peoples tastes change. and artists, entertainers, poets, musicians, etc.. all need to be continually evolving too in order to keep an audience paying attention. Refusing to accept this and simply bitching about it is just a cry for attention that has no place in a grown up world. And slandering a reading like yours for doing nothing but being supportive, consistent, and successful for YEARS truly offends me.
.Terry: Re Lob's post: I read in the open when he hosted Club Mesa, but did not feature there. Maybe he's remembering features I did at Gypsy Den for Jaimes Palacio or at the Ugly Mug in the previous decade.7 hours ago · LikeUnlike.Terry McCarty Re Lob's post Part Two: I hosted two readings--one from my home in 2005-06 and another from a since-closed coffeehouse in Tarzana in 2007--perhaps if the coffeehouse hadn't closed, the reading would have gone a bit longer. No, not every reading has a long run--but I'm happy to have done something in the area of hosting and harbor no resentment over not having a two-decade tenure--something few hosts are blessed with. Perhaps my issue is when SoCal readings start out catering to the many and decide to settle for a select few--whether it's social climbing, artistic aspirations, poetic preferences, etc. It shouldn't be "slander" to say that.
Rick: I think, again, it's an inaccurate implication that the Cobalt reading doesn't cater to the many.
Lob: Rick, its completely inaccurate, and nearly stupid to make such a claim. It shows nothing but naive ignorance, and an arrogant lack of reality on the part of the author. Terry, get a life. Your continued attempts at finding any social acceptance and success for over a decade now within the poetry scene have proven time and time again not to be working for you.. maybe its time to throw in the towel.. or try a new approach? I mean seriously your harping on the past and how your treated oh sooo badly by the hosts and critics of the "scene" has marked you as THAT guy.. it brings more attention to you than your work does, and so it blocks anyone from seeing anything else. Does anyone hardly remember that OJ was a football superstar? no. its not really on that grand of a level..but its similar in the way people intake information. you are your biggest obstacle.
oh.. and you are right.. i stand corrected.. i have not given you a feature in the past. sorry for saying so. I had thought I had at Liquid Den (the last location I hosted in So Cal)..but my data says otherwise. all apologies.
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