I'll run just one more red light, then I'll write about other things for awhile besides internecine feuding with poets who, with all their current self-inflated Worthiness, likely won't be read in 300 years like, say, Shakespeare or Ben Jonson.
Yes, former Orange County poetry tastemaker Victor Infante is the poet who I renamed NAME OMITTED in an earlier post called NAME OMITTED and The Underbelly of Poetry:
http://poetry-arts-confidential.blogspot.com/2009/04/name-omitted-and-underbelly-of-poetry.html.
Here's Victor plumping for poetry eugenics, in his own charming (I kid, I kid) way:
http://ocvictor.livejournal.com/772896.html
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Sunday, June 21, 2009
OC poet Steve Ramirez and my going-on-five-years banishment from Orange's Ugly Mug.
There are many colorful tales in show business of personalities being 86ed from various venues for behavior or opinions contrary to management.
These include: Andrew Dice Clay's alleged disbarment from Ben Frank's coffee shop on the Sunset Strip (now a Mel's Drive-In), Dick Shawn's incurring of Johnny Carson's wrath when Shawn, guest-hosting THE TONIGHT SHOW, turned over Carson's desk on-camera to use it as a prop for a Washington-crossing-the-Delaware routine and Kathy Griffin being forbidden as a guest on THE VIEW for being Kathy Griffin.
I wish my tale of banishment could be a bit more colorful and extravagant. But, it isn't. It's a small tale of how one bad incident on my part unraveled roughly four-and-a-half years of acquaintanceship--and how the offended party has first justly responded, then flagrantly overreacted in the years since.
Once upon a time, I got along with Steve Ramirez--along with Ben Trigg, one of the two hosts of the TWO IDIOTS PEDDLING POETRY reading series in Orange (located at the Ugly Mug coffeehouse just a few blocks from Chapman University). I even featured there two to three times and, when we were both in Austin for the 2001 AIPF poetry festival, I gave Steve a ride in my rented car. Back then, Steve was nice to me and vice versa.
And then, for awhile, I didn't get down to OC to attend Ugly Mug readings. When I did, it seemed like Steve (who desired respect and parity with the Orange County poetry elite) got a somewhat swelled head and was a bit more distant with me.
To shorten this long story, I misbehaved at the Ugly Mug. I was primarily upset with something dismissive Steve said about me during the reading (which I probably set myself up for). And, after the reading, I couldn't contain my anger and wanted to talk to Steve. He didn't want any kind of conversation with me. I opted for the reaction of yelling at him. Mistake--especially considering some OC and LA Prominent Poets were still in the room. I walked out of the Ugly Mug, followed by the venue owner. The owner and I had words(one of mine fell into the David Mamet category)--and I was told to never come back.
This was nearly five years ago, in the late summer/early fall of 2004. Since then, I've tried to avoid adverse public behavior and have been mostly successful. On a handful of occasions, I've written Steve and asked to return. At first, he would shrug and say "it's up to [venue owner]." And I did write to the venue owner. No dice. As years passed, Steve would respond in a slightly more active-agressive "I wish you wouldn't come back/bother me about this" way.
And I took the hint and have left this subject alone.
But, as the five-year mark rolls around, I just want to go ahead and make my feelings public; I just don't care anymore about the inherent ridiculousness of Steve Ramirez' (plus the venue owner's) determination to hold on to his anger and wariness into infinity and beyond.
I've done my best to atone. Since 2004, I've accomplished a few good things in poetry--including being chosen as part of a publication reading this coming Saturday. And, to put it concisely, I don't care to enter the Ugly Mug for the rest of my life, regardless of whether Two Idiots Peddling Poetry or anyone else happen to host there.
I prefer self-respect instead.
These include: Andrew Dice Clay's alleged disbarment from Ben Frank's coffee shop on the Sunset Strip (now a Mel's Drive-In), Dick Shawn's incurring of Johnny Carson's wrath when Shawn, guest-hosting THE TONIGHT SHOW, turned over Carson's desk on-camera to use it as a prop for a Washington-crossing-the-Delaware routine and Kathy Griffin being forbidden as a guest on THE VIEW for being Kathy Griffin.
I wish my tale of banishment could be a bit more colorful and extravagant. But, it isn't. It's a small tale of how one bad incident on my part unraveled roughly four-and-a-half years of acquaintanceship--and how the offended party has first justly responded, then flagrantly overreacted in the years since.
Once upon a time, I got along with Steve Ramirez--along with Ben Trigg, one of the two hosts of the TWO IDIOTS PEDDLING POETRY reading series in Orange (located at the Ugly Mug coffeehouse just a few blocks from Chapman University). I even featured there two to three times and, when we were both in Austin for the 2001 AIPF poetry festival, I gave Steve a ride in my rented car. Back then, Steve was nice to me and vice versa.
And then, for awhile, I didn't get down to OC to attend Ugly Mug readings. When I did, it seemed like Steve (who desired respect and parity with the Orange County poetry elite) got a somewhat swelled head and was a bit more distant with me.
To shorten this long story, I misbehaved at the Ugly Mug. I was primarily upset with something dismissive Steve said about me during the reading (which I probably set myself up for). And, after the reading, I couldn't contain my anger and wanted to talk to Steve. He didn't want any kind of conversation with me. I opted for the reaction of yelling at him. Mistake--especially considering some OC and LA Prominent Poets were still in the room. I walked out of the Ugly Mug, followed by the venue owner. The owner and I had words(one of mine fell into the David Mamet category)--and I was told to never come back.
This was nearly five years ago, in the late summer/early fall of 2004. Since then, I've tried to avoid adverse public behavior and have been mostly successful. On a handful of occasions, I've written Steve and asked to return. At first, he would shrug and say "it's up to [venue owner]." And I did write to the venue owner. No dice. As years passed, Steve would respond in a slightly more active-agressive "I wish you wouldn't come back/bother me about this" way.
And I took the hint and have left this subject alone.
But, as the five-year mark rolls around, I just want to go ahead and make my feelings public; I just don't care anymore about the inherent ridiculousness of Steve Ramirez' (plus the venue owner's) determination to hold on to his anger and wariness into infinity and beyond.
I've done my best to atone. Since 2004, I've accomplished a few good things in poetry--including being chosen as part of a publication reading this coming Saturday. And, to put it concisely, I don't care to enter the Ugly Mug for the rest of my life, regardless of whether Two Idiots Peddling Poetry or anyone else happen to host there.
I prefer self-respect instead.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Brief opinion of Woody Allen's WHATEVER WORKS.
On the good side: Woody Allen's WHATEVER WORKS (essentially a compendium of Woody's Greatest Kvetches, Obsessions and Enthusiams) is better than expected, with a number of funny-to-hilarious lines and good performances all around.
Debits: WHATEVER WORKS looks a bit shoddy and stagebound for a New York-based Allen film (shot by, of all people, the gifted DP Harris Savides--who did a fine job for David Fincher on ZODIAC). And it takes a couple of steps back in quality, ambition and sophistication from Allen's previous VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA--his best film since 1999's SWEET AND LOWDOWN.
Debits: WHATEVER WORKS looks a bit shoddy and stagebound for a New York-based Allen film (shot by, of all people, the gifted DP Harris Savides--who did a fine job for David Fincher on ZODIAC). And it takes a couple of steps back in quality, ambition and sophistication from Allen's previous VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA--his best film since 1999's SWEET AND LOWDOWN.
Friday, June 19, 2009
John Lesher and Brad Weston to be demoted to production deals at Paramount.
Here's Nikki Finke's DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD DAILY column with updates on the fates of two studio execs (John Lesher and Brad Weston) at Paramount: http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/exclusive-paramount-shakeup-john-lesher-to-exit-as-studio-president-soon/
Assuming the above has to do with flopping mainstream product such as Eddie Murphy's IMAGINE THAT and the Wayans' comedy DANCE FLICK and fears that the upcoming G.I. JOE might not make enough megamoney.
It's safe to predict that you'll see a lot more small, big-star-free product being churned out--with few attempts at quality films like those Lesher supervised at Paramount Vantage [THERE WILL BE BLOOD, DEFIANCE].
Assuming the above has to do with flopping mainstream product such as Eddie Murphy's IMAGINE THAT and the Wayans' comedy DANCE FLICK and fears that the upcoming G.I. JOE might not make enough megamoney.
It's safe to predict that you'll see a lot more small, big-star-free product being churned out--with few attempts at quality films like those Lesher supervised at Paramount Vantage [THERE WILL BE BLOOD, DEFIANCE].
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
New poem: POETRY POLICE from my upcoming chapbook IMPERFECTIONIST.
POETRY POLICE
the poetry police
is traveling through
my neighborhood
in a big squad car
with sirens
and a giant loudspeaker
on top
the loudspeaker shouts:
IF YOU DON’T WANT YOUR POETRY EDITED,
DON’T SUBMIT TO US!
WE’RE TIRED OF RECEIVING PROSE
IN VERSE FORM!!
WE’RE NOT A VANITY PRESS!!!!
WE DON’T PUBLISH EVERYTHING WE GET!!!!!
IF YOU’RE TALENTED AND WANT TO PUBLISH
SOMETHING BAD ON PURPOSE,
SEND IT TO WERGLE FLOMP INSTEAD!!!!!!
the poetry police
stops its big squad car
at a free verse house
to round up dissenters
and haul them off to poetry jail
where they’ll be detained indefinitely
without trial
to keep my neighborhood
safe and content
so we can avoid
this changing world
and not have to be soiled by
the disgusting degrading decline
in literary standards
the poetry police
is traveling through
my neighborhood
in a big squad car
with sirens
and a giant loudspeaker
on top
the loudspeaker shouts:
IF YOU DON’T WANT YOUR POETRY EDITED,
DON’T SUBMIT TO US!
WE’RE TIRED OF RECEIVING PROSE
IN VERSE FORM!!
WE’RE NOT A VANITY PRESS!!!!
WE DON’T PUBLISH EVERYTHING WE GET!!!!!
IF YOU’RE TALENTED AND WANT TO PUBLISH
SOMETHING BAD ON PURPOSE,
SEND IT TO WERGLE FLOMP INSTEAD!!!!!!
the poetry police
stops its big squad car
at a free verse house
to round up dissenters
and haul them off to poetry jail
where they’ll be detained indefinitely
without trial
to keep my neighborhood
safe and content
so we can avoid
this changing world
and not have to be soiled by
the disgusting degrading decline
in literary standards
Monday, June 15, 2009
Comment on Harold Norse poetry collection says a lot about poetry gatekeepers.
I recently heard a poem by the late Harold Norse read aloud at a poetry reading over the past weekend.
And I just read this comment about a Norse anthology on Amazon. Here it is:
"I have a biased insight on why Norse is not better known. His style is one of "common everyday speech" as championed by Norse's "teacher and father" William Carlos Williams. It's a valid style, the vernacular opera style of poetry (including Walt Whitman and the Beat Generation too). But is it ultimately less poetry than prose? Prosaic statement, plodding the pavement, rather than soaring aloft airborne into truer poetry with its images, complexities, dynamisms, controlled-and-creative? Perhaps truer poetry is more-well, poetic than Norse's usual statements: editorials scene-sketches reportages reminiscences etc."
I'll omit the commenter's name here. But his relatively strict-constructionist view of poetry, written five years ago, is pretty much the prevailing one these days.
And I just read this comment about a Norse anthology on Amazon. Here it is:
"I have a biased insight on why Norse is not better known. His style is one of "common everyday speech" as championed by Norse's "teacher and father" William Carlos Williams. It's a valid style, the vernacular opera style of poetry (including Walt Whitman and the Beat Generation too). But is it ultimately less poetry than prose? Prosaic statement, plodding the pavement, rather than soaring aloft airborne into truer poetry with its images, complexities, dynamisms, controlled-and-creative? Perhaps truer poetry is more-well, poetic than Norse's usual statements: editorials scene-sketches reportages reminiscences etc."
I'll omit the commenter's name here. But his relatively strict-constructionist view of poetry, written five years ago, is pretty much the prevailing one these days.
Pauline Kael, although deceased, still provokes negative reactions.
Occasional NEW YORKER capsule film critic Richard Brody raises his leg and uses the late Pauline Kael's gravestone as a fire hydrant--in the context of a Kael vs. Andrew Sarris mention:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2009/06/critical-condition-part-2.html
As I recall, Kael had her biases (to put it mildly), but she liked a great variety of films and filmmakers (witness the 5001 NIGHTS AT THE MOVIES compilation of her capsule reviews). But you wouldn't know it from Brody's brief, bitchy throwaway remark.
But Kael's desire to be a Cinema Influence (a description the late film producer Saul David tagged her with in his book THE INDUSTRY) did anger a few people--and it could be said that the new Francis Coppola film TETRO (which I generally liked) has a key character (the tastemaker Alone, played by Carmen Maura) clearly intended as Coppola's version of Brody's critique.
But at least Francis put more effort into his characterization of Pauline Kael than Richard Brody does.
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/movies/2009/06/critical-condition-part-2.html
As I recall, Kael had her biases (to put it mildly), but she liked a great variety of films and filmmakers (witness the 5001 NIGHTS AT THE MOVIES compilation of her capsule reviews). But you wouldn't know it from Brody's brief, bitchy throwaway remark.
But Kael's desire to be a Cinema Influence (a description the late film producer Saul David tagged her with in his book THE INDUSTRY) did anger a few people--and it could be said that the new Francis Coppola film TETRO (which I generally liked) has a key character (the tastemaker Alone, played by Carmen Maura) clearly intended as Coppola's version of Brody's critique.
But at least Francis put more effort into his characterization of Pauline Kael than Richard Brody does.
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