Signing Off

Check out the WGA's blog with all sorts of interesting tidbits about this strike.

I read an article yesterday about entertainment bloogers going on strike as well, in support of the writer's strike. I thought that was funny. But then I thought: "Hell, no one reads this blog anyway and I'm hard-pressed for a reason to actually keep it going. Why don't I say that I TOO am striking in solidarity to cover up the fact that I really don't feel like writing on here?"

Good idea.

So yeah. That's where I'm at.
Maybe when the strike's over I'll have something new to write about. Maybe not.

Adieu...

Congratulations Samantha!

My sister got engaged last night.
Here's to you and Joe!
Much love,
Dave

Welcome To the World Abigail!

My friend Liz had her baby, Abigail Grace Walter, on January 3.
I am so happy for her!
She's an adorable little girl, and you should check out all the pictures of her Right Here!

The Play's Almost Here

You should reserve tickets by going to junglewomanofthejungle@yahoo.com. They are $15, but go up to $18 at the door. So reserve them!

There's also more info about the play times and stuff if you email them.

St. Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast

I'm behind the times, but I was checking out the MTV Video Music Awards from a few weeks ago and discovered that my friend Ken from college won the Best Editor award for editing the Gnarls Barkley video "Crazy". Long way from the days of getting stoned in the University of New Orleans television studio, trying to finish a video hours before it's due in class.

Ah, memories...

Jungle Woman of the Jungle Ad

Here's an unofficial poster for the play I am rehearsing for right now. It's shaping up rather nicely. So save those dates!

"Eighty percent of success is showing up"*

I'd like to congratulate fellow Party Haller, Chris Sullivan, on finally getting a piece, "Your Flight, Three Years From Now", published by McSweeney's. They still haven't accepted anything of mine, but then, I'm not the writer he is, so I'm glad to see they still have standards!

(I've just realized this is the second post in a row where I've sung the praises of Mr. Sullivan. You owe me a beer next time we go to Reservoir, bitch.)

*quote from Woody Allen, who, as far as I know, hasn't had anything in McSweeney's either.

Party Hall's On Notice

Party Hall For Rent are currently putting together a new show to be performed in the coming months. You should go! If for no other reason than to witness "The Calamari Sketch", a wonderfully sick little gem from Chris Sullivan's twisted mind. (I had not been to a group "meeting" in several months and this was the first new sketch I was presented with when I met up with the other Hall members last Saturday. Perverse. Unsettling. And in terribly bad taste. What comedy is all about.)

And yes, I do sport the porn 'stache again. But this time it is for a role in a play. Though, I have to say, I am growing to like it. It has completely made me persona non grata. I walk the streets and get disapproving looks from people all the time now.

R.I.P. (1946-2006)

Party Hall News

Party Hall For Rent, the sketch comedy group I am in, now has their very own MySpace page. I've posted a few more videos from our performance last August. So check 'em out!

We also got together on Saturday to plot the course for the group's future. This involved lots of drinking, calling each other homos, and discovering the largest cockroach in New York City reading the paper on the toilet in the men's room. (We discussed a few projects with the roach, but he refused to sign a release form so we may get slapped with a lawsuit if we pursue any of those ideas further.)

We should be shooting some short videos and stuff in the coming weeks. These will be posted on the aforementioned MySpace page. I will probably link to them from here as well.

Hey Jude

I'd like to give a shout-out to Misha and Trudy on welcoming their new son, Julian, into the world.
Congratulations! Hope to see you all soon.

Check out Julian's web page for pics of the lil guy.

Glub...Glub...

David Blaine failed to break the world record for holding his breath. Boo hoo. I say they put him back in until he can do it right! Oh? You're a minute and 52 seconds short of beating the record? Well, back under you go, David. You don't want the world to call you a quitter now, right? If you fall off the horse you gotta get back up on it!

He spent 177 hours under water. I ask you, what's two more minutes?


As any five year old kid will tell you, the best way to get someone's attention is by holding your breath as long as you can. That, and pissing all over yourself.

Back From The Big Easy

I just got home tonight from my week-long trip to New Orleans. The trip was by turns wonderful and depressing.

Caught up with old friends, celebrated my birthday, and was interviewed for this month's episode of Timecode:NOLA. (You can view the podcast of my appearance on iTunes. It's episode 302, and I talk about the making of my film Potter's Field.)

Complaints about FEMA money, SBA loans, getting screwed by Entergy, and the increasing cost of living seemed to dominate most of the conversations I had with people. Most of the rents have doubled or tripled since the disaster and are now comparable to the rent here in New York.

A whole new population of Mexican migrant workers have moved in to work construction and odd jobs since a lot of the residents haven't. RV units and tents are scattered all over the city. Contractors from Texas in trucks and SUVs constantly cruise the wrong way down one way streets.

The days after Mardi Gras used to be when the city was at its cleanest, having undergone all-night clean-ups that scrubbed the town of its pre-lent filth. There was no such clean-up this year and as I was leaving today the streets were as dirty and covered in Mardi Gras beads and trash as they were during the festivities.

But Mardi Gras was a necessary diversion from the constant battle to stay afloat. It was the one time people stopped wondering who was going to fuck them over next and took time off to try and have a good time.

There's a delusional quality about New Orleanians, and in the face of constant adversity they swear things will get better and plow through the day. That's admirable, but it will be many years before the town gets back on its feet. The vultures are still there, picking at the bones of a dying city. The idea of raising rent on hollowed-out homes from $400 to $1300 completely baffles me, but it is that rampant irrationality that drove me out of the town in the first place.

It was overwhelming. Several people I talked to had been charged hundreds of dollars for energy they didn't use while the town was evacuated and they were shuffling from town to town waiting to return. Entergy says they'll be credited the money, but if they don't pay it up front, they risk damaging their credit.

ugh.

Aside from all that it was wonderful to see my friends again.
And to take a long shower with actual hot water every day.

The Hall Sells Out

Thanks to everyone who came to see Party Hall For Rent's first sketch comedy show on Saturday!

We sold out the fifty-seat theater and no one asked for their money back. Well, actually, a guy I work with asked for a refund for the psychological damage incurred from seeing me dressed as a woman, but I refused stating, "Buyer beware! The Hall is not responsible for lost items. This includes your sanity."

There were a few technical difficulties, but we were able to creatively overcome them. Instead of a slide show projection of Chris making out with two photoshopped porn stars, he had to settle for Mike and I dressed as women. I think that may have actually been funnier.

Afterwards we all went for drinks with many of the audience members joining us. Pictures were taken and may be posted, assuming they are not too incriminating.

All in all, I think it went well. we are excited to do more. We may go out as an improv group for awhile and do the sketch thing intermittently. And there is talk of putting up a website and returning to our original cable-access idea.

Who knows what the future holds for the Party Hall?

But I'll keep you posted...

Male Pattern Badness

The sketch comedy troupe I am in, Party Hall For Rent, will be hitting the stage next Saturday in New York City for the first time. We've been writing and rehearsing for several months. Most of that time was spent just sitting at the bar thinking of ideas and making each other laugh, but hopefully our "hard" work has paid off and we've come up with something worth watching.

We've lost a few members along the way and I'd like to give a shout out to Maria and Joe, who will hopefully join us and come to see the show. I'd also like to thank Eli of los halos for writing a kick ass theme song for one of our sketches.

For full details I will turn to one of my cohorts in this venture, Chris Sullivan, who summed it up pretty well in an email he sent around earlier this week...

On Saturday, August 27th, Party Hall for Rent will be giving its first live performance. Ever.

This is your chance to see history made. This is your chance to see five talented comics bring their creations to life right before your eyes. This is your chance to see the world premiere of more than a dozen sketches. This is your chance to drink beer in the basement of a building on the Bowery.

I’m part of “The Hall,” and without giving away too much, this show is going to be funny. It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be violent. And it’s going to be crude.

Oh Lord, will it be crude. I’m 28 and even I might not be old enough to come to this show. But you should come. You owe it to yourself.

So let’s talk about the details:

What’s Happening?
Party Hall for Rent’s 1st Ever Live Performance

When?
Saturday, August 27th, at 8pm

Where?
Juvie Hall at The Gene Frankel Theater
24 Bond Street between Bowery and Lafayette

How Much?
It’s going to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 to 8 bucks. But as a thank you for coming out, your ticket comes with a complimentary beer.

Will There Be More Beer?
Yes. We’ll have a limited supply of beer on sale for $2 a can. All we ask is that you not get sloppy drunk since we like the people who run the place and we’d rather not get banned for life because you like to mask your pain with alcohol.

What Are You Saying?
I’m just saying that sometimes, when you drink, things can get a little out of hand.

Are You Talking About That Time At That Guy’s Party?
This is not the time or the place for this conversation.

It’s Never The Time! That Is So Not Fair! How Can You Bring Up Something Like That And Expect Me Not To Respond?
We’re getting way off topic here. Can we just talk about this later?

Fine.
Fine.

What Else Should We Know About Your Stupid Show?
I’m going to ignore your tone and answer your question. While there will be beer, we will not be selling food. There is a small chance you might be one of the lucky few who catch a ham sandwich during the course of the show (you’ll understand when you see it) we can’t guarantee there will be enough ham for everyone. So eat before you get there. Also, seating is limited. We have to cap it at 50 people. So let me know in advance if you’re going to come so we can make the necessary arrangements. And if you say you’re going to come and then you don’t show up, just know that that’s not cool. Really not cool.

So if you live in or around New York and would like to venture out to see some sketch comedy on a Saturday night, come check us out.

And afterwards we'll all go out for some beers and such...

Sepetmber is Mustache Month

That's right. My friend Tim at work suggested we all grow and wear mustaches through the month of September. So that's what we're doing. I've decided to suggest this to as many of my guy friends as possible and see if everyone does it. It'll be like a club. Your 'stache is your membership card.

As that is the only area where I can grow a substantial amount of facial hair I am kinda excited.

The scary thing is that I will probably look exactly like my father.

History of the Mustache