Weekend Bits & Bobs

My friend Liz and I went to see Kathy Griffin on Friday night at the Fox Theatre. Kathy did a "double-banger" (two shows in one night) and we decided to go to her late show, which didn't start until nearly 11 p.m. I haven't laughed so hard in ages. She ripped Sarah Palin to shreds, took aim at Paris Hilton, Pamela Anderson, Oprah, American Idol, pill-poppin' Paula and the cult of reality TV shows. Her long bit about Nancy Grace on CNN was so funny I was in tears. She has Nancy's voice, mannerisms and bullshit down to a science. It was a great way to wind down and have a laugh after a stressful week at the day job.

On Saturday, I didn't leave the house. I made dinner and watched The Crying Game, which I hadn't seen in years. I'm slowly replacing my VHS collection with DVDs and this was the special edition that has the "alternate ending." I didn't know The Crying Game had a different ending, but it really, really sucked so cheers to Neil Jordan for sticking to his guns and keeping the ending where the Stephen Rae character goes to jail instead of flying off to a tropical isle with Jaye Davidson. 

I'm also reading Ian McNulty's fantastic memoir, A Season of Night. McNulty recounts returning to New Orleans just weeks after Katrina and moving into the second floor of his flooded Mid-City home. He spent months as the only person living on his destroyed street -- with no electricity, phone or essential services -- trying to repair his beloved home. The book is a love letter to NOLA and the resilience of the people who came back as soon as the floodwater receded and vowed to rebuild the city. McNulty is reading and signing the memoir on Thursday night (Sept. 11) at 7:30 p.m. at Wordsmiths Books in Decatur and I'll be there. Add this book to your must-read list for the Fall.

Today, we had a big Atlanta Queer Literary Festival meeting and firmed up the festival schedule. We have five days absolutely packed with events including theatre, poetry, prose and a day of workshops. The festival opens Wednesday, Oct. 15, with an event featuring Mark Doty and Kate Evans at the Central Library in Downtown Atlanta.