Didn't think I would get a comedy-related blog item directly out of attending the Book Expo this weekend, but a great moment happened out of going for crime novelist James Ellroy's autograph at his publisher's booth yesterday.
Unlike a lot of the other authors who sign at the convention, Ellroy, by the time I made it up to him in the line, seemed to be conducting an hour-long stand-up act/profane circus barker monologue where signing was beside the point. Gesturing with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Do you want to hear a joke?" as he invited booth staff and everyone near the head of the line to listen in:
A lion is fucking a zebra in the jungle, and the zebra's husband comes along. 'Quick,' the zebra tells the lion, 'pretend you're killing me.'
A pause settles as everyone realizes that's the drier-than-dry punchline. An apt joke coming from the author of such dark fiction.
Not to knock authors without such animated patter -- grateful that they do sign -- but a close second to Ellroy in booth patter was Elliot Tiber, author of "Taking Woodstock," his true-life story that is the subject of an upcoming movie starrting Demetri Martin. Tiber seemed to have running jokes going with two staff members working in the booth with him, and spying me, asked if I was sure I was over 18 and old enough to be reading what's in the book. "Don't look at page 46!" With a smile, I told him I'd be sure to turn to that page first.
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A feature tied to Jester (www.jesterjournal.com), where editor Michael Shashoua points to developments in comedy that do not otherwise fit into review sections of the site, and cites must-read (or listen) coverage of comedy in other media.
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