Photo Expo

This past week was lovely, spent mostly walking around in the cold. As much as the bitterness of the wind in NYC can be hard to take, I wasn't the only person around who talked about loving this weather. There's something about being freezing on the outside but warm on the inside that I think really evokes the spirit of the holidays. Now, talk to me in February, and I'll tell you it's muther-f*cking cold and I hate this bullsh*t. But for now, I'll smile thru the bite of the frost as it makes my face adorably pink.

Here's a series of pictures I took on Tuesday as I walked down Bowery on my way to the show at R Bar:

















***

Wednesday I walked around Harlem and finally stopped in the Studio Museum. (It's free on Sundays, courtesy of Target. Yes, I will link Target, because I love that muthafluffing place. It's like a palace made of brightly colored plastic. I believe is was Claudia Cogan who said, "I feel like Target is the Wal*Mart of poor Democrats.")

At the gift shop, I bought this adorable piggy bank for my kid (cuz let's face it, she's gotta start saving her pennies if she wants to go to college). It's made by Kikkerland, a Dutch design company with offices on 127th Street. If you're shopping for unique but inexpensive Xmas gifts, check them out. They have some cheeky items like the "controversial passport holder" (greet the guys at customs with a skin from North Korea or the USSR), the "money laundry bag" (for you, Jenny Rubin) and the "time flies wall clock."



As everyone who knows me knows, my love affair with Harlem runs deep. But I love no Harlem haunt more than Marcus Garvey Park, where I spent so many days with Adriana when she was an infant. I climbed to the highest point and saw a hawk on top of the lookout tower. It was a beautiful day, and there were tons of pigeons flying overhead as usual.



The majesty of Harlem
in its beauty and its grace

the birds always flock here
unlike any other place.

They glide in the sky
circling up above

while on the street we smile
in wonder and in love.

***

Thursday I went to see Hold for the Laughs (next show Dec. 17), hosted by Margie Kment at the Sage Theatre in midtown. I realized I hadn't been to Times Square in so long - everything looked different. Have you seen the new TKTS booth? It's finally finished, and thanks to the red LED stairs on its backside, filled with tourists 24/7. I wonder what Father Duffy thinks of that...



I remember sitting in that exact spot on September 11th, 2002, when the city observed a moment of silence for each minute the towers were struck. I was still temping at Morgan Stanley then, which you can see in the background. You'd be hard pressed to do any personal reflection there now, but with all the flashing lights and reflective surfaces, I guess you don't have to. There's a new slogan for the Times Square BID: "Depressed? Come to Broadway! We'll do the emotional work for you!"

I found myself back in Times Square on Friday before heading down to Comix. I'm never far from home when there's a Dallas BBQ nearby, so I stopped in to enjoy some chicken and victory.



Saturday, yet again at 42nd Street, but this time on my way to Brooklyn, I saw this guy playing the saw, and I just had to take a picture in honor of New York ex-pat Becky Poole.



He can't fill your shoes - or your fairy costume - but it was nice to hear the dulcet tones of a construction tool again. He was playing Ave Maria, which I thought was kind of funny, so I gave him $1 and took his picture. The song ended as I walked away, and I wondered what else was in his repertoire. Turns out, Ave Maria! Talk about a one trick pony! You play one song over and over again on the SAW? I want my dollar back to give to the guy playing the Erhu.

Happy Thanksgiving, turkeys!

Hello, Everybody!

Four years ago, when Bush was re-elected, people all over the country were uploading pictures to a website called "Sorry Everybody" as a way to let the rest of the world know how bummed we were that Kerry lost.  My husband Mark and I both submitted.  Here's mine:

And here's his.  His was featured on the website, here.

Sorryeverybody.com now greets its viewers on the main page with "Hello Everybody," and a picture of its creator with a drawing that says, "Hello World - Let's Hang Out," followed by this message:

Hi, world. Remember four years ago, when we screwed up and then we were really sorry? You'll never guess what just happened.

I was surprised last night to find an open seat at the bar. It was about midnight in San Francisco, Mission Street was closed to automobile traffic, and this bar, like all the rest, was packed solid with blissful friends and blissful strangers, hugging, toasting, and yelling their happy disbelief to each other over the din. So when I saw an opening in the mass of revelers, I muscled my way to the front and ordered a drink. The bartender asked how I was doing. "Pretty good!" I hollered. "Found an open seat at the bar!"

Passing me an overfilled beer, the bartender jabbed a finger at me. "You found an open seat at the bar, and we have a black president!"

According to his explanation page, the author isn't going to use the site as a way for people to illustrate their happiness about the election of Barack.  But that's okay, because CNN has sort of co-opted his idea for their iReport page.  There's a feature there where Americans and foreigners alike have sent in photos and videos with messages for President Obama, such as "Don't let Washington change you!" or "It's time for our nation to heal."  Unfortunately, they've stopped taking submissions, but I didn't want to let the moment pass without posting my own messages here at least.  So here they are, my messages to you, President-Elect Obama:

Don't let them call you a Socialist. It's bullshit. If you take taxpayer money and you give it to the public in free healthcare, you're a Socialist. But if you take taxpayer money and you give it to corporations, you believe in Democracy. I say we all walk into AIG and ask to get our teeth cleaned.

And for that matter, what's wrong with being a Socialist? The Dutch are Socialists, and Holland is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. They pass out pot to babies. It's amazing. Ain't nothin' wrong with helping your little kiddo take a nap.

On a final note:

Congratulations, Laura and Alex!

Laura Mannino and Alex Stockham wed November 7th, 2008 at Battery Gardens in New York City. I had the honor of attending the bride, alongside the lovely Katina Corrao, Katie Caperton and Maid of Honor Catherine Medeot. Groomsmen included New York comedian Shawn Hollenbach; other guests from the NY scene were Nick Cobb, Billy Wood, Matt McCarthy, Glennis McMurray, Jenny Rubin, Bricken Sparacino and Michael Birch, Kevin Murphy, Paul Case and Adolpho Blaire. Mazel tov, y'all!

The face of the new democracy:

Last Monday, November 3rd, Adriana and I had the privilege of hanging door signs for Obama in Erie, PA. The neighborhood we were assigned was quiet and cute, the most ostentatious lawn displays being that of Steelers pride. (Did you know you could get a 4 ft. inflatable Steelers player for your front lawn? Why not?!) Adriana worked very hard, hanging the signs at almost every single house. Our route took us about four hours, and we were both a bit cranky by the time we were done, but after a pick-me-up piece of pizza back at volunteer headquarters (where I got that kickass IBEW poster), we decided we still had enough life in us to go see BILL CLINTON speak.

The middle row of pictures above are all from the Clinton event. On the left you see Adriana, thrilled to be waiting in line. In the center you see the crowds while the man himself was onstage. On the right you see a piece of the enormous American flag behind the podium extolling "Change We Need." That photo distills the entire campaign for me into one succinct image. As you may remember, I've been following Barack for a while, first proclaiming my love in January 2007. The highlight for me over the last two years was attending his rally in Washington Square Park, which I covered for HuffPo. But I must say, it was an honor to canvass for him, and to donate a meager $25 in the last hours of the campaign. I feel like I own a piece of his legacy now, something I'm proud to say my little daughter was also a part of.

CUE THE ANI DIFRANCO REFERENCE!

Here are the lyrics to paradigm:

i was born to two immigrants
who knew why they were here
they were happy to pay taxes
for the schools and roads
happy to be here
they took it seriously
the second job of citizenry
my mother went campaigning door to door
and holding to her hand was me

i was just a girl in a room full of women
licking stamps and laughing
i remember the feeling of community brewing
of democracy happening

but i suppose like anybody
i had to teach myself to see
all that stuff that got lost
on its way to church
all that stuff that got lost
on its way to school
all that stuff that got lost
on its way to the house of my family
all that stuff that was not lost on me

teach myself to see each of us
through the lens of forgiveness
like we're stuck with each other (god forbid!)
teach myself to smile and stop and talk
to a whole other color kid
teach myself to be new in an instant
like the truth is accessible at any time
teach myself it's never really one or the other
there's a paradox in every paradigm

i was just a girl in a room full of women
licking stamps and laughing
i remember the feeling of community brewing
of democracy happening

This Week in America

A Letter from Barack

Carolyn --

I'm about to head to Grant Park to talk to everyone gathered there, but I wanted to write to you first.

We just made history.

And I don't want you to forget how we did it.

You made history every single day during this campaign -- every day you knocked on doors, made a donation, or talked to your family, friends, and neighbors about why you believe it's time for change.

I want to thank all of you who gave your time, talent, and passion to this campaign.

We have a lot of work to do to get our country back on track, and I'll be in touch soon about what comes next.

But I want to be very clear about one thing...

All of this happened because of you.

Thank you,

Barack

***

Last night, as I sat with my jaw open trying to call all my friends in celebration over the victory I feel like everyone I know has been so passionate about securing, I couldn't help but feel a little bit like a Bills fan: shocked by winning because I've gotten so used to losing. When I laid down in bed next to my husband at 12:30, I said, "It's still so surreal. I think I was bracing myself for," he interjected, "them to steal it?" "Yeah," I replied. And then it hit me. After 8 years of corrupt government - after 8 years of not being able to watch my President speak without cringing or having to turn off the TV - the one thing I have been most hoping for, nay, working towards (in my own small way), actually came to fruition. Barack Obama is the next President of the United States of America. I get teary just typing it, and yet I can't cry. Because it's not like we won American Idol. It's not like I just got handed an oversized check by Ed McMahon. This is the real deal. This is not some insignificant bullshit. This means that our country is being led by a DIPLOMAT for the first time in my lifetime. (Sorry, Bill, but Barack's vision is broader than yours, and I think you know that, which is why, despite the fact that you've shown up to stump speeches, your heart hasn't been in them. I love you as much as the next red-blooded American girl with a working reproductive system, but Obama has got you trumped.)

I can only imagine that this feels like the Kennedy years, but without all the unfortunate sadness that has surrounded their family. There is something to be said for the Obama's ability to bring back Camelot. (If you took one look at Michelle's exquisite dress last night and the way it perfectly complimented each of her daughter's without any of them being ostentatious, you understand the kind of sophistication and savvy they posses, seemingly tempered by a deeply spiritual humility they must have found somewhere in their "hate church.") Barack is certainly the most eloquent speaker this country has seen since the 60's and people most certainly do take inspiration from that. Last night on CNN, someone was talking about the youth movement and saying Barack was "our leader," and there's nothing wrong with that. Isn't it reassuring that the country has chosen a President who people actually want to claim as their leader? As someone they deem wise enough and sage enough to implicitly trust? Isn't that what the majesty inherent in the highest position in the land is supposed to engender? Inspiration and hope?

I realize there are a lot of people who'd be thrilled to smugly remind me that you can't live on hope, and that's true. But man cannot live on bread alone, either. So without hope, what do we have? CNN used holographic technology last night while they were reporting on the election results. (Easy now, Jem!) Facebook played a major role in getting Barack elected. People are creating communities and coming together using technology in fascinating new ways. But what of it? Without some common purpose, without some higher call, that's all just razzle-dazzle. It's just the costumes without the show.

"This is our moment. This is our time – to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth – that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes We Can."

- President-Elect Barack Obama

PENNSYLVANIA!!!!!!!

Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you.

I'm back!

Hello, Internets! How are you? You look different. Did you get a haircut? Oh, all of them? Hahaha - you're so funny.

Me? Oh, I've been pretty busy the last few weeks. Yeah, too busy to write to you. Sorry! But I can show you a photographic retrospective if you like. Sound good? Okay, great!

So, here's me on October 16th hosting The Hysterical Festival show "The Baby Mamas of Comedy." It was a super-fun evening, not in the least because of the bachelorette party we had in the audience. You'll see the bride-to-be onstage with me, below.





That's just what I looked like at my wedding. You can see all of Maryanne Ventrice's glorious photos of the fest here and here.

***

Here are some highlights of The Obama Girls of Comedy tour that ended in Norfolk, VA on October 29. Go see the girls (sans moi!) host at Le Poisson Rouge tonight as the election results roll in. Appearances by Michelle Buteau, Claudia Cogan, Calise Hawkins, Giulia Rozzi, Hilary Schwartz - of course Susannah "Goddess" Perlman - and more!


Click to see a larger version.

That outfit gets around.

The life of a traveling comedian, as you may have surmised, is uber-classy. One night we even got to stay in a DoubleTree hotel! When we signed-in at the front desk, they gave us warm cookies! Just look at all the amenities we had in our room:


Wolfgang Puck Estate Grown Coffee, Neutrogena Skin Care Products, a Sweet Dreams Pillow and Blood!

Carolyn, upon seeing the stain: "Someone died here!"
Claudia, in response: "Their hair."


This is how you make a tour happen! (Or you get a manager.) GRASSROOTS! Talk about a ground game!


NO WIRE HANGERS! These hotels are serious about their pro-choice stances!

Here's the Flickr set that covers the entire tour.

It is done. The die has been cast. Alea iacta est.