i had been looking forward to john hodgman's reading at the regulator for weeks. maybe even months. i adore him.
a lot.
too much, perhaps.
so it's probably best i just leave it at that, and say that the event did not disappoint.
here's a 24 MB video of him reading some hobo poetry ostensibly written by 'mindbender steve', a hobo whose poems always, always rhymed. (to the point of painfulness.)
and here is the poem in non-video form, which is found in the pulitzer-prize-winning book "the areas of my expertise"... follow along as you watch the video. (and yes, that is a bagpipe accompaniment you hear in the background. it was a weird night.)
A hobo always goes and goes
He does not stop to change his clothes
He rides the rails that he has chose.
Water pours out from a hose!
Do not show me tramp or bum
Tramp may ride, and bum's a chum
But both beg from the other one.
Kids: stop chewing chewing gum!
Neither works like hobo does
Carving coin and twisting fuzz
Into a pretty pair of gloves.
The past tense of "to be" is "was"!
A hobo he will never steal
Unless it is to get a meal
Or cash, or gems, or fur of seal.
Some Japanese eat broiled eel!
But saddest: those who do not ride
At all, but stand and die inside
As world spins on and throws aside
The past, and hope, and faith, and pride.
In one direction do trains glide
Not looking back, on windward side,
Across the continent's divide
The hobo rides and rides and rides.
I will eat anything that's fried!
He's young, too, isn't he? He comes off older on TV, but I looked him up, he's only 35, I think? The photo you have here shows off some serious babyface skin... we're jealous you got to go see him.
Posted by: Penny at October 28, 2006 09:04 AMHOLY moly that was a good time!! I hope you will get into the other parts of the night that you haven't mentioned here. Like how you got JH to pay you special attention. Rowr.
I now have the hots for the guy, too.
Posted by: Stewpants at October 28, 2006 10:59 AMI, too, will eat anything that's fried. Within reason.
Posted by: Jerry at October 28, 2006 03:46 PMcrud. I meant to go to this. Howcome David didn't remind me?
Posted by: Elizabeth at October 29, 2006 12:27 PMI like how you got the hobo H star-symbol in the picture but then don't mention that in your post. That H will probably be on the wall for as long as the Regulator keeps its doors open. There is a whole box of AOME chalk at the store. Do you think I could make some fast cash auctioning it off on E-bay? Was that you who had your cell phone commandeered? Is that what Stewpants is referring to as "special attention"? Glad folks had a good time. I'm so out of it I didn't know that Mr. Hodgman is the PC dude of the Mac commercials until somebody told me during the day Friday. I wonder what the story is on him getting that gig? (Sorry E, I didn't know you were a fan. It seems like something Henry would dig too.)
Posted by: David F at October 30, 2006 09:43 AMI heart hobos! now I heart john hodgman, too! and I got me some of that hobo chalk, so somebody tell me if it's worth millions on ebay. btw, look look, I am reading. and posting comments. :-)
Posted by: mary at October 30, 2006 11:57 AMdavid-
i actually didn't even notice the "H" on the wall until i looked at my photos afterward. how weird is that?
and thankfully, no, that wasn't my cell phone that rang during his reading. i would have been mortified. he was hilarious, though, taking the phone from her, answering it, and having a conversation with the person on the other end. ha!
so, no, that wasn't the "special attention" that stewpants makes note of. you can find out more about my *real* "special attention" by clicking the "jenny" link in the "people i know" list on the right column of my blog.
also, hodgman did tell the story of landing the mac commercials... it sounded like after a couple of appearances on 'the daily show' he was summoned to audition ("along with everyone else in the world", he said). it's no surprise to me that he got the job --he's perfect in the role-- but apparently it was a career move that he'd never considered until he was asked to audition.
Indeed, you can reach that post telling about Xta's new fame over here I highly recommend it, if only for the pictorial commentary.
Posted by: Stewpants at October 30, 2006 05:25 PM