Pretentious bastard!

Would you let this surly fellow put on a reading of a snotty, insulting new play about godawfully pretentious bloggers? The Brick would. And thus this Friday at 11pm and Saturday at 5pm John DeVore, bon vivant, hard-drinker, fast-talker, radio personality and überbutch dramatiste will present staged readings of his new masterwork, The Sophisticates. It's part of the Brick's Pretentious Festival, and John synopsizes it thusly: "Two self important bloggers with literary aspirations patiently await the arrival of a hot shot book agent in this scathing satire on big city media—where the competition is vicious because the stakes are so low." He let me read an early draft, and it was quite nasty, funny, distinctly Molière-esque and essential viewing for anyone who has blogged or read them at any length. Let's just say that John was very…inspired with this one. I'm gonna try to make the Friday late-night one. Be curious to see how many bloggers will be in attendance. "I have heard/That guilty creatures sitting at a play/Have by the very cunning of the scene/Been struck so to the soul that presently/They have proclaim'd their malefactions..."

Comments

[Alison Croggon]

What about bloggers who already have perfectly respectable literary agents and publishers?

No, I'm not taking it personally. But somehow that outline left me feeling a little depressed...

[David]

Cheer up, Alison. There's a whole universe of lit bloggers out there, many of whom don't have the enviable career you do (scratch the surface of a theater bloggeek and you may find a frustrated sci-fi/fantasy novelist). John's poking a little fun at the self-obsessed aspirational culturistas that our media age has little use for, except in satire. Self-obsessed? Moi? Toi?

[freeman]

I actually got to read it as well and took it in stride. It's hilarious and it should be taken in the spitefully loving spirit intended. If Devore didn't read blogs so much, he never would have gone this extra mile.

It's all in good fun. I'm looking forward to both the reading, and a future full production.

[Alison Croggon]

I'm not entirely humourless, despite being a feminist. (Btw, you could say exactly the same about practically any hack journalist, David...) But I must say, you guys are doing a lot of navel-gazing there - given, blogging is an act that attracts narcissists, me included, but I'm wondering about the blogging-about-blogging blogging event too. And kinda wondering if that's all it amounts to or if, well, something else is possible...

[freeman]

What it amounts to is perfect fodder for the Pretentious Festival. The signs says "Come stare at navels within."

[David]

Speaking as a hack journalist, I find it vitally important to maintain a sense of humor. It keeps my spirits high as I hope one day to produce writing of greater worth (journalistic or no). Since blogging is a peculiar form of instantaneous public exhibitionism, I think it's fair game for satire or other forms. (Whether anyone gives a damn or if it makes any sense on stage is another question.)

[Joshua James]

Blogging is BURST CULTURE, according to Kung Fu Monkey . . .

[babydoll]

When is the rest of the world going to realize that Mr. Devore is a significant playwright and hardly "uberbutch."

[Joshua James]

BTW, I just tagged ya . . .

[Alison Croggon]

Yeah, granted. It just seems a little up its own arse to me.

[David]

it might only seem up its own arse if you happen to be a blogger. devore doesn't blog, he just watches with horrified fascination from afar. the general public might find it an amusing subculture. and anyway, are writers writing about writers up their own arse? or theater folks making theater about other theater folks? having actually seen (and enjoyed) the reading last night, i think devore found in blogging a neat little metaphor for a society that values its intellectuals not for their original thinking, but by how well they can digest culture in a quick, predigested fashion for consumers. Also, he dramatized the plight of certain overeducated and undertalented individuals who sneer at the mob but desperately seek validation in the marketplace. it's a very clever social satire. Very today.