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May 10, 2023·edited May 10, 2023Liked by Ooof! Bong!

"Fancy that! Mechanized criticism!"

I think you might have done well with that caption, but "Ooof! Bong!" is a classic title, too. If you're taking questions, I'm happy to supply a couple (knowing that the prompt said "a" question, I'll be happy if you pick one or the other, should you be so inclined):

Any thoughts about pop art? I know the comic book aesthetic is welcome, but I wonder whether ye of Ooof! Bong! select the style for its sociohistorical context or some nostalgic quality, or possibly the melodrama of the movement itself (and by pop art, I mean Lichtenstein, not Warhol). Do you delineate these domains at all, or blur them together like Scott McCloud?

Oh, and do you have any favorite pieces of media (novels, films, records, etc.)? The Ooof! Bong! catalog of cultural references seems rather eclectic, so I'm curious to know if there are any enduring favorite projects.

Suggestions . . . I'm finishing Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon right now. If you like his work on The Inky Fool and/or haven't read the book yet, I'd highly recommend it. His sense of humor and graceful wordplay are a pleasure to experience. I've been listening to Ute Lemper's Punishing Kiss often lately, and recently revisited The Mountain Goats' The Sunset Tree. (Oh! I've begun to delve into the fascinating realm of Connie Converse's music; I've found it beautiful and haunting, an impression made more powerful by the circumstances of her disappearance. That might be an interesting subject to write about.) I haven't been able to watch very much lately, but I've been enjoying a lengthy jaunt into silent films when possible (Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, etc.). I particularly enjoyed The Kid, Chaplin's first feature-length film.

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May 9, 2023Liked by Ooof! Bong!

"Or if you want an opportunity to promote your personal brand, we can do that too. We reserve the right not to, like, casually promote your dope new NFT/app/water bottle/lip gloss venture or whatever - but we’ll shout you out somehow if that’s what you want." LOL either write about my Fringe show or write about why I can't get a journalist to review it.

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May 8, 2023Liked by Ooof! Bong!

Enjoyed hearing the background story to all of this.

May the Force Be With You!

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