The Year of Living Rudely

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Rude Pundit CD On Sale Now:
The Year of Living Rudely, an audio version of this past summer's live show, as well as a bunch of new material, is now on sale at CDBaby.com.

Much, much more on this later.

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

New Seats Open For Rude Pundit Live:
Apparently, the previously held back press seats for the final performance of The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely are now available for advance purchase. It's on Friday, August 26 at 10:30 p.m. And for the late show, the Rude Pundit will work blue.

For tickets, go to Ticketweb or go to the Fringe Festival website and click on the date.

Additionally, there are stand-by and walk-up seats available on a limited basis for both performances: Wednesday at 5 p.m. and the aforementioned Friday at 10:30.

Come to see the end of the live rudeness (for the time being).

Friday, August 19, 2005

Tickets Still Available:
Dear Rude Pundit,
The Ticketweb link says that I need to buy tickets at the door to get into The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely in its oh-so-last-fuckin'-second added performance at Dixon Place on Saturday, August 20 at 7 p.m. Is this true? Or is it sold out?

Sincerely,
Guy Who Doesn't Understand

Dear Guy Who Doesn't Understand,
There are still some tickets available for the oh-so-last-fuckin'-second added performance of the Rude Pundit live at Dixon Place on Saturday, August 20 at 7 p.m. You merely need to show up at 258 Bowery in New York City at least 15 minutes before the start in order to purchase, with fifteen of your real hard-earned dollars in cash, tickets and enjoy an hour, more or less, of unmitigated rudeness.

The Rude Pundit

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Added Show - Short Notice - Buy Now:
The New York International Fringe Festival has added a performance of The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely this Saturday, August 20, at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going to Ticketweb and typing in "Dixon Place" in the venue search. Or try clicking here.

So far, this is the only additional performance of the Rude Pundit live. Only 40 seats available.

Also, some standby seats are available for all other performances (tonight at 7:15, Sunday at 2:15, Wednesday at 5 p.m., Friday the 26th at 10:30 p.m.). Show up fifteen minutes prior to the show if you wanna see if you can get in (and this ain't a fuckin' guarantee, but, hey, it also ain't Wicked).

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Review in the New York Times:
Oh, sweet Grey Lady, all is forgiven on Judith Miller. Check out the review by Margo Jefferson.

Monday, August 15, 2005

Reviews, Temperatures, Etc.:
So, yes, as Steve Gilliard said, it is fuckin' hot at Dixon Place. But, really, with a single A/C at least, it ain't as hot as it is in other venues for the festival. And besides, as this longtime Southerner has experienced, Northerners know fuck-all about air conditioning. (Plus, with the hellspawn weather breaking, there's a good chance it'll be pleasant on Bowery this week.)

The director's car was actually towed, not stolen, and, after a joyous trip to the Navy Yards of Brooklyn to retrieve said Corolla, the blow-up dolls are all safe and ready to continue their fine work.

So far, Left Blogsylvania has been givin' the sweet lovin' to The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely. From Lindsay at Majikthise to Julia at Sisyphus Shrugged to Scott Lemieux at Lawyers, Guns, and Money to a pretty detailed one by Liz at BlondeSense (warning: there's joke spoilers in this link), the Rude Pundit has been feelin' the gentle hand job of kindness.

A review is up at the online zine Gothamist. And more will be posted as they become available.

Saturday, August 13, 2005

Review Thread:
So, hey, if you went to the show, use this thread to laud or lump the performance.

Stuff From the Program:
Due to miscommunication, fuck up, forgetfulness, and it just being so hellishly hot here in NYC (yeah, yeah, fuck you, Phoenix), the program for The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely was not ready for opening night. So here's some of the words from the program:

Who’s Who

Lee Papa (The Rude Pundit, Playwright): Lee Papa is a professor of drama studies at the College of Staten Island. As a playwright, his works have been performed in Chicago, California, and various flyover states. He has worked with Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago, contributing to and helping create the work No Place Like Home. He has directed Doctor Faustus, The Tempest, and many new plays, as well as producing several benefit shows for arts organizations and 9/11 victims’ families. He also produced a couple of films you’ve never heard of. His stage performances include a ton of Shakespeare, a bunch of new and developing plays, and a load of plays by dead or nearly dead white guys. He has taught Theatre of the Oppressed classes around the United States, as well as in Denmark and the Czech Republic. And he’s written some articles on things like workers’ theatre and stuff.

In Knoxville, Tennessee, Papa created and produced Radio Free Theatre, a radio drama program that was a cult favorite in east Tennessee. In addition to writing and directing audio plays, Papa developed his rude punditry chops with the monthly "Rich Flemball Show," a parody of a certain porcine talk radio host. With Mark Creter as Flemball, Papa wrote scripts that inevitably led to Flemball ripping off his pants and declaring to the listening audience, "I'm pantsless."

Tonight's show, though, will be performed with pants on.

The Rude Pundit began in September 2003. Since then, it has grown to have a daily readership of 8000 to 10,000, with listings at Daily Kos, the Huffington Post and more. It has been mentioned by the blog babes on CNN (who refused to show it on screen) and by media babe Howard Kurtz in the Washington Post. You can read the Rude Pundit every weekday at rudepundit.blogspot.com.

Mark H. Creter (Director): Mark Harry Creter is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee and has served as the artistic director of TTU's Backdoor Playhouse for the past thirteen years. During that time he has directed such productions as Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel, the all fake-nude production of Lysistrata by Aristophanes, Shakespeare’s R & J adapted by Joe Calarco, Betty’s Summer Vacation by Christopher Durang, and Pterodactyls by Nicky Silver. Mark teaches courses in acting, directing, and many other areas.

He received his Bachelor of Arts in Theatrical Production from Lynchburg College in Lynchburg, Virginia and his Master of Fine Arts in Acting and Directing from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. After finishing his college training he spent a number of years performing professionally in regional theatres and dinner theatres from Greensboro, North Carolina to Xenia, Ohio, to Omaha, Nebraska. In 1989 he co-founded the Tennessee Stage Company in Knoxville, Tennessee where he worked as an actor and director for ten years. He also began the company's annual East Tennessee Shakespeare in the Park, which is entering its 15th season (now renamed simply Shakespeare in the Square.) Two years ago Mark co-founded and directed the premier production of the Dogwood Shakespeare in the Park in Cookeville, TN. Last month he directed Romeo and Juliet for their second season.

Although primarily a director, Mark also appears on local Cookeville stages in order to "keep his saw from getting rusty." Recent performances include the role of Dr. Dysart in Equus by Peter Shaffer, Marc in Art by Yasmina Reza, Pato Dooley in The Beauty Queen of Lenane by Conor McPherson and Larry in Hospitality Suite by Roger Rueff.

Mark served for eight years on the Tennessee Theatre Association board as East TN Rep., College and University Division Chair and President. He is also active with the Southeastern Theatre Conference and the American College Theatre Festival.
Mark was recently acknowledged for his commitment to free speech by receiving the Intellectual Freedom Award from the National Council of Teachers of English. He received this award in recognition of his involvement with the V-Day College Initiative in 2001 in which he produced and directed the first TTU campus production of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. He produced two student-directed productions in 2002 and 2003 and directed it again in 2005. The productions have raised approximately $10,000 to support the TN Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.

Mark dedicates all his artistic endeavours to his beautiful wife Jennifer and their son Gus.

Brian DeSmet (Sound and Lights):Brian DeSmet is a veteran techie in the Chicago and New York improv and sketch comedy scenes. Recent favorites include standing in with "The Shark Show," downtown's longest running comedy variety show; appearing in the Chicago Improv Festival with "Foreplay Unscripted," the erotic improv show; and -of course - lending a hand to speak rudeness to power. You might see him DJing in Williamsburg as DJ Plan B or online commenting on your favorite blog as Planet B.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

News From the Show Front:
The Rude Pundit warned you he was going to say this again:
Be there on time at Dixon Place, 258 Bowery (between Houston and Prince Streets). Seating will begin fifteen minutes before the show starts. The show will start at its appointed time, and, per festival rules, there is no late seating.

And if you're late and don't get in, don't bitch to the Rude Pundit about it. It ain't his rule, it ain't his call.

There's plenty of great places to eat all around the area (just, you know, not on the block itself).

Finally, there's a possibility of an added performance on Saturday, August 27 at 10:30 p.m. We'll update you as we know.

An Invitation:
Dear Ann Coulter and Bill O'Reilly,
The Rude Pundit knows you live in the New York City area. There's free tickets for you any night you'd like to come to see The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely. It's a comedy, with a little edge. It just the sort of thing a couple of savvy pundit-types would enjoy.

In fact, the Rude Pundit's sure you'll be delighted. So come one over to the show. Just have your people get in touch with me at rudepunditshow.blogspot.com.

Double-dog dare you,
The Rude Pundit

Friday, August 05, 2005

Why No DVD? Why?:
The Rude Pundit appreciates all the people who want to film and/or purchase a DVD of The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely, but there's a couple of reasons why there won't be a DVD right now.

1. The space is simply not conducive to putting two or three cameras in there, even lil' ol' mini-DVs. It's gonna be crowded.

2. There'd be some rights problems with some of the music used in the show; problems that don't exist in using certain songs in a stage show would be big fuckin' headaches for a DVD.

3. Should the show continue to different venues/cities, then puttin' together a DVD would be no big deal. But right now, the Rude Pundit wants only to worry about creating the best live rude show possible.

Oh, and as of this morning, the only tickets remaining are a couple on Sunday, August 21 at 2:15 p.m. and about ten left for Wednesday, August 24 at 5 p.m.

Otherwise, the show is sold out.

And, since wasting money is the American way and we can't get out of the contract, here's the totally useless ad that'll be appearing in the Village Voice:

Monday, August 01, 2005

Regarding Dixon Place and One Or Two Odd Ends:
Dixon Place is on the second floor of a building on Bowery between East Houston and Prince Streets. The block itself ain't pretty, and the space is one of the funkier in the city: seating is on couches, chairs, and old restaurant booths. Besides, it's where Eric Bogosian and the Blue Man Group got started. And, despite the block itself looking like old Lower Manhattan, you go down to Prince and take a right, and you are immediately in the hip-hip-oh-so-fuckin'-hip Nolita area, where you and the German and Japanese tourists can buy one-of-a-kind Pumas for your dainty feet. (And there's lots of great restaurants.)

And here's a point that'll be hammered home time and again: the show will begin promptly at its assigned time. It's a festival, so the next show goes right after. No fuckin' around, no "fashionably late," no "oh-shows-always-start-twenty-minutes-after-they-say-they-will." Nope. On fuckin' time.

As for whether or not there will be future dates after the festival: well, shit, if this sells out (or sells really well), we'll go from there. And then if the Rude Pundit ends up continuing the show, we'll look into a Rude in the USA tour. But let's take the first steps.

Oh, and let's get this over with so there's no bullshit expectations: the Rude Pundit is not Lewis Black nor is he Helen Thomas; he doesn't work for The Daily Show; he doesn't sell real estate; and the blog Sadly, No figured it out a couple of months ago because, well, the show is written by the Rude Pundit. Here is all you need to know: about what he does, who he is, and what he looked like five years ago. Any questions?

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Ticket Sale Date:
Tickets for The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely go on sale Saturday, July 30. Go to the Fringe Festival website for info on purchasing (it involves all kinds of fancy clicking and shit).
Dixon Place is a hip venue, which means it's small. There will only be about 260 or so seats for the whole run, so, you know, buy early and often.

Rude Pundit CD:
For all of you who have politely asked and all of you who have angrily demanded, the Rude Pundit is going to record an in-studio version of the show. It won't be the same as the live show because, well, you won't get to see what happens with the dozen or so blow-up dolls, but it might involve other actors. Details as they become available.

Monday, July 11, 2005

The Rude Pundit In The Year of Living Rudely - Dates, Times, Venues:
The show will be performed at Dixon Place in New York City. Dixon Place, considered one of New York's "most important" experimental theatre venues, is on the 2nd Floor at 258 Bowery.

Since The Rude Pundit In The Year of Living Rudely is part of the New York International Fringe Festival, dates and times are not regular, but are as follows:

Friday, August 12 at 9 p.m. (opening day of the festival)

Sunday, August 14 at 3:45 p.m.

Tuesday, August 16 at 9:30 p.m.

Thursday, August 18 at 8 p.m.

Sunday, August 21 at 2:15 p.m.

Wednesday, August 24 at 5 p.m.

Friday, August 26 at 10:30 p.m.

The show will last approximately 75 minutes.
Post-show drinking will last until the next morning, no matter what time the show starts.

No word yet on when tickets will go on sale, but stay tuned.

For more info or questions, e-mail rudepunditshow@yahoo.com.

And, hey, keep the donations coming. Click over on the right side of the page for PayPal or Amazon Honors System.

Soon, the Rude Pundit will put up images of the ads you've helped purchase. And maybe a photo or two of the blow-up dolls that'll be fucked . . . or, you know, used in the show (also purchased with your donations).

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Fundraising Update:
So far, those clickin' the links over on the right side of the page have sent enough money for a couple of print ads, including in the Village Voice for one week. The Rude Pundit still wants to raise enough for more, more advertisement, damnit. More Voice and The Onion. And maybe even more. Until the rudeness can no longer be denied.

And, you know, really, money is needed for blow-up dolls for the show. There will be blow-up dolls. Many of them. But since it's a stage show, they'll be called "props" and not "fuck toys."

Click away and soon the Rude Pundit will announce venue and exact dates for The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely at the New York International Fringe Festival, August 12-29.

Friday, June 10, 2005

More and More Info About The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely:
The Rude Pundit ought to know venue information next week, according to Fringe Fest organizers. Dates will not be known until July.

While the Rude Pundit doesn't want to reveal too much about the show, rest assured: blow-up dolls will be involved.

New Way To Give Money To Support the Rudeness
:
There's a new donation link on the side. In addition to Paypal, there's an Amazon Honor System donation button. Give money for advertisement and, well, blow-up dolls.

Monday, June 06, 2005

The Year of Living Rudely - Going To the Masses:
Thanks to everyone who contributed large and small to The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely. Because of your generosity, there's going to be a nice, big 1/3 page ad in the program guide for the NYIFF that's distributed all over New York City. As long-disgraced televangelist Robert Tilton tells his viewers, your money is now doing Jesus's work.

Next up for the fundraising goal: ads in The Onion (print edition) and the Village Voice. So if you got it, toss a coin or two or a roll of bills into the well.

For those who have contributed and those who wish to contribute, include any blogs you do and we'll make a blogroll of contributors.

Answering the Comments:
1. The Rude Pundit is not Lewis Black. He is not Helen Thomas. He is the bastard spawn of both of them.
1a. He is not Sister Jean Marie from St. Louis.
2. There are plans afoot for audio and/or video recordings. No streaming, though. The idea of "buffering" gives the Rude Pundit the jitters.
3. There are currently no plans for more shows, mainly because we want to see if this works. If it does, prepare for the "Rude in the U.S.A." tour (which would include Salt Lake City and other places where the Rude Pundit might have his life threatened even more than he already does). Although, you know, if anyone wants to book the Rude Pundit ahead of time, he is available for gigs and bar mitzvahs.
4. Donations are not tax deductible. Does this look like one of those fancy non-profit websites?
5. There will be an Amazon Honor System link up soon for those who are suspicious of anything that says it's your "pal" and wants your money.

And Remember:
The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely - at least five performances between August 12 and 28 in New York City. Venue and exact dates and times to be announced.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

The Rude Pundit, Live:
In August, the Rude Pundit will perform a one-man show at the New York International Fringe Festival. The exact dates and venue are still TBA, but there will be at least five performances in New York City between August 12 and August 28. The show, The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely, will feature spankin' new, un-blogged material.

The Rude Pundit Wants Your Money:
For the first time, the Rude Pundit is asking for money. Because he wants to advertise the shit out of the show and bring a new audience into the world of rudeness, he’s fundraising. Click on the Pay Pal link over on the side, and toss a few bucks or a bunch o' bucks in the cookie jar to help defray the costs of putting on The Rude Pundit in The Year of Living Rudely.

Your donations will make sure that the rude word spreads far and wide.

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

Announcing a Show:

The Rude Pundit in the Year of Living Rudely, starring the Rude Pundit, will premiere at the New York International Fringe Festival in August 2005. Stay tuned for more details.

For now, go read The Rude Pundit.