Seattlest: Whatever You Do, Don't Kill His Cat

Courtney

Sat, 04 Nov 2006 15:23:14 -0800

Certainly no more scorn will be heaped, Royal. I was exceptionally snarky and you called me on it, that's entirely fair. I let my true colors show--when at book readings or lectures or the like, I find it distasteful when someone shines the light on themself during Q&A, instead of actually asking a question the speaker can definitively answer. For what its worth, this happens with many a smart people asking questions at the Town Hall events I often attend, and in those cases it really does feel like these people are trying to convince the speaker and audience of their sheer genius. I always feel for the person speaking, who has taken the time to travel here, be wise and witty, and show off their hard work; they don't deserve to hear an expository account disguised as a question. I still feel that way, but I don't doubt your wife's intentions were good and the spotlight was intimidating. We sometimes drown in our own snark here at Seattlest, please forgive us. Hodgman's good-natured stabs can stand on their own without further embellishment from this peanut gallery.

Royal

Sun, 22 Oct 2006 02:09:58 -0800

Probably opening the door for more scorn, but I figured I'd better defend some honor here. That was my wife that rambled on about Brookline and Yale and all that -- and there's no way she thinks she's smarter than John. She didn't even go to Yale. She just grew up in Brookline, went to Brookline High, and was tickled pink to discover a guy she enjoyed watching on TV and reading in books and magazines grew up in the same city she did (thanks to a Daily Show bit about Brookline Soccer moms -- SMILF). She's simply enamored by him, and got overly embarrased to talk to him once all eyes were on her. But thanks for making her feel even MORE like shit by rubbing in the good-natured stabs that John gave her at Elliot Bay. And also thanks for ruining Seattlest for me. I enjoyed reading it up until you started picking on your readers -- especially one that I love so.

Courtney

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:50:40 -0800

Indeed. I think his charm lies in the fact that he literally says/writes exactly what he thinks, unfiltered. The trick, of course, is that he thinks far more marvelous things that the rest of us do...

Jack

Thu, 19 Oct 2006 13:45:03 -0800

During the signing, Hodgman wrote in my book, "I'm sorry we have not spoken before." I love that man.