Good Grief! The Cleveland Charlie Browns!

I was selling some old stuff on eBay recently (feel free to buy it here) when I found in the box an old Youngstown Vindicator from 2004 wrapping up some glassware or whatnot.  I glanced over it and enjoyed reading an article in which a sports columnist advises The Cleveland Browns on whom to draft.  He advises them not to draft Ben Roethlisberger because "they're not in a position where they can waste a No 1 pick on a project.  In addition, I think it would be a major public relations disaster if the Browns took the Miami (Ohio) signal caller.  Even though, he's a local kid, somewhat, Browns fans are astute enough to realize there are more pressing needs on this team."

The Browns apparently listened to the advice of the sports columnist since they picked Kellen Winslow II instead of Roethlisberger, which in hindsight I think we can all agree was probably not the best choice as Roethlisberger has, of course, gone on to play in three Super Bowls, winning two of them, meanwhile The Browns have gone through 21 different starting quarterbacks and 10 losing seasons since Roethlisberger started playing for The Pittsburgh Steelers.  In fact, just yesterday, I watched The Browns get destroyed (see a picture above courtesy of my pal Nick) while Roethlisberger led The Steelers to an easy victory.

I hope that The Browns don't listen to that sports columnist's advice for this year's draft!  I would suggest that they just give up trying to guess whom will or will not be a good prospect since they are terrible at it for the most part and just draft anyone whose last name is Brown.  Conceptually, having a team composed of players whose last name is Brown would be kind of fun.  After all, the two greatest football legends associated with the team are arguably Paul and Jim Brown, so why not double down on the name?  The results couldn't be much worse than this year's, could they?  Good grief!

New Pop Lit In Print!

My old pal King Wenclas has been publishing an online litzine, New Pop Lit, for a bit, but now he's expanded into print with a literary journal of the same name.  Given our shared Underground Literary Alliance background, I figured the print version of NPL would be a scruffy zine.  Since I love scruffy zines, I was quite okay to be published in yet another one, so I sent him a new Harold Grumblebunny story called "30 Women In 30 Days".  To my surprise, when a copy showed up in the mail last week, it was like a book.  Yowza!  This thing could be on the shelves at Barnes & Noble with the other literary journals, though the fantastic cover probably would indicate that this journal isn't quite like the others.  In any case, it looks great, and I am excited to read it!  It also features work from my old Perpetual Motion Roadshow pal Jessica Disobedience, now going under the name Jessie Lynn McMains, so that makes it even cooler!

Dead Milkmen Special!

Many years ago, I helped produce a special on The Dead Milkmen for my college radio station.  Joe Jack Talcum has included the special as this month's "Bootleg Of The Month" on his website.  You can check it out here:  https://jacktalcum.com/btlg/Dead_Milkmen_Special_WBGU-FM_Bowling_Green_OH.mp3.

Help Michael Grover

One of my old Underground Literary Alliance buddies, Michael Grover, has run into some financial and health difficulties, so some friends are trying to help him out. 

Sorority Sisters Vs. Sasquatch Is Out!

Sorority Sisters Vs. Sasquatch is out!  The movie is a hoot!  So is the back copy on the DVD!  Mark Justice, the director, did a great job, especially given what he had to work with, such as a novice actor named Wred Fright.

Thank You Smokers And Voters!

I was not surprised that the arts tax was renewed since voters in Cuyahoga County, Ohio USA seem to love taxes, but I thank them all the same, and doubly so if it eventually puts money in my pocket.  Even if it doesn't, I will get a warm feeling inside every time I see someone throw a cigarette butt out a car window in the county instead of just a bit of rage against the litterbug.

Keep On Smoking And Taxing

A few years back, Cuyahoga County Ohio USA voters jacked up prices on cigarettes and funneled the smoke funds to the arts.  This resulted years later in an application for a Creative Workforce Fellowship from me.  I don't know if I'll get it, but if people don't vote to renew the cigarette tax by voting for Issue 8, then I do know that I will be more irate when smokers litter their butts on the ground.  At least now I know they're probably subsidizing my ticket price when I attend a play in Cuyahoga County, which is vaguely soothing.

New Trailer For Sorority Sisters Vs. Sasquatch

Here's the latest trailer.  Sadly, none of my character's epic fight against Sasquatch made the cut.  I hope it's in the movie, as it was a lot of fun to film!