A Stand Up Comic

Some of you may have noticed that I've accumulated quite a little file of hate mail over the 10-ish weeks I've been writing for Seven Days. It's amused my friends to no end and horrified my mom. It's OK, Mom. I'm a big boy. I can take it.

While I certainly am not surprised to be the subject of debate/ire, the pure volume of submissions has been somewhat remarkable, as has the vitriolic content of quite a few missives. You should see some of the ones we couldn't print. Yikes! In some ways, it's sort of like how the blog has been received — only more so.  But hey, at least they're reading.

Anyway,  it was a nice reprieve to be spared a public lashing this week in the letters section. However, I was shocked to see a letter bemoaning the comic strip "Herb & Rose," authored by none other than Jazz Guys front-man and occasional Solid State resident Herb Van der Poll. Here it is:

UNFUNNY COMIC
“Herb and Rose.” Is it really necessary? I remember a month or two ago, there was a strip relating to the let-down of the “Spider-Man” movie. I thought, perhaps we’re turning a corner. Perhaps “Herb and Rose” will escape their endlessly self-referential schtick and actually get around to making an interesting, even funny, comic.

Unfortunately, it was a blip. And this week [“Herb and Rose,” July 25] it’s a rerun. A boring rerun.

I understand “Dykes to Watch Out For” is only every other week, but honestly, blank space would be less irritating than this visual exercise in omphaloskepsis.
Solvei Blue
COLCHESTER

Herb and I obviously don't always see eye to eye on things, but I've been a big fan of the strip since it first began appearing in our little rag. Perhaps because "endlessly self-reverential schtick" is kinda my bread and butter, I've often found the strip endearingly funny.

So Herb and Rose, if you're out there, you have my deepest sympathies and I say, keep up the good work and don't let the bastards get you down. Although the writer does get bonus points for correctly using the word "omphaloskepsis" in a sentence. Well done.

E-mail of the day award....

Goes to Ben from the always delightful band Farm, who writes:

Hey Casey,
I was reading your blog and. . . well, if you're going to, like, voluntarily "merge with the infinite" or something, can we have some of your mikes and recording stuff? 
thanks man,
ben

In the instance of my untimely demise (most likely in a plane crash, as I fly to CA on Friday) Ben and co. are hereby the beneficiaries of my "recording stuff."

Jesus — do I sound that depressed? I'm just pissed off, for fuck's sake! If I was depressed I wouldn't bother blogging.

But thanks for the consideration.