May 03, 2005

Quickies

  • The Seoul International Forum of Literature begins this week. Among the dignitaries attending are Kenzaburo Oe, Orhan Pamuk and Margaret Drabble.
  • A local movie theatre in Australia seats just 22 people and is well in the running for the world's smallest cinema. If I had to be an usher, I wouldn't mind cleaning the minor mess. If I had to be a movie theatre manager, I'd welcome the easy challenge of selling out a show. But if I had to be a moviegoer here, I'd hope there was enough legroom.
  • The Shusters, a new comic book award handed out to Canadians, were handed out on Saturday. There's just one problem: it's not too difficult to be a Canadian under the rules. Joe Matt, for example, is Canadian because he lived there for 12 years. Next thing we know, anyone who's ever ordered spaghetti at Mrs. Vanellis will be considered one of Canada's own.
  • Carson McCullers is still being appreciated in Ohio Georgia. [EDITOR'S NOTE: Gag removed, as idiot editor mixed up Ohio with Georgia. Thanks, Matt!]
  • I'm all for free expression, but I have to ask: Video games have literary value? If there's a metaphor in getting repeatedly fragged by a fifteen year old, I'd like to know. Better arguments, folks.
  • Can a name shape a child's destiny? Why, yes. Just ask anyone with a twenty syllable first name.
Posted by DrMabuse at May 3, 2005 07:44 AM
Comments

It's actually Columbus, Georgia that is celebrating Carson McCullers, not Columbus, Ohio. But, yes, Georgia is very proud of McCullers, despite the fact that she couldn't wait to get out of the state (I can sympathize) and succeeded (albeit temporarily) at age 17.

Posted by: Matt at May 3, 2005 09:40 AM

I must say you are incorrect on the residency rules for the Shuster Awards. To be eligible for a Shuster one has to be a Canadian citizen. Permanent residents will be considered... but very strictly. If Joe Matt released a book while living here and had become a Canadian citizen or applied and received permanent residence status he might qualify, but he would first need to be nominated and then we would have to contact him about specifics before announcing his nomination.

Posted by: Kevin Boyd at May 3, 2005 04:36 PM

Matt: Thanks for the correction. Must drink coffee before collating links.

Kevin: First off, I thought you'd have a greater sense of humor about broadening the awards' definitions of what it is to be Canadian.

But since you are so stringent on this point, I should point out that Joe Matt was born in Philadelphia on September 3, 1963 and only stayed in Toronto for a number of years, before moving BACK to Philadelphia. If you, as one of the awards organizers, couldn't even contact Drawn & Quarterly or one of Matt's people to confirm his status as Canadian citizen BEFORE nominating him, and if this is such an important point, then you folks need to get more professional.

Then again, as I implied with the post, it's sort of nice to see an award without such rigid definitions. Your call, I suppose.

Posted by: Ed at May 3, 2005 05:26 PM