ONE WEEK to Todd Seavey Roast

One week from tonight, it’s Bastille Day, and that means it will be time for That Which Roasts Todd Seavey Makes Him Stronger (Thur., July 14, 7:30pm, free on the basement level of Lolita Bar, 266 Broome St., one block south of Delancey St. on the Lower East Side).  Hear comedic and philosophical commentary on everyone’s favorite sci-fi-, science-, and punk-loving libertarian from:

•emcee Scott Nybakken (replacing a busy Michael Malice)

•Chuck Blake

•Laura Braunstein

•“The Professor” Christine Caldwell Ames

•Lefty Leibowitz

•Diana Fleischman

•Berin Szoka of TechFreedom – an editor of the book The Next Digital Decade

•Todd Seavey himself

AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ANYONE WILLING TO AUDIO OR VIDEO RECORD THE WHOLE THING, especially in some easily-posted way (I’m at ToddSeavey[at]earthlink.net).

Do not be frightened away by the fact that the next block over from Lolita Bar, as noted by Lower East Side regular Rev. Jen Miller, has been declared the smelliest in Manhattan by New York magazine.  Over at Lolita on Bastille Day, poised about halfway between Happy Endings bar and the Tenement Museum, you will simply smell freedom. 

And speaking of freedom, I only hope that, whatever my friendly critics may say on Bastille Day, when the time comes someday for people to eulogize me, they will be as kind as libertarian and closet monarchist John Zmirak is to the late Otto von Habsburg in this nice piece.

Tomorrow it’s all USA and democracy on this blog, though: a look at the Gingriches’ collection of major American speeches.

P.S. Speaking of public trials: fascinated by the booming phenomenon of niche audiences, I can’t help noticing that TV people are all talking about the Casey Anthony trial as something “the whole country” was riveted by, while various ostensible news-junkies on Twitter (who likely spend all their time reading about politics) admitted they never heard of her before the verdict. 

Likewise, I hereby confess I am unqualified to fully appreciate this cute Onion cover-songs project, since in most cases I either don’t know the song being covered or don’t know the cover band, with some marvelous exceptions such as the Chumbawumba song covered by They Might Be Giants.

P.P.S. And speaking of giants, that’s Andre in those two photos above, as seen on stickers designed by artist Shepard Fairey, photographed in his old home base, Providence, when I was there two months ago for my Brown reunion.  That’s to make the three other Brunonians on our Bastille Day speakers list feel at home.