The Writer's Life 7/16 - Word Play

Punderdome is a NYC wild and crazy competition created and hosted by comedian Jo Firestone and her “Rodney Dangerfield impersonator” dad, Fred. Part of the comedy landscape since 2011, it has been a regular fixture at Brooklyn's Littlefield Performance & Art Space, 635 Sackett St. between 3rd & 4th Av. in Gowanus, since 2012. Pun-masters are determined by the “Human Clap-O-Meter” who “accurately and scientifically” assess the levels of audience applause. “Mystery Box” prizes are awarded to the top two competitors. In 2011 Eileen Reynolds attended and filed an article for newyorker.com. She thought the best entry was: “I didn’t have a lot of time to come up with anything good for this, but I’m going to hear Sarah Palin speak next week so Alasker.” She also cited the following, which I like a lot better than the mouthful that was the first: “Massachusetts: In Cod We Trust.” The inaugural winner billed himself as Atilla the Pun. He won a toaster. Not to be outdone, the NY Post, whose headline writers have come up with such memorable phrases through the years, has gotten in on the craze. On Tuesday July 18th it will host its third annual Special Edition at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan, 431 W. 16th St. between 9th and 10th Av.. Writers from the tabloid will compete against punsters from across the country. Showtime is 8 PM. Doors open at six. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of show. Sounds like a lotta pun. According to an accompanying article on the event, English is the language most conducive to word play. Its vocabulary has ballooned to more than an astonishing million words. No other language comes close and none absorb and incorporate foreign words the way English does. Here are a few puns I found at kickass,com: Having sex in an elevator is wrong on so many levels... If Apple made a car, would it have Windows?... Never trust atoms, they make up everything (love it!)... I've accidentally swallowed some Scrabble tiles. My next crap could spell disaster... And here's a poster that announced last March's event:

My thanks to the woman who purchased a Good News Bible, and Peace of Mind Through Possibility Thinking by Robert Harold Schuller, The Dash: Making a Difference with Your Life by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson, A Night Without Armor: Poems by Jewel Kilcher (the singer), and a large self-help tome. Thanks also to the gentleman who bought the three mafia novels in Russian. I had a long conversation with local super Mayor Mike, who waxed nostalgic about people who helped him along his life's journey. A woman who recently passed left him $400. She never forgot his being johnny on the spot when her daughter suffered a violent fit after a fall. Years ago, a wheel-chair-bound elderly woman, whose family had all but abandoned her, left him her house, which his dad advised him to turn over to the relatives, who would have surely taken legal action. It seems like everyone who passes on the street greets him. A diabetic, he visited the doctor recently and was scolded for not taking insulin regularly. It probably explains why his eyes have been bothering him lately. Yet there he was, sugared coffee and mini-cake in hand. He'll get the test results Monday. He's dreading the change of diet. Por favor, Miguelito.

Vic's Sixth novel: http://tinyurl.com/zpuhucj 

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story Collection:http:// tinyurl.com/lh2tepa 
Vic's 2nd Novel Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza