Better off Read

Ep 128: Beyond a Joke 15 - Joy Holley talks with Pip Adam about Bodies Bodies Bodies

Joy Holley’s collection of short fiction Dream Girl published by Te Herenga Waka University Press is an amazing read. I loved talking to Joy about it.

Joy chose as a starting point to talk about laughter and writing the 2022 film Bodies Bodies Bodies. This American black comedy horror film directed by Halina Reijn, in her English-language debut, with a screenplay by Sarah DeLappe from a story by Kristen Roupenian. It stars Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha'la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott, Lee Pace, and Pete Davidson.

I really liked how this conversation concentrated a lot on joy and pleasure which is perhaps something that has been missing from these conversations about comedy.

I also loved talking about the way Joy is reimagining some elements of horror and the surreal.

I have a signed copy of Dream Girl to give away. Simply leave a comment here on Instagram or reply to the story on Twitter by June 11 and I’ll do a draw and send it to the winner.

I think this conversation was quite influenced by an amazing book I’m reading by Nuar Alsadir called Animal Joy: A Book of Laughter and Resuscitation. This book is literally changing my life. I can’t recommend it highly enough. It’s ostensibly about a psychoanalyst who goes to clown school and investigates humour in an incredibly inciteful way. The book is also making me feel a bit stupid, so many of the things I say that I think are profound are all described here as the stock and trade of psychoanalysis.

Ep 127: Sasha and Achille from 5ever talks with Pip Adam

5ever is an underground publishing house based at Rebel Press, Trades Hall in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. We print, splice, bind and chop pesky dank little books. Our scope is nebulous. Form and sense of disciplinarity remains plural. But our target is clear: to publish punchy, intense and interdisciplinary work, woven together by a shared transformational kaupapa. We recognise the collective necessity of actively infiltrating and affecting our playground and home, Wellington. As we balance our vision with pragmatism, we are committed to realising a post-capitalist vision that honours Te Tiriti O Waitangi in Aotearoa. We are serious in our playfulness.

- Sasha, Achille, Max and Olive.

In February I had the opportunity to speak with Achille and Sasha on the Wellington Access Radio Community Drive show. This is an edited version of that conversation for those who missed it.

Here’s a link to the 5ever website

Achille and Sasha talk about an event that took place in February - I thought it was impor`tant to leave this part of the conversation in because it explains the type of work 5ever is doing.

During this programme we played three songs and due to to copyright, I’ve removed two of these. Because I think it’s important to here this song at every opportunity, I’ve left in Shervin Hajipour’s For Woman, Life, Freedom شروین حاجی پور

Here are the songs we played:

https://youtu.be/Q4Rb5_kjS2M

https://youtu.be/h_gA0yxKPKI

https://youtu.be/lP3PZrr-iOg

 

 

Ep 126: Beyond a Joke 14 - James Nokise talks with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours

I’m really grateful that James took the time to talk to me a few weeks ago. James is really busy - in ways that make it very enjoyable to be a fan of his work.

His podcast Fair Game: Pacific Rugby Against the World which he made with John Daniell is nothing short of stunning. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

James has also been performing in Aotearoa and Australia. You still have time to see him at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival where he’s be performing his show Right About Now

This podcast was an amazing conversation for me. James has some amazing things to say about his performance at the Verb After Hours event, imperialism and paying artists.

Ep 125: Beyond a Joke 13 - Eamonn Marra talk with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours

Eamonn Marra was another amazing person who agreed to perform at the Verb After Hours event which was run last year. Eamonn is a person whose work has made me consistently laugh and cry since I first encountered it a few years ago. He’s an incredibly talented write but also a keen observer and documenter. He captures acutely stuff that is going on - and often going wrong.

This comes out just after the third anniversary of the publication of Eamonn’s amazing book 2000ft Above Worry Level

This conversation like many Eamonn and I have had went so much further and more interestingly than I expected. We cover so much. We start with a conversation about his performance at the event but we end up talking a lot about living in a world of algorithm, distance and closeness, choosing slowness.

Eamonn talks about an article by Nate Rogers called ‘Why Is The Obscure B-Side “Harness Your Hopes” Pavement’s Top Song On Spotify? It’s Complicated’.

We also talk about an amazing project Eamonn has undertaken to write about every record he owns. The series is called Every Record I Own I really recommend reading this.

In the latest post, Eamonn talks about one of my favourite albums ‘Glass Vaults – Sojourn’ accompanied by this beautiful photo

Eamonn and I are almost done with our chat when Eamonn mentions an astounding artist, who I have just discovered and have fallen completely for.

Here’s Maxine Funke singing ‘Room in the City’ https://youtu.be/F4JmlgbODjU

 

Ep 124: Beyond a Joke 12 - Gabby Anderson talk with Pip Adam about Verb After-Hours

I was so grateful when Gabby Anderson agreed to be part of Verb After-Hours Beyond a Joke. 

In this episode, Gabby and I talk about her performance at that event. The episode starts with a recording of that night.

Gabby and Orine Ruaine-Prattley appear in Truth Be Told at Fringe in February.

The best way to keep up-to-date with Gabby’s events is at Gabby’s Instagram

 

During this chat I noticed I mention Janeane Garofalo a couple of times. Over summer I read this amazing essay about Garofalo by Jason Zinoman, called Janeane Garofalo Never Sold Out. What a Relief It was an incredible piece of writing about Garofalo for sure, but also so interesting to read about the concept of ‘selling out’ and defining your art on your own terms. It reminded me of this amazing Marc Maron quote that goes something like, ‘You can do comedy about whatever you want, but just remember your audience will be the people who think what you’re saying is funny.’ I’m sorry but I think it’s behind a paywall but it’s well worth hunting out.

This essay linked to a quite famous essay about Saturday Night Live which is fucking heartbreaking to read in the context of Garofalo’s career.

One thing that isn’t behind a paywall is this interview with Garofalo on Letterman which was meant to be a promotional outing for the film Reality Bites. All the Gen-Xers, stand up.

As well as Janeane Garofalo, I also make noises a couple of times about Kate Berlant’s Cinnamon in the Wind (which was directed by Bo Burnham). I think I rate Berlant as my favourite comedian at the moment. She’s a genius of the awkward and absurd and I love her. Her episode of The Characters is also worth seeking out.

Ep 123: A Talk about Janet Frame by Pip Adam

This is the final in this holiday series of ‘things I wrote in 2022’.

In this episode I’ve recorded a talk I have at the 2022 Brisbane Writers Festival. I’ve made the decision to record it as I presented it on the day (including quite a few stumbles). This means the talk will include some sight-specific and time-specific references.

I am sure I got things wrong, and I want to make sure people know that I am here to talk about what I did get wrong. There is also always room for right of reply on the podcast. 

Later in January, we’ll be back to Beyond a Joke with some chats with some awesome people about what makes them laugh.

Thanks again for listening and, like I say, please don’t hesitate to get in touch here or on Twitter or Instagram.

PipX

Ep 122: Appetites Talk about Reality TV by Pip Adam

Hi All,

This episode a short one, because I figure most of you will be well on your way to New Year’s plans.

I recorded this version of a talk I gave in November for a Brooklyn School fundraiser which is called Appetites. 

It was a fun night, Brannavan Gnanalingam, Emmily Writes, Jo Randerson and I shared a lift to the event which was really nice. Brannavan, Emily and Jo’s talks were awesome.

Brooklyn School is on Te Atiawa, Taranaki Whānui and Ngati Toa Rangatira land.

The topic of my talk was how much a love reality TV.

Thanks for listening

Pip

Ep 121: Please Unlock to Ride by Pip Adam

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to this episode of Better off Read.

First of all, apologies for no podcasts in November. Things got a bit on top of me and I wasn’t able to record an episode.

Beyond a Joke will be back in January, with more conversations with people about things that make us laugh. We’ll be starting the year talking to some of the amazing people who took part in the Verb After-Hours: Beyond a Joke event which was held in November.

In the meantime, over December I’ll be sharing a few recordings of work I’ve written this year.

In this episode, it’s a short story I wrote for the amazing journal HEAT.

The story is called Please Unlock to Drive and I wrote it after I read an article about e-ecooters being dumped Also in the mix of this story was my sadness and anger over the housing market and gig economy. I am often interested in work and it always finds it’s way into my work. Slight, life-meets-fiction fact, my father worked as an Uber driver until the pandemic got too much for him.

It was so great to work with Alexandra Christie on this story. HEAT is published by Giramondo who published my book Nothing to See. I’ve just finished working with Nick Tapper from Giramondo on my next novel Audition which comes out with Giramondo next year. I am so grateful to Giramondo. Nothing to See was scuppered, like so many things, by covid and I am so grateful that they are taking another chance on me with this new book. It is a dream to work with Giramondo.

Here’s a bit about HEAT from their website

HEAT is an Australian literary journal renowned for its dedication to literary quality, and its commitment to publishing innovative and imaginative poetry, fiction, essays, criticism and the hybrid forms.

The aim of the magazine has always been to publish innovative Australian and international writers of the highest standard. Fifteen issues were published in the first series, from 1996 to 2000, with internal design by Toni-Hope Caten and covers by Harry Williamson. It was followed by the new series of HEAT, designed by Harry Williamson, with twenty-four issues published between 2001 and 2011.

The third series of HEAT commenced publishing bimonthly in 2022, in a new design by Jenny Grigg. It is edited by Alexandra Christie, with the support of a distinguished editorial board.

There are two really exciting new podcasts that I wanted to say, Yay!! about.

Flying Fetu podcast of some of the sessions that took place at their recent talanoa. The best way to get information about this is by following Flying Fetu on Instagram

Rats in the Gutter is a new podcast by Sam Te Kani and Johanna Cosgrove. Rats in the Gutter also has an Instagram account you can follow

Ep 120: Beyond a Joke 11 - Anna Pendergrast & Kelly Pendergrast talk with Pip Adam about The Laughter Lift from Kermode & Mayo’s Take

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Anna and Kelly Pendergrast’s latest work is More Zeros and Ones a book they edited which is published by BWB. This book brings together essays from incredibly interesting thinkers and doers who write about environmental science, law and Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recent developments in technology. I just can’t recommend this book enough. I love this blurb from BWB:

Many of today’s digital technologies inadvertently amplify the power structures and prejudices of wider society. By examining the way digital tools and platforms are designed, built, and maintained, this BWB Text aims to identify how we can do better for everyone in Aotearoa.

Anna and Kelly are founders of Antistatic a research and communications consultancy like no other I’ve come across. I got to talk to Anna and Kelly, as Antistatic, last year about their part in the Flat Earthers exhibition/book/event. Still one of the best things I’ve ever done.

I was interested in talking to Anna and Kelly about humour and laughter for several reasons. Anna and Kelly’s work is often playful and because of this I think, is able to say some pretty profound things about some of the power structures that sit in technology. Also, Anna and Kelly do a lot of work in communications - taking very complex ideas and structuring them for different purposes. I was interested in how this deep knowledge of communication gives an insight into what makes us laugh.

Ann and Kelly brought the perfect ‘thing that made them laugh’ for this kind of conversation. The Laughter Lift is a segment on the Kermode & Mayo’s Take podcast. I loved the way this opened up a conversation about jokes and the social act of telling jokes. One of the things I loved talking about was that because we often share an idea of the structure of ‘the joke’ with the people are telling jokes to, even when the joke goes wrong it is still funny because it becomes a subversion of the form.

This gives me immense hope as I am practicing my ‘bit’ for the Verb After Hours - Beyond A Joke night Thursday 3 November, 8.30pm at Meow in Wellington. To which there are still tickets available. This is a shameless self-promotion but also, the folk who are appearing in this event are amazing!!

 

Ep 119: Beyond a Joke 10 - Marolyn Krasner talks with Pip Adam about Hudson Valley Ballers: Lovers

Marolyn has been on the podcast once before in an episode we recorded about the show From the 4410 to the 4412 which Marolyn made with Helen Lehndorf and Charlie Pearson last year. In this episode we touch briefly on that show.

I loved recording this conversation because it made me think a lot about the joy of process.

I also loved the web-series Marolyn brought as a subject for our chat. Hudson Valley Ballers: Lovers is very funny and you can watch the rest of the series on YouTube as well.

Marolyn is currently making an incredible podcast called cyanutopia which is a podcast about cyanotype. I am so interested in cyanotype as an form and I think even if you weren’t, Marolyn’s podcast is such an amazing opportunity to listen to artists talk about their process and work.

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