Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Party Story

I went to a terrific party last night at the Bowery Hotel in NYC. It was a record release party for Rhett Miller's latest solo album. Rhett is the lead singer/songwriter for Old 97s, one of my fave groups, and his solo albums are just as good.
















We met a few years ago after one of his shows and discovered we'd been fans of each other's work for years. We've been friends ever since. Rhett is much taller than I, but he tactfully knelt down beside me for this photo.














Here we are with Rhett's dentist, Rich Weiss. He's a fun dude, as you can tell from the pic. He reports that although people regularly tell him that dentists have a very high suicide rate, he feels no such inclinations.

Also in attendance was one of my favorite comedians, Paul F. Tompkins. He's a very friendly fellow who spent a good long while chatting with me, assuring me he was familiar with my cartoons and never letting on for a second that he wished I would go away. A real mensch.














I gave him my contact info, if I never hear from him, I'll know he is also a good pretender.

Paul arrived with his lovely fiance, Janey ( Janie? Janee? Jay-knee? I didn't ask her how she spells it) and his talented comedian friend, Todd Barry, seen here in the background.














Todd was nice, too, although I spent more time talking to Paul and didn't get a picture with Todd. I felt bad because he was in "The Wrestler" and I haven't seen that movie yet. He's also been in a couple of episodes of "Flight of the Conchords," one of my favorite shows in the world of television and which makes me very jealous of him. Afraid that the jealously would show and possibly lead to a donnybrook, I steered clear of Todd for the most part.

Janeane Garafalo joined us a for a couple of hours, whom CHNW and I know from the benefit comedy shows she's done with us for Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary. She's a peach, and a brilliant and funny one, at that.

Toward the end of the evening, Rhett played some of his new songs and everyone was richer for the experience. After the official party was over, CHNW and I avoided the "after party" and went home, because I've been sick with some kind of hideous head cold. If the aforementioned celebs get sick in the coming week or so, you'll know it was my fault. I warned them to wash their hands and not to kiss me, but celebrities never listen.

Rolling Stone gave Rhett's new album 4 stars, buy it now.

6 comments:

Chriss Pagani said...

Looks like you have fun -- great! :)

I only really wanted to add that Janeane Garafalo is very entertaining and I used to like her a lot before she got on that kick of endorsing "detox" rituals of a Scientology front group. She's never apologized for that and knowing that she's still duped by the Scientologists detracts greatly from her alleged brilliance.

Everything about Scientology is pure crap made up by a mediocre science fiction writer who was mentally ill. Janeane Garafalo's endorsement of same only makes her out to be less than analytical in her thinking process.

brian t said...

Sign O' The Times: "Donnybrook Fair" still exists ... it's an upmarket grocery, deli and restaurant, complete with website, in what is now one of the poshest parts of Dublin. There are no more donnybrooks in Donnybrook, these days ...

sheer.nothingness said...

Damn, having connections in new york city would be cool.

Penny Mitchell said...

Oh, I am so freaking excited. Maybe YOU, Dan, can find out the answer to a question that has plagued me for years!!!

Is "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)" about his cat? DID THE CAT COME HOME???????

I'm not being a smart ass! I really need to know! I would DIE if one of my cats got out!

If the story has a bad ending, don't tell me. I truly don't want to know. I'm serious.

Unknown said...

Gee Dan, The Old 97's sounded familiar and I just realized why, they are playing a free show in Rochester (NY)on Thursday evening! Party In The Park is a concert series put on by the city on Thursdays from June through August. It used to actually be in a park, but it got so big that now it's in a parking lot! LOL

As for Scientology, there is an urban myth that it began as a bet between L Ron Hubbard and Isaac Asimov, supposedly the bet was that Hubbard couldn't start a religion and gain a following of a specified size in less than a year. Hubbard won the bet and realized that he was making more money than his books were bringing in alone, so he kept it going.

What's the difference between a cult and a religion? Usually 2 generations.

Unknown said...

*Calms down.* (Sort of.)

Two of my favorite artists know each other! This is so fantastic. I love Rhett - and this new album finally has Haphazardly on it, for which I have been waiting ... many years.

It's delightful that you two know each other. Of whom am I more jealous? ... I honestly can't tell.