The 55th Week in January 2025
I love LA (and Chicago, and New Jersey, and North Carolina and bats)
The world seems absolutely batshit sometimes, so why not send out a newsletter with a photograph of oneself and a bright pink bird in the header? Given the reference to bat guano, I am aware that a photograph of me with a cute bat would be more appropriate, but I do not have any sentient bat buddies, YET. (Bats are our friends, please be kind to them.)
I’ve spent the past week talking a lot more than usual to people I talk to nearly every day anyway, which is to say, friends in Los Angeles. I love them and Los Angeles and I can sum it up in a non-emotionally sober rant I put up the other day because that’s what Instagram is for sometimes.
I’ll preface this by saying that I get really pissed when people dunk on a town, state, region or nation when it is suffering horribly. I spent most of my thirties living in Los Angeles, so as with the recent tragic flooding in Western North Carolina (where I went to college), this felt a little more relevant to my own life and loved ones.
But ultimately, it’s always pretty gross when folks try to score pundit points by saying the people in a place somehow deserve a wildfire, tornado, earthquake, flood or blizzard because they have the audacity to live in a place where such things occur. I can be as much or more of an asshole as the next person, but come the fuck on.
Anyway. Here’s what I wrote about Los Angeles. I am sure the stuff at the end does not apply to you, because you are not a shithead.
Los Angeles is the fucking best. It really is. We get sold the image that it is all glitz and glamour and ego, but that’s not the truth.
It’s a deeply human, wild, orderly, gorgeous, ugly, kind, fucked-up, high-functioning, generous, brilliant mosaic of folks who speak 225 languages and have every imaginable skill set, opinion, belief system, shape, size, skin color and (fabulous) hairstyle in the world.
It’s ultra-poor and ultra-wealthy and everything in between. It has the best fucking public library system and the coolest science geniuses and the best grandmas who can curse you out in all those languages and also make the best food you’ve ever had.
If you take this tragic time to shit on LA because it makes you feel better about your garbage life, kindly fuck off into the nearest steaming pile of excrement with your mouth open wide. I’m sure YOUR town is lovely and I’m equally sure your neighbors can’t stand your shitty ass. 😘
Look, is it my most eloquent work? No, but sometimes a human lady gets her feathers ruffled and says adult words.
Anyway.
I’m raising money via Instagram (the link is in my bio there) for the Los Angeles LGBT Center as they continue to provide services to unhoused, marginalized folks of all ages. They help with everything from medical care to housing to legal aid to nutrition. I’ve volunteered with them in the past and I love the good work they do.
In more upbeat news: if you’re in Chicago and in need of stress relief, laughter, an adult beverage, new friends and/or maybe an educational moment or two, join the two lunatics you see above (and below) at CLASS! with Sara Benincasa and Chad the Bird at Lincoln Lodge on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m.
If you’re in Chicago because you had to get out of Los Angeles and the only place you could go was back home (home being here), just let me know and I’ll make sure your ticket is free. For everybody else, it’s $10. We will show you a good time.
Here’s our whole deal (skip it if you don’t care, there’s a little more stuff below, I appreciate you dealing with me promoting a show that may not be anywhere near you.)
No degree? No problem! Class is in session. Your nutty professors Sara Benincasa and Chad the Bird bring three geniuses to teach you stuff. Laugh until your giant human brain hurts at this comedy show slash infotainment extravaganza!
The first session of Class! will feature comedian Hannah Roeschlein, playwright and screenwriter Ike Holter, and Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me panelist Adam Burke presenting on the topic of "Drinking.” Get your tickets here!
Why are Sara and Chad the Bird qualified to mildly educate through comedic infotainment?
Sara wrote for Mystery Science Theater 3000. She’s published 4 books, including “Real Artists Have Day Jobs (And Other Awesome Things They Don’t Teach You in School).” A former talk radio host and producer, she’s been heard on BBC Radio, NPR, WTF with Marc Maron and other podcasts. TV credits include “Law & Order: SVU,” “Bill Nye Saves the World,” and more. She used to teach high school and holds an M.A. from Teachers College at Columbia University.
Chad the Bird is, as Rob Dean of Neonsplatter.com puts it, “A mix of Bill Hicks, Kermit The Frog, David Byrne, and a a shot of Malört." He, along with his co-host, will be bringing that energy to every single show - come experience it yourself! Or, as Jill Hopkins of Vocalo Chicago says: “Here’s the thing about Chad the Bird, is that he is very timely with his topics and is also weirdly wise for a bird puppet from Southern California.”
Again, tickets are here. It’s our debut outing so we’d love the support.
I’m on deadline for an essay and here I am writing something entirely different because - ain’t that the way of writers? Well, some of us, anyway. I was listening once again to an audiobook, Daily Rituals by and reflecting that a particular author sounded incredibly productive and highly regimented, but as with many such tales, I just had to wait until Mason got to the part about the guy doing tons of amphetamines to wake up and focus and a bunch of booze to fall asleep. Then I felt better about, like, needing to do 65 other things before getting the thing done that I meant to do.
Hey, that particular author did what he needed to do and created work that has been beloved for many decades. If I weren’t sober I’d be doing something similar and trying to create work that at least didn’t suck. But since my drug of choice is now coffee, I’m gonna have some more of that stuff and try to make something true and good enough.
Thanks for being here. Please take care of yourselves as best you can, and rest when you can.
Love,
Sara
SELAH (Los Angeles housing nonprofit)