11 Qs: The March Madness Edition

Here we go again! 11 More Questions: The March Madness Edition... thanks for everyone who submitted questions.

1. Ben or Matt? - Derek, NYC

Matt on weekdays and Ben on weekends.

2. Who is the best author you have read work by? - Stephen A, Seattle, WA

There are so many books! Top 5 influential books (alphabetically):

American Pastoral by Philip Roth
Diary of a Madman by Nikolai Gogol
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson
Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller
On the Road by Jack Kerouac

3. If you were gay, how would you break the news to your parents and friends? (I ask this because this is something that straight people never have to think about. It's an important rite of passage for us 'mos though.) - Skippy, Tampa, FL

I have found great resistance to my decision to be a writer from my family. That has caused major problems for me in the last several years, so I assume whatever I said about my sexual orientation would be met with the same amount of hostility because I failed to live up to their standards and expectations. Somedays I wonder if my family would still treat me the same if I were homosexual, but they’d most likely overlook that as long as I held “a real job”.

4. What would you do if u found a packed bowl at a Phish show, and it didn’t belong to anybody? - Kristen, NYC

Probably smoke the fucker! After I wipe off the mouthpiece first…

5. Why are all of your Truckin’ stories about hookers, drug dealers, addicts, or all of the above? - Betty, Berkeley, CA

OK not all of the Truckin’ stories are about hookers and drug dealers. I wrote about subways too! Here’s the deal, I could just say that I write about a subjects that I have a fair amount of knowledge in, but the deeper answer is this: everyone in this world falls into three categories; prostitutes, dealers, and addicts. Which one are you? My stories focus on essentially the human condition and how each character deals with the perceived world that they find themselves in, whether it’s an angelic Thai hooker, or a burly once-famous, now has-been junkie, or a caustic smack pusher.

6. Do you think this fucking war will disturb the NCAA March Madness tourney at all? - Senor

I hope not because I’m going to Las Vegas to gamble on the games!!!

7. How much of the Truckin’ stories are true - or are they "based on true story" - i.e. Senor's Sisters story and the funny Amsterdam story with the French chicks and pools of urine bar? - Jerry, Miami

You have to read the quote at the top right hand side of the Truckin’ homepage. It’s a quote from William Faulkner: "The best fiction is far more true than any kind of journalism."

8. What newspapers do you read? - Edgar, Thunder Bay, Canada

NY Times, NY Daily News, Thunder Bay Bugle, Wall Street Journal and the Guardian Unlimited (UK) are my daily readings. I read the Village Voice and the Seattle Weekly once a week, and I’ll check out individual news article on various sites like the Wa Po, or the Detroit Free Press or Le Monde.

9. What was the best Phish show you ever saw? - Katrina, San Diego, CA

The Japan shows all stand out, perhaps the Fukuoka show or the Osaka Zepp show are the two best from that run. Las Vegas Halloween in 1998 when the boys covered Velvet Underground’s Loaded was pretty epic. The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA show in April of 1994 was always a favorite of mine. The December 29, 1998 show at Madison Square Garden was kick ass (Divided Sky encore!). The second set at the Gorge in July 1998 was once of the best sets of Phish I ever heard (23 minute Mike’s Song), and so was the second set at Chula Vista in September 1999 (22 minute Boogie On Reggae Woman to open the set).

10. Who is going to win the major Oscar’s this weekend? - J. Flowers, New Jersey

Chicago for Best Picture
Martin Scorcese for Best Director
Michael Caine for Best Actor
Nicole Kidman for Best Actress
Jack Nicholson for Best Supporting Actor
Merly Streep for Best Supporting Actress

These are who I’d bet on, not necessarily who I’d vote for. I’ll blog my picks later this week.

11. Who did you pick to win the March Madness Pool? - Zona

In homage to Hunter S. Thompson, who picked Kentucky in his last ESPN article, I too shall jump on the bluegrass bandwagon. Kentucky all the way baby!