in the immortal words of the fernet-branca advertisement: "wave your hands together, you'll be feeling better"

speaking of john hodgman
Originally uploaded by suttonhoo

They never punish themselves. Except in sexy ways.

John Hodgman, speaking of Italians.

Worth knowing: John Hodgman, in addition to being an accomplished author, a minor television celebrity, and a remarkably funny man, manages to come across to an assembled crowd, as he did this evening to a mid-size gathering at Borders Books in Oak Brook, Illinois, as an exceptionally humane individual as well.

Although it could be that I was fooled by the warm smile that capped off many of his punch lines, just about a beat behind, so as not to disrupt his trademark straight man routine.

That smile, which brings everyone around it into his fold, the one that occasionally threatens to break into his Daily Show routines but never quite works its way through, was largely unexpected and by itself worth the price admission (although in truth no admission was charged at the Borders event).

It may have been the generosity with which Hodgman handled the most vocal of his fans that deceived me. His fans all want to be him, of course, and one gentlemen took to the mic to articulate his desire to write books of fake facts -- as in fact Mr. Hodgman has himself done. Twice.

Hodgman handled the gentleman's request for advice to all who might aspire to write books of fake facts (the fake fact genre being the highly competitive literary niche that it is) with firm kindness and comedy, articulating his own expansionist plans in the niche, ushering a stern warning to all who might attempt to infringe on his territory, and then offering some true and simple advice for all writers: Be brave. Don't hold back.

There was also Alex, a 13 year old boy who wanted to be Hodgman, whom Hodgman handled a little like Foghorn Leghorn might handle Henry Hawk -- all to the benefit of the assembled crowd, and also to the benefit of Alex, who will probably never forget the night that he shared the stage with John Hodgman.

Just as he will never forget the Fernet-Branca.

p.s. My only regret? That I only learned of Hodgman's appearance a few short hours before it happened. Had I known, I would have bought my Hobo Halloween pic, circa 1970-something, hoping for an autograph.

p.p.s. The point of Mr. Hodgman's visit was to pimp his new book, of course, which I heartily endorse (and did so as recently as this last Monday from LaGuardia International).