Thursday, October 27, 2011

Sala-cious


Today's post is about a neighbor. Not the people who live across the street from me, or the ones that live next door to me, or even my celebrity neighbor, M. Emmet Walsh, who lives in the house directly in back of me. I don't write about those neighbors, mostly because my wife forbids me to.

I'm talking about a blogosphere neighbor.

Her name is Laurenne and she writes an incredibly funny blog, humans are funny. She's also a copywriter and a competitor so I really have no business promoting her business as it is likely to take food off my table. But Laurenne has a huge number of followers and maybe if I write about her I can ride on her coattails and pick up some readers. (My understanding is that Judd Nelson is a follower of her blog.)

There's a couple of interesting things, actually more than a couple, you need to know about Laurenne. She writes about her vagina. A lot. That alone should have you checking out her blog immediately. And of course I mention that tidbit first because in accordance with the cardinal rule of journalism, "if it bleeds, it leads."

I can hear the groaning through the little speaker on my computer.

Another interesting factoid about Laurenne is that she co-hosts a monthly show in Hollywood called Taboo Tales, where-in courageous contributors reveal their most humiliating life experiences. She has asked me to take to the stage and regale the audience with the scintillating scatological details of my college days and my run-in with a fascist boarding house landlord. But there isn't enough Patron Silver in the 213 area code that will make that happen.

What I admire most about her is her age. More precisely, her lack of age.

I know I go on and on about the millennials and their unwarranted sense of entitlement. And I can get a little crotchety about their lack of professionalism, their sloppy work habits and their god-awful pretension. Not to mention their knit caps. And for the most part, my criticism is deadly accurate.

But Laurenne is the exception that rule. Unlike the many young posers in the ad business who think they're creative because they have a banner under their belt, Laurenne is genuinely talented. She might be half my age but has already found a distinctive writing voice that eludes many of us until we're saddled with a mortgage, a marriage and a couple of leeches...uh, kids.

I rarely write anything complimentary about anyone and I might be in danger of making Laurenne blush. But I'm willing to take that risk. She has after all told the story about a potential Italian husband who shit the bed silly.

So I'm pretty sure, that like myself, she lacks the gene for embarrassment.

4 comments:

Elaine Davis said...

I was tempted to click the link to her blog until I read that Judd Nelson is a follower. I'm sure he found her accidentally when he Googled "vagina".

laurenne said...

No! Judd Nelson was not googling vaginas! I'm pretty sure he googled 'beautiful personality' and 'warm heart.'

THANKS, Rich Siegel! This is truly an honor. I thought you were the coolest the moment I spotted you at Deutsch and heard about your book. So, I appreciate that you decided to spend your few complimentary words on me! I AM BLUSHING!

I'm so glad that I happened to mention vaginas today as well. Who knew? You did.

Anonymous said...

I love my Ms. Laurenne and you were so right to honor her on your blog. She is an amazing person who is still trying to convince me to tell a Taboo. So far no way but I am getting closer as long as no one knows me in the audience.

Monica Prelle said...

laurenne IS awesome!