Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Thing That Tried to Eat Jim Goad's Brain

Don't you just love the random "Hi, long time no talk I had a brain tumor removed" email?

In what continues to be perhaps the strangest weekend ever, I received a rather unsettling/unusual/out of the blue email from old penpal/nature photographer/temple grad/author/husband/singer/father and all around nice guy (MY WORDS, not his) Jim this morning informing me that he had a plum sized tumor removed from his head a week or so ago.

Now normally Im not the type to air out people's laundry and illness on here, but my guess is, since im so way down the priority chain in JG's life, and he's telling me this, he's feeling bored, sick and in need of a cheer up. And probably in need of some money b/c brain surgery sounds like, pretty expensive.

Actually, Ive been thinking of doing a "celebrate you even though you aren't dead yet" feature on this website for people who arent dead yet, but should be lauded while they can hear it. I was panning on doing David Lee Roth, but I guess its JG's my first one. Sorry Bro!

AM! was like a secret little vetting procedure by us smartass punks in high school/college. If you liked it, you were in. That zine (coverless b/c the cover was too offensive to read in public) has been all over the world with me. I've read the first three (not the 4th) so many times I can quote most of the articles verbatim. I've introduced countless others to it, including my mom (who is actually more of a Debbie fan). And unlike most people whose work i admire and then meet and are disappointed by, Jim is what he is off paper as he is on paper. A special kind of asshole. A fantastic mess. A complicated man with a plum sized tumor they didnt let him keep. A great writer.

So like, buy his books n things. Think happy thoughts (even though he'd prolly barf from it). If you aren't familiar with Answer Me, you should be. Look it up and buy it, but prepare to be offended by it in some way or another. And be prepared to think your writings stinks, b/c he and D were good. Real good. She's dead. He's still good.

Even though he yelled at me, and disagrees with me on almost everything, I'm still a huge fan. Dang you, Jim Goad.

Answer Me!

Answer Me/Jim & Debbie on Wiki
Where you can find his website, books, recent writings, sonogram of the golden child, photo of the plumb, etc etc.