In our August e-newsletter (which has returned after a 7-month hiatus) this month, I included a video clip, on a whim, that I found charming. This is what I wrote:
“Poem of the Month: This month, we have two: Unfortunate Coincidence and Theory. However, instead of reprinting them here (because you should own Complete Poems and The Portable), we’ll let Jackie read them to you in her YouTube video!”
I think Jackie is the true embodiment of a poetry fan. She tells us why she likes the poems and what they mean to her. However, within 20 minutes of the e-newsletter going out, I got this blistering (and faintly racist) response, from Jennifer:
As always, I await the poems. This time they were on You Tube. Believe it or not, it took me several seconds to realise this person was speaking ENGLISH. Of course, I have the book. Of course, I adore Dorothy Parker. I therefore ask you how you imagine that such a reading and such comments in sprawling chatter do service to Parker’s genius? What a disappointment. I remove myself.
I hope she means she’s removing herself from the e-newsletter list, and not killing herself… however, she gave me an idea:
MAKE MORE VIDEOS! I’d ask Jennifer, but she quit. So it is up to you, the members of the Dorothy Parker Society. Please post videos of yourselves on YouTube, reading your favorite Parker poems. Tag them “Dorothy Parker” so they show up in searches. Any Parker poems will do. I’d love them in as many languages as possible, this is not just for English-speakers like Jennifer.
I think I’ll call this the “Jennifer Award” (nickname: The Jenny). Let’s see what you all can post. The first winner of the first Jenny (the video that gets the most views) between now and Oct. 2, 2011, will win this Prize Pack, from me, the President of the DPS:
-Free round of drinks for you and a friend at The Algonquin Hotel Blue Bar
-Free Algonquin Round Table Walking Tour for you and friend (or three, what the hell)
-Free Signed copy of my book A Journey into Dorothy Parker’s New York
-Some kind of Jenny statuette, TBD
-Glory
2nd, 3rd, 4th runners up: I’m open to suggestions.
So post the videos and let’s see what we get!