How I Learned Who's Coming to Dinner June 22nd

I barely have time to plug my own events here but I wanted to share this - it looks fabulous! I've seen Victor and Blaise and Eugene perform (do check out Eugene's New York Confidential series, which I've performed at, too, see below for Roll the Dice June 18th) and read Dodai regularly at Jezebel. I was literally just talking about Victor's joke about getting a cab which I'd link to but don't have it handy. And Happy Ending Lounge is conveniently located near Meatball Shop! Also, add to the list of umpteen classic movies I haven't seen: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

Speaking of race and stories, I will have my interview with her up soon (I hope) but do check out Diane Farr's new memoir Kissing Outside the Lines: A True Story of Love and Race and Happily Ever After. (Hint: It's nothing like I Got the Fever except that it's about interracial dating.) It's heartbreaking at times to see racism laid out so bluntly but it's also moving and about love and families and what we do for each of them. If you didn't catch it, Diane had a Modern Love essay, "Bringing Home the Wrong Race," in last week's New York Times. You can follow her @GetDianeFarr on Twitter and Facebook her official site is kissingoutsidethelines.com. Good inspiration for me to finalize that interview because she had some fascinating things to say that took a while to process about race and identity and parenting.

To me the mark of a good comedian or performer is when their work continues to stay with you; Hari Kondabalu comes to mind. His joke about chocolate is one I think my friends Twanna and Nichelle and I will always find funny. Jokes are almost impossible to repeat, and I wouldn't try on a blog, so go see it. Definitely recommended. I'm planning to attend this.

The How I Learned Series Proudly Presents:

HOW I LEARNED WHO'S COMING TO DINNER:
STORIES ABOUT RACE + IDENTITY

Featuring:
VICTOR VARNADO
(Tell Your Friends!; Comedy Central)
DODAI STEWART
(Jezebel.com; Glamour)
EUGENE ASHTON-GONZALEZ
(The Moth; New York Confidential Storytelling Series)
LESLIE GOSHKO
(Vodka Shoes; Manhattan Monologue Slam Champion)
ALYSSA PINSKER
(Huffington Post; Bust Magazine)

Created, Produced + Hosted by
BLAISE ALLYSEN KEARSLEY

Wednesday, June 22nd
8pm / Doors open at 7
HAPPY ENDING
302 Broome Street between Forsyth + Eldridge
J, M, Z, F to Delancey
B, D to Grand
FREE!

www.howilearnedathappyending.blogspot.com