On the Road Again Penn - 7/07/04

My novel, Sock is out for real. No kidding it's out there. I flew to NYC on Sunday and Monday morning we started at about 6am. Man, that's hard with the time change, but it would be hard on Vegas time. On Monday I did a couple of TV shows talking about the book. I didn't have to do any bits. Most of the interview was P&T at the Rio, and Bullshit, but I didn't have to have a bit so I could go with a flow. It's a nice change up to be interviewed without always looking at the clock to see when we have to set up the bit. Of course, these are little tiny shows, but it was fun. Man, I was tired.

In the afternoon, I did "Inside Edition" about the Houdini museum giving away tricks. I mostly just ripped off Teller's ideas and added a few jokes. It seemed to go well. Monday was my only easy day.

Tuesday, I had to get up at 5:30, after not much sleep at all, and I headed to a Classic Rock station. Man, "Sock" is made for Classic rock. They had put together a package of songs from every chapter that really flattered me. It was very cool, very amazing. People seem to be getting this book and it's blowing my mind. While I was waiting to go on one show, I did wrap-arounds for the Scott Muny show which I DJ'd an hour of. I got to pick the music and sell P&T, Bullshit, and Sock. It went very well. On the live interview, we talked PETA, MOORE, and Bullshit. I did a LOT of selling of "Michael Moore Hates America." Man, people seem pretty excited about that movie. I gave them his quote about hoping more Americans die so "god, and the Iraqi people forgive us."

I went back to the hotel and tried to grab an hour sleep. After that, I did a photo session and long interview with the Daily News. The interviewer was from a Cuban family, and although he knew and dug Randi there was a lot of work to do with psychic things he "couldn't explain." I talked a lot about "Sock" but it got some Randi stuff in there.

I jumped into the car with my handlers and after a quick sandwich, I hit the reading in Bryant Park. Richard Frankle came by and it was great to see him. Lots of old friends in NYC. I read Chapter 1 and answered a lot of questions. It was great. I answered a LOT about Bullshit and why Teller doesn't talk and how we met and I never mind that, but I also got to talk about the Atheism of "Moby Dick," and my Mom and Dad and the church I grew up in. There was some real talk talked and it meant a lot. I was really worried about this, but it went great.

I grabbed a muffin and headed right over to VH-1's "The Best Week Ever." It was just doing jokes about the news. It'll all be edited. It's not "Tough Crowd" it's an edited show, but I got some good laughs from the crew. I really like having nothing prepared. It was nothing about P&T or the book, it was just thinking on my feet and being funny.

I went right from there to Carson Daly. Teller did this show alone a few weeks ago and killed, and now it was my turn to do it alone. They insisted on a trick, so I came up with one. I put some stuff together with Jamy and I was pretty ready to do a little adlibbing with magic. I did a quick talk through with Carson in the afternoon. It was so simple. I didn't tell him much. There was no work. I told him I was going to do a trick and I was going to be funny. We did some comic bonding and we were ready to go. David Cross was the lead guest and, because of me, he did a joke magic trick. I watched closely in the dressing room and changed my whole bit. It was fun to be using magic and also to be loose enough to really go with the flow. I think I did very well. Because of being able to change the plan, I was really part of the show, and the trick - well, it might fool you. Jamy was very happy. It felt really good being out there. I have never been that loose with a magic trick.

After that it was just another reading at a big book store. I read Chapter 12 and it felt a bit long. Maybe it was just harder work. It was a good crowd, and again, I got to answer questions about real stuff. It was pretty heavy and literary. It was fun. We had to go to the airport and fly to Boston. We didn't get to the hotel until after Midnight and then up at 5:30 AM again. It gets tired out here in book world. It's a wacky different thing. I having fun and doing some cool stuff. It'll be so nice and restful to get back to the Rio, but this is fun.

Penn

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