by Claire Zulkey |

That’s right people, the rumors you’ve heard are true: Osama and I are collaborating on a new duet, which will be available on iTunes later today for $3.99. This song is going to be hot like nothing you’ve ever heard, it’s going to get bodies sweating on the dancefloor, it’s going to get people talking, and most importantly, it’s going to make me rich.



Now, I know some of you out there are questioning the wisdom of me getting together with Zombie Osama on a song. My first mature, carefully-considered response to you, is: GO TO HELL I AM A GROWN WOMAN AND MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS AND IF YOU DON’T LIKE THAT YOU CAN JUST F RIGHT OFF!!!!11!!  But more importantly, you just don’t understand Osama like I do. Yes, he hurt me a lot back in the day. September 11 was really scary and the flight regulations that followed were a pain in the neck and the color-coded...


by Claire Zulkey |

Essay Fiesta

7 p.m. TONIGHT, Monday Feb. 20

The Book Cellar

Proceeds Benefit 826Chi



Featuring readings from:



Alyson Lyon

Michele Fitzsimmons

Brandon Will

Rachael Kossy

Keith Ecker

Claire Zulkey

Jason Economus



The Kates

8 p.m. March 9

The Book Cellar



Featuring readings and performances from:



Jennifer Baird

Claire Zulkey

Beth Humbert Schmidt

Candy Lawrence
...


by Claire Zulkey |

Today I chat with a rock n’ roll singer and songwriter who has recently released his fourth solo studio album (Yes and Also Yes) not to mentions his first book, a memoir. In The Book of Drugs, the former Soul Coughing frontman writes with a brutal honesty about his family, his struggles with drugs, his uncensored thoughts about the music industry as well as his former band mates. You can find out much more about him here.



Before your book came out, did you give a heads up to anybody who you mention in it (aside from “Hey I have a book coming out!")

Just a handful of people...


by Claire Zulkey |

Bread



Shampoo



Feminine products (you know what I mean)



Razors

Shredded cheese

Juice



Cold medicine


by Claire Zulkey |

Instead of candy and hearts and gooey sticky stuff for Valentine's Day, my husband has made me a weird video each year that we've been together. Unfortunately several of them are lost to hard drives past and in files that are supported by a server that no longer exists, but I've found three of them for you to "enjoy" or maybe not. Here's 2008's (the Valentine's Day before we got married): 

Here's last years':

And this year's is a departure from the previous two themes. The introduction to it goes: "Dear Claire: when my parents sent me my old rollerblades out of the blue for some reason, you said I'd never use them. I told you that I would use them to skate around the basement, in my underwear, and while listening to that song they use in that Chase bank rock climbing commercial. At the time, you laughed... Sincerely, Steve."

...


by Claire Zulkey |

Yesterday I DJ’ed at Dance Dance Party Party. What’s Dance Dance Party Party? Read my writeup about it here. I’ve been sick and crappy for about a week now, so the chance to get into a dark room and sweat out the germs with an hour of booty-shaking was really necessary. I was happy that apparently my playlist went over well with the ladies in attendance. For those of you who like to shake it, here are the songs I chose, and why. If DJ'ing a dance party sounds good to you (and you're a woman), check out the "DJ You" tab on the DDPP page and sign up!



“Mesopotamia” B-52s

You always start off your playlist with a warmup song, just something that gets people moving a little bit. The first dance of DDPP always feels a little bit awkward, since people are still getting into it, so you don’t want to blow your wad on something really big or loud or fast. I like this B-52’s song for having a good beat and bass but being mellow at the same time:

...


by Claire Zulkey |

Today’s interviewee is a high school student living in the Chicago suburbs. Tavi Gevinson first gained recognition for her fashion blog, The Style Rookie, which helped her land in the front row at Fashion Week and got her profiled in places like the New Yorker. Now she’s the editor-in-chief of a new magazine for smart young women of all ages, Rookie, which began with the support and blessings of This American Life host Ira Glass and Sassy founder Jane Pratt. I met her in person at Mark...


by Claire Zulkey |

Second City's Holly Laurent got together with my husband, filmmaker Steve Delahoyde, to smash together two things that are very popular that I realize I know very little about: Lana Del Rey's Hunger Games.

(Contains some strong language- wear headphones if at work.)


Claire Zulkey
Claire Zulkey is the author of AN OFF YEAR, published by Dutton in 2009 and selected by Indie Booksellers for the Autumn 2009 Kids' Indie Next List and nominated as one of the ALA’s 2010 Best Books for Young Adults.  Since 2003 Claire has run the blog Zulkey.com which has been mentioned in places like the New Yorker and USA Today. She is a television critic and contributor to the Los Angeles Times and AV Club.  She lives in Edgewater and runs the Chicago literary humor reading series Funny Ha-Ha.

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