PosterBrat on Friendster

PosterBrat and Bizarro Dan Piraro Storm The Stage At The Legendary Friars Club In Beautiful Downtown Beverly Hills Prior to the 20 Anniversary Genesis Awards! BE THE FIRST ON YOUR BLOCK TO BUY DAN’S NEW BOOK! Order Here NOW!

Hey fools … I officiated my first wedding yesterday.  Could it be a new sideline? Just call me Reverend Larry. No matter how far I wander, I guess I’ll never stray too far from my trailer park roots. Yes, my friends, that is a good thing.

Been a busy, dizzy time. In the last few — or next few — weeks, here’s what I’ve been up to:

NYU Forum on Social Justice & Activism
Date: March 25 Topic: Sexualizing Disability

Animal Welfare Forum
Date: March 26 Topic: Canadian Seal Hunt

Columbia University Seminar on Disability Studies
Date: April 3 Topic: Disability & Humor

Lantern Books Film Screening
Date: April 18 Topic: Challenging the Charity Mentality

Whew… tiring at times, but I must admit I love it. Some mighty powerful mojo at work these daze. Gotta go with the groove.

Damn. Wish I had some crazy fan freaks to watch Wrestlemainia XXII with. Shenannigans inside the ’squared circle’ sure have changed since I was 10, but then again, so have I.

Well, a little.

Speaking of shennanigans, I almost neglected to mention the big event on April 5th.  Tsk, tsk. If around, be sure to check out the official launch of the disTHIS! Film Series: disability through a whole new lens. No handkerchief required. Thank gawd.

Tell me, brothers and sisters… what’s new with you?????

What is real?
What is imagined?
Who lies?
Who doesn’t?

Arthouse.

Pretentious.

Amazing.

Do yourself a favor.

See it… Twice. Trust me on this one.

Just finished Ian McEwan’s Saturday. Subtle, but not. A different kind of day in the life. "Oh boy" is right. It isn’t Atonement. Then again, it doesn’t need to be. Quite stunning. Well worth your time.

An update:

Since the last blog, Iwas interviewed by public radio’s Weekend Americaon the best (and worst) depictions of disability in popular culture. My take on disablity and humorwas not quite what the producers expected. Bwah ha! What fun.

I’ve been hard at work posting content over at the excellent Ragged Edgewebsite on a variety of hot button topics including the Politics of Popcorn, the bigotry exposed by Dick Clark’s return to TV, and one Dane’s brave fight for your right to screw. Check ‘em out.

Also just published a new piece in the always stellar Satya Magazine:

Warning: This one is not for laughs, kids.It was a tough one to write — and to experience. Hope you like it anyway.

I Held Them While They Died
February 2006, Satya Magazine

"There they were," the newspaper story began, "3,500 chickens scattered all over the highway. And half a dozen animal rights activists, their feathers ruffled, trying to save the fowl from a foul fate."

The chickens referred to in the article, "I-95 Becomes Chicken Stew" were dumped on a Virginia highway when the truck carrying them took a curve too fast on an Interstate 95 ramp and overturned en route from North Carolina to a slaughter-house in New Jersey. It was August 1995.

As I stepped into the basement of the ASPCA in New York City in October 2005 to help transport the chickens rescued from my current hometown of Brooklyn to a sanctuary for safe-keeping, the almost forgotten, but never absent memory of that day over ten years earlier came flooding back.

Full Text After The Jump

Oh, before I forget… while practicing insomnia the other night, I finally made myself one o’ those Amazon.com wishlists all the kids are crazy about these days. Feelin’ generous? Go ‘head… make the list shorter. Used is fine. Really… After all, my birthday is only 3 short months away.

The Band is called Elbow.  They played one gig in the United States this year.

I went.  You didn’t.  Sometimes it sucks to be you…

Okay, enough bragging.  The gig was incredible.  Probably the best concert I’ve seen all year.  Three  weeks of trying to keep my nefarious plan a secret caused some stress, but proved to be more than worth it as I glanced upon the sweet, suprised look on Cat’s face as we arrived.  Priceless. Sleeping Policeman has a nice review that I could’ve written if I’d taken the time (and if I lived in Boston). Will be intertesting to see ‘em on their home turf in London on Nov. 25th while ‘cross the pond for the Disability Film Festival.

Hope we can figure out a way to make it up to see Mat (Fraser’s) gloriously politically incorrect show Thalidomide!! A Musical while we’re over there.

Speaking of disability and cinema, we had a nice screening of the film’s Lormen and Naomi’s Closet and talkback session last night as part of the Margaret Mead Film Festival.  Almost didn’t make it.  On the way, I got into an auto accident just outside the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The guy in the SUV who hit my car service driver stepped out of his vehicle (dressed in a tux!) and handed over $400 — on the spot — to keep from filing an insurance claim.  Hmm.  Come to think of it, maybe my neck is starting to hurt …

Just found out the Neue Galerie is showing an exhibit of Egon Schiele sketches ’til the end of February.

Who else wants to go?

Currently listening: Leaders of the Free World By Elbow Release date: By 18 October, 2005

Donations and Homes Needed For Over 200 Brooklyn Chickens Rescued From Ritual Slaughter

Last Sunday, over 200 chickens were seized from an empty lot in Brooklyn, NY. These chickens were left to die in inclement weather conditions after being discarded following the observance of the Jewish kaparot rite by vendors camped outside. The ritual, which is not biblically or talmudically ordained, is observed on Yom Kippur by flinging a chicken around over ones head while saying a prayer.  The bird is offered in exchange for divine mercy and a peaceful life, then killed.

Kaparot has been condemned by many Jewish sages, who suggest the important goal of increasing our sensitivity to the importance of repentance and charity can be accomplished as well, and perhaps better, by substituting money for the unfortunate bird which is allowed. Thankfully, Judaism has no authentic history of vicarious sacrifice and this archaic custom is one most modern Jews prefer to waive.

Your Help is Needed!

When discovered languishing near the site, hundreds of chickens were crammed into crates, stacked on top of another. They were encrusted with feces, urine and blood. Most were severely dehydrated.  Some suffered from injured limbs and eyes. An investigation is ongoing.

On Monday, October 17th, Satya Magazine staff and In Defense of Animals Issues Specialist Lawrence Carter-Long (aka. me) transported the 200-plus survivors to temporary housing at the Catskill Animal Sanctuary. With the help of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary’s director Jenny Brown, and volunteer Kirstie Gholson all the birds were given initial health examinations and basic care. We are awaiting results from blood tests that were conducted to check for disease.

Truly folks, even years of activism could not prepare me for what I encountered when I first saw these unfortunate birds. Severed toes, missing eyes and the stifling stench of urine and feces were overwhelming.  Sadly, this is probably only a small part of what the chickens had to endure after spending days outside, exposed to the elements.  We owe it to the animals we could not save to give these birds a chance to live out the rest of their lives in comfort.

What You Can Do:

1. Volunteers will be transporting many of the birds to the Eastern Shore Sanctuary and United Poultry Concerns but more homes are desperately needed for these broiler hens and roosters. If you or anyone else you know can help find homes-even just one or two are lives saved-please contact Kymberlie Adams at: 718-928-8495.  She’ll make sure you get them.

2. Monetary donations are needed to help us transport the birds in rented trucks to shelters as far away as North Carolina. And as you know, even Budget Rental isn’t cheap. Whatever you can give-$10, $20, $100..every little bit helps-will be greatly appreciated.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:  Kymberlie Adams at: kymberlie@satyamag.com

Donations for transportation and housing are being sent directly to Kymberlie’s PayPal account. Animal advocates can donate to the upkeep and transportation effort by clicking hereand sending their donation to: kymberlie@satyamag.com

A Times-Herald Record Newspaper article on the effort can be found here:

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/10/22/swinger0.htm