Here's some more information about the films at Sundance this year, including the long-awaited Celeste and Jesse Forever, Bachelorette and Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk With Me. The latter, based on Birbiglia's one-man show, sounds especially exciting. Birbiglia says it's about “the concept [that] you can talk about these things you're ashamed of, and more often than not, you find a deeper connection with people. The one thing you’re most reluctant to tell, that’s where the comedy is.” (I just picked my nose and I constantly crave the approval of everyone I meet. Did I do it right?)
Mike Birbiglia is in the middle of a pretty extensive tour to support his new book Sleepwalk with Me, and he just posted an entry to his blog about some of his experiences in the south. Like the book, it's pretty great. Here's a snippet: But I had some amazing shows in the south, though I’m pretty sure they tried to kill me with their food. I don’t think it’s personal. I mean, I think the goal of Southern food is that you die. I actually tweeted that the other day and all these people tweeted me back, “But you die happy!” and I’m not so sure. [...]
The following is excerpted from Mike Birbiglia's Sleepwalk with Me, specifically the chapter about his experiences touring with his hero, Mitch Hedberg.
One night Mitch was onstage and in the middle of his set he said, "Oh no, I got to go to the bathroom. Can someone come onstage and tell a joke?" There was this long gaping silence, then he said, "I'm serious, you guys. I really gotta go." And it's still silent. People didn't know what to do.
Backstage I turned to Lynn and said, "Are you gonna go up?"
"Will you?" she said.
"Okay."
I walked onstage and approached Mitch. He didn't know I was [...]
