Comments on: Get me... a toothpick

Get me... a toothpick

Joey Michaels — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 21:12:21 -0800

Alfred Jarry. Writer, creator of pataphysics (the science of imaginary solutions), adopted father of the surrealists and extreme bike rider (in reality as well as in Howard Waldrop's Fin de Cycle). His best known work, Ubu Roi, inspired painter Joan Miro, playwright Samuel Beckett (among others) and gave a music group its name. (More Inside)

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 21:14:00 -0800

Jarry was extremely quotable. This has always been my favorite quote, from the cover page of my copy of Ubu Roi:

We shall not have succeeded in demolishing everything unless we demolish the ruins as well. But the only way I can see of doing that is to use them to put up a lot of fine, well-designed buildings.

Though I also quite like:

Anti-alcoholics are unfortunates in the grip of water, that terrible poison, so solvent and corrosive that out of all substances, it has been chosen for washing and scourings, and a drop of water, added to a clear liquid like absinthe, muddies it.

Someday, we will all become Ubu.

By: Hildago

Hildago — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 21:34:34 -0800

(reads.. laughs.. reads)

By: y2karl

y2karl — Tue, 08 Jun 2004 22:54:43 -0800

Bill Griffith's Timothy Leary Encounters Alfred Jarry in Heaven, from El Perfecto Comics is one of his finest comics. Unfortunately, no one has thought to provide an example online as yet.

By: soyjoy

soyjoy — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 08:53:20 -0800

MERRRRDRE! OK, I'm done.

By: putzface_dickman

putzface_dickman — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 11:28:41 -0800

My like is richer for this. Thanks.

By: cobra libre

cobra libre — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 16:26:59 -0800

Thanks for the writeup; I had never read that wonderful first quote before! You might find King Gubu to be of interest. It's a translation of Ubu Roi into Irish English! I much prefer it to the English translation that I first read. And "Gobshites!" is far superior to "Pschitt!"

By: Joey Michaels

Joey Michaels — Wed, 09 Jun 2004 20:18:19 -0800

cobra libre: That is absolutely the gobshite! Thanks for the link. A great translation - arguably better than either of the ones I have.