I made this as a gift for Jonathan Goldstein, who’s work I adore.

I don’t normally show up places with presents for the famous but when I read that he’d be coming to Seattle for a reading of “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bible,” I was compelled. I think I did it as a thank you for his work.

This is the only photo I have… I finished the piece about 30 seconds before we had to run out the door to the reading.

His essays and short stories are funny, but very real. I love the way he’s able to capture and describe tiny, awkward, painful, beautiful moments of human interaction… No matter the topic, you can find yourself in there if you’re paying attention.

As for his radio show, Wiretap, I would call it radio-crack, and I can’t get enough of it. Also insightful, one episode can include quiet, contemplative story, and often raucous, completely hilarious quasi-improv conversations.

Almost every single person who contributes regularly is now my hero in one way or another… including his parents. In addition to the clips on the official website, you might find some unofficial audio here.

No end to how good this man is, but for some reason, this moment is stuck in my head like a song right now… a comedy ear-worm or something…

This is my favorite clip of Zach from The Comedians of Comedy: the Movie. it’s 5 minutes long, but it’s so magical, it’ll be worth your time.

If you are a smart person, you will know that Zach is good for you, and you will seek out more.

I don’t think you could get away with a sly stranger trying to sell stuff and keep secrets on a show for kids these days. More’s the pity. Maybe if you put him in a bank setting, this could be about mortgages instead. (P.S. I’m so topical! Zing!)

I constantly feel that this podcast isn’t really FOR me… maybe it isn’t for anybody, which is also maybe why it works so well. Sometimes it’s hilarious, sometimes it’s like eavesdropping, sometimes it makes me uncomfortable. It’s experimental, open-ended, it doesn’t always work, I’m fairly convinced that it’s art, and I love listening.

It’s like drinking a big steamy cup of stream-of-consciousness bisque while taking an extended vacation on Premise Beach.

It’s also a little like Coyle & Sharpe, but self-contained:

“So, if you were going to be the administrative sleeping figure head for this African Virginia University, with lions, is this the kind of thing that could interest you?”

See?

Clicky.