Est. Read(+Watch) Time: 5 minutes. Read Time brought to you once again by the Ashburton Energy + Hair Logistics Group, in association with the Bradley Hills Bureau of Corrections + Housing.
New to the SternJourn? Check out the best of 2021, 2020, or whichever random classic this is.
SHOWS:
Thursday Oct. 13 @ 9:45pm. Sweet Fancy @ The Hollywood Improv
(This will be a fun show, and the Improv is so central! If you’re in LA, come through!)
Nov. 16-19. I’ll be in Austin, TX! Ticket links to come.
Hello Sternal Journalists,
If I did it right, there’s a video above, and you can watch it (if I didn’t do it right and it requires a paid subscription, don’t fall for it! I’ll find a way to . I have a few writerly SternJourns percolating, but the Substack video function is fairly new and I thought I’d experiment with it by sharing my recent finale to the Can’t Even Open Mic at Mama Shelter.
This is an open mic that became near and dear to my heart over the past year and change because (a) I made a lot of new friends there, (b) it was a very welcoming and easy place to get back on the stand-up horse post-pandemic, and (c ) it was a very fancy and swanky hotel rooftop that had absolutely no business allowing experimental first-run comedy (Perhaps that last part is why it had to come to an end).
Anyway, the wonderful producers of the mic asked me to host the last one which was very kind and nice, and what was even kinder and nicer was that at the very end, one of them goaded me into doing my famous (in certain circles) Animorphs Rap.
I shared a portion of this on TikTok and Instagram and was reminded that some people really like it, so I thought there was a chance the Sternal Journal crowd might like to see it in full.
Also, this is the only time so far (and perhaps ever) that I’ve performed it with a DJ who is having just as much fun as I am. The interplay we had was a little terrifying in a thrilling way because I wasn’t sure if it was gonna fuck me up (it never quite did), but mostly an honor. His name is Endo. He’s very good. Find him at @waxaddictla on Instagram.
It’s not the greatest performance I’ve ever had, but it’s raw and fun and, after all, the whole point of the Sternal Journal was originally to promote my live shows so I might as well occasionally give you a little taste of what they’re like! In my opinion, the video (special thanks to Sternal Sam for taking it!) is very much worth watching at least until you get to this lady:
But if you don’t want to watch it, there’s always…
Recommendations (still!)
This week, there are a lot of things I’ve recommended recently that I’m still enjoying so I thought I’d highlight them!
Kitchen Confidential. Book. I’m very sad that I’m almost done with this memoir by Anthony Bourdain, but also happy because he’s clearly saved some of his favorite stories for last. Also, despite my fear of coming off as a simpering little nerd, I have to ask: has anyone ever come up with a word for the sense of peace you get when you’re square in the middle of a book and it just sits open without you having to weigh down the lighter side? Plus, you’ve gotten to know the book pretty well but still have a bunch left? I experienced that with this one recently.
Andor. Television. I’m a couple episodes behind, but still thinking about and really enjoying this new Star Wars series.
See How They Run. Film. I haven’t watched it again per se, but I have kept enjoying it because I do keep thinking about it and lament that more people aren’t talking about it. It’s nothing crazy special, but come on! Why’d we go gaga for Knives Out and we’re leaving this fun whodunit out in the cold? See it!
Alrighty, have a fun, creative week! Find some time to sing on a rooftop, literally or metaphorically!
All the love,
Julian
"I thought it was gonna be sixteen bars tops"