I�ve had enough.

You see� given my druthers, I would avoid work-related parties (shit� most parties in general�not antisocial�just over the party thing.) You see there are always shindigs that have folks from my industry at them/hosting them/et al. The games business is like any other entertainment industry and it panders to (insert demographic here.)

So, like any sensible individual being invited (read that, must attend) to a party that has people from the games thing and working at same puts you at odds with the word party.

Nothing means work more than work�even if it is at a place that has drinks and lights and noise. I have seen way too many goofballs stage-dive onto concrete by getting sideways at an industry function. If you are going to fall-down, just do it where folks care about you or won�t be embarrassed by your dumb ass�.

Enough about why game business festivities have nothing to offer HisSauce other than more work and being nice and putting on that Social Face.

I have always been of the mind that people in the public eye just have another shitty job that requires them to be there or they, ahem, like it�which could be worse.

Famous folks are only famous to those that give a rat�s arse.

I grew up in a town with Bob Penn Warren, John Kenneth Galbraith and sundry others who were INTERESTING and CELEBRATED.

My school years were awash with classmates like the current King of Jordan (and His Majesty or Abby is a joy and a wonder and doesn't deserve to be in the sitch he is in--but then his dad and grand-dad had it, possibly worse,) the son of some dufus with a bad hair-piece who was married to Liz Taylor, The former (name the political position) Secretary O� Treasury�s kid Dougie Baker�. And on. Michael �I am married to a kid 50 years younger� Douglas was an alumni who taught us acting between Streets of San Francisco episodes. Ad-frigging nauseam. No one actually cares who they 'ARE'. Especially not me. I care about the human behind the PublicFace. Sometimes there isn't one.

Worse, living in SoVerySoCal sticks you right the fuck in Celeb-Alley.

Which makes game industry parties a weird flame for the moth crowd.

Those who must be seen love our gigs. Those who crave visibility all want something to do with games because they are �Kewl.� Ack.

Soooo�.

Back in November or so, Big N. had a Platinum Party for der GameCube. It was smack dab in smack-alley on Sunset.

None of my partners wanted to go�so the junior boy on the local totem had to do it. We were invited. Someone had to show. Feelings might be hurt otherwise�and multimillion dollar contracts are not awarded to anyone by someone in a huff.

Yay.

I�d rather have the intestinally-distended and painful trots at home than attend one of those things�and I have to do about four a year.

To say it takes effort pushes a new line.

But go I do. And go I did.

My fondest hope was that I�d find a good Chachki for my son.

And some band called The Strokes was the featured act.

With folks like Mathew Perry, Former Mouse Christina Ack-U-Lara, SpiderZenYogaMan Tobey M, and so on in the VIP line with their entourages and bodyguards the whole little 200 person affair looked especially enthralling.

It got worse.

You couldn�t sit to play any games. Standing only. Controller cords too short to even sit on the loud floor.

I did have a nice conversation with a rather sweet gal named Alicia Silverstone (not a lollypop head) whose dad I had seen act up in HMB in a few plays, and who needed directions to take her little electric automobile up to Monterey without hurting for recharges. And I enjoyed waiting for the band with (MY HEIGHT) Chrissie Hynde and the gal who did the flute/pussy gag in American Pie. Good folks, they�

So. The band.

I have spent far too much time around bands in my life�I kind of grew up in the HarDCore Scene (DC Hardcore with Minor Threat, Bad Brains, MDC, GI, Meatmen, et al.) You could always tell when Rollins was in the house by the smell as he didn�t bathe (this before Chavo left BlackFlag.) I still keep in touch with a few of those folks. Mikie Muir is a great guy. Brian Baker is swell. Tesco Vee is funny as shit. But the Rock & Roll attitude thing went out with The Stooges.

The Strokes hit the stage looking pissed (in more ways than one.) They announced to this crowd awash in game geeks and celebs (most of whom were standing at the stage after having waited a pair of hours to see them) that they had been paid 35K to do �five songs minimum� and that they �Were Whores.� So they rattled off five poorly played tunes and ran off the stage to a waiting limo.

Personally, (not having frequented whores) I imagine their value dollar-for-dollar is higher than a lawyers by far�and deeply higher than those ass-swipes who pulled a Holier Than Thou but took the money anyway.

Anyway�since then I get annoyed when I hear their name�and it has come up too often of late.

Thus this rant.

Hey! I have a place to rant here! Wheeee. This is the kinda thing that I would never tell family/friends/industry pals/ or a five-year-old son.

Thank you.

[Enema Ends.]