The How I Learned series side project, Best In Show, is an open mic type of deal where people prepare five-minute stories and drop their name in a bag for the chance to tell them. The hook is that three seasoned storytelling judges are there to offer warm, constructive feedback. For free. With drinks. No themes. No scores. A slam really doesn't get much better than that.
Here's Best In Show host Brad Lawrence's recap of last week's story slam:
So, what did we learn: Nhu An has the only phone number you will ever need and Nelson Lugo's magic act was not fit for kids when he was a kid. Julie Threlkeld only knows one way to eat soup, though she continues to believe she knows two. Anna Zagerson stabbed a pediatrician in the heart but kept her pants on. Micaela Blei thinks gay people can supernaturally control the weather. Superman had a kid and his name is Marc (no last name given, so we will just call him Marc Kent.) David Arroyo no longer writes letters to anyone, ever, at all, thank you very much. And Julia Wiedeman has something to tell you and it is going to ruin your favorite movie from high school. All of these issues were sorted out with the help of our fantastic judges, Peter Aguero, David Crabb, Dana Rossi and our producer Blaise Allysen Kearsley. So, with that, a big thank you to everyone who came out to Best In Show.
Next Best In Show is October 16th. Meanwhile, see you at How I Learned this Wednesday!
xo Blaise
Since 2009, How I Learned has featured some of the best live storytelling, comedy, and readings in New York City. It all happens a couple of times a year, and sometimes more than that, which basically means you'll have the best night of you life on those nights, repeatedly.
YOUR HOST:
Blaise Allysen Kearsley is a Brooklyn-based writer and the creator, producer, and host of How I Learned, which has been a thing for a super long time. She has performed at The Moth, RISK!, Mortified, Literary Death Match, and many other shows. Her writing has appeared in Longreads, Midnight Breakfast, VICE, The Weeklings, The Nervous Breakdown, two anthologies, and in several other places a long time ago that don't even exist anymore, and are perhaps not worth mentioning by name. She also teaches creative nonfiction to other so-called grownups. Learn how to pronounce all three of her names at blaiseallysenkearsley.com.