Lauren Flans - On Poetry Using Dark Humor To Shed Light

I Offer Poetry

There is a trigger warning at the top of this episode regarding suicide, as the poem in this week’s episode deals directly with the topic. The discussion surrounding the subject is that of respect for the author's history, but also how the author chose a humorous lens to reflect a dark subject matter.

Elizabeth is eager to introduce her longtime friend, Lauren Flans. Lauren is a contemporary multi-hyphenate. She was a recurring cast member on MTV’s Wild ‘n Out and Comedy Central's Another Period. She's an active member of Lost Moon Radio, which is a live comedy and music group in LA and is the current co-host of Coming Out with Lauren and Nicole, a podcast where they host queer folks from all walks of life to tell the tales of how they came out.

In their discussion of Dorothy Parker’s Resume Lauren notes how the author would likely be cancelled on Twitter, how being bitter and snarky made Parker hopelessly cool, and how she voluntarily offers poetry collections to friends. There are musings on Lauren’s longtime crush on Jennifer Jason Leigh and Elizabeth shares a sexy little John Keats line.

“[Dorothy Parker] was smart and had this caustic wit and was living in the 1920’s when everything was repressed and she was like ‘Fuck everything!’ and I just thought that was hopelessly cool.”

-Lauren Flans

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Trigger Warning (Suicide)

00:00:48 Guest Introduction

00:03:05 Poem Reading (Lauren)

00:03:35 Author Info

00:04:50 Lauren’s Relationship to the Poem

00:14:50 Pause / Poem Reading (Elizabeth)

00:16:30 Reflection & Offering

Poem & Links:

Resume by Dorothy Parker (© 1926)

Ode to a Nightingale by John Keats (© 1819)

The Portable Dorothy Parker

Far From Well (Parker’s Review of The House at Pooh Corner)

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (Film © 1994)

The Algonquin Round Table

I.O.P. Lexicon:

Wit: (noun) the keen perception and cleverly apt expression of those connections between ideas that awaken amusement and pleasure, intelligence; astuteness.

Sardonic: (adjective) characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; cynical

Caustic: (adjective) severely critical or sarcastic OR (noun) substance capable of burning, corroding, or destroying living tissue

Where to find Lauren:

@lauren_flans | Instagram

@LaurenFlans | Twitter

@comingoutpod | Instagram

@comingoutpod | Twitter

https://www.lostmoonradio.com/

Where to find our host Elizabeth:

@ellsonelizabeth | Twitter

Where to find us:

@iofferpoetry | Instagram

@iofferpoetry | Twitter

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Produced & edited by John Campione

@campiaudio | campiaudio.com

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Music @zacharymanno | Art @sammycampioneart