Browsing Category

Pop Culture

Pop Culture

How to Become a Better Humor Writer

I’m not that funny.

I wish I was.

I spent a lot of time meticulously watching the Marx Brothers, Steve Martin, Gene Wilder, Woody Allen, Kids in the Hall and SNL as a kid, but I’m about as funny as a Senate hearing.

I think standout humor is something you can learn, but a lot of people are just naturally gifted (or had a terrible childhood filled with alcoholic fathers and pill-popping mothers that drove them into comedy as a way to mask the pain).

This is why I’m so excited to be taking one of Skillshare’s hybrid classes “Humor Writing: Become the Next David Sedaris” taught by writer Grace Bello (The Atlantic, The Awl, McSweeney’s). The 5-week class starts tonight, but there is still time to enroll. Only $12 to become the literary world’s next former elf-portraying and drug-using 55 year-old neurotic writer who hates Chinese food and has an adorable lisp.

I decided to list some of my own tips on how to write humorously, but it’s up to you if you want to take humor writing (more…)

September 17, 2012 by
Austin, Fashion/Design, Pop Culture

Good Grammar is Sexy (And Other Curated Curios for the Curious Consumer)

Hey Gang!

Hope y’all had a wonderful weekend. The weather has finally dropped down in the mid-90s in Austin, which translates to cardigan and scarf-wearing.

Fall is such a magical time of year in Texas. It means rather than finding ways to have as little fabric touching your burning skin as possible, one can start giving a crap about fashion again.

I’ve been perusing some neat-o finds on the new Scoutmob Shoppe to amp up my fall wardrobe and X-mas gift cache for the loved ones.

If you haven’t been to the Scoutmob Shoppe yet, it’s like Fab.com, but ten times better. That gang has some seriously awesome curating going on over there with an emphasis on keep it local.

Check out some of my favorite picks from their shop below!

Also, if you’re an Austin craftsman and you’d be interested in potentially having your products featured on the Scoutmob Shoppe, shoot me a comment down below.

 

Assorted Love Cards, 5- Pack $15

Good Grammar is Sexy Tote, $12

Stache Anything (more…)

September 10, 2012 by
Fashion/Design, Film, Music, Pop Culture

Inspiring Late Bloomer Success Stories to Keep You From Giving Up

Inspired! Mesmerized! This is how I felt after putting down Steve Martin’s autobiography Born Standing Up.

I knew it was going to be a good book because Martin is a fantastic writer. Every creative medium he’s ever touched has turned into a golden product. Stand-up, acting, banjo-playing…you name it!

One of my top five favorite books of all time is Martin’s Shopgirl, which for me, perfectly summed up my experiences in Los Angeles. Martin’s uncanny ability to voice the thoughts, feelings and actions of a twenty-something living in LA astounded me. He’s good. Very good.

Born Standing Up is about Martin’s first 30 years on this planet as an adolescent, then as a struggling comedian. He details the painstaking energy and determination it took to break into the scene. He acted at Knott’s Berry Farm, performed stand up at small folks clubs in Southern California and elsewhere, wrote for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour and even appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson several (more…)

September 7, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Pop Culture

In Defense of the Hipster

My blog’s name is “Hipstercrite”.

I often write about hipsters for my website and others.

Those articles are often my most trafficked.

They’re also the ones that evoke the most wrath.

I can go off about our empathy-challenged Governor or how scared I am of the Republicans, but neither of these subjects compare to the flack I receive for writing about hipsters.

I recently wrote an article for CultureMap about the “10 Most Hipster-Inspired Restaurants, Food Trucks and Bars in Austin“.

It led to a slew of negative comments, though it’s currently one of the site’s most read articles.

My favorite comment being, “The worst part about hipsters is that they’ve led to the existence of Hipstercrite”.

People often comment on how much they dislike hipsters, how hipsters are ruining Austin, how smug hipsters are, etc.

I (not surprisingly) have people that simply won’t read me because of my writing moniker. They make sure to tell me this. They make sure to tell me how stupid (more…)

September 6, 2012 by
20-Something, Pop Culture, Writing

Michelle Obama’s DNC Speech Triggered 100 Million Boners

Oh man.

How inspiring was Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC last night?

Seriously. I’m pretty sure her words instantly cured leprosy and triggered the evolution of dinosaurs coming back to Earth to amicably co-exist with us.

Her speech made me want to strip down to my underwear, give away everything I own and go out into the street and give random hugs to strangers.

While she spoke, it’s as if a spirit entered me. I found myself lifting to my feet  with one hand over my heart and the other waving in the air.

I think today I should find a Baptist church to go to.

I felt it last night and so did a lot of America.

In fact, Americans collectively had a boner for Michelle Obama (and for those who didn’t…we know you have trouble getting it up).

My Twitter and Facebook feeds were filled with gushing comments about the first lady.

It was impossible not to feel emotionally overwhelmed by her flawless and moving speech.

I was going to compile a list of my favorite (more…)

September 5, 2012 by
Pop Culture

Happy We Work Too Damn Much Day!

Happy Labor Day!

Hopefully you are NOT working today and NOT on your computer and NOT reading this post.

But if you aren’t one of the lucky ones, I recommend turning your office or restaurant or store into a Michael Jackson dance party. This is what I did for every holiday I ever had to work.

Dancing by yourself in a lonely office or in front of customers makes the sad and pathetic truth that you have to work slightly better.

This is an excellent opportunity to test out all the Thriller dance moves you’ve been practicing in front of the mirror for years. Try to refrain from breaking down and crying when you feel like you’re not successfully completing number 22-24 in the diagram above (or the “Look!-My-Hands-Are-Going-Clockwise-Yes!-I’m-Doing-This Correctly!-Fuck!-Michael-Jackson-Makes-This-Look-So-Easy!-Are-The-Zombies-Dragging-Their-Asses-Like-A-Dog-That-Just-Took-A-Shit-Now?-I-Can-Do-That!” dance move).

If you find yourself struggling with that part of the dance, take (more…)

September 3, 2012 by
20-Something, Austin, Music, Pop Culture

JD Samson Shows Her Support For Austin Music Venue Cheer Up Charlie’s

One of my absolutely favorite owners of the lady mustache, JD Samson, will be DJing at one of my absolutely favorite hangouts spots, Cheer Up Charlie’s, tomorrow starting 3PM-10PM.

Dream combo!

Samson will be there to support Cheer Up as they grapple with the city’s noise ordinance to shut down music before 10PM on weekends and 8PM Sunday through Thursday.

To learn more about the Cheer Up Charlie’s vs. The City & One Cranky Neighbor story, go here.

Details about the event can be found here. Starts at 3PM, $5 at the door, free beer, 1104 E. 6th St.

A Note from Cheer Up Charlie’s about the event (this event is too cool to even have a flyer):

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR CHEER UP CHARLIE’S AND ALL MUSIC ON EAST SIXTH!

The government is telling the kids to turn the music off at 10:00 PM.

You know what? That’s fine. The night salts out game anyways. We are going to turn it up so loud during the daytime for the neighbors, the government, and God herself to better see us.

August 31, 2012 by
Hipstercrite Life, Pop Culture

10 Fun Things to Do While You’re on Painkillers

 

Swollen cheeks- check! Jewish nose- check! Unwavering vice on a bottle of Hydrocodone- check!

 

As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I had my wisdom teeth extracted last week.

What I failed to mentioned is that I was high as a kite on painkillers when I wrote the post.

Er, “high” maybe isn’t the best word.

“Blissfully zoned out and chewing on my tongue” might be better.

This is my first time ever taking painkillers and it’s been an equally enjoyable and terrifying experience.

Enjoyable in that the gaping wound-hole pain gently lifts away and I’m left smiling as I slowly slide down the side of the couch. Terrifying in that my lucid dreaming at nightfall leaves me pissing my pants and confused. One night my boyfriend sneezed and the sound registered in my brain as “OH MY GOD! SOMEONE IS STABBING ME TO DEATH!” and I woke up in tears and hyperventilated for the next ten minutes.

I also tried swallowing my gauze twice.

Though the pain is still sitting idly (more…)

August 29, 2012 by
Fashion/Design, Pop Culture

Hipstercrite is in the Glossies!

As I mentioned on Monday, my brain is as fried as the skin of George Hamilton, but I’ll be up and running with some original content next week.

In the meantime, I want to share with you some exciting news!

Hipstercrite was selected to be included in the print magazine The Printed Blog!

What is The Printed Blog, you ask? The Printed Blog is a “monthly chronicle that focuses on creating a collectible, curated publication exclusively made up of content generated on the web, with the intention of giving bloggers credibility and exposure that they can use to establish themselves.” Co-founder and Photo Editor of the magazine is the new It Boy photographer Tyler Shields.

Each issue is comprised of blog posts paired with beautiful photography by contributors. I spied two of my favorite bloggers in the latest issue, Humans Are Funny and Kid in the Front Row!

In their current Deja Vu issue, my super wistful post “This Must Be The Place” was featured. In the blog post I discuss a (more…)

August 22, 2012 by
Austin, Music, Pop Culture

The Winner of the Lindsey Buckingham Ticket Giveaway (and my first blog video)!

via Billboard

This is my first video on Hipstercrite.

Don’t judge.

I said, DON’T JUDGE!

This was filmed this morning post-shower, but pre-coffee. My hair is still wet, my allergy dark circles are ragin’ and I’m speaking quietly because we have an editor temporarily living at our house (he is editing our movie, Loves Her Gun) and I don’t want him to think that I talk to myself any more than I’ve already shown.

In this video, I announce the winner of the Lindsey Buckingham ticket giveaway and sing Fleetwood Mac to you.

If you are the winner, email me at laurenmodery at gmail dot com.

If you dislike my singing, let me know and I will bombard you with more videos.

August 6, 2012 by