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- [00:00]
Sponsor Representative
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- [02:09]
Dan Kennedy
Welcome to the Moth Podcast. I'm Dan Kennedy. This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com, the Internet's leading provider of audiobooks with with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature. For the Moth listeners, Audible is offering a free audiobook to give you a chance to try out their service. You may like listening to the Dinner by Herman Koch. To try Audible Free today and get a free audiobook of your choice, just go to audible.com themoth that's audible.com themoth the moth is supported by makers 46, a handcrafted bourbon that begins as fully matured maker's mark, then makers 46 is aged longer inside barrels containing seared French oak staves and only during the cool winter months when bourbon matures more slowly. The result is a more complex taste highlighted by bigger vanilla oak and caramel flavors. Online at makers46.com makers46 Bourbon whiskey, 47% alcohol by volume, distilled in Loretto, Kentucky, reminds listeners to drink responsibly. Today we bring you two stories from our open mic story slam series. And speaking of our open mic story slam series, we hand out audience slips at those shows with a question that we ask the audience and it fits with the theme of the evening usually. And folks give us their answers anonymously. It's kind of a fun way for like the audience to participate in the show anonymously with getting up on stage. This slip that I found in my pocket today says tell us about a first time that was also a last. In other words, I won't be trying that again. And this person wrote dance class. I was single and thought I could meet some people. But when the other dance student started telling me how to waltz, I quit, which that's about as open as I am to new experiences. My heart goes out to that person. Okay, so today we bring you two stories from our open mic story slam series. First up is Adam Faure, who told this story here in New York City last year where our media partner is wnyc. The theme of the night was balanced. Here's Adam.
- [04:28]
Adam Faure
Okay, so it's about four years ago. Four years ago, middle of November, I'm on the D train crossing over the Manhattan Bridge and my cell phone rings. So it's that time when you have like three minutes of coverage and I look down at my phone and it's my wife. And it was one of those days where like, I couldn't remember why we hated each other, but we definitely hated each other. And we had a six week old at home and a 19 month old at home. And for you kids out there, 19 months between kids is too close. So sleep was low, tensions were high. So I pick up the phone and I don't know if she's going to yell at me or what. And I was like, what? And she said, I think I'm about to be arrested. And I'm like, what did you do? And my wife is this great person and she's five, two, she's an art historian. But she has this crazy temper. And I know she loves me. And she says, and I love you. And that means I only hate you 17% of the time. And her students literally wrote, in Columbia, if you have a choice of taking art and humanities from Dr. Or Genghis Khan or go with Genghis. So I'm, like, really worried. I'm like, what did you do? What did you do? I only have three minutes. I'm about to go into the tunnel. So she's like. So I was going to my car. My car was parked. I see this truck coming around the corner, and it takes off my side view mirror. And I was like, shit. And she said. And I was trying to go to work because she had a terrible maternity policy and she had to teach, like, four more classes starting the next day before getting Christmas break off. So she's like. So I get into my car and I follow the driver, and he goes back to this garage. And I'm like, what did you do? What did you do? And she's like, he gets out and he talks to this big Russian guy. And the Russian guy's like, I won't pay for your new mirror, but I'll replace it and it'll be black. And she's like, no, I want you to go to my garage and pay for my mirror. And he's like, no, no, no. It'll be black. It'll be fine. We'll be even. And I'm like, what did you do? So then she says, so then this car comes and it's this big Mercedes. And this woman gets out with all jewels and everything else like that, and she goes and kisses the guy on the cheek. And she says to the guy, and at this point, she had already called the police. She's like, I'm calling the police. So she calls the police. And then at this point, she says to the guy, is that your wife? And he says, yeah. And I'm like, what did you do, Meredith? What did you do? And she says, is that your car? And he said, yeah. So she walks over the car and with crazy Hulk, like, postpartum strength, rips off the side view mirror and throws it on the ground and said, now we're even. And then the police come. And I'm like, oh. So. And then I go into the tunnel, and I'm like, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit. So I pop out of the tunnel, and I'm at West 4th street, and I'm like. And I call her back, and she's like, hold on. I'm talking to the police. And, like. So her phone, I think, is, like, down by her side.
- [08:10]
Dan Kennedy
And.
- [08:10]
Adam Faure
And I'm screaming Like, pay for the mirror. Pay for the mirror. Pay for the mirror. And she can't hear me, and I hang up and I try to call back and she told me, like, what precinct she'd be at and when'd she get arrested. So I'm trying to call her back, it doesn't pick up. And I'm like. And I'm still pissed from the night before, but I can't remember why. So I go to lunch with my friend. So I. So I finished lunch, and then I'm like, all right. And I chugged my wife again. I think I said, brian, I think I have to bail my wife out of jail. I'll talk to you later. So I pop out of the subway in Brooklyn and go into the precinct. And I go there and she's there, but, like, they won't let me see her. And I'm like, is she okay? And he's like, yeah. I was like, is she like, you know, she's Columbia art historian. Like, I was like, is she okay? And he was like, yeah, she's all alone. I was like, is she crying? He's like, a little bit, but she's okay. So I'm like, all right. So long story short, I call my friend who's like, at the New York Post. Because I'm like, I don't know any criminal attorneys. So first she hooks up with this. She was like. So she makes a whole bunch of calls for me. And the cop had told me, if you don't get her out by 11 o'clock tonight, she has to stay the night in, like, lockup in downtown Brooklyn. So I'm like, and the next day she has to teach class. And I'm like, this is bad. And I don't know who to call to tell them that my wife's in jail. So the first attorney my friend at the Post talks to, she only knows people involved in the news. So the first guy is like. He's the guy who got out the cops that were killing for the mob. So gonna be $25,000 to get her out that night. Next guy is like a rapist attorney. 15,000 to get her out that night. I finally talked to her and she's like, call this guy Josh, he used to be my boyfriend, he'll get me out. And I talked to Josh and he's like, okay, you gotta get her down to lockup. And she's breastfeeding our baby. So I have to go down to the police station. And you haven't lived until you've brought Your wife a breast pump and seen her led by you, by two female cops in handcuffs. And I'm like, hey, honey. She's like, hey. So I got the milk back and I got her out at like. I got her out at like 10:40 that night. And I'm like, honey, I got you out. I did all this stuff and I called her ex boyfriend and all these other lawyers. And then she looks at me and she's like, I could have done the time.
- [10:58]
Dan Kennedy
Man. That was crazy story. I hope everything's going okay for those two. All right. Adam Fauer is a novelist. Improbable. His first novel has been translated into 18 languages and won the 2006 International Thriller Writers Award for best first novel. His second novel, Empathy, was published in 2008. Okay, so that was. That was Adam's story. The next one we're going to hear is from. From Carlos Kotkin. And that was told live at a story slam in Los Angeles in 2011, where our media partner is KCRW. The theme of the night was golden opportunity. Here's Carlos.
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Carlos Kotkin
When I was 20 years old, I got a job working as an assistant for an old school Hollywood producer named Edgar Schereck. I dropped out of school, which terrified my mom. I told her I was an artist, I didn't need college. If anyone ever expressed concern, I would let them know. I was valedictorian in my high school. So I was working for Edgar. And my main responsibility, working for Edgar, was to drive him around town to his various meetings. I had to drive his huge whale of a BMW. At the time, I owned a. A tiny Toyota Tercel. So this is exciting for me and Edgar, the first day I went to work for him, said, if you're going to work for me, if you're going to drive me around, you can't dress like you're in junior high school. Which was pretty spot on because this shirt that I'm wearing right now I've owned since the seventh grade. Don't tell anyone. So Edgar brought me to Macy's and he bought me five suits. My first suits. He was like Richard Gere and I was Julia Roberts trying on kind of like that, but not at all. So I've never looked better driving Edgar around town. And he had a project, a script that he was developing at 20th Century Fox, and I would drive him over there, and then Edgar would take me into the meetings and beforehand he would say, if you have anything to contribute, speak up. Don't be a sissy. So I'd go in the meeting, and he would introduce me as his associate. I wasn't his assistant. I wasn't his driver. I was his associate. And I would participate. I would speak up. I would say things like, I think when she has a dream, she should dream about an eagle. And I would say things like that. So I worked for Edgar for two years, and then I was ready to move on. And with Edgar's blessing, I wrote to the executive that I got to know through those script meetings at 20th Century Fox. I told him that I was looking for something new. He brought me in for an interview. I didn't know what for. I didn't know what I was interviewing for. I figured, maybe he needs another assistant. But I go in there and I sit down. It was the strangest interview I ever had. He asked me, what kind of movies do you like? What books have you read? Basically, we were speed dating. And at the end of the interview, he looked at me and he said, you're well within the ballpark of studio executive. I'm going to talk to the president of the studio in an hour, and I'm going to tell him that he should sit down with you. And I thought, oh, my God, that's what I'm here for. That's what I thought. But I said, okay, that sounds cool. I'll meet with the president. I realized that he saw me in a different light. To him, I wasn't Edgar's driver. I was the guy in the expensive suit who spoke up at the script meetings, and I didn't correct him. So, I mean, that's what I was. I did do that. And so a week later, I'm sitting in the office of the president of 20th Century Fox. And it's just like you would imagine. It was a huge office. He had a booming voice, and he would yell things like, get Tom Cruise on the phone. He. He sat down with me. He's holding my resume. And at the bottom of my resume, I put education usc. And I didn't put any dates. And the first thing that he asked me was, what kind of degree does a person get when a person graduates from usc? And I said, well, when a person graduates from usc, a person gets a bachelor's degree. He sat up really straight, and he said, are you telling me that you dropped out of college? And I said, yes, but I was valedictorian of my high school. I can totally do this job. And we actually got into a debate about the importance of having a degree. And it got so animated that at one point, I told the president of 20th Century Fox. You kind of sound like my mother. And he hired me. So I went from being Edgar Scherrick's driver to studio executive at 20th Century Fox. I was given my own office. I was given an assistant, a British man who made me very uncomfortable. I tried never to ask him for anything, ever. I was going to premieres all the time. It was a lot easier to get dates. Agents and producers were taking me out for drinks, and I would show up in my Toyota Tercel and they would look at it like dogs that you're hearing a funny noise. And I eventually upgraded to a Corolla. But even so, I get all the time. People would say, you're not like the others. I remember one time I was walking back to the executive building in my office, and I ran into this casting director that I knew from when I was a production assistant on a movie. And she saw me in my suit and she started laughing. She said, what are you? Are you an extra in something? And I said, no, I'm an executive. And I gave her my business card as proof, as evidence. And she looked at it and she laughed. And she gave me a big hug. She said, don't worry, Carlos. I won't tell anyone. So I did a good job. I was there for two years, and I got the hang of it. And I would say things like, this script, something about Mary. I think it would be a funny movie. And that worked out. But ultimately, I mean, it was a good experience. It was a learning experience. It was clearly an opportunity, but it wasn't me. I felt like my spirit, my soul was being stifled. I hated my shoes. So after two years, I told the president of the studio I was moving on. And I did move on to more creative endeavors. I made a lot less money, but. But this opportunity to share with you guys and to express myself more creatively and to hopefully connect and relate this to me is much more of a fulfilling, golden opportunity. Thank you.
- [17:56]
Dan Kennedy
Carlos Kotkin met his wife at a Los Angeles moth story slam in 2010, and the two welcomed their first child last summer. Now you see why we have the moth onesie at the merch table. He recently completed work on the screenplay for an animated feature due out later this year. This podcast is brought to you by Audible.com, the Internet's leading provider of audiobooks, with more than 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature and featuring audio versions of many New York Times best sellers. To try Audible free today and get a free audiobook of your choice go to audible.com themoth and also just noticing an announcement here. The Moth main stage is coming to the Warren Miller Performing Arts center in Big Sky, Montana. That will be Saturday, February 28th. For tickets and a list of all of our upcoming tour stops, visit themoth.org.
- [18:55]
Carlos Kotkin
Our podcast host, Dan Kennedy is a writer and performer living in New York.
- [18:59]
Sponsor Representative
And author of the new novel American Spirit, available now.
- [19:04]
Dan Kennedy
Thanks to all of you for listening and we hope you have a story worthy week. Podcast audio production by Paul Ruest at the Argo Studios in New York. The Moth Podcast and the Radio Hour are presented by prx, the Public Radio Exchange, helping make public radio more public@prx.org.