So, I got some good news today — I’ve been named the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop “Humor Writer of the Month” for November 2022; wowzer!
I realize some of you reading this may not be familiar with Erma Bombeck (which is a shame, but then again there’s this thing called “the internet” and you can become familiar in a matter of two clicks). I can’t do her amazing career justice within the confines of this newsletter edition (which, as you may have noticed up top, is entitled the “Hey Look At ME!” edition), but from the mid-1960s until the mid-1990s she was one of the most popular, and funniest, newspaper columnists in the nation. She also wrote best-selling books, frequently appeared on television, and — in the real icing on the cake — was a fierce supporter of the Equal Rights Amendment.
The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop was established in 2000 at her alma mater, the University of Dayton (Ohio). Originally intended as a one-time event to honor Erma, it was considered so successful that the university decided to continue it, on an every-two-year schedule.
Characteristically, the workshop sells out within hours of its announcement, and I managed to secure a spot for the 2020 conference — only to have it shifted to an online version due to the pandemic. I opted to keep my registration fee on account and wait for a return to in-person in 2022, which proved to be the case.
I’m a few weeks back from attending the workshop, in Dayton, along with hundreds of other humor writers, and found it completely lived up to its reputation. Of course, that reputation is for drunken, foul-mouthed chicanery… I kid, I kid! It was the nicest, most outgoing, and most supportive group of folks I’d ever had the pleasure around whom to sip bourbon and slur the occasional obscenity.
Shortly before the conference, I received an email from its executive director — a wonderful woman named Teri Rizvi — who said I had been selected as the November Humor Writer of the Month honoree. (I would describe Teri as a wonderful woman even if she hadn’t delivered that news.) And then, just as promised — the notification went up on the workshop’s website and social media accounts today:
[You can click on the picture above to link to the announcement webpage.]
If you look at the previous honorees, you’ll see an extensive list of mighty impressive names: Alan Zweibel, from Saturday Night Live; Emily Flake, the noted cartoonist who is often featured in The New Yorker; Mike Reiss, showrunner/writer/producer for The Simpsons — and many, many others. I am honored, humbled, and flummoxed to be included in their company.
So, you can say you knew me before I was famous, and then when I slide back into obscurity once my reign is over at the end of the month, you can say you knew me *after* I was famous.
Now, on to some posts!
Within Written Distance (October 26, 2022)
Did I mention I was at the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Conference several weeks ago? Oh, I did? Well, did I mention I met Laraine Newman, of SNL fame, there and had my picture taken with her? I like to imagine as she’s standing next to me she’s thinking, “Ooh… I’m having my picture taken with yet-to-be-announced Humor Writer of the Month John Branning.”
Full of Writ (October 29, 2022)
It’s obvious I’ve had writing on my mind leading up to, at, and immediately after attending the workshop. Here’s one of my infamous lists, responding to famous quotes by famous writers about writing, with some of my patented side-eye inserted.
Trophy Strife (November 1, 2022)
Did I mention I’ve been named the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop “Humor Writer of the Month” for November 2022? Oh, I did? Well, did I mention I already wrote a post about the honor and my history of not receiving recognition for accomplishments that I thought were indisputably in the bag?
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I’ll be busy the remainder of this month attempting to capitalize on the “Humor Writer of the Month” thing (I’ve mentioned it to you, haven’t I?) and prepping for the release of my new book, The Best I Can Do. The Kindle version is available for pre-order, and of course it will also be produced in a glistening paperback version that will be available for sale (but not pre-order), either via Amazon or (preferably) through your local bookseller.
Here’s the cover of the book, and you can click on the picture to get to the Amazon pre-order page if you’re so inclined. I’ll catch up with you again soon, right after I see if I can negotiate with the Bombeck people to be named “Humor Writer of the Season” and try to extend these 15 minutes of semi-fame for an extra few seconds.