NYC, Ep. 14

Pianos was packed with a plenitude of people for Literary Death Match NYC Ep. 14, a brilliant affair that finished with a stirring game of the LDM original “Poet v. Madman.” After racing to an 8-8 tie at the end of regulation, Michael Muhammad Knight snared victory by guessing that the night’s final, mystery poet had 13 letters in his name, while Rivka Galchen guessed 24. The answer: Giuseppe Ungaretti (17). And Knight was crowned the newest LDM champ by NYC Ep. 13 B.C. Edwards.

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Chicago, Ep. 2

The Literary Death Match Chicago Ep. 2 at Pilcrow Fest proved a triumphant return to the Windy City, as four of the city’s top reader series battled to take home the LDM crown. After the smoke (and ill mathematics) cleared, Jill Summers (Orange Alert) out-looooooooooooong divisioned co-finalist Bobby Biedrzycki (2nd Story) to claim victory.

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Boston, Ep. 1

May 21, 2009—LDM Boston Ep. 1 at The Paradise Lounge was a mess of poor lighting, corrupted microphone, and a battle of the guitar-banging bands a doorway away. And yet. Amongst the whirl of near-disaster, it proved that prettily written prose, when properly performed, is rife with absolute might, and we count the Beantown debut, ultimately, as a success. The wild night finished with Stuff Boston's Jeannie Greeley out-Lit-Tea-Partying co-finalist Steve Almond en route to Massachusetts' first-ever LDM crown.

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SF, Ep. 18

San Francisco’s Episode 18 was a night for the books; the Elbo Room was filled with a lovely crowd, brimming with literary enthusiasm and good cheer. In honor of Mother’s Day, co-finalists April Sinclair and Peter Orner took each other on in a “Yo’ Mama” joke smack-down. By audience applause, a graceful but tough Sinclair took home the medal.

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NYC, Ep. 13

Deemed the unluckiest Literary Death Match of them all, NYC Ep. 13 was anything but. A steamy and stuffed Pianos was the site of a literary night of festive genius, in which B.C. Edwards won a fierce final battle of “Baseball Chopstick War” against co-finalist Cheryl Wagner by a final tally of 6-3. Edwards’ chopstick talents etched his name into the annals of LDM history.

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Denver, Ep. 1

Healing the wounds left by the departure of Broncos’ quarterback Jay Cutler, the Literary Death Match debuted in the Mile High City at the Mercury Cafe, bringing with it a steady wave of goodwill and lunacy, as Daniel Grandbois out-bladed co-finalist Laura Pritchett in a rousing (and somewhat dangerous) game of Stab a Hole in Nebraska to bring home the LDM gold.

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SF, Ep. 17

A new twist for Ep. 17: the LDM partnered with the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll enthusiasts of the Rebel Reading Series (MySpace.com/rebelreadingseries) in a tantalizing celebration of literature and vice at Elbo Room, as Lorelei Lee out-vibrator raced Blag Dahlia to score the Literary Death Match championship.

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Beijing, Ep. 1

The first-ever international Literary Death Match, held before a fun and rowdy crowd at The Bookworm in Beijing, China, was a global dream come true, as award-winning Scottish poet Liz Niven outdueled the dynamic Zachary Mexico in a three-tiered competition that finished with Niven scoring the night’s last points on the final challenge: “Gently Rub a Chopstick on Beijing!” Niven, the first international to call herself champion, wore the medal proudly.

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SF, Ep. 16

Literary Death Match, Episode 16: Holy City Zoo Edition was a blurry swim of laughter, a true one of a kind night which ended with stomach-strained glee as legendary comedian Will Durst narrowly out-acceptance-speeched his lovely final round competitor Candy Churilla to take home the LDM’s the highly coveted title.

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NYC, Ep. 12

NYC’s Literary Death Match, Ep. 12 turned Manhattan’s Slipper Room into a literary paradise. A packed house of well-coifed cleverists off-stage, on-stage saw Cintra Wilson (representing The New York Times) out-sketch co-finalist Christopher Monks (McSweeneys.net) in a judge drawing competition that went down to the wire. In the end, Wilson scored the LDM medal, and a lifelong sense of achievement that no one, ever, can undo.

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