Friday, March 13, 2009 at 2:45PM 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.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 2:43PM 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.
Friday, February 13, 2009 at 2:53PM February 13, 2009 — The 15th-ever Literary Death Match SF went experimental by turning the LDM’s editorial process transparent, doing away with bi-partisanship, and opening the floodgates on the evening, allowing audience members to participate in the literary savagery as readers and judges both!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at 4:00PM February 11, 2009—Chicago’s first Literary Death Match was a debut to remember, as The Hideout was filled with a litany of literary talent, culminating with local favorite Megan Stielstra (Dollar Store Reading Series) claimed the LDM crown by out-stabbing-a-hole-in-Nebraska against Rachel Yoder (Quick Fiction).
Friday, January 9, 2009 at 2:54PM Opium’s Literary Death Match Ep. 14 kicked off the New Year at a new venue--the Elbo Room--where, before a packed house, Veronica Chater of Memoir (and) adeptly recited Shakespeare while hula-hoop-ing to beat out co-semi-finalist, Katie Crouch.
Friday, November 14, 2008 at 2:56PM Like a deep-frying turkey, LDM SF XIII at Amnesia sizzled so vigorously it almost exploded. The show’s theme was Family Thanksgiving, and indeed the family jewels figured prominently in three readings. Nevertheless, a story about a man and a fish won the day (and the Literary Death Match championship) for Joshua Citrak of Slouch Magazine.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 3:00PM November 11, 2008—The Literary Death Match TV edition (NYC, Ep. 11) stormed the Housing Works Bookstore on 11/11, as the world’s most combative reading series aimed to announce literature as a viable TV medium. Cameras dotted the balcony and floor and crowds filled in the rest, as Tao Lin (representing Muumuu House) shook Soho and won the LDM crown by out-money-grabbing co-finalist Amy Sohn (Brooklyn Writers Space) in the first-ever “Who Gets the Biggest Book Advance?” finale.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 3:00PM The LDM (Ep. 10) returned to NYC’s finest venue (The Kitchen) for a party that doubled as the Opium7:7 NYC launch. The result: an event that shook Chelsea with a blare of talent, whimsy and ridiculousness. Once the dust and invisible bullets had settled, Guerrilla Lit Reading Series representative Dennis DiClaudio out-Laser Tagged co-finalist, and L Magazine Literary Upstart rep Lincoln Michel in a three-round duel that won DiClaudio the LDM title.
Friday, October 10, 2008 at 3:24PM On arguably the greatest night in Literary Death Match history, the Rickshaw Stop in SF was aflame--a mix of brilliant readings, the best judging free drinks could summon and an enthusiastic crowd. The celebration was an epic one, as the second-ever Litquake edition of the series also doubled as the launch party for Opium7:7, the latest oddball delight from Opium Magazine.
Friday, September 19, 2008 at 3:26PM Bras were flying, fists were cuffing, and harmonicas were wailing at LDM SF Episode XI. And that was just the first performance, during which Litquake’s Kim Addonizio read her poems, unbound her breasts and knuckles, and blew on her mouth harp. Kim went on not only to win Round 1, but also to stomp out Round 2’s winner in the final challenge: a full-body audience-participation scavenger hunt.