Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Johnny Clambake's, cont'd... Again

HIATUS INTERRUPTED

Well, The League did not see this one coming...

From the comments section.


Dear All,

Can we do a "League" event at Cannoli Joe's? All bloggers are welcome. I will cover entire cost of the event. I would prefer a lunch and cap the number of attendees at 20.

Lunch for 20 free.

Support your local meatball rollers, Union #270.

Let me know (Greedy capitalist pig that I am)

Sincerely,
Bob Hauser
(512) 892-4444
www.cannolijoes.com


Part of my initial conversation with Mr. Hauser was that I thought I had a readership of less than 20, and mostly out of town. So my itital thought is: This is terrific, but there's no way we can pull it off.

In fact, I think I can count the number of current Leaguers in Austin up to possibly seven. Including me, Jason and Jamie. And one of you just had a baby and probably disappeared on us for the next three months or so. And the one of you in San Antonio has a baby due in, what..? A few days? So you're out, too.

So while I think maybe I can dig up a few more folks who would be up for a free meal, I have to get some show of hands to know who could attend an event any time in the near future. I can appreciate the lunchtime scheduling. Hopefully Mr. Hauser could accomodate on a Saturday or Sunday as I'm not sure if I could make it work on a weekday, what with the work schedule and all.

Whether you've always been an anonymous reader or whatever, I'd like to see what we could pull together to make this worth Mr. Hauser's time. So speak up.

I'd also like to point out

(a) this blogging thing just gets weirder all the time

and

(b) considering my initial post, I can see where Mr. Hauser is coming from trying to get folks to check out his place and make up their own mind. First one's free, right?

So in the spirit of fair play and free food, who is up for working with me to schedule a free meal?



You know, the dividends the initial post is paying, I shall next complain how Lynda Carter never just stops by (the Wonder Woman suit is optional) and that the US treasury is awful stingy with their gold supply.

10 comments:

Sleestak said...

Polite thing to do would be to decline or pay for the meal and offer a follow-up review.

RHPT said...

After reading this whole brouhaha with Cannoli Joe's, The Mysterious M and I have decided to move to Austin so we could be in The League's orbit.

Can you find us jobs? And do you babysit?

The League said...

I can only refer people to the Austin360.com website for job information. Given your skill set, you'd probably find something here in about a week. As I don't know exactly what M does, I'd say she has to give it up and become a sidewalk chalk artist. And, no, The League does not babysit. Our dogs think babies make a lovely snack.

As per Sleestak's comments, I am trying to sort through the proper etiquette. Sure, as a businessman Mr. Hauser would probably be happiest if he gained twenty loyal new customers. But The League also feels an obligation to accept the courtesy offered when the offer is, honestly, pretty generous.

And I ain't paying for 20 people to eat.

Anonymous said...

I can only imagine this event going down like a Benny Hill episode. There would be a misunderstanding about the "meatballs" between The League, Cannoli Joe and Mrs. Cannoli Joe. Someone cue Yakety Sax.

What could be better?

Anonymous said...

I like-a the spicy meatball. Michael and I have been discussing this restaurant, him being in the biz and all. I am intrigued. Count me in.
-Denby

Anonymous said...

Also, being half italians, we find the name slightly offensive in a deliciously stereotypical way.

J.S. said...

I know that the League doesn't truly fashion himself to be a food critic, but just for the sake of conversation I would like to point out the fact that a true critic, seeking to protect his own sense of objectivity, should avoid accepting gifts from the establishment that he reviews. Thsi is the trap that Ain't It Cool film critic Harry Knowles fell into when he started letting all of the Hollywood studios fly him out to California to be wined and dined (who can trust an honest opinion from someone who is taking gifts from those that he reviews?). But like I said, this isn't a food review blog, so maybe a free meal shouldn't be out of the question... I would avoid free handouts from the comic book companies, though, League.

The League said...

Yeah, I sort of think anyone who thinks I should be confined to the same standards as Zaggat's on this one is giving me a lot more credit than I deserve.

And some comic critics actually DO accept free comics from time to time, usually with a disclaimer stating that they'll take your comic, but they're not guaranteeing a good review. I am not, and would not be one of those reviewers. Inversely, I could easily be bought into silence by DC for a free box of comics each month.

I think there's an understanding by publishers that comic criticism is not a job, and thusly there is nobody to pay for the comics that wind up in front of you. So small, indie publishers will send comics out in hopes that any attention is good. After all, it's a swamped market place and you have a relatively small time from time of publication to disappearing into the quarter bin, so you have to draw attention any way you can.

Many critics actually work in comic shops, and I think that it's actually sort of self-destructive to have a forum in which you bash product you're trying to sell. If my LCS thought "MegaGuy" was stupid and is stupid, I don't know how much I'd want to have to walk to the counter each month to but "MegaGuy", knowing he thinks you're a dolt to read the book. It's one thing to steer people toward good comics, it's another to cut into your own bottom line if your customers are readers.

Laura said...

For what it's worth, I don't believe theater reviewers ever pay for seats. And usually film reviewers are sent screeners, although being flown to California and wined and dined would be a step up from that.

I left a long rambling comment on the other post about the nature of removing posts, but it's probably best the computer ate it yesterday. In short, I'm behind you whether you want to leave stuff up or take it down.

Anonymous said...

Although I cannot make the event, please pass along my regards to Mr. Hauser and applaud his efforts to join the "conversation" that is taking place.

Enjoy your lunch!