His Growing Empire Is All About Partying, Women and Remaining Uncommitted

As reported on DT, stand-up Aaron Karo's (W'01, Pennfest 2006) multimedia empire seems to be growing rather quickly.

Thus far, Aaron's achievements include:

• 2 books 
• live performances through the US
• a hot website dedicated to everyone's "Ruminations"
• a great appearance on "The Craig Ferguson Show"
• An itunes comedy Top 10 CD: "Just Go Talk to Her"

And today, his empire grows some more...


Aaron's 3rd book, I'm Having More Fun Than You drops today and celebrates the fact that although Aaron has turned 30 he remains on a "quest to party like a rock star, get laid with abandon, and silence his critics in relationships with the rebuke “I’m having more fun than you."

Per the jacket cover,

“Happily married people and perpetually single people are similar: We’ve both given up on dating and have merely chosen different exit strategies.” So begins Aaron Karo’s hilarious exploration of bachelor life, from the alcohol-fueled pursuit of chicks in bars to sophisticated advances on defenseless bridesmaids. As his thirtieth birthday approaches, Karo observes the women around him growing increasingly desperate to tie the knot and finds himself equally determined – to remain uncommitted. ... Irreverent, insightful, and relentlessly funny, Karo offers a unique glimpse into the world of guys who defy convention, morality, and their moms in order to preserve their independence.

Why did he write the book?  Aaron tells me:

"When I realized almost all of my friends were married except for me, I decided to write a tribute to modern bachelorhood. If you’ve ever gone to a wedding where even the singles table had couples at it, this book is for you."

Check out Aaron's video above to get a flavor for Aaron's clever comedy.  (Watch the whole video above which builds up to his great last sentence!)

DT CATCHES YOU UP ON AARON KARO

• Check out my other posts about Aaron Karo
  
• Click to read how Aaron got his start as a stand up 
• Check out other Penn stand up comedians

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From "The Wizard of Oz" to "The Cheese Whizard" (VLOG)

Last year I wrote a post about DJ Gregory's (W'03, Off the Beat) involvement in the (now San Francisco) company of Wicked as well as provided you a sample from his very tv-episode-soundtrack friendly music.

Before he was a wicked awesome musician, DJ was actually a sports nut; he was a left-handed pitcher in baseball, recruited to play at a few division I schools, the quarterback of his high school football team, and a member of the Philadelphia Junior PGA as a kid.

And, now, with the performance experience he has gained, and the passion for sports grabbing a hold of him once again, he has made a move into sports broadcasting...



Check out these 2 impassioned vlogs DJ recently published:

1) (Below) This week's piece concerns the upcoming NFL season and the impending blackouts that many clubs will face. Due to the semi-socialistic revenue sharing model that the NFL operates under, blackouts are used to punish teams who don't effectively market the product locally. But, with the recession putting a strain on ticket sales, journalists across the country criticized the NFL, and commissioner Roger Goodell for threatening to stick to league policy. The Cheese Whizard chimes in to disagree.

2) (Below) On a more Philadelphia-related note, after the announcement that Michael Vick was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Cheese Whizard struck back at protesters of the NFL and the Eagles organization

Per DJ:

"Technology has made it possible for anyone to do what they love - especially in entertainment - whenever they want to. I'm glad to have the means to write, produce, edit and promote my sports ramblings from the comfort of my home."

Incidentally, how did DJ come up with name, "Cheese Whizard"?

"The Cheese Whizard is a play on words...The "High Cheese" is a baseball reference having to do with a high, hard, fastball, sometimes pitched inside to a batter who is crowding the plate. It's a pitch that makes a statement.  And, Cheese Whiz is the traditional cheese of choice for a Philly Cheesesteak...Put 'em together and you have The Cheese Whizard"

Get in touch with DJ at thecheesewhizard at gmail.com




More from DJ's blog HERE

More DT Vlogs HERE!

More DT "Sports" related posts HERE!

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This Week, Vlogs R Us And We've Got Some Good Ones!

In an age where everyone has a voice on the internet, I have decided to dedicate this week to another alumni and undergrad filled new series I'm calling "Vlogs R Us".

Look out for some impassioned posts this week which include:

• alumni sports nuts
• one very enthusiastic undergrad
• a fascinating comparison of 2 Vlogs and how time has created quite a transformation!
  
• 2 very entertaining alumni trying to score a date
  

Be kept in the loop and sign up for the newsletter below or follow me on Twitter!

(In the meantime, check out my other DT series by looking down the right-hand column of this site)

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DT's B&P: They're ALL Hollywood Producers To Watch

Some exciting entertainment tidbits from our alumni film producers...

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Mike Karz (C'89, W'89)'s Sorority Row (as reported HERE on DT ) debuts today.

The film is about "A group of sorority sisters try to cover up the death of their house-sister after a prank gone wrong, only to be stalked by a serial killer."

Past posts about Mike's film projects here

More of my Penn "Film Producer" posts here

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Adding to our "Alumni on Important Lists" series, husband and wife team, Elizabeth Banks (C'96) and Max Handelman (C'95, AEPi) are now 2 of Variety's "Top 10 Producers To Watch".

More Here!

More of Liz's busy actress life HERE

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Check back in weeks to come!  I have a ton of developing stories from Penn alumni film producers!

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Red and the Blue Blunder: There's No Arm Swing On The Off Beat People! (VIDEOS)

Earlier this week, Penn had its Opening Convocation for the Class of 2013 at The Palestra. Below you'll find the 45 minute video, but let me point out some highlights for you:

• 7:40 - President Amy Gutmann talks about a Penn undergrad who won $250,000 on "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" and also used to dress up as a hot dog at Penn basketball games!

• 10:53 - President Amy Gutmann plays "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" with the Class of 2013

• 20:25 - Off The Beat performs "Coldplay"

• 32:25 - The Glee Club performs "Let The River Run"

• 43:05: - Everyone sings "The Red and the Blue" and at 43:59 one of the professors(?) on the podium commits the ultimate Penn blunder at 43:59! 
  

Was it me or was there no mention of the breakdown of the class of 2013 students in terms of "the nubmer of students who own their own businesses", "the number of students who are magicians", etc...  I remember that info used to be one of the more interesting parts of this ceremony!

Another "Red and Blue" performance by the Glee Club HERE.

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Penn Mixes Gory With Fun (VIDEOS)

This year instead of reading books, the Penn Reading Project had incoming freshmen use Thomas Eakins' "The Gross Clinic" as a visual text as a means to "introduce students from the start to the critical skill of interpreting visual material."

Below you will find a video lecture of Dr. Kathleen Foster and Dr. David B. Brownlee discussing "The Gross Clinic" and the shock value of Eakins' gory painting.  This lecture is actually really interesting and I encourage all of you to watch this.

Then on a lighter note, David Fox (Director of Academic Initiatives) sent me this very fun music video Penn did called "The Gross Clinic Bounce" which pretty much sums up the painting in some creative rhymes and graphics.   Check it out below! 

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He's Not So Hot For Teacher

What if you met a former teacher and found out he was a total jerk? John Carroll (C'05, 34th Street Magazine section editor, Kelly Writers House writing advisor) examines this concept for us in a short story of his that recently got published.

John went to Penn hoping to write for the Daily Pennsylvanian and become a journalist, but left as primarily an author of fiction.  Thanks to the mentorship of Max Apple and the nurturing community of the Kelly Writers House, John just finished three years of work as their Assistant Director of Development and has now left to pursue his MFA in Creative Writing at American University.

John has written a story called "Baby Blue" which is included in a new short story collection of Philadelphia-based fiction by Philadelphia authors called Philly Fiction 2: A Second Collection of Short Stories Highlighting Philadelphia as a City of Literary Inspiration . 

His story is about a guy who meets up with a former high school teacher several years after graduation.  And it turns out his teacher isn't the great guy he remembered him to be.   Per John,

"The story centers on our narrator, who is working through becoming an adult via this renewed relationship with a former teacher. They meet by chance and wind up making plans to see a Phillies game, and our narrator winds up seeing an odd side of his former teacher."

Check out an excerpt from it below: +/-

More Penn authors!

New to DT? 14 easy suggestions to get started!

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