{"id":68,"date":"2007-01-22T19:27:57","date_gmt":"2007-01-23T03:27:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=68"},"modified":"2007-12-09T15:46:59","modified_gmt":"2007-12-09T22:34:59","slug":"chasing-jesse-kellerman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lukeford.net\/blog\/?p=68","title":{"rendered":"Chasing Jesse Kellerman"},"content":{"rendered":"

I’ve interviewed over 50 authors and only a couple of them (Jeffrey Goldberg<\/a> and Jesse Kellerman<\/a>) told me to go through their publicist if I wanted to ask them questions.<\/p>\n

In both cases the publicist excuse meant only one thing — “Piss off you bloody peasant!”<\/p>\n

So come and see the violence inherent in the system. Help! Help! I’m being repressed!<\/p>\n

With Goldberg, I had a genuine interest in his work. With Kellerman, I had a genuine interest in the person — he’s the son of two best-selling mystery writers (Jonathan and Faye Kellerman) who are observant Jews and sent their kids to Orthodox day schools.<\/p>\n

I got through half of Jesse’s first novel before quitting in boredom.<\/p>\n

I sent him off a polite interview request. I figured he might become an interesting writer one day.<\/p>\n

I got back this: “Dear Mr. Ford: Thanks for your interest. Please contact my publicist, Katie Grinch, at Katie.Grinch@us.penguingroup.com<\/p>\n

Happy holidays and best to you.”<\/p>\n

Great.<\/p>\n

I emailed Katie and got back an email on Jan. 3, 2007 saying she’d set up an interview for me.<\/p>\n

When I followed up with her, I got no reply.<\/p>\n

I went to see Jesse read from his book and take a few questions on Jan. 18.<\/p>\n

Afterwards, I introduced myself. He knew who I was. He had an apprehensive, how-can-I-fend-this-guy-off-with-the-least-trouble-look. He inquired if his publicist was being helpful. I said yes. He said how busy he was and I left him alone.<\/p>\n

I followed up with Katie and on Jan. 22, I got this: “Hi, Luke – Jesse is on tour right now and traveling quite a bit, so unfortunately, it doesn’t look like there is time to work this in to his schedule at this point. If anything opens up in the future, I will be sure to let you know.”<\/p>\n

Oh, what a giveaway! Did you read that? Did you hear that, eh? That’s what I’m on about! Did you see her repressing me? You saw her, didn’t you?<\/p>\n

This is Jesse Kellerman we’re talking about, not Stephen King nor Russell Crowe. Jesse is hardly being overwhelmed with interview requests. I did a Google news search on his name and there are no articles out on him, just three small notes about his book signings.<\/p>\n

I’m sure the Jewish Journal and The Jewish Week will run the same by-the-numbers suck-ups to Jesse that they did on his parents, but I want to do something special and perverse (but totally Torah-sanctioned and not at all sexual, at least not in a gay way, or at least not in a gay way forbidden by Conservative halacah, in other words, nothing that JTS chancellor Arnold Eisen doesn’t do to his students).<\/p>\n

I can’t believe I get the run-around from the Jesse Kellermans and Katie Grinches of the world. If Philip Roth does not answer my interview requests, that I understand. But Jesse Kellerman?<\/p>\n

I’m going back to interviewing porn stars. They’re easy.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I’ve interviewed over 50 authors and only a couple of them (Jeffrey Goldberg and Jesse Kellerman) told me to go through their publicist if I wanted to ask them questions. In both cases the publicist excuse meant only one thing … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-68","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-author-interviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t