Greetings Dear Readers!
As some people know, I have been working on a story for the past month or so for This American Life. That story is done, and on the radio this weekend. The sleepy, twinkling days around Christmas are fitting timing for the story, since it's Christmas-themed. Although it's a different side of Christmas. The story chronicles a bitter feud between rival factions of professional Santa Clauses. Yes, it's true, the Santa world was recently throwing into turmoil, and the feud has tragically created a schism in the Amalgmated Order of Real Bearded Santas, the guild of professional Santas:
Note: diligent observers will note that this version of the logo says Amalgamated Order of Real Beard Santas, rather than the original Real Beard-ED Santas, an extremely important note among Santas and a clue as to the nature of the schism. You'll have to listen to understand why such a thing can be vitally important to so many self-described Jolly Gentlemen:
As to be expected from such pictures, this is an epic tale, one that plays out over several years in the Santa world and half an hour on the show. To hear the whole story, from the glorious moments of the Discover Santa 2006 convention to the tumultuous destruction of AORBS, complete with a video confrontation between angry Santas, and on to today's seasonally-mandated detente, listen on the radio this weekend, or online thereafter (streaming or via podcast).
Nice work on this santa war piece! Ima get me one of them tshirts with the weightlifting snowman, too...
But just so you know: When you're raised among jesus-freaks (evangelical "christians"), you hear "rebuke" and "laying hands upon" (and its many variants) ALL THE MOTHERFUCKEN TIME...
just so you know...
Posted by: Billiam | Dec 28, 2008 at 08:06 PM