Book Soup
Hollywood, California
June 29, 2005

Paul Feig Signs Superstud

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Report by Geoff Black

I got up to Hollywood about 45 minutes early and circled the block a couple times trying to find a parking space. Of course this was during rush hour so everything was nuts. I finally gave up and decided to pay the $10 to park at the Viper Room.

I was in my car, loading up my video camera when Paul and his wife Laurie pulled into the space next to me.  I said hey and we walked on over to Book Soup, which happens to be across the street from Tower Records, which is where the Freaks and Geeks DVD release event was held in April 2004.

There were 2 different displays in the window, and it was listed on the marquee above the store.  It was still pretty early so I started poking around in the architecture books.

No shit, Jason Schwartzman walked in.  He played Howie Gelfand, purveyor of fake ID's in F&G.  It was kind of weird because he was wearing the clothes from I Heart Huckabees.  Maybe he stole them from wardrobe.  Anyway, I got caught up in a book about old amusement parks then realized it was about time for the signing to start.  I turned around to see if I could figure out where the signing was and ended up bumping into him.

Geoff: Uh. Sorry, man.
Schwartzman: Uh yeah. Sorry about that.

I'd say that interview went fabulously.

The signing was actually next door in a room they call the addendum.  It was a small, long room with books along the walls, all the way up to the ceiling and a register by the door.  A podium was set up at the far end.  

I saw Tami Lefko and Eric Williams.  The three us did the commentary on We've Got Spirit.  And Martha from the Yahoo Group was there too, up in the front row.  And there was another guy that I recognized.  He kind of looks like David Crosby from Crosby, Stills and Nash.  I saw him at the Tower event, Comic Con, and the Script Book signing in Westwood. I keep meaning to say hey, since he seems to deadhead around to all these things too.

Paul was introduced and read a couple selections from the book which were well received.  He closed by reading his story "The Red Shoe Diaries".  

It was a good crowd and all the seats were filled when he started.  By the time he finished, a lot more people came in and were standing in the back.  I'd say about 75 in all.