Messages

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General Discussion / Re: can we change IWPS to Individual North American Poetry Slam championship?

« on: December 31, 2010, 12:59:33 AM »

The best question is, Is Mortal Kombat a contest of the best fighters in the world?  Or the best fighters in THIS world?  Is the winner the champion of a multiverse?

Go do a walkabout on THAT one, Mike.

That just made my day

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General Discussion / Re: can we change IWPS to Individual North American Poetry Slam championship?

« on: December 28, 2010, 11:45:38 PM »

Soooo scott,

Is rudy the number one poet in the world? or in America.

As stated, the australian nationals are open to people from everywhere, and as stated there was an American and an African poet in the comp. So is the winner of that comp the number one poet in the world (also)? or australia

To reconfirm, i dont think the name of the event should change, but i also dont think that if Germany has a Indi slam and invites poets from everywhere, the winner of that comp is not the world champ.

The Indian Ocean Poetry Slam, Draws in poets from (dont quote me) 11 different contries, its a huge event that happens every year the winner of that is not the wold champ.   

I think Big poppa, just brings up a good conversation point. which is, it is a very AMERICAN thing to do, to host a slam, invite poets from other places and call the winner the number one poet in the world, where as, all over the world there are orgs hosting huge slams, inviting people from all over the world but not calling thier winner the world champ.

NOW, I have been all over the world doing poetry, and i still think we are the best and do it the best, which is why i dont care about the name i just enjoy the debate

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General Discussion / Re: can we change IWPS to Individual North American Poetry Slam championship?

« on: December 28, 2010, 09:40:47 PM »

This convo is interesting to me and one that I was just having with the poetry community where I live, most of you know but, I have recently relocated to Sydney Australia, it is interesting because they just had their national competition and crowned the number 1 poet (in Australia). The competition is open to anyone, therefore if say Rudy was visiting me in Sydney he could have competed in a state heat, stayed a couple more weeks and then competed in nationals and won.

So I understand what Scott and others are saying, but I kinda feel what Big poppa E is saying as well, as to the ‘arrogance’ of it.

So if the criteria for it being a valid (world) event is that anyone is welcome to compete, then they have that going on here as well, The actual winner of the state finals in Sydney was an American guy from Houston who is here for medical school.

The funny thing is the winner does not call themselves the number One poet in the world, they call themselves the number One poet in Australia.

Even tho you don’t have to be an aussie to win it.

If PSI was an internationally governed org, they set up shop in all the countries that had slams, they promoted locally in these countries, they moved the event to a different city throughout the world each year, then yes I think the title (individual world poetry slam) works.

To invite some people from other countries to compete in our American event…not so much

In the grand scheme of things, do I care and think the name should change - meh
Should we do more to make it a world event - meh
(having planned an iwps, we have plenty to focus on with our current set-up, before we even think about a global slam)

Just my penny with a hole in it

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General Discussion / Re: IWPS News

« on: September 09, 2009, 09:34:49 AM »

How far away is the doubletree??

200 Marina Blvd
Berkeley, CA, 94710

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General Discussion / Re: Preselected, qualified judges for NPS?

« on: August 28, 2009, 10:08:00 AM »

The way I see it, if you are coming to NPS thinking that it is a fair competition then you need to stay home. In most ‘sports’ there is a formula to win, draft the best players, get a good coach , train hard, and you will be the best if not one of the best teams in the league.

With slam, you can train real hard, have really good poets and get your ass handed to you, did you present the worst poetry in the room….who knows. Slam is unfair in many ways. It is unfair in the fact that you may get in a dog fight with 4 good teams and get a 3 but have a higher score than the person that took a 1 but was in a bout with four whack teams (yes there are whack teams and whack poets). What if UNC and Michigan met in the first round of the NCAA tourney, it would not happen because basketball is a fair competition.

Rules like the ones you are proposing will in fact elevate some of those issues, and move slam more towards a realm where there is more “fairness” in the way the comp is scored and judged.

So I applaud you for having the discussion but I don’t think it is a good idea, one because it is a sliding slope of impossible, what you are trying to do is regulate subjectivity. What you are saying is ‘someone’ will be able to decide what is ‘best’ poetry, and then teach the selected judges what to look for and how to score it. 

And two, well I don’t really have a two, but if you have a one you have to have a two.

The current system is flawed, but slam is flawed, that’s why we love, and hate it, and every poet learns this the first time they deliver what they know is one of the best poems in a comp and don’t even get out of the first round. You pick up your pride, you work harder, and you continue to dedicate yourself to this untamable beast.

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General Discussion / Re: no repeat rule

« on: August 19, 2009, 09:46:20 AM »

If that was not another slam dunk, then it was a very pretty layup

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General Discussion / Re: no repeat rule

« on: August 18, 2009, 01:05:03 PM »

1. The no repeat Final rule was an extreme case of micromanagement. Let individual poets and teams decide how many poems and what manner of poems, they will write, and whether or not to repeat them on Finals stage if they make it. Slammasters Council SHOULD NOT be in the business of micro managing teams. Individual Slammasters may chose to assert that their local community come up with sixteen new poems whenever or however they want.

Said, I think you have cut right to the heart of the argument with this statement. You and I have a deep philosophical disagreement on this issue, which I think Scott and Mike have already touched on a bit, and which I think represents the deep divide in our community you have taked about.

I would like to imagine that the slam community I come from encourages growth and progress in writing and performance. I think that is the job of every SlamMaster, and I think that the vast majority of us take it very seriously. There's no question in my mind that every person posting to argue or agree here believes that their community works hard to write and perform well, and that every one of you believes in fostering your community in its efforts to do so.

The disagreement is here: I believe that PSI --and, by extension, NPS-- should also foster growth and progress in writing and performance. I don't think the no-repeat rule is micro-management. I think it meshes perfectly with the PSI mission statement:

The mission of Poetry Slam Incorporated (PSI) is to promote the performance and creation of poetry while cultivating literary activities and spoken word events in order to build audience participation, stimulate creativity, awaken minds, foster education, inspire mentoring, encourage artistic statement and engage communities worldwide in the revelry of language.

I wish there was a "likes this" button on this forum like on facebook. I would have just pressed it 10 times

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General Discussion / Re: Making it all known-Feedback please

« on: August 18, 2009, 11:48:28 AM »

So are you asking for a meeting of the tribunal, where the EC convicts Sara to a sentence of death by bad poems? I am not certain but I don’t think the EC has a way to “punish” people. From your side of the story, she did some fucked up things, you did what you had to do which is start a new slam, you also cleared the air to perhaps avoid any reputational damage.

I think that’s where it stops; I don’t think PSi policies “beef”

Get it poppin for 2010, and do your best to keep your scene together,

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General Discussion / Re: no repeat rule

« on: August 18, 2009, 10:09:49 AM »

Said,

Respectively

To your first point, no repeat rule being “an extreme case of micromanagement” so do you support being able to repeat in semi’s? Audience members pay to get in semi’s do they not deserve the best show possible?  Why don’t we make it so that you can’t repeat during prelims but you can repeat during semis?

Why not…because it’s stupid that’s why

Your micromanagement point is invalid, because we have rules that govern what poems a team can choose for the entire competition, and I don’t see you up in arms about that, so why not finals…


To your second point, I have been to nationals twice, in the last three years, both of which I was on that “non-competitive” finals stage as you saw it. Ask Austin, Boston, Louder Arts, Nuyo, Denver, etc... If it was competitive, they will say yes. So your second point is also invalid.

Your third point is valid, and I think the core of where the rub is with this situation, some of us are writers and believe that the no repeat rule pushes teams to push their art, and come with 16 FIRE poems between 5 people, so they can claim the title of THE BEST for a year. There are others who are entertainers and don’t really care about the art, they care about the crowd and the entertainment of said crowd,

And to be fair some of us are in the middle on this issue, understand both arguments, and are just leaning one way or the other

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General Discussion / Re: no repeat rule

« on: August 17, 2009, 04:57:17 PM »

-Question to people who have been around longer than I have.

Prior to the no repeat rule, were the poems presented on final stage, way better?

I have all of the DVD's, pre no repeat rule, and post. I don’t really see a difference, I like some poems, I could do without others...

The point that the show is better for the audience, I believe is invalid and unquantifiable, unless there are those that can say without a doubt, the finals show on the years you could repeat were better.

The argument that “I want to hear the poem that everyone is talking about at 3am” is also invalid, because just because a team rocked out a piece during prelims does not mean they are going to use it at finals

I respect everyone’s position on this topic, but what bugs the sh!t out of me is that I just wish some slammasters would call a spade a spade. You really don’t give a F*** about the audience! This is a competition, if you can repeat poems, then you can show up with sub-par poetry and still have a chance to make finals stage.

IMO, its real simple if you want to be the national champion of our organization, show up to the comp with 16 great poems, and some strategy in your back pocket, but based on the decision at the slam masters meeting it is clear that my opinion is in the minority…

-my penny with a hole in it

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General Discussion / Re: Wow! LA poet stunning!

« on: July 17, 2009, 07:06:30 AM »

This made my morning...and has the potential to make my afternoon.

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General Discussion / Re: Paging Jonathan Brown of NC

« on: November 14, 2008, 10:33:51 AM »

kirk,

Backchannel me your number, and i will text it to him, and tell him you are looking for him

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General Discussion / Re: The PSi Fundraising Mission

« on: October 15, 2008, 03:49:54 PM »

Charlotte is in for 9.95, Draft away....

If PSI ever goes public, i want some shares!

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General Discussion / Re: Your Madison NPS Top Ten?

« on: August 19, 2008, 03:19:36 PM »

1.
Korim from Austin doing his tribute to Shannon, I don’t think I have ever had to fight back tears harder than I had to listening to that poem.

2.
Is a Somewhat expected highlight, us winning again, the first year was surreal, like I was not really there, this year was just as sweet.

3.
Poets…as my family does not have family reunions, this is about the closest it gets for me. Hanging out with friends that I don’t see too often Is always a highlight.

4.
Group piece showcase, more pointedly, Urbana’s first piece, and Charlotte’s Respect the mic team’s ‘Howl piece’

5.
Green earth…nuff said

6. 
How well received Stolen Identity was, we work hard to mix good writing with concepts that are conceptually different. We knew it was a good poem but the validation with both a 30, and all the comments we heard afterwards made it all the more rewarding.

7.
The hotel/security/staff, as much noise as we were making I expected them to start being a-holes to us, but they were actually very accommodating of our drunken, celebratory good time.

8.
Our trip to McDonalds - we made a 4 o’clock trip to McDonalds that will live in infamy for many years to come “did you say big and tasty” LOL....yea I know its an inside joke…but these are my highlights dammit!

9.
Watching a game that I am guessing is entitled “big booty-big booty”, since people watching is one of my favorite things to do this was absolutely HILARIOUS to watch.

10.
The side conversation’s I was able to have with some people I really admire and love, it’s cool to be able to step away from the craziness of the competition and really connect with people on a real level.

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General Discussion / Re: A Guide to Downtown Madison

« on: July 29, 2008, 04:27:58 PM »

This is where you go for WI-made Ice Cream.  Yeah, Coldstone and Ben and Jerry’s are good, but this place is better.  Try the chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream in a chocolate-dipped sprinkly wafflecone.

Better than ColdStone!! My fat kid radar just went off