I discovered Easy Fiend through our courts reporter, Denise Nix. While checking back links to Denise's blog, I found one from the site. And so, I read it and I laughed. But not so much in a "funny ha-ha" way as a "funny, I-can't-believe-he-told-that," way. This guy has no internal filter.
The next day, I asked Denise about the blog. Turns out it's written by her friend Denis Faye, whom she met while her son was in preschool with his daughter. I asked her if she thought we should include him in our hub of South Bay blogs.
"I think he'd probably love that," Denise said. "But, um, have you read the stuff in the archives? He uses some language. And some of it made me blush." This is coming from a woman whose editors cringe when she covers a particularly heinous case because she writes with such lurid detail that very few people will want to read the stories with their morning lattes.
So I said, "Yeah, I wouldn't put it in the family paper, but this is a blog. That's what blogs are for."
So here you go, an introduction to Denis Faye and his blog full of writerly angst, South Bay oddballs and '80s coming of age stories. And kids, if you're not old enough to go to a PG-13 movie, you're not old enough to read his blog.
Here's the bio he sent me:
Denis Faye is a screenwriter and journalist who has lived in Redondo Beach for 5 years with his wife and daughter. He has written for The New York Times, Outside, Wired, Mens Journal, LA Times, Surfer, Los Angeles Magazine, Communication Arts, Written By and the WGA Web site. His script High Midnight is currently optioned to Treasure Entertainment with Mary Lambert attached to direct. A dual citizen of France and the United States, he received a Bachelors Degree in Film Studies from UCSB. He's an avid surfer and comic book fan.
Read on for the Q&A, in which Denis reveals he's not John Cusack.
When and why did you start blogging?
I started blogging in January of this year. After years of writing to please the tastes of various editors and producers, I realized I needed an outlet to write what I wanted to write the way I wanted to write it. Also, I'm a pathetic attention junkie, so this public forum takes a little pressure off my wife and keeps me from making a fool of myself in restaurants.
Have you ever posted anything you later regretted?
I posted a story of how someone broke my nose at my senior prom, which was fine, but I made a bunch of off-color jokes that my wife immediately slammed me for. The cool thing about the cyber-world is that nothing is permanent, so I censored myself. But then, for some reason, I blogged about censoring myself, which sort of defeated the purpose. It all got kind of meta. Is that word too pretentious? If so, maybe say "wacky" or "zany."
But wait, does this part count as the interview? I mean, are you going to print that I told you to put words in my mouth? Um, next question.
What is your strangest blogging experience?
So far, the stuff I write about has been weirder than the blog itself. But this is pretty weird. I've been interviewing people for 20 years, so it's odd to be on the other side. The only other time this has happened was at a big video game convention. I was covering it for Wired, so Fox News asked for an "expert" opinion about the Microsoft X-Box. Pretty much the only organization I dislike more than Microsoft is Fox News, so I said yes and made up a bunch of fake technological facts during the interview.
I don't write for Wired anymore.
What has been your most popular post?
The one about how I sold dirty socks on eBay is pretty popular. Also, people seem to like it when I write about my wife, Sandie. She's not the dragon lady I make her out to be.
Most of the time, that is.
What's your best South Bay daddy day spot?
This is a great place to have a kid. The beach is always good, especially by the swings. Also, there's Polliwog Park and the Adventureplex, because it wipes your kid out and the food there isn't all fried junk.
What do you worry about?
What don't I worry about? Seriously, you don't want me to go there.
What's something every South Bay resident should know?
There's this BIG city to the north of us called "Los Angeles." They ignore us completely, but that doesn't mean we need to stoop to their level.
What drives you crazy about living here?
The lack of independent book and record stores. It's like they all went out of business at once. Some strange media outlet plague. Barnesandnobleitis or something.
You describe your content as PG-13 for language and adult content. You're
also a dad. Are you worried your children might read your posts one day?
I'm pretty transparent with the kid. I am who I am and she'll need to deal with that. I mean, I don't swear or do blue humor around her, but by the time she's old enough to get online and read my stuff, I hope we've given her the tools to put it in context. If not, I've failed as a father, I suppose. Thanks for bringing up that potentially hideous scenario.
A lot of your posts are conversations you've had or overheard in the South Bay.
Should we be worried that you're always out there listening to us?
Yes. Be very worried. I'm always listening. I'm like the South Bay Batman, only I don't fight crime or wear tights.
Okay, sometimes I wear tights, but only on special occasions, when my wife lets me.
Have things you've "overheard" wound up in scripts you've written? Give us an example.
No, but I wish I had. Whenever I try that, it always seems forced. That's why I'm digging the blog so much. It's just reporting, no need to worry about plot or structure or character arc. That's fancy screenwriter talk. And as a journalist, blogging is fun because I don't have to worry about pesky "facts" and "accountability."
Some of your posts are about coming of age in the '80s. If you were putting together the soundtrack of your adolescence what would be on it? And which Brat Pack star would play you in the movie?
That's a rad question!
I actually didn't develop the magnificent taste I have in music until my 20s, so the play list would probably feature a lot of Asia, Lionel Richie and, ahem, Chicago. But I did see Duran Duran in concert 3 times as well as Power Station, so it's not all bad.
I wish I could say I would have been John Cusack but sadly, I think my youth would be best represented by a chubby version of Anthony Michael Hall. In the event that you can't visualize that, check out the VH1 Def Leppard biopic. He plays producing legend Mutt Lange and he's a little chubby.
What's one question you're glad I didn't ask?
See, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I'm not falling for that. If I tell you that I don't want you to ask me about the nude modeling I've done, then you'll call back to "fact check" and then ask me that question. No ma'am, I'm not falling for that.
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