Six Degrees: Reminder – Ben Karlin in Madison tomorrow

If you’re anywhere near Madison, make sure to go to the Ben Karlin reading tomorrow at UW-Madison.

What: Book editor Ben Karlin, Dan Savage, Todd Hanson, Dan Vebber and Andy Selsberg read their pieces from the anthology “Things I’ve Learned From Women Who’ve Dumped Me.”
When: 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Union Theater, 800 Langdon St.
Admission: Free

Also, the Wisconsin State Journal has an interview with Ben Karlin that’s pretty interesting:

UW-Madison grad Karlin draws laughs with new book
TOM ALESIA
FRI., MAR 7, 2008 – 4:40 PM

…

Karlin: No, no, no. I wanted to avoid that. The thing that really works about “The Daily Show” is its relevancy. Underneath it is a commentary about news and information and the way it’s delivered to people, but it is well done so it’s funny and not too ham-fisted or anything. That was the same approach I wanted for this book: Can you make it relatable and real but also funny that doesn’t feel sappy?

State Journal: When will we hear what shows you have for HBO?

Karlin: If they like the script, they’ll order the pilot and if they like the pilot they’ll order the series. HBO is very methodical about the way they do things. HBO, to their credit, wants it to conceptually sound. I’m supervising another script. One of the ideas takes place in Wisconsin — not Madison, a fictional town. We’ll present them in a couple of months and we’ll await our fate. Both are half-hour comedic series. One is about a man who attempts to become the richest man in the world. Another is about a UFO alien death cult.

State Journal: You were raised in suburban Boston. How did you choose UW-Madison?

Karlin: I wanted to get out of the East Coast. I was enamored with the University of Michigan. I loved the idea of going to be a big school that’s a college town. Everyone said, ‘If you’re looking at Michigan, you’ve got to look at Madison, too.’

As it turns out, I was not accepted to Michigan and I was accepted to Madison. I came to the school sight unseen. My visit (to Madison) was canceled because I had gone to the Bahamas during my spring break and got sun poisoning and I was unable to fly there.

State Journal: There’s a description of you in New York Magazine that may be the ultimate compliment of your work: “Basically, if you’ve laughed in the last 10 years, Ben Karlin was responsible.” How do you keep your feet on the ground after reading that?

Karlin: It’s a ridiculous thing to write about someone. You have to come up with a new word for hyperbole to describe that statement. It happened at a time when I was leaving the shows (“Daily Show” and “Colbert”). It was nice to read. But, man, I’ve been made fun of more for that than I have felt good about it.

State Journal: Where are your 10 Emmys?

Karlin: I wear one around my neck at all times.

State Journal: If anyone could say, “My career has peaked …”

Karlin: It would be me. (laughs)

Full text of article

(h/t DDags)