i heart chuck palahniuk

Ah Chuck Palahniuk.  How does UM love thee?  Let us count the ways.  Better yet, let’s give three quick examples from a recent MTV article about the filming of Choke (cue Cash’s eyes rolling back in his head @ the thought of this movie):

1.  The man has a sense of humor

Palahniuk is an odd duck. Put it this way, about 30 minutes earlier when I first met the unassuming, 45-year-old “Fight Club” author, he opened our conversation by excitedly telling me how three crew members of the production have recently been victims of biting accidents (two involving dogs, one a disgruntled girlfriend). He says all this through a grin and with such soft-spoken gentleness I easily could have thought he was telling me a bedtime story.

2.  Mr. Palahniuk has a sentimental streak

Edgy would also be the proper word for the gift that crew members are receiving courtesy of the production. Palahniuk gleefully shows off a sex toy that figures prominently in the book and film. He brags that he’s gotten Rockwell to sign his.

3.  Chuck Palahniuk doesn’t know who Dave Matthews is.

The funniest part is that Matthew’s production company is helping fund the film.

Then there’s the gentleman standing beside us, who I point out to Palahniuk. “That’s Dave Matthews?” he asks me incredulously, as I inform him that the musician is one of the backers of the film via the production company, ATO. Soon the odd pair share a moment in the sweltering gymnasium that’s currently doubling as the interior of a plane. Palahniuk’s editor later admits to me that he had no idea that the tall man who identified himself as David earlier was in fact Dave Matthews.

I swear to God, I just burst out laughing at that.  Chuck Palahniuk is truly one of the coolest people writing today.  Or living today for that matter.

Read the whole article here

Denver readers - don’t forget:  Chuck will be reading this Thursday night @ Tattered Cover, Colfax.  Details here (including other dates of his tour!)