Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Latitude

Latitude turned out to be great fun. I enjoyed camping. Mostly. I didn't mind the cold and the wet. Or the rough ground. But I could do without someone in the next-but-one tent starting a banjo sing-along for his mates at 5 in the morning.


I started to get paranoid that nobody would be attending my event. It was scheduled at the same time as Blondie, Interpol and The Tindersticks and I was convinced they'd mop up and leave nobody left for me. Blondie would have got my vote. As it was the audience spilled out way beyond the bounds of the Literature Tent and there was a great energy in the event from the start.

Thanks to everyone who came along... thanks to you, my already-hugely-enjoyable festival ended on a real personal high. Ta.

I was even more surprised by the size of the queue at the signing tent afterwards. The organisers had obviously underestimated the turn out too because they sold out of books long before the queue was even down to half its original size.

The journey home was a bit of an ordeal. Somehow a journey that should take less than three hours ended up taking nearer seven. There was a lot of queueing.

Question: If Beef Flavoured Hula Hoops are suitable for vegetarians... how can they advertise them as "containing no artificial flavours"?

17 comments:

Philiousfogg_80 said...

I believe Beef Flavoured Hula Hoops are suitable for vegetarians, they all crave meat so it works out...... how can they advertise them as "containing no artificial flavours"? hmmm...if you think about it... hula hoops company have no worries, they have sick cult status...above the law... believe it!!

Butterdale Lemons said...

I was the next person in line when you ran out of books to sign.

I thought you did very well at the reading. One thing though, why didn't you show the tatoo?..

Unknown said...

Really was an enjoyable evening - I left Blondie early to come along, managed to squeeze in to the back of the tent. The reading was hilarious, will have to pick the book itself up some time.

Also, thanks very much for signing my silly hat. If you're interested, there's a photo of the finished hat, with a few more signatures on it:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonathancresswell/2689319981/

Cheers again,
Jonathan

Unknown said...

@ Butterdale Lemons: You wouldn't ask a person to show you their gunshot wound, would you? ;)

Dave Gorman said...

@Butterdale Lemons: For the reasons I gave at the time. I gave a really long answer explaining why... I don't understand how you can hear the question and answer and still wonder...

Anonymous said...

I was the first person in the line. I was so early you weren't there and in a cider induced state of confusion I bought a book of Toby Litt's instead. It's very good, mind.

I returned later, and took a place right at the back of the queue.

I just want to say thanks for the signed paper bag. Sorry for being so drunk. And thanks for coming to Latitude - I really enjoyed the talk... Well worth missing Blondie for.

Anonymous said...

I imagine they have entirely natural flavours which taste mildly like, but are in actual fact not, beef.

Ironically, I believe Cheese and Onion flavour crisps often aren't suitable for vegetarians. This is due to the cheese flavour being made out of actual cheese, which contains renet.

Anonymous said...

I believe that it has something to do with umami which is a savoury flavour that occurs in cooked meat and other savoury things like marmite. It's not artificial as it can be made from mushrooms and yeasts. It is a possible 5th flavour receptor on the tastebuds, in addition to sweetness, bitterness, sourness, and saltiness.
Glad you enjoyed Latitude, Dave.

Anonymous said...

I think BBQ Pringles are vegan... but the salt and vinegar ones are just vegetarian.

I thought Dave was reading from American Unchained. Why would he show his tattoo... unless he got another one, maybe covering all the other states... oh dear Dave, not another tattoo.

J.W said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
J.W said...

t really was rather clear as to why Dave didn't show that tattoo, and on top of that, I find it quite invasive that people would ask to see it in the first place! Perhaps it's not quite on the same level, but maybe there is some kind of parallel to be drawn between regular requests for viewings of Dave's tattoo and the amount of vaginas I have seen photographed in the currently popular 'upskirt' manner in recent years. Now, I'm not saying I don't like vaginas, but I'm just not a fan of the paparizzi lounging on a kerb outside Boujis just waiting for that halcyon moment when the latest X-Factor contestant jumps into a cab... Just because someone is in the private eye, whether they be a respected and much-liked chap like Mr Gorman, or a debauched celebrity miscreant like Britney Spears doesn't mean we have a right to see and hear about everything they do... especially when it has been so well described in both book and televisual form.

Anyway, enough of that - I had a great time on Sunday evening, partially thanks to Dave, and also due to having finally seen Sigur Ros the previous night, my musical high still continuing the next day. So, congrats on the reading, sir!

Jack Stewart said...

Well despite you being my favourite author I decided to see Blondie instead- purely on the basis that Debby Harry is more likely to die soon than you are. Had to see her first.

Play next year. Comedy tent, literature tent or otherwise.

Ben Nuttall said...

Good question, Dave.

Maybe the ingredient they use to make them taste like beef is suitable for vegetarians and purely coincidentally just happens to taste like beef...

Maybe they just use the self-contradicting statement to raise a talking point which will lead to more sales...

Ben

Unknown said...

Good to see you at Latitute, just finished the book, cheers for signing it,

Ron Jeremy

ps love the look

Sorrel said...

Ta for providing an alternative to the rain!
Nah, it was a great reading, and it was a brilliant eveing in the tent to round off a great weekend, and thanks for signing my Latitude program, it's the only way I can make it worth more on e-bay than the extravagance I paid for it!
PS, do I get banned for trying to post a link?
It is a good picture :D
http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a235/soz_is_here/HPIM0988.jpg

Martin said...

Looking back at this post, marking the last time I saw you at Latitude, I couldn't help but note that you were asked again this year to show your tattoo. Does this question show any sign of ever going away, Dave?

Dave Gorman said...

@Martin nope. I get asked it at every Q&A/meet&greet I do.