Love is in the Hair

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! Hope you and your sweetie, or if your single - your DVD box set and Buffalo Kickers, are treating you well on this beautiful day. There's one thing that Valentine's Day reminds me of....and that's shameless non-gallery related plugs.

I mentioned my 80's toy book here on the blog in passing back in November, and since Abrams, our publisher, is now releasing the second printing this week, I figured what better time to shill it.



It's called "Just Can't Get Enough," and it's written by me and co-author Matthew Robinson. In this book, we wax poetic about dozens of your favorite 1980's toys like Strawberry Shortcake, Madballs, He-Man, Rainbow Brite, M.U.S.C.L.E. Men, Mall Madness and MASK. And yes, it comes in a Trapper Keeper. It features great color pictures of every toy, and it's been doing really well and getting great reviews (or at least enough to get a second printing only months after it's release). Even Seth Green said it was SWEET, and he's basically around toys all day. And Matthew, my co-writer, is currently co-writing and co-directing "This Side of The Truth" with British comedy gem Rickey Gervais, which will star Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Jonah Hill, Louie CK and Rob Lowe in 2009. So even if you think I suck at writing, that dude gets paid a lot to do it. It's currently available on Amazon, in your local book chain and in all Urban Outfitters. AND I should have them available to buy in the gallery in the next or so.

Plug over.

In a bit of a forced transition, I'm actually currently writing my next book, which is a hybrid of a dating guide and an essay collection, and it recently has got me thinking about the relationship women have with sports. I'll save most of my thoughts for my paid word count, but we can talk about one thing here on the blog.

This week baseball legend Roger Clemens had to testify in front of Congress regarding his speculated steroid use during his record breaking baseball career, and I'm rather riveted. Being a huge baseball fan, this just seems like another blow to the sport I love, as Clemens continues to deny his drug usage, even with his best friends and doctors all coming clean. Even the dude's wife admits she used it. He just continues to hold onto the grand piano on the sinking Titanic.

So I've been trying to explain the importance of these hearings to my girlfriend, and although she gives me the cute, "Whatever you say, Jensen," face - she doesn't care. And I don't blame her. But I'm trying one last visual. Here are the three most notorious Roid users in baseball, all being exploited now, years later. Out of these three, one has admitted it, while the other two have denied it, even with loads of undeniable evidence stacked against them.

Is this interesting at all? Keep in mind, not only are they getting way more muscular, they're like a decade older in the second pictures.

Barry Bonds - here's a picture of his rookie year in the 80's, compared to a recent picture. He has not admitted to drug use.



Mark McGwire - this time, it's recent pic first, rookie year second. He has (kind of) admitted it to drug use.



And Roger Clemens

Rookie year in the 80's



Recent picture



Do I hear crickets? Or yawns even? I mean, what if one day you just walked in the gallery and I had tons of muscles! These dudes looked like little scrawny Jewish art gallery owners in the 80's and now look like American Gladiators.

Whatever, I'll get back to art, but I figured this might be a little interesting since you've all probably heard about it on the news recently. Or not.

Jensen
G1988: LA

Party, Party, Party

So, for those who don't know, before Katie and I opened the gallery in 2004 I was in a rap group (YES, a rap group) called Hot Karl and we were signed to Interscope Records and EMI Publishing. I had won a daily radio rap battle for a record 45 days here in LA, and was then met with a handful of record label offers. What started as a joke (I called into the radio station on the way home from a college internship and made up "Hot Karl" literally at the last minute) became a SERIOUS payday, which was always VERY weird. We worked with Kanye West, Redman, Mya, Fabolous, Black Eyed Peas, Sugar Ray and DJ Clue, were featured on the video game NBA Live (where I was a secret character), opened up for heroes of mine (Kool Moe Dee, Slick Rick, Phife Dog, Big Daddy Kane, etc.) and just altogether had a good time. I ended up releasing a CD in 2005 called "The Great Escape," when I had already left Interscope, at a label called Headless Heroes. Truth is, I didn't really want to rap anymore (as seen in the title). I had been through a pretty serious affair in the biz and was ready to move on, but I also wanted to see a CD in the stores that meant something to me. And that was it.

We did a small run to promote the album, but our hearts weren't in it - and we knew it. And those were our last shows. I have since focused 100% on the gallery, while the two other members of the group have went on to grow up as well. Matty Boom has co-written a script with Ricky Gervais called "The Other Side Of The Truth" which he will co-direct with the British icon (who will star in it) and Sancho, our DJ, is married, a house owner and making a great living promoting other music acts online. All growns up.

Which brings me to two different things....



Matty Boom and I have written a book called "Just Can't Get Enough" from Abrams Publishing, which you can get anywhere, including Amazon.com and Urban Outfitters in November. If you like the writing here on the blog (and want to see what Ricky Gervais likes so much from Matty) you should pick it up. It's a book (made to be a Trapper Keeper) that chronicles photos of 80's toys and essays from us about our memories. I think you'll think it's funny, as we wax poetic on Lite Brite, Madballs, M.U.S.C.L.E. Men, Rainbow Brite, the 6 foot G.I. Joe aircraft carrier and many other delights from the 80's. It's a good read and would like to know what you think for sure.

AAAAANNNNDDDD...

We're having a release party for the book this Friday, October 19th.



Yes, we will perform as a group for the last time ever, and you will see something you probably can't even imagine in your head - me rapping. All in the name of the new book! It's a free show at the Terrace Restaurant in Pasadena. The doors open at 9, which means we'll most likely go on at 10ish. I promise you it will be a fun time, and if you ever thought to yourself, "Jensen used to rap? That is so odd." Well, this will be the last chance to actually see this weird attribute and my former life.

I hope to see all of you there.

Jensen
G1988: LA