Perhaps, the best way to understand Mike Polk Jr. and his new book “Damn Right I’m from Cleveland: Your Guide to Makin’ It in America’s 47th Biggest City“ is to understand where he is coming from – both literally and metaphorically. The Cleveland comedian, television personality and author stopped by Main Street Books Thursday night to talk about his new book, answer questions and sign copies for fans.
The book gives Polk’s hometown a thorough ribbing for cultural quirks, Rust Belt struggles and professional sports woes. Polk concedes that he takes plenty of digs at his hometown but explains that it is much like “picking on a kid brother.”
“If anybody else picks on your kid brother, though, you get mad, I mean, that’s how I look at it,” Polk said of his tongue-in-cheek approach, adding that the reaction to that explanation and much of his comedic approach is varied.
“I get the good with the bad. I’ve been swung at over it [audience laughter] Oh yeah!” he said to verify the anecdote. “But I do find that the greater consensus is that… there’s a lot more people who are not offended.”
Very few things about Cleveland are immune to Polk’s observational comedy, especially not Cleveland Browns football. “I have season tickets, passed down to me by my father, much like an illness, a genetic illness,” quipped Polk.
In his work as a standup comedian and a television reporter for Fox 8 News, Polk has gained somewhat of a following in and around northern Ohio. He also gained national recognition via a YouTube video in which he took the Cleveland Browns stadium, along with its team and organization, to task for being a “Factory of Sadness.”
He is also noted for “Hastily Made Tourism Video” and other parodies. His book listing by Gray & Company, Publishers calculates his total YouTube views at 50 million.
Though much of his work is satirical, Mike Polk Jr. is looking forward to brighter days ahead. An audience member asked whether the comic had thought about what he might do if the Cleveland Browns won a championship. Polk responded by first noting that the Browns playoff success of the eighties spawned parodies like Bernie, Bernie! “If they did something good, I’d love to react to something,” he added “I’d love to be put completely out of business as far as making fun of it goes.”
Polk also took time to give credit collaborator Chelsea McKee for doing a significant amount of graphics work on the book. The book, along with its colorful graphics and digs, can be purchased at Main Street Books. The author also referred readers to Gray & Company, Publishers. More of his work is available online at http://www.mikepolkjr.com.
Didn’t make the signing? Well, there’s one more chance to make it to Main Street Books. Here’s the lead in
Tom Batiuk, creator of the comic Funky Winkerbean, will join us on December’s First Friday celebration to talk and sign books. Those of you fortunate enough to catch him last year remember his touching, funny account of the creation of Funky Winkerbean; this year he will focus on Lisa’s Story, a popular story line that followed a character with breast cancer. The second volume of the complete Funky Winkerbean collection came out this year and will be available to purchase and have signed.
http://www.richlandsource.com/calendar/bellville/event_ce094320-4739-11e3-ba53-101f742c1d2e.html
