Last week, we saw a movie (Hey, Viktor!) at the local film festival and it’s a hoot. It’s about a child actor who has hit rock bottom in adulthood, acting in porn, alcoholic, and about to lose his family.
It’s a dark comedy and the strong sense of humor lightens the mood. They made the bold decision of having the main character, Viktor, cover a wall and himself in feces while in the depths of a blackout drunk. It was gross and raw but it got the laugh. You’d think he couldn’t go any lower but he did.
Life is Messy
When I first started working at Burroughs after college, I got the nickname of Bowel and Bladder Hadick because I was fond of bathroom humor. I’ve told stories at The Moth with liberal use of feces and other messy things we all have to face.
I could go on about certain Freudian issues with my potty training. Suffice to say, I had problems in the bathroom department as a kid.
If you have had children of your own, you know about the mess. I was on hand for the birth of both children and there are all kinds of bodily fluids in play.
Between diapers and illness, there’s always something going on.
On top of all that, I grew up being the kid most likely to be told to go pick up dog poop, and I’ve just made it my thing all these years of living with dogs. In fact, while my wife and I were dating, I took it upon myself to clean her roommate’s dog’s rear end. The poor thing was incontinent and made to wear a diaper. This one day while the roommate was gone, I noticed the smell and cleaned the pooch’s poop and a fresh diaper.
It was the most chivalrous thing I’ve ever done, and I’d do it again.
Art is Messy
In general, there’s no need to include bodily fluids in art, novels, or movies. The notable exception of The Exorcist aside, it is best used as comedy relief. But I didn’t know that, and leaned into the messy side of writing.
I wrote a screenplay early in my writing career called The Mad Crapper. It’s about a guy who plugs up toilets at a business office to enact revenge for various slights. It was not a great work of art, and I couldn’t get any agents or movie producers interested in the story.
But now that I’ve grown as a writer, and seen how it can be done effectively, I may revisit that story.
Hollywood has been stinking up the place lately. Why not join in the fun?
Meanwhile, at My Writing Desk…
I’m still thrashing about with some short form materials. Over the weekend, I got an acceptance for a humor piece that won’t be published in time for this Picayune, but hopefully next time. I’m also working on the side project called Renewable Creativity that may interest you if you write or draw or whatnot with art.
Maybe You’d Like
I’m working with Thriller authors this week to promote our books in Killer Thrillers:
https://storyoriginapp.com/to/1yGSi02
Next Picayune
I’ll be back in May with more news but probably less bowel and bladder stories.
Thanks for reading the Mickey Picayune.
All the best,
Mickey