Dropped in at the SLV debate: Is Melbourne really a city of literature, or are we just bogans in berets? Tony Martin and Catherine Devney argued for the affirmative; that even after Melbourne was named the 2nd UNESCO city of literature in 2008, that we are indeed just a pack of bogans. Jane Clifton and Tony wilson espoused poetry and Dickens arguing the negative, that we are the cultured, latte sipping, high brow, smarty pants gliterati of literature that won us the prize bookmark from the aforementioned UNESCO. - They also added that bogans helped tons by buying "4 Ingredients" by the ute load, making it the aussie best seller of 2008.
Catherine Deveny sang jazz, did a quick vox pop of the audience pretty much proving we're all bogans, and had us demurely chanting the response to The Angels call "Am I ever going to see your face again? " [no way, get.... ] There you are. it went through your head too. The cultural cringe factor in the room got quite confused with the team for the negative insisted on being very politically correct. They got quite scared of appearing the stereotype, trendy, social climbing, bogan scoffing, south of the river strutting Melbournian. So they tried to prove they were proud bogans too and it basically had the reverse effect. The crowd applause was quite clear but (the delightful and V funny) Andy Muirhead made the audience do it again and then in a rather bewildered, surprised voice declared within the esteemed Experimedia theatrette of the State Library that the bogans had it, and won the day.
I ducked out and arrived at the train station to find, in perfect irony and timing, four tracky dack wearing, slurpie sucking, multi pierced lobe folk (sans berets) struggling to purchase their train ticket. They were fighting and swearing and challenging eachother in a manner that would have made Devs proud. "Take that you moll" "Nah I dah wanna talk about it. Jush shut up. I dah wanna talk about it " Eventually the machine came good and they took off ticket in hand and apologised to me for the wait (I was also queued at the machine thus the observation time). I tucked a copy of "Melbourne, UNESCO City of Literature" under my arm and caught my train home to Footscray.*
*Footscray for the overseas or new to melbourne is the traditional capitol of Boaganville in Melbourne's west. Blog coming up about the west soon.
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