David Barr Kirtley

Science fiction author and podcaster

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Hollywood Boulevard

September 20, 2007 by David Barr Kirtley Leave a Comment

Life on Hollywood Boulevard proceeds apace. I’m going to miss it here. (I’m moving next month to Santa Monica.) Why, in just one evening stroll last week I witnessed: a) A shirtless guy cruising along on a bicycle, and resting calmly on his shoulders a cat dressed in a devil costume. b) A red carpet with a cadre of sorta trashy-looking models with logos body-painted over their chests, where a person scanned in vain to try to identify some part — a wrist, a kneecap, a toe, anything — possessing some semblance of naturalness. I was put in mind of Jonas, the interstellar sailor from Book of the New Sun who at first appears to be a man with a few mechanical parts, but turns out to be a robot who’s had to replace almost all of himself with human parts. c) A diminutive Russian woman who got pulled over and booked for a hit-and-run DUI. The frame of her car had been completely torn away from the right front wheel, which lingered, skeletal and lonely. d) The torch-wielding host of Survivor (don’t know his name, don’t care) filming a promo where he bickers with a transvestite.

…And that’s not even counting the regulars, such as the costumed characters who prowl about outside Mann’s Chinese Theater. The best of these is the giant black guy who paints his skin a sparkly bronze and dresses like Conan except with crimson/black bat-wings. The silver robot tuxedo guy with the digital lightshow chest is pretty good too.

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Geeks Guide to the Galaxy

Geeks Guide to the Galaxy

Geek's Guide to the Galaxy is a podcast hosted by author David Barr Kirtley and produced by Lightspeed Magazine editor John Joseph Adams. The show features conversations about fantasy & science … Read more

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Geeks Guide to the Galaxy

Geeks Guide to the Galaxy

Geek's Guide to the Galaxy is a podcast hosted by author David Barr Kirtley and produced by Lightspeed Magazine editor John Joseph Adams. The show features conversations about fantasy & science … Read more

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My grandfather Roger Barr passed away early this morning at the age of 98. He was my mom’s father, and was my last surviving grandparent. He was being cared for by my uncle Steve (his son) and aunt Denice — both medical professionals — and was still sharp and good-humored in his final days. Yesterday […]

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David Barr Kirtley

David Barr Kirtley is the host of the Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy podcast, for which he’s interviewed over four hundred guests, including George R. R. Martin, Richard Dawkins, Paul Krugman, Simon Pegg, Margaret Atwood, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Ursula K. Le Guin. His short fiction appears in the book Save Me Plz and Other Stories.
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