Everything You Know Is Pong

Michael Jackson and Prince Ping Pong Mano-a-Mano

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:45:44 -0500

“But did Jackson and Prince really dislike each other? The evidence
suggests that the rivalry was for real, if not a bit one-sided. On his
2004 album Musicology, Prince had a lyric that went, “My voice is
getting higher/And Eye ain’t never had my nose done/That’s the other
guy.” He also ducked out of the Jackson-helmed “We Are The World”
sessions (though he did end up donating a song to the benefit album).
However, recent interviews with former Prince band members reveal a
more genial side. “They’d shoot hoops at Paisley Park,” longtime
Prince drummer Bobby Z told the Star-Tribune. Prince had a deep-seeded
competitive nature, so it’s easy to see where he would measure himself
against Jackson’s success. Engineer David Z told a story about
Prince’s attempt to play ping-pong with Jackson. “Michael drops his
paddle and holds his hands up in front of his face so the ball won’t
hit him. Michael walks out with his bodyguard, and Prince starts
strutting around like a rooster. ‘Did you see that? He played like
Helen Keller.’”

An incisive feature by the brilliant Peter Hartlaub runs in...

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 06:52:24 -0500

An incisive feature by the brilliant Peter Hartlaub runs in tomorrow’s San Francisco Chronicle. Hartlaub calls our book “a history, a celebration, a support group and an argument for pingpong as a pop cultural force.” Congratulations Peter. You are now the early front runner for a Pullitzer.

No finer way to bring in the 2011 than with this story: Kings Of Leon battle Prince Harry over the table

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:49:50 -0500

No finer way to bring in the 2011 than with this story: Kings Of Leon battle Prince Harry over the table

Sports Illustrated lauded our humble tome in their Media Review...

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 18:35:00 -0500

Sports Illustrated lauded our humble tome in their Media Review of the year. We are delighted to have received this honor and are desperately trying not to take offense at being labeled low brow.

San Francisco is a magical Ping Pong town. A huge crowd came...

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:10:00 -0500

San Francisco is a magical Ping Pong town. A huge crowd came out for our GRANDMASTER CHALLENGE to witness some tasty, tasty ping pong, hear a bunch of stories from the book and raise some lovely money for 826. We are indebted to all who came to Capp Street to relive some table tennis majesty back in the finished basement. National Hardbat Champion, Trevor Runyan took on all comers, beating Dave Eggers using our book. Chef Andrew Myint with a heavy cooking pot, and pipping the plucky Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads using a vinyl 33. He then joined Atha Fong is destroying all-comers, including one gent who demanded Runyan play him using a pair of factory fresh selvage jeans. We are grateful to our sponsors: K SWISS, MySpace, and Joola. LA awaits in 2011…

All photos courtesy of Mighty Nick Fisher

San Francisco: We are a mere 36 hours away from the Grandmaster...

Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:41:40 -0500

San Francisco: We are a mere 36 hours away from the Grandmaster Challenge storming into town. More on the scope of the event from today’s Flavorpill, Thrillist, and, honor of honors, in Leah Garchik’s San Francisco Chronicle Column which is the holy of holies as far as we are concerned.

Come and raise a paddle with us in the auto body shop. We have a slew of champions taking on all comers, loads of liquor, Dave Eggers, Andrew Myint, and Jerry Harrison battling to the death, and the greatest cause in 826 who will benefit from all of the blood, sweat, and beers. With thanks to MySpace, K-Swiss, and Joola who are making this magic happen.

The Grand Final of our Lincoln Center Tournament of Champions....

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 21:06:00 -0500

The Grand Final of our Lincoln Center Tournament of Champions. Judah Friedlander against the mighty Will Shortz. A nailbiter. 11-9 in the third game. Ping Pong wins again.

Dandy Don Meredith RIP. Football was his game. Ping Pong was...

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:09:47 -0500

Dandy Don Meredith RIP. Football was his game. Ping Pong was his passion.

We were Daily Candied this morning. Massive honor. Better than...

Fri, 03 Dec 2010 09:34:06 -0500

We were Daily Candied this morning. Massive honor. Better than an Oscar, Pullitzer, or Nobel Peace Prize right? Maira Kalman’s book is also on the list and beyond superb.

We would love to see you in San Francisco. Please come…...

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 15:53:00 -0500

We would love to see you in San Francisco. Please come… and spread the word. All proceeds to 826 National .

Come hear us speak at Gelf Magazine’s Varsity Letters...

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 20:09:00 -0500

Come hear us speak at Gelf Magazine’s Varsity Letters Series in Dumbo. Details below. Going to be magic.

Jan Larsen Art (Official site,map)
63 Pearl St (between Water St. and Front St.)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Next to the F train. Close to the A,C. Accessible by the 2,3.

Doors open at 7:00.
Event starts at 7:30.

We had the honor of appearing on NPR’s excellent Only A...

Sun, 28 Nov 2010 15:01:00 -0500

We had the honor of appearing on NPR’s excellent Only A Game show. Here’s the interview with the magical Bill Littlefield. The show features unbelievable music and they found this Dolly Parton classic, Ping Pong to buffer our piece. Here she duets with Kristofferson. Magic.

Henry Miller found a paddle fit his hand as sweetly as a pen....

Sun, 21 Nov 2010 19:14:28 -0500

Henry Miller found a paddle fit his hand as sweetly as a pen. He battled Anais Nin at Clichy, Lawrence Durrell in Corfu, and Man Ray in Hollywood. ”I play a Zen-Lile game,” he once claimed, “No matter how glamorous an opponent may be, I never let him, or her, distract me.”

Slate rock our book

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 11:45:03 -0500

Magic slideshow and excerpt from our “If You Lived Here You’d Be Rallying By Now” chapter which makes a scientific case as to how Ping Pong built the great American Suburb.

We were honored to be on the Brian Lehrer Show this morning. He...

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 15:33:28 -0500

We were honored to be on the Brian Lehrer Show this morning. He is quite a pongeur. After our hit was over, he broke out his paddle and gave us a bruising and a beating. Here is our interview. Even Charlie Rangel’s breaking news could not deter us from talking Table Tennis.

Pong hits Page Six

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 10:51:00 -0500

We are honored to be covered in New York Post’s Page Six this morning. The World would be a better place if Ping Pong was on Page Six every morning.

New York Post agrees. Our book is on par with Salman Rushdie

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:31:28 -0500

The excellent Billy Heller has hailed our mighty tome as one of the finest books that are “Required Reading.” We are in lofty company listing just after Salman Rushdie’s Luka and the Fire of Life.

The untold story of Ping Pong’s role in the rise of the...

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 13:02:00 -0500

The untold story of Ping Pong’s role in the rise of the cigarette. Back in the 1950s, when the average American puffed on a staggering 2,558 ciggies a year, everyone was inhaling. How did Big Tobacco lure the country into lightning up? By co-opting the purity of the ping pong lifestyle and perverting it in the name of Marlboro Country. Mary Reilly, US Champion casually puffs on a Camel and proclaims “Experience is the best teacher, in playing table tennis or choosing a cigarette.” Glowing in their neckerchiefs, a doubles combo suck on a Pall Mall as their non-smoking opponents sweat and wheeze. A Kool smoking couple suggest their favorite brand “smooths your throat” and “clears your mind of every thought of bosses and time clocks.”

Our Book in Tomorrow's New York Times

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:22:00 -0500

Dave Itzkoff wrote a magic piece on the Tournament of Champions. It is an honor to be mentioned in the same article as Howard Jacobson’s Mighty Walzer. Best Ping Pong book ever.

Update: We are also in our favorite Australian outlet, the Sydney Morning Herald and the most intelligent of English quality papers, The Independent.

Thanks to all who came out last night to cheer on a full...

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:52:53 -0500

Thanks to all who came out last night to cheer on a full throated field of pongeurs battle to the death to celebrate the launch of Everything You Know is Pong and raise money for 826 NYC. It was a magic night and we were honored by the spirit of the competitors who dispatched each other with abandon. All photos by Christopher Farber.