Date: April 24, 2019
Venue: Italian Cultural Institute
Program: Fernanda Pivano: A Bridge Between Cultures
Writers: Erica Jong, Francesca Pellas, Gini Alhadeff
Free Drinks: Unknown
DroneoMeter Reading: Unknown
In the Milan Kundera novel "The Joke" that my visit to the Italian Cultural Institute brought to mind, the narrator is sentenced to prison labor as a miner because he made a joke about Stalin. My experience at the Italian Cultural Institute was more benign: I made a joke and the staff member vetting attendees merely wouldn't let me into the event.
My appeal to the head of the institution, Giorgio Van Straten, went unanswered even though it included not a single joke because now I understand the seriousness and importance of the officials at this arm of the Italian government.
Venue: Italian Cultural Institute
Program: Fernanda Pivano: A Bridge Between Cultures
Writers: Erica Jong, Francesca Pellas, Gini Alhadeff
Free Drinks: Unknown
DroneoMeter Reading: Unknown
In the Milan Kundera novel "The Joke" that my visit to the Italian Cultural Institute brought to mind, the narrator is sentenced to prison labor as a miner because he made a joke about Stalin. My experience at the Italian Cultural Institute was more benign: I made a joke and the staff member vetting attendees merely wouldn't let me into the event.
My appeal to the head of the institution, Giorgio Van Straten, went unanswered even though it included not a single joke because now I understand the seriousness and importance of the officials at this arm of the Italian government.
Dear Mr. Van Straten,
I am an American writer and blogger. I have a blog "In the Front Row, On the Dole" about my experiences going to literary readings. What happened to me at your institution last month was unprecedented.
I walked up to the guy manning the desk and I said, "I'm here for the Fernanda Pivano event." Ms. Pivano was an Italian writer who facilitated US-Italy cultural events.
He pulled out a list and asked me if I'd RSVP'ed. I said, "No, I'm a VIP, they usually just roll out the red carpet for me when I show up at these things."
He pulled out a list and asked me if I'd RSVP'ed. I said, "No, I'm a VIP, they usually just roll out the red carpet for me when I show up at these things."
He then asked me stand with about six others who hadn't RSVP'ed. Ten minutes passed and he told everybody else they could go in. He said I couldn't. He said he didn't like what I said. I said, "but it was a joke."
He acted polite and said I'll have to wait a while. After I waited ten more minutes and he let in a few more people, I realized, he wasn't going to let me in. So not only did he not let me in, but he toyed with me until I figured things out. Quite an exercise of power.
He acted polite and said I'll have to wait a while. After I waited ten more minutes and he let in a few more people, I realized, he wasn't going to let me in. So not only did he not let me in, but he toyed with me until I figured things out. Quite an exercise of power.
I guess I might have sounded arrogant, but it wasn't an insulting joke. The irony, of course, is that the event was in honor of Fernanda Pivano who facilitated cultural exchange between US writers and Italian ones. I'm pretty sure she must have had more of a sense of humor than this staffer displayed.
Brent Shearer VIP
Mr. Van Straten didn't respond to this letter. Of course, this rude treatment has constrained my reporting on the event. Should any of my readers decide to attend an event at the Italian Cultural Institute, I suggest they don't make any jokes on the way in.
Mr. Van Straten didn't respond to this letter. Of course, this rude treatment has constrained my reporting on the event. Should any of my readers decide to attend an event at the Italian Cultural Institute, I suggest they don't make any jokes on the way in.
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