What a loser
Melora Koepke
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Fiorentino: A class unto his own
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Jon Paul Fiorentino poetically excavates his social theories
"This is the best writing I am capable of. I have nothing left." This grandiose blanket statement, uttered by Montreal poet and humorist Jon Paul Fiorentino, does not hold even a drop of water. On the brink of launching The Theory of the Loser Class, his fourth book of poems, Fiorentino is hardly throwing in the towel. Rather, his current state of spent-ness speaks volumes about TTOTLC - a glamorously designed, serious, wrenching tour de force of intellectual stamina and his signature brand of lyrical self-torture.
The "theory" referred to in the title is an homage to 19th-century philosopher Thorstein Veblen's The Theory of the Leisure Class, a forgotten indictment of New World bourgeoisie that coined terms like "conspicuous consumption." Here, the conspicuously consumptive Fiorentino transmutes Veblen's ire into his own theory of the Loser Class, a sub-populace of dismayed video-game addicts and suburban insomniacs cuddled up to late-night infomercials - and, one suspects, the author's half-fear that poets like him are at risk of becoming comparably irrelevant forms of cultural flotsam.
"The uselessness of consumer culture fascinates me," says Fiorentino. "And what is more useless than Canadian poetry? Why won't rich people purchase more books of Canadian poetry? My theory is that the Leisure Class is dead and has been replaced by the Loser Class. And the Loser Class is too smart to care about useless things like poetry."
TTOTLC, like Fiorentino's earlier
poetry and his book of autobiographical essays, Asthmatica, is concerned with all things contrary to the gardens, prairies and sparrows usually exalted in Canada's modern poetical canon. In addition to near-compulsive (and endearing) verse-form medical self-diagnoses, Fiorentino's sharp pen intentionally redraws everything "regular" poets consider unworthy."[That's] because the exalted things are boring," he explains. "And contemporary poetry is largely boring. I reached the point where I was ready to hurl myself off of the Champlain Bridge if I read another Canadian poem about Canadian love or Canadian nature. It's all just a little too precious. Thankfully I found Jerry Lewis and Thorstein Veblen and they temporarily saved my life."
Fiorentino invokes a hoary cast of "losers," including Earle Nelson, a mass murderer hung on the site of the author's previous Winnipeg residence, and many others: He counts "Morrissey, Nancy Sinatra, Hank Williams, William Shatner, William Shakespeare, William Howard Taft, Napoleon, Bob Barker, James Joyce, Dr. Joyce Brothers, Leonard Nimoy, Pete Rose and Sappho" as co-travellers on his loser train.
In an ironic twist, the familiar pop-culture faces and places of Fiorentino's Loser Class might well serve to catapult him into Executive Class, literarily speaking - but naturally, it's a place he isn't sure he wants to be.
"I have no interest in civilians," he says. "But I find it both surprising and reassuring that people from all walks of life have taken an interest in my writing. I don't think of myself as a populist poet or a highbrow poet."
Indeed, when faced with success, Fiorentino demurs: "It must be my hair. I have wonderful hair."
Seriously?
"Of course not. Pure talent. And a little drink called Jägermeister."
The Theory of the Loser Class
By Jon Paul Fiorentino launches at Blue Metropolis on April 6, 6 p.m.
Fiorentino will also be a panellist on "Popular Culture, Hyper and Otherwise," April 9, 9 p.m.
www.blue-met-bleu.com
So Fiorentino deems himself a loser because poetry is no longer considered popular, and is instead a waste of time? Or that the growing masses who rush home to watch some shit chatshow or soap on TV and then talk about it at work the next day, are the losers? Or both? Poetry, in fact all the arts have gone through such crises in the past and are sure to go through them into the future.... Because there will be a future for artisitic endeavours as they represent the creativity and perseverance of the human spirit. Although the majority of people don't seem to really like to be challenged, it is only through being challenged and challenging ourselves that change occurs and we evolve as individuals and as a race (of human beings).
As for the malaise of consumer culture - well, it's a good indication of what we deem important, or are meant to believe is important. If we buy all these useless bits of crap, all these brand-named jeans and facial creams and the latest model car, then surely we'll be popular and loved...or at least look cool. Good poetry has little place in the modern age, but it will continue to be written and read. Thus in the end Fiorentino will be of the durable class - not part of the disposable culture of today.
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Ellen Reid
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{14 votes}
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| A Loser...? :Not My Beloved Bob Barker............. |
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Jon Paul Fiorentino sounds like the kind of poet who has a permanent welt on his cheek from all the times he sticks his big tongue against it.
He is absurd to think that the proletariat shopper among us is suddenly off poetry. Maybe they're buying collections of poetry instead of individual books from individual writers? Maybe they're so taken and smitten with Fiorentino's statement that they're wondering how to become losers?
Maybe they've been buying vanity mirrors instead of poetry so that they can make sure they're not taking on the loser looks of someone as attractive as Bob Barker or Leonard Nimoy, for goodness sakes. It all makes sense now.
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Steve Landry
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{4 votes}
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Jon Paul Fiorentino seems like he likes to impose his judgements on everything he doesn't like. That is exactly why a lot of people don't like poetry. It is, in a large part, written by snobs.
I can understand frustration with the consumer culture. But.... you have to remember that we live in a world with a lot of stress. Much more stress than are parents, grandparents, or the people who wrote poetry in the 1700's. Yes, they had problems. But thanks to the "Age of Information", we are bombarded with information. Sometimes igorance is bliss. And watching Paris Hilton, or playing X Box, is a good escape. What's wrong with that?
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Eric Wilson
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{20 votes}
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Sometimes I think that only Fiorentino gets it - how things have eroded in the face of mass consumerism and just how disposable everything has become except for maybe our sense of complacency in the face of it. That he's able to mine this for poetic musings that are topical, incisive, funny, and atypically Canadian makes any and all of his work incredibly enduring, engaging, and guffaw-inducing from start to finish!
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Mark St Pierre
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{15 votes}
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| Bourgeoisie.. Proletariats.. oh my... |
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I must admit that I have not heard of Florentino before, but this review has definetely made me want to pick up his latest. I am very interested in seeing how he develops his social commentary of this new loser class through poetry. Sounds fun :) Dismayed video addicts and suburban insomniacs beware. I do find it fascinating how the concept of the bourgeoisie has transformed, and I think that Florentino has hit the nail on the head with his version of it, in the form of the new loser class. I'm intrigued...
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Reena Tabing
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{26 votes}
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Looks like many have what it takes to gain publicity as writers or poets. But many go about it the wrong way or get sidetracked. Others don't care for the limelight so aren't going to cook up reasons how their poetry appeals to the reading public. And it's important to know how toappeal especially if poetry isn't the vogue the way it was in Shelley's time.I would just go about popularizing myself the long way, without coming across as somebody who isn't populist or elite. I value being comfortable in my own skin.
I might be boring to some but then again, as far as I'm concerned I'd
rather the reader discover what my writing has to say without needless comments
or garnishes. This is how today's poet is going to appeal to today's 'lost'
public.
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Martin Dansky
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{28 votes}
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| A smart and provocative poet |
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I have followed Fiorentino's career since his last poetry collection, Hello Serotonin, and I'm glad to see he's publishing another collection of poetry. This guy is smart and funny and surprisingly accessible and a totally unpretentious poet--though that doesn't make his writing any less thoughtful. Definitely a fresh voice in Canadian poetry--a welcome alternative to the standard dull Canadian poem. I can't wait to read it.
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Jared Slots
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{18 votes}
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