Standup comedian and television writer Smith, who published the Lambda Award–winning memoir Openly Bob in 1997, throws his hat into the gay fiction ring with this absorbing, funny and smoldering romantic comedy. Nelson Kunker, a miserably single, mid-30s unproductive novelist and Hollywood script coordinator for late night TV's Aftertaste, is burning out: endless cat-fighting at work, a boss from hell and the nagging notion that he's either really talented or just gay. Safeguarded by best friend Wendy (a gigantic lesbian), Nelson's love life finally gets a boost after a chance meeting with burly Alaskan salmon fisherman–cum–student archeologist Roy Briggs, cousin to Aftertaste's star performer Joe Benedetti. The two are immediately smitten, but Nelson gets fired for smoking marijuana with sexually ambiguous guest star Dylan Fabizak, on parole and postrehab after a drug arrest. Cut to Nelson, Roy and Dylan at Roy's home in Coffee Point, Alaska, with all the sex, danger, salmon fishing lore and sarcastic dialogue one reader could want, and an appearance from mother-hen Wendy to sort it all out. Pithy zingers (and a fair share of apparently intentional groaners), a chatty gang of likable characters, a simple yet sexy plot line and camera-ready prose combine with panache in this immensely entertaining story. (Sept.)
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Handsome, somewhat nerdy Nelson Kunker, Milwaukee's gift to L.A., has been in his ostensible stepping-stone job (script coordinator on a late-night sketch-comedy TV show with poor to mediocre ratings) for three years (in L.A., that's too long) and hasn't written a word more of his novel when he meets Roy, visiting scion of an Alaskan fishing family. Before you can say "long-distance relationship," Nelson, along with a devious movie star who needs to clean and sober up, is salmon fishing with Roy and discovering the depths of this lonely, "inquisitive, imaginative boy who'd used the tundra as his playground." Whew! Former MADtv scripter Smith charms with a true-love tale while amusing with sly insider's digs at the Hollywood machine, including truthy translations of code phrases; for instance, There's been a change in plans equals Here comes a lie, or a broken promise. Scott, Whitney
Review
"Selfish and Perverse is Smith's first novel, yet it's written with skill and flair honed by his years as a comedy writer and performer....Smith has the swift, casual style that moves some slightly implausible plot-points forward with only intentional clunks and crashes. Despite the author's claims that his stand-up work is different from his fiction-writing, there is a bounty of hilarious, funny, and wry one-line insights that our narrator shares; so many, in fact, that it's easy to gradually take them for granted. Toward the finale, things do get more serious, and not so funny, but certainly touching and poignant." -- Bay Area Reporter, 10/04/07
"Smith has a clever way of...combining his narrative skills with humor....Smith isn't shy about showcasing his erotic storytelling skills. The end product reads like something Penthouse would run." -- EDGE Boston, 10/03/07
About the Author
Born in Buffalo, Bob Smith has the distinction of being the first openly gay comedian to appear on The Tonight Show and also have his own HBO Comedy Half-hour. Other TV appearances include Politically Incorrect, The Late, Late Show, Entertainment Tonight, Tom Snyder and Comedy Central's Out There.
Bob's Lambda Literary Award-winning collection of essays, Openly Bob, was published to acclaim by Rob Weisbach Books/William Morrow, and his most recent Lambda Literary Award-nominated book, Way To Go, Smith!, was published by HarperCollins.
He's written for Amblin Films, The MTV Video Awards, Dennis Miller, Roseanne and was a staff writer for Fox's MAD-TV. His sketch, The Zapruder Films, was recently featured in The Best of MAD-TV. Bob's comic essays have appeared in the anthology America's Best Contemporary Humorists: Mirth of A Nation and 101 Damnations published by St. Martin's Press. His most recent essay, "The Test" appears in When I Knew edited by Robert Trachtenberg.
Bob is a regular contributor to Out magazine where he writes the popular monthly list column and feature articles. He recently appeared in HBO's documentary about the first gay and lesbian family cruise, All Aboard — Rosie's Family Cruise.
In 2007, Bob will be doing standup on Logo's series Wisecracks, and he'll also be one of six gay male comics featured in the Logo documentary film Laughing Matters – The Men.
