John Hodgman—writer, actor, comedian, and a gentleman who knows everything worth knowing—makes a nod to his George R.R. Martin fandom once again, this time on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Brought in to comment on the challenges of digital distribution for brick-and-mortar bookstores following the bankruptcy of Borders, Hodgman has some… thoughts on steps booksellers might take.
If you’re in the U.S. (and possibly elsewhere, can’t say for sure), here’s the clip from Hulu after the advert:
For those who can’t see it:
Hodgman lists a few steps forward for booksellers. Among them? He suggests replacing in-store readings with in-store writings. “Bring the author in, tie him to a desk, and make him write to order.” And then… “George R. R. Martin not finishing that new Game of Thrones book fast enough for you? Maybe some hot Chai Latte down his neck will speed him up,” with a pictorial depiction of the act. Stewart questions whether many authors would agree to that sort of thing, and Hodgman retorts that he’s underestimating how many authors would like free Chai and the “occasional human touch.”