BYT Empire

Brightest Young Things


All photos by Joel Didriksen

Another year, another half assed job covering The National Book Fair.

If you missed it, last years edition is here, we interviewed Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

This year we had a big plan, Libby (the cute one) would interview Cokie Roberts, William (the smart one) would do Salman Rushdie, and I (the retard) would interview Dionne Warwick.  Oh, and Jeff would come along to pose in pictures with his new hat to send to myspace girls.

Here's how it turned out:

Libby was MIA

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Salman wasn't doing interviews

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Dionne didn't have time for us

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And Jeff got his stupid pictures

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But we didn't let that stop us.

Book Fair IMG_8250 Me"Ok, who else is around"

Jeff "Let's look at the list"

Me"Who is this pedophile lookin guy?"

Jeff "He writes children's books"

Me "Shocker."

At that point Warren Brown, Cake Love founder, host of the Food Network's Sugar Rush, and author of a new cook book showed up.  Since I didn't have anything prepared for him I just asked him the Dionne Warwick questions.

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BYT: Um... so when do you think you'll work with Burt Bacharach again?

Dionne Warwick... er, Warren Brown: Work with who again?

BYT: Burt Bacharach... you know...

WB: uuuuh... Burt... don't know when I'm gonna do that again... or for the first time...

BYT: yeah... um... your hairstyle is interesting

WB: Yeah, actually considering cutting it all off, you know sometimes you have to do that.

BYT: Don't I know. When you do see Burt again what do you think you'd bake for him?

WB:When I see Burt again... my uncle? You're talking about my uncle Burt? Haven't seen him in a little bit, but gonna see him next month at the wedding, it'll be nice. I'll be providing lots of cakes. I hope he likes them.

BYT: I was reading your official biography on http://www.dionnewarwick.info/ and it seems to end abruptly at 2003.

WB: I'm still here!

BYT: Ok, I didn't know if you were just watching TV since 2003 or what.

WB: Oh so many things have been going on, but you know, it would just take too long to go over it all.

Book Fair IMG_8357 BYT: Right. I'm going to eat this banana.

WB: Potassium, good.

BYT: You've had almost as many hits as Aretha Franklin...

WB: I'm glad you liked the cakes that much.

BYT: Who do you think would win in a fight?

WB: Aretha would take me out. Because you can't hit a woman.

BYT: Right... um... so your work with the Psychic Friends network... do you actually believe in psychic phenomenon?

WB: Wait, were you actually going to ask her that?

BYT: I mean, I was gonna wait till the end, but yeah.

WB: I believe there is a lot that is out there that you can't see.

BYT: So it wasn't just a job.

WB: I can see your aura right now. I can feel you.

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BYT: Oh my.

WB: I'm like a horse. You know, a horse responds to what the rider believes in.

BYT: You need a horse whisperer perhaps.

WB: (laughs)

BYT: Uncle Burt! Uncle Burt is your horse whisperer! Ok... we're kind of running out of awkward questions here... oh! Did you watch the debates last night?

WB:I missed it because I was at this event. But I was surprised to hear it actually went on because I, like many others, believe that when you commit to something so people can understand who you are, it's really a great decision to just ditch on it.

BYT: Thank you for not ditching this interview. Any singing and/or baking tips for the kids?

WB: I think whenever you're baking you should sing.

BYT: Maybe we could get a little acapella version of one of your classics?

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In all seriousness, we love Warren Brown and you should buy his new book, CakeLove: How To Bake Cakes From Scratch.

http://book.cakelove.com/

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Armed with the new Silver Cobra BYT stickers, we walked around to see what else we could find.  And generally act like jackasses.  Again.
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Apparently there is a new Electric Company show on PBS.
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These budding stars were actually really sweet and cool.
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Book Fair IMG_8528Book Fair IMG_8530 We wish them the best of luck.

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More prepared than we were.
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Tender moments in 90 degree weather
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This guy was super stylish and he didn't even know it.
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A neck zit was discovered
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And promptly addressed by the First Aid dept
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Joke doesn't get old
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This guy needed to clarify his message a bit
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Cake Love now has locations at:

National Harbor, MD

Tysons Corner, VA

Canton, MD

Shirlington, VA

Silver Spring, MD

U Street, DC

http://www.cakelove.com/

 

God loves a cheerful giver.

COMMENTS (18)

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3 years ago Svetlana said

I can already see us being banned from the festival next year.
Either that or: "Maya Angelou-a very special jackass interview."

3 years ago Jeff said

a) that's an old hat.
b) i don't even check myspace anymore, that was so 2007.
c) that 'pedophile looking guy' is r.l. stine, writer of goosebumps, better recognize!
d) warren brown seriously saved the day.
e) i think the book festival is my favorite event of the year.

3 years ago Alex Niocholson said

This is my most favorite thing that has ever run on the site.

3 years ago Alex Nicholson said

It made me spell my own name wrong.

3 years ago eddie said

"This guy needed to clarify his message a bit" hahaha.. i think the girl in the pic below him was helena christensen's sister.

really funny interview with warren, cale. my gf loves cakelove cuz they make gluten-free cupcakes and gluten is trying to assassinate her.

wtf was tiki barber doing there? what a tool.

3 years ago Melissa said

This post is amazing. Thank you.

3 years ago chad said

Get a load of that guy in the yellow galoshes. What a dork!

i wish DC would have a National Magazine Fair, because that's all i read.

3 years ago Svetlana said

a little dissapointed, I must say, that Cale asked no Whitney Houston questions. After all, Dionne is her aunt. SHE MAY HAVE SOME ANSWERS.

3 years ago erik said

Brilliant!

3 years ago llc said

Jeff is such a pimp--with his hat and stunna shades (used to block out the sun and playerhaters).

3 years ago iza said

hi jeff

3 years ago Greg said

wow. hahahah

3 years ago Nicole said

whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy oh whyyyyyyyyyyyyy oh whyyyyyyyyyyyy did no one cover neil gaiman?!? please tell me you tried at least?!?

/nerd rant

3 years ago Cale said

Yeah, we showed up too late for Neil. By like 3 hours.

3 years ago Sexmanda said

i miss cake love. and the national book fair. last year mercer mayer was there, author of the little monster books. he rocks.

3 years ago Jeff said

I love how I arrange everything, set up the interviews, have the idea to interview Warren, show up early, and I'm allowed to 'come along to pose in pictures with my new hat'. I get no respect around here. I'm taking my ideas elsewhere. Maybe Wonkette will have me. Or Prince of Petworth.

3 years ago Ironic said

The gentleman in the yellow galoshes was a victim of r.l. stine, writer of goosebumps, better recognize!

3 years ago Greg said

the baltimore book festival kind of fell flat. mostly because it was pissing down rain. i was selling books out there! the radical bookfair pavilion was rocking though.

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