The Importance of Bee-ing Earnest

At some point during the last half century, writers, editors, and publishers turned their backs on the time-honored pastime of self-absorbed problem drinking. In its absence, troublingly sober literati began wracking their brains for slightly less sodden ways to serve their fragile, underfunded communities. Ever the innovators, they began a new tradition of disturbingly regressive fundraising events -- cake walks, pony rides, tearful knee scraping. This freakish species, marked by an interest in schoolyard antics and a more inspired alcoholism, now roams free in the culture at large in the form of events like the Small Press Distribution Bee-In, a spelling bee emceed by Josh Kornbluth. Jack Spicer-biographer Kevin Killian, political commentator George Lakoff, cookbook creator Mollie Katzen, last year's winner Charlie Anders, and many others face off in this orgy of language, liquor, and laughter to benefit Small Press Distribution, a nonprofit distributor of independently published books. Last year saw local writer Beth Lisick misspell ukulele, and 2008 promises to deliver scores of similarly humbling moments. Will Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll misspell luau?
Mon., May 19, 7:30 p.m., 2008