Randy Fertel
@rfertel.bsky.social
New Orleans- and NYC-based author of Winging It: Improv's Power and Peril in the Time of Trump.
For more info or to buy your copy, visit: https://linktr.ee/randyfertel
No DMs
For more info or to buy your copy, visit: https://linktr.ee/randyfertel
No DMs
Speaking of @margaretatwood.bsky.social and her once “dystopian,” now prescient novel… At the 2019 Key West Literary Seminar, I asked her to sign my copy of The Handmaid’s Tale and gave her a copy of my second book, A Taste for Chaos. When she saw the cover with Hermes she said,
May 14, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Speaking of @margaretatwood.bsky.social and her once “dystopian,” now prescient novel… At the 2019 Key West Literary Seminar, I asked her to sign my copy of The Handmaid’s Tale and gave her a copy of my second book, A Taste for Chaos. When she saw the cover with Hermes she said,
Continuing on the theme of Vietnam this week and last, I'm reflecting on how lucky we are to have a vibrant Vietnamese community in #NewOrleans, and to enjoy some truly incredible Vietnamese restaurants. I’ve rounded up a list of my favorites.
Do you agree with my list? Which would you add?
Do you agree with my list? Which would you add?
May 9, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Continuing on the theme of Vietnam this week and last, I'm reflecting on how lucky we are to have a vibrant Vietnamese community in #NewOrleans, and to enjoy some truly incredible Vietnamese restaurants. I’ve rounded up a list of my favorites.
Do you agree with my list? Which would you add?
Do you agree with my list? Which would you add?
Tariffs are the 21st century’s Trickle Down Economics.
April 16, 2025 at 5:39 AM
Tariffs are the 21st century’s Trickle Down Economics.
I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s Edible Evening 2025, in support of Edible Schoolyard #NewOrleans. As president of the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation, we’re proud to be a supporting sponsor of the event. Tickets are still available, via esynola.org/edibleevening
March 26, 2025 at 8:30 PM
I’m looking forward to tomorrow night’s Edible Evening 2025, in support of Edible Schoolyard #NewOrleans. As president of the Ruth U. Fertel Foundation, we’re proud to be a supporting sponsor of the event. Tickets are still available, via esynola.org/edibleevening
Thought I’d employ a little improv in this corner of the internet… Welcome to “Winging It With Randy” Part 1: favorite #writers and #NewOrleans #books.
What do you think? What questions should I answer next?
What do you think? What questions should I answer next?
March 21, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Thought I’d employ a little improv in this corner of the internet… Welcome to “Winging It With Randy” Part 1: favorite #writers and #NewOrleans #books.
What do you think? What questions should I answer next?
What do you think? What questions should I answer next?
I had a great time talking New Orleans, improv, politics, trickster, Jung, Hillman, and the Greeks on Jon Wilson’s podcast, “Jung and the World” last week. Listen to the whole episode here: open.substack.com/pub/jonwilso...
March 19, 2025 at 9:25 PM
I had a great time talking New Orleans, improv, politics, trickster, Jung, Hillman, and the Greeks on Jon Wilson’s podcast, “Jung and the World” last week. Listen to the whole episode here: open.substack.com/pub/jonwilso...
How #Substack became, for me, an ideal place to write about the power of improvisation and the rhetoric of spontaneity on not just culture and the arts, but American democracy, given our Improvisor-in-Chief.
randyfertel.substack.com/p/improv-tra...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/improv-tra...
March 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
How #Substack became, for me, an ideal place to write about the power of improvisation and the rhetoric of spontaneity on not just culture and the arts, but American democracy, given our Improvisor-in-Chief.
randyfertel.substack.com/p/improv-tra...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/improv-tra...
Speaking of Colbert, did anyone catch this moment a few weeks ago, where Musk’s “not running DOGE” was likened to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse? I thought this joke was too good not to promote — perfect, really. Ten out of ten.
But clearly #Colbert didn’t do his homework...
But clearly #Colbert didn’t do his homework...
March 12, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Speaking of Colbert, did anyone catch this moment a few weeks ago, where Musk’s “not running DOGE” was likened to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse? I thought this joke was too good not to promote — perfect, really. Ten out of ten.
But clearly #Colbert didn’t do his homework...
But clearly #Colbert didn’t do his homework...
For those of you who are new followers, I’m often talking about my Substack, “Yes And: Essays in the Age of Improv,” which explores politics, pop culture, and the arts through the lens of improvisation, Jungian psychology, archetypes, and Greek mythology...
March 6, 2025 at 3:02 PM
For those of you who are new followers, I’m often talking about my Substack, “Yes And: Essays in the Age of Improv,” which explores politics, pop culture, and the arts through the lens of improvisation, Jungian psychology, archetypes, and Greek mythology...
Spoon emoji 🥄, hacking HUD to show video of Trump kissing the true king’s feet 🦶… Trickster is alive and well in the spirit of the Resistance. Got any other stories? Send ‘em my way!
Link to my latest Substack—on fighting Trickster with Trickster: randyfertel.substack.com/p/improvs-pa...
Link to my latest Substack—on fighting Trickster with Trickster: randyfertel.substack.com/p/improvs-pa...
February 26, 2025 at 7:58 PM
Spoon emoji 🥄, hacking HUD to show video of Trump kissing the true king’s feet 🦶… Trickster is alive and well in the spirit of the Resistance. Got any other stories? Send ‘em my way!
Link to my latest Substack—on fighting Trickster with Trickster: randyfertel.substack.com/p/improvs-pa...
Link to my latest Substack—on fighting Trickster with Trickster: randyfertel.substack.com/p/improvs-pa...
Winging It turns 1! 🎂
This weekend marks a year since Winging It was officially published. From the book launch in New Orleans, to events in NYC, DC, and LA, with book clubs, podcasts, and international conference talks in between, this year has been one for the books...
This weekend marks a year since Winging It was officially published. From the book launch in New Orleans, to events in NYC, DC, and LA, with book clubs, podcasts, and international conference talks in between, this year has been one for the books...
February 21, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Winging It turns 1! 🎂
This weekend marks a year since Winging It was officially published. From the book launch in New Orleans, to events in NYC, DC, and LA, with book clubs, podcasts, and international conference talks in between, this year has been one for the books...
This weekend marks a year since Winging It was officially published. From the book launch in New Orleans, to events in NYC, DC, and LA, with book clubs, podcasts, and international conference talks in between, this year has been one for the books...
My latest Substack offers, I hope, some tools and encouragement for the #Resistance, particularly in our approach to conversations with climate change deniers and their ilk:
randyfertel.substack.com/p/a-horse-in...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/a-horse-in...
February 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM
My latest Substack offers, I hope, some tools and encouragement for the #Resistance, particularly in our approach to conversations with climate change deniers and their ilk:
randyfertel.substack.com/p/a-horse-in...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/a-horse-in...
Yesterday would have been Mom’s 98th birthday. Here she is with her legendary redfish catch, which prompted two generations—including my son and nephew—to ask, “Is it bigger than Grandma’s?!”
Happy birthday to Ruth Fertel, a woman whose defeats were few and whose wins were always the biggest.
Happy birthday to Ruth Fertel, a woman whose defeats were few and whose wins were always the biggest.
February 6, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Yesterday would have been Mom’s 98th birthday. Here she is with her legendary redfish catch, which prompted two generations—including my son and nephew—to ask, “Is it bigger than Grandma’s?!”
Happy birthday to Ruth Fertel, a woman whose defeats were few and whose wins were always the biggest.
Happy birthday to Ruth Fertel, a woman whose defeats were few and whose wins were always the biggest.
For #NewOrleans, where to go from here? I’m hearing this question from many concerned readers. There is a Women of the Storm educational forum tomorrow, February 5, from 11:30 – 1:00pm at Pavillion of the Two Sisters in City Park, offering a light lunch.
February 4, 2025 at 5:11 PM
For #NewOrleans, where to go from here? I’m hearing this question from many concerned readers. There is a Women of the Storm educational forum tomorrow, February 5, from 11:30 – 1:00pm at Pavillion of the Two Sisters in City Park, offering a light lunch.
This short film by Ted Morée captures some of the magic of our CounterInauguration in New Orleans last Monday. We did what we could to protest, resist, and celebrate the culture bearing and cultural transference that #NewOrleans is so good at.
January 30, 2025 at 4:35 PM
This short film by Ted Morée captures some of the magic of our CounterInauguration in New Orleans last Monday. We did what we could to protest, resist, and celebrate the culture bearing and cultural transference that #NewOrleans is so good at.
Lady Liberty's been through a lot in recent years, but she’s still standing strong! Come roll with her in our gerrymeander to #NOLA Armstrong Park for an improvised counter-inauguration. The success of our resistance to whatever new insults will certainly come her way, may very well depend on
January 19, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Lady Liberty's been through a lot in recent years, but she’s still standing strong! Come roll with her in our gerrymeander to #NOLA Armstrong Park for an improvised counter-inauguration. The success of our resistance to whatever new insults will certainly come her way, may very well depend on
One week from the inauguration. Tragedies in New Orleans and L.A. There’s little to say. As a possible silver lining, I may have news of a counter-inaugural parade in #NewOrleans, much like the one from 2017 that I wrote about in my last Substack piece. Details to come, I hope.
January 13, 2025 at 10:56 PM
One week from the inauguration. Tragedies in New Orleans and L.A. There’s little to say. As a possible silver lining, I may have news of a counter-inaugural parade in #NewOrleans, much like the one from 2017 that I wrote about in my last Substack piece. Details to come, I hope.
January 8, 2025 at 3:32 PM
My Substack article this week, sent out on the anniversary of the #January6th riots and the day Trump’s electoral college win would be certified for his second term in office, explores the importance of connection during the coming 4 years of chaos.
January 8, 2025 at 3:29 PM
My Substack article this week, sent out on the anniversary of the #January6th riots and the day Trump’s electoral college win would be certified for his second term in office, explores the importance of connection during the coming 4 years of chaos.
On January 20, 2017 in #NewOrleans' #FrenchQuarter, a group of New Orleanians held a mock jazz funeral for Lady Liberty. As #Trump put his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible, we lowered Liberty’s articulated right arm and lifted her into a black coffin. We paraded her down Canal Street
January 7, 2025 at 6:10 PM
On January 20, 2017 in #NewOrleans' #FrenchQuarter, a group of New Orleanians held a mock jazz funeral for Lady Liberty. As #Trump put his hand on Abraham Lincoln’s Bible, we lowered Liberty’s articulated right arm and lifted her into a black coffin. We paraded her down Canal Street
My latest #Substack is a reflection on Jimmy Carter and the awards for the 2007 Ridenhour Courage Prize. Given the tragedy in #neworleans and Trump's false claim that the perp was an immigrant, it's even more important to honor Carter's peacemaking legacy:
randyfertel.substack.com/p/reflecting...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/reflecting...
January 2, 2025 at 5:14 PM
My latest #Substack is a reflection on Jimmy Carter and the awards for the 2007 Ridenhour Courage Prize. Given the tragedy in #neworleans and Trump's false claim that the perp was an immigrant, it's even more important to honor Carter's peacemaking legacy:
randyfertel.substack.com/p/reflecting...
randyfertel.substack.com/p/reflecting...