As most children's book fans know, every January the latest winners of the Newbery and Caldecott Awards are interviewed by NBC's TODAY SHOW on the morning after the prize announcement.
In case you forgot to watch the show this week, I am including Matt Lauer's interview with the Newbery-winning author here:
Actually, that is only a portion of the interview (an "expert" of it, to quote Matt.) After the commercial, Newbery Medalist Snooki talked about how exciting it was to get that early morning phone call from the prize committee:
Matt: Did the phone call wake you up?
Snooki: No, I'd just gotten home from clubbing and hadn't even taken off my high heels or hair extensions yet.
Matt: Someone told me you fell to the floor when you got the big news.
Snooki: Actually, I was already on the floor. It was a wild night.
Matt: Tell us about your book.
Snooki: It's about two girls who go to the Jersey Shore for summer vacation and spend a lot of time partying, drinking, and hot-tubbing.
Matt: And what happens?
Snooki: I actually haven't read the whole book yet.
Matt: But--
Snooki: But I did write it myself. I really truly did! Honest!
Matt: How does it feel to win the Newbery Award for your first book?
Snooki: To be honest, Matt, I never heard of this Blueberry Award till I won, but I guess I like it. My publisher said the book is going to have a big gold sticker on the cover now. I like shiny things.
Matt: What are you going to wear to the award banquet this summer?
Snooki: Something tight. Something short. Something lowcut.
Matt: So...where are you planning to go after our interview today? Will you be signing your book at a store, or speaking to a library group?
Snooki: Naw, I think I'll just hit the tanning salons.
Matt: Before you go, what do you say to those who think your book didn't really deserve the Newbery?
Snooki: They can kiss my bodunk.
______________________________________________
Okay, she really didn't win.
But Snooki did appear on the TODAY SHOW this week, during the spot normally reserved for the ALA award winners.
The Newbery and Caldecott winners were nowhere to be seen.
Shame on TODAY.
But I'm here with good news.
As I write this blog, the just-crowned Newbery winner, MOON OVER MANIFEST by Clare Vanderpool, ranks #11 on the Amazon.com bestseller list.
Snooki's bookie is ranked #668.
So it is and so it shall forever be.
MOON OVER MANIFEST will be in every library and bookstore for generations to come.
It will never go out of print.
Remember, the very first Newbery winner, THE STORY OF MANKIND, is still in print an still read ninety years after it was published.
And MOON OVER MANIFEST will still be read ninety years from now.
Will anyone still be reading Snooki's book ninety years from now?
Heck, will anyone be reading it next year?
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9 comments:
Blueberry award, haw haw! Peter, your parody is hilarious. And it's sad but not totally surprising that the Today Show gave her more importance. (When I first heard about this debacle I said, "Who's Snooki?" But then again, I don't watch much TV)
You make an excellent point about the permanence of Newbery winners like MOON OVER MANIFEST. I love the thought that kids will still be reading it 90 years from now.
Hallelujah!
Not really sad! Not even surprising. Not even news! It's about the ratings and the Newbery and Caldecott awards are not news nor are they major ratings. Jersey Shore is the #1 rated show on MTV. Regardless of how stupid she and the rest of them look, their show is hot.
And just like kids will be reading the Caldecott award for the next 90 years, so will this show be either on DVD, Blueray, VHS or some form of it for the next 90 years!
Your "interview" cracked me up.
But the idea that people will still be watching recordings of Jersey Shore 90 years from now made me laugh even harder.
Ooooh, unless it turns into a cult hit a la Rocky Horror, and there will be teenagers dressed up as Snooki et al prancing in front of the screen.
Thanks for the perspective on the today show situation...
Love it!
Ratings justification or no, I am still totally miffed at the Today Show's decision. They couldn't spare 5 minutes for something actually, y'know, important? Just more reason to hate "the news."
True. Thanks for the light at the end of the tunnel.
I love your mock interview and the Today Show should be mocked along with Snooki. On the up side, I didn't Snooki actually knew how to use a pencil let alone a word processor.
But you are right - Moon Over Manifest will still be read long after Snooki book has been turned into recycled paper.
This Venn Diagram has been making the rounds for a bit. You need to see it if you haven't...
Wonderful interview parody. It's awful that the winners of the Newbery and Caldecott were bypassed this year. Audiences deserve better.
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