Hong Kong, Ep. 2

September 7, 2013 — For the second consecutive night, Hong Kong's talent-rich literati shined ultra-bright at Literary Death Match at The Fringe Club, as the jam-packed house witnessed David Young narrowly conquer co-finalist Jeanne Lambin in a madcap game of Literary Pictionary by a closer-than-the-score-suggests score of 17-1, winning Young the LDM Hong Kong, Ep. 2 crown. 

But well before Sharpies brandished, the night kicked off with Doretta Lau, author of How Does a Single Blade of Grass Thank the Sun? (coming in 2014) who read a bogglingly fun stand-alone short story called "Goddamn, How Real is This?" which she called a sort of sci-fi story. Up next was Young, writer and HK Stories organizer, who told the tale of a level crossing in Manitoba, an x on the ground that marked the spot for choppers, and eventual tragedy. 

The mic was then turned over to the night's quadruple-team of all-star judges: Marshall Moore, author The Concrete Sky and An Ideal for Living; Alex Daye & Ellis Krueger, designers/tailors extraordinaire(s); and Vivek Mahbubani ('07 Chinese & '08 English Funniest Comedian in HK & drummer for Eve of Sin). The quadret traded praise — for Lau's prose and shoe choices; for Young's commanding arm movements and powerful style, and his ability to resemble judge Moore. After a heated deliberation between the trio, they announced that it would be Young that would advance as the night's first finalist. 

After a brief intermission, Round 2 opened lit-blazing with Jeanne Lambin, writer and People's Liberation Improv member telling a heart-aching story of dimentia via TSC-773, a rare, progressive neurodegenerative disorder. Finally, it was Austin Tang, writer and SPEAK storyslam 3-time winner, who had the audience in throes with his tale of Man Vs. Bug — an unexpected battle with disease-ridden mosquitos.

Again the judges were center stage, with the foursome praising/gently jeering Lambin's hand-written work and how steadily intense her piece was, while they adored Tang's hilarity and his quick hands that had the speed to kill off any insect. The four judges huddled and after another impossible choice, they decided it would be Lambin that would advance as the night's second finalist. 

Then came the calamatous finale, as LDM creator Adrian Todd Zuniga took center stage, asking audience members to come up and draw pictures to represent internationally best-selling book titles. After a hot start and a 1-0 lead, David Young caught fire, winning each of the final four rounds (to win it all 17-1) to win the LDM Hong Kong, Ep. 2 medal, and literary immortality to go with it. 

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