They Even Had a Panel on Porn Music

But I didn't go.

When the publishing company Routledge is in town for an academic conference, I work at their book exhibit. Last week was the Society of American Music/National Conference on Black Music Research joint conference. Other disciplines sleep in; their conferences don't expect me to be there until 9 or even 10. But the musicologists are early birds, and I had to be downtown and ready to work by 8, which meant that I had to get up at 6:30. As many of you probably know, I don't do 6:30, or even 8, for that matter. Throw in some insomnia, and I was a zombie all week.

One morning as I was staggering toward the entrance, I had to wind my way through a big crowd of people gathered at the door. I bumped into someone, apologized, and let him go through the revolving door first. Then I realized it was Michael Imperioli, who, in addition to playing Christopher (my favorite character) on The Sopranos, cowrote the screenplay to one of Spike Lee's best and most underrated films, Summer of Sam. However, in my addled state, the first thing that I thought was "You were great in My Baby's Daddy," which I have, in fact, never seen. Good thing I didn't say it out loud.