Josh Alan Friedman

For those prone to disbelief, Josh Alan Friedman’s landmark book, TALES OF TIMES SQUARE, serves as last will and testament of what once was. Still in print since its 1986 hardcover release by Delacorte Press, TALES became its own podcast in 2017. The demimonde of old Broadway say a mouthful from the burlesque theaters, boxing rings and gutters of a fading 42nd Street. All 20 episodes—along with Josh’s latest podcast season—appear at BlackCracker.fm and on iTunes. An animated TV series is in the works. Previous to that, the civil rights movement was turned upside down in Josh’s “autobiographical novel,” BLACK CRACKER. A new hardcover was published in 2017, along with Josh’s collection of music journalism, TELL THE TRUTH UNTIL THEY BLEED (both from Wyatt Doyle Books). Before that: WHEN SEX WAS DIRTY (Feral House); I, GOLDSTEIN: MY SCREWED LIFE (with Al Goldstein, Thunder's Mouth Press); and NOW DIG THIS: THE UNSPEAKABLE WRITINGS OF TERRY SOUTHERN (co-editor, Grove Press). Before the age of graphic novels, Josh set off satirical fires and lawsuits as writer-half of the Friedman Bros cartooning duo. Two anthologies remain in print from Fantagraphics, featuring the art of Josh's brother, Drew: WARTS AND ALL and ANY SIMILARITY TO PERSONS LIVING OR DEAD IS PURELY COINCIDENTAL. Seeing is believing. On the music front, as "Josh Alan," he barnstormed the state of Texas for 20 years, rocking whole arenas with his Guild D-40. Copping three Dallas Observer Music Awards for Best Acoustic Act, he released five albums: FAMOUS & POOR, THE WORST!, BLACKS 'N' JEWS, JOSH ALAN BAND, and the current tour-de force, SIXTY, GODDAMMIT. Josh is the son of Bruce Jay Friedman, also considered the father of Black Humor. He shares new work and selections from his archives on his podcast site at BlackCracker.fm