[codingdave]

The question I have not yet seen in the comments here is whether or not this post is real or fiction. Is it the journal of a questionable character, or a deliberate attempt to push people's buttons?

And honestly, that is why I like it. I really hope it cannot be taken at face value - that would be disappointment.

[doctorpangloss]

All the true stories you actually bother to read are a little fictive.

That said, he said two specific relationships with real people that I know, by name, and you know what? He’s telling it like it was in those cases.

The least real thing about this is that, reading carefully, the only antagonists are the occasional grant committee members who reject him. To me, in real life, fine artists are quite opinionated and tend to beef with a lot of people; or have no opinions, and are pigeonholed into doing the same exact thing that once, long ago, got them an audience, over and over again. Andrew does not belong to this latter group.

[karaterobot]

I don't see anything about a movie called Interlaken being developed. On IMDB, I do see an Andrew Norman Wilson as the director of the short films he mentions in the article.

Who knows about the individual details in it. I'm sure it's sort of directionally true. It's believable at any rate.

[netsharc]

Interlaken is a town in Switzerland, and he says the movie will be set there, not that it'll be the title.

[gary_0]

> Is it the journal of a questionable character, or a deliberate attempt to push people's buttons?

Reminds me of some of Hunter S Thompson's writing (who always insisted his sordid semi-autobiographical tales were drawn directly from even more depraved true events).

[rightbyte]

It seems like some art student guy's journey leveling up from food coupon couch surfing to movie director. Dunno if real or not or what the point is. Feels like trolling to piss people off?

[api]

It was posted. It got attention. Someone may remember his name. Mission accomplished.

[NoboruWataya]

Kinda gives me Bukowski vibes, like if Hank Chinaski had gone to art school.

[badpun]

Chinaski was working for a living, this guy would rather cheat and steal, as he thinks labor is beneath him (he described a regular cleaner's job as "demeaning").

[tomcam]

When I think Bukowski, I think a Pasadena residence punctuated by visits to the Queen Mary

[rootusrootus]

> whether or not this post is real or fiction

Well, he has one other post on the same site that is explicitly marked fiction, where this one is not. That may be a clue.

[codingdave]

Maybe - this is clearly someone who enjoys blurring the line between reality and fiction, so a their tagging of their own work might be equally blurry.

[roughly]

> whether or not this post is real or fiction

I suspect both, and I’d suspect the author’s the sort who wouldn’t stay in one category no matter the circumstances.