San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
RYAN KOST’S OFF-THERADAR PICK
“Mortified” — the much-loved storytelling series in which adults read aloud their angstfilled childhood poems, journals and diaries — started off innocently enough. Founder David Nadelberg says that one day, many years ago, he came across a love letter he’d written to a high school crush. (Her name was Leslie.) He read the letter to some friends; they loved it; and, he figured, there must be others out there willing to embarrass themselves publicly.
“Mortified” is now a podcast, television show, collection of books — and the list goes on. This weekend, the storytelling event celebrates 13 years of its San Francisco iteration with a 2018 “megashow.” There aren’t many details on who will be performing, but the guests are generally beside the point: The stories are what matter, and what have made “Mortified” such an enduring institution.
Still, the group promises that the storytellers will include professional performers as well as amateurs, “all in the noble pursuit of selfdegradation. Personal redemption through public humiliation.”
“Mortified”:
7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 6. $18 advance; $25 at the door. The Great Northern, 119 Utah St., S.F. www.getmortified.com