Brian L. Patton (AKA The Sexy Vegan) (1978 - )

My friend and colleague Michele L. told me recently that a popular YouTube sensation turned bestselling cookbook author is a native of Hazleton, PA. His name is Brian L. Patton, but he is more popularly known by his moniker The Sexy Vegan.

In the introduction to his recently published debut cookbook The Sexy Vegan Cookbook: Extraordinary Food From An Ordinary Dude, Brian L. Patton was born in Hazleton, PA on February 16, 1978. After graduating college and moving to Hollywood, Patton topped the scale at 260 pounds. In turn, he started a vegan diet and over time shed several pounds.

In 2006, Patton launched his online vegan cooking show on YouTube under his nickname The Sexy Vegan and it became an Internet hit. In 2010 Patton was offered a publishing contract from New World Library, and his debut cookbook was published on March 21, 2012.

The Sexy Vegan Cookbook is available to borrow from the Lackawanna County Library System; click here to place a hold.

Much thanks to Michele L. for this reference.

www.thesexyvegan.moonfruit.com

Bossypants by Tina Fey (2011)

On page 219 of Tina Fey's hilarious new memoir Bossypants, the comedienne discusses her Emmy-winning impersonations of Sarah Palin during the 2008 election on Saturday Night Live; and Fey mentions the mock Vice-Presidential Debate of Sarah Palin (Fey) and Joe Biden (Jason Sudeikis), with Queen Latifah as moderator, as her favorite of all the sketches she did:

Three, I thought the speeches that Jim Downey wrote for Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden was brilliant. Especially the stuff where Biden is trying to prove he's not some Washington elite by talking about how he's from Scranton, Pennsylvania, "the most godforsaken place on earth." I thought that was ingenious , because not only was the ad hominem attack on Scranton a hilarious comedy left turn, it also exemplified what the election had become. Instead of talking about issues, everyone was trying to prove how "down-home" they were. "I'm just like you" was the subtext of every speech.

In addition, Fey also includes a reference to Hazleton (page 250) when describing her many adventures traveling over the Christmas holidays:

...It got even more magical and glamorous when the baby became a toddler. One year, I believe, she screamed all the way from Hazleton to the Moshannon State Forest.

Bossypants by Tina Fey is available to borrow from the Lackawanna County Library System; to place a hold, click here.

To watch the original SNL sketch that aired October 4, 2008, click here or view the video below.