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WIRED Archive 2.10 Oct. 94
Street Cred

Voices from Planet Duplex By Betsy Brazy

When David Greenberger became the activities
director at Boston's Duplex Nursing Home in 1979,
he wanted a way to get all the cylinders running in
the minds of the seniors living there. Shuffleboard
just wasn't going to do the trick; instead
Greenberger created a 'zine called Duplex Planet
and began asking the residents all sorts of goofy
questions, such as, "Which is better, coffee or
meat?" He put their answers (such as, "Can't chew,
so it'll have to be coffee") in his 'zine.

Duplex Planet was an underground success, and
has since grown to include a weekly radio show, a
CD, a comic book, and a set of trading cards. Now
there's a book called Duplex Planet: Everybody's
Asking Who I Was that features the best of his
'zine.

The 'zine has spawned an eclectic mix of admirers -
filmmaker Jonathan Demme, illusionists Penn &
Teller, musician Lou Reed. It's easy to see why.
These interviews are witty, silly, intriguing.
While
they don't necessarily illustrate the wisdom of
years, it's a kicky reminder that it's OK to be
outrageous at any age.

Dulex Planet: Everybody's Asking Who I Was , by
David Greenberger, US$14.95. Distributed by Cornell
University Press: (800) 666 2211, +1 (607) 277
2211.