Big Poppa E
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| Big Poppa E | |
 Poetry Slam artist Big Poppa E |
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| Birth name | Eirik E. Ott |
| Born | 1967 Bakersfield, California |
Big Poppa E is the stage name of slam poetry performer Eirik Ott. His live performances combine poetry, stand-up comedy, and dramatic monologue in high-energy rants about relationships, pop culture, and hot button issues of the day.
His best known work is the performance poem The Wussy Boy Manifesto, a humorous rant championing sensitive men that elevates such cultural icons as Duckie from Pretty in Pink and Lloyd Dobler from Say Anything to role models. Debuting in 1999, The Wussy Boy Manifesto garnered widespread attention, prompting Ms. Magazine to name Big Poppa E "an icon for effeminate males" and The Los Angeles Times to proclaim him the "leader of a new men's movement."
He is the author of five chapbooks of poetry and prose (The Wussy Boy Manifesto, Missing, Exploding Heart, Big Poppa E's Magic Poetry, and his latest Come Destroy Me), two collections of haiku, two CDs of live recordings (Wussy Boy and B-Sides), and a DVD (Couches Across America). He has also published nearly twenty zines since 1992 as well.
Big Poppa E currently resides in Austin, Texas and continues to be an active member of the National Poetry Slam community. Although retired from poetry slam competition, he hosts slam bouts at the National Poetry Slam each year and serves as deejay for the Austin Poetry Slam (as DJ Hot Wings) every Wednesday night. He has held a number of day jobs since he began writing poetry in the early '90s, but now makes a living by performing at universities and high schools across the U.S.
[edit] Career
• Featured on HBO's Def Poetry showcase three times (2001, 2005, 2006).
• Featured on BET's The Way We Do It comedy / variety show.
• Appeared on CBS's 60 Minutes for 2 seconds.
• Member of the 1999 San Francisco Poetry Slam Team, co-champions of the 1999 National Poetry Slam in Chicago.
Also member of slam teams from: Chico, CA; Austin, TX; and San Antonio, TX.
• Headlined at more than 200 showcases in 32 states, including more than 60 major universities.
• Profiled in many newspapers worldwide • Featured performer at the Bumbershoot Festival (Seattle), South By Southwest (Austin, TX), and FronteraFest (Austin, TX).
