Whassup: Keepin' On Edition

http://www.brooklynfreeclinic.org/community/tedmed-2013/

As The Onion put it, "This What World Like Now." But it's also true that, as people say, the best response to terrible shit is often to keep on doing things like normal. So, Brooklyn, keep on attending weird events and drinking expensive craft beers in "dive" bars. Because this is what we do. Welcome to Whassup: Keepin' On Edition:

* Friday, April 19-Sunday, April 21: BK Folk Festival, Bell House: A bunch of banjo-wielding flannel wearers will turn Brooklyn all rootsy for the 5th Annual BK Folk Festival. Put on by Red Hook's Jalopy Theater, this year's edition expands to the Bell House for greater fiddlin' elbow space. Check out Whassup's personal favorites: old-school country Alex Battles and the Whiskey Rebellion on Friday, deep-voiced chantreuse Mamie Minch on Saturday, and the (literally) world-champion whistling of The Whistling Wolves on Sunday. 7pm Fri, 1:30pm Sa, 2pm Su; $15-$30 daily, $80 3-day pass.

* Friday, April 19: Choose Your Own Adventure Reading, Singularity & Co. (Vinegar Hill): The "I, Reader" CYOA reading series tackles "the future," appropriate for a shop stocked with vintage sci-fi books. Because I don't care how fucked up the world gets, 1950's ideas about space rockets will always be pretty cool. Wine is provided, because that's how NY readings roll. 7:30pm, FREE.

* Saturday, April 20: TEDMED BK Health Talks, Gowanus Ballroom (55 9th St.): Brooklyn hooks up with the TEDMED medical education and communication conference in D.C. (where BK's own Ben Lillie and Erin Barker, hosts of the Story Collider science series at Union Hall, will be speaking). The Brooklyn event will include livestreams of DC's speakers, live BK-centric talks, and performances by local artists. Plus, your brain will get all huge with knowledge. It's totally sexy. 10am-6:30pm, FREE.

* Monday, April 22: Terrible Ninja Mutant Reading, Union Hall: Cowabunga! Radica--I'm sorry, I can't do this. Anyway, this is a live reading of the notoriously awful, rejected "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" film script -- as the hosts describe it, " a script so bad even Michael Bay refused to make the movie." There will be no Michael Bay-esque action sequences (we hope) or shots of Megan Fox's plastic Barbie-doll face (we double hope), but there will be the inherent humor of bad, kitschy writing. Come, Brooklyn's failed writers, feel better about your own terrible work. 8pm, $6.

* Wednesday, April 24: Jennifer Egan, Urban Assembly Fundraiser, Littlefield: This has Park Slope written all over it: a chance to say you're attending a literary event, supporting education, and sending money to a progressive cause, all in one! Authors Jennifer Egan, Sheri Holman, and Rick Moody will read at this fundraiser for the Urban Assembly School for Law & Justice, an NYC prep high school that focuses on legal studies and debate. Don't think about how you might be creating even more lawyers. Think about educating the kids. 6pm, $12-$100.

* Through April 28: Julius Caesar, BAM: This production of Bill's "Julius Caesar" re-envisions the stabby tragedy in an African kingdom. Start thinking of your "Et Tu, Concessions Guy?" quips now. 7:30pm and matinees, $25-$125.

* On Sale Now: BK Hockey: Have you forgiven the Barclays Center yet? Better question: Are you ready to sell out and buy Barclays tickets, anyway? If you haven't already, maybe this'll break the camel's back: guys on skates punching each other and slapping around a black disc tat 80 mph. Tickets are now on sale for the Sep. 21 popping of the Barclay Center's hockey cherry, with the NY Islanders first game at their new home. Maybe pick up some flingable cephalopods at a local business on your way, just to offset the Barclays guilt a bit. $19.5-$101 (before fees).