At Slam Dunk Poetry Readings, Meter’s Made Profitable

Starving bards, your day has arrived. Or perhaps at least your next couple of meals. Performance poets can now make a few bucks at Tuesday night’s Slam Dunk at The Longboard in Huntington Beach.

This weekly celebration of live poetry under the stars is hosted by founder and artist Charles Ellik and poet Linda Bowden. Unlike most poetry readings, Slam Dunk is a forum where poets, who pay a $4 entry fee, compete for cash prizes. The friendly contest comes complete with hecklers and hams, making for an entertaining eve for participants and observers alike.

Nestled in the heated back patio of Longboard’s pub and grill, a horseshoe of tables and chairs surrounds a makeshift stage designated by a hanging, hand-painted sheet and potted trees.

The games officially begin at 8:30, when contestants sign up and are then selected by lottery. Without props or music, each poet recites an original piece in less than three minutes. Points are deducted for overtime, maintaining a pace uncharacteristic of most poetry readings. It’s a welcome relief for followers of Short Attention Span Theater.

Poetic content and styles are as eclectic as the authors themselves. Thespians, psychologists, students, lawyers and young punks gather to swap ideas and indulge in personal expression.

Performances vary from spontaneous court-jester theatrics to well-rehearsed melodramas. Politically charged free verse, wanna-be shockers and sappy sonnets fall somewhere in between. There’s something for everyone here.

Where else can you share a table with folks such as psychic hot-line consultant Stormy Warn, an occult bookstore salesmen pen-named Danni Bonaducci or the editor of Next, a local magazine?

First-time contestants might feel intimidated when accosted by a chorus of “Virgin! Virgin!” when approaching the stage. Don’t be. The house hecklers are rowdy but conscientious. Most attacks are geared toward those who relish the good-natured revelry. Everyone else gets their undivided attention and supportive applause.

Ellik chooses a celebrity judge from among local promoters and magazine editors. The previous week’s Slam Dunk winner also takes a seat at the bench. A third judge is chosen from the audience.

Scores, on a scale from 1 to 10, are tallied during intermission. Winners are announced by the host after a wacky but very official toot of the mollusk horn.

The contestant with the highest score takes home 50 bucks, in addition to privileges as a future judge and a featured reader’s slot. First runner-up gets $15, while second runner-up picks up 10 one-dollar bills. In the event of a tie, poets battle by performing a second original piece in the Slam-Off.

Slams have become a regular feature on the poetry circuit, even finding a place on the Lollapalooza bill. According to lore, the concept started in Chicago in 1981 to settle a feud between two poets.

Spirited host Ellik relieves competitive pressure by maintaining a witty and lighthearted edge throughout the show. His humble appreciation of participants’ enthusiasm has been reciprocated by the community, which has played a major role in the survival of this project.

When a fund shortage threatened the month-old event in November, Ellik reluctantly announced the end. He was unexpectedly flooded with offers to keep it alive, including regular financial aid from attorney/poets Denise Kuper and Chris Deiner. The response showed that this is one poet’s society that refuses to die.

Longboard’s kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., serving a California-style cuisine of steak and seafood. Appetizers such as buffalo wings for $4.95 and shrimp kebabs for $9.95 are favorites among the Slam Dunk crowd.

Bar and club hours are 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Domestic drafts go for $2.25. Bottled imports run $3. Happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays serves beer on tap for $1.50 and half-priced appetizers. A glass of wine is $3.25. Sodas, juice and coffee are $1.50 each.

* SLAM DUNK, at The Longboard

* 217 Main St., Huntington Beach.

* (714) 960-1896.

* Tuesdays from 8:30 to 10 p.m.

* No cover.