Friends with candy

Photos: Brent Coover

Out hosted a book party for our beloved columnist Josh Kilmer-Purcell (above) at the New York bar Bowery Electric last night. In keeping with theme of Candy Everybody Wants, Josh's newest novel, Out's editor in chief, Aaron Hicklin, and art director Nick Vogelson even took to DJ'ing a long list of awful '80s music.

The real hit, however, is this recreation of the fictional soap opera that plays a starring role in the book:

DALLASTY! from Candy Everybody Wants

> Also making an appearance last night was author James Frey (left):

Frey is the lucky subject of this amazing essay by Janet Maslin in the New York Times:

He got a second act. He got another chance. Look what he did with it. He stepped up to the plate and hit one out of the park. No more lying, no more melodrama, still run-on sentences still funny punctuation but so what. He became a furiously good storyteller this time.

I don't know: Maybe he doesn't feel so lucky, but it seems like something of an honor to have the venerable critic turn her eye your way. Maslin has a way of making you fall in love, splat, just by telling you why something (a movie, a book) is worth your time.

Previously > What's up with the man crush? > Phags for Phelps