Libertarian teen orgy

I had a great time Thursday night at the Reason magazine party, my experience of which consisted of four basic phases:

• A guy walks past me and I hear somebody say "Beckerman," at which point I walk over and lambaste novelist Marty Beckerman -- precocious author of Generation S.L.U.T. -- for having failed to recognize me. The great thing about hanging out with Beckerman is, I always know I'm only the second-craziest guy in the room. Right now, Marty's peeved because Simon & Schuster screwed him on his next book, Retard Nation. "America's Sexxxiest Young Journalist" was hanging with an old college friend, Devin, who is funny.
  
• After about 45 minutes, I look over at the next table and nudge Marty: "Hey, it's Hitch." No kidding -- Christopher Hitchens was sitting there chatting, smoking and drinking. And drinking. One reason why Hitchens drinks a lot, I think, is because he so often drinks for free. People will buy him drinks (Johnny Walker Black) just to hear him talk. So Marty bought Hitch a whiskey, and he then regaled us with jokes and limericks. I had heard Hitch do one of the jokes -- which I call "The Respect Joke" -- at a comedy benefit for the Plamegate Two, and demanded a repeat performance. It was even better the second time.
• After midnight, my good friend Cinecon shows up, and we're talking to Jacob Sullum when who should appear on the big-screen TV but Ann Coulter, with Jay Leno on the "Tonight" show. This prompted an extended discussion about Coulter that turned into a debate over the Bush administration's surveillance programs.

At various points, I also found myself talking to:

• Evans Pierre of the Cato Institute who, with his rich baritone voice, ought to have his own talk-radio show.
• Tim Cavanaugh, who is moving from California and thus hasn't had time to edit my fireworks story yet. (Do you like fireworks?)
  
• Jeremy Lott, who's pro-hypocrisy. Jeremy joined my wife and I at the Tom Wolfe NEH lecture last month.
• Nick Gillespie, who loves Zeppelin and LSD.
• Say what you will about the Reasonoids, they throw a good party. Alex -- one of two guys who currently do blogger drag as Wonkette -- was supposed to be on hand, but he's underage, got carded and wasn't allowed into Buffalo Billiards.

Speaking of underage, the Reasonoids sure know how to generate blog traffic: Talk about teen orgies on CBS, complete with obscene online video. That's courtesy of Kerry Howley, who's seen my infamous Speedo photo.

-- McCAIN