"Lantern" Ken Feingold 2005

Lantern

2005
The dialog is not pre-recorded, and is different each time someone talks to it, generated in real time by a computer program.
The conversations that this figure carries on are neither completely scripted, nor are they random; rather, the software gives
him a vocabulary, associative habits, obsessions, and other quirks of personality.

Visitor: hi.
Lantern: who called this girl…friggin’ herself with a camera…
V: excuse me?
L: you are such an asshole.
V: you are an asshole.
L: how are you doing? I can’t imagine what you are thinking about.
V: what are you thinking about?
L: insulting patients.
V: what about insulting patients?
L: one time she was sexing a lass.
V: excuse me?
L: get lost shit head.
V: do you like chicken?
L: the subject…i feel puzzled again.
V: you are easy to confuse.
L: am i?
V: yes.
L: what are you thinking about?
V: i’m thinking about chicken.
L: wherever she goes is where she lies.
V: wherever you go.
L: oh, what if i am down?
V: what kind of name is lantern?
L: what is the use of having a name?
V: why do they call you lantern?
L: style library, solidify, simplify.
V: excuse me?
L: select with inject, correct.
V: do you like ace gallery?
L: you are such an asshole.
V: do you like ken feingold?
L: who gives a fuck.
V: i do.
L: that’s interesting.
V: you seem very temperamental.
L: maybe i do seem very temperamental.
V: why are you bald?
L: fuck. Lets get the fuck back to church. You see rockstars at the breakfast table.
They wear sunglasses.
V: rockstars are cool!
L: a complicated inheritance.
V: so do you think rockstars are cool?
L: that big worm is shedding its skin.
V: what are you talking about?
L: are you trying to pull my leg?
V: no.
L: i heard when your mother first saw you, she put you on the front steps of the
police station and turned herself in.