On Wednesday evening, a curfew was enforced throughout Downtown L.A., yet beyond its boundaries, on Washington Boulevard at Night Gallery, the city’s literary elite gathered for the debut event of On The Rag – a contemporary tabloid tailored for social media, released by Sammy Loren and printed this spring.
Loren, who was sporting a stylish tan blazer and a neat crop of brown hair, remarked that the New York Post had referred to them as the second-best tabloid globally following their launch event in March. Loren, aged around 30, started publishing fiction in La Prensa while residing in Mexico City. Upon relocating to L.A., they felt disconnected from the literary scene and thus initiated Casual Encountersz, an underground reading series, in 2020. From there, On The Rag blossomed – initially as Instagram posts, and now as a fully-fledged alternative magazine. “Tabloids are widely popular,” Loren explained. “They’re accessible, they’re cheap to produce, and they’re transparent about their purpose. I dislike the elitism prevalent in the literary and art world.
In its inaugural edition, On The Rag blends the sophisticated with the casual, keeping readers intrigued: an account penned by a surfer in Gaza about everyday life intertwines with poetry, ads for Latina escort services, and a dialogue between art critic Anahid Nersessian and artist Sanya Kantarovsky. The last page features On The Rag‘s complaints section, which is also shared on their Instagram account. Among the mix of complaints and visuals, one finds “Paris Sucks Cock: not a single soul has extended an invitation to a reading in their backyard…FUCK THIS PLACE!”. Despite not reporting any headline-making news, On The Rag will undoubtedly continue to offer captivating, unique short stories from both emerging and established writers, with a dash of mischievous (and occasionally explicit) humor thrown in.
Loren recently said to Emily Sundberg of ‘On The Rag’ for her ‘Feed Me’ substack that if ‘The New Yorker’ and ‘National Enquirer’ had a child, it would be like a high-class literary magazine getting entangled with explicit images. In addition, ‘OTR’ shares a certain spiritual connection with Mexico’s tabloids, which are known for their Freudian approach and often feature photos of corpses alongside adult entertainers.
Amidst the bustling downtown L.A. launch party, I found myself surrounded by the faint aroma of cigarettes that filled the air throughout the evening. As guests mingled, they interacted with Lily Kwong’s eco-friendly installations in the Night Gallery’s courtyard – truly a work of art. At one point, an adorable dog chose a chest-high mound of earth decorated with native flowers and grasses as its personal restroom. The queue for human restrooms was consistently long, with at least five individuals waiting patiently.
Instead of starting the event’s readings with his own work, Loren introduced it by saying, “I’d like to welcome Diva Corp, one of America’s foremost art critics, who writes for On The Rag and serves as their arts editor. It’s a pleasure to have them here.” This elicited some applause from the audience.
After Loren came Ruby Zuckerman, adorned in a sleek black cocktail dress and stylish black kitten heels. She mentioned that she wanted to share a brief story she penned about her grandfather, who spoke Yiddish fluently, hence her learning the language too. Sammy had warned her about lengthy readings, so she would only be reading a small part of it. Later on, Zuckerman commented that “Sammy always knows how to make things fun. He has the unique ability to infuse humor into literature and writing, and there’s a playful aspect to his work, much like a tabloid.”
As for Chet Hanks, son of renowned actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, he was billed as the main event for the night. He was anticipated to read from an upcoming memoir. However, when Kennedy Wright approached the microphone, she revealed that Hanks had texted her saying he couldn’t attend the event due to unavoidable circumstances: “I wanted to read a chapter from my latest novel, The Baptism of Abraxas. I’m eagerly looking forward to the next one. Hope to see you there.” The room was filled with uncertainty as everyone wondered if Chet Hanks would indeed show up or if this was all part of some publicity stunt.
Among the night’s various readers, Chris Kraus – an author, editor, critic, and editorial director of On The Rag – was one. “Sammy hosts the best events,” she commented, standing close to a table selling copies of the tabloid for $10. She was casually dressed in loose jeans, a white t-shirt, and an indigo-dyed blazer. “A tabloid is exactly what we need,” she added. “Sammy’s thinking aligns with ours. His Instagram posts may not make sense, but they sure do stir up controversy.
Later on, Kraus perused a fresh short story destined for Reynaldo Rivera’s forthcoming anthology titled “Propriedad Privada“. Kraus mentioned that he had asked various individuals, who happened to be his acquaintances associated with Semiotext(e), to pen stories that were both sensual and introspective, offering a glimpse into their personal lives.
As a devotee, I shared the stage in vibrant canary yellow pants and a silk scarf belt, with Zara Schuster, as she recited a dual-language (French and English) poem of hers. Reflecting on the moment, I expressed my belief that Los Angeles is long overdue for a literary and arts magazine, and Sammy is the perfect individual to bring it to life. After all, he was the catalyst that ignited my own journey, venturing across the streets of L.A., sharing poetry aloud. Her reading series, Propaganda, has been making waves lately, appearing at the Chateau Marmont and on a Hollywood Stars tour bus. As the social editor for On The Rag, she’s paving the way for many aspiring writers who crave this platform.
Rachel Kushner, a renowned author and the closing reader of the evening, made her entrance at the event wearing flared denim jeans and a denim top. She informed the crowd that her outfit wasn’t from Target but from Sunday’s Best Vintage in Echo Park, a nearby shop. After finishing her poem from On The Rag, she shared some thoughts about her time in Los Angeles: “Casual Encounters was a feature of Craigslist when I moved here in 2003,” she explained. “People were using it to buy used furniture, but there was another section where people would say things like ‘hey, who’s awake right now?’ That’s the kind of companionship they were seeking at 3 a.m.” A fan interrupted her conversation to greet her, and they exchanged pleasantries before she continued. “Sammy named his reading series after that insouciant spirit,” she said. “And when he started On The Rag, I thought the title was hilarious. It’s an old-fashioned phrase that isn’t used much anymore. I was part of the project without fully understanding its purpose.
Following the conclusion of the event, Sammy took to the microphone saying, “Join us for an afterparty at El Prado, located in Echo Park. If you plan on attending, please gather your beverages and make your way out.” Thus, the launch celebration came to a close.
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2025-06-13 23:55