Say it Ain't So Story Telling Salon

Welcome to the Say it Ain't So Storytelling Salon! Join us at Ernie O'Malley's for an evening of captivating tales and shared experiences.

oin us for a special Veterans Edition of Say It Ain’t So, where storytellers share true tales from their lives in and out of uniform.

This month’s lineup includes:

James Williams
At just 16 years old—with a forged birth certificate—James enlisted in the Marine Corps to avoid J*il time. A self-described “juvenile delinquent” and blackout drinker, he found redemption through the discipline and brotherhood of the Corps.
He served as a Combat Engineer during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was part of the first wave of U.S. troops deployed to Vietnam in 1965.
After his honorable discharge, the G.I. Bill led him to college, where psychedelic-fueled conversations turned him from an Ayn Rand devotee into an antiwar activist. James went on to join Vietnam Veterans Against the War and has been an artist and activist ever since.
Today, he’s a performer, director, and teacher of Tai Chi and Aerobic Dance—and a proud member of Veterans for Peace.

Kathy Simmons
Kathy will share stories from her years working at the legendary Times Square Irish bar, Rosie O’Grady’s—a place where the neon lights, Broadway crowds, and Irish hospitality created stories worth telling.

John McDonagh
Host and Army veteran (Germany, 1973–75) will guide the evening, weaving together stories of service, survival, and transformation.

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Host or Publisher Jack Diamonds