Matt Ortile + Bowen Yang: The Groom Will Keep His Name

Join author Matt Ortile for a discussion of his debut essay collection, The Groom Will Keep His Name: And Other Vows I’ve Made About Race, Resistance, and Romance. Matt will discuss his hilarious new work with comedian Bowen Yang and have a Q&A with the audience.

All tickets include one single-use login for the event, one copy of The Groom Will Keep His Name to be received via direct mail the week of the event, and a signed bookplate. Please fill in your shipping information when purchasing an event ticket.

When Matt Ortile moved from Manila to Las Vegas, the locals couldn’t pronounce his name. Harassed as a kid for his brown skin, accent, and femininity, he believed he could belong in America by marrying a white man and shedding his Filipino identity. This was the first myth he told himself. The Groom Will Keep His Name explores the various tales Ortile spun about what it means to be a Vassar Girl, an American Boy, and a Filipino immigrant in New York looking to build a home.

As we meet and mate, we tell stories about ourselves, revealing not just who we are, but who we want to be. Ortile recounts the relationships and whateverships that pushed him to confront his notions of sex, power, and the model minority myth. Whether swiping on Grindr, analyzing DMs, or cruising steam rooms, Ortile brings us on his journey toward radical self-love with intelligence, wit, and his heart on his sleeve.