A Gay/campy chronicling of daily life in NYC,with individual kernels of human truth. copyright 2011 by The Raving Queen
Wednesday, November 22, 2017
So, What Was It Like Seeing David Sedaris????????????????????????
Just last evening, my husband, David, along with Baby Gojira, safely packed away in his gold Diane Von Furstenberg reticule, rushed to BAM to hear David Sedaris give a reading.
It was held in the Howard Gilman opera house, where, I believe, we saw "The Hard Nut" last year. I never expected to be back there so soon, and for something I was not expecting to attend, but the experience, while it did not meet the agenda attached to it, shed some interesting light on David Sedaris.
But, first, that agenda. Baby Gojira wanted to go along, (and this is only the third time he has traveled with us; the first time when we moved here, and he stayed in this apartment all by himself, with me tearfully missing him; the second when we visited our good friends Dan and Norma, who were definitely cheered up by Baby Gojira's presence) because it was his hope that David Sedaris' sister, Amy, would be there, because Baby Gojira wants so much to be on her show. He would like to be sous chef to her cook.
Alas, if Amy was there, I did not see her.
Nor is David Amy. Though, in his culottes, his legs were almost as nice as hers, if not quite. He has a cute cheerful manner, and while the voice is high pitched, it is not as affected, as, say, Truman Capote. But, then David did not write "In Cold Blood," either.
The bottom line is, I think he works better on the printed page. He paints vivid pictures on said pages, allowing the reader to visualize for him or herself as the text moves forward. Though I have to confess, especially in a story dealing with his father, which was especially moving, David's voice took on a relaxed cadence--or maybe I had just gotten used to it--and, as I closed my eyes, portraits appeared in my head, accompanying his spoken words, in a way I never thought him capable of.
David kept insisting, in reference to someone wanting him for a film, that he is not an actor. That is apparent, but not a mark against him, just another distinction between he and Amy. Amy is also considerably more visual than David.
Some of the humor was much too scatological, for my taste. I don't think I get too much so, on here, because who would be interested in my so-called intestinal problems? And why the hell should I be in anyone else's? Meryl Streep does not talk about hers!!!!!!!! Wise woman, that Meryl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I would read David again--in fact, I plan to!!!!--before I would go see him. I could not get over the unusual demographics of the audience--straight people who I am not sure understood half of what he was saying, a mixture of young and old. But not the assortment of queens and fag hags I was expecting.
Once Baby Gojira accepted Amy was not there, he went off to sleep.
But, Amy, if you read this, Baby Gojira still wants to be on your show, and has a great idea for a crafting project.
That is, if it can get pass the censors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Theres a fine line between "quirky-funny" and "aren't-I-so-fucking-quirky-you-can't-help-but-adore-me" self-idolization. Amy hews toward the former, David toward the latter.
ReplyDeleteUnlike his more-accessible sister, David Sedaris is what I'd euphemistically call an "acquired taste". His voice alone is enough to flip a gay activist into a raging homophobe within ten seconds (he makes Truman Capote sound like Broderick Crawford). AS you say, he has his moments in print, but is definitely one of those artists one admires but should never meet (or encounter on TV).
Tho I do like Amy, even she needed time to evolve. During her first wave of recognition and minor fame, I couldn't understand what the fuss was about. She was annoying as shit and not at all funny: more like her brother. She stepped away from the limelight for awhile, reinvented herself as a character actress, and is now more versatile (and far more palatable than her brother). She's got a few ongoing cameo roles in various web-streamed TV series where I actually forget its Amy and just enjoy the character(s) she's playing.
I need to check out her youTube series, since you've praised it so highly of late.
ReplyDeleteWell, as I said, Baby Gojira
was hoping to encounter Amy. I kept
hoping she'd make a surprise entrance
during the readings. The place was packed,
and I don't get all the fuss. I connect
with Amy, but not David. He has a modicum
of talent, but his mass appeal eludes me.My
David says it is because he reinforces straight
people's notions of what gays are like, and, sadly,
I am convinced that is true. He is always posturing,
whereas on my blog, I am being REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
...reinforces straight notions of what gays are like...
ReplyDeleteI think he hit the nail on the head
ReplyDeleteI had to agree, Victoria.
Though I would still read him
on the printed page.