Arts & Entertainment
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Trans-Sister Radio
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The Samadhi Singers
Sedaris on Paris
Sedaris on Paris
(and not-quite-Paris)
Reviewed by Roland Palmer
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Burlington’s Flynn Theatre was filled with laughter on the evening of April 13 as author David Sedaris read from his upcoming book of essays, Me Talk Pretty One Day, a chronicle of his experiences living – or more truthfully, surviving life – in France.
The author of bestsellers Naked and Barrel Fever, Sedaris is a frequent commentator on NPR’s This American Life probably best known for his “SantaLand Diaries,” his memoir of elfdom at Macy’s. He has an amazing talent for blending humor with incisive social critique. Nothing seems to escape his eye as he shows how funny life really is.
Two of the most memorable essays of the evening were “Make It A Double” and “Jesus Shaves.”
“Make It A Double” deals with his attempts to master French. His problem lies in the fact that every noun in the language is either masculine or feminine, with differences in pronunciation, spelling, and meaning hinging on these seemingly random gender assignments. He soon realizes that plurals have no gender, and finds this to be a costly loophole when it’s time to do the shopping. In “Jesus Shaves,” he recounts his attempts to explain the Easter Bunny to his French teacher, with less than successful results.
Sedaris also tried out some limericks he is working on in honor of Ira Glass, former producer of NPR’s Morning Edition, and read some selections from his diaries. The evening ended with a question-and-answer session and a book signing.
Sedaris seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the audiences’ cheers and applause. He was shy and reserved – until he started reading, and then nothing was sacred, including his family. It was a rare treat to be able to interact with an author. When asked by an audience member if his family is really as he described, he answered simply, “yes.” When another person mentioned that Vermonters liked gays, he quipped, “I’d rather you liked smoking.”
Sedaris’ new book will be available this spring. In addition, he and his sister Amy are currently working on a play that they hope to produce in the fall.