So I’m reading Steve Daly’s revealing Q&A with David Sedaris, who just released another collection of essays, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, and I get to this exchange:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Of all the things you’ve written, you may be best known for ”The SantaLand Diaries,” which, of course, is about working at Macy’s as an elf. Do you ever get tired watching as that story is hauled out on National Public Radio and in bookstores every single year at holiday time?
David Sedaris: I wrote that thing so long ago, and I think it’s really choppy, and it embarrasses me to read it. It got turned into a play, too, which never really worked. It’s okay for the radio, but … there’s no point in staging it.
But people love that story!
One is lucky if one has something that resonates and that works that way… but I turn on things once they’re no longer fluid, once I can’t change them any more.
Now, I’m feeling guilty that "’The SantaLand Diaries" is still my favorite of Sedaris’ tales, and that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Timothy Olyphant perform it off-Broadway in 1996. (His delivery was as good as you’re thinking.)
So, what’s your favorite Sedaris story?
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I’ve gotta go with “Jesus Shaves”. France, chocolate bunnies, and the last line, “That’s f-ed up.”
“You Can’t Kill the Rooster” is also fabulous, especially when Sedaris himself reads it aloud.
I don’t have a favorite Sedaris story, but I do have a question: do the Popwatch photo editors actively look for the worst pictures of the subject of each blog post.
I mean, THAT’S the best picture you could find of Sedaris? Really?
StantaLand is great but my favorite will always be the story in “Me Talk Pretty One Day” the story of learning French.
“He died for us one day upon to morsel of wood.” I love just every part of it and when listing to it on audio Sedaris really sells it.
my all time favorite DS story is “True Detective” from Naked. I had tears running down my face from laughing during my lunchbreak in the corporate cafeteria. “Naked” and “Barrel Fever” are worth their weight in gold to me. They are by my bed in case I need an emergency pick-me-up. Had the honor of meeting DS in person- he is so great.
It’s either “Jesus Shaves” or “Six to Eight Black Men”.
David Sedaris is one of the greatest writers ever. (I know I always sound painfully adolescent when excited. This is because I’m not one of the greatest writers ever.) The stories of his childhood with his dysfunctional family, who are so different and exactly the same as mine. The days and evenings of reading his essays with tears of laughter, pain and compassion running down my face.
Right on, Ann. I’m giving the edge to “Jesus Shaves” because, in addition to being hilarious, it kind of resonates with me on that foreign-language-student, talking-around-words-you-don’t-know way. I also love “You Can’t Kill the Rooster” and the one from Me Talk Pretty One Day about his performance art career (it’s name escapes me).
Its a tie between Jesus Shaves and Pickapockatoni. Me Talk Pretty One Day is amazing! I love him soooo much.
I have to go back and re-read my Sedaris now. Love him. Chrome, I agree on “You Can’t Kill The Rooster”. To this day, I remember the looks I got on the subway as I laughed, nearly cried at that one. I even made a friend a F@#k it bucket because life was getting her down. I must hear David read this one; anyone know where I can find it?
“You Can’t Kill the Rooster”. Hysterical.
I love everything he writes, but my favorites are stories from his childhood – so evocative of the 1960s and 70s. I was reading parts of the new book aloud to my husband last night and could barely talk from laughing. The best part of a Sedaris book is that I can hear his voice in my head the whole time.
It’s hard to pick one… the one with th drowning mouse from Me Talk Pretty, but I heard him read Town & Country a few years ago (it’s in Engulfed) and promptly had him sign one of my books with the line “Thanksgiving dinner, my ass…”
Seriously, “Six to Eight Black Men” is probably one of his most hilarious. It is funny, fascinating, and well-written. However, since it doesn’t deal directly with his family, I’d also choose “Repeat After Me” which is funny but also surprisingly heartfelt. Perhaps his greatest essay.
“Repeat After Me”…. manages to make me laugh and cry.
I think ‘Monie Changes Everything,’ with the bearskin rug and the sad ending about the car accident, perfectly exemplifies his funny/sad specialty.
The first time I heard David Sedaris reading ‘Six to Eight Black Men’ I almost crashed my car, I was laughing so hard. Definitely one of my favorites.
Me Talk Pretty is my favorite of his books. So many great stories in that one. I’ve given it as a gift to many people. I was reading it on a plane for the first time on a trip with my sister. I was laughing so hard I was shaking and nearly in tears. She asked (kind of annoyed) what was so funny… she read it on the return flight and had the same full-body heaves of laughter.
I have to agree with previous posters…”You Can’t Kill the Rooster” is priceless. As a side note, Amy Sedaris includes instructions on how to make a F*** It Bucket in her book, along with a picture of a complete bucket.
I love “Sex of French Nouns.” What do we need with four pounds of tomatoes?
THE ROOSTER!!!! wins every time.
I love The Santaland Diaries. I was in the play in high school (we turned it into an enemble piece, and it worked really well). But if I had to exclude that from my favorites list, I’d have to go with “Cyclops.” That one’s just always made me laugh out loud.
Big Boy for sure. It is totally immature and silly, but When he contemplates throwing the poop out the bathroom window? Priceless..
Any story involving his family, especially Ya-Ya.
I love evry story that is in Holidays on Ice. There is not one that disappoints. I am also a big fan of Monie Changes Everything from Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim.
The hilarious holiday letter in “Seasons Greetings to Our Friends and Family!”
Love ‘em all, but “Who’s the Chef?” is definitely my all-time fave. My friend and I went to a Sedaris reading. We took along “rubber hands” we found at a Halloween store, and he was gracious enough to sign them (and didn’t treat us like the obvious nutjobs we are!). He also signed my book with the P.S. “It was rubber”!
“Big Boy” is my favorite, too. I know it’s gross and immature, but I don’t care. I first read it not long after having a remarkably similar experience on an airplane (fewer options as to what to do) and I laughed so hard I almost peed myself.
I agree with the othes, “6 to 8 Black Men” and “You Can’t Kill the Rooster” are both great, but I think my vote for all time fave would go to “Consider the Stars.” It totally captures that longing to be popular every kid feels growing up. Plus it introdced the phrase “rumpus room” into my vocabulary. Since reading that story, I have longed to one day have a “rumpus room” of my very own.
As someone who got thrown into the deep end of a foreign language class, Me Talk Pretty One Day always makes me laugh so hard I cry.
Any story involving him learning to speak French had me dying (hello, Me Talk Pretty One Day). 6 to 8 Black Men was also a great one.