I received the best Mother’s Day present this year, in no small part because I picked it out months in advance.� Like, 10 months in advance.
I received the flyer about the reopening of the Fox Theatre last summer.� Now billed the Fox Performing Arts Center, during the 30s it was one of the more popular performance theatres in southern California and the site for the first public screening of Gone With the Wind.� The Fox closed for restoration and renovation in 2007.� In January 2010 the theatre once again pulled back its red velvet drapes and when I first spotted the flyer detailing the year’s lineup, I opened it expecting to see Pat Benatar’s face pouting back at me.
{Theatre chandeliers}
I didn’t see Pat Benatar.� I looked, rubbed my eyes and looked again.� Then I died, came back to life, ran over to The Mister, waved the flyer like a winning lottery ticket and said this is what you are getting me for Mother’s Day next year.
And that is how I found myself in the center of the orchestra section on May 6, 2010 waiting to hear David Sedaris give a reading.
Yup.
I would like to say I was cool and collected about the whole thing.� Jaded, if you will.� But really, people don’t pose with their tickets to a lecture unless your 15 and one of the Jonas Brothers is doing the reading.
The Mister went with me, brave soul.� I don’t want to say The Mister isn’t a reader because he is.� He just reads books on business or leadership or anatomy and the electroconductivity of the heart.� In other words, he reads things I consider a monumental bore.� But he was a good sport and agreed to go after only once suggesting that I go with my mom.� Or a friend.� A neighbor.
{Restored velvet seating, carved arms, art deco carpeting, really bad cell phone pictures.}
David Sedaris has a strict policy against recording and photography so I’ve got nothing.� But that’s okay, because when he walked onstage I turned to The Mister and sagely observed, “I can’t believe that’s David Sedaris.”
I would have been no good with a camera.
{Balcony seating}
He’s about 5’6″ (still taller than me) and walked onstage with a man’s gait and the confidence of one who is about to do something he loves.� The audience clapped furiously and didn’t stop, not while he set down his blue file folder of essays, not while he opened a bottle of water and poured himself a glass in preparation of the hour ahead, and not while he took a sip.� They stopped when he put the glass down, smiled a shy smile out of the side of his mouth and said, “Oh.� Oh {tee-hee}, thank you.”
This said in the softest, gayest voice I have ever heard in all my life.
One time in the eighth grade James Vaccaro turned around in his seat in the middle of English and told me I was cute.� You know what I said?
“Oh.� Oh {tee-hee}, thank you.”
I’ve seen David Sedaris on Letterman and listened to him on NPR.� I’ve heard his voice.� In the many years I have listened to him did I ever think his voice teemed with testosterone?� No, I can’t say that I did.� Still.� People, still.� Thursday’s introductory thanks and giggle floated out of his mouth on pink, puffy clouds that lingered overhead.� I plucked one from the air.� It tasted like cinnamon.
Then I turned to the matter at hand and using my powers of mental telepathy told Dave he was going to have to either (a) lose the singsong falsetto or (b) read essays of undeniable hilarity and talent because we were going to lose The Mister in T-minus 7 minutes.
I am pleased to report that my ability to control minds remains intact.
In short, the night was amazing.� David Sedaris, with his normal voice, read two fables from Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk, the book of illustrated fables scheduled to release in October, and at least two other essays, including “Author, Author?“� (He reads with far more passion and excitement in real life.� In the clip I linked to he is almost reserved.)� Each reading was funnier than the last and it was The Mister, head thrown back and hands clapping, who laughed the loudest and the longest.
Later that night, after asking him for the 32nd time if he had a good time just because I liked the answer, he smiled and said yes.
“I know I don’t read fiction or essays or much that isn’t business related, but that I would enjoy reading.� That was a great; we need to do stuff like that more often.� Great idea, Jules.”
“Oh.” I said, smiling shyly out of the side of my mouth.� “Oh {tee-hee}, thank you.”
I’m so happy for you that you got to go, and on Mother’s Day. I’ve had so many people recommend David Sedaris and yet I’ve never read his books. Obviously, I really need to put him on the list. And somehow, I always miss him on NPR. They always mention him during pledge drives and I think, “Again? I never heard that!”.
http://40daysof.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/something-is-very-wrong/
Sounds like a wonderful Mother’s Day! I haven’t read Sedaris either … and I dearly love to laugh!
What an awesome mother’s day present!
Ha ha! Love him. Whoot, new book in October!
He brings me to tears every time I read him. After I heard him read I can now only hear his unique voice and cadence in my head when I pick up his books.
My husband bought me one title for Christmas one year. I had hurt my back pretty bad and I was immobile on the couch. Every sentence made me shake with laughter and cause me pin. Still couldn’t put him down… I laughed, I cried!
Heard 6 to 8 black men ?
Happy Mother’s Day!
I’m very happy for you that you got such an amazing Mother’s Day gift! :) Oh and by the way, you are cute! ;)
this sounds like the perfect mother’s day gift! what fun!
You know how I used to work in a bookstore? Well, I was the person that would thank the audience for coming and introduce the author when we had events. Therefore, I HAVE PICTURES OF ME WITH DAVID SEDARIS. It’s pretty awesome. I should go steal them off the wall of the bookstore though, because they’re still hanging up (and the store is folding soon). We had him in the store two or three times, including once with David Rakoff and Ira Glass (oooooh, Ira Glass).
Also, we set up the table in the children’s section of the store because it was centrally located and raised up a little, and he was smoking during the reading. In the children’s section. It was funny.
How fun! I love Dave Sedaris and am currently re-reading the two books I have of his (and I really need to buy the rest of his collection). Later today I’m going to have to listen to that link because I have to hear his voice! I know what it sounds like in my head but I have a feeling that I’ll never read his books in the same voice again after hearing the real thing.
Becky–if the reading was any indication, the book is going to be soooo good.
Nicole! I would have swiped those off the wall years ago. JEALOUS.
p.s. The store is folding? Sadness. That’s where you and Brandon met!
p.s.s. Isn’t Ira Glass the most quintessential NPR name?
Karrie–The clip is more reserved, but at the reading he was a live wire. He is hilarious, but the life and energy he used to read on Thursday made it all the more funny.
Oh. My. Gosh in Heaven. I would absolutely plotz if I got to see David Sedaris in person. He is simply my favorite non-fiction author ever!
Great Mother’s Day gift!
OH, OH, OH, SO JEALOUS!!!!!!
I’ve never read any David but if he’s half as hilarious as his sister, Amy, I’m sure I’ll enjoy.
And yes, Ira Glass is the most quintessential NPR name.
I’ve never heard him read and I wouldn’t recognize him if I bumped into him, but I think I’ve read every one of his books. He is very funny. Sometimes you can find him in the New Yorker magazine. He reminds me of the Canadian author Stuart McLean.
Gah! Jealous!
You are absolutely glowing in the picture you posted above!!! Love it! Just goes to show how much you enjoyed yourself and how important such outings are for our soul, creativity and sanity!
By the way, based on recent history, you are one amazing friend. And I loved how you told off one of Nicole’s readers. Hilarious and well-deserved : )))
Best gift, ever! And the fact that your husband went with you earns him the double-extra bonus points! I saw David a couple of years ago (before Engulfed in Flames came out) and loved every single minute. And no, my husband didn’t join me–hense the double bonus points for yours! : )
So funny! I came into a David Sedaris interview on NPR about half-way through one time and listened to the whole thing thinking, “Who is this charming, hilarious old lady?” Then the interviewer chimes in with “We’ve been talking today with David Sedaris…” and I’m totally embarrassed, even though I’m all by myself in the car…
Yay, you and yay to the Mister. Happy Mother’s Day!
Hahahaha! Charming old lady. :)
I remember reading Me Talk Pretty One Day and just being blown away because I had never read anything like that before. VDOT fun!!!!
Lucky you, getting to see David Sedaris at the Fox Theater! We saw him here in Richmond (Va). I giggled out loud at your description of his voice. I had the same reaction when I heard him read here. Glad your hubs enjoyed it; we’ve always been big fans.