David Sedaris

Sedaris has been described as, "“Sedaris’s droll assessment of the mundane and the eccentics who inhabit the world’s crevises make him one of the greatest humorists writing today” which almost sounds like Jerry Seinfeld description. The difference is Sedaris has an edge that Seinfeld doesn't. I almost said Sedaris has a "seriousness" that Seinfeld doesn't but somehow "seriousness" was not as fitting as "edge". Actually his act is hard to describe accurately. I mean he was on stage for a total of one hour and twenty minutes. He stood in font of a podium the whole time reading essays and material from his diary. By how I just described his performance you'd think it was boring. Far from it. I would have liked to seen and heard more of him reading his material but I suppose I will just have to read his books.

A few years ago I was reading Augusten Burroughs books (You may recall the book, and movie, "Running With Scissors"), when I first heard about Sedaris. My friends would tell me, "If you like Burroughs you'll love Sedaris!" I found Burroughs books oddly interesting so maybe I would like David Sedaris too. ("Oddly interesting"? I am sorry but as I write this it's the best way I can describe Burroughs and Sedaris. Read some of their work and you'll understand. Maybe.)

During this sold out show presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures, one of his stories included a cute dog couple that he personifies as a human couple in a "if-humans-were-dogs-yet-thought-like-humans" way. Just when you think he has gone way too far into this world, he goes even farther! At that point I am pretty sure I was not the only one thinking, "How does this guy think of that stuff beyond the point of expectations?" Mentioning that a dog would probably not have any problem whatsoever eating a person's fried tonsils is just the beginning of this strange story of the dog couple. By the way the dogs are Springers, I think... and one of them is cheating on the other one... we think with a raccoon. The detail he got into with what these dogs thought and talked about was... well, odd... but interesting too.

You really have to pay attention to what Sedaris is saying or you'll miss a lot.

Another observance he told about was a story about air travel. It's like he observes people around him at an airport and gets inside their heads then tells us about what they are thinking. And he is convincing. I'd bet many of the characters he observes really are like how he portrays them to be.

Sedaris lives in France. Maybe that is why he was picking on the French a bit. One area that has been (and still is) a hot topic here in America is Health Care. He talked about how opposers to Obama's health care bill portrayed Canada as a "failed health care system" with people laying around in dirty conditions just waiting until aspirin is invented. He then told about how he went to a doctor to ask about a condition he had and it cost him around $40 and the doctor even made house calls on Saturdays. His point is that we in America are paranoid of "socialistic health care" when in fact much of the world uses that system and gets along quite well.

During the show he paused to recommend an author named Tim Johnson. And suggested we all get the book "Irish Girl" which is a very dark collection of stories. he read some of the book and what can I say except, yes it was sort of creepy! Interestingly odd though I will say!

He read a few more essays then took some questions. One question I was wondering about myself: "Who were your comedic influences growing up?" Answer: Bill Cosby, Laugh In (the TV show), Paul Lynde, and Phyllis Diller. Those names were certainly a surprise though I am not sure why because it makes sense that he'd be into them. Incidentally, David Sedaris is going to Phyllis Diller's home tomorrow.

After the show Sedaris stayed to sign books which were for sale in the lobby.

It was a fun show and I highly recommend you try to see Sedaris when he comes to your town but as I mentioned earlier it just wasn't long enough. I wanted more... so I will probably start reading his books.