Not a Sedaris fan

7

To the Editor:

Let’s just say that if I tried to recount the least of several obscene passages from David Sedaris’s performance on August 8 — at the Whaling Church of all places — this letter would be unpublishable. I am ashamed to have sat through his entire act. Had I not won the tickets in a raffle, I would demand a refund.

Tom Pallas
Vineyard Haven

7 COMMENTS

  1. Tom– you should do some research up front rather than complain about what you clearly didn’t know about this performer. Not his fault .

  2. I was aware that Sedaris had NPR cred, that he was a gay Greek-American humorist with a funny sister. I must have overlooked Wikipedia’s mention of his offensive, hardcore misogyny. Don’t get me wrong; Sedaris is free to say what he pleases. Whether he should be paid handsomely to do so from the Whaling Church’s pulpit at the invitation of MV Concert Series is my beef. But given that the rest of the audience was laughing their butts off, perhaps I was sitting in the wrong pew.

  3. Tom,
    When you write letters like this it will have the opposite reaction you may want. Now I want to go hear Sedaris, where before I never cared. Thanks for the tip.

  4. I attended the Sedaris evening at the Whaling Church and had a great time. I am a big fan of his books, articles in the New Yorker and commentary on NPR. He is provocative for sure, but misogyny? Not to my ears. You may not like this, and that is OK, but the MV Concert Series can invite whomever they want. I tried to get an extra ticket that night and the event was sold out.

    • Before I get voted off the island, I’ll make one final point: Sedaris gave 2 performances. I attended the first on August 8, a sweltering Wednesday night. A friend who attended the Thursday night session said that it did not delve into ethnic road-rage insults of the sort that I took offense to, culminating in an unspeakably vile Turkish slur involving one driver’s mother and sister.

      • I attended the Thursday night performance and it was fine, though still sweltering. It sounds like Wednesday night performance was different from what I experienced. I am all for free speech and Sedaris’ right to say what he wants, but that might mean he won’t sell as many tickets next time if his free speech is offending people. I would still defend the MV Concert Series right to invite people who are provocative. I can choose to go or to stay home. I wouldn’t vote you off the island Tom!

  5. Tom,
    I have seen Sedaris twice and found him hilarious. However, your letter has given me pause as to whether I would further support his brand of humor. Nothing wrong with giving people your perspective. Please stay on the Island and continue to offer your opinion.

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