David Sedaris Is All About the Love

I went to a David Sedaris signing on Monday. Before I wouldn't have described myself as a super rabid fan, of course he's funny he's David Sedaris but his insistance on the gross has put me off in the past. I was basically going for the company and so a real fan wouldn't have to go alone. But now I am definately a fan. Of course, a humorist should be personable and funny in the flesh, that's kind of in the job description, but Sedaris goes way beyond that. Taking it out of the performer category even he is hands down, one of the most engaging people I have ever met. He's not just funny, he's charming and seems to relish the interaction with fans. I had heard his events were long and now I see why. To just sign your book is not enough, if you don't have a comment or question at hand he'll give you one. For example, he told the woman in line in front of me that her task for the summer was to have sex with a person in a wheelchair and then proceeded to draw the scenerio in her book. I had a question about his cover artist Chip Kidd which he answered seriously while signing the book I brought for someone else (a real fan) "I'm so angry I missed you!"

But the real reason for my change of heart was the second essay in the new book. Entitled "Keeping Up" it talks about how his boyfriend, Hugh (he hates the term "partner" which I heartily agree with) does the tourist thing differently. Hugh blends in wherever they go and effortlessly and speedily makes his way around. David is more pokey and gets frustrated because he spends his time trying to keep up instead of being able to enjoy the place. So as he's madly dashing to not lose Hugh he fantasizes about leaving him-what he'd take, how it'd all go down-until he realizes that Hugh is the one who keeps their relationship train moving-who pays the bills, keeps up the house and by the time he catches up:

"No matter how angry I get, it always comes down to this:I'm going to leave and then what? Move in with my dad? Thirty minutes of pure rage, and when I finally spot him I realize that I've never been so happy to see anyone in my life.

"There you are." I say. And when he asks where I have been, I answer honestly and tell him I was lost."

Not the kind of sentiment that I expected from someone who specializes in stories about being an elf, gross bodily functions (hello Stadium Friend!) and crazy family members. The point was driven home even further during the Q&A when someone asked how Hugh & David met. Apparently David was helping a friend paint an apartment and they needed a ladder. Hugh was the person she knew with a ladder and David said when he saw Hugh he liked his apartment, he liked that there was an apple pie cooking and country music playing. He described it as like when he discovered the title for the new book, When You Are Engulfed in Flames, in a safety brochure in a fancy Japanese hotel (history makes the Japanese concerned about this). He said "Oh, here's my boyfriend" in the the same way he said "Oh, here's the title of my new book".

Awww, David Sedaris is all about the love. Who knew?

(Note: the signing went on until 1 in the morning. It started at 7pm. When he said that no book would go unsigned I didn't think he meant the whole store!