National Treasure for Gays

November 04, 2006

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There is probably nothing better in the world than Amy Sedaris, unless it’s David Rakoff.

The book tour for Amy’s “I Like You: Entertaining Under the Influence” has included a few quirky stop-overs. Last night, she and David Rakoff performed a live stage version of her book at the Symphony Space in upper Manhattan, and the OUTzone staff had the honor of attending.

The ushers had asked the entire audience to please write down our questions, and hand them in. There were many, and throughout the show she read them all aloud, but refused to answer a single one, except to accuse her audience (“gay gay gay”) and avoid the obvious references to her brother (“The real David." David Sedaris.)

I was actually a little crazy. David Rakoff made us a cheeseball (that was actually delicious) and catered to Amy’s every whim. They had made up the preposterous story about how 29 days ago, Amy and Willard Scott were judging a chili eating contest in Cincinnati when the stage collapsed, breaking most of Amy’s ribs and her femur. Since Amy’s family was unavailable to help her, Mr. Rakoff had been her caretaker. (“So nice to have a fag around the house.”)

It was like watching a play being performed by the funniest and most popular people in your high school. They hadn’t finished it yet, but they were desperate to try out in front of an audience, all under the auspices of sellng more books. (They did.)

There were, of course, those standard Amy Sedaris stories that she whips off like they happen to everyone. Notably, that a fan had given her a copy of “Crafting for the Retarded” – the one gift she got on the road that she says she treasures. “I read it on the plane. And I don’t believe the retarded can do most of them, they’re very difficult.” The worst gift on the road? “Someone gave me a three foot stuffed cobra, what do you do with that but say thank you?”

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