Mike Birbiglia's Working It Out

155. David Sedaris Returns: A Creative’s Dream and a Fact Checker’s Nightmare

4 snips
Dec 30, 2024
David Sedaris, acclaimed author and humorist known for his witty autobiographical essays, returns for a lively chat. He and Mike delve into the blurry lines of truth in storytelling and the challenges of fact-checking humor at places like The New Yorker. David shares entertaining anecdotes, including an amusing encounter with Pope Francis. The duo also engages in a hilariously tricky game of F**k, Marry, Kill with Sedaris’ own works, while casually exploring the nuances of authenticity in creative writing and their thoughts on charitable giving.
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ANECDOTE

Five Minutes

  • David Sedaris recounts an experience with an opening act in England.
  • The act demanded more stage time and didn't understand basic time management.
ADVICE

Overcoming Writer's Block

  • When stuck at the two-thirds mark of a piece, revisit earlier sections and consider alternative paths.
  • Identify the point where you made a decision leading to the dead end and discard unnecessary parts.
ANECDOTE

Throwing Away Hundreds of Pages

  • A celebrated novelist discarded hundreds of pages of a book.
  • This highlights that discarding large portions of work is common and sometimes necessary.
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