The Sheila Variations

Hahahahahaha!

I love his face.

Having tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to read Faulkner, that quote actually makes a lot of sense.

(I dunno. I realize I'm no Faulkner but the stuff I write gets edited - screwed with - all the time. You just kinda hafta be okay with it, if you want any kind of clarity).

ricki -

If I had won a Nobel Prize, I'd feel like he did. Don't you DARE touch my writing, you freakin' English major. I'm WILLIAM GODDAMN FAULKNER.

Like Bette Davis saying to new movie directors, "DON'T direct me. Just EDIT me."

Same thing.

Besides, why I love the quote is that - to him - the prospect of being edited is worse than watching his wife get fucked by someone else. And I think that's a riot.

I obviously wouldn't think it was a riot if I was his wife, though. hee hee

I don't know; kinda depends on what the stable boy looks like...

hahahaha of course.

If a stableboy who looks like Ewan McGregor shows up - I might have to play my "freebie" card.

I enjoy the humor in that quote, but I'm with ricki - I think he got the Nobel based on the imepenetrability of his prose, and he, like Ann Rice today, has a desperate need of an editor.

But I love your take: "don't touch it you English major". Amen. Nothing more useless than an English major in an English-speaking country. Faulkner's editor would have to be Eudora Welty or Harper Lee.

Thurber did a hilarious send-up of Faulkner, I'll have to find it somewhere.

My interest in the quote is not whether or not I think Faulkner needed an editor or not. (It reminds me of Ben Jonson's quote - in response to the actors in Shakespeare's company saying that Shakespeare never blotted a line: "Would that he blotted a thousand." hahahaha) I like his ego, as an artist. I like the quote because it's someone who has earned the right to say it, whether or not you like his writing.

I certainly would be an ASSHOLE if I said to the magazines I submit to: Don't edit me, thank you.

hahaha But seriously. It would be like a novice director trying to tell Vanessa Redgrave how to play a scene. If you do that - you can start looking for another job as a director.

Reminds me of the story about Shelley Winters - she was in her 60s, and a novice director (who I am sure never made the same mistake again) asked her to audition for a role. Called her in to read for the part. Shelley Winters always wanted to work - she always had to hustle - even later in her life, with her long illustrious career ... but still. She was Shelley freakin' Winters.

So she went to the audition, walked into the room, carrying a huge bag. Said not a word to the director. Reached into her bag, pulled out one Oscar statue, and put it on the desk. Reached into her bag, pulled out another Oscar, and put it on the desk.

Naturally, the director immediately realized his error - and gave her the part.

You don't make Shelley Winters read for you. You give her the part, or you don't. She's proved herself. That's it.

Another funny story along these lines: Nathan Lane came to talk at my school. Some moron stood up and asked, "How do you prepare for an audition?"

He said, joking - but he was making a serious point, "Darling, I don't audition anymore."

I feel the exact same way about Barry Manilow. Ah, sheer perfection.