Seems like almost every news site out there is all aflutter over James Frey's appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show today, and far be it from us to not join in the hubbub.
Being that we haven't actually read Frey's book, we weren't too perturbed over the Smoking Gun's story. We didn't read the book and come away from it thinking, "Wow. I can't believe one man came out of that story alive. Like, in real life and everything!"
But being addicted to the Oprah show, we just had to watch Frey try and defend himself against the wrath of Queen Winfrey. And let us tell you, it wasn't pretty. It was, perhaps, one of the most uncomfortable television interviews we've ever seen. Only one word came to mind as we watched, and that was "squirm." There was more squirming in this interview than in the entire movie Squirm. If you're sorry you missed it, we THINK the show is available to watch on the Oprah site (although we couldn't get the video to work), and her show is usually repeated on channel 7 at 1:05 a.m. every night. Set those TiVos!
Also interesting: A few weeks back, when the controversy first started, we thought about requesting the book from the library, just to see what got so many people raving about it in the first place. We were amused to see that there were over 100 requests for holds on the book already, but even more amusing was the list of orders for additional copies the library had CANCELLED. Looks like local readers will just have to fight it out over the 27 copies the library already has.
Just don't exaggerate those fights when you write your book about it, OK?
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What kills me is that as Frey gets publically stoned, no one stops to wonder about all those other "memoirs" -- you know, like the girl who went from foster home to foster home, or the other girl who slept with her father. Yeah, all that happened, right? Right. Not that I'm any big fan of Frey's -- but he's being unfairly singled out in a publishing environment that not only encourages dishonesty and exaggeration, it demands it!
I do think that Frey's public lashing is a little harsh and unfair, but I rarely read any memoir or biography thinking that every word I just read was absolutely true. I'm not that naive.
But I kind of stop feeling sorry for Frey when I think about the fact that once Oprah chose his book, he had to KNOW that sales were going to skyrocket, and scrutiny over the validity of his tale was going to get tougher. But he agreed to the Oprah book club thing--and I'm sure money in the form of guraunteed book sales was a big factor in that decision--and he continued to perpetrate the lie. He is, to put it bluntly, an idiot if he thought he could keep calling the book a memoir and keep getting away with it. And, to be fair, I think the publisher is as much to blame for this as anyone since they didn't do much fact-checking on their end...
Towards the end, James looked like he was going to go all FTBSITTTD on that gray-haired dude who said Halle Berry picked him up at the airport.
What -- You're not awake at 1:05 am? C'mon now. Let's watch the reruns together.
There was more squirming in this interview than in the entire movie Squirm.
That should win for best line written on the internets today.
I've never read the book, and don't want to after reading the most awesome review ever. It sounds like he got every cliche possible in there, right down to the hooker with the heart of gold.
I wanted to cut the guy some slack when I was reading that Smoking Gun article, because they had about 3 pages' worth of material spread out over six; the rest was just filled with contempt for him. But it's impossible to have any sympathy for him because he was such an arrogant bastard about the whole thing.
Getting caught lying in one book is one thing, but then writing a lying sequel? And then securing a really profitable movie deal? And writing the screenplay? And boasting about the money you're making on the movie deal on your blog (which has gone private-only, I notice)? While telling recovering addicts that 12-step programs are BS, because he went from the depths of his addiction to full recovery based solely on his own strength of will?
Also: FTBSITTTD?
"FTBSITTTD," I believe, refers to a tattoo James Frey has, which is supposed to stand for "Fuck the Bullshit, It's Time to Throw Down."
In other words, there's another reason to hate the guy.
As for his sequel, "My Friend Leonard," at least he was smart enough to NOT call that one a memoir. (Which in itself should have been a red flag to anyone who read "A Million Little Pieces.")
You want to be really angry at the guy? Let's do the math together:
And that's not including anything for sales of his "sequel", My Friend Leonard.
I think this thing was blown way out of proportion and Oprah is a horrible actress "cue the anger".
James is laughing all the way to the bank and I am gonna buy his new book in Hardback to show support.