USA: QUENTIN CRISP DELIGHTS WASHINGTON AUDIENCES WITH SELL-OUT PERFORMANCE SHOWCASING HIS ELABORATE OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE, DEATH AND BRITISH ROYALTY

Record ID: 387353

  • Title: USA: QUENTIN CRISP DELIGHTS WASHINGTON AUDIENCES WITH SELL-OUT PERFORMANCE SHOWCASING HIS ELABORATE OBSERVATIONS OF LIFE, DEATH AND BRITISH ROYALTY
  • Date: 13th December 1997
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CRISP SAYING, "I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THEY DO. I TRY TO GO ON AS IF I AM CHARISMATIC BUT I DON'T THINK I REALLY KNOW HOW TO DO IT. IT IS A SORT OF SECRET, OTHER PEOPLE THINK YOU HAVE IT BUT YOU CANNOT PERCEIVE IT. IT IS LIKE HAVING BREATHE THAT SMELLS NO ONE WILL TELL YOU YOU'VE GOT IT, YOU CAN'T TELL YOURSELF, BUT SOME PEOPLE HAVE IT." (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CRISP SAYING, "I NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW SHE BECAME A SAINT I THOUGHT SHE WAS TRASH, A MEMBER OF THE ROYAL FAMILY OF ENGLAND GOING ABOUT WITH ARABS. WELL IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY, POLICEMEN WITH TEARS STREAMING DOWN THEIR FACES, I NEVER UNDERSTOOD IT, BUT THE ENGLISH ARE VERY STRANGE. AMERICANS TOOK AN INTEREST IN PRINCESS DIANA BECAUSE SHE WAS THE FIRST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN TO ENTER BUCKINGHAM PALACE IN A LONG WHILE." (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CRISP WITH REPORTER SAYING, "I NEVER READ THE NEWSPAPER. A NEWSPAPER IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS CROSSWORD PUZZLE." (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CRISP SAYING, "WHEN I CAN'T GO ABOUT ANYMORE WITHOUT BEING LIFTED UP OR CARRIED TO AN AIRPLANE OR A TRAIN THEN I'LL HAVE TO GIVE UP AND SIT IN MY ROOM AND DO NOTHING. I AM A DAB HAND AT DOING NOTHING. A WOMAN SAID TO ME, WHY I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD SAY THAT, COULDN'T YOU SAY YOU MEDITATE, SO I SAY I MEDITATE, BUT REALLY I DO NOTHING. I AM A DAB HAND AT IT." (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) CRISP SITTING IN THE THEATRE SAYING, "BUT I DO THINK ABOUT DEATH I DO THINK ABOUT THE END. TOWARD THE END OF THE DAY YOU DO THINK ABOUT GOING TO BED, ABOUT GOING TO SLEEP, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY YOU NEVER THINK ABOUT IT. MS. (BETTE) DAVIS SAID OLD AGE IS NOT FOR SISSIES AND SHE WAS RIGHT. EVERYTHING IS A TROUBLE, EVERYTHING IS A MATTER AND YOU WILL BE GLAD WHEN IT IS OVER, BUT I HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL LIFE." CRISP AUTOGRAPHING BOOKS (SOUNDBITE ENGLISH) WOMAN ASKING CRISP IF HE STILL HAS SEX AND CRISP ANSWERING HE DOES NOT AND HASN'T FOR FIFTY YEARS
  • Embargoed: 28th December 1997 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVACGCP1ES4S947DFHZB4TF1YNHJ
  • Story Text: - Author and wit, Quentin Crisp, has been delightingAmerican audiences with his off-beat observations on life, death, and British royalty.

    Three sell-out shows in Washington D.C., featured Crisp,seated in a chair in his trademark hat, blasting the audience with sparkling anecdotes and observations on life both in New York and London.

    Crisp believes that charisma is the ability to persuade without the use of logic, but he isn't sure he has it himself. "It's like having breath that smells. No one will tell you you've got it, you can't tell yourself, but some people have it," he said.

    Crisp said he sometimes received negative reactionsfrom people.

    "In England people lean out of windows and say 'you disgusting man', I mean I am shabby and old, but it seems a bit excessive." One part of Crisp's performance involves a question and answer session with the audience. When requested to come up with an amusing anecdote on gay London of the 1930's, Crisp replied, that London is never amusing. He said that he did not "come-out" because he was never in. He added that "every closet door I opened people said "not in here"." Responding to a question on "the tragic death of Lady Diana", Crisp responded that he never understood when she became a saint.

    "Americans took an interest in Princess Diana because she was the first beautiful person to enter Buckingham Palace in a long while," he said.

    Crisp said he thinks quite a bit about death and is unconcerned about how he will be remembered. He said he doesn't believe in reincarnation as it would be too "tiring".

    Crisp quoted actress Betty Davis saying that "old age is not for sissies," adding "everything is a matter and you will be glad when it is over...but I have had a wonderful life." Crisp gained fame when his autobiography, "The Naked Civil Servant", became a made-for-television movie in the 1960's starring John Hurt.

    Crisp, who turns 89 on Christmas Day, claims he has not worked since he moved to New York in 1981.

    He is enlightening Americans with his views on life from excerpts of "The Diary of Quentin Crisp" which appeared periodically in the New York Native.

    The columns have been edited into his latest book, "Resident Alien: The New York Diaries." Crisp has made a number of movie appearances, including his role as Queen Elizabeth in the 1993 film, "Orlando". Recently he appeared in television commercials for Calvin Klein's CK One perfume and Reebok sportswear.

    Crisp's performance is one of many one-man-shows promoted by Authors on Tour. He said he hoped to continue the performances as long as his "fare is paid" or until he "can't go about anymore without being lifted." Crisp said that once he is no longer able to travel, he will live out his years sitting in his room doing nothing. According to Crisp, he is "a dab hand at doing nothing."
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