If you have 9 minutes, they would be well spent watching this heartbreaking video on comic Anthony Griffith.
“Comedians spend years honing their stage persona, but when all-star
comic Anthony Griffith tells the story of his life as a comedian and as a
father, not even he can keep it together. To be honest, I couldn’t
either when I watched this video. It’s so important to remember that the
people we idolize aren’t the two-dimensional, easily digestible
caricatures that we see of them in the media. “.~ Rollie Williams
—-
As a writer, I’m somewhat intrigued by what goes on in people’s lives.
Rarely, if ever, do you get a glimpse of the often very real pain that people mask in order to get on with their lives. As Griffith says, when he was on the point of complete annihilation, all he was forced to do was laugh and make others laugh, because, “No one wants to hear a clown in pain, because it’s not funny.”
When I come across people on the street, in trains, a face sometimes catches my eye, and all I want to do is sit that person down and ask them about their life. This is not always the kindest or the politest thing to do, so I hardly, if ever, do it.
When I ask, and am lucky enough to receive an answer, these strangers begin to inhabit my stories, just as I sometimes do — and their truths become fictional truth.
Have you ever looked at a face, and wondered: What’s Behind that Face? What’s His/Her Story?
Oh yes I do, esp when I am travelling alone!
Travelling alone gives you the time to observe people. haven't done that in a bit.
All the time yes
We're writers and most of us are curious about others.
When I was a print journalist, my favorite part was writing features on the "unknowns" in our community… the returning soldier, the mom of seven, the recent grad, etc 🙂
Mark, I think that's part of the reason why most ex-journos make terrific writers.
"I'd love to get into people's heads and hear their stories".
That's me talking in your comment, Christine. I can spend days just watching people and wondering about their inner lives.
Excellent post. I do it all the time. I've occupied many hours just wondering about people's lives. What really was going on with them. I'd love to get into people's heads and hear their stories.
I think that sort of wondering got me into social work.
……dhole
I can imagine it gets a lot of people into social work.
wow – that was one great share… thanks…
The video made me sit down and think. Thanks for stopping by, Muthu.
nice one.It is said,most of the times we wear different kind of faces.
Yes, we're all different versions of split personalities.
Every person has a deeper story and we rarely get to see it.
Absolutely, Alex. Which is why fiction moves me so much sometimes, cos it shows me that other face.
This was great. I always wonder what's going on behind a face. I'm also a hairdresser at my day job and can usually get a good feel for peeps.
My favorite thing to do on the way to work is to watch people in their cars. i find it amazing that the nose and zit pickers seem to think you no one is watching.
Hugs and chocolate,
Shelly
I need that chocolate, thanks!
I've noticed that about nose pickers too, lol.
I always was interested in other lives. Now, thanks to fiction, I get to live them.