Writer David Sedaris comedic, poignant onstage

David Sedaris, a small, unimposing, quiet writer, managed to bring more than 3,000 people to their feet Tuesday night. Sedaris, the author of the runaway bestsellers "Me Talk Pretty One Day" and "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" visited the IU Auditorium Tuesday night. The evening was organized into two rough halves: a reading and a question-and-answer session.\nSedaris started the night by reading a fable he is working on about a cat and a baboon. The simple little tale wowed the audience, and Sedaris said he was planning to include it in his next collection.\nThe second reading of the evening was a new story published in the current issue of The New Yorker -- the magazine requested a piece from Sedaris for its travel-themed issue. Sedaris discussed the travel woes that result from trying to chase down his fast-walking boyfriend, Hugh. \nThe next piece, my personal favorite, was called "Town and Country," in which Sedaris described his encounter with a taxi driver. The man, a recent immigrant with a tenuous grasp on the English language, initially simply chatted with Sedaris. The conversation meandered a bit, but then it veered sharply to a new topic: sex. The man began to interrogate Sedaris about his preferences, his experiences and his habits. Because of the language barrier, however, the man had to rely on that language he had picked up from porn movies. \nSedaris' problem with the man wasn't that he was peppering his speech with insanely foul profanities -- the problem was that he was misusing those insanely foul profanities. But in typical Sedaris style, a hysterical story rounded itself to a poignant ending. During the question-and-answer portion, an audience member asked Sedaris if there was a crowd to whom he wouldn't read "Town and Country."\n"Well, I probably wouldn't read it to children," he said. \nNext Sedaris read an essay from "Me Talk Pretty One Day." I particularly love this essay because it takes place during his French class; as a Spanish major, I can relate all too well to the perils and pratfalls of learning a second language. It was wonderful to hear this essay, which I've read so many times, performed aloud with Sedaris' inflection and elaboration. \nHe then read a few excerpts from his diary. I wish, just for one day, that I could have the mayhem-ridden life that Sedaris has. My world would be exponentially more interesting. Sedaris made a point to plug a story anthology he edited, the proceeds of which will benefit Dave Eggers' newest literacy program in New York City, 826NYC.\nAlthough I think the performance's format surprised much of the audience, everyone truly seemed to enjoy it. I think the language in "Town and Country" turned off many people, but they likely were not familiar with the timbre of Sedaris' work. There were those around me who quietly expressed surprise that Sedaris wasn't a stand-up comedian, and everyone in my immediate vicinity seemed to genuinely enjoy the performance. \nSo although Sedaris might have surprised audience members with his language, the sharp performance and gorgeously turned satire undoubtedly proved to everyone that Sedaris might not "talk pretty," but he delivers beautifully.