David Rakoff in "This American Life: The Invisible Made Visible"

David Rakoff performing in "The Invisible Made Visible," a This American Life stage show sent live to movie theaters on May 10th, 2012. The show later became an episode of the radio show. www.thisamericanlife.org
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[@pfmaple7812]

I'm watching this about once a year now... and as I get older, it means more and more to me. Sad that I only knew you as a boy in Primary School, David, but I feel privileged to be in a small group who can say they have some memories of you and your intellect, talent, and energy at such an early stage. Thank you is not enough :)

[@whynaut1]

I miss him

[@JasmineGolphin]

"Thanks to my rapidly dividing cells I no longer have that feeling (though I remember it very well) that if I just buckled down to the great work at hand, lived more authentically, stopped procrastinating, cut out sugar, then my best self was just there, right around the corner. Yeah, no I'm done with all of that. I'm done with so many things." This. This means so very much. Thank you David.

[@rwilson7019]

I wish he had someone who loved the hell out of him. He really was amazing.

[@susiecee1116]

He had many, many people who loved him.

[@Floydthefuckbag]

This was one of the last things he ever did. Who could ask for a more beautiful and profound note to go out on?

[@jakebrown802]

Agreed. Also, East Hastings ftw.

[@ayredout]

When I hear him I just think of a crass between Thomas Lennon and David Sedaris

[@Samanth90]

So glad to finally see the dance after all this time

[@gelliot8156]

Just finished reading his "Don't get too comfortable" again on a rainy day. It's really hard to believe David is still gone.

[@Paul_Jr.97]

So glad my Creative Writing teacher recommended this video to me and my fellow classmates. David Rakoff is hilarious.

[@verneata1788]

I just keep coming back to this. He was amazing.

[@KEENDARLING]

Beautiful I’ve heard and loved it then on the radio but never saw it live It’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful

[@TeachMeHowToRadical]

At work, in tears. Truly a prolific performance.

[@csingham]

A voice is just a mere shadow of a soul that left laughter and insight in to our worlds. Rip

[@mordunaful]

This was so gorgeous! When he did the dance it just brought tears to my eyes.

[@lmccal25]

I’d like to think that there isn’t more comments on this video because it’s too beautiful for words

[@ostrc7221]

I miss him terribly. Memory Eternal!

[@nalvarado65]

When I was younger and first heard Nat King Cole sing " What'll I Do " I was in wonder at how much emotion a man can bring to a simple song with a subtle and subdued performance. I always associated this song with cold Midwestern evenings by a fire. Now I'll always think of David Rakoff when I hear it. What an effective and courageous performance

[@MarthaKite]

It rent my heart the first time, seeing him do it live, and now that he has passed beyond the veil, it is almost too much to bear. I hope your journey is a grand one, Mr. Rakoff. Thank you for your deep and beautiful Truths.

[@JennnieLaree]

Brings tears to my eyes every time - I will always remember David in this way - brave, undefeated, determined, and DANCING.

[@amcoca]

Holy crap. That was beautiful. He was beautiful. My absolute condolences to his friends and family. What an amazing, kind, intelligent, humorous, observant man. Selfishly, I will miss his writing and talent and apparent sweetness.

[@RetroYoungen]

It's only been four years? We still miss you David, you were a gem of a writer, and I can't believe it's been so short a time since you left... it feels like it's been far, far too long already.

[@happyhomeblog]

i sobbed when i heard this piece on the radio, and am clenching back tears at the moment. what a beautiful, beautiful soul.

[@PeterSmyth]

RIP David. A beautiful graceful piece. And thank you TAL for making this available.

[@DrMelanieWilson]

A beautiful and brilliant human being, truly loved and missed. So grateful I got to share his last dance with him live.

[@mattkaz9604]

This is remarkable, it floored me when i first saw it. What a talent.

[@kunstssst]

...I have no words. Thank you, David, for sharing your words with us. Your beauty lives on in all of us.

[@SicleOfWhims]

I miss him a lot. Sometimes his voice pops into my head and I think...I wonder what beautiful and bittersweet words he is saying now. I wish I could hear them.

[@tatedottech]

Moved even more seeing it now than when I heard it on the show. Rest Mr. Rackoff. I loved your stories on the show. Prayers out to his family and friends!!! Awesome post NPR!

[@dogdelirium]

I was deeply moved when I saw that live. Even more deeply today.

[@kcdrew69]

Good god, I miss this guy. What a voice. What insights. Damn.

[@HAGSOLO]

been waiting since 2012 for someone I knew would love this to finally just listen to it, and today i got him to agree and tis video came up . I had never seen it. It was all the birthday party I could have wished for.

[@AlunG28]

Easily one of the most beautiful things on all of the internet.

[@RanmaruMori]

Made me cry when I first saw this a few months ago, but watching it now makes me cry much more. You will be missed.

[@charishanberry2673]

Oh my. I am ashamed to say I was not familiar with David Rakoff before this, but what a beautiful legacy he leaves!

[@hals9058]

I love this man and he's dead but I still love him so much

[@soapygirl83]

David's talmudic Shrug is one of my favorite shrugs. I should make a gif of it.

[@bren209]

I still remember where I was when I first heard this segment - one of the great art works of our time.

[@shamore01]

Moved me to tears. How fortunate we were to have him dance among us and to witness and receive his gifts.

[@terry4prez]

Such a beautiful performance from such a brilliant mind.

[@raadiodaysyt]

Beautiful. This broke my heart. I, too, have lost so much b/c of health issues. David endured his loss with such strength. Our loss. Love the guy.

[@culturalwastelandisliveinh5521]

I LOVE YOU DAVID!!!! Still so amazing so many years later...

[@betoski]

dang the dance did it for me :(

[@kcdrew69]

+betoski me, too. I lost it. a couple times. damn.

[@margaretmadison]

I am so glad I saw this performance. I am sad David Rakoff is gone.

[@KarateBass]

David, thank you for being you. And thank you for having the courage to share with us. Till we meet again, somewhere.

[@sinergontohell]

I looked for this the day after hearing the story, and could not find it. It brought tears to my eyes then and still is. What a good fucking human, we could all be only half this cool, what a world it would be.

[@CaptinAbbey]

So much crying. Every damn time.

[@kcdrew69]

God, what a voice. I so miss him.

[@danawatkins]

Such grace, such talent, such agility with words and feelings. So sorry he's gone. So sad.

[@jinglebluesny]

Thank you to all the people who edited this and posted it today

[@gorecki4612]

Incredible man, I am that much richer for reading his books

[@TwiPrime]

I hadn't seen this before, although I had heard it on radio. Very beautiful and yes, David will be missed.

[@bornready01]

Thank you for posting this TAL. His wonderful sense of story will be missed greatly.

[@sparklebiddy]

Absolutely beautiful. A man afloat. Thanks for sharing.

[@ACoustaDC]

So beautiful..... as with most things that are inherently lovely,... it's beauty is in it's simplicity.... wish I could write a comment that would be as inspiring and memorable as your words, your observations..and this dance.... I will just have to settle for something simple..... thank you.

[@jabroome]

So happy I have a door on my office at work. Thank you TAL for putting this up.

[@gitagirl9]

I wrote my comment before seeing the entire piece. Wow... Damn... David, David, David... xo

[@mgscalin]

So touching. More so now than when I saw it in May. Yes, RIP and thanks for the dance.

[@FrozenDice]

Brilliant work. Thank you David, you will be missed.

[@JeanClaudeNoel]

David, thanks for sharing your talent and your life with us.

[@marceline88]

Same here. And not the first Rakoff cry I've had today. Not by a longshot.

[@TheKatoButt]

Thought provoking and inspiring...with tears in my eyes...

[@oggun777]

Amen to that, Alex.

[@2theblackhole]

wow... wowowowowowow... I have no words, that was amazing!

[@harlanlev]

RIP. Thanks TAL for sharing.

[@abandonedrocketship]

This is such a brilliant piece.

[@KennywasFez]

Oh David...you will truly, TRULY be missed.

[@WyldeTripKY]

Fantastic. Thanks for uploading it.

[@jagarfi]

"shrug Talmudically" - hilarious

[@suburbiamama]

Thank you for posting.

[@ddosecrets]

Crying just as much as I did the first time.

[@AcidRainbowSkies]

Beautiful! We miss you David!

[@kiwiincolorado]

Just finished reading, in the sun, the last essay of 'Half Empty', caused me to revisit this video; thanks mate and RIP

[@JayfromJTIC]

May your memory be a blessing to us all.

[@fionaaboud1]

David- Thank you for making me laugh and think. I will miss you on TAL. I always loved the sound of your voice. You were taken from us way too soon. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself with us...RIP

[@PETULAPETULA]

I still love this so, so, so much.

[@virtualk28]

I miss him

[@lisakaplan9007]

Me too.

[@jeanastubbert6749]

I miss you, David.

[@quigdette]

so incredibly moving.

[@rebeib]

Thank you so much for posting this. I've been hoping to see this since I heard the broadcast.

[@mudrasings]

His grace of dance made me cry.

[@RobHutten]

Beautiful.

[@Briarboyfl]

RIP, the world is better because you were here.

[@misslydiasteptoe]

A great soul. Godspeed, David.

[@theesir]

We truly shared a mans "last dance" with him. RIP David.

[@valeriea8844]

There are moments in life the very speaking of which are there own undoing...am I fired 😂 David, you kill me

[@DanielJCarrillo]

Awesome.

[@tantivymuckermaffikk]

David, you are sorely missed. :(

[@jeffking29]

What a great talent.

[@gitagirl9]

My radio will feel Half Empty without you. ~❀RIP❀~

[@leighculbertson]

I'll miss you David. Thanks for everything. RIP

[@joannhernesmaa3404]

Thank You David for making my left feel better about it self.

[@tecolote206]

Surprising and wonderful. I wish I had known the man.

[@rampsassemble]

RIP you awesome guy.

[@ChordCluster]

Thank you David! You are missed. RIP

[@morrisseygage]

oh, what a lovely man.

[@baroquejen]

Miss you

[@cherylbeee]

so goddamn brave

[@tracieprice3635]

RIP David, you will be greatly missed.

[@puppetville-bethobrien4139]

God bless David. RIP

[@COLLECTIVEBRIGHTNESS]

Thinking of you, David.

[@Floydthefuckbag]

RIP David.

[@theponchoduke]

The song is called, "What'll I do?" It was written by Irving Berlin and has been performed by many different artist. The version that's being played while David is dancing is sung by Nat King Cole.