THE PALE KING: Monologues From The Unfinished Novel By David Foster Wallace

April 28, 2011 -- PEN Center USA produced a reading of David Foster Wallace's last unfinished novel, The Pale King, to an enthusiastic crowd of 300 in Beverly Hills. Eleven talented actors performed monologues from the book.
With Michelle Azar, Rob Delaney, Rosemarie DeWitt, Brian Elerding, Nick Offerman, Josh Radnor, June Raphael, Henry Rollins, Adam Scott, Jennifer Westfeldt, and Casey Wilson.
Directed by Charlie Stratton, with host David L. Ulin.
Video by Chris Cruse.

[@Garret_bruh_homey]

"David Foster Wallace's writing lends itself to being said aloud." - Person pretending to have read Infinite Jest.

[@111111112334ify]

lol

[@zachconn9003]

I'm reading the pale king and yes you should read it. Although, if the first about fifty pages frustrate you power through. They require very slow, deliberate reading without much narrative context but at the same time the reading is meaningful. Which is, in a way, the whole point of the book.

[@aaronbrown8820]

I love how a writer can bring people together.

[@Floobie2956]

Saw Nick Offerman and was immediately incredibly pumped to hear him read some David Foster Wallace prose. then disappointed 2 minutes later. such a tease.

[@Draxtor]

Currently reading ... just so awesome !!!! I did not think he could top Infinite JEst ....

[@nickilovesdogs8137]

Henry.

[@Albeit_Jordan]

Is there somewhere I can see the full show?

[@lewiscarr7952]

Were these every recorded and released?

[@GaiatheSage]

amazing video. would love to see the whole thing! great background music, anyone know the music title? I would love to listen to this while reading david foster wallace's works. any music suggestions for accompanying his books are appreciated.

[@ex0rdium]

didn't think it would, but this video made me choke up... we lost DFW way too soon but he left behind a wonderful body of work that will be analyzed for centuries, and the best compliment I can give him is that his writing makes me feel less alone inside.

[@jerseyjack21]

Definitely worth it!

[@eatinginthebasement]

All my favorite pseudo-intellectuals.

[@clairelodge72]

What... the cast of parks and rec?

[@sprocketscientist]

Is there a full recording of this event available anywhere?

[@Swanka]

Yes: very definitely. It's not quite as monumental & messily perfect as Infinite Jest, but it's still beautiful & funny & scary & wonderful.

[@Goomba4001]

The Books! Great tastes in literature always seem to go along with great tastes in music...

[@travisnealtodd70]

Interesting interpretation of a sliver of the book...reading the fucker was such an interior experience for me it's cool to see others visibly sharing the dude's work, and it's impact on them. Kudos.

[@ninjawombatfilmco]

I disagree. There's something claustrophobic and jumbled about DFW that does lend itself to being read aloud. I read sections of IJ aloud to myself and it introduced me to a lot of what I wasn't getting from just reading silently. Wallace does possess a strong since of rhythm, rythym he embraces and constantly tweaks to throw off his reader. Like his frequent use of the word "like" in IJ. He throws it into these long jumbled sentences and it gives it all a more disjointed feel.

[@williamdrouin8063]

Jackson Mace sorry to be this late. But on the question of rythm, dfw is nothing compared to Joyce

[@dunsbroccoli2588]

Oh great, some more intellectual posturing by Baskin Rollins.

[@ninjawombatfilmco]

Sure, it may be difficult to read IJ aloud, but that doesn't meant it

[@TheEccentricHippie]

What's the music in the beginning?

[@jacobbramlett3240]

Polemic I'm not sure what song but sounds like something of The Books Album "Thought for Food" or "Lemon of Pink"

[@BrianEstabrook]

Hell. Yes.

[@Misserbi]

He obviously chose to navigate outside instead of staying home. That takes a lot of guts because of all the unknowns. If he was in a community or village he would be safe. But he is describing public situations from his POV and forgetting there are a lot of unknowns and he is guilty of not getting answers to his own episodes. My point is it is easier to stay in a room and not think what may or may not happen if you leave it. Just go. Take care of your business. Come back. He left.

[@Emiligia]

Lemme just say, for one night, I'm really disappointed LA is not where I live. The show seemed like a one time, intimate, you-had-to-be-there experience. Damn.

[@licenselessrider4486]

Heh, he does. And isn't that an aphex song?

[@PoetlaureateNFDL]

Fascinating

[@stevemarek7305]

the books

[@ninjawombatfilmco]

Shouldn't be. There is merit in the complexity of rhythm and sound that them an acute joy when read aloud.

[@karlmustardseed6963]

barf

[@TheEccentricHippie]

This is by far one of the most obnoxious things I have ever seen. Bunch of snobby and pretentious actors and comedians who fancy themselves geniuses. "DFW's writing lends itself to be said aloud." That guy can't possibly be serious. I literally cannot think of one writer whose work is less cooperative with spoken word. Also, Josh Radnor just lost tons of respect from me... it's almost embarrassing how smart he is trying to be.

[@nathanbogart3191]

Polemic Seriously. And I can't help but feel Wallace would've despised this. These are people pretending to be brilliant out of self-importance, while Wallace suffered his brilliance.

[@Ray_D_Tutto]

@@nathanbogart3191 Mike Schur is the Antithesis to David Foster Wallace.

[@ninjawombatfilmco]

And I enjoy all the people who read. Why would one like yourself condemn a gathering of DFW fans from all sort of artistic strata?

[@Mo_Ketchups]

Henry Rollins trying to wax intellectual and daring to comment on DW is like discussing Kobe beef with a vegan. 😖😖

[@wilhelmvg9978]

Seems like he genuinely enjoys the work to me

[@ohfoolishworkerbee]

[@adhhxgxhhg]

NO! GOD NO!! KEEP THESE SITCOM ACTORS AND EDGELORDS AWAY!

[@corsopiedmond9238]

Pretentious much?

[@alcoholya]

what is pretentious about reading aloud someone's work you admire?

[@palbo4]

Not at all?

[@snomad2248]

This was a wank. His journalism was good, but his fiction was unreadable.

[@Devilshumour]

Judging by what you've said, your journalism is terrible.