Joel Grey "Master Of Ceremonies"

I haven't read the book yet, so I guess my main reason for starting this thread is to address the annoying banner ad that misspells his surname as "Gray". It's kinda irritating.

If anybody has actually read the book yet, published today, I'd love to hear your thoughts!

New York Times feature

Amazon link

Updated On: 2/16/16 at 08:57 PM

I read it. His career and his struggles with his sexuality are the two major threads of his memoir.

Joel Grey's Master of Ceremonies: Life is Not Just A Cabaret

I was, ultimately, disappointed.

What did other people think?

Why wonder that?

It's not meant as a plot twist. That reaction is so tiresome and misses the whole point.

It's about his own personal acceptance, and changing attitudes - not celebrity tittle-tattle. The man grew up in a different era which pushed him into an outwardly heternormative lifestyle - marriage to a woman, two kids etc. He didn't come out publicly until age 82.

I think Joel Grey could do a great one-man show. I'm not sure that this book should be his guide to it.

"The man grew up in a different era which pushed him into an outwardly heternormative (sic) lifestyle..."

This is far from accurate, and I'm not sure you read the book, if you think that's the case. Grey makes it quite clear throughout the book that he sees himself as bisexual with a slight preference for men, and that he had many truly fulfilling emotional and sexual relationships with women, including his wife, with whom he enjoyed a true marriage for many years.

The book is perfectly enjoyable, but far too repetitive about superficial personal issues, with not enough (for me) about his career and art. He doesn't even mention The Grand Tour.

This is far from accurate, and I'm not sure you read the book, if you think that's the case.


You're right, I've still to read the book (it's near the top of my pile!) - and I didn't mean to imply that I had, or to talk out of my ass. My impressions were based on this New York Times piece, as well as the mentioned People article. My bad. I'm still looking forward to reading it, though.

From NYT :

Although Mr. Grey came out as a gay man, publicly, last year, in an interview with People magazine, the book, written with Rebecca Paley, may surprise readers with the extent of his candor about his past relationships and his many years of hiding, both inwardly and in public, the true nature of his sexual identity. Many people who knew Mr. Grey as the father of Jennifer Grey, the actress and “Dirty Dancing” star, may have presumed that he was heterosexual. The truth is more complicated.

Still, he writes in the book that his years of contented family life (his wife, Jo Wilder, was an actress when they met) were his happiest, at least until a need for “being free,” on both his part and his wife’s, led to their divorce.

Updated On: 4/13/16 at 03:53 PM