Joel Grey "Master Of Ceremonies"
Joel Grey "Master Of Ceremonies"
#1Joel Grey "Master Of Ceremonies"
Posted: 2/16/16 at 8:57pm
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!
#3Joel Grey
Posted: 4/8/16 at 4:18pm
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?
Alessio2
Broadway Star Joined: 11/15/13
Alessio2
Broadway Star Joined: 11/15/13
#7Joel Grey
Posted: 4/8/16 at 5:27pm
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.
10086sunset
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/8/16
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#10Joel Grey
Posted: 4/10/16 at 9:17pm
It's not a bad book, just maybe an incomplete one, and it has some wonderful chapters -- the part about re-inventing his Emcee performance for film with a contrary, ambivalent Fosse (who cast him only under duress, shockingly) is truly compelling and startling. To my thinking, nothing else in the book is quite as powerfully told. He's not obligated to get gossipy, but the book has (too) few insights about his collaborators and costars. It's honorable not to trash-talk, but he doesn't make his process on most shows feel immediate. That said, the "George M" stuff is fairly detailed, though it's not a show that intrigues many of us, so perhaps I'm revealing a bias. Did I say "perhaps?"
#11Joel Grey
Posted: 4/13/16 at 9:07am
"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.
#12Joel Grey: "Master of Ceremonies"
Posted: 4/13/16 at 10:14am
This isn't the behind the scenes, tell-all, memoir that a lot of people may have hoped. I read the book over a day or two. It was focused on his personal life struggles with identity and sexual exploration. These topics have personal meaning to myself, for a number of reasons.
While, the stories of Cabaret and George M were loved, there wasn't reaelly anything else about his body of work. It is a good read, but you will be underwhelmed if you're looking to find out about his run in Wicked, or Chicago, or The Grand Tour (to name a few).
#13Joel Grey:
Posted: 4/13/16 at 3:53pm
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.
#14Joel Grey:
Posted: 4/13/16 at 4:16pm
Hm. Someone should ask Terri White what she thinks. She had some very interesting things to say about Mr. Grey. Hint: she did NOT enjoy working with him.
Updated On: 4/13/16 at 04:16 PMVideos