Eric Bogosian
Self-Censorship
February 13, 1996.
Howdy. Before dazzling you with news from many fronts, I have to say a few words about this page:
The Internet has become in effect a broadcast media, i.e. it sends information out to many, many unseen people. Although it is potentially a two-way street, in truth it works a lot like TV. We "send", you "receive". When I started this page, I made the naive assumption only people interested in my work (or interested in theater or spoken word) would tune in. I also thought it could act as a kind of publicity clearing-house and fan club, since I make few TV or radio appearances.
The reality is that this page is available to anyone with a modem and so people tune in who have no idea where I'm coming from or who vehemently disagree with my point of view or who get a thrill from seeing naughty words onscreen. Point is, this page is not designed for that, it isn't meant to be some sort of agit- prop. It's too personal for that. I'm actually trying to be open here. I want to convey information, not start culture wars.I want to start a culture war, I'll do that somewhere else.
(That's one of the current fake-outs of our culture: that pure nastiness on the mass media is somehow "revolutionary". It's not true as long as you don't know who the audience is. Audience defines the work. And in the mass media, who is the audience? Everyone? The lowest common denominator, some racist pin-head? Some "church-lady"? There's no "revolution" without a context.)
Recently I realized I have no idea who's reading my stuff and this leaves room for misunderstanding. It seems obvious to me that if I post the "inner thoughts" of a serial killer, I'm making a comment on those thoughts. But what if children tune in, or a potential serial killer? Or someone looking for a new hobby?
For many years now I have avoided doing my more "nasty" work on TV or radio because I don't want it to be taken out of context and seen as a celebration of the very stuff it's dissing. I stayed off HBO's "Comic Relief" because I thought it would be truly sad to do my "street" people on that show. In other contexts (late night talk shows, for instance) I have avoided doing the characters that in the theater (a whole different ball game) have made me popular.
For this reason, I am removing some of the postings from this page. I have no interest in entertaining, inflaming or offending people who are distinctly from outside my "tribe." I thought the internet would be a place where I could expand and connect with people who "get" what I am doing. And it has been that. But it's also a public place and I have a responsibility in this forum. If you walk into one of my shows and you get offended, well, that's the chance you take when you buy a ticket. The internet is different. The anonymity makes the whole enterprise ominous and potentially more like the mass-media than not.
This page will continue to be a gateway to my work. But it won't be a showcase for everything. My work is in my books and my tapes and, of course, my shows.
Back to the Front:
Visited Luca Barbareschi in Rome (where he is doing "Pounding Nails") and we did a press conference together and I saw a tape of the show. Nice, very sweaty and nasty. I enjoyed spending time there with him (two days). Because Luka is a big star in Italy, the "irreverence" of the show becomes even more "shocking."
Did some "Coffee" shows on the road to good response. (Good response is people standing and cheering at the end while other people walk out in anger and disgust.)
And I have an especially exciting piece of news to share: Richard Linklater has signed on with Castle Rock to direct a film version of my play "subUrbia." I am very happy about this for obvious reasons. Shooting will begin in Austin in about two months.
