Woolworth's Lunch-Counter Waitress

I enjoyed hearing Geneva's voice tell her own story rather than reading the story. You get a great concept from both types of the story but I think her voice and hearing her reactions sets in more than just reading it. I think David Isay did a good job at leading Geneva into a story vs. just questions and answers. This is going to be one thing that is a challenge in doing the sound portraits, the questions will have to be well thought and worded. Another challenge he faced was wording the transcript in way that you would get the same impact as hearing her voice. He used punctuation as well as emotions, noises going on, etc to get the feel of the real story.

The story of Geneva Tisdale.

Let Your VOICE Be Heard.

Upon reading The Stadium Pal by David Sedaris I pictured a bigger, more masculine looking, man. When I read an article of any sort it lets my imagination wonder, you picture the things that are going on and being said. You put emphasis and tone (if reading out loud especially) on certain parts or words that the author might not have. When reading an article someone else has written you can't know what they were thinking as they wrote it, or where they intended to be funny or serious.

Then when I watched the actual clip of David Sedaris on David Letterman I was kind of let down at first. Well, maybe not "let down", but as I had pictured someone bigger and a more masculine deep toned voice this man was tiny and had a high pitched voice. I think in the end it made the story funnier, because you could actually picture a certain person going through the story. I just don't picture a story like this happening to a guy like that. By reading his own story you could tell where he wanted you to laugh, and where he put the emphasis into certain words. I noticed he added a little line in when he was speaking, which wasn't in the writing. In the moment when reading out loud people tend to add little bits, which I think add to the story.

I like both reading and hearing stories, both have their advantages and disadvantages. When you read an article I think it gives more lead way for your imagination to kick in, and when hearing an article it lets you get the full effect of the story from the tone of a persons voice throughout. Personally I think it just depends on the type of story you're reading. Comedy type of stuff is usually funnier in person, you get the full effect, the full laugh. More serious types of issues are better just reading to yourself .