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"Where the Wild Things Are" creator Maurice Sendak comes out, vanquishing the scary monsters inside
In the "better late than never" category, iconic artist Maurice Sendak, who gave us one of the greatest contributions to children's literature with Where the Wild Things Are, has officially come out in a New York Times interview: He talks about many things in the article, including his recent triple-bypass, and his insecurities about his work even after all these years, and he's asked if there's ever been a question he's never been asked in the many interviews he's given, and responds with "well, that i'm gay". “I just didn’t think it was anybody’s business,” Mr. Sendak added. He lived with Eugene Glynn a psychoanalyst, for 50 years before Dr. Glynn’s death in May 2007. He never told his parents:"All I wanted was to be straight so my parents could be happy. They never, never, never knew." Children protect their parents, Mr. Sendak said. It was like the time he had a heart attack at 39. His mother was dying from cancer in the hospital, and he decided to keep the news to himself, something he now regrets. A gay artist in New York is not exactly uncommon, but Mr. Sendak said that the idea of a gay man writing children books would have hurt his career when he was in his 20s and 30s.
I'm also jonesing (sorry) to see the long awaited (and much troubled) big screen, live action version coming out ... sometime. (At last update it has been put back on the schedule for next year.) So I'm very pleased to find out that yet another genius in his field is gay, and played an integral part of my childhood. Was Wild Things or any of Sendak's other books a big part of anyone else's upbringing? Submitted by on Wed, 2008-09-10 13:12. |
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I still have my copy of Where The Wild Things Are from when I was a kid. Unlike a lot of children, I never found the book scary, but rather I was fascinated with it, and would often fantasize about being a part of it.
gladness and sadness...
gladness for enjoying, appreciating and sharing the genius with many children during my years as an educator. i remember the controversy with parents believing "Where the Wild Things Are" being too scary for kids, and their kids thinking it was one of the greatest things they ever heard. they weren't scared in the least.
sadness because he had to hide part of himself according to the "rules" that were part of the stricture of a society that espoused equality in name only but not in practice. those of us who know this type of situation can identify with it and have our own gladness and sadness.
whether we chose to come out or not, both ways are courageous and a lot of people don't seem to understand that. i hope some day no one will have to answer any questions about their sexuality. it should be the least thing anyone should care about. what kind of person and how they contribute is the most important things people should be judged by. Mr. Sendak personifies both.
he has been and always will be one of my heroes...
'Where the Wild Things Are' was one of my favorite books...
...growing up; I'm sure it contributed to my being a voracious reader. It was also one of the first books I bought for both my nephew and my godson when they were toddlers and they've turned out to be book-lovers, too.
Loved the book...
and also have fond memories of the animated special Really Rose & the Nutshell Kids, with Carole King providing the voice of the fabulous! title character. It was probably one of my favorite tv "specials" as a kid.I actually have the soundtrack on vinyl. In pristine condition.
But if I had a question I've always wanted to ask Sendak, it wouldn't be "Are you gay?"(because I always sensed he might be), it would be, "What the heck was the name of the other girl in that cartoon-the one who didn't have a solo number? Please, it's been driving me nuts for 30 years!"
Not a Bolt From the Blue that Maurice Sendak is gay
I've known since 1966 when he appeared in Gregory Markopoulos' portrait film Galaxie. Cause Gregory didn't shoot anyone who wasn't either gay or Amy Taubin.
And then there's the work itself, which is obviously the work of a gay man. e all remember what our childhoods were like cause we play them over and over for ourselves like a movie the better to understand who we are.
The little boy in Where the Wild Things Are is both a universal child and a gay one. Same for In the Night Kitchen -- which got Sendak in trouble because its hero was naked and anatomically correct.
Needless to say Caribou Barbie hates Maurice Sendak.
Fuck her and the moose she rode in on!
Hate much?
Fuck her and the moose she rode in on!
Seriously?
was that comment really neccessary?
We Stand In Awe Before That Which Cannot Be Seen
Not as fake as your indignation
Her reaction to a gay children's book artist is perfectly obvious.
This was book started it all!!!
This was one of the frist books I ever read as a kid and it started my love affair with books and reading!!! Glad to know that someone who has had such an impact on me is family, makes me love the book even more.
I LOVED Where the Wild
I LOVED Where the Wild Things Are! i also wanted to part of that world to run around with monsters on an island and live their cool free lives. the book made a large impact that after having it read to me as a child in class i wanted to learn to read so i could read it over and over again. which i eventually did. i've since lost my copy but thanks to this article will definitely be buying myself a copy and my nieces and nephews.
thank you mr. sendak