Lisa Carver, Truman Capote, my therapist and me – An Odd Future Conversation
A conversation with Truman Capote
That night, I was visited in my dreams by someone else who has been influential on me in terms of writing. He was looking fancy, in a champagne-colored double-breasted suit, and holding a bottomless bottle of Midori. He was, as always, cantankerous.
Truman Capote: You do realize, Joseph, that Odd Future is in a particularly nasty conundrum, right?
How so?
Think about it. Think about it for a few minutes.
(I think about it for a moment)
Come up with it yet?
Honestly, Truman … no.
The fundamental problem with Odd Future and Tyler, The Creator is that they will forever be caught in a limbo of their own doing.
The one between fantasy and reality?
Exactly! They are set on a path of planned obsolescence, and it’s thanks to that outrageous persona they have created. They have the spotlight now, but as I well know, the spotlight will move away, move on to the next, more outrageous thing, and when that happens, they will fall apart, in some form or fashion.
I was thinking about that after I was talking to Lisa. I think of all the acts that based themselves on flamboyance, of gimmicks versus talent.
Look at me. I was a talented writer. But I was also a personality – and a fabulously flamboyant one at that, and that was my downfall. I wrote great things, but people are more likely to recall how I acted. Hell, they made two movies about me. Capote was who I was, but some people didn’t think that really captured me, and then they made that utterly dreadful Notorious, which was who people thought I was, and it makes me sick.
So you’re saying that these kids are going to become victims of themselves?
Here is what is going to happen to Tyler, The Creator, and Odd Future. You had it right when you said that the things they say show the way to who they really are; Lisa had a point when she said it was all part of an overall persona, not to be taken seriously. And thus lies the conflict: at some point, people are going to wise up. They’re going to start thinking, “These guys are saying vile things”, and though they found it funny at first, after time passes – or, more likely, the audience grows up – the audience won’t find it so funny, and they’ll lose most of their audience, leaving only the hardcore types worshiping. It happened with Allen Ginsburg. It happened with Marilyn Manson. It happens to anyone doing “shock”.
What of the music itself? Some find it innovative …
Doesn’t matter.
Or the lyrical craft that some find engaging?
Doesn’t matter.
Or th –
Doesn’t matter! It’s all image with these kids. It’s not real.
Even the puking on camera?
Yes.
And the tweets?
Especially the tweets! Look, Joseph, here’s what’s going to happen. In a year’s time, these kids will release a follow-up. It won’t sell. And one of two things will happen. Tyler, The Creator will actually DO one of the vile things he talks about, and people will recoil in horror, asking themselves, “What have we done?” and thus, career over. Or he won’t do any of those things, people will say, “This is boring”, and thus, career virtually over. So, I think you really need not worry about them.
So, really, this is just a masturbatory moment that the press is having.
Yes! I think you’re getting it. As much as I’d love to go on discussing this, I have to go haunt Nordstrom’s now. There’s a demented little queen who needs a good mind-fuck, and I’m just the pervert to give him what he wants.
Wait! Wait! Don’t go … I want to ask you about how you feel towards the removal of the sexual subtext in the film version of Breakfast At Tiffany’s!
Another time, you weird-grader!
(continues overleaf)
