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susannah_breslin

susannah_breslin

I'm lost
June 2005

NOV 22, 2005 03:29 PM

In the wake of the recent debate over whether or not author JT LeRoy is real or not, WWD.com reports the New York Times recently killed an article LeRoy was commissioned to write for the publication. After having penned a piece for the paper about Disneyland Paris, LeRoy was to write an article about HBO's "Deadwood." But then, New York ran "Who Is the Real JT LeRoy." The increasingly public debate over the identity of the writer seemingly gave the Times cause for concern.

The Post's piece, even more than New York's story, evidently made Times editors skittish about continuing to give him a byline without proof of his existence. "They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over. "I've always played with identity and gender. I understand what [the Times is] saying, but they entered into working with me knowing that ... Just because the Washington Post came after them, why should I be forced to prove who I am? They knew exactly what they were getting when they dealt with me."

He was told by one of his editors he would no longer be able to write for the Times. "It was like I was blacklisted," he said, adding his agent thought other publications would follow suit.

Baise

Baise

USA
January 2005

NOV 22, 2005 04:24 PM

"They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over.



Um, if I had done this with MY employer, y'know, the one cutting me checks...well, I wouldn't be getting paid.

Is this bastard writing these articles for free or something? surreal

NotoriousCAT

NotoriousCAT

Atlanta, GA
January 2004

NOV 22, 2005 04:31 PM

I of course took the headline at face value and before reading the story thought, ' well at least we know that he/she is real.' blush

miguelitooooo

miguelitooooo

Portland, OR
July 2005

NOV 22, 2005 06:50 PM

I'm really glad that JT LeRoy is in fact not dead. I love his/ her work and believe "he" is "real" just based on all the crummy-paying work he did for NY Press back in the mid '90s.

As a freelance writer, all I have to sign is a 1040 form and sometimes a contract.

It's understandable why the Times would not have him write for them in the wake of their writers faking stories -- too bad LeRoy has to suffer from this...

Lemonkid

Lemonkid

Canada
May 2003

NOV 22, 2005 06:58 PM

Baise said:

"They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over.



Um, if I had done this with MY employer, y'know, the one cutting me checks...well, I wouldn't be getting paid.

Is this bastard writing these articles for free or something? surreal



Freelancers don't have the same employee / employer relationship found in other jobs.

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

NOV 22, 2005 07:03 PM

How weird is it that JT was about to write an article on an HBO Show??

Jayden

Jayden

SUICIDEGIRL

Oregon, USA

NOV 22, 2005 07:11 PM

PointBlank said:
How weird is it that JT was about to write an article on an HBO Show??



I was thinking the exact same thing. surreal

xokatyxo

xokatyxo

United Kingdom
December 2004

NOV 22, 2005 07:13 PM

It's a shame, really sad, that he's losing work because of this. frown

At least Interview have said they'll keep working with him. Warhol would probably like JT whether he really exists or not.

Baise

Baise

USA
January 2005

NOV 22, 2005 07:17 PM

Lemonkid said:

Baise said:

"They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over.



Um, if I had done this with MY employer, y'know, the one cutting me checks...well, I wouldn't be getting paid.

Is this bastard writing these articles for free or something? surreal



Freelancers don't have the same employee / employer relationship found in other jobs.



But you have to provide some sort of proof for tax purposes, though, even if you're working under a psuedonym or anonymously...right?

redheadedleague

redheadedleague

Pinole, CA
September 2003

NOV 22, 2005 07:23 PM

JT Leroy once wrote an article about the parking situation at the McDonald's in the Haight. I'd love to hear what he (or she, or whatever) has to say about Deadwood.

thestral

thestral

Manassas, VA
August 2005

NOV 22, 2005 08:25 PM

Why should they care who he is? Why should anyone care who he is? If his shit is good, if it sells papers, who the hell cares? People are too goddamned nosey. Nobody wants to read shit that hasn't been written by someone just like them. Let hir stay anonymous and just take their shit at face value.

Huck

Huck

United Kingdom
July 2004

NOV 23, 2005 04:33 AM

that Leroy, he's a card

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

NOV 23, 2005 06:00 AM

thestral said:
Why should they care who he is? Why should anyone care who he is? If his shit is good, if it sells papers, who the hell cares? People are too goddamned nosey. Nobody wants to read shit that hasn't been written by someone just like them. Let hir stay anonymous and just take their shit at face value.


well, when you consider that a lot of JT Leroy's fame and career is based on his or her back story, it does become relevant. She's never been "anonymous." not by a long shot.

jake_lex

jake_lex

Lexington, KY
February 2003

NOV 23, 2005 09:07 AM

If you've been burned as much by bullshit reporting as the Times has been, why the fuck are you hiring anonymous reporters anyway? Isn't that asking for another Jayson Blair?

mercilyn

mercilyn

San Francisco, CA
January 2005

NOV 24, 2005 07:10 PM

Jt is beautiful regardless of who Jt really is...yet is it such abig deal to cause more uproar or just move on...let go of the notion that a conspiracy follows you---yr writing speaks for itself....

aoife

aoife

Hilton Head Island, SC
October 2002

NOV 25, 2005 02:52 PM

I like that all these discussions phrase the question "whether JT Leroy is real or not," rather than "whether JT Leroy is who he/she/it says he/she/it is."

I like the idea of those stories just appearing out of thin air. poof! there's nobody really writing them.

FrankMask

FrankMask

Saint Paul, MN
June 2003

NOV 25, 2005 03:19 PM

This sounds like turning down a strawberry icecream cone because it's flavor happens to be strawberry.

skeptik

skeptik

New Orleans, LA
February 2004

NOV 26, 2005 10:02 AM

Frank said:
This sounds like turning down a strawberry icecream cone because it's flavor happens to be strawberry.


More like turning down a "surprise-flavored" ice cream cone, because its flavor might actually be rat poison.

Not that it is, just that you don't know its not. After having several bad cones where it actually was rat poison.

The_Reverend

The_Reverend

United Kingdom
September 2004

NOV 26, 2005 10:09 AM

The plot thickens. Just like the chicken soup.

Sophie

Sophie

SUICIDEGIRL

Kansas, USA

NOV 26, 2005 04:17 PM

redheadleague said:
JT Leroy once wrote an article about the parking situation at the McDonald's in the Haight. I'd love to hear what he (or she, or whatever) has to say about Deadwood.


me too! it would've been seriously interesting. or at least entertaining.

doubleo

doubleo

San Francisco, CA
April 2003

NOV 26, 2005 09:08 PM

Sophie said:

redheadleague said:
JT Leroy once wrote an article about the parking situation at the McDonald's in the Haight. I'd love to hear what he (or she, or whatever) has to say about Deadwood.


me too! it would've been seriously interesting. or at least entertaining.



Where was that published in?

Wallace

Wallace

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

NOV 26, 2005 09:20 PM

Baise said:

Lemonkid said:

Baise said:

"They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over.



Um, if I had done this with MY employer, y'know, the one cutting me checks...well, I wouldn't be getting paid.

Is this bastard writing these articles for free or something? surreal



Freelancers don't have the same employee / employer relationship found in other jobs.



But you have to provide some sort of proof for tax purposes, though, even if you're working under a psuedonym or anonymously...right?



bump cos i'd like to know the answer to this too!

Lily

Lily

SUICIDEGIRL

New York, USA

DEC 02, 2005 12:39 PM

Yeah apparently people think that his supposed female roomate is in fact him and he is just one of her many persona's. Either way he/she is incredible. I really would like to know though, although i believe that he is who he says he is. I guess he has never made any public appearances?? because he had social anxiety and is very shy but i think for someone who has to write about such hard things and reveal such painful pieces of his past, I can see why it would be hard to reveal ones identity, although that doesn't stop my curiosity about one of my favorite writers....

[Edited on Dec 02, 2005 by Lily]

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

DEC 02, 2005 12:41 PM

Wallace said:

Baise said:

Lemonkid said:

Baise said:

"They asked me for my passport, my social security card," LeRoy said. He declined to hand them over.



Um, if I had done this with MY employer, y'know, the one cutting me checks...well, I wouldn't be getting paid.

Is this bastard writing these articles for free or something? surreal



Freelancers don't have the same employee / employer relationship found in other jobs.



But you have to provide some sort of proof for tax purposes, though, even if you're working under a psuedonym or anonymously...right?



bump cos i'd like to know the answer to this too!


Every freelance writing job that I do, I have to give my Social Security #, but that's for taxes, not "proof."

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

DEC 02, 2005 12:43 PM

Lily said:
Yeah apparently people think that his supposed female roomate is in fact him and he is just one of her many persona's. Either way he/she is incredible. I really would like to know though, although i believe that he is who he says he is. I guess he has never made any public appearances?? because he had social anxiety and is very shy but i think for someone who has to write about such hard things and reveal such painful pieces of his past, I can see why it would be hard to reveal ones identity, although that doesn't stop my curiosity about one of my favorite writers....

[Edited on Dec 02, 2005 by Lily]


I think that part of the accusation is that those traumatic experiences were all a lie as well and that his or her backstory was simply made up.
And he has made public appearances. In fact, I met him (if you can call saying "hello" meeting someone)at a reading (where other people read her work) and all that I'll say is: if the whole thing is an act, it's very fucking convincing.

[Edited on Dec 02, 2005 by PointBlank]

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