David Foster Wallace on humor and Infinite Jest

[gofishdino]

Imagine a world in which DFW was a figure as recognizable as Kim Kardashian or Tom Cruise. Now imagine a mediocre comedian doing a mediocre impression of him on SNL. How easy would that be?

[travisnealtodd70]

I'm glad that I made it through Infinite Jest the second time around, although I must say I will never see footnotes in a completely innocent light for the rest of my life. I wonder how much the character of Incandenza Sr. was inspired by Stan Brakhage, whether an NFL punter will ever receive as much literary attention, if there will ever be a more accurate description of what deep depression FEELS like. Our society and culture are the poorer without Mr. Wallace. Two words, John J. Sullivan.

[alohagirl808]

People my age...lost (Death), a man in pain...:'(

[bryher2]

Yes, it seems so, that in today's culture the alleged 'philosophy of Ayn Rand' has triumphed, 100%. Yet was this ever not the case?

[bigshleigh]

@bryher2 I disagree strongly.

[dwendt66]

@bryher2 Explain how Ayn Rand's philosophy has triumphed 100%. There's plenty of Collectivism enforced on us.

[UNIVERSAL1235813]

great vid! when we let go our our individual worldview.. which is illusionary.. and stemmed from our false perception of our EGO.. WE WILL SEE THE WHOLE* REALITY IS 1* and we have divided it.. with our false perceptions.. of ME ME ME* just sayin

[TaZiey17]

What is the name of the author in the beginning that formulate sentence about discussion on things that are "heavy".

[hwAbdiel]

@TaZiey17 Ludwig Wittgenstein.



[oheymardyjay]

(though I doubt that he would conform to this sort of thing), DFW, in his infinite genius, would have the best tweets of all time. He is missed.

[MSXXY69]

He was such an extraordinary, precious individual. His work contributes so much to my life, I wish he was alive so I could write him a letter to express my gratitude. I am not very educated and discovered him through an obituary only a year ago. Haven't stopped reading since. He was the modern day Edgar Allan Poe or Oscar Wilde. The Pale King was such a courageous project. An endless inspiration.

[2TheDeath]

brilliant guy... too smart for his own good.

[franciscaceres]

thank u for uploading!

[nutsbutdum]

Terrence Malick should seriously consider doing a movie on Infinite Jest.

[Yesiamblind]

@nutsbutdum Malick is 67 now. He would probably die in the middle of the whole process. Besides that it would probably take 15 years to actually write a semi-coherent screenplay for this book. There is no way this book will ever be made as a film. And I think it is a good thing as well just look at how Brief Interviews With Hideous Men turned out. Not to say that Jim Halpert didnt try his best but some books just dont translate onto the big screen. Not every book needs to be a movie.

[borowczyk76]

@Yesiamblind If Cronenberg could make a half decent film out of Naked Lunch (in fact I love that film)... I'm sure in the right hands, Infinite Jest could make a great film... but I'd hate if someone like Oliver Stone would get his filthy paws on this one...

[borowczyk76]

@nutsbutdum I think I'd rather see Aronofsky tackle this one... or even Paul Thomas Anderson. Mallick's films have too much of a billowy flow to them which wouldn't fit with Wallace...

[kappacappello]

does anyone know when did this interview take place?

[Artzineonline]

@kappacappello 2003

[amritanshu]

Mr Wallace could be a fictional character from one of his unfinished novels who is giving an interview about a "novel' he wrote in the novel, which gets edited and uploaded to youtube. To be viewed by someone searching about him after learning about his death. Based on this supposition, this someone is a part of the novel too and since you are able to read this comment. You too are one of the characters the only thing real is Mr wallace who is already dead for us

[Fobetc]

I miss him. I really do. Sometimes, reading something he wrote, I suddenly think "He's dead, he'll never write anything else, I'll never meet him". And I feel like crap.

[grumblecatsarego]

Watching him speak makes my heart go pitter-pat.

Intellectual crushes run pretty deep.

[mattbbaby]

i'm from italy. true king. miss him.

RIP DFW

[NoHayMasMate]

Remember all, this is the edited interview. Only his quick, digestible and almost commercial thoughts he voiced during this interview are given to us. Most of it has probably been cut away and so we only get quick snap shots of what he said. Irony at its best here when dealing with David Foster Wallace

[Artzineonline]

@NoHayMasMate Thank you for your comment. "This version offers David Foster Wallace's ideas, without repetitions, long pauses, interviewer's comments." I think you'd benefit from watching the unedited version which is also available on Youtube. It may ( or not) justify this edited version. Cheers!

[phitdemon]

@Artzineonline Could you tell me where it is available unedited please? I watched it unedited a little over a year ago but the version I watched seems to have been taken down. I would very much like to rewatch it all if possible. Thanks.

[Artzineonline]

@NoHayMasMate

Look for 'WasglotztDuso" this channel has all the full interview. Cheers!

[eprimeprice]

@NoHayMasMate The full video is linked on the David Foster Wallace Audio Project

[bigshleigh]

RIP

[iasfdglai]

Don't get mad at me, but I think 2:08 was a bit foreshadowing. The stumble; intense thoughts maybe?

[themysterymeatman]

I love this dude.

[phenylphree]

I miss him so much.... and I'm only just discovering him now.

[dancebaby808]

@phenylphree my thoughts exactly.

[enderandpeter]

Wow. Wallace was compelled to write Infinite Jest after a few people he knew committed suicide? Talk about irony...

Infinite Jest is clearly a depressing work. I'd venture to say that the people who thought it was more funny than sad may not have finished it. There are many parts that are very humorous and you'll definitely laugh out loud, but if you make it to the end, I don't think you'll know what to think...

[cfotoole]

@enderandpeter Exactly. There's a reason that the initial reviews that came out days after the book was published highlighted the book's humor. The reviewers hadn't had time to do anything but skim. The book's about recovering drug addicts and a kid whose father has recently committed suicide. At its core, it's a deeply sad book. It just that, like most long, serious books, it includes humor periodically to keep from driving readers away.

[thisisgrey]

"In the US there's a tradition called black humor"? Black humor is not american, it is universal

[Artzineonline]

@thisisgrey I think the reference is perhaps to Black Humor as a literary genre in the US which came to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s. Technically, though, it has been around for a long, long time.

[roycesboy]

@Artzineonline perhaps

[bigshleigh]

who does he reference in the beginning?

[Artzineonline]

@bigshleigh Ludwig Wittgenstein "One of the things that makes Wittgenstein a real artist to me is that he realized that no conclusion could be more horrible than solipsism. " -- DFW

[moodycaro]

It still upsets me. 

[MidnightEyEs85]

David Foster Wallace is certainly missed. Such thoughtful people are priceless.

[mcenkema]

What happened to the full interview? It disappeared all of a sudden, before I had listened to them all the way through. I hope they will be put back up, I appreciate hearing his words.

[Artzineonline]

@mcenkema These are edited versions of the full interviews which belong to ZDFmediateck and are available in their entirety on their site. I don't own the rights so I can't show the full interviews.

[JesterMereel]

@Artzineonline Then can you please give the site link to the full video?

[Artzineonline]

@JesterMereel sent you a link via e-mail, can't seem to be able to post links here! cheers!