Laura Albert at The Moth

As JT LeRoy, Laura Albert is the author of the novels "Sarah" and "Harold's End," as well as the story collection "The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things."

JT's fiction has also been published in the anthologies "Best American Non-Required Reading 2003" and "MTV's Lit Riffs," as well as the literary magazines McSweeney's, Zoetrope: All Story and Memorious. JT's journalism has been published in the New York Times, Spin, Interview, Vogue, Black Book and many other publications.

Albert wrote the original screenplay for Gus Van Sant's "Elephant," and has written for the HBO series "Deadwood".

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Laura Albert JT LeRoy
• Truth
• Lies
• Heartbreaking
• Street kids
• Mary Ellen Mark
• Streetwise
• New York TImes

[JoeinSF415]

Ms. Albert wrote fine novels. I never understood the critics, branding her a "fraud." Fraud is not possible in fiction, its a creative endeavor. How dare anyone take away what was all her. She not only has talent, she belongs to a select group of literary figures known as much for the lives they led as the books they wrote. Charismatic individuals who's writing intertwined with the persona, obscuring what was true and what was created. No one ever called Colette a fraud.

[bruckmania]

Laura Albert is an important artist, whether she speaks to us through her brilliant JT LeRoy books or as herself. The support she has received in recent years is only the beginning -- before it's all over, she'll be bigger than JT was, and JT was BIG. You read it here first.

[ippamela1]

I should only hear, be a reader and being an art viewer. Art is "the false" that is more true of truth and this is what i found in Laura's work, strengthened from the JTstory with her behind him. In my opinion a writer takes a piece of self that maximize until he/she finds the character and the story. The human JT was the incarnation of this process, never mind the truth of the facts because Laura is there, JT is there and we are there. People feel cheated but should move on and see such a gift.

[snakey319]

George Sand agrees.

[reneeruin]

The audacity, the sheer sense of entitlement! The public's response is laughable. Whoever said she wanted forgiveness or felt the need to be forgiven? Tell me this? Those who understand what is true and what is raw and what is the entrails and bare exposed bones of Leroy/Albert's writing understand the diginity in her position.

[sanfield666]

What a beautiful slice of a memoir. To think of Laura Albert as one of the lost urchins from "Streetwise" is a brutal insight for sure and so brave of her to share. Like all great MOTH pieces, she hits all the right notes - clear and concise. A dark and moving portrait of a vital artist.

[Rhade]

I liked her in caligari but now i see this i found her as crazy as the movie.

[bruckmania]

This video is an extraordinarily lucid and moving explanation of exactly why Laura Albert had to adopt the JT LeRoy persona in order to write her amazing books. That's why it's gotten so many hits, because people want to hear the real story from the artist herself, not the misrepresentations and slanders of a vengeful and ignorant media. And what a story it is!

[valkyr11]

does anyone know the name of the hostess?



[DoubleTalkingJive]

Laura's such a great writer---I still can't figure out why she created that bogus J.T. Leroy persona in the first place. The books worked just fine as a fiction--they were stark, mind-blowing fiction.

She'd have continued success as an author if she had simply used her own name (or a pen name) and persona, and the books would've been just as well-received, in my opinion.

There was no need to try to pass the stories off as real-life events that happened to a real-life person.

[shreddedcuttlefish]

It's not that Laura's story is amazing (it is) but that she tells her story with both power and grace. To paraphrase eco philosopher David Abram. Good stories are judged according to whether or not they enliven our senses. Laura's story stirs our senses from their slumber and opens our eyes to their real surroundings, tuning the tongue to the actual tastes in the air and sending chills of recognition along the surface of the skin. I'm remain in awe of both her skill and courage.

PJ

[briniciodeltoro]

Beautiful stuff, Laura.

[evidieo]

Thank you Laura for your heart wrenching story about your life. You are a true inspiration and I hope to one day explain my own traumatizing experiences. All the best, Eve

[stevealloy]

Outstanding! I love the emotion Laura brings to her storytelling. I completely agree with the comments about her authenticity and rawness. There is no fraud here, folks...like there could even be a fraud charge in fiction writing anyway...but this is the real thing, the real heart, soul, and emotion. What an artist!

[areflectingskin]

I found this film incredibly moving. I only wish I can come near to the rawness and authenticity of this writer. I'm not interested in the fraud story. Laura Albert writes about beauty and pain - words that are comforting to many. Her words make me feel understood. The words really speak for themselves. Does it really matter how she manages to get the words on the page, as long as she does? Every writer needs a mask or an avatar. That's what fiction is. All I care about is that she continues.

[danatheus1]

This is true bravery.

[MrRyanGC]

The fact that anyone would call her a fraud blows me away. I have never heard a more honest story in my life. Yes it's fiction, but who says it's only the words on the inside of the cover that tell the story.

[knightoffaith78]

I understand why people were angry at Laura Albert and "JT." I'm also glad I missed the whole fiasco at the time, which in hindsight looks more absurd and embarrassing for everyone involved than sinister. I think it's time to forgive her. She is very obviously a brilliant artist (it took all of 6 pages of Sarah for me to discover this). I have never read anything quite like her work. As a speaker, she inspires me like no other writer. Open your hearts, people. And your ears.

[gunnysmith32]

I liked her stories but I never understood what the hype was around JT Leroy.

[Tresfres]

@JoeinSF415 that's not exactly the same thing. While I enjoyed her novels part of the reason why I bought into it is because it was sold to me as semi autobiographical. Most people liked that side of things and that is why they were put off big time when the truth came out. I think she really took the piss with it.

[mrcilio1]

Laura e' unica, bravissima, la puoi ascoltare per ore...Non esiste il falso o la frode, esistono le SUE storie e i SUOI libri. E' bellissimo sentirla raccontare ancora, brava Laura, non smettere mai, mai.

[geofolkers]

Wow! A stunning person! A real soul in a fake world! Beautiful !

[kaeriordandes1]

Laura, as an extremely talented artist/writer, does not have to justify herself or her art to anyone, her art speaks for itself, and anyone who does not have the soul or intelligence to understand that, should stick to reading comic books.

[BelleVon]

I Did Moth Knce Its An Amazinq Experience

[bruckmania]

Readers who regard the JT LeRoy books as "overwrought purple prose" are more to be pitied than scorned, because they're stuck in their own blindness. That they should chase after and attack an artist whom they consider talentless, and attempt to punish her for what they believe to be her misdeeds, is more to be scorned than pitied, because that kind of pseudo-moralizing lowers the level of discourse for everyone. Miss Angora disadvantages herself (and us too) when she identifies with her anger.