tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post1491942865791519296..comments2024-02-22T07:47:22.661-05:00Comments on The Bathroom Monologues: Bathroom Monologue: I Hate GayJohn Wiswellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-6319973038719854022017-10-06T15:09:37.500-04:002017-10-06T15:09:37.500-04:00Very energetic post, I loved that a lot. Will ther...Very energetic post, I loved that a lot. Will there <br />be a part 2?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-24156302118710030122011-09-01T05:41:53.764-04:002011-09-01T05:41:53.764-04:00I love him for his love for his friend and The Vil...I love him for his love for his friend and The Village People.Chris Martinhttp://gaydar.co.uk/muggednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-41600744471469614632010-12-18T23:42:38.524-05:002010-12-18T23:42:38.524-05:00Very, very clever. I hate how clever it is. I ha...Very, very clever. I hate how clever it is. I hate that I didn't write it, before you did. I liked reading it, but I hate that I liked it so much.Madam Zhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00136166772469538966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-42658306326886668942010-12-18T02:04:55.015-05:002010-12-18T02:04:55.015-05:00intriguing rant. It reminds me of Ed Norton's ...intriguing rant. It reminds me of Ed Norton's rant on the film 25th hour except this guy is not excepting any compromises. I like how full this character is, how human. his humanness is shown in his contradictions and emotion. Matter of fact this character's emotional content is so overpowering that it undermines any intellectual say society may have about homosexuality.Dream Terrainshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05780523943251719025noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-42765739647577836402010-12-17T09:44:32.059-05:002010-12-17T09:44:32.059-05:00This is an awesome piece, John. I think Icy has a...This is an awesome piece, John. I think Icy has a point ... sometimes the right thing to do in the face of hatred is to turn the other cheek lest you get swept up in it. Just walk away. But other times, the only way to combat it is to hate right back. Otherwise, you're just a victim and by not objecting you've proven the haters right. Very thought-provoking stuff!PJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07521953491880916840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-19544907014488418922010-12-17T03:20:06.038-05:002010-12-17T03:20:06.038-05:00Carrie left a message on facebook saying this had ...Carrie left a message on facebook saying this had to be read... and she's right.<br /><br />Several things I really like about this John. Firstly it doesn't let 'hate' off the hook as a one dimensional feeling. This piece explored the complexities of hate and how once in the downward spiral it is hard to look at anything in an objective way - or to be released from the hold of hate.<br /><br />Secondly - the bit thrown in about The Village People was awesomely timed and shows how one poignant line can balance an entire piece (well in m opinion.)<br /><br />Thirdly - the pacing was perfect, I could actually hear it in my head but at the same time, get flashes of imagery... particularly liked the bottom falling out of the box and the shirt falling in the dirt.<br /><br />Gosh.. I could go on and on and how great this is. But instead, I shall post it to facebook and do as Carrie did, urge people to read it.Jodi Cleghornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00808676742258881407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-65415247404058163702010-12-17T03:01:53.099-05:002010-12-17T03:01:53.099-05:00Wow! I find myself without the words to describe h...Wow! I find myself without the words to describe how much I like this piece so I will borrow Carrie's, it is utterly stunning.Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00361651251233078437noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-42929322990335737942010-12-17T02:58:27.061-05:002010-12-17T02:58:27.061-05:00A great piece, John. I love it. Of course, I hate ...A great piece, John. I love it. Of course, I hate it, too. I hate that it's true. Don't think I've read a more powerful statement against homophobia. Thanks for turning up my thinking cap another ten or so degrees.Joz Varlohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12750541029227514781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-57593369113365567862010-12-17T02:40:02.593-05:002010-12-17T02:40:02.593-05:00Utterly stunning piece. I'll be sharing this a...Utterly stunning piece. I'll be sharing this around the internet.Carrie Clevengerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05093923008179106837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-39590328608173519532010-12-15T10:06:54.532-05:002010-12-15T10:06:54.532-05:00Only you could write a story with such a title, wh...Only you could write a story with such a title, where nearly every sentence starts with "I hate", and make it such a beautiful piece. Yes, there's anger and helplessness, but at heart this is about a friend's love and loyalty. I found it very touching.Jemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00654540766087012684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-85649595013831350282010-12-13T03:10:18.101-05:002010-12-13T03:10:18.101-05:00I'm in tears as I read this again. I don't...I'm in tears as I read this again. I don't see it as a statement as much as this is how it feels when you've been through something this awful. Your emotions are just a swirl of so many things that you're almost blinded by them. I saw the righteous rage, but I also saw the humanity, because I think this man not only feels angry, but also hopeless, but he's in the moment and his wounds are still raw. Brilliant work, John.Rachel Blackbirdsonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02246966713076881105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-58973890051147831842010-12-12T18:23:27.010-05:002010-12-12T18:23:27.010-05:00Interesting, John. I reopened this to look at it a...Interesting, John. I reopened this to look at it again and the first thing that occurred to me was the very first word, "Today," and it changed everything for me. Suddenly I thought, I wonder what this guy will hate tomorrow. That opening was great and yet the piece was so intense that I completely forgot it. As you know, my favorite way to write is in 1st person and to capture a moment in time. By opening with that first word, that is exactly what you did. Even better the second time.Susan Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05076064230626935030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-73051276751730489712010-12-12T14:33:45.498-05:002010-12-12T14:33:45.498-05:00Thanks everyone who read, commented and shared thi...Thanks everyone who read, commented and shared this. You made it the most-read piece I've ever published on the Bathroom Monologues by a wide margin - over 1800 hits in two days. I'm bowled over by some of the responses.<br /><br />Jon, that paragraph is definitely the most maze-like. I wondered if people would trip over the repetition - glad you didn't, and didn't so much that it was your favorite.<br /><br />Ruchiraa, I'm now tempted to write next Friday about his friend going back to that street. I wonder if I could get away with the polar opposite, unbridled and unbeatable optimism mingled with ambivalence.<br /><br />Lara and Virginia, do you think it's stream of consciousness? It hadn't occurred to me, because he leaps from event to event. But if it's not true stream of consciousness, I definitely owe a debt to that school. The self-contradiction aspect was something I really wanted to jump on.<br /><br />Stephen, I tend to support the highly individual experience of fiction. Admire how you grabbed onto the placement of that line. Does he wish all the limelight was on him? I wonder how many other readers saw it that way. Thank you for sharing your interpretation.<br /><br />Linda, any particular spots you re-read?<br /><br />Susan, as soon as I saw the poster I realized what Anthony was talking about. Yes, I have seen Falling Down, and it is a great one from Douglas. I wonder how much further this guy will fall. Meanwhile, I haven't seen Dog Day Afternoon. Al Pacino flipping out has always been worth my time before. But before I move on, thanks for the contrast to slam poetry. I definitely took influence from the guts and presentation of certain poets, just to get myself into the mindset to read this without shrinking.<br /><br />Trevor, Tony and Tim, my T-squad! Thank you for stopping by, glad you folks liked it (or put up with the disturbance of it). The same to you, Gany/Catherine.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-54031715173157197532010-12-12T14:23:31.906-05:002010-12-12T14:23:31.906-05:00Wow, this packs a punch. Great piece of stream of ...Wow, this packs a punch. Great piece of stream of consciousness, catching the contradictions we all feel & exposing a lot of hypocrisy too. Great stuff.Virginia Moffatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12071059148315715405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-26614309890186991782010-12-12T14:00:05.619-05:002010-12-12T14:00:05.619-05:00A lot of self loathing in this...A lot of self loathing in this...Cat Russellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14160039271069426174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-79421327797107941212010-12-12T12:19:27.290-05:002010-12-12T12:19:27.290-05:00John, I appreciate that you have to Google Falling...John, I appreciate that you have to Google Falling Down. Great movie--one of my all time favorites. Michael Douglas' best performance in my opinion. <br /><br />I have been to some slam poetry nights and this would definitely win a prize. You are so talented that you can take this flood of emotions and stay with it and not seem to miss a single person, attitude--read or imagined, angle of thought and have the ability to introduce the Village People as the only positive thought running through the character's rambling.<br /><br />The only thing I hate about it is that I wasn't the one who wrote it! Kudos, John. This could be part of a script. Another movie to check out is Dog Day Afternoon where Al Pacino expresses himself in hysterical monologues during the bank robbery. <br /><br />This one will be a tough act to follow.Susan Crosshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05076064230626935030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-58283333231741178582010-12-12T06:39:16.729-05:002010-12-12T06:39:16.729-05:00Powerful stuff. I read the words a couple of times...Powerful stuff. I read the words a couple of times, feeling this guy's rgae, then when you spoke it, even more effective. <br /><br />So this is how hatred spills over. Wonderful screed. One of your best. Peace...Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01110078016784294934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-18212064111633382552010-12-11T22:20:38.996-05:002010-12-11T22:20:38.996-05:00This is such a strong and evocative piece. Well do...This is such a strong and evocative piece. Well done.~Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06774944172261988587noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-39335762736728674642010-12-11T19:46:22.775-05:002010-12-11T19:46:22.775-05:00Wow, John, this story cuts to the character's ...Wow, John, this story cuts to the character's core in such a way that it makes me jealous. <i>"I hate that I wasn’t the one who was hit."</i> At that point, I wasn't sure if he wanted to take away his friend's pain or sudden glory. Isn't it weird in a way how some event like this can catapult a person from obscurity to being a celebrity? And what's not to hate about people who didn't care about you at all, didn't even know your name, until they could use you, for good or bad, to serve their own purposes? This piece is right on.Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04753736809917062955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-46722207394745539902010-12-11T17:54:58.069-05:002010-12-11T17:54:58.069-05:00Great use of stream of consciousness writing. Thro...Great use of stream of consciousness writing. Through the characters thoughts we get to know him, understand him and the world he is living/dealing with. It makes the reader feel connected to the MC.Lara Dunninghttp://laradunning.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-45546402049455218742010-12-11T11:38:35.080-05:002010-12-11T11:38:35.080-05:00A brilliant, heartfelt embrace of hate. Incredibly...A brilliant, heartfelt embrace of hate. Incredibly sad.Tony Nolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090583562737225942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-43024772102366465722010-12-11T10:22:20.021-05:002010-12-11T10:22:20.021-05:00Intense. Through-provoking. You totally make us fe...Intense. Through-provoking. You totally make us feel the awefulness of the man's situation, and the full force of his bitterness and anger.<br />http://magicnmiranda.blogspot.com/2010/12/waiting-one-night.htmlRuchira Mandalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13508463317343812174noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-83986677519588285962010-12-11T10:19:53.932-05:002010-12-11T10:19:53.932-05:00Wow, John, very intense. So captures the frustrati...Wow, John, very intense. So captures the frustration of the hate that seems so prevalent these days. This is like a language maze, twisting and turning, but always leading towards the truth. This one really struck me: <br /><br />I hate callers blaming my evolution, blaming natural selection wiring our brains to be disgusted at someone not being disgusted at things that disgust us.<br /><br />Terrific stuff.<br />~jonJ. M. Strotherhttp://www.jmstrother.com/MadUtopia/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-71648656359787161192010-12-11T04:32:37.617-05:002010-12-11T04:32:37.617-05:00Fabulous read. Congratulations, John.Fabulous read. Congratulations, John.tbelshawhttp://www.trevorbelshaw.com/blonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3337042377966398742.post-35744344186965562852010-12-10T22:48:21.586-05:002010-12-10T22:48:21.586-05:00Icy, did it read like he was being propped up by t...Icy, did it read like he was being propped up by the hate? I think I can see that...<br /><br />Mark, to me, love doesn't need a justification. Whether it does to our narrator, I'd leave up to you. I'm sorry it seemed uneven, even tonally so, for you. Far sorrier that you were the victim of that kind of crap. Makes me ashamed of my fellow man (and woman).<br /><br />Joanie, the anonymous flame doesn't bother me. He/she/it/they responded to it as though it's non-fiction, and possibly like he/she/it/they didn't read past the first few sentences. I do appreciate your long and thoughtful response. It's more thin-plotted realism than I usually go for, so I'm glad it reads 'real' to you.<br /><br />Aidan, I actually tried to avoid timeliness with this. I began working on it during that terrible string of teen suicides, then postponed it to avoid exploitation. I think it got a little better from waiting an editing. I hope it did.John Wiswellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07416044628686736927noreply@blogger.com