A Lemony snippet...

by Colin Hunter

A wee follow-up to my last post about Lemony Snicket...

His performance of The Composer is Dead with the K-W Symphony was as surreal and over-the-top as the best-selling children's novels for which he is best known. Lemony Snicket (or Daniel Handler, the real-life alter-ego behind the persona) could easily transition to acting or stand-up if the whole writing gig becomes tiresome.

Perhaps his funniest performances happened immediately after the concert in a private reception hosted by conductor Edwin Outwater, during which Snicket/Handler was nervously approached by several youngsters clutching books for him to sign.  Rather than scribble perfunctory autographs, he completely engaged his tiny fans in long, strange conversations.

"Have you ever considered running away from home?" he asked one wide-eyed nine-year-old girl, who blushed and shook her head. 

"I really think you should," Handler continued. "I think there are a lot of adventures awaiting a nine-year-old girl in Waterloo."

When he signed her book, he wrote a message urging the girl not to trust her grandmother (who was standing there, laughing, the entire time). It takes a special talent to deliver terrible advice to children, in full view of their parents, and be thanked for it.

Comments

[Chuck Erion]

Words Worth hosted Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket back in 2000 at the Waterloo Stage Theatre (now the Waterloo Entertainment Centre). His schtick hasn't changes in all those years. He revels in reverse psychology and devil's advocacy. And pretends to replace the long-lost Lemony Snicket with an imposter; Snicket having suffered a terrible fate due to an insect bite while on a picnic.
He also has a soft spot for Canada, besides his friendship with Edwin Outwater. His New York editor at HarperCollins is orginally from Winnipeg.
Cheers.