Reading this makes me realize why I love Tom Petty so much. He fought to keep ticket prices reasonable, cooperated on a biography that often makes him look like a complete asshole, and was the real deal. Also in Peter Bogdanovich's documentary, talked openly about having to ditch a band member and other things that made him look less than saintly. If you want a "rock star," look to Bruce. If you want real rock and roll, I recommend Tom.
Been a fan for 42 years. I think Bruce is a brilliant singer, songwriter and showman. The best concert I ever saw was the 1984 Born in the USA tour. That said, he is obviously a complete phony. His lyrics speak to the working man and people who struggle through life. Yet he clearly doesn’t give a crap about the working man. Unfortunately, I’ve been hoodwinked. As my dad told me years ago…”that Springst$$n guy you like is a bullshit artist”. Once again my dad was right.
Assuming this is a serious article and really a POV and not a way to incite a large fan and readership to actually read and react to it…….here goes.
I have been a Springsteen fan for almost 50 years. When looking at his catalogue it is nearly unparalleled-save for a few. Just like most artists his most innovative and distinctive pieces came early in his career, from 1972-88 Greetings, Wild and the Innocent and BTR were timeless masterpieces (marginal for Tunnel of Love). I did like Lucky Town and Human Touch more than most fans. Since then he has had some very strong peaks. The post 9-11 effort was a gift to The Victims, New Yorkers and All America. But post Rising, for a variety of reasons, some his own doing and others out of his control, the level of consistency has not been there. But I pose this...was Sinatra knocking them over in the 70s and 80s. How about Elvis…..exactly…..I saw them….they weren’t! Did that make them phonies? I’ve seen them all, over decades, and no one even comes close to being on the level of a Springsteen concert. Tom Petty included. Especially, Bruce in the 70s 80s 90s and into the early 2000s. Nothing was phony, not the energy not the dedication to the music, the reverence to those who blazed the trail, not his commitment to the fans and not his open heartedness, sincerity and compassion for people and our country. I would suggest that everybody look a little closer at the economics of these tickets. Just like anything these days whether you are going to the Super Bowl, Olympics, a Yankee game a Celtics playoff game or a concert. There is face value which is what the artist gets and then the aftermarket takes over .....and the result is what you guys are complaining about right now. I do not begrudge Bruce Springsteen his success- he has worked hard for it. Where is the outrage over American CEOs that draw exorbitant salaries? There isn’t even an aftermarket for them! LOL. Nor, do I begrudge anybody reading this their own success based on their efforts. Even though I might be able to swing it. I have decided that I have likely seen my last Bruce Springsteen concert because I refuse to be a party to a system that allows this to continually occur. Whether it’s the concerts or the recorded music, I have seen him 40 to 50 times and I’ve gotten my moneys worth for every second that I have attended or listened to his music. Moreover, The (legendary) E Street Band is one of the top five American rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time. Bruce Springsteen as a songwriter, a poet and as a performer ranks among Dylan, The Doors, and The Allman Brothers. But one thing is for sure, Bruce is anything but a phony!
You’re not being honest with yourself. He’s a fraud and a phony and he even tells you that to your face in the Broadway show. Actions speak louder than words. You can blame this on the system but a year and a half later we’ve seen hard proof that Bruce and his management allowed tickets to be marked up as verified resell and make it work like it was scalpers. The $5700 tickets in the 300 level seats in Buffalo. Were only decoys to make the other tickets that were triple the inflated face value look good. I’ve followed Bruce since 1975 and have seen him live or via special appearances guest appearances 189 times.
I do disagree with you about Bruce's music though. He is a great lyricist, but his melodies tend to be very static. And to me, 'Tunnel of Love', was his last decent album. A musical genius he is not.
I've seen Bruce at least a dozen times and he is capable of putting on a great show but at times there are moments and even whole shows that are annoyingly phoney and filled with an extremely out-of-touch and unrealistic romanticism.
The end for me with Bruce came after he told an audience in Australia that he and the band, 'stood before them in embarrassment,' because Trump was President. That was it for me.
Is Bruce embarrassed now that Biden's commie administration is destroying the lives of so many working class Americans whom Bruce claims to represent but in actuality is really mocking?
I wouldn't pay three cents to hear his gravely voice and look at his underbite feign sincerity.
In many ways he's become the Fred Flinstone of rock 'n' roll, a cartoon.
I originally got into this topic for precisely the political reasoning you outlined.
Now anybody who is foolish enough to have endorsed George McGovern, John Kerry and the current slew of left-wing liberals is a political rube, a fool, and has all the signs of poor political judgment and bad taste in governance. But if we were to hold dim-witted liberal opinions against our rock-and-roll stars, we’d have lonely playlists!
Hi Marc. Thanks so much for responding. My name’s Bobby btw., the other name is just part of a guest name Substack gives you if you don’t have an account. As soon as I get the time, I’m going to set up an account and will follow you.
I also liked what you said at the end of this piece. I’m currently reading Mattias Desmet’s “The Psychology of Totalitarianism.” He basically makes the case that about 40% of the population says, does, and thinks, what the television tells them to say, do, and think. That’s one of the reasons I think there would be a demand for tickets to see Bruce. But he doesn’t represent working class people of course. He represents globalist lies. Most of the Americans Bruce sings about disappeared a long time ago, many, unfortunately, to opioid over doses.
The people who will be going to see him are like those from Monmouth County New Jersey, people who make well over $250,000 a year working on Wall Street. There’s something very grotesque about it.
A friend of mine said to me; “just listen to any of Chris Cornell’s stuff, whether if be ‘I am the Highway, Rusty Cage, Black Hole Sun, Fell on Black Days.’ Has any of Bruce’s songs, any, ever come close to one of those Chris Cornell songs....?” Not even in the same universe imo anyway.
Whatever your opinion on the man, his music means very much to many people. It does not matter if he worked in a factory, he may have grown up around people that did, and can emphasize.
I agree with this viewpoint. Our great songwriters have written about a lot of things that they weren't, and it's unrealistic (and 'woke') to hold it against them.
The first thing I'd do is remember the proverb "trust the art, not the artist." Bruce Springsteen makes great records and puts on great performances. We don't really need him to be a saint, whether he wishes us to think of him as one or not. And he does do a lot of work for charity, so he has that going for him. The most valid criticism is the one about the price of tickets (fun fact: the top ticket price for the Beatles final concert in 1966 was $6.50, although admittedly they didn't perform for three or more hours). There is really no arguing that $7,000 (or $800) tickets are rock 'n' roll in any real sense (why do you think the punk movement was born?), but if people want to pay it, even aging boomers, who's to complain? For my part, I wouldn't pay anywhere near that much, but we do have the records (studio and live). If you want a spiritual master, you'd be well advised to look elsewhere.
I’ve been reminding people of that proverb by Bruce himself when they get all delusional and blame Ticketmaster for the prices. This is all Bruce and Bruce Inc. this time around. Sad but thankfully, my wife and others have shown me how to trust and love the art and not the man.
I've never liked his voice, his on-stage persona, or what seemed to me to be his phony façade. I've never bought an album or gone to a show, and when a song of his comes on the radio, I switch the channel because I find his music so trite and grating on my ears and sensibilities.
see Springsteen in Cincinnati, 1981 go through his entire set list with the band and about 30 other people. We sold tshirts and hats and shit inside the arena and had to get there about 5 hours early to set up. Bruce was kicking off a tour in Cincy. The band came out about 3 hours before the doors opened, and we all went down to watch him play. He practiced the whole show, the set list was great. All the comments, jokes and discussions before the songs were planned. Even the Hello Queen City, I love you guys! He was working on lighting, positioning, timing, everything. It was right there I realized it was show business and he was working off a script. I still didn't care. Saw him at least 8 more times in my life after that revelation.
Sounds like "white privilege" to me as evidenced by the ticket prices.
Never been a fan.
His version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town is possibly the worst song ever recorded.
He's not a man of the people, like John Cougar Mellencamp, or John Cougar, or Cougar Mellencamp, or John Mellencamp, or whatever the hell he calls himself, these guys are multi-millionaires many times over and have nothing in common with the people who think he does.
I often find that when people are speaking ill of others, they are often describing themselves. I worked with your brother many years ago and he always spoke highly of you. Given your recent foray into the political perhaps this is an attempt at provocation. Regardless, having been in the theater for Bruce on Broadway, I know that the Netflix version is a weak copy. The depth of feeling "in the room" was transformative. His soul was indeed laid bare. He characterized himself as a man playing at being the working man. A man trying in some way to live up to what his father wanted. Something we can all relate to. I am no E-street original, having come to Bruce later in life. I've only seen him twice and hope to see this tour if fortune smiles down on me. The artist seeking to absorb more of the $$$ that go to the faceless nameless ticket brokers is what has happened in the business, as the artists and venues and ticket agents collude to keep more of the money. It does in fact sadden me that there are few artists left i am willing to make the trip for and have resigned myself to the smaller venues smaller artists. If demand doesn't meet the supply, there will be value to be had. So, the market will decide. Until then, we are all on the trip of our own doing. Have we not all related to the line... "it's a sad funny ending when you find yourself pretending--- A rich man in a poor man's shirt" - he's been hiding in plain sight. (Better Days)
I simply can’t imagine paying over $5,000 to have a great seat at a concert. Especially since one is probably going with at least one other person so you’re talking five figures for a few hours entertainment and the much longer lived bragging rights….
Apparently there are plenty of people with enough money that this price is no big deal. It’s kind of jaw-dropping when you sit down to think about it.
Won't pile on regarding the phoniness--preferred another East Coaster, Billy Joel. Same age, half a foot shorter but a much better entertainer. Never spent money on a Springsteen show but was well aware that he put on an excellent (and long) show.
By far Springsteen's best song (at least for me) was The Fever. Southside Johnny actually did it justice for how good this tune is. The most overrated song and one that is so overplayed at my LA Fitness is Glory Days. The joke used to be that Mick and Keef could belch and f*rt on vinyl and still make gold. With Glory Days and many of his later stuff "The Boss" proved the same.
Lets reflect on what percentage of ticket holders actually paid face value plus fees for a night that will fill their tank -and likely their soul - for the rest of the year,. mostly middle-aged, many happy to introduce their kids to a 3 hour instant classic. A majority upper middle class if i survey my own lifetime bruce cew of diehard fans. the same people that will spend $220 on a football ticket for a 2 and 10 team week after week will figure out how to spend double that single game outlay for 3 hours of holding on to our youths and dreams & disappointment. Its about return on investment value, and thats a very personal yardstick w live entertainment.
Springsteen puts on a good act that he's for the working man, but how many working men can actually afford those kinds of ticket prices? Just like labor unions claim to be for protecting the rights of the working man, Springsteen charges those kinds of prices to put the screws to the working man. How much do the union bosses get paid compared to the salary of the working man? While the working man is at work, the union bosses are using his union dues to wine and dine politicians and attend their fancy conventions in Vegas. Springsteen uses the same philosophy, he tells the working man that he feels his pain then tells him to pay the high ticket prices so he can go around the country singing songs about the working man.
On the other hand, I've always enjoyed Jimmy Buffett who *never* took himself that seriously even while being quite open about Margaritaville as marketing strategy. Every Buffett concert I ever attended, he looked like he was playing for fun. Buffett may never be a Rocker, but he was and is a rollicking Rascal, which is good enough for me.
Buffett has always been like Barnum, aware that he's a part of the show and that phoniness can serve a purpose as long as nobody takes it too seriously.
Of course, both artists were popular when I was in high school in the late '70s so much of my impressions are base on recollections, however faint and fraudulent, of those years through a teenager's eyes.
I think we're all phonies, but some of us are willing to admit it. Nobody's public persona is an exact replica of their internal dialogs and environment. There's a John Irving story about a writer who kept telling the same "true" story and changing portions of it to suit his perception of the audience - Was it real? Was it true? Did it even matter, since each listener brought their own biases, history, and perceptions to the story that shaded and shaped their perceptions?
We forgive much of those who are willing to admit just a little. Sinners are much more approachable than saints, possibly because we recognize ourselves in them. I think that's why we're so flexible with entertainers who are willing to recognize that their power comes from their talents and not (necessarily) from their personality or morality.
Ahh... Trying to dredge memories of three plus decades ago... It might have been inside "The Water Method Man" or "The Pension Grillparzer". Hopefully someone else can steer you to the right source.
The story was set in World War II about a dog (at various times a German Shepherd, a Rottweiler, and I think a Poodle) chained to a truck that was up on blocks with at least one of the tires off. There were numerous reasons why the dog was chained up and various endings, happy and otherwise. I remember him telling the story to his wife at one point and she asked him why he kept on changing it.
Reading this makes me realize why I love Tom Petty so much. He fought to keep ticket prices reasonable, cooperated on a biography that often makes him look like a complete asshole, and was the real deal. Also in Peter Bogdanovich's documentary, talked openly about having to ditch a band member and other things that made him look less than saintly. If you want a "rock star," look to Bruce. If you want real rock and roll, I recommend Tom.
Watched Part 1 tonight Janet - it is fantastic!!
Thanks for the great suggestion Janet, I will definitely check it out!
Been a fan for 42 years. I think Bruce is a brilliant singer, songwriter and showman. The best concert I ever saw was the 1984 Born in the USA tour. That said, he is obviously a complete phony. His lyrics speak to the working man and people who struggle through life. Yet he clearly doesn’t give a crap about the working man. Unfortunately, I’ve been hoodwinked. As my dad told me years ago…”that Springst$$n guy you like is a bullshit artist”. Once again my dad was right.
Great points Mike!
Assuming this is a serious article and really a POV and not a way to incite a large fan and readership to actually read and react to it…….here goes.
I have been a Springsteen fan for almost 50 years. When looking at his catalogue it is nearly unparalleled-save for a few. Just like most artists his most innovative and distinctive pieces came early in his career, from 1972-88 Greetings, Wild and the Innocent and BTR were timeless masterpieces (marginal for Tunnel of Love). I did like Lucky Town and Human Touch more than most fans. Since then he has had some very strong peaks. The post 9-11 effort was a gift to The Victims, New Yorkers and All America. But post Rising, for a variety of reasons, some his own doing and others out of his control, the level of consistency has not been there. But I pose this...was Sinatra knocking them over in the 70s and 80s. How about Elvis…..exactly…..I saw them….they weren’t! Did that make them phonies? I’ve seen them all, over decades, and no one even comes close to being on the level of a Springsteen concert. Tom Petty included. Especially, Bruce in the 70s 80s 90s and into the early 2000s. Nothing was phony, not the energy not the dedication to the music, the reverence to those who blazed the trail, not his commitment to the fans and not his open heartedness, sincerity and compassion for people and our country. I would suggest that everybody look a little closer at the economics of these tickets. Just like anything these days whether you are going to the Super Bowl, Olympics, a Yankee game a Celtics playoff game or a concert. There is face value which is what the artist gets and then the aftermarket takes over .....and the result is what you guys are complaining about right now. I do not begrudge Bruce Springsteen his success- he has worked hard for it. Where is the outrage over American CEOs that draw exorbitant salaries? There isn’t even an aftermarket for them! LOL. Nor, do I begrudge anybody reading this their own success based on their efforts. Even though I might be able to swing it. I have decided that I have likely seen my last Bruce Springsteen concert because I refuse to be a party to a system that allows this to continually occur. Whether it’s the concerts or the recorded music, I have seen him 40 to 50 times and I’ve gotten my moneys worth for every second that I have attended or listened to his music. Moreover, The (legendary) E Street Band is one of the top five American rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time. Bruce Springsteen as a songwriter, a poet and as a performer ranks among Dylan, The Doors, and The Allman Brothers. But one thing is for sure, Bruce is anything but a phony!
Thanks Stephen for your thoughtful comments!
Thanx as well.
You’re not being honest with yourself. He’s a fraud and a phony and he even tells you that to your face in the Broadway show. Actions speak louder than words. You can blame this on the system but a year and a half later we’ve seen hard proof that Bruce and his management allowed tickets to be marked up as verified resell and make it work like it was scalpers. The $5700 tickets in the 300 level seats in Buffalo. Were only decoys to make the other tickets that were triple the inflated face value look good. I’ve followed Bruce since 1975 and have seen him live or via special appearances guest appearances 189 times.
Thank you for this great piece Marc.
I do disagree with you about Bruce's music though. He is a great lyricist, but his melodies tend to be very static. And to me, 'Tunnel of Love', was his last decent album. A musical genius he is not.
I've seen Bruce at least a dozen times and he is capable of putting on a great show but at times there are moments and even whole shows that are annoyingly phoney and filled with an extremely out-of-touch and unrealistic romanticism.
The end for me with Bruce came after he told an audience in Australia that he and the band, 'stood before them in embarrassment,' because Trump was President. That was it for me.
Is Bruce embarrassed now that Biden's commie administration is destroying the lives of so many working class Americans whom Bruce claims to represent but in actuality is really mocking?
I wouldn't pay three cents to hear his gravely voice and look at his underbite feign sincerity.
In many ways he's become the Fred Flinstone of rock 'n' roll, a cartoon.
Great pushback Deb. I see your point on melodies.
I originally got into this topic for precisely the political reasoning you outlined.
Now anybody who is foolish enough to have endorsed George McGovern, John Kerry and the current slew of left-wing liberals is a political rube, a fool, and has all the signs of poor political judgment and bad taste in governance. But if we were to hold dim-witted liberal opinions against our rock-and-roll stars, we’d have lonely playlists!
Hi Marc. Thanks so much for responding. My name’s Bobby btw., the other name is just part of a guest name Substack gives you if you don’t have an account. As soon as I get the time, I’m going to set up an account and will follow you.
I also liked what you said at the end of this piece. I’m currently reading Mattias Desmet’s “The Psychology of Totalitarianism.” He basically makes the case that about 40% of the population says, does, and thinks, what the television tells them to say, do, and think. That’s one of the reasons I think there would be a demand for tickets to see Bruce. But he doesn’t represent working class people of course. He represents globalist lies. Most of the Americans Bruce sings about disappeared a long time ago, many, unfortunately, to opioid over doses.
The people who will be going to see him are like those from Monmouth County New Jersey, people who make well over $250,000 a year working on Wall Street. There’s something very grotesque about it.
A friend of mine said to me; “just listen to any of Chris Cornell’s stuff, whether if be ‘I am the Highway, Rusty Cage, Black Hole Sun, Fell on Black Days.’ Has any of Bruce’s songs, any, ever come close to one of those Chris Cornell songs....?” Not even in the same universe imo anyway.
Whatever your opinion on the man, his music means very much to many people. It does not matter if he worked in a factory, he may have grown up around people that did, and can emphasize.
I agree with this viewpoint. Our great songwriters have written about a lot of things that they weren't, and it's unrealistic (and 'woke') to hold it against them.
Agreed. We still go and pay the inflated FU prices, but we’ve learned to separate the music from the man (fraud) behind it.
The first thing I'd do is remember the proverb "trust the art, not the artist." Bruce Springsteen makes great records and puts on great performances. We don't really need him to be a saint, whether he wishes us to think of him as one or not. And he does do a lot of work for charity, so he has that going for him. The most valid criticism is the one about the price of tickets (fun fact: the top ticket price for the Beatles final concert in 1966 was $6.50, although admittedly they didn't perform for three or more hours). There is really no arguing that $7,000 (or $800) tickets are rock 'n' roll in any real sense (why do you think the punk movement was born?), but if people want to pay it, even aging boomers, who's to complain? For my part, I wouldn't pay anywhere near that much, but we do have the records (studio and live). If you want a spiritual master, you'd be well advised to look elsewhere.
Well said, Bruce!
I’ve been reminding people of that proverb by Bruce himself when they get all delusional and blame Ticketmaster for the prices. This is all Bruce and Bruce Inc. this time around. Sad but thankfully, my wife and others have shown me how to trust and love the art and not the man.
I've never liked his voice, his on-stage persona, or what seemed to me to be his phony façade. I've never bought an album or gone to a show, and when a song of his comes on the radio, I switch the channel because I find his music so trite and grating on my ears and sensibilities.
I had the chance to
see Springsteen in Cincinnati, 1981 go through his entire set list with the band and about 30 other people. We sold tshirts and hats and shit inside the arena and had to get there about 5 hours early to set up. Bruce was kicking off a tour in Cincy. The band came out about 3 hours before the doors opened, and we all went down to watch him play. He practiced the whole show, the set list was great. All the comments, jokes and discussions before the songs were planned. Even the Hello Queen City, I love you guys! He was working on lighting, positioning, timing, everything. It was right there I realized it was show business and he was working off a script. I still didn't care. Saw him at least 8 more times in my life after that revelation.
Great insight Jay!
Sounds like "white privilege" to me as evidenced by the ticket prices.
Never been a fan.
His version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town is possibly the worst song ever recorded.
He's not a man of the people, like John Cougar Mellencamp, or John Cougar, or Cougar Mellencamp, or John Mellencamp, or whatever the hell he calls himself, these guys are multi-millionaires many times over and have nothing in common with the people who think he does.
I often find that when people are speaking ill of others, they are often describing themselves. I worked with your brother many years ago and he always spoke highly of you. Given your recent foray into the political perhaps this is an attempt at provocation. Regardless, having been in the theater for Bruce on Broadway, I know that the Netflix version is a weak copy. The depth of feeling "in the room" was transformative. His soul was indeed laid bare. He characterized himself as a man playing at being the working man. A man trying in some way to live up to what his father wanted. Something we can all relate to. I am no E-street original, having come to Bruce later in life. I've only seen him twice and hope to see this tour if fortune smiles down on me. The artist seeking to absorb more of the $$$ that go to the faceless nameless ticket brokers is what has happened in the business, as the artists and venues and ticket agents collude to keep more of the money. It does in fact sadden me that there are few artists left i am willing to make the trip for and have resigned myself to the smaller venues smaller artists. If demand doesn't meet the supply, there will be value to be had. So, the market will decide. Until then, we are all on the trip of our own doing. Have we not all related to the line... "it's a sad funny ending when you find yourself pretending--- A rich man in a poor man's shirt" - he's been hiding in plain sight. (Better Days)
Bruce lost me when he brought up politics...
"You can have everything in the world and still be the loneliest man " - Freddie Mercury
I simply can’t imagine paying over $5,000 to have a great seat at a concert. Especially since one is probably going with at least one other person so you’re talking five figures for a few hours entertainment and the much longer lived bragging rights….
Apparently there are plenty of people with enough money that this price is no big deal. It’s kind of jaw-dropping when you sit down to think about it.
Won't pile on regarding the phoniness--preferred another East Coaster, Billy Joel. Same age, half a foot shorter but a much better entertainer. Never spent money on a Springsteen show but was well aware that he put on an excellent (and long) show.
By far Springsteen's best song (at least for me) was The Fever. Southside Johnny actually did it justice for how good this tune is. The most overrated song and one that is so overplayed at my LA Fitness is Glory Days. The joke used to be that Mick and Keef could belch and f*rt on vinyl and still make gold. With Glory Days and many of his later stuff "The Boss" proved the same.
Lets reflect on what percentage of ticket holders actually paid face value plus fees for a night that will fill their tank -and likely their soul - for the rest of the year,. mostly middle-aged, many happy to introduce their kids to a 3 hour instant classic. A majority upper middle class if i survey my own lifetime bruce cew of diehard fans. the same people that will spend $220 on a football ticket for a 2 and 10 team week after week will figure out how to spend double that single game outlay for 3 hours of holding on to our youths and dreams & disappointment. Its about return on investment value, and thats a very personal yardstick w live entertainment.
Springsteen puts on a good act that he's for the working man, but how many working men can actually afford those kinds of ticket prices? Just like labor unions claim to be for protecting the rights of the working man, Springsteen charges those kinds of prices to put the screws to the working man. How much do the union bosses get paid compared to the salary of the working man? While the working man is at work, the union bosses are using his union dues to wine and dine politicians and attend their fancy conventions in Vegas. Springsteen uses the same philosophy, he tells the working man that he feels his pain then tells him to pay the high ticket prices so he can go around the country singing songs about the working man.
On the other hand, I've always enjoyed Jimmy Buffett who *never* took himself that seriously even while being quite open about Margaritaville as marketing strategy. Every Buffett concert I ever attended, he looked like he was playing for fun. Buffett may never be a Rocker, but he was and is a rollicking Rascal, which is good enough for me.
That's very true, Gilbert, he always seems to be having a blast just being himself.
Buffett has always been like Barnum, aware that he's a part of the show and that phoniness can serve a purpose as long as nobody takes it too seriously.
Of course, both artists were popular when I was in high school in the late '70s so much of my impressions are base on recollections, however faint and fraudulent, of those years through a teenager's eyes.
I think we're all phonies, but some of us are willing to admit it. Nobody's public persona is an exact replica of their internal dialogs and environment. There's a John Irving story about a writer who kept telling the same "true" story and changing portions of it to suit his perception of the audience - Was it real? Was it true? Did it even matter, since each listener brought their own biases, history, and perceptions to the story that shaded and shaped their perceptions?
We forgive much of those who are willing to admit just a little. Sinners are much more approachable than saints, possibly because we recognize ourselves in them. I think that's why we're so flexible with entertainers who are willing to recognize that their power comes from their talents and not (necessarily) from their personality or morality.
Would love to find the name of that John Irving story!
Ahh... Trying to dredge memories of three plus decades ago... It might have been inside "The Water Method Man" or "The Pension Grillparzer". Hopefully someone else can steer you to the right source.
The story was set in World War II about a dog (at various times a German Shepherd, a Rottweiler, and I think a Poodle) chained to a truck that was up on blocks with at least one of the tires off. There were numerous reasons why the dog was chained up and various endings, happy and otherwise. I remember him telling the story to his wife at one point and she asked him why he kept on changing it.