You believe you have had a really healthy co-parenting situation.
We are truly close-knit. When the divorce proceedings happened, my sister went
with Genia. That said, there were a couple of times when we fought in front of
Shannon, and hurt her, and we said, "We're not going to do this again." The hardest thing is facing your child, because they just cling to you — "Daddy,
Mommy don't do this, can't you just be friends?" And it is
the saddest thing.
But you think remaining married would have caused more tension?
Oh, totally. One hundred percent. Since then, if we do get in a situation where
we are
angry at each other — we stop, take a look at where Shannon is, and
we
pick it up later when she is not around.
Topic change: How was it working with a ghostwriter for My Life as a Furry Red
Monster?
I went through four writers before it started working well. It was scary, because
it wasn't coming together right. Fifty percent was okay, the other fifty
percent was terrible. It wasn't until this woman, Becky Cabaza, a mom,
came in and shaped it. The book has done fine, but it hasn't done very
well.
Maybe it's confusing, since it's Elmo for grown-ups.
That's the thing. I would love to know how many parents bought it for their
kids thinking it was a children's book.
I loved your book. I cried like eighteen times.
Oh, stop.
I'm serious. I related to it a lot. I also was a theater kid growing up
and I also starred in Guys and Dolls and sang "Corner of the Sky" from
Pippin.
[laughs] I think all of us sang "Corner of the Sky" Martha Stewart is fabulous — unbelievable! at some point.
Really? I don't meet too many people who admit to it. In the book, you describe
your mother, who ran a daycare center out of your home, as hanging a framed portrait
of Angela Davis over the TV. Did Elmo ever get to meet Angela — or
did
your mother?
No, none of us ever did. I think the closest we ever came was Whoopi, who is
an incredible person and a good friend. There are some wonderful human beings
who just happen to be in movies, but that isn't the end all and be all
for them. Like Rosie. I love her dearly. She has a forum that she feels she should
use to get her point across [her blog] and I just think, who else is even doing
that?
Who else do you admire?
Martha Stewart. She is fabulous — unbelievable! I love being inspired
by
people who just go crazy with what they do. She is so excited. She turns into
me when I put Elmo on my arm — she just gets so excited about food
and
design. We shot out at her original show — and the whole facility was
so immaculate, you could eat off of the floor. She was so wonderful in how she
worked with Elmo.
Really, she was comfortable with him?
Yes, her producers always love it when we come, because you can just feel the
connection. I just think, how brilliant can you be? But in a way that is still
very approachable.
Do you feel people understand that more now, since she went to prison?
Yes, because that experience showed you her sense of humor. I was on one of the
first episodes of her new show. It was the day that everyone in the audience
had on one of the crocheted parkas that someone had made for her in prison. Even
Elmo had one on.
Can you imagine handing Elmo over to another performer?
No.
©2007 Jennifer Baumgardner and Nerve Media
About the Author |
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Jennifer Baumgardner is a Brooklyn-based magazine writer and author. She is the co-author of Manifesta and Grassroots, and the author of Look Both Ways: Bisexual Politics.
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