Swimming To Cambodia

Onibubba · Post by **Onibubba** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 9:57 am

I just want to take a minute to express my deeply felt sorrow at the death of spoken word performer Spalding Gray. Gray was reported missing several months ago from his apartment, and knowing his history, I assumed the worst. He has always treaded a fine line battling with angst and depression, and sadly, lost the fight. A body pulled from the East River in NY turned out to be that of Gray. It is not know whether his death was actually a suicide, but it is assumed from past attempts and statements.

Gray was the author of several books, but is probably best remembered for his deeply personal monologues, among the best of which was Swimming to Cambodia, which centered around his attempts to be cast in the film, The Killing Fields. After a near fatal car wreck in 2002, Gray fell into a deeper depression than normal, even for him, from which he apparantly never recovered.

It must be difficult when your "act" is so deeply personal, and everyone knows you as this portrayal of yourself that everyone just assumes is an act. He alluded to his feelings often, and it just saddens me greatly to think that friends and acquaintances may have thought of these admissions as just part of his "act."

Spalding Gray's act was his life. Both will be missed.

JaNell · Post by **JaNell** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 10:11 am

Yes, I heard about that earlier on the KASFA newsgroup.

Coor · Post by **Coor** » Tue Mar 09, 2004 4:23 pm

Sounds like he was prolly brilliant.

Jenell- intresting link, thanks for it.