If there were a test of legitimacy as a blogger on the Charlottesville social scene, these three questions would definitely be on it. Passing score is a 60, because nobody likes a know-it-all, right?
1. Is IY a cult?
2. Did you stop telling your/your friend’s/your ex’s awesome story about meeting Dave Matthews more than five years ago?
3. Are you on Stevie Jay’s e-mail list?
Meet Stevie Jay.
I feel like Stevie exists on a transient plane of words. He’s not simply an actor, nor would everyone agree to call him a shaman. He’s too self-aware to be a hedonist, too blithe to be a pleasure victim. He flirts almost unconsciously, to everyone in particular. No words we use for sexual orientation would fit him. And Stevie assures his audience that no such labels are necessary or, for his part, desirable.
My own experience as an audience member was at the Gravity Lounge in 2005. I was just starting to figure out how much I hate to be compartmentalized, and yet I spent the duration of the show trying to compartmentalize this guy telling about his life. But I will say one definitive thing about him: he’s good at what he does, even if I am not still entirely certain what that is.
Go see Stevie perform his one-man show “life. love. sex. death… and other works in progress” and party with him after at the Gravity Lounge on Wednesday 12/19 or Friday 12/21. Check out reviews and photos (we are voyeurs here, n’est-ce pas?) at www.StevieJay3.com.
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Wow, he’s still doing this act? I saw it years and years ago.
My response to him was very “meh”. At first I was entertained, then I was amused, but by the end… I just didn’t care. Pretentiousness trying to pass itself off as clever or deep… but ultimately, neither.
Sorry Stevie. I do know there are many who disagree with me, so perhaps it was just me, or maybe it was just an off night…
People are hungry for this type of entertainment. Very adult, very
insightful, innovative, and sophisticated.
I threw away a can for him at the recycling center the other day because he was afraid of the swarming bees. Made me feel like a good samaritan.
Dave, ha! Yeah, I should add “emotionally and dermatologically fragile and yet tough-looking” to the description. Surely if you guys haven’t seen the show, you’ve seen him around, right?
I’ve known Stevie on and off for years, but only in the past year really spent a lot of time with him. He’s incredibly insightful, caring, and generous with his time and knowledge, and truly passionate about getting his message out to the world - a message I think everyone should hear at least once. In the past 10 months, he’s spent many hours giving me advice and new perspectives on a troubled relationship I was in, all of which was helpful, meaningful, and a generous gift of his years of experience studying how people relate to each other. I’ve gotten bits of his show through our conversations, but next week will be the first time I’ll see it in entirety, and I’ll be going to both performances. To see someone as pure, open, honest and entertaining as Stevie is rare enough to warrant at least one trip to the show. Good luck Stevie, and keep the momentum going!!!
Stevie J. is a first class artist, actor, and original visionary thinker. His show is astonishing, deep, wonderful, engaging, and activating. If you haven’t seen it yet, it is an absolute must. If you haven’t seen it since its incipient days at the old live arts, it has grown, evolved, changed, become tighter and at the same time more loose, more pointed, more relevant. We have a global level talent right here in charlottesville, check it out for yourself.
Such a study in naked narcissism like you’ve never seen. Self indulgent and juvenile passing as entertainment. Save your money and go people watching at WalMart instead.
Stevie J day to day “performance” in this town & the rallying cry from these posts exemplify EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG & ANNOYING about “Pretentiousville”. I just threw up a little bit. “global talent” for sure.
When I see him coming, I turn around real quick.
Yes! Stevie is back on stage!
Stevie, and his show, are incredibly fun and insightful. His message and style are incredibly pertinent touchstones of the giddy and confusing nature of love and love-making in our time.
His show, honestly, speaks to people from every walk of life, generation and sexual orientation. It’s pretty awesome, actually. Check it out while you have the chance!
He’ll be performing to kick-off Sex Week at Yale 2008
http://www.sexweekatyale.com/about.htm
That’s the big time, ladies and gents!
Did they hire a bunch of people to write comments on this blog?
So everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, of course, but there’s nothing gained by being mean. It’s just… well, mean. And that is exactly why this show is important and timely and necessary. Yes, necessary.
I’ve seen it twice… years ago. It blew my mind both times. I love introducing folks to Steve’s performance and I’m looking forward to this latest rendition. Whatever you think of Stevie Jay personally (and there seem to be some strong opinions on this blog), he’s incredibly talented. Don’t think so? You try doing what he does… alone. He’s funny, entertaining, insightful, energetic, captivating, bold… and brutally honest. His one-man show is daring and carries a message that we all need to hear, even if we’ve heard it a thousand times.
Stevie Jay puts himself out there, and it takes a helluva lot of courage to do that. If you haven’t seen “Life, Love, Sex, Death…” you’ve got to check it out. Bring your open mind and be prepared to think in ways you may not have thought before, see yourself as you may not have considered, and walk out the door with a renewed understanding of what it means to be human in a cruel world. It could change the way you interact with the next stranger you meet.
Oh, and expect to laugh your ass off.
Just for the record, I was not paid to say any of the above.
I must wholeheartedly agree with the above!!
Anyone who feels the need to make a negative comment about someone like Stevie Jay, ESPECIALLY if you have, in fact, seen the show, is clearly lacking in general compassion as well as putting on the infamous cloak of “cooler-than-thou” which some may refer to as “pretentious”. Part of what is so powerful about this work is that it exposes that part of oneself which may feel the need to compare, judge or take aim at. Too much for you? Stay home. On the other hand, if you are willing to be self-exploratory and are such a person as might actually hope to improve oneself throughout your short time on earth, I strongly recommend the experience. It’s touching, challenging and damn funny too. You never know, you might learn something.
How much are they paying you out of towners to say this stuff?
Sorry folks, I prefer to hate Mr. Stevie from afar - paying to see him feels like indulging the multi-year run of narcissism that has become his public persona. In my mind, he’s the first “e-soup guy” of Charlottesville in that he’s everywhere and never seems to go away for very long.
Go ahead - attack away.
I have never met a man so in love with his own abdomen. I would rather pass a kidney stone than see him again.
I’ve watched Stevie Jay’s show evolve and get more refined since 1997. Thus, the “Other Works in Progress” part. It definitely inspires one to think about the serious societal hurdles we face just because we are human with just the right amount of laughter mixed in to help us understand how to not get boxed into categories and labels.
On a side note, critiquing a show is one thing and should be constructive in tone. However, personal attacks and hate are not necessary. Those who do it only show public contempt for themselves and are to be pitied.
Stevie Jay has the same power as Lily Tomlin (one of my heroes) to move people and make us think while we laugh our asses off.
His body looks great - might as well appreciate it!
Hi Stevie,
I never got back to you after your show to give you feedback. But of course I agree with EVERYTHING everybody says about you, from the passionately positive reviews, to the reviling, and the merely baffled. Why? The piece speaks to the self-absorbed gym rat and gender-vacillating person in all of us. Thank you for putting me in touch with my less intelligible, but more lovable side!
Love,
Susanna