<story><title>Tim Minchin on Quitting Comedy</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/oct/09/there-is-a-reason-why-famous-people-are-often-screwed-up-tim-minchin-on-quitting-comedy</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>rory</author><text>I had a similar realization at a similar time. Unfortunately, by that age, my novel &amp;quot;Little Winky&amp;quot; had already afforded me some acclaim.</text></item><item><author>scrozier</author><text>Mr Minchin is spot on. I was fortunate enough to realize the same thing at age 2. From then on, I steadfastly refused to become famous. It wasn&amp;#x27;t always easy, but when--as a toddler--you clearly see the devastation that fame can bring, it clears the mind and makes the required discipline bearable. It&amp;#x27;s bittersweet, but in the long run, I&amp;#x27;m glad I have had a relatively normal life.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>skoodge</author><text>Wow, I did not expect a reference to &amp;#x27;Synecdoche, New York&amp;#x27; to crop up here on HN, even less in such a fitting context. For anyone else wondering what this is about, here is the scene from the film (the whole film is worth watching if you are into the sort of postmodern-surrealist stuff):&lt;p&gt;Caden Cotard : I wanted to ask you, how old are kids when they start to write?&lt;p&gt;Madeleine Gravis : Listen, there&amp;#x27;s an absolutely brilliant novel written by a four year old.&lt;p&gt;Caden Cotard : Really?&lt;p&gt;Madeleine Gravis : &amp;#x27;Little Winky&amp;quot; by Horace Azpiazu.&lt;p&gt;Caden Cotard : That&amp;#x27;s cute.&lt;p&gt;Madeleine Gravis : Hardly, Litty Winky is a virulent anti-Semite. The story follows his initiation into the klan, his immersion in the pornographic snuff industry, and his ultimate degradation at the hands of a black ex-convict named Eric Washington Jackson Jones Johnson...&lt;p&gt;Caden Cotard : -Written by a four year old?&lt;p&gt;Madeleine Gravis : -Jefferson.&lt;p&gt;Caden Cotard : Wow, written by a four year old.&lt;p&gt;Madeleine Gravis : Well Azpiazu killed himself when he was five.</text></comment>
<story><title>Tim Minchin on Quitting Comedy</title><url>https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2021/oct/09/there-is-a-reason-why-famous-people-are-often-screwed-up-tim-minchin-on-quitting-comedy</url></story><parent_chain><item><author>rory</author><text>I had a similar realization at a similar time. Unfortunately, by that age, my novel &amp;quot;Little Winky&amp;quot; had already afforded me some acclaim.</text></item><item><author>scrozier</author><text>Mr Minchin is spot on. I was fortunate enough to realize the same thing at age 2. From then on, I steadfastly refused to become famous. It wasn&amp;#x27;t always easy, but when--as a toddler--you clearly see the devastation that fame can bring, it clears the mind and makes the required discipline bearable. It&amp;#x27;s bittersweet, but in the long run, I&amp;#x27;m glad I have had a relatively normal life.</text></item></parent_chain><comment><author>scrozier</author><text>I did dabble in writing. In junior high, my book, &amp;quot;Marvin, the Shy Elf,&amp;quot; threatened to bring me fame not only amongst my classmates, but in the wider town of 1200 where I lived. At the last moment, I cleverly sabotaged the work by including many childish illustrations.</text></comment>