Thursday, May 19, 2011

AUTHOR JAMES FREY AT INDIGO MANULIFE FOR "THE FINAL TESTAMENT OF THE HOLY BIBLE"


Mr. Will-W. & James Frey
"If I wanted to enrage people, I would've had the Messiah fuck a Dog. I'm not trying to offend people with my writing, but at the same time I would never limit him (the Messiah) to anything I wouldn't think he'd do." - James Frey, on his new Book The Final Testament of the Holy Bible.

Screenwriter/Author/Director James Frey made a rare visit to Toronto today promoting his controversial new Book, The Final Testament of the Holy Bible at Indigo Manulife Centre. The Book depicts a Pansexual Jesus Christ who engages in the consumption of Drugs. Speaking to an intimate audience, Frey admits to Host Heather Reisman, "I want people either to love or hate this Book.  I consider it a failure being in the middle.".

Frey is no stranger to controversy having been confronted harshly by one of his greatest Champions Oprah Winfrey on her Talk Show in 2006 to address the authenticity of his claims that Best Seller A Million Little Pieces is in fact really a Memoir. Five years and two more Best Selling Novels later, Frey returned to The Oprah Winfrey Show (his only Press so far) in a special two-hour Interview airing yesterday and today, where she apologized to him for not hearing his side of the story fully.  To this day, Frey stands by his argument that all Memoirs require some degree of embellishment.

Frey's agenda is honest admitting, "I want to be the most influencial Writer in the World, even though I don't think I've quite gotten there yet. I'm not interested in selling ten copies of a Book.". Compared to the massive success of his earlier work, he is being less ambitious this time around, pressing 10,000 copies of his new Book for the U.S. and only 3,000 copies for Canada, to be distributed exclusively at Indigo.

Questioned on why The Final Testament of the Holy Bible is priced at $50.00, he responds "I wanted those people who support my work to find it.  We put in that extra effort (leather binding and steel casing) because we wanted the Book to be something special for them.  I want to make my Book available in the manner an Artist would deliver their Art.".  He adds, "Most books cost only $3 to press.  This Book cost about $15 per copy.".

The Author is not so concerned with critical acclaim and cites his experience with the controversy of A Million Little Pieces as having liberated him from such pressures.  "I didn't send any copies of my Book to Critics.  I don't feel they're in any greater a position than anyone else reading my Book", he says before popping some Nicorette into his mouth, the crinkling of its packaging heard clearly through his Microphone.

On what's next to come, Frey is currently working together with Steve Levinson and Mark Wahlberg on a new HBO series on the evolution of Pornography from Home Video to the Internet.  He recalls being approached by Levinson and Wahlberg for the opportunity and without hesitation he told them, "I'm in!".  Writing for the Pilot has already been completed and Frey will be penning approximately half of the episodes for the Series, which begins filming in July.  He also is working on a Book about Timothy McVeigh, responsible for the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombings.

Frey generously gave Fans one-on-one time this evening, spending approximately two minutes with each, personalizing Books and posing for Photos.  Fueled by a Venti Starbucks Mocha Frappucino, he was plenty energized telling me, "I love Toronto!". His signature pose involved "flipping the bird", drawing laughter from Fans in the queue.


Visit Frey's website here.  Order your copy of The Final Testament of the Holy Bible here.


(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

3 comments:

  1. That may be the best thing written in a book - ever! What the heck is the scribble on the side? BTW, you gotta work on flipping the bird.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Will, I was talking to you in line. In my book he wrote "you're a beautiful woman, have a beautiful life" that was all nice and dandy until I saw the same thing written in other people's books....I wish he had just signed his name.
    I love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  3. awww you're so sweet! were you in front of me or behind me?? x

    ReplyDelete