A Peek into the Life of ‘The Fat Kid’

Filed Under Books | September 8th, 2008 

Forever the Fat Kid: How I Survived Dysfunction, Depression & Life in the TheaterI don’t usually enjoy memoirs and auto-biographies, however, for some reason when I found out about Michael Boyd’s ‘Forever the Fat Kid: How I Survived Dysfunction, Depression & Life in the Theater’ I thought that perhaps for once I would enjoy reading one. I was correct.

Prior to being contacted by Michael I had never heard of him or his book. I mention this only to say that neither was on my radar so to speak and that the book wasn’t on my list of books that I plan to read this year. However, when I read the blurb about it, I knew that for a number of reasons, I should probably read it. It’s kind of complicated how I felt prior to actually reading ‘Forever the Fat Kid’. On the one hand, it deals with a whole mess of topics that I generally don’t like to revisit. On the other hand, anyone who has managed to come through it all and can write about it gets my applause. There’s also the theater aspect of Michael’s life and life in the theater and those who ply that trade fascinate me almost no end.

‘Forever the Fat Kid’ left me feeling exhausted! I read it in basically one sitting as it was that absorbing. It was almost like reading an adventure novel in a way. It’s as I suspected a very emotional story and I couldn’t help but get immersed in Michael’s life. His life story outlines his journey from being a fat kid to thin young man, from shy kid to outgoing guy, and from unpopular outcast to being a well liked and admired person. Michael also covers the gray areas of racial and sexual identity, his coming of age, coming out, and how he’s approached coming to terms with one’s life. All of these aspects of his life resonated with me in a variety of different ways.

Basically, I could identify with what he wrote, even though our backgrounds and paths are different; different yet with a similar common thread. I wasn’t ‘the fat kid’, nor am I black or American. Moreover, my personal involvement in theater has been extremely minimal. And yet it was all oddly familiar ground.

Joy, sorrow, triumph and setbacks – it’s all in ‘Forever the Fat Kid’ and wonderfully confessed.