MasterClass Announces Best-Selling Essayist and Storyteller David Sedaris to Teach Storytelling and Humor

Offers Intimate Look Into the Essayist's Two Worlds: Writing and Performing

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Dec 05, 2019, 10:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MasterClass, the platform that makes it possible for anyone to learn from the best, today announced that one of the most celebrated essayists, David Sedaris, will teach a class on storytelling and humor. Sedaris will open up about the process for crafting his signature honest, direct, and darkly humorous personal essays, while encouraging students to view the funny, weird, and embarrassing parts of everyday life through a creative lens. Now available exclusively at MasterClass.com, students can subscribe for unlimited access to all new and existing classes of 70+ instructors through the All-Access Pass. MasterClass categories include business, culinary arts, film & television, music & entertainment, photography, sports and more.

"With multiple best-selling books, sold out national tours, and sought-after essays in The New Yorker and on NPR, David is hands down one of the most cherished humorists today," said David Rogier, co-founder and CEO of MasterClass. "In his MasterClass, his signature honesty comes through as he teaches members how to embrace curiosity, find stories in their everyday lives and continuously workshop their words."

Sedaris is one of America's most prolific and beloved entertainers, with his sharp wit and unique voice appearing across a range of books, comedy, television programs and radio. Known most prominently for his collections of essays, his books have sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and have been translated into over 25 languages. Among his most notable works are "Me Talk Pretty One Day," "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim," "When You Are Engulfed in Flames," "Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls," and "Calypso" – all of which appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list. In addition to his essays, Sedaris has lent his voice to the narration of his own audiobooks, as well as the readings of his works on National Public Radio, This American Life, and various TV programs. Beyond broadcast appearances, he has also taken his readings to the public, touring in more than 90 cities annually to fans across the world.

"The world – your world and mine – is constantly changing, and the ways you experience it, from your mood to your innate emotions, all contribute to your overall instincts," said Sedaris. "My hope with this MasterClass is to show you how to tap into that instinct...to use the inspiring, strange, and wild influences around you to craft stories that are deeply and authentically yours."

Sedaris' MasterClass is ideal for fans of his work, writers, creators and students of comedy and humor. Created through the lens of his belief that "life feels like a story," the class will push students to unlock the inspiration in their everyday lives and relationships. In his MasterClass, Sedaris will teach students how to ask better questions, craft an effective opening and write a story that doesn't just stop, but ends. He will also share tips on how to make yourself relatable in essays, and how to structure the humor and content so that audiences can find something to connect to. Students will walk away with a deeper understanding of how they can develop their own experiences into essays and ultimately test essays in front of an audience. The class also includes a one-on-one conversation with his sister, Lisa Sedaris, as well as readings of unpublished rough diary entries – including his essay "Active Shooter" – and an exclusive look at his workshop process and a public reading in Cleveland.

Sedaris' MasterClass joins the 70+ classes taught by world-renowned instructors on culinary arts, photography, writing, performance, and much more. Each MasterClass has digestible video lessons sized to fit into any part of your day and cinematic visuals with close-up, hands-on demonstrations that make you feel one-on-one with the instructor. The All-Access Pass gives you access to every MasterClass and new ones as they launch. Learn on the go with mobile apps or in the comfort of your home with Apple TV. Subscribe to greatness at MasterClass.com.

Embed & view the trailer for David Sedaris' MasterClass here:
https://youtu.be/uulwRxq8KGA

Download stills here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1zc2h73ez15v99x/AAD7_9DqMf-l6fyn1Mb-iDFNa?dl=0
Credit: Courtesy of MasterClass

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MasterClass's current roster of courses includes:

Business: Howard Schultz (business leadership), Anna Wintour (creativity and leadership), Sara Blakely (self-made entrepreneurship), Bob Iger (strategy and leadership)

Culinary Arts: Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Alice Waters (home cooking), Thomas Keller (cooking techniques), Wolfgang Puck (cooking), Dominique Ansel (French pastry), James Suckling (wine appreciation), Aaron Franklin (Texas BBQ), Massimo Bottura (Italian cooking)

Film and Television: Werner Herzog (filmmaking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Ron Howard (directing), Spike Lee (filmmaking), Mira Nair (independent filmmaking), Jodie Foster (filmmaking), Ken Burns (documentary filmmaking), Helen Mirren (acting), Samuel L. Jackson (acting), Judd Apatow (comedy), Aaron Sorkin (screenwriting), Shonda Rhimes (writing for television), Natalie Portman (acting), David Lynch (creativity and filmmaking)

Lifestyle: Bobbi Brown (makeup and beauty)

Music and Entertainment: Steve Martin (comedy), Christina Aguilera (singing), Usher (performance), Reba McEntire (country music), Herbie Hancock (jazz), Deadmau5 (music production), Armin van Buuren (dance music), Hans Zimmer (film scoring), Tom Morello (electric guitar), Carlos Santana (art and soul of guitar), Timbaland (producing and beatmaking), Penn & Teller (magic), Itzhak Perlman (violin), Danny Elfman (music for film)

Writing: James Patterson (writing), David Mamet (dramatic writing), Judy Blume (writing), Malcolm Gladwell (writing), R.L. Stine (writing for young audiences), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Dan Brown (writing thrillers), Neil Gaiman (storytelling), Billy Collins (poetry), David Baldacci (writing thrillers), Joyce Carol Oates (short story writing), David Sedaris (storytelling and humor)

Photography: Annie Leibovitz (photography), Jimmy Chin (adventure photography)

Design and Fashion: Frank Gehry (architecture), Diane von Furstenberg (how to build a fashion brand), Marc Jacobs (fashion design)

Sports and Games: Serena Williams (tennis), Stephen Curry (shooting, ball-handling, and scoring), Garry Kasparov (chess), Daniel Negreanu (poker), Phil Ivey (poker strategy), Simone Biles (gymnastics), Misty Copeland (ballet)

Politics and Society: Jane Goodall (conservation), Bob Woodward (investigative journalism), Karl Rove and David Axelrod (political campaign strategy), Paul Krugman (economics and society), Doris Kearns Goodwin (U.S. presidential history and leadership)

Science and Technology: Chris Hadfield (space exploration), Will Wright (game design)

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SOURCE MasterClass