Stories from Your Gaffer: Story Time We Didn't Know We Needed
As a kid, I loved the film The Story Lady (1991, dir. Larry Elikann). In this movie, an aging woman (Jessica Tandy) captivates families in her community with her readings of classic children's stories on public access television, unwittingly (and unwillingly) attracting the attention of exploitative network executives. I loved the idea of sessions of quiet being a magnetic and addictive force on television and the thought of a communal parent for anyone to enjoy (à la Mister Rogers). I'm happy to say that, in these current tumultuous and uncertain times when we need a calm, caring, parental voice to tell us a story, we have on YouTube (a.k.a. modern-day public access television) our own 'Story Lady' in the delightful Mr. Clint McElroy.
The former radio personality is best known as father to the McElroy brothers (Justin, Travis, and Griffin, of the comedy advice podcast, My Brother, My Brother and Me), as well as co-star with his sons on the play podcast: The Adventure Zone. To connect with his grandchildren, as well as his fans, Clint has been reading one chapter from popular literature every evening, since March 23rd, in a series he has titled "Stories from your Gaffer," live-streamed on The McElroy Family YouTube channel. Clint began his first couple of sessions reading J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, but, due to copyright claims, he made the switch to other books. Thus far, he has completed L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, chapter by chapter each night, and has recently moved on to Neil Gaiman's Coraline (Gaiman was kind enough to grant permission for live streams of his stories). Recently, Clint's wife, Carol, has been accompanying him for his reading sessions.
And what sessions they are! Donning a different whimsical headpiece every evening, Clint puts his vocal talents on display as he engages the audience with fun character voices and charming expression in his face and voice. Watching and hearing Clint's performances each evening, one can't help but imagine how lucky the young McElroy brothers must have been to have such a talented reader at their disposal at bedtime! You can certainly see the years of professional broadcasting coming through, as he is reading, as well as when he makes casual, comfortable, one-sided conversation with the audience at home, both before and after the readings. Even as a long-time listener of his via The Adventure Zone, a whole extra layer of personality and performance comes from seeing his face as he reads, exuding excited calm and caring charm all at once. It makes me wish I could see his face every time he records a podcast...
It's just a sweet act of kindness from a loving person. Listening to him read, I can't help but be transported back to when my mom would read to me every night when I was young. It was my favorite time of the day, and these videos bring me similar feelings of comfort and happiness. It's the kind of emotional outreach that we desperately need right now, and with that delightful, caring smile and his kind words of encouragement, I think our inner ‘children’ are in pretty good hands. All of Clint's videos (except the two readings of The Hobbit) are viewable on The McElroy Family channel, and if you'd like to catch Clint reading live, you can watch the live-stream on YouTube every day at 5:30 PM EST. I'll end this post as Clint closes all of his videos: "Stay safe, stay healthy, and choose joy."
What story do you think Clint should read next? Do you have a comforting content creator during COVID? Let me know in the comments below, and stay tuned for our announcement of the May Film Club Pick!
Copyright © 2020 Bailey Lizotte
