BORN TO BE PUBLIC

The coming-of-age story of a flamboyant social butterfly and talented writer.

Writer, comedian, and screenwriter Mania is instantly recognizable, with a towering, gilded mane of bright blond hair and a biting, mischievous sense of humor. Behind the colorful facade is a rather keen and sensitive young man who channeled his fierce ambition into a comedic niche and conspicuous place in the public eye. True, he opens by characterizing the book as a “200,000 character Tweet” and occasionally punctuates the narrative with trifles such as “25 Tweets That Underperformed So I’m Immortalizing Them in This Book Out of Spite” or “Things I Was Advised Against Putting in My Book Proposal so I Put Them Here.” But for an ostentatious comedian with underlying anxiety and depression, Mania tells a surprisingly relatable tale of grit, sacrifice, and, eventually, self-acceptance. After relating the awkward story of losing his virginity, Mania delves into the gay nightlife scene in New York City circa 2010, a raucous tale filled with drag queens, failed relationships, and the politics of being a go-go dancer. There are also run-ins with minor celebrities, bitter reflections of what the author dubs “The Thankless Trifecta”—the universal misery of working menial jobs in restaurants, retail, and offices—and general thoughts on life in the big city, including dating tips and the many odd experiences that are part of daily life in NYC. Less dramatic is Mania’s rise to success. He characterizes himself as an “Internet Spectacle,” with a public persona dying for attention, but the truth is that he’s made it through hard work, writing mostly humorous essays and profiles for outlets like Vanity Fair and Electric Literature and now screenplays that include his award-winning debut, Deadman’s Barstool.

Once he breaks his cartoonish character, Mania proves to be an impressive humorist with a voice all his own.