The Love Seat: Sit down, sit close, spread the love...

In the Love Seat this month:

Scholar, Artist, Activist

E. Patrick Johnson is the Carlos Montezuma Professor of Performance Studies and African American Studies at Northwestern University. A scholar/artist, Johnson performs nationally and internationally and has published widely in the areas of race, gender, sexuality and performance.

1. Tell me something interesting about your hometown:

My hometown of Hickory, NC has streets patterned after Washington, D.C. The streets are numbered and are in directional quadrants. I grew up on 8th Ave Dr. SE, for example.

2. How would you describe your work?

My work engages issues of race, gender, sexuality, class and region through performance.

3. What was your first car?

My first car was a 1976 gold Toyota Corolla.

4. What was the last book you read?

The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabelle Wilkerson

5. You're inviting me over for dinner, what's on the menu?

It depends on who it is and what mood I'm in. If it's a down home southern meal, then I'm going to cook some collard greens, cornbread, candied yams, mac-n-cheese, and ham with peach cobbler for dessert. If I'm feeling boojie, I may do red snapper with lime butter salsa, sweet potato, shrimp, and artichoke hash, and roasted beet and goat cheese salad with pot de crème for dessert

6. What are you currently working on?

I am finishing up a co-edited volume with Ramon Rivera-Servera called SOLO/BLACK/WOMAN and I am beginning the research for the follow-up to SWEET TEA, called HONEYPOT: BLACK LESBIANS OF THE SOUTH.

7. Which do you prefer, voice calls or text messages?

I don't have a preference. It depends on which one I have time to respond to.

8. What's the most difficult aspect of being a writer? The easiest?

The most difficult thing for me is finding the space and time to write and squeezing in all of the request I get to perform. The easiest thing for me is coming up with ideas

9. Name three things in which you find inspiration:

Other people, poetry, and music.

10. The writing, unfortunately, has stalled for the day. What do you do with yourself?

Read, surf the internet, or exercise

11. Money is no object, and we're throwing a party. What are three must-haves?

Live music, alcohol, great food

12. What's your favorite saying or turn-of-phrase? Your least favorite?

I have so many. Most recently, it's "Cra-Cra" for "Crazy." My least favorite is "Really?"

13. Free space. Tell me something. Anything:

I have a very active dream life. I'm beginning to write them down because I think they will become fodder for a script of some sort.

14. Name a place you've never been but would love to visit. Why?

I would like to go to South Africa because I hear it's beautiful and I want to experience an African country that has LGBT rights written into the constitution!

15. What was the last thing that surprised you?

I was surprised that Barack Obama came out in support of gay marriage before the election.

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The Love Seat: Sit down, sit close, spread the love...