David Sedaris

Sedaris says writing daily for 50 years is so central to his identity that he does not know who he would be without it.

“i've i've done it every single day of my life for the last 50 years so i don't know who i would be without it”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 58:22

Sedaris says he finds decrepitude harder to contemplate than death.

“it's easier to, to conceive of our death than it is of our decrepitude, you know”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 55:33

Sedaris advises never discussing the relationship with one's partner, crediting this for his 36 years with Hugh.

“Never talk about your relationship to that other person. Never. Never talk about it”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 51:06

Sedaris says marrying Hugh was a purely legal and financial matter that held no emotional meaning for him.

“It didn't mean anything to me to be married. I didn't choke up. It was just a legal thing to me”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 50:44

Sedaris says he will not write about prostitutes for The New Yorker because the magazine requires the term sex worker.

“So I will never write about a prostitute and the New Yorker because I don't want to use the word sex worker”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 33:53

Sedaris argues that people avoided sympathizing with him over a dog bite because the owners were drug users, fearing being seen as Republican.

“since when did allowing dogs to bite people become a Democrat point of principle? I just don't understand that”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 20:29

Sedaris says his father's habit of underpaying him for work prepared him for Trump.

“I mean, everything about my father prepared me for Trump. You know, someone works for you and then you don't pay them”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 9:13

Sedaris argues his father's politics were ultimately driven by a desire to keep more of his money.

“ultimately, it was all about money, about keeping more of his money”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 7:50

Sedaris argues it is unfair that life insurance does not pay out after suicide and that people should not be forced to endure misery in decline.

“I just don't think it's fair to expect people to put up with that amount of misery”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 59:12

Sedaris says he feels sorry for straight men because their social confines are so narrow.

“I feel sorry for straight guys. I feel sorry that they're in their prison”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 46:44

Sedaris objects to the word queer because it is unspecific and because it is the third time he has been rebranded without being asked.

“I find my problem with the word queer, I have two problems. One, it doesn't tell me anything”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 29:01

Sedaris recounts that CBS's Board of Race and Culture accused him of punching down for calling a waitress an immigrant, a charge he found mystifying.

“the Board of Race and Culture at CBS said I was using my privilege to punch down and call someone an immigrant”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 12:21

Sedaris says he would never stop talking to a politician friend who joined Reform UK and values understanding his views.

“You know, like I would never stop talking to him over that. He answers any question I ask him”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 2:01

Sedaris says his father told him near the end of his life that he regretted voting for Trump.

“toward the end of his life, he regretted. He told me he regretted voting for Trump, which was interesting to me”

Pod Save America: David Sedaris is Mostly Bark, Some Bite (Jun 14, 2026) · Listen from 3:03