I've neither seen his art nor heard his music, but the story of him being used as a sideshow freak makes me sad. And I'm sure you aren't alone. The filmmakers coyly say that Johnston "exploited his mental illness" before they ever did the film. I wonder how someone "exploits" his own mental illness. I'd like to know, so I can get working on that. Maybe it would make me some money. Would writing a memoir be "exploiting" my mental illness?

I think maybe what the filmmakers are saying is that Daniel Johnston didn't try to hide his mental illness, which is, of course, a real no-no in normie culture. By using the word "exploit" the filmmakers can blame Johnston for doing to himself what they in fact did to him.

Okay, I'm just talking out of my butt at this point, so I'll stop. And do some more research.

i really enjoyed the documentary too. it does seem like maybe he is being exploited, but at the same time it was his goal in life even before the mental-break to get his music out there. who is benefiting from all the sales i wonder?

and i agree, NO talent as a singer. but the "sliver" of talent is in the lyrics he writes. i have an album of covers of his stuff done by some really great artists and his lyrics really shine when sung by people with talent. his art is such a joke though - talk about making him into a sideshow freak.

love squalor - You are right that the covers album is awesome. His mental illness has given him the ability to write simple, direct lyrics that would be almost impossible for a normal person. Devil Town is one of the most fun songs to sing along with. Speeding motorcycle is a very sweet song. I think things could have been different for him if he'd had people looking out for his welfare. The dude needs handlers. I hate to think of what is going to happen to him when his parents die. It makes me really sad.

Blaize - As for exploiting your mental illness, if you write a memoir, I'll buy it. :)

I rarely absolve people of responsibility for their actions, but Daniel is clearly, utterly dysfunctional. I can't believe they are saying he exploited his illness, so it's OK if other's do, too. It's like saying, "The baby drooled on itself, so I drooled on it, too." It's a ridiculous statement.

There is a odd moment in the documentary when you learn that while Daniel was in an institution, he tried to sell Mt. Dew a jingle which basically said that his love of Mt. Dew made him crazy. It's almost brilliant.

The Mt. Dew thing reminds me of a crazy guy in San Francisco that walks around in an ill-fitting suit with a sign that talked about Clinton and aliens. After seeing him around Union Square for years, suddenly the back of his sign was a Quizno's ad. They actually paid him for ad space. Even more strange - During the gay marriage kerfluffle (I've been wanting to use that word!) we were watching the news from here and there was a reporter speaking in front of City Hall. Way in the background, you could see that crazy dude walking around with his sign (we knew it was him because we recognized his limp) ... I couldn't tell if his sign still had the ad, but it was so nice to see a little piece of home. :)

I haven't seen the documentary or even heard of this guy. But now I'm interested. It would probably depress me to watch such a film though.

Isn't it strange how the most unseen people in the world: the homeless and/or crazy people that fill city streets can come to be seen by the observant people who live around them to the point where the homeless person you've been seeing for five years on the corner of Polk and Geary who wears paper bags for shoes becomes a kind symbol, or icon of the area? I still think about certain homeless people that I would see on Market Street for years who I would have interactions with or avoid interactions with. I always kind of felt I was more like them than I was everyone else on the street. Except I was luckier, obviously.

If I write a memoir, you will get a FREE copy. Duh.