Ernesto says he is not The Naked Poet

‘I am not The Naked Poet,’ protests Erotic Award winning poet Ernesto Sarezale. ‘Especially when I am fully clothed,’ he clarifies. ‘And even when I have disrobed,’ he explains, ‘I am not “the” naked poet. I am not the only one; surely not the first one; and I bet I won’t be the last one.’ Sarezale is often billed as ‘Ernesto the naked poet’. ‘Much against my will!’ he claims. Is he being disingenuous? ‘I often spend more time clothed than naked during my performances and I have been known to do many poetry sets fully clad throughout. Besides people who call themselves "the naked poet" are rarely naked.’

But how about his show at PBH’s Free Fringe this August? Does he get naked during “In the Name of the Flesh”? Ernesto gets cagey. ‘The show contains provocative content that has prompted controversy and censorship -- e.g., causing outraged outcries in online literary forums (http://www.writeoutloud.net) and leading to my performances being banned, more than once, in the heart of Soho (courtesy of Westminster’s nonsensical licensing laws). If it was up to me, I would not go into detail about these aspects of my show. Oddly, though, I had to make them explicit when registering my act for the Edinburgh Fringe program, partly as a requirement for it to be accepted by the venue. In Edinburgh, to be on the safe side, the show comes with an 18+ age recommendation (and the warning: “nudity and sexual themes”). But no shock value is intended. Nudity and sexual content can work as a double edged sword. They can alienate as much as attract potential bums (sic) on seats. And it looks like one needs to warn people about them as some audience members may feel uneasy with the extended presence of a naked (male) body on stage and frank discussions of (gay) sexuality.’

Questions linger in the air: is the nudity tasteful? Is it gratuitous? Ernesto shrugs: ‘I’ve never been sure what would make nudity non-gratuitous… And taste is subjective, isn’t it?’ Still, he quotes two of his critics: ‘There is no sensation nor gratuity in Ernesto Sarezale's nakedness;’ ‘the nudity is clearly not a gimmick.’ He qualifies: 'The show is aimed at an adult, open minded, polysexual crowd.'

Ernesto is getting fidgety: ‘Could we talk about other aspects of the show apart from nakedness?' OK. What would he highlight about his show? He ponders for a second: 'I guess... I would highlight its diversity and unpredictability. One never knows what is going to happen next. The show is a sequence of spoken word pieces, interspersed with video clips. And, although there are thematic links, the content and style vary widely from one piece to the next. The idea is to maintain the audience interest throughout.’ Reviews of Ernesto’s show are peppered with adjectives like: witty, clever, thought-provoking, hilarious, amusing… Ernesto quotes an audience member at his last London preview: ‘This show would work perfectly at the Edinburgh Fringe!’ ‘Well, here I go!’ wraps up Ernesto, anxiously.

See also: interview in QX magazine, MuseumMAN: One Rite And The Concrete Poem, Remotegoat review.