Jerry Stahl discusses his novel, “I, Fatty.” He begins by explaining that his book is a fictional account of the life of comedian Roscoe ‘Fatty’ Arbuckle. He says that the majority of events that happen in the book are true, but he added dialogue and tried to see things from Fatty’s eyes while writing. Stahl discusses the early years of his life, and how his father blamed him for the death of his mother. He talks about how Fatty got involved in vaudeville theater and in films. Stahl talks about the circumstances surrounding the murder of Virginia Rappe. After three highly publicized trials for manslaughter, Fatty was acquitted but his reputation never recovered. Stahl ends the interview by discussing Fatty’s relationships with Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
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