arts & entertainment
Love Story
A writer for the New York Times "Vows" column
pens a novel based on his experiences.
Suzanne Chessler
my life, I had to figure things out for the
Then, they asked me to work through the
character that I hadn't figured out for
wedding season, March-November.
myself,' Sipher explains. "I had to put those
"There's so much drama in weddings,
fictional character Gavin Greene, in things into words for the chara ctee
so much at stake for the individual people.
The Wedding Beat: A Novel (New
The first-time novelis t, son of Rosalind
According to the political issues about
American Library; $14; paper-
and Jerome Siphe r of Southfield, gradu-
marriage, there's a lot at stake for society
back), repeats advice author Devan Sipher
ated from S outhfield-Lathrup High School.
as well."
often has spoken in reality: Don't give up
He to ught and served as junior cantor at
The most lavish wedding Sipher ever
on love.
Temple Israel, and he participated in the-
covered was at a Beverly Hills mansion so
Greene, a single wedding columnist pur-
ater at the Jewish Community Center.
large it was shown on Google Earth. The
suing his own romance, is based on Sipher's
After completing an individualized pro-
bride wore a $40,000 gown and walked
working life as a "Vows" columnist for the
gram in writing and music composition at
down an aisle next to swans gliding in
New York Times.
the University of Michigan, Sipher earned
water.
Sipher, who built a readership reporting
a master's degree from the Tisch School of
The wedding that got the most scru-
dramatic circumstances surrounding deci-
the Arts at New York University.
tiny, as shown through posted public
sions to head for the altar, can recall lots of
Although he focused
‘,"*4,r1
comments and media attention,
lessons from day-to-day assignments.
on writing for musical
involved a couple who met while
"I've learned romance can happen at any
theater, that did not
married to others and divorced to
time, anywhere and at any age, and that
become part of his pro-
start a new life together. They both
is profoundly gratifying for someone who
fessional profile.
had children.
is still single': says the post-40 Sipher in
Sipher took on dif-
"A year prior, I wrote about
a phone conversation from his New York
ferent writing and non-
doctors who got married at an
home. "People just have to be open to it.
writing jobs. He worked in
orphanage in India," Sipher
"There are so many different stories, but
ad agencies and did ghost
recalls. "I was hoping that wed-
they do break down into certain catego-
editing for books. There
ding would get a lot of attention
ries, such as couples who met at college or
was industrial technology
and donations for the orphan-
couples who met on vacations. Everyone
employment using skills
age. That did not happen."
has a story, and it takes so little to get that
gained through a summer
Reporting on weddings
story to start:'
program at Detroit Country
involves gathering information through
Sipher, who grew up in Southfield and
Day School, and there was a stint running a
interviews with the couple, their parents
explored medical studies and rabbinical
political campaign.
and officiants as well as following up with
opportunities before settling into a writ-
"I was hired by the New York Times wed-
fact checks of details.
ing career, has invented a character whose
ding section in 2004 and did not do 'Vows'
"Having a theater background, I always
romantic instincts spark at a New Year's Eve for another year or so',' recalls Sipher, whose feel strongly about quotes': he says. "They
party.
original job objective at the Times involved
are the dialogue that someone else is writ-
The character, Greene, in trying to track
a position outside the department into
ing. I string a piece together by finding the
down the woman from the party and
which he was hired.
quotes that are fascinating.
pursue a serious relationship, finds her
"I put all my different experiences on
"The closest I've come to being a rabbi
surprisingly entwined with his column, and one resume, and, a year later, they needed
has been doing [interviews for] this job.
the plot moves through the ways the spark
someone able to talk about a lot of different People are trusting and sharing with me,
ignites into flame.
fields. I was supposed to be there for a few
and psychotherapists have told me that it's
"Because the book is loosely based on
weeks and ended up staying a few months.
like doing an intense session.
F
Contributing Writer
Southfield native Devan Sipher:
all thought if someone is going to steal
my life, I should be the one."
"If I don't get people to open up in a very
deep way, the pieces aren't interesting."
Agents found his pieces interesting
enough to suggest a book.
"I kept saying no, and it took a long
time before I came up with the idea of
writing a fictional version:' he explains.
"The movie 27 Dresses came out, and peo-
ple said it was about me. While the movie
is not about me, elements are.
"I thought if someone is going to steal
my life, I should be the one. In the winter
of 2009, I started working on the book as
part of a two-book deal.
"I left the Times to finish the novel,
and that happened in 2010, after a year
of six days a week, 12-15 hours a day, at
the computer. The book sold very quickly.
I freelance now and then for the Times,
and I'm preparing for the next romantic
comedy."
Sipher relaxes by running and playing
tennis.
"Judaism is a main part of my identity
so my main characters are Jewish," says
Sipher, who recalls reading engagement
and wedding announcements in the
Detroit Jewish News without a clue about
the link to his future.
"That's what I know so creating a Jewish
fictional character has been important to
me:'
❑
ews
= In
Spicer Lovejoy, the bodyguard and
valet of Cal, the rich American bad
guy who wants Rose (Kate Winslet)
Revival
to himself though she's in love with
April 15 is the 100th anniversary of
Jack; Victor Garber, 63, plays the
(111 the sinking of the Titanic and, yester-
ship's builder, Thomas Andrews; and
vim day, a 3-D reissue of the blockbuster
Elsa Raven, 82, portrays Ida Strauss.
1111997 film Titanic opened in theaters.
Real-life Jews: Isidor Straus (1845-
Here are the Jewish cast members
1912) and his wife, Ida (1849-1912):
Cu) and the real-life Jewish Titanic pas-
Isidor and his brother Nathan Straus
sengers briefly depicted in the movie:
turned Macy's into a great depart-
Cast: Danny Nucci,
ment store. Isidor and Ida were offered
43, the American-
lifeboat seats, but Isidor refused to
raised son of Italian
take his while women and children
Jews, plays Fabrizio,
remained on the ship. Ida then refused
the Italian buddy
to board the lifeboat. Neither survived.
of Jack, the star
Also: Benjamin Guggenheim (1865-
character (Leonardo • 1912), the son of mining magnate
DiCaprio); David
Meyer Guggenheim. He sailed with
Warner,
70, plays
his French mistress and died when
Nucci
am& Nate Bloom
Special to the Jewish News
60 April 5 2012
iN
the ship sank. His daughter, Peggy
Guggenheim (1898-1979), was a
famous patron of modern artists.
are Eugene Levy, 65,
as Jim's father; Eddie
Kaye Thomas, 31, as
the suave Paul Finch;
and Natasha Lyonne,
31, as the sharp-
tongued Jessica.
Reunion
Opening Friday, April 6, is American
Reunion, the fourth film in the American
Pie series, which began in 1999 based
on characters created by Adam
Herz, 39, who grew up in East Grand
Rapids. Harold and Kumar's Hayden
Scholssberg, 33, and Jon Hurwitz,
34, co-directed and co-wrote Reunion.
Again playing Jewish lead character
Jim Levenstein is Italian Catholic actor
Jason Biggs, who often plays Jews and
has been married to Jewish comedian
Jenny Mollen, 32, since 2008.
Returning as Michelle, Jim's wife, is
Alyson Hannigan, 38. Also returning
Hannigan
Roots
At 8 p.m. Sunday, April 8, actress
Kyra Sedgwick, 46,
and husband, Kevin
Bacon, 53, will be
profiled on the PBS
series Finding Your
Roots. Sedgwick's
mother is Jewish,
and the actress iden-
Sedgwick
tifies as Jewish. ❑