Monologist Mike Daisey has drawn attention to the horrendous labor practices in China that are exploited by Apple and other electronics corporations since he first performed his one-man show, The Agony and the Ecstacy of Steve Jobs, in 2010. Recently, the New York Times has released a series of reports detailing the brutal nature of the Chinese "iEconomy," much of which overlapped with Daisey's show. A Romanesko reader wonders what Daisey thinks of the pieces, and he responded. "I’m absolutely thrilled that the NYT is doing this reporting. It’s what I’ve been hoping for—that journalists would dig in and pull this story out by its roots."
While the reader asked whether Daisey's show should somehow be credited in the Times' stories, the artist suggests that none is necessary.
I’m a monologist, and not a journalist in any traditional sense. I see our roles as utterly complementary—journalism reports the facts that fill our world, and I tell stories that create connections that make audiences engage in a human way.
Daisey also appeared on CBS this morning, and his show picks up again on Tuesday and will run through March 4 at The Public Theater. You can read our interview with Daisey, in which he rails against Apple's "capitalistic cowardice," here.
