David Bowie’s answers to the Proust Questionnaire

David Bowie was one of the many celebrities who got involved with Vanity Fair’s Proust Questionnaire, and answered the questions with his usual kook and oddity.

The original questions were a Victorian version of the personality quizzes from Buzzfeed of Playbuzz where we find out which Spice Girl we are most like or what fruit we could have been in a past life… Sort of. The answers given are supposed to offer an insight into the personality of whoever is answering.

Originally given to Marcel Proust by his female friend Antoinette, the manuscript was not seen by the public until after Proust’s death. This unfortunately meant that Proust was given all the credit for the questionnaire when in part it should have gone to Antoinette. Such is the life of a woman- to be basically ignored while a man takes credit. Anyway, I digress… The pop legend David Bowie answered these back in the 70s, and the book of the best star answers was published in 2009- available now to purchase!

1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Reading.

2. What is your most marked characteristic?

Getting a word in edgewise.

3. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Discovering morning.

4. What is your greatest fear?

Converting kilometres to miles.

5. What historical figure do you most identify with?

Santa Claus.

6. Which living person do you most admire?

Elvis.

7. Who are your heroes in real life?

The consumer.

8. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

While in New York, tolerance.

Outside New York, intolerance.

9. What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Talent.

10. What is your favourite journey?

The road of artistic excess.

11. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Sympathy and originality.

12. Which word or phrases do you most overuse?

“Chthonic,” “miasma.”

13. What is your greatest regret?

That I never wore bellbottoms.

14. What is your current state of mind?

Pregnant.

14. If you could change one thing about your family, what would it be?

My fear of them (wife and son excluded).

15. What is your most treasured possession?

A photograph held together by cellophane tape of Little Richard that I bought in 1958, and a pressed and dried chrysanthemum picked on my honeymoon in Kyoto.

16. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Living in fear.

17. Where would you like to live?

Northeast Bali or south Java.

18. What is your favourite occupation?

Squishing paint on a senseless canvas.

19. What is the quality you most like in a man?

The ability to return books.

20. What is the quality you most like in a woman?

The ability to burp on command.

21. What are your favourite names?

Sears & Roebuck.

22. What is your motto?

“What” is my motto.