Sad Gay Clown Energy

By David Lagattuta Jr.

Danny Valentine is a thirty-something queer comedian whose career is spiraling somewhere between open-mic breakdowns and viral TikToks. When a disastrously awkward audition leaves him raw and humiliated, Danny retreats into the arms of his chaotic roommates-Callie, a vengeance-fueled lesbian chef-in-training, and Elliot, a bisexual softboy with a spiritual connection to expired protein bars.

But then: a miracle, or something like it. A drunken, off-the-cuff set at a party explodes online, launching Danny into the spotlight as the internet's new "trauma prince"-funny, broken, and suddenly very brandable. Bookings follow. Podcasts. Agents. Industry meetings in sterile towers where authenticity is currency and performance is survival.

As Danny navigates the seductive high of being seen, he's forced to confront the cost: What does it mean to be real when the world wants your pain repackaged as content? How do you hold onto truth when you're being applauded for bleeding in public?

Told with super sharp wit and deeply human vulnerability, Sad Gay Clown Energy is a darkly funny, painfully tender portrait of queer ambition, mental health, and the quiet revolution of learning to be enough without applause. It's a story about being broken, being brilliant, and trying really, really hard not to text your ex.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FHF8JTQS
• ISBN13: 9798292179894
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 236 Pages
• Weight: 0.71 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"