I have known guys like Bill O’Reilly all my life, and they have all annoyed me. He’s Cathoic working class, just like me, just like a lot of guys I went to school with. He’s smart, but bombastic, smug, pugnacious, anti-intellectual, and on top of that, cynical. He always wants to pick an argument, and …
I saw Spectre. I was prepared to love it. I only liked it. This places me squarely in the company of such reviewers as Rene Rodriguez of the Miami Herald (“The opening is exciting, outrageous and a cheeky showcase of cinematic craftsmanship. So why is the rest of the movie so dull? Spectre. . . …
The lovely folks at the Putnam Valley Historical Society invited me to give my presentation on Commander Will. “You do an eclectic celebration of the dance! You do Fosse, Fosse, Fosse! You do Martha Graham, Martha Graham, Martha Graham! Or Twyla, Twyla, Twyla! Or Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd, Michael Kidd! Or Madonna, Madonna, …
Fans depart La Stade de France on the evening of November 13, after three terrorist suicide bombers had tried to kill them. Seven sites were attacked; 129 were murdered.
These were sentences heard on Morning Joe on Monday, November 9th: “This is sui generis. We’ve never seen anything like this.” “Confusing beyond confusing to any established politician.” “I’ve never seen anything like it.” “There is no logic to it.” “It doesn’t make any sense.” What Mika, Donnie Deutsch, Willie Geist and the others were …
From my article in yesterday’s USA Today: “Whether you adore him or abhor him, the next time Donald Trump trudges across your TV screen, make your children watch. “Gaze upon him,” you should insist. “Yonder walks one of the last great examples of ’80s Man.” Nonsense, you say; the world is crawling with people who …
The best part of my trip to Austin was that it set me up for a visit to my brother Matt and his smart, pretty daughters Michelle and Megan. Matt has lived in Arizona for almost two decades, but I have never visited him. I had a great time catching up with him and his …
Many thanks to the Civil War Roundtable of Austin, Texas, for inviting me to talk about Will Cushing at their meeting last Thursday. I had a great time: the talk went well, the crowd was large and friendly, and they bought a lot of books. In addition, the group was very hospitable. They bought me …
Elaine’s was certainly in its heyday in the early eighties when I worked for John Scanlon, but, odd to say, he was never part of that scene. I wonder why–everyone who hung there was someone with whom he would have aspired to associate. Over the years, I made a couple of appearances there–one or two …