RIP Art Buchwald
Jan 18th, 2007, 01:58 PM
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Jan 18th, 2007, 02:09 PM
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RIP Art -- one of my very very favorite essays was his on Thanksgiving, the French version (starring "Kilometres Deboutish"
at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...112302056.html
at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...112302056.html
Jan 18th, 2007, 02:39 PM
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I was unaware of his latest illness. His book "Too Soon to Say goodbye" sounds like a fun read.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Buchwald
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Buchwald
Jan 18th, 2007, 03:26 PM
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Art Buchwald's last column was written a year ago and released today.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ynrvr3
I read The New York Herald Tribune when Buchwald's columns were from Paris. What a joy they were.
Another columnist of the Trib was the TV critic, John Crosby. A couple of quotes follow:
" 'See it Now' ...is by every criterion television's most brilliant, most decorated, most imaginative, most courageous and most important program. The fact that CBS cannot afford it but can afford 'Beat the Clock' is shocking."
Another notable Crosby quote, on the role of a television critic:
"He is forced to be literate about the illiterate, witty about the witless and coherent about the incoherent."
Two other deceased are Red Smith, sports columnist for the New York Times and Bosley Crowther, movie critic of the Times. Both were contemporaries of Buchwald.
Another more recent giant was Pauline Kael, movie critic of The New Yorker.
All of these brought intelligence and wit to their profession.
http://preview.tinyurl.com/ynrvr3
I read The New York Herald Tribune when Buchwald's columns were from Paris. What a joy they were.
Another columnist of the Trib was the TV critic, John Crosby. A couple of quotes follow:
" 'See it Now' ...is by every criterion television's most brilliant, most decorated, most imaginative, most courageous and most important program. The fact that CBS cannot afford it but can afford 'Beat the Clock' is shocking."
Another notable Crosby quote, on the role of a television critic:
"He is forced to be literate about the illiterate, witty about the witless and coherent about the incoherent."
Two other deceased are Red Smith, sports columnist for the New York Times and Bosley Crowther, movie critic of the Times. Both were contemporaries of Buchwald.
Another more recent giant was Pauline Kael, movie critic of The New Yorker.
All of these brought intelligence and wit to their profession.
Jan 18th, 2007, 03:43 PM
#11
His whole attitude about his own dying was so inspiring -- without being sentimental or self-pitying or self-congratulatory. He really did laugh his way out of here, bless his heart.
He just had something about him -- a loveability that was just so special. You couldn't even look at him without smiling -- he didn't even have to say a word.
He just had something about him -- a loveability that was just so special. You couldn't even look at him without smiling -- he didn't even have to say a word.
Jan 18th, 2007, 03:55 PM
#13
A bad liver is to a Frenchman what a nervous breakdown is to an American. Everyone has had one and everyone wants to talk about it.
Every time you think television has hit its lowest ebb, a new program comes along to make you wonder where you thought the ebb was.
Have you ever seen a candidate talking to a rich person on television?
I always wanted to get into politics, but I was never light enough to make the team.
Art Buchwald
I worship the quicksand he walks in.
Just when you think there's nothing to write about, Nixon says, "I am not a crook." Jimmy Carter says, "I have lusted after women in my heart." President Reagan says, "I have just taken a urinalysis test, and I am not on dope."
People are broad-minded. They'll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive, there's something wrong with him.
reform is taking the taxes off things that have been taxed in the past and putting taxes on things that haven't been taxed before.
Television has a real problem. They have no page two.
The buffalo isn't as dangerous as everyone makes him out to be. Statistics prove that in the United States more Americans are killed in automobile accidents than are killed by buffalo.
The powder is mixed with water and tastes exactly like powder mixed with water.
Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got.
You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it.
Every time you think television has hit its lowest ebb, a new program comes along to make you wonder where you thought the ebb was.
Have you ever seen a candidate talking to a rich person on television?
I always wanted to get into politics, but I was never light enough to make the team.
Art Buchwald
I worship the quicksand he walks in.
Just when you think there's nothing to write about, Nixon says, "I am not a crook." Jimmy Carter says, "I have lusted after women in my heart." President Reagan says, "I have just taken a urinalysis test, and I am not on dope."
People are broad-minded. They'll accept the fact that a person can be an alcoholic, a dope fiend, a wife beater and even a newspaperman, but if a man doesn't drive, there's something wrong with him.
reform is taking the taxes off things that have been taxed in the past and putting taxes on things that haven't been taxed before.
Television has a real problem. They have no page two.
The buffalo isn't as dangerous as everyone makes him out to be. Statistics prove that in the United States more Americans are killed in automobile accidents than are killed by buffalo.
The powder is mixed with water and tastes exactly like powder mixed with water.
Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got.
You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it.
Jan 18th, 2007, 03:58 PM
#14
t's easier to find a traveling companion than to get rid of one”
“We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time.”
“If you attack the establishment long enough and hard enough, they will make you a member of it.”
“We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time.”
“If you attack the establishment long enough and hard enough, they will make you a member of it.”
Jan 18th, 2007, 04:14 PM
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If I was putting together a dinner party of people I would like to talk with, you can bet Art would have been seated next to me. At had a most interesting and iconoclastic mind -- and he will be missed.
Jan 18th, 2007, 04:55 PM
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I also found his comments (just heard them on the radio this morning) about death very moving and unsentimental. Great guy!
I realized my dad thought of me, finally, as an adult when he started a long habit of sending Art Buchwald articles to me.
I'll have to call Dad tonight and cheer him up; seems like all his 80+ contemporaries are dying lately.
I realized my dad thought of me, finally, as an adult when he started a long habit of sending Art Buchwald articles to me.
I'll have to call Dad tonight and cheer him up; seems like all his 80+ contemporaries are dying lately.
Jan 18th, 2007, 05:50 PM
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I so wish that I could have been among the one's who came to see him in Hospice to visit and say Goodbye. I met one of his cronies in a high-class bar one night. They had been friends for around 50 years. He loved him so and spoke fondly about earlier times. The lights in Washington, DC, seem much darker tonight. Rest in Peace, Art. All of Washington will miss you. Say Hi to my brother, Bill. He will have some funny stories you will like.
Jan 19th, 2007, 05:03 AM
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Although I can't find it at the moment, Art had a lovely column about having a typical French lunch in Paris.
He started at 11:30 and finished at 2:00.
In the coourse of his repast, about 6-8 of his French acquaintances came by to have a quick burger and a coke.
He started at 11:30 and finished at 2:00.
In the coourse of his repast, about 6-8 of his French acquaintances came by to have a quick burger and a coke.
