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Steve Martin and Deborah Solomon Bring Down the House, Sort Of
Filed under: On the Spot Tagged: 92Y, Deborah Solomon, Joseph Beuys, Steve Martin
Martin Schneider writes:
It was a curious scene Monday night at 92Y. Steve Martin and Deborah Solomon, who is responsible for the "Questions For" feature in The New York Times Magazine, were slated to entertain a mostly filled Kaufmann Concert Hall (and, via simulcast, many other viewers at synagogues around the country) with an hour or so of lively chat.
It took only a few minutes for Solomon to alienate the audience thoroughly.
Solomon's strategy was to treat the event like a book report, covering, almost chapter by chapter, Martin's new novel about the art world, An Object of Beauty. As Martin pointed out, it was wise to assume that the (continued)
Happy Birthday, TPM!
Filed under: The Squib Report Tagged: Andrew Sullivan, David Kurtz, Josh Marshall, Kevin Drum, Talking Points Memo, TPM
Martin Schneider writes:
In October, the political blogosphere celebrated the 10th anniversary of Andrew Sullivan's "Daily Dish" blog. I did not contribute any testimonials, not because I don't find Andrew Sullivan an interesting and stimulating blogger but because I don't feel any particular kinship with him. Sullivan's very good, but he's not "my guy." (This is a phrase my dad always used, usually about musicians, but not about Sullivan. Sullivan's was my mom's "guy.")
Little did I realize that Josh Marshall would be celebrating his 10th anniversary as a blogger just a few weeks later. (The actual date is tomorrow, November 13.) This time, my affinity runs much deeper.
It's always necessary to say that one was there "at the beginning," whether it's an unknown band that later becomes (continued)
Stream Jonathan Franzen and Lorrie Moore at 92Y This Monday
Filed under: On the Spot Tagged: 92Y, Jonathan Franzen, Lorrie Moore
Martin Schneider writes:
On Monday, November 15, one of the season's most anticipated literary events will take place at 92nd Street Y. Jonathan Franzen, author of The Corrections and Freedom, and Lorrie Moore, author of A Gate at the Stairs and several other widely adored novels and story collections, appear together for a reading of their most recent works.
The event is at 8pm. Not surprisingly, spacious Kaufmann Concert Hall is already sold out. However, fans of Franzen and Moore can watch the proceedings live on the Internet by clicking on the above link.
I am fortunate to have a ticket—expect a report from me after the event.
Calvin Trillin and Adam Gopnik at 92Y
Filed under: On the Spot Tagged: 92Y, Adam Gopnik, Calvin Trillin
Martin Schneider writes:
I'm back in New York after a few months in Cleveland, Ohio (which I vastly enjoyed); one of the consolations of my return to the East Coast is the ability to visit New York's indomitable cultural center, 92nd Street Y.
On Sunday, November 7, I went to see Calvin Trillin and Adam Gopnik discuss "The Writing Life" in Buttenwieser Hall on the second floor. The two writers, both closely associated with The New Yorker, opted (for the most part) to jettison the given theme and trade anecdotes about Manhattan and their shared Jewish heritage, which was fine by me.
Though they were billed as equals, Gopnik subtly played moderator to Trillin's guest, giving Trillin a chance to spin some entertaining yarns—and intermittently to return the (continued)
Department of Factual Verification Dept.
Filed under: Looked Into Tagged: drugs, Jesse Sheidlower, ketamine, we have really been digging The Awl's tags lately, Wikipedia
Yes, primary sources, people! (continued)Experience of the K-hole may include distortions in bodily awareness, such as the feeling that one’s body is being tugged, or is gliding on silk, flying, or has grown very large or distended.[citation needed] Users have reported the sensation of their soul leaving their human body.[citation needed] Users have also often reported feeling more skeletal or becoming more aware of their bones - the shape of their hands is also often of interest.[citation needed] Users may experience worlds or dimensions that are ineffable, all the while being completely unaware of their individual identities or the external world. Users have reported intense hallucinations including visual hallucinations, perceptions of falling, fast and gradual movement and flying, ‘seeing god’, feeling connected to other users, objects and the cosmos, experiencing psychic connections, and shared hallucinations and thoughts with adjacent users.[citation needed]
Leo Cullum, 1942-2010
Filed under: In Memoriam Tagged: Bob Mankoff, Cartoon Bank, cartoons, in memoriam, Leo Cullum
Emily Gordon writes:
We were very sad to hear the news of the death of New Yorker cartoonist and veteran airline pilot Leo Cullum. (Click his name to see the full archive of his wonderful cartoons for the magazine.) From the New York Times obituary:Mr. Cullum, a TWA pilot for more than 30 years, was a classic gag cartoonist whose visual absurdities were underlined, in most cases, by a caption reeled in from deep left field. “I love the convenience, but the roaming charges are killing me,” a buffalo says, holding a cellphone up to its ear. “Your red and white blood cells are normal,” a doctor tells his patient. “I’m worried about your rosé cells.”Here’s the full obituary, and we’ll add other stories throughout the week.Mr. Cullum seemed to have a particular affinity for the animal kingdom. His comic sympathies extended well beyond dogs, cats and mice to embrace birds — “When I first met your mother, she was bathed in moonlight,” a father owl tells his children — and even extended to the humbler representatives of the fish family. “Some will love you, son, and some will hate you,” an anchovy tells his child. “It’s always been that way with anchovies.”
“There are many ways for a cartoon to be great, not the least of which is to be funny, and Leo was one of the most consistently funny cartoonists we ever had,” said Robert Mankoff, the cartoon editor of The New Yorker. “He was certainly one of the most popular — some of his cartoons were reprinted thousands of times.”
Our condolences to Mr. Cullum’s family and friends, including the many New Yorker cartoonists who knew and loved him. Here’s the post reporting the news at the magazine’s own Cartoon Bank.
Later: Here’s the Comics Reporter on Cullum and his career. (continued)
Daily Comic: Unfounded Fears #5
Filed under: The Wavy Rule Tagged: comics, iPad, magazine, phone, Pollux
Feisal Abdul Rauf to Appear at 92Y Debate
Filed under: On the Spot Tagged: Daisy Khan, Feisal Abdul Rauf, Joan Brown Campbell, Joan Chittister, Joseph Telushkin
Martin Schneider writes:
On Sunday, December 5, at 4:30pm, 92Y is hosting a discussion titled, "Can We Understand Each Other? An Interfaith Dialogue." Tickets are available to purchase—act quickly, because this event should sell out soon.
Participants will include Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, director of religion at Chautauqua Institution; Sister Joan Chittister, OSB, author of more than 27 books on issues involving women in church and society, human rights, peace and justice; Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, founder and CEO of the American Society for Muslim Advancement and architect of the (continued)
