What I like about about the way Ellen Degeneres dances is that, you know, pretty much anyone can dance like her. Even me. But apparently earlier this month a Long Island teacher was videotaped “dancing like Ellen”, by his approving students. Not bad — it got in an invite onto the talk show. And, on Long Island at least, the whole idea of “doing the Ellen” appears to be taking off. I recognize this neighborhood! Can’t say I recognize Confucius,... Read more
Not Jim; not Jimmy; not Jimbo. Just James. He’s too adorable and I understand he has a deep affinity for hats of all kinds. I have decided that my job this summer is to find him a pith helmet. And an Aussie cowboy hat. Read more
She’s been writing and I’ve been reading her for a long time, but I think Eve Tushnet’s name became much more widely known in 2010, when the New York Times profiled her, identifying her in the opening graph as that (to them) most exotic of all creatures, a “the celibate, gay, conservative, Catholic writer”. My goodness, these labels, categories and pigeonholes — our increasingly polarized world loves them, because they tell us who we should read or not read, hate... Read more
My son got to see an early screening of this film while he was at school. He loved it. I’m looking forward to seeing it. Read more
Well, I mostly agree with Brent Bozell: Media Research Center founder Brent Bozell [says] The broadcast networks “all but spiked the largest legal action in history to defend our constitutionally protected religious freedom,” [he cited] CBS, ABC and NBC for skimming over news that 43 Catholic dioceses and organizations filed a lawsuit Monday against the Obama administration. CBS managed to air 19 seconds on the subject. But that was it, between all three networks. “This is the worst bias by... Read more
I’m distracted enough without having to moderate comments, so yes, they are still closed until after June 1. I’m frankly considering never reopening them! :-) Read more
I’ve been called a few names for suggesting that sentimentality is a kind of soft tyranny. So be it. I concur with Flannery O’ Connor that when we swim in the sticky syrup of sentimentality, we lead ourselves to ovens and gulags. Feelings are wonderful things and I am glad we have them, but they are often irrational things, as well. Think of the things you “love” and “hate”. Often your passion is irrational to your friends, and — if... Read more
A fantasy [that people have, of possessing] property takes no account of the fact that, for the great majority of mankind, life is a struggle. On those grounds I would see this idea of choosing one’s own path in life as a selfish attitude and as a waste of one’s vocation. Anyone who thinks he already has it all, so that he can take what he wants and center everything on himself is depriving himself of giving what he otherwise... Read more
One of the reasons I have always liked Katrina Fernandez is that she has the soul of an artist and the sharp-elbowed honesty of one who has spent some time sketching among the longshoremen: she is both elevated and earthy in her perspective. In this, she reminds me a little of Heather King, whom I have referred to as “a mystic with a bit of a mouth” Some of that, I’ve always thought, suggested the self-bandaging of a person who... Read more
It is, of course, the usual mainstream media free-assist that should probably be considered a kind of campaign contribution: the LA Times, read by Hollywood folk who air-condition their garages while telling the little people to make sure they hang their laundry out to dry, today tries to help the Obama campaign’s class warfare efforts by talking about Ann Romney’s equestrian hobby, which both the headline and the very first paragraph of the Times’ story points out, is “pricey.” This... Read more
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