tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post3874507485247739736..comments2024-03-28T20:53:49.167-04:00Comments on The Adventures of Roberta X: Elite Frenemies?Roberta Xhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-105683538171816282016-10-09T21:58:49.483-04:002016-10-09T21:58:49.483-04:00Yeah, I'm not sure who there is today to compa...Yeah, I'm not sure who there is today to compare to someone like Vidal, people who are interesting even if I don't like them. I think I look elsewhere for interesting people, no longer on mass media, but mostly in the nooks and crannies of the internet.fast richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05947715402204312013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-90114840637870464462016-10-09T09:07:36.703-04:002016-10-09T09:07:36.703-04:00Indeed. As debaters, they were well-matched, but ...Indeed. As debaters, they were well-matched, but where Buckley was a pillar of society, Vidal's hold was nor nearly so secure, which is one way to become an "urbane but vicious asshole." They were both cat-and-mouse debaters; Vidal was much less disinclined to use low blows. He had a lot less to lose.<br /><br /> There's a story about Lee Radziwill responding to a request from gossip columnist Liz Smith that she intervene in a feud between Truman Capote and Gore Vidal, both well-respected writers at the time. Radziwill replied, "Oh, honey, what do we care? They're just a couple of faggots." <br /><br /> This excuses nothing and I think Gore Vidal held many execrable notions. It does, however, begin to explain him.<br /><br /> In some ways, they were both Bond villains, bigger on the screen than in real life (but hardly small even there) and I miss that. What've we got now? Twits and nitwits. Lightweights. I'd rather have a few more like them.<br /><br /> Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-2086268843911607152016-10-09T00:44:14.650-04:002016-10-09T00:44:14.650-04:00My memory of Gore Vidal is mostly from seeing him ...My memory of Gore Vidal is mostly from seeing him on the Dick Cavett show which I always watched on the black and white TV in my parents bedroom, while the rest of the family was watching whatever normal shows were on at the same time. Vidal always came across as an urbane but vicious asshole, the sort who would convince me to take Norman Mailer's side in a dispute just out of spite.<br /><br />Buckley, I knew from Firing Line, which I must have watched occasionally from the very beginning. I was never a regular watcher, but I remember seeing it when I was fairly young, early teens or so. I think it started in syndication when I was about 13 and I couldn't have been much older than that when I first saw it.<br /><br />What struck me about that documentary was the way they tried to make Buckley seem less gracious than he ever was, and downplayed Vidal's mean streak. Vidal's Cripto-Nazi insult was both more vicious and more in character than Buckley's response. I don't think someone watching that documentary would necessarily understand just how bad calling someone a Nazi was at the time, regardless of what prefix might be applied.<br /><br />Both men were quite arrogant, but while Buckley regretted his outburst, I don't think Vidal ever regretted any of his many insults.fast richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05947715402204312013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-37228699686529115412016-10-08T14:09:43.147-04:002016-10-08T14:09:43.147-04:00"The two men were snobs, they were elites, th...<br />"The two men were snobs, they were elites, they were, in many senses, effete. But they loved this country."<br /><br /><br />It seems the current crop of presidential candidates also love this country.<br /><br />Unfortunately for our country, it's the same kind of love that O.J. had for Nicole... Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-58046675240393169302016-10-08T10:58:51.005-04:002016-10-08T10:58:51.005-04:00I'm pretty sure Vidal managed to slip it in --...I'm pretty sure Vidal managed to slip it in -- as Buckley did with accusations of perversion and pandering. They both knew where to hit. This was the Major Leagues.Roberta Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09956807794520627885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-63694138495897039782016-10-08T10:51:23.120-04:002016-10-08T10:51:23.120-04:00No mention of cryptofascism?
gfaNo mention of cryptofascism?<br /><br />gfaGuffaw in AZhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15356210589713923042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5837660608809488753.post-68265284571239758462016-10-08T10:12:09.074-04:002016-10-08T10:12:09.074-04:00Thanks for the recommendation.Thanks for the recommendation.waepnedmannhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07114411043832799988noreply@blogger.com