Art Buchwald RIP
 

I guess I missed this one, but famed satirical columnist Art Buchwald died a few days ago at age 81.

Buchwald received the Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary in 1982 and in 1986 was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters.

Buchwald in his own words:

* 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.

* 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.

* 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 ask what I am really trying to do with humor. The answer is, 'I'm getting even.' ... For me, being funny is the best revenge.

* Whether it's the best of times or the worst of times, it's the only time we've got.

And true to form in his final days he humorously stated:

* I just don't want to die the same day Castro dies.

What others said about Buchwald:

The bad boy tweaking the nose of the Establishment [with] the countenance of a Jewish leprechaun.

- Ervin S. Duggan, Washingtonian (January 1985)

* What Art had was the gift of laughter ? that's a rarity today. He could take simple ordinary things and make you laugh. God knows all of us need that. I've been with him in all kinds of situations, good and bad, triumph and tragedy but Art always was able to see a little wisp of humor in everything.

- Jack Valenti, Associated Press (January 18, 2007)

* Art was the Mark Twain of our time. For decades there was no better way to start the day than to open the morning paper to Art's column, laugh out loud and learn all over again to take the issues seriously in the world of politics, but not take yourself too seriously. The special art of Art Buchwald was to make even the worst of times better.

- Ted Kennedy, Associated Press (January 18, 2007)

* The joy of his column was not that it was side-splitting humor, but that he made you smile.

- Ben Bradlee, as quoted in The New York Times (18 January 2007)

* Three of us ? Bill Styron, he and I ? suffered depression simultaneously, so we walked around in the rain together on Martha's Vineyard and consoled each other... He did the best to make life palatable, to help you be optimistic, to let you know he believed you would beat it. We both did, and so did Bill. We named ourselves the 'Blues Brothers.'

- Mike Wallace, as quoted in The New York Times (18 January 2007)

RIP Art Buchwald,

ADG Webmaster

RIP Art:(

May he rest in peace

How much do Lars/Lens pay you for being a post whore?

ADG Webmaster

a great writer :(

He was a very very close personal friend of my extended family this was very hard news to hear.

It was nice to see the clear appreciation you have for AB. He will be missed dearly and those that are familiar with his writing will know what a huge literary void his passing will leave.

may he rest in peace

Satirist Art Buchwald, who turned his infectious wit on the life of Washington and then on his own failing health, is dead at 81. He wrote this final column before his death, to be published posthumously.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Art Buchwald's last column

Goodbye, My Friends
by Art Buchwald

Several of my friends have persuaded me to write this final column, which is something they claim I shouldn't leave without doing. There comes a time when you start adding up all the pluses and minuses of your life.

In my case I'd like to add up all the great tennis games I played and all of the great players I overcame with my now famous "lob." I will always believe that my tennis game was one of the greatest of all time. Even Kay Graham, who couldn't stand being on the other side of the net from me, in the end forgave me.

I can't cover all the subjects I want to in one final column, but I would just like to say what a great pleasure it has been knowing all of you and being a part of your lives. Each of you has, in your own way, contributed to my life.

Now, to get down to the business at hand, I have had many choices concerning how I wanted to go. Most of them are very civilized, particularly hospice care. A hospice makes it very easy for you when you decide to go.

What's interesting is that everybody has his or her own opinion as to how you should go out. All my loved ones became very upset because they thought I should brave it out--which meant more dialysis. But here is the most important thing: This has been my decision. And it's a healthy one.

The person who was the most supportive at the end was my doctor, Mike Newman. Members of my family, while they didn't want me to go, were supportive, too. But I'm putting it down on paper, so there should be no question the decision was mine. I chose to spend my final days in a hospice because it sounded like the most painless way to go, and you don't have to take a lot of stuff with you.

For some reason my mind keeps turning to food. I know I have not eaten all the éclairs I always wanted. In recent months, I have found it hard to go past the Cheesecake Factory without at least having one profiterole and a banana split. I know it's a rather silly thing at this stage of the game to spend so much time on food. But then again, as life went on and there were fewer and fewer things I could eat, I am now punishing myself for having passed up so many good things earlier in the trip.

I think of a song lyric, "What's it all about, Alfie?" I don't know how well I've done while I was here, but I'd like to think some of my printed works will persevere--at least for three years.

I know it's very egocentric to believe that someone is put on earth for a reason. In my case, I like to think I was. And after this column appears in the paper following my passing, I would like to think it will either wind up on a cereal box top or be repeated every Thanksgiving Day.

So, "What's it all about, Alfie?" is my way of saying goodbye.

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Such a sweet man, with such great wit...

ADG Webmaster

I have great respect for the man.