Gore Vidal Dead

[Visionoyahweh]

http://www.latimes.com/features/books/j ... 8239.story

The fundies will be happy. I am sad. :|

[Maude]

RIP Mr. Vidal.

[Sprocket]

He gave the best dirt on the Kennedy's. Jaqueline Kennedy wasn't really a relative -- unless you count that his mother was married to Hugh D. Auchencloss who later married Janet Lee Bouvier. According to him, they hadn't even met before she married Kennedy, although she dropped his name as her "brother" to gain access to a more sophisticated crowd when she was a "photo journalist" for a newspaper (pre-Kennedy).

I know more about these people than is normal.

[Burris]

“Style,†Vidal once said, “is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn.â€

Alas. He won't get to have any of the fun that will result from, "Triple-Dip Recession - It's Mostly America's Fault This Time, Assholes!"

He would likely have needed only to live out the year.

RIP.

(ASIDE: Why is "ginormous" a word on my spell-checker but "assholes" is not?)

[marmalade]

He gave the best dirt on the Kennedy's. Jaqueline Kennedy wasn't really a relative -- unless you count that his mother was married to Hugh D. Auchencloss who later married Janet Lee Bouvier. According to him, they hadn't even met before she married Kennedy, although she dropped his name as her "brother" to gain access to a more sophisticated crowd when she was a "photo journalist" for a newspaper (pre-Kennedy).

I know more about these people than is normal.

Gore Vidal was my gateway into the Kennedys when I was in the 6th or 7th grade.

TBH, I thought he'd passed years ago. RIP, sir.

[Sprocket]

Gore Vidal was my gateway into the Kennedys when I was in the 6th or 7th grade.

TBH, I thought he'd passed years ago. RIP, sir.

Marilyn Monroe was my gateway. I know she's considered trashy, but I broke down and bought Kitty Kelley's Jackie Oh! On my kindle. It was 5 bucks and the tv was making my head spin since I've been sick. I didn't know that she had been engaged before. And I have an entire shelf dedicated to the Kenney's + Sirhan Sirhan + Aristotle Onasis. P.S., if you want an very consiracy theory but pretty legit book, read Nemesis. A-Mazing. I've read it about a dozen times. The author had been Ari's authorized biographer before he died and everyone gave him the scoop about his connection to Bobby Kennedy's assisination after his death. I was shock to read that Ari was at the white house for the "irish wake" at the white house when I read Nemesis, but it's in Kitty Kelley's book too.

[JesusFightClub]

He had a good innings. Well done Mr Vidal and RIP.

[latraviata]

http://www.latimes.com/features/books/jacketcopy/la-jc-writer-gore-vidal-86-has-died-20120731,0,3728239.story

The fundies will be happy. I am sad. :|

So am I, RIP Mr Vidal/

[CanadianHippie]

Lisa: My only friends are grown up nerds like Gore Vidal... And even he's kissed more boys than I ever will.

Marge: Girls, Lisa. Boys kiss girls.

That will always be the prominent memory I have of Vidal.

[deelaem]

:roll: For you fans of Vidal, here's a direct quote from him, about his friend Roman Polanski raping a 13-year-old girl: "I really don't give a fuck. Look, am I going to sit and weep every time a young hooker feels as though she's been taken advantage of?"

Yeah, he was one helluva guy.

[Witsec7]

:roll: For you fans of Vidal, here's a direct quote from him, about his friend Roman Polanski raping a 13-year-old girl: "I really don't give a fuck. Look, am I going to sit and weep every time a young hooker feels as though she's been taken advantage of?"

Yeah, he was one helluva guy.

Pop culture has a way of ignoring the reality of history, no matter who is left to tell the tale.

[deelaem]

Pop culture has a way of ignoring the reality of history, no matter who is left to tell the tale.

Not sure what you mean.

[Burris]

:roll: For you fans of Vidal, here's a direct quote from him, about his friend Roman Polanski raping a 13-year-old girl: "I really don't give a fuck. Look, am I going to sit and weep every time a young hooker feels as though she's been taken advantage of?"

Yeah, he was one helluva guy.

About a 13-year-old?

All I can say about that is there's no such thing as a 13-year-old who can give consent to sex with an adult. When Vidal said that, he was definitely wading in the shallow end.

Unlike some of Polanski's other supporters, at least Vidal never denied it happened. He was just a fucking asshole about it.

[Witsec7]

Not sure what you mean.

A writer such as Vidal becomes a pop culture icon. Folks forget reality and history when they mark his passing. They ignore the reality of the writers real life while in the thrall of the writers art. I do that myself. Sometimes, like in the case of Vidal statements like you quoted are too egregious for me to forget.

[deelaem]

A writer such as Vidal becomes a pop culture icon. Folks forget reality and history when they mark his passing. They ignore the reality of the writers real life while in the thrall of the writers art. I do that myself. Sometimes, like in the case of Vidal statements like you quoted are too egregious for me to forget.

Ah, I see. Thank you! :)

[Visionoyahweh]

About a 13-year-old?

All I can say about that is there's no such thing as a 13-year-old who can give consent to sex with an adult. When Vidal said that, he was definitely wading in the shallow end.

Unlike some of Polanski's other supporters, at least Vidal never denied it happened. He was just a fucking asshole about it.

This is true. I don't want my post to look like I deified him. I don't.

The whole relationship with Timothy McVeigh was pretty creepy, too.

[Witsec1]

The Timothy McVeigh thing was way creepy. About Roman Polanski, just, ew. Vidal wasn't the only so-called intellectual about whom I had to adjust my opinions, when that shit hit the fan again a few years ago.

But I've always loved this clip. Oh, those were the days of polite political discourse, not like today.

nYymnxoQnf8

[BravaAmica]

:roll: For you fans of Vidal, here's a direct quote from him, about his friend Roman Polanski raping a 13-year-old girl: "I really don't give a fuck. Look, am I going to sit and weep every time a young hooker feels as though she's been taken advantage of?"

Yeah, he was one helluva guy.

He was an asshole.

[JesusFightClub]

Good writers aren't always good people. And he made some terrible choices, but he was a good writer.

[deelaem]

Good writers aren't always good people. And he made some terrible choices, but he was a good writer.

Sorry, but being a snob and a rape apologist takes away any pleasure I may get from reading his works.

[BravaAmica]

Sorry, but being a snob and a rape apologist takes away any pleasure I may get from reading his works.

Yep. I don't care if he's a snob, though.

[JesusFightClub]

Nowt wrong wi that deelaem. I can read Mishima and the much less talented Ayn Rand without worrying about their politics, but I'm not sure if comrades who can't aren't more sensible...

[Alecto]

No matter anything else, his book "Perpetual War for Perpetual Peace" was a key part in keeping me from sliding into conservative thought after 9/11.

I don't know the man. I don't know if he was a rape apologist or if he said what he said because he's an asshole, which is well documented. But his writings made a significant impact on gay rights, and I wish there were more people wiling to be as blunt and forthright about liberal beliefs and not pander.

[Arete]

I have always loved Vidal's fiction. Julian, Lincoln, and Creation were wonderful, thought provoking reads. I knew he was an ass, but I still have to respect his craft.

[NurseNell]

Marilyn Monroe was my gateway. I know she's considered trashy, but I broke down and bought Kitty Kelley's Jackie Oh! On my kindle. It was 5 bucks and the tv was making my head spin since I've been sick. I didn't know that she had been engaged before. And I have an entire shelf dedicated to the Kenney's + Sirhan Sirhan + Aristotle Onasis. P.S., if you want an very consiracy theory but pretty legit book, read Nemesis. A-Mazing. I've read it about a dozen times. The author had been Ari's authorized biographer before he died and everyone gave him the scoop about his connection to Bobby Kennedy's assisination after his death. I was shock to read that Ari was at the white house for the "irish wake" at the white house when I read Nemesis, but it's in Kitty Kelley's book too.

My favorite movie of all time is Niagara, starring a young Marilyn Monroe. Have you watched it? Great movie set in one of my very favorite places.