When Melania Trump “borrowed” chunks of Michelle Obama’s words last summer, she was found out in the flick of an iPhone.
She didn’t seem to know the difference. Public figures are often caught using stuff from other people. Remember Joe Biden "borrowing" some material back in law school? And Tony Blair apparently re-channeling stuff from the movie “The Queen,” about him and Queen Elizabeth? The Web makes that harder and harder. Now it turns out that Monica Crowley, a former Murdochite on-air personality, scheduled to explain the complexities of national security for the Trumpites -- has used as many as 50 segments for a book under her name. In this day and age, wouldn’t you think she would know caution, if not shame? I say this, because just about everything is out there on the Web, easily checked. Research no longer is limited to dusty books or files from the back corners of a library. I know this, because in preparation for a talk I was thumbing through the 522 pages of “Look Homeward, Angel,” by my favorite author, Thomas Wolfe. I wanted to refresh my impressions of a few sweet passages but after an hour of enjoyable searching, I came up empty. Go to the laptop, dude. ---I knew there was a passage about a scholarly nun, examining a book at the bedside of a sleeping girl in a boarding school. I typed in “nun” and “book” and “sleep.” Found it. Still sweet and respectful. ---I knew Wolfe’s father liked to tell about being a 13-year-old, sassing Confederate soldiers in his village near Gettysburg. The Web reminded me that this epic section had been exorcised by Maxwell Perkins, Wolfe’s renowned editor, only to be revived decades later in an expanded version called “O, Lost.” I’ve requested it from our wonderful town library. ---I knew Wolfe often wrote about the lavish meals his father craved in his wife’s parsimonious boarding house in Asheville, N.C. – loving references to butter slathered on fat lima beans. I typed in a few words. Bingo. One would think that somebody writing today – even a Foxite news person – would have a little fear about lifting bunches of stuff from other sources. But anything flies these days. Just ask Kellyanne Conway, designated explainer and lookalike of the aforementioned Monica Crowley. Conway. says stuff with a straight face. I certainly would not expect Trump to understand these subtleties. * * * Meantime, has anybody else noticed that Crowley and Conway appear to have been separated at birth? And the seething Gen. Mike Flynn, who used to spew patently untrue “Flynn Facts” to subordinates, resembles the paranoid Col. Bat Guano, who shoots his way into the office in “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” – now coming true, in a universe near you. 1/8/2017 11:23:43 am
Typically brilliant. I wish I would be in PW to catch your talk. We need to talk in the next few weeks, OK?
George Vecsey
1/8/2017 11:29:57 am
Tom, any time. Did St.L get snow?
Brian Savin
1/8/2017 11:14:39 pm
George, all young blond babes look alike to me at this age......like our daughters! And all Generals in life and movies look to me the spitting image of George C. Scott. And virtually all the political news stories I read seem plagiarized from the last one I read. Over and over and over.
George Vecsey
1/9/2017 08:19:42 am
Brian. We will indeed see.
John McDermott
1/9/2017 05:17:45 am
I nominate Meryl Streep to play Conway in the inevitable film about this clown show.
George Vecsey
1/9/2017 08:29:39 am
John, what is the ending of that movie?
John McDermott
1/9/2017 04:03:51 pm
I have not seen Saturday Night Live in a long time. But every time I see Conway I can't help thinking she's in on the con, knows what a fraud and what a pig her boss is and is just doing it for the money and the fame. I DO know Brother from Another Planet(with the great Joe Morton as the Brother from who fell from the sky). The two sqeaking aliens are just about right as Trump brothers. The daughter is the one who scares me. And her husband who has just been annointed a "Special Advisor to the President". I think I am going to be sick...
George Vecsey
1/9/2017 05:32:55 pm
John, I'd respect her more if she were just doing it for the money. But I get the feeling she thinks that guy is a wonderful American.
Joshua Rubin
1/9/2017 01:04:36 pm
George, every time I take the A train uptown to 59th and get out, I remember the magic "trick" from that movie at that same stop ("now, watch me make all the white people disappear"). Of course, the trick no longer works, due to rising real estate values, gentrification etc.
George Vecsey
1/9/2017 05:34:46 pm
Josh, the brother would be declasse in parts of new upscale Harlem.
Brian Savin
1/9/2017 07:37:00 pm
George, I can't seem to reply directly to your last response to John McDermott, so, it is here. You are right, I believe. Kellyanne Conway completely believes Donald Trump is a great American. I suspect he may be, but at least it is my opinion that he is a lot smarter than his detractors. No one on this site will give our President-in-effect a chance. Please do. I am of the personal belief, as a guy who has dealt professionally with political issues successfully on four continents, that he will deliver a great deal of what Bernie stood for but gave in on and who is now flaying in the wind without focus. Trump has laser focus and I detect zero distraction from our collective social welfare self interests. I like his kids and I like his son-in-law and I have little respect for criticism of them based on the current record. We'll see, but give him a. chance, PLEASE.
Gene Palumbo
1/16/2017 10:29:05 am
Brian, 1/11/2017 06:26:55 pm
I cannot get enough of watching any John Sayles movie.
George Vecsey
1/11/2017 10:01:51 pm
Alan, you raised Josh right. He knows The Brother.
Jeff Geller
1/9/2017 07:15:47 pm
In double checking the Dr. Strangelove reference, Col Bat Guano was one of the good guys in the film. The look on Keenan Wynn*s face when told of the plot was priceless, As well as his rejoinder to Capt Mandrake when getting change for the phone call from that soda machine the hard way. To paraphase him, if you are wrong, Captain, you will have to answer to the Coca Cola Company.
George Vecsey
1/10/2017 10:57:19 am
Dear Jeff Geller: Uh-oh. I write a column about accuracy and miss a point about Col. Bat Guano? I guess in a world about to go boom, the guy who shot his way into the office qualifies as a good guy. Thanks for clarifying. It's been a while. I just remember the guy with the gun. Thanks for reminding me of the line I checked on line:
bruce
1/10/2017 02:45:19 pm
george,
George Vecsey
1/10/2017 02:58:59 pm
Bruce, that right arm that just wanted to elevate!
bruce
1/10/2017 03:08:11 pm
george, 1/14/2017 02:12:55 am
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