Steyn’s writing is unique and without peer. He veers all over the place but everything is always neatly tied to his main theme. This piece is a perfect example of that. He is always great fun to read. Thanks for posting.
I didn’t know any of the back story to Judy Garland and Sid Luft. This sentence caught my attention: “The second Judy went straight from Andy Hardy’s barn to premature middle age, and emerged as the most dynamic stage presence since Al Jolson: a ballad singer whose taste in songs was second only to Sinatra’s, a great comedienne, and a rueful raconteuse.”
She sounds remarkable. Too bad it ended so badly for her.
Sounds like he may have been having a lapse when he wrote this:
"but Sid last longer than than anyone"