Posted on 10/21/2004 11:56:15 AM PDT by nuconvert
Miami Herald humor columnist Dave Barry to take indefinite leave
Associated Press
MIAMI - Dave Barry, The Miami Herald's Pulitzer Prize-winning humor columnist, plans to take an indefinite leave of absence from the newspaper starting in January.
Barry, 57, said Tuesday he wanted to spend more time with his family after a hectic summer covering the Democratic and Republican national conventions and the Olympics in Greece. He said he may return in 2006.
"I've never not had a column in a week in all of 30 years, even when I went on vacation," Barry said. "At some point I said, 'Well, maybe it'll be OK to not do it for a while.' And I didn't want to wait until I hated it and I didn't want to wait until I thought, 'Oh, I've got no more columns to write.'"
"Since Dave's columns began appearing every Sunday in The Herald, an entire generation has been born, raised and reached adulthood," said Tom Fiedler, the paper's executive editor. "Yet his unique sense of humor never grew up and never got old. Learning that Dave wants a breather is like hearing that Peter Pan joined AARP."
Barry said he may write occasionally in Miami's daily newspaper. His weekly column is carried by about 500 newspapers across the country.
Barry said he intended to stay in South Florida with his wife, Herald sports writer Michelle Kaufman, and their 4-year-old daughter, Sophie, and continue writing humor and children's books. He also planned to finish filming the adaptation of a book, "Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys." It stars John Cleese and Barry as himself.
In 1988, Barry won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary.
Barry, a native of Armonk, N.Y., was working for a small community newspaper in suburban Philadelphia in 1982 when his writing was noticed by editors of the Herald's now-defunct Sunday magazine. Barry joined the Herald full-time in 1983.
(sigh) First Gary Larsen and the Far Side, now this.
Nooooooo! :(
:~ (
It will be a year of fewer laughs.
Exactly. WWWAAAAHHHHHH!!!
It's amazing the guy didn't burn out earlier. Most columnists are on fire for their first year, then slowly turn to drivel as they run out of things to say. Barry managed to come up with occasional hits for a long time.
While I am sad to hear he's taking time off, I have to take my hat off to him for keeping priorities in check. How many times have all of us sacrificed career for family?
We'll miss you, Dave.
On the up side, this sounds funny......""Dave Barry's Complete Guide to Guys." It stars John Cleese and Barry as himself."
I would add P. J. O'Rourk to that list.
Other genius works that have faded are Calvin and Hobbes, and Bloom County. They were not exactly conservative, but they were true.
57's not too young to retire, especially if you're rich.
That's sucks. I can understand his reasons, but still...think of your fans! :-)
These works stand the test of time (imho). Maybe some cartoonists only just have so much juice inside. Better to quit while you're ahead than become another "Peanuts" (which I loved in the 60's, but just really faded).
I love his "Year in Review", which comes out in January. Wonder if he'll do that one?
Bloom County really died when Berkeley Breathed broke his back in a hang glider. He had a rod placed in his spine and spent months in the hospital.
It took the humor off his edge.
I must say - I did not know that. But, uh, what's your point? (comedy can fade due to physical injury?). I still stand my opinion that his comedy still stands the test of time.
My only point is that Bloom County might have lasted many years longer, except for a freak accident.
Opus is back, but it just isn't as funny.
Rumor has it that Dave is on the short list to be the first secretary of the US department of humor, a cabinet level post, to be instituted to help liberals deal with their depression and malaise after the election. You heard it here first.
Lol. I don't remember that one.
Thanx
I think you're "making that up"....lol.
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