Its true that Sowell is very rarely on TV. However, the last time I saw him, on C-Span, Brian Lamb established for the record that he had asked Sowell to appear there many times, and that Sowell very rarely accepted. And he asked Sowell why that was. Sowell replied that he thought he was better at writing than at articulating his thoughts on live TV.Another factor is that Sowell hates to travel. He once declined an award on the basis that he didnt want to travel to Washington to accept it. The man who told Sowell of the award replied by saying that Sowell should know two things:
Sowell said later that he had learned what he would do if he were a millionaire - buy a private jet.
- the award came with a $250,000 prize, and,
- Sowell would be transported to and from Washington via private jet.
There have been occasions, few but plural, when Sowell has been a guest on the EIB when Walter E Williams was guest-hosting. And it has to be said that on one such occasion I thought that Sowell vindicated his claim that he was not as good speaking live as in his writing - in the sense that he was overenthusiastic about a (very middling at best, IMHO) idea proposed by a caller.
Yes, but I would like to know if mainstream lib shows like Sixty Minutes have ever approached him for an interview. Or do they know he even exists? I suspect they know about him, but will not interview him for obvious reasons. One of the main objectives of Big Lib Media is to keep brilliant, non-white conservatives hidden from the public. Sowell would not have to travel anywhere for an interview. I wonder if public radio has approached him as well? I seriously doubt they have.