The Biggest Star ... Mark Steyn

Steyn Online ^ | 5Apr 2014 | Mark Steyn

[Rummyfan]

SteynOnline celebrated Doris Day's 90th birthday on Thursday, and several readers wrote to point out that April 3rd 1924 was also the late Marlon Brando's birthday. You could hardly ask for two more dissimilar stars, so I thought it would be appropriate to make Brando the subject of this week's Saturday film feature:

A few years back, The New Yorker published a cartoon in which two ladies discussed the appeal of Marlon Brando: "He plays galoots really well," suggested the first woman.

"No, he's not a galoot," says the second. "Like in On The Waterfront, he's much more sensitive than a galoot."

"He's a sensitive galoot," offers the first.

"Isn't that our ideal?" says the second. "A sensitive galoot?"

[Mycroft Holmes]

Uncanny.

[Cyber Liberty]

Heh. ;^)

[TheOldLady]

;-)

[Cyber Liberty]

Some people don’t understand the importance of making the readers’ job easier. They fail to grasp there is a certain level of salesmanship in the craft of writing, one needs to beckon the reader, not just transport thoughts from one mind to another.

Making understanding a chore is anathema to that principle. I’ve seen plenty of people come to FR (and go) who seemed to think the language isn’t important. We had a guy once who was proud of his refusal to use capitalization, and insisted any problems in understanding were our fault, not his, and we should sharpen up a bit. The ee cummings wannabe lasted about a week before he was kicked to the curb.

[Col Freeper]

Ah yes, there you were.

Stepping out into the bright lights on the stage at FR.

The audience waiting for you to say your lines and perform your part.

Your first few lines came out a bit garbled, it often happens to newbie actors on the worldwide stage of FR.

Then someone in the audience murmured with a comment about your verbal stumble.

Instead of moving on with your next lines an uncontrollable Brandonian rage welled up from deep inside you and you heard yourself screaming obscenities at the audience.

Then suddenly, the audience disappeared into darkness as you were hit with a tremendous flash and heard a thunderous boom.

Later, when you regained some degree of consciousness, you found yourself laying in a dark alley, your costume smoldering and tattered.

While in your head your mind kept screaming out these words, over and over, "YOU COUDDA BEEN A CONTENDA!!"

[humblegunner]

We had a guy once who was proud of his refusal to use capitalization

I remember that guy.

Proud of his "style", he was. Had some fun with him.

[GOPJ]

I've never seen the New York Times make a grammatical error. Of course they're a shit newspaper that got a Pulitzer for printing lies about Stalin and his collective farms that allowed millions of people to be starved to death... But they damn sure didn't make any grammatical errors.Now they're lying about the Tea Party and the IRS... but they spell every word correctly... Yep, we all know what's important...

[humblegunner]

Yep, we all know what's important...

If someone writes like a retard, you still trust them to be right about something else?

[TheOldLady]

Great one! Very apropos for the subject of the thread. You’re brilliant.

[GOPJ]

Yes.

When talking ‘quality of writing’ you can’t get much better than stuff put out by the New York Times... Right humblegunner?

So, do you trust Maureen Dowd’s opinions more than Sarah Palin’s based on wordsmiting? We’re not on different sides on this issue.

[humblegunner]

When talking ‘quality of writing’ you can’t get much better than stuff put out by the New York Times... Right humblegunner?

I wouldn't know, I'll take your word for it.

So, do you trust Maureen Dowd’s opinions more than Sarah Palin’s based on wordsmiting?

Not really familiar with Dowd, probably read her stuff without noting who wrote it.

Palin? Read a few things she's written, seems decently enough put together.

Are you saying she writes poorly?

[CatherineofAragon]

That’s why I love the preview screen. I proofread, proofread, think about posting....and proofread a third time.

Once in a while I think, “Nah”, and backspace out entirely.

[GOPJ]

I like Palin’s writing - I like her ideas too and her integrity more than both combined. I doubt the New York Times would hire Palin based on her writing... (you can trust me on this one - I have read the New York Times...)

I didn’t read the rest of galtman’s comments on the thread until just now. I think his problems are beyond poor writing and fall into the areas known as thin-skinned and defensive. Unattractive traits that have nothing to do with his writing ability.

I’ll stay with my original position... re-write men, English teachers, and college lit professors are a dime a dozen - but original thinkers are gold...

[Cyber Liberty]

He took criticism so well. Said his hero was Hunter S. Thompson, and wrote that way to honor him. I really enjoyed swatting that one around a bit before he got the zot. I think the Viking Kitties came into existence in his honor.

[Col Freeper]

Once in a while I think, “Nah”, and backspace out entirely.

LOL.

I sure know what you mean there. I've done that many, many times on FR.

Sometimes, what I was sure "had" to be posted, looked mighty bad by the time I had it all cleaned up and ready to hit the post button.

[Servant of the Cross]

LOL! Well done! Combining an ode to the zottee with an ode to the theme of the thread too. Bully!

[Col Freeper]

Thanks TOL.

Wish I had the massive wordsmith's talents Mark Steyn does.

Just celebrated our 47th year anniversary with my wife, and she still says I come up with some "weird" things.

I tell her that I come up with them just to make her laugh, like when we were a couple of just-married youngsters.

[CatherineofAragon]

You know you’ve done the right thing when you erase the post and, immediately afterward, realize you narrowly escaped something, LOL.

[Col Freeper]

Thanks SOTC.

Maybe the Zottee can take some anger management and humility classes and return to gain the massive benefits of being a FReeper (see my tagline).

[zeugma]

Looks like you got your wish!

LOL