Buckley vs. Vidal
Added 2020-06-27 20:19:21 +0000 UTCMatt and Sam do a deep-dive on the 2015 documentary, Best of Enemies, about Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley's debates on ABC Television during the 1968 Republican and Democratic conventions. Along the way they explore the connections between the personal and the political, and the complicated sexual personae of both Vidal and Buckley.
Suggestion Reading:
Alexander Chee, "Mr. and Mrs. B," Apology Magazine, Winter 2014
William F. Buckley, "On Experiencing Gore Vidal," Esquire, Aug 1, 1969
William F. Buckley, "Crucial Steps in Combating the Aids Epidemic; Identify All the Carriers," NYT, Mar 18, 1986.
Michael Lind, "Buckley vs. Vidal: The Real Story," Politico, Aug 24, 2015.
Gore Vidal, "A Distasteful Encounter with William F. Buckley Jr." Esquire, Sept 1, 1969.
Gore Vidal, "Some Jews & The Gays," The Nation, Nov 14, 1981.
Gore Vidal, "The Empire Lovers Strike Back," The Nation, 1986.
Tim Teeman, "In Bed with Gore Vidal," Sept 2, 2013.
Michael Mewshaw, "Sympathy for the Devil: Four Decades of Friendship with Gore Vidal," Jan 19, 2016.
Comments
Just wanted to share a Vidal quote I found as I work through the backlog of excellent bonus eps. On Buckley's death Vidal said "I thought hell is bound to be a livelier place, as he joins, forever, those whom he served in life, applauding their prejudices and fanning their hatred."
Jacob Willkomm
2024-05-25 08:10:33 +0000 UTCI recently discovered that the documentary (really, the debate) was adapted for the stage--it premiered in London in late 2021! It was subsequently taped for cinemas via the UK's Royal National Theatre's NT Live program, and is now playing in cinemas across the US. The documentary has bounced around streaming platforms, but it's now available on MAX. I watched it last night, and listened to this episode today, in anticipation of seeing the play next weekend at the IFC Center. Here's more info on the play and what cinemas will be broadcasting throughout the summer, if anyone is interested: https://bestofenemies.ntlive.com/synopsis/.
Elizabeth Mc Gorty
2023-06-19 23:19:36 +0000 UTCFuck this was good
Jack Shield
2021-09-16 09:55:37 +0000 UTCYour quip about Buckley as the St. Paul to Goldwater’s Jesus of the American conservative movement reminded me of this delightful quote: “I, for one, am grateful that Buckley, serious or not, has volunteered to be as consistent in his responses to outside stimuli as a pinball machine, a machine designed to teach conservative ideals - 5,000 points for the electric chair, 10,000 for right-to-work laws, 50,000 for more sympathy with the CIA, a cool million for individual excellence and daring, and so on. If we did not have such an intelligent and genial man (as compared with General Goldwater, for instance) to argue in favor of social Darwinism, some of us might be too appalled to listen, to learn for our own good how uncharitable we had better be.” -Kurt Vonnegut, Palm Sunday
William Raby
2020-07-10 02:55:50 +0000 UTCFascinating, I didn't know about that, but I'm glad I do now (Matt)
Know Your Enemy
2020-07-08 20:21:22 +0000 UTCIt's been ages since I watched that, thanks for the reminder (Matt)
Know Your Enemy
2020-07-08 20:21:04 +0000 UTCI have a slightly off topic listener suggestion: Nazi Literatures in the Americas by Roberto Bolaño, a fictionalized encyclopedia of right wing writers from North and South America. Though it's not exclusively about the USA, it does an amazing job skewering reactionary aesthetics and personalities, and it fits right in with the theme of second hand information about how supposedly intellectual conservatives really live
J. Haskin
2020-07-08 18:22:34 +0000 UTCThanks for mentioning this. Looks really interesting!
Joel
2020-07-07 02:58:41 +0000 UTCGreat episode, two fascinating men. If you’re interested in another listener suggestion, I have one: “Arguing the World”, a doc that follows Irving Howe, Daniel Bell, Nathan Glazer and Irving Kristol from their time at CCNY (the “Jewish Harvard”) through McCarthyism and the 60s to the founding of the neocons. It’s very well done and fills out a lot of what you fellas have discussed in the past. Keep up the good work!
Mark K
2020-07-06 00:50:40 +0000 UTCThis is fantastic, thank you!
mcf
2020-06-28 06:40:23 +0000 UTCLearning that Bill Buckley wrote self insert spy novels LMAOOOOOOOO
Lou Guberti Ng
2020-06-27 20:48:26 +0000 UTC
