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Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks
Dick Cavett is back, sharing his reflections and reminiscences about Hollywood legends, American cultural icons, and the absurdities of everyday life
In Brief Encounters, the legendary talk show host Dick Cavett introduces us to the fascinating characters who have crossed his path, from James Gandolfini and John Lennon to Mel Brooks and Nora Ephron, enhancing our appreciation of their talent, their personalities, and their place in the pantheon. We tag along as Cavett spends an afternoon with Stan Laurel at his modest apartment in Los Angeles, spars with Muhammad Ali at his training camp, and comes to know a young Steve Jobs--who woos him to be Apple's first celebrity pitchman. He also offers piquant commentary on contemporary politics, the indignities of travel, the nature of comedy writing, and the utter improbability of being alive at all.
On his talk show, Cavett welcomed the leading figures from film, music, theater, literature, comedy, and politics, and engaged them in conversation that made viewers feel that the discussion was taking place in their own living rooms. Jimmy Fallon, the host of The Tonight Show, has called him "a legend and an inspiration" and has written a foreword that makes clear the debt that today's talk show hosts owe to Dick Cavett.
To spend a few minutes, or an hour, or even a whole evening with Dick Cavett is an experience not to be missed, and now there's no reason to deny yourself. Enjoy the conversation!
267 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2014
103 people are currently reading
1068 people want to read
About the author
Dick Cavett
26 books50 followersRichard Alva "Dick" Cavett is a former American television talk show host known for his conversational style and in-depth discussion of issues. Cavett appeared on a regular basis on nationally-broadcast television in the United States in five consecutive decades, the 1960s through the 2000s, a feat matched only by Johnny Carson. (Larry King's television talk programs in the 1960s and 1970s were limited to broadcast on local stations in Miami, WPST and WTVJ.)
In recent years, Cavett has written a blog for the New York Times, promoted DVDs of his former shows, and hosted replays of his classic TV interviews with Groucho Marx, Katharine Hepburn and others on Turner Classic Movies channel.
In recent years, Cavett has written a blog for the New York Times, promoted DVDs of his former shows, and hosted replays of his classic TV interviews with Groucho Marx, Katharine Hepburn and others on Turner Classic Movies channel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 195 reviews
September 9, 2020
Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks by Dick Cavett was a most enjoyable and mostly lighthearted way of spending a few hours during these unpredictable times. Those of us of a certain age will remember Cavett from his talk show days and many of the essays talk about the people he interviewed in that format. There are also essays on ordinary life in general and reflections on the past and the future. I watched a segment of one of his shows last week and enjoyed it all over again. He had a talent of seeming to ask a question in a most inappropriate way in jest and then back peddling, usually to the enjoyment of the guest and the audience. I listened to the audio form of this book and recommend it highly. He is a talented writer.
November 28, 2014
Two books in a row from slightly effeminate, overly literate men (I just finished the new Russell Brand; this was way better.). I can't be the only weirdo my age (or younger?) who loves Dick Cavett. I've adored him since his PBS talk show (1977-1982, so I was 9-14...that is weird, isn't it?). This collection of his recent online columns features reminiscences of long-dead stars of yesteryear, college memories, and more. The only downside I can see is his friendship with Don Imus.
A treat.
A treat.
December 6, 2014
Fans of Dick Cavett (1936-) will appreciate his unique and often hilarious insight in this new book of essays/monologue: "Brief Encounters: Conversations, Magic Moments, and Assorted Hijinks".
Its easy to understand why "The Dick Cavett Show" was so popular and successful, with Cavett's witty sharp observational humor! He recalls his years in high school (pranks), teen crush (Elizabeth Taylor), some college at Yale, and also returning to Nebraska for his high school reunion, and how sad he was to discover so many of his friends/classmates have passed on.
Cavett discusses the politically incorrect remark of LBJ famously referring (and regretting) of the Viet Nam War as: "a war for Asian boys". Henry Kissinger remarked that "just about anything said of (President Richard Nixon) would be true."
John and Yoko's "Woman is the Nigger of the World". Cavett was distressed over Lennon's assassination, living close to the Dakota in NYC in 1980, and spoke to a cop at the scene.
Alcoholism was a topic discussed at length, particularly noted that F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, Chandler, Burton, WC Fields, sold many books indirectly promoting alcohol. His all time famous show: the disagreement between authors Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer, with Lily Tomlin's "abrupt departure from the stage."
Nora Ephron was one of his favorite authors, he loved making her laugh out loud, and was turned down in a role to play himself in her screenplay "Imaginary Friends". Ephron's comments and public row with Lillian Hellman were hilarious!
More current topics: 9/11, he called "closure" a nauseating buzzword. "There is no closure after great tragedies." he observed. Cavett also pondered the execution of bin Laden, wondering if bin Laden was hidden in Pakistan, and could the mission have been kept secret? He instructs readers to have these answers on his desk by Friday.
I really enjoyed Cavett's funny social and cultural observations, particularly revisiting the historical events and happenings of the 1960's-1970's I had forgotten, I've enjoyed watching clips from his shows on UTube. It was rather disappointing he revealed himself only in general humor monologue, mentioning his wife's name in passing only, there was little substantial detail about his life in general. The reader will need an authorized/unathorized biography to learn more.
Its easy to understand why "The Dick Cavett Show" was so popular and successful, with Cavett's witty sharp observational humor! He recalls his years in high school (pranks), teen crush (Elizabeth Taylor), some college at Yale, and also returning to Nebraska for his high school reunion, and how sad he was to discover so many of his friends/classmates have passed on.
Cavett discusses the politically incorrect remark of LBJ famously referring (and regretting) of the Viet Nam War as: "a war for Asian boys". Henry Kissinger remarked that "just about anything said of (President Richard Nixon) would be true."
John and Yoko's "Woman is the Nigger of the World". Cavett was distressed over Lennon's assassination, living close to the Dakota in NYC in 1980, and spoke to a cop at the scene.
Alcoholism was a topic discussed at length, particularly noted that F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemmingway, Chandler, Burton, WC Fields, sold many books indirectly promoting alcohol. His all time famous show: the disagreement between authors Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer, with Lily Tomlin's "abrupt departure from the stage."
Nora Ephron was one of his favorite authors, he loved making her laugh out loud, and was turned down in a role to play himself in her screenplay "Imaginary Friends". Ephron's comments and public row with Lillian Hellman were hilarious!
More current topics: 9/11, he called "closure" a nauseating buzzword. "There is no closure after great tragedies." he observed. Cavett also pondered the execution of bin Laden, wondering if bin Laden was hidden in Pakistan, and could the mission have been kept secret? He instructs readers to have these answers on his desk by Friday.
I really enjoyed Cavett's funny social and cultural observations, particularly revisiting the historical events and happenings of the 1960's-1970's I had forgotten, I've enjoyed watching clips from his shows on UTube. It was rather disappointing he revealed himself only in general humor monologue, mentioning his wife's name in passing only, there was little substantial detail about his life in general. The reader will need an authorized/unathorized biography to learn more.
July 1, 2015
In his day (the 70's) Dick Cavett was somewhere between George Stroumboulopoulos (cool and smart) and David Letterman (genius and funny). Or maybe I just heard John Lennon call him the intelligent talk-show host and figured it must be true. Either way, yes, he did break new ground in the talk-tv world and I would have loved to hear Jimmy Fallon's introduction but unfortunately it is not included in the audiobook.
So my opinion, without the insight of Jimmy Fallon, is that I can't recommend this to anyone under 60. And to those who are over 60, the conversations are just ok, the magic moments are few and the only "hijinks" are in his own mind. He finds his musings way more interesting and his own wit far funnier than I did. For instance, he laughs at his invented euphemisms of "azure gonads" or "pneumatic bliss" as if he's uncomfortable and knows he's out of touch when writing about sex. I guess that's my best description of this compilation of stories: dated, out of touch, the musings of an old man who should have far more to say than what is presented here.
So my opinion, without the insight of Jimmy Fallon, is that I can't recommend this to anyone under 60. And to those who are over 60, the conversations are just ok, the magic moments are few and the only "hijinks" are in his own mind. He finds his musings way more interesting and his own wit far funnier than I did. For instance, he laughs at his invented euphemisms of "azure gonads" or "pneumatic bliss" as if he's uncomfortable and knows he's out of touch when writing about sex. I guess that's my best description of this compilation of stories: dated, out of touch, the musings of an old man who should have far more to say than what is presented here.
April 11, 2015
Is there ANYONE more in love with being semi-famous than Dick Cavett? This is THE poster child for putting himself IN the story and getting in the WAY of the story. Kind of a shame, because he can write a funny line. You are so distracted by the constant reminders of his fame that you want to say 'Enough already!' As a kid, I was kind of charmed by his show but this is a fine example of why you don't want to meet famous people: they are always a disappointment in real life. My final thought: no one likes a suck up, Mr. Cavett.
September 4, 2020
A fascinating collection of essays and personal reminiscences. I'm more familiar with Cavett's reputation than his work, being a bit young to have watched him on television. I have seen episodes of his talk show on YouTube and DVD, and can attest that this book is every bit as intelligent, charming, and witty as the man himself. If I have one complaint, it is that this book is too short. I was disappointed that it was over so soon, and would have happily read at least twice as many more than were contained between these covers. I suppose I'd be willing to settle for a second volume, which I hope to see soon.
September 4, 2020
This kind of works as a semi-memoir since so many of these columns were nostalgic in nature. His Stan Laurel stories are particularly touching and his friendship with Ali was quite funny. I think I had already heard all the Groucho stories. Then you get political references circa 2012 and realize that seems like ages ago. No one makes Dick Cheney quips anymore.
Much of his success in entertainment would seem to be from the way he puts people at ease. When you watch the old shows he gets elusive people to say interesting things and his wit comes out a few times each episode. It didn’t work for me as a kid. The Cavett show was more like learning and the Carson show was more like escapism.
In the form of snippets the humor comes faster and the book is more entertaining than anything you could imagine Carson writing. And he wrote for Carson and for Jack Paar. Carson is asked about that in his famous 1970s New Yorker profile and he was dismissive of Cavett as a TV personality. Re-runs of both shows air nightly these days and compared to the guys on TV today, Carson is more like Cavett than I remember. The conversations seemed actual back then even if there was coaching to setup jokes.
Memorable subjects in the book include Stan Laurel, Groucho, Paar, Carson, Ali, class reunions, Nebraska, Yale, Art Linklater butchering a joke, Merv Griffin, and the best tribute to Jonathan Winters I have ever read.
Much of his success in entertainment would seem to be from the way he puts people at ease. When you watch the old shows he gets elusive people to say interesting things and his wit comes out a few times each episode. It didn’t work for me as a kid. The Cavett show was more like learning and the Carson show was more like escapism.
In the form of snippets the humor comes faster and the book is more entertaining than anything you could imagine Carson writing. And he wrote for Carson and for Jack Paar. Carson is asked about that in his famous 1970s New Yorker profile and he was dismissive of Cavett as a TV personality. Re-runs of both shows air nightly these days and compared to the guys on TV today, Carson is more like Cavett than I remember. The conversations seemed actual back then even if there was coaching to setup jokes.
Memorable subjects in the book include Stan Laurel, Groucho, Paar, Carson, Ali, class reunions, Nebraska, Yale, Art Linklater butchering a joke, Merv Griffin, and the best tribute to Jonathan Winters I have ever read.
February 7, 2015
I find Dick Cavett to be very frustrating. Brilliant and insightful one minute, irritatingly smarmy the next. And this book fits that formula perfectly.
Great insights on Marlene Dietrich and her relationship with JFK, but way too much about Cavett's first hangover.
The best ever explanation of why Anne Bancroft fell in love with Mel Brooks ("When he comes home at night and I hear his key in the lock, I say to myself, 'Oh good! The party's about to begin!'"), but an excess of his by-now-trademarked "me and Groucho" stories.
Great denunciation of Princeton University's long-abandoned practice of taking nude photos of its freshmen, which hits the university, the practitioners, and the passivity of the students -- but not clear why it required a second chapter of additional outrage. (Particularly when the second chapter references the 1995 New York Times reports by Ron Rosenbaum on the subject.)
Reading Cavett is like watching Cavett -- or mining for gold nuggets. They're there, you just have to dig for them.
Great insights on Marlene Dietrich and her relationship with JFK, but way too much about Cavett's first hangover.
The best ever explanation of why Anne Bancroft fell in love with Mel Brooks ("When he comes home at night and I hear his key in the lock, I say to myself, 'Oh good! The party's about to begin!'"), but an excess of his by-now-trademarked "me and Groucho" stories.
Great denunciation of Princeton University's long-abandoned practice of taking nude photos of its freshmen, which hits the university, the practitioners, and the passivity of the students -- but not clear why it required a second chapter of additional outrage. (Particularly when the second chapter references the 1995 New York Times reports by Ron Rosenbaum on the subject.)
Reading Cavett is like watching Cavett -- or mining for gold nuggets. They're there, you just have to dig for them.
March 7, 2016
For those of us who do actually remember talk shows going back to the 50s, it should be a shock that anyone remembering Dick Cavett would not hold him up as an exemplar.
The people now are simply aiming at wisecrack stand-up. Cavett's the closest thing to 'intellectual' that an entertainment show dared produce. His conversations were always smart, and his wit never crossed the line into smug.
He beats Jack, Johnny, Joey, Merv, Les, David, Steve, Arsenio, Jay, (another) David, Conan, Jimmy, Jon, Stephen, Seth, (another) Jimmy . . . and whomever else I've left out.
His books reflect such a man. Love these columns from the NYT. I milked this book (as his previous ones) one entry per day to make the joy stretch.
The people now are simply aiming at wisecrack stand-up. Cavett's the closest thing to 'intellectual' that an entertainment show dared produce. His conversations were always smart, and his wit never crossed the line into smug.
He beats Jack, Johnny, Joey, Merv, Les, David, Steve, Arsenio, Jay, (another) David, Conan, Jimmy, Jon, Stephen, Seth, (another) Jimmy . . . and whomever else I've left out.
His books reflect such a man. Love these columns from the NYT. I milked this book (as his previous ones) one entry per day to make the joy stretch.
September 19, 2017
Former talk show host Dick Cavett has always been known for his intelligence, his wit and his polite charm. He began his career as a writer for Jack Paar and Johnny Carson and in 1968 hosted his own Dick Cavett Show which ran until the late 1990s on several television networks.
In this book, a collection of essays that first appeared in the New York Times blog Opinionator, Cavett has pulled together fifty-seven short essays about his life, career, family and politics. They are all a little different, covering subjects that are funny, informative and poignant. He comments on everything from dreams, his favourite comedians, his awkward college initiation into drinking and sex and his unexpected telephone conversation with Marlene Dietrich, a woman he had never met.
There are pieces on guests he had on his show and his meetings with some of the actors and comedians he idolized, including Arthur Godfrey (an ardent and early effective ecologist), Jonathan Winters (a great improvisational talent whose versatility was legendary) and Grucho Marx (the most gifted comedian of all time and a master in the art of ad-libbing) .
Cavett includes some pieces about his boyhood in Nebraska. In one he describes how he and his high school friends whitewashed the statute of William Jennings Bryan that sits on the steps of the state capital building in Lincoln. And there is also the story of a family Christmas when his grandparents had an argument about a treasured Xmas tree decoration which ended in the tearful exit of his German grandmother. The memory of that event has never left him.
One of the most interesting pieces is the one on his conversation with Marelene Dietrich when he was about forty. She called him out of the blue one day at 10 AM and for several days afterwards, always at the same time. Although they did not know one another, they talked about a number of subjects and he has always remembered her great laugh and her flirtatious tone. She loved languages and spoke several. She shared with Cavett her penchant for haunting late night book stores and her take on religion after performing for soldiers in war torn areas of Germany and Italy. She said war had taken her faith away and that if God really did exist, he certainly needed to revisit his plan. The phone calls continued until Cavett asked Dietrich to meet. She demurred, saying she couldn’t do that because she was too shy. The calls stopped as mysteriously as they had begun.
Cavett has always been known for his sharp wit and his intelligence. He is proud of his Yale education, one he mentions frequently in the book. In with those Yale memories is an essay on the preposterous practice of taking pictures of nude students at Ivy League colleges under the guise of checking their posture. The students never saw the pictures, never knew if they were reproduced, where they were stored or for how long. In the end it was discovered the pictures were not to check posture but were taken to advance Dr. William’s Sheldon’s 1950s study of body types and his theory of linking them to academic achievement. Cavett openly wonders why as students they ever agreed to this humiliating and mandated practice or questioned what happened to the pictures.
He also includes stories and comments on well-known personalities such as Muhammed Ali, Mel Brooks, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the couple he interviewed in bed who he says were both charming and polite. He describes how he found Stan Laurel by looking his name up in the phone book and then visiting him at his modest condo in Santa Monica. Also included are somber eulogies to Nora Ephron, James Gandolfini, Tony Curtis and Dick Clark.
There are some surprises in these pages, including the time he saw Jack Benny down a shot of whiskey before a performance. When Benny noticed Cavett’s stare, he never missed a beat, saying “you don’t expect me to go out there alone do you?”. And then there is Cavett’s love of Nancy Drew books when he was younger and in later life, the Luger pistol -- surprising given his liberal background and his dislike of the NRA. And there is a wonderful observation about Elizabeth Taylor, who Cavett says was much more beautiful in real life than on the screen. One wonders how that is even possible.
Like many books by personalities who found fame and fortune in one media and moved into another, the transfer does not always meet with the same measure of success. Cavett on the small screen with his quick repartee, his probing intelligence and his charm comes through much better than on the printed page. However, this is still a light hearted and enjoyable read which is engaging and often funny.
In this book, a collection of essays that first appeared in the New York Times blog Opinionator, Cavett has pulled together fifty-seven short essays about his life, career, family and politics. They are all a little different, covering subjects that are funny, informative and poignant. He comments on everything from dreams, his favourite comedians, his awkward college initiation into drinking and sex and his unexpected telephone conversation with Marlene Dietrich, a woman he had never met.
There are pieces on guests he had on his show and his meetings with some of the actors and comedians he idolized, including Arthur Godfrey (an ardent and early effective ecologist), Jonathan Winters (a great improvisational talent whose versatility was legendary) and Grucho Marx (the most gifted comedian of all time and a master in the art of ad-libbing) .
Cavett includes some pieces about his boyhood in Nebraska. In one he describes how he and his high school friends whitewashed the statute of William Jennings Bryan that sits on the steps of the state capital building in Lincoln. And there is also the story of a family Christmas when his grandparents had an argument about a treasured Xmas tree decoration which ended in the tearful exit of his German grandmother. The memory of that event has never left him.
One of the most interesting pieces is the one on his conversation with Marelene Dietrich when he was about forty. She called him out of the blue one day at 10 AM and for several days afterwards, always at the same time. Although they did not know one another, they talked about a number of subjects and he has always remembered her great laugh and her flirtatious tone. She loved languages and spoke several. She shared with Cavett her penchant for haunting late night book stores and her take on religion after performing for soldiers in war torn areas of Germany and Italy. She said war had taken her faith away and that if God really did exist, he certainly needed to revisit his plan. The phone calls continued until Cavett asked Dietrich to meet. She demurred, saying she couldn’t do that because she was too shy. The calls stopped as mysteriously as they had begun.
Cavett has always been known for his sharp wit and his intelligence. He is proud of his Yale education, one he mentions frequently in the book. In with those Yale memories is an essay on the preposterous practice of taking pictures of nude students at Ivy League colleges under the guise of checking their posture. The students never saw the pictures, never knew if they were reproduced, where they were stored or for how long. In the end it was discovered the pictures were not to check posture but were taken to advance Dr. William’s Sheldon’s 1950s study of body types and his theory of linking them to academic achievement. Cavett openly wonders why as students they ever agreed to this humiliating and mandated practice or questioned what happened to the pictures.
He also includes stories and comments on well-known personalities such as Muhammed Ali, Mel Brooks, and John Lennon and Yoko Ono, the couple he interviewed in bed who he says were both charming and polite. He describes how he found Stan Laurel by looking his name up in the phone book and then visiting him at his modest condo in Santa Monica. Also included are somber eulogies to Nora Ephron, James Gandolfini, Tony Curtis and Dick Clark.
There are some surprises in these pages, including the time he saw Jack Benny down a shot of whiskey before a performance. When Benny noticed Cavett’s stare, he never missed a beat, saying “you don’t expect me to go out there alone do you?”. And then there is Cavett’s love of Nancy Drew books when he was younger and in later life, the Luger pistol -- surprising given his liberal background and his dislike of the NRA. And there is a wonderful observation about Elizabeth Taylor, who Cavett says was much more beautiful in real life than on the screen. One wonders how that is even possible.
Like many books by personalities who found fame and fortune in one media and moved into another, the transfer does not always meet with the same measure of success. Cavett on the small screen with his quick repartee, his probing intelligence and his charm comes through much better than on the printed page. However, this is still a light hearted and enjoyable read which is engaging and often funny.
August 14, 2014
Dick Cavett's Brief Encounters picks up where his book Talk Show left off and is a compilation of his on-line columns in the NY Times from 2010 through 2013. As with the first volume, his essays on show business are absolutely wonderful highlighting his work with famous old-time stars like Arthur Godfrey, Jack Paar, George Burns and Jack Benny. Likewise his reminiscences of his Nebraska boyhood and his college days at Yale in the 1950's are utterly charming.
And as in the first volume, the thing that keeps me from giving this volume 5 stars are his forays into politics. I'm sure that in 2012 he felt compelled to write about Rick Santorum, but now that that gentleman's time in the sun has past, I don't want to read another line about him. Thankfully in this volume his political ruminations are very much in the minority and can be skimmed over so the reader can return to the good stuff
And as in the first volume, the thing that keeps me from giving this volume 5 stars are his forays into politics. I'm sure that in 2012 he felt compelled to write about Rick Santorum, but now that that gentleman's time in the sun has past, I don't want to read another line about him. Thankfully in this volume his political ruminations are very much in the minority and can be skimmed over so the reader can return to the good stuff
January 17, 2015
I liked this for the most part. Dick Cavett has always been interesting person to me. This book has about three years worth of his essays on many subjects. Some come from his personal life such as growing up in Nebraska.or going to Yale. some are topics on drinking and the celebrities who were known for their drinking. my favorite essays or articles he wrote were about the celebrities he met in his years in the business. I really enjoyed what Dick Cavett had to say about Stan Laurel, Groucho Marx. for example. Mr. Cavett wrote essays that went from about three pages on up. I liked some more than others. I liked that the author shared is experiences with the famous that he encountered while being a writer for some of them and of course his own talk show. If you are a fan of Dick Cavett, you may find this an interesting book to read.
September 11, 2015
I've loved Dick Cavett since I was a teenager. I've always thought of him as funny, erudite and very well-spoken. This book, a collection of columns that have appeared in The New York Times, allows me to continue with my opinion. These columns include reminisces of other famous people he has met such as Marlene Dietrich, Stan Laurel, James Gandolfini, Jonathan Winters, and Groucho Marx. He also includes observations about a high school reunion, alcoholism, and bon mots by people he has interviewed (Mary McCarthy's famous line about Lillian Hellman, "Every word she writes is a lie including, and and the."
November 3, 2018
Dick Cavett's photograph on the cover was prominent on the center display tower at my local library. On a whim, I checked it out. From the start, this writer, talk show host and all around good guy's narration is easy and likable.
The stories and the personalities span the decades. He is ready to celebrate 82 healthy years this month.
I do recommend this CD. It's like having Dick Cavett in your living room. Or maybe having coffee with him when he is in Manhattan getting ready to enjoy a Broadway show.
The stories and the personalities span the decades. He is ready to celebrate 82 healthy years this month.
I do recommend this CD. It's like having Dick Cavett in your living room. Or maybe having coffee with him when he is in Manhattan getting ready to enjoy a Broadway show.
March 16, 2016
After reading 'Talk Show,' I was so engrossed by the style and substance of Cavett's essays that I had to leap right into this one. It was even better. The richness of his experiences and the way he presents them, coupled with a refreshingly broad scope of topics, makes these essays a treat for readers of all stripes.
May 15, 2016
If you are too young to remember The Dick Caveett Show, Google him on YouTube and you will find his interviews with John Lennon or Janis Joplin. This book details his interviews and friendships with interesting celebrities such as Jonathan Winters, Charlie Chaplin, Muhammad Ali, and Stan Laurel, to name a few.
May 11, 2018
I think Dick Cavett is incredibly funny and charming and some of these essays were as well. Frequently I was left with some version of the question, "was that really the most humorous anecdote in all your encounters with Muhammad Ali?" Surprisingly, I think his personal reminiscences about life in Nebraska or in college at Yale were more interesting than the essays about celebrities.
February 21, 2015
I'm a long-time fan of Mr. Cavett, but was irritated and annoyed by this book. It's a compilation of online columns he's written in recent years, without much in the way of editing or effort to find coherence.
November 10, 2014
Witty, erudite and a bit snarky at times but a good read.
October 17, 2019
This book is a collection of 57 online columns Cavett wrote originally for the New York Times from 2010 to 2014. Remembering Dick Cavett's talk show from back in the day, I wonder if the audio version might be better than the book. I could almost hear his voice while I was reading.
I was disappointed with Jimmy Fallon's flaccid forward and with the columns of limited interest that were selected to start the book. Someone did some selecting since all of them were not strictly in order by the date they first appeared in the NYT. Since Cavett mentioned feedback several times, his editor (we know he had one because there are acknowledgments in the back) should have known that a few of these were clunkers and chosen differently. Inevitably a collection of short pieces will be a mixed bag but they should be set up in a sequence that will draw the most readers into the book. Collections of short stories are frequently, for good or ill, arranged so the the best stories come at the beginning and, once the reader is hooked, then comes the mediocre middle after which come the climatic clunkers. I would prefer that short pieces be sequenced more like a track coach sends out a relay team.
I thought that the enjoyment of some of the early essays depended too heavily on memories of celebrities most of y'll don't remember: Jack Parr, Arthur Godfrey, Sam Levenson, Art Linkletter, Jack E. Leonard, Jack Carter, Mort Sahl, Merv Griffin, etc. etc. I imagined Gen-Xers and Millennials falling by the wayside.
Update: As I read the beginning of this book, I didn't think it was going to do better than two stars. I kept reading because I was a big fan of Dick Cavett's show back in the day and knew that he was capable of better.
There were one or two columns early in the book that were pretty much just lists of names. It's OK to drop names in context in memoirs, but just list them?? Really?
There were one or two essays that were commentary on something Cavett saw in the news and just felt like commenting on with no obvious connection to anything. Hardly even worth a share on FB. His dreams? Don't care. That he regrets not having had the opportunity for sex with teacher? Eeeewwwww!!
I liked Cavett best when he shared inside information, for example, the essay about meeting Stan Laurel and the one about his appearances on $25,000 Pyramid. The behind the scenes stories about Jonathan Winters, Muhammad Ali, and a few others, really hit the spot.
I thought it was funny that Vassar College was mentioned four times; five if you count the reference to Poughkeepsie on page 235. Smith and Radcliffe only once.
On the fringes: A number other books are pushed in the text and I started to wonder why. Arthur Godfrey: The Adventures of an American Broadcaster is one.
I don't like to read Acknowledgments but curiously, can't always stop myself. These were after the text and mercifully short.
There is an index. Glory hallelujah! I want all non-fiction hard-copy books to have an index but, too often, they don't.
I was disappointed with Jimmy Fallon's flaccid forward and with the columns of limited interest that were selected to start the book. Someone did some selecting since all of them were not strictly in order by the date they first appeared in the NYT. Since Cavett mentioned feedback several times, his editor (we know he had one because there are acknowledgments in the back) should have known that a few of these were clunkers and chosen differently. Inevitably a collection of short pieces will be a mixed bag but they should be set up in a sequence that will draw the most readers into the book. Collections of short stories are frequently, for good or ill, arranged so the the best stories come at the beginning and, once the reader is hooked, then comes the mediocre middle after which come the climatic clunkers. I would prefer that short pieces be sequenced more like a track coach sends out a relay team.
I thought that the enjoyment of some of the early essays depended too heavily on memories of celebrities most of y'll don't remember: Jack Parr, Arthur Godfrey, Sam Levenson, Art Linkletter, Jack E. Leonard, Jack Carter, Mort Sahl, Merv Griffin, etc. etc. I imagined Gen-Xers and Millennials falling by the wayside.
Update: As I read the beginning of this book, I didn't think it was going to do better than two stars. I kept reading because I was a big fan of Dick Cavett's show back in the day and knew that he was capable of better.
There were one or two columns early in the book that were pretty much just lists of names. It's OK to drop names in context in memoirs, but just list them?? Really?
There were one or two essays that were commentary on something Cavett saw in the news and just felt like commenting on with no obvious connection to anything. Hardly even worth a share on FB. His dreams? Don't care. That he regrets not having had the opportunity for sex with teacher? Eeeewwwww!!
I liked Cavett best when he shared inside information, for example, the essay about meeting Stan Laurel and the one about his appearances on $25,000 Pyramid. The behind the scenes stories about Jonathan Winters, Muhammad Ali, and a few others, really hit the spot.
I thought it was funny that Vassar College was mentioned four times; five if you count the reference to Poughkeepsie on page 235. Smith and Radcliffe only once.
On the fringes: A number other books are pushed in the text and I started to wonder why. Arthur Godfrey: The Adventures of an American Broadcaster is one.
I don't like to read Acknowledgments but curiously, can't always stop myself. These were after the text and mercifully short.
There is an index. Glory hallelujah! I want all non-fiction hard-copy books to have an index but, too often, they don't.
Read
August 18, 2015Those of you who are literate and in tune with the publishing world probably already know that Dick Cavett has been contributing a column to the New York Times for a number of years. As someone who only gets his news from Twitter, I was surprised to discover this fact, while delighted to learn that a number of these (new to me) columns have been assembled in the book Brief Encounters.
I'm officially a member of the David Letterman fan demographic but in my mind there have only really been two talk show hosts - Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett. Erudite while still allowing his guests to lead the conversation, the line that Cavett was able to comfortably walk between respecting old Hollywood (not surprising since he got his start writing for Jack Paar, Jerry Lewis and Carson) and welcoming the love generation's new heroes is something for any talk show host to try to emulate.
The columns collected in this book cover two main subjects: personal memories and insights and celebrity encounters. While there were some enjoyable moments in the former, I was mostly on board for the latter. We get special reminiscences of celebrities who had recently passed, such as Jonathan Winters (in a hilarious column that makes you want to hunt his appearances down on YouTube), James Gandolfini and Eddie Fisher (though his name is merely an excuse to pay tribute to George S. Kaufman).
Lest you think that the book is merely a tribute to long-gone entertainers, well, I suppose it largely is. Some of these are quite moving, such as the Winters tribute or Cavett's memories of schoolmates long gone. But there are also many laugh out loud moments, such as the story of Laurel and Hardy's encounter in front of the Christmas tree. The book slows down in the multiple chapters about Cavett's dreams but they're easy to skip.
It's easy to hear this book in the author's voice while you're reading it, and even easier if you listen to it on CD, since Cavett is the reader. The book's also a great bathroom reader, with most chapters reaching no more than 5 pages. I finished this book in five days and I'm a sloooooow reader, so you might enjoy knocking it off in an evening! A fun, fun book!
- Mike
I'm officially a member of the David Letterman fan demographic but in my mind there have only really been two talk show hosts - Johnny Carson and Dick Cavett. Erudite while still allowing his guests to lead the conversation, the line that Cavett was able to comfortably walk between respecting old Hollywood (not surprising since he got his start writing for Jack Paar, Jerry Lewis and Carson) and welcoming the love generation's new heroes is something for any talk show host to try to emulate.
The columns collected in this book cover two main subjects: personal memories and insights and celebrity encounters. While there were some enjoyable moments in the former, I was mostly on board for the latter. We get special reminiscences of celebrities who had recently passed, such as Jonathan Winters (in a hilarious column that makes you want to hunt his appearances down on YouTube), James Gandolfini and Eddie Fisher (though his name is merely an excuse to pay tribute to George S. Kaufman).
Lest you think that the book is merely a tribute to long-gone entertainers, well, I suppose it largely is. Some of these are quite moving, such as the Winters tribute or Cavett's memories of schoolmates long gone. But there are also many laugh out loud moments, such as the story of Laurel and Hardy's encounter in front of the Christmas tree. The book slows down in the multiple chapters about Cavett's dreams but they're easy to skip.
It's easy to hear this book in the author's voice while you're reading it, and even easier if you listen to it on CD, since Cavett is the reader. The book's also a great bathroom reader, with most chapters reaching no more than 5 pages. I finished this book in five days and I'm a sloooooow reader, so you might enjoy knocking it off in an evening! A fun, fun book!
- Mike
April 6, 2016
Dick Cavett is a fascinating phenomenon in the hallowed halls of television talk show hosting and general interest commentaries. He appeared as a smug, intellectual show-off with a tremendous need to be appreciated. He also exhibited a “gee whiz” fascination with many of his subjects, seemingly in fan-struck awe to be in the presence of the justifiably famous. Consequently, the combination of his boyish charm and a sharp, well-read wit appealed to a large cross-section of viewers. For the rest … well, did you really want to miss the majority of people on his guest list? I was an avid viewer.
One of his endeavors has been to turn his hand to opinion commentaries for The New York Times. This book is a collection of them from 2010 to 2012 in chronological order. There is a jealous part of me that rebels at the obvious double-dipping. After all, he was paid for them in the newspaper, and now he is paid for them again by the readers of this book. Of course, if I was fortunate enough to pull it off, I’d likely do the same.
The pieces collected here are an excellent sampling of the Dick Cavett appeal. There are the obvious self-serving moments, and there are the stories held me fascinated. There are insider views into personal lives that are truly revealing, and not the gossipy “humanity at its worst” tidbits offered by the exploitation periodicals. There are also moments that moved me so much that I could feel tears forming. (Try the one about family members who are no longer with us from Christmas celebrations of long ago.)
I found it to be an incredibly readable book. Dick Cavett is a craftsman with words, and there were references that I wrote down to consult at another time. (His recommendation of the novel, Lucky Jim, has been added to my “To Read” list in GoodReads.) Although, as the writer, he is the solo voice, these articles will give you a taste of the conversational tone that was found on “The Dick Cavett Show.” Like the show episodes, none are poorly done, and some are amazing.
I definitely recommend this book.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to head back to my DVD collection and pull out a couple of “The Dick Cavett Show” interviews to watch.
One of his endeavors has been to turn his hand to opinion commentaries for The New York Times. This book is a collection of them from 2010 to 2012 in chronological order. There is a jealous part of me that rebels at the obvious double-dipping. After all, he was paid for them in the newspaper, and now he is paid for them again by the readers of this book. Of course, if I was fortunate enough to pull it off, I’d likely do the same.
The pieces collected here are an excellent sampling of the Dick Cavett appeal. There are the obvious self-serving moments, and there are the stories held me fascinated. There are insider views into personal lives that are truly revealing, and not the gossipy “humanity at its worst” tidbits offered by the exploitation periodicals. There are also moments that moved me so much that I could feel tears forming. (Try the one about family members who are no longer with us from Christmas celebrations of long ago.)
I found it to be an incredibly readable book. Dick Cavett is a craftsman with words, and there were references that I wrote down to consult at another time. (His recommendation of the novel, Lucky Jim, has been added to my “To Read” list in GoodReads.) Although, as the writer, he is the solo voice, these articles will give you a taste of the conversational tone that was found on “The Dick Cavett Show.” Like the show episodes, none are poorly done, and some are amazing.
I definitely recommend this book.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to head back to my DVD collection and pull out a couple of “The Dick Cavett Show” interviews to watch.
March 14, 2020
I listened to the audio book, which was a mixed blessing. Cavett is at his best when he is telling stories of his famous acquaintances and guests - Groucho Marx, Muhammad Ali, Stan Laurel, Arthur Godfrey, John Lennon, etc. His Nebraska and Yale memories, his New York memories, his working with Johnny Carson and Jack Paar - these show him at his most endearing, and the warmth in his voice communicates some of the charms of celebrities whose memories have endured and faded.
The book is a collection of pieces he wrote over a two-to-three year period, and a pattern develops. Dick writes about something, the mail floods in, so he writes a second column about the same subject but with more memories or some reaction thrown in.
But as the book continues, it becomes a slightly more erudite version of "Get off my lawn." Dick wants you desperately, desperately to know how ridiculous you are with your religion and squeamishness about death and sex. On guns, he is interesting. On the Oscar ceremony, he is insufferable. I'm sure the ghost of Richard Nixon delights in how he still drives Cavett to distraction, while the soul of Dick Cheney feeds on his continued hatred. (It's also quaint in a way to remember just how loathsome Sarah Palin was to some before the elevation of Trump.) Some of his insights have not aged well in a short period of time. Some of them are from the aged 60s-era Manhattan liberal who successfully escaped from the heartland marveling at his good fortune. In some instances, he seems to think this journey was owed him. In one memorable passage, he warns the fundamentalists against the searing logic he is about to pronounce, which reveals itself to be science that virtually anybody who has paused for a moment to think about genetics has considered. In doing so, he reveals a great deal about how much - and how little - he thinks about the rubes out there snapping up his words.
But it's his book, so it's his ride. As the man said, people who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing that they like.
The book is a collection of pieces he wrote over a two-to-three year period, and a pattern develops. Dick writes about something, the mail floods in, so he writes a second column about the same subject but with more memories or some reaction thrown in.
But as the book continues, it becomes a slightly more erudite version of "Get off my lawn." Dick wants you desperately, desperately to know how ridiculous you are with your religion and squeamishness about death and sex. On guns, he is interesting. On the Oscar ceremony, he is insufferable. I'm sure the ghost of Richard Nixon delights in how he still drives Cavett to distraction, while the soul of Dick Cheney feeds on his continued hatred. (It's also quaint in a way to remember just how loathsome Sarah Palin was to some before the elevation of Trump.) Some of his insights have not aged well in a short period of time. Some of them are from the aged 60s-era Manhattan liberal who successfully escaped from the heartland marveling at his good fortune. In some instances, he seems to think this journey was owed him. In one memorable passage, he warns the fundamentalists against the searing logic he is about to pronounce, which reveals itself to be science that virtually anybody who has paused for a moment to think about genetics has considered. In doing so, he reveals a great deal about how much - and how little - he thinks about the rubes out there snapping up his words.
But it's his book, so it's his ride. As the man said, people who like this sort of thing will find this the sort of thing that they like.
March 30, 2019
Dick Cavett started out as a stand up comedian and wrote for Jack Paar and Johnny Carson. He was later a talk show host with a laid back, witty, upper crust, Midwest WASP style. Arthur Godfrey is deified in the first chapter. My brother worked at a motel in Westchester County in the 1970’s and witnessed Arthur hitting on a very young lady by promising to make her a star; so much for impending sainthood. Cavett’s Nebraska childhood is described in a tedious, white Protestant manor. For a humorous memoir, I recommend Malachy McCourt’s “Death Be Not Fatal.” At least some of Cavett’s celebrity gossip proves entertaining. Liz Taylor was a generous lady with a great sense of humor. I agree with Cavett’s positive review of the movie “Miral,” although I watched it mainly for the stunningly beautiful lead actress, Frieda Pinto. During W’s tenure in the White House, Dick Cheney’s appearances on the news caused an ulcer inducing anger in Cavett. I feel the same way nowadays when I see the Antichrist, or, President Tweet, on the TV news. Graucho Marx gets two deserved poignant and sentimental chapters. Muhammad Ali is graciously remembered in one sad and one funny chapter. The same goes for Stan Laurel. A high school reunion is a predictable cliché, as is Dick’s reunion at Yale. Cavett was in awe of Jonathan Winters. I personally never found him to be funny. Follow up chapters on show biz and alcoholism is revealing and includes advice given to Dick regarding a show staff member hiding a drinking problem. The advisor was Malachy McCourt, a recovered alcoholic who I happened to meet yesterday at a book signing at the Ossining Public Library. The book closes with a strange dream with the author lost on a ship in China. Dick is a good writer but he should call Malachy back to learn from a master the art of storytelling.
November 21, 2014
I was a child when Dick Cavett was in his heyday. Never the less, his humor, wit and insights strike a chord and bring me back to an age I am just slightly to young to be nostalgic for. As an adult watching his "Best Of" series on DVD, I recognize all the TV stars of my childhood, the sports heroes, comedians and musicians I grew up with. It is delightful to read Cavett as he cherry picks stories of his own favorite people and moments.
The book is somewhat misrepresented. Apparently Cavett has been blogging for the last few years. This is a collection of his blog posts. He has edited and arranged posts by theme, but he did not outline a book, write and edit a book. When I realized this, I was a bit concerned, but Cavett in any form is still Cavett. In fact, as the work progressed, I warmed to the format which was conversational and charming. The feeling of being ripped off because I could have read all this online for free evaporated because it became clear that this is a really nicely put together collection of his writings conveniently packaged served thematically.
So, the book is funny, witty, full of the best of 50s, 60s and 70s pop culture. BTW, I was born in 1961. When I mention that I'm too young to truly be nostalgic, Cavett spend many pages on Steve Allen, Johny Carson and the Tonight Show in the 50s and 60s. This doesn't put his references out of scope for me, I just wouldn't have been watching live when it was all current.
The book is somewhat misrepresented. Apparently Cavett has been blogging for the last few years. This is a collection of his blog posts. He has edited and arranged posts by theme, but he did not outline a book, write and edit a book. When I realized this, I was a bit concerned, but Cavett in any form is still Cavett. In fact, as the work progressed, I warmed to the format which was conversational and charming. The feeling of being ripped off because I could have read all this online for free evaporated because it became clear that this is a really nicely put together collection of his writings conveniently packaged served thematically.
So, the book is funny, witty, full of the best of 50s, 60s and 70s pop culture. BTW, I was born in 1961. When I mention that I'm too young to truly be nostalgic, Cavett spend many pages on Steve Allen, Johny Carson and the Tonight Show in the 50s and 60s. This doesn't put his references out of scope for me, I just wouldn't have been watching live when it was all current.
January 29, 2015
My first audio book on Overdrive. I was terrified I wouldn't finish it before it was whisked off my phone.
I have been a loyal, enthusiastic, fan of Dick Cavett's since his first television shows...I followed him from network to network. I heard once he felt his key to success was his attempt to treat every guest with 'universal postive regard.'
But he could be opinionated, and got in trouble with the Nixon Whitehouse...but then, all the best folks did.
This book is a collection of columns for the NYT...read in his wonderful voice. You can tell the editors give him wide latitude...he writes about everything. His highjinks in Nebraska, his early career, and most amazing, his friendships with famous people. Meeting Stan Laurel, being invited to meet John and Yoko on 'the bed.' Muhammad Ali sleeping in his guest room. His stories of Groucho's last years are so bittersweet. He shares stories of Liz and Dick...he knew all my childhood heroes.
He reflects, he remembers, and he shares. I learned that his wife, Carrie Nye died and he has remarried. I hope he is happy. He has made so many people happy...people who wanted intelligent conversation on TV in the daytime. People who wanted to see brilliant talents talking to other brilliant talents.
This book reminds me why I love him, and how very much I love him
I have been a loyal, enthusiastic, fan of Dick Cavett's since his first television shows...I followed him from network to network. I heard once he felt his key to success was his attempt to treat every guest with 'universal postive regard.'
But he could be opinionated, and got in trouble with the Nixon Whitehouse...but then, all the best folks did.
This book is a collection of columns for the NYT...read in his wonderful voice. You can tell the editors give him wide latitude...he writes about everything. His highjinks in Nebraska, his early career, and most amazing, his friendships with famous people. Meeting Stan Laurel, being invited to meet John and Yoko on 'the bed.' Muhammad Ali sleeping in his guest room. His stories of Groucho's last years are so bittersweet. He shares stories of Liz and Dick...he knew all my childhood heroes.
He reflects, he remembers, and he shares. I learned that his wife, Carrie Nye died and he has remarried. I hope he is happy. He has made so many people happy...people who wanted intelligent conversation on TV in the daytime. People who wanted to see brilliant talents talking to other brilliant talents.
This book reminds me why I love him, and how very much I love him
January 2, 2015
Dear Mr. Cavett:
Damn you. Do you have any idea how much time I’ve wasted in the last two weeks pouring over your YouTube archives? I mean really. The John Lennon interview alone sucked up well over an hour of my precious time.
Thank God I work for the Department of Defense and absolutely zero work gets done there during the holidays.
Also you embarrassed me. A grown man should never cry in public, especially at the office. As I read the sections involving the comedy legends Groucho Marx and Stan Laurel, I couldn’t help but shedding a few tears.
You also made me look up old videos of Jack Parr, Art Godrey, and the famous Gore Vidal/Norman Mailer feud. Alas these are unknown names to the millennials and unfortunately most of my fellow Gen Xers.
Oh yeah, thanks for making me feel intellectually inferior by having me look up the definition to ‘pulchritudinous’
Good day sir.
Ed
Damn you. Do you have any idea how much time I’ve wasted in the last two weeks pouring over your YouTube archives? I mean really. The John Lennon interview alone sucked up well over an hour of my precious time.
Thank God I work for the Department of Defense and absolutely zero work gets done there during the holidays.
Also you embarrassed me. A grown man should never cry in public, especially at the office. As I read the sections involving the comedy legends Groucho Marx and Stan Laurel, I couldn’t help but shedding a few tears.
You also made me look up old videos of Jack Parr, Art Godrey, and the famous Gore Vidal/Norman Mailer feud. Alas these are unknown names to the millennials and unfortunately most of my fellow Gen Xers.
Oh yeah, thanks for making me feel intellectually inferior by having me look up the definition to ‘pulchritudinous’
Good day sir.
Ed
August 21, 2015
This is a collected version of a weekly New York Times column from about 2010-2012. It has very much the same genial rambling tone as another old-guy-chats-to-his-readers tome I finished lately, Dick Button's book, except that Cavett's is even more disjointed, being in newspaper-size bites. It's also very readable, at times LOL-funny, and contains enough name-dropping to satisfy the celebrity-hunger. Cavett's turn of phrase, and particularly his inversion of clichés, does leave one with a smile on the old visage.
Personages of particular note discussed or described in this work: Muhammad Ali, Stan Laurel, Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal, Johnny Carson, Groucho Marx, Woody Allen, and Stephen Colbert - who gets Cavett's resounding endorsement as the replacement for Letterman, something that is coming to pass now, some two years after the column was written.
An amusing way to pass a few tedious hours.
Personages of particular note discussed or described in this work: Muhammad Ali, Stan Laurel, Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal, Johnny Carson, Groucho Marx, Woody Allen, and Stephen Colbert - who gets Cavett's resounding endorsement as the replacement for Letterman, something that is coming to pass now, some two years after the column was written.
An amusing way to pass a few tedious hours.
March 6, 2016
As far as I am concerned Dick Cavett can do no wrong. It is such a treat to read his columns about meeting Stan Laurel, working with Jonathan Winters, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson and more. These are all private people who were celebrated for their talents and their work, not because they were so-called "reality stars" like the Kardashian/Jenner brood. To get just a glimpse of what they were really like was so interesting. To those who call him a "suck-up," I say read a little more about him and his body of work. He has never been nor will he ever be a suck-up. I find it exasperating when people opine about things for which they have no knowledge. I am 56 years old and have enjoyed Dick Cavett's talk shows and writing since I was young. Part of the reason for that is his irreverence. There have been some volatile moments on his shows. You never knew who was going to be on his show next and what would happen. Do your homework before flinging around words like suck-up.
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