Talk Show: Confrontations, Pointed Commentary, and Off-Screen Secrets

by Dick Cavett

The legendary talk show host's humorous reminiscences and pointed commentary on the great figures he has known, and culture and politics today For years, Dick Cavett played host to the nation's most famous personalities on his late-night talk show. In this humorous and evocative book, we get to hear Cavett's best tales, as he recounts great moments with the legendary entertainers who crossed his path and offers his own trenchant commentary on contemporary American culture and politics. Pull up a chair and listen to Cavett's stories about one-upping Bette Davis, testifying on behalf of John Lennon, confronting Richard Nixon, scheming with John Updike, befriending William F. Buckley, and palling around with Groucho Marx. Sprinkled in are tales of his childhood in Nebraska in the 1940s and 1950s, where he honed his sense of comic timing and his love of magic. Cavett is also a wry cultural observer, looking at America today and pointing out the foibles that we so often fail to notice about ourselves. And don't even get him started on politicians. A generation of Americans ended their evenings in Dick Cavett's company; Talk Show is a way to welcome him back.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Memoir, Autobiography, Essays, Humor, Tv

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2010

About the author

Richard 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.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A goodly number of you out there have written varied versions of 'Why don't you come back on TV?' I don't know . . . if you hear of a talk show that isn't being used, let me know." -- pages 93-94

Although sort of billed as a collection of essays, Talk Show actually assembles over sixty articles composed by Cavett for his New York Times newspaper column from 2007 to 2010. Pleasantly, the author does not coast solely on 'behind-the-scenes' show-biz anecdotes from his numerous self-titled talk shows (I am too young and missed out on his popular 1968-1974 series on ABC, though as a child I remember my father often viewing the follow-up 1977-1982 series on PBS) but covers all sorts of subject matter - the abuse of the English language, book tours and signings, his childhood in Nebraska, the nature of coincidences, and an excellent piece (because he was personally affected by it) on clinical depression. The only blah parts were the occasional forays into the election year drama of 2008 - it now all seems rather dated and not very interesting. However, the erudite and jocular former host still knows how to get laughs ('Why I Oughta . . . and I Did') or tug on the heartstrings ('More Awesomeness') in equal measure, and is a self-deprecating and entertaining raconteur.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 4 out of 5]

It always strikes me as slightly odd that I like Cavett so much. His celebrity should, by rights, be from before my time. Once I was old enough to really comprehend what a talk show was, let alone be interested in seeing one, his was already off the air. But, as a child, I was an avid reader of Mad magazine and similar publications, for which all culture, past and present, was ripe for parody. And I read essays and autobiographies of people who *had* watched him, and had nothing but praise for the experience. I finally found a collection of DVDs at my local library with episodes of his talk show, and enjoyed them immensely.

So, although most of my knowledge of Dick Cavett was picked up on the streets and in back alleys, I'm not completely unfamiliar with his work.

Anyway, Talk Show is a collection of pieces he wrote for the New York Times during the mid 00's. Some of the material is dated–I had completely (perhaps mercifully?) forgotten that Joe the Plumber ever existed–but the Cavett wit, intelligence, and charm are all in splendid form. A multitude of topics are covered. The ones that stood out the most for me include celebrity encounters–Groucho Marx, Johnny Carson, Jack Benny, Richard Burton, Bobby Fischer, Walter Winchell, John Wayne … I especially enjoyed reading of his meetings with Tony Slydini, a celebrity perhaps only among magicians, but being an amateur one myself, I devoured those pages with extra gusto. I remember the tales of his boyhood, fireworks, book tours, his depression …

What struck me the most about the book was the tone. There's something particularly … engaging about his prose. Cavett is a skilled conversationalist and knows how to keep a story moving. This is one of those books that I didn't want to end. The effect is much like sitting down to lunch and lingering over dessert with a fascinating friend whom you haven't seen in a while. Books like this are a delight. Recommended!

[Lee Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've loved Dick Cavett since I was in, what, sixth grade? junior high? I watched the PBS version of his talk show, which ended in 1982, so around then. (I was a weird kid.) Then, his (now deceased) wife, the whiskey-voiced Carrie Nye, played kooky Susan Piper on "The Guiding Light," my then-favorite soap opera, and I fell in love with her, too.

For those of you too young to know, Dick Cavett was a talk show host who rose to popularity in the sixties. You can watch DVDs of his show and see such luminaries as Groucho Marx (whom Cavett worships, as do I), Katharine Hepburn, Jimi Hendrix, and, most famously, a fight between literary giants Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer (can't see something like that happening on Jay Leno). This book is a collection of blog posts he has of late been writing for the New York Times.

Cavett is a name dropper, smug, amused by his own wit, pompously intelligent--and I mean none of this as an insult, because he is witty, has met some of the all-time greats and has the stories to go with it, and it's nice to see someone in the media with the smarts to back up what he says. Maybe the best analogy is to Frasier Crane--here is a heterosexual man who chose Leonard Bernstein's "Glitter and Be Gay" as the theme song to his t.v. show. These essays recount some stories from Cavett's past, as well as his take on current events, both cultural and political. The pieces are arranged chronologically as they were published, so it's fun to see the evolution of his feelings for John McCain, say, or essays he wrote in response to comments on prior stories. The only misfire, for me, comes in his two pieces in defense of Don Imus, circa the "nappy-headed hos" controversy. Cavett is a regular guest on the Imus program, and his defense, especially the second article, seems strident and subjective. It could be, in my many years as a Howard Stern fan, I've heard too many stories of Don Imus, described as a racist and a jerk by both Stern and Robin Quivers, who worked with him at WNBC, and whose opinions are of course themselves subjective. One wonders if Cavett's support of the off-the-cuff comments would be so spirited if they had been spoken by Glenn Beck, for example, or G. Gordon Liddy.

Speaking of Liddy, another interesting aspect of this book is Cavett's still-fresh loathing of Richard Nixon. It would be almost quaint if you didn't learn it was probably reignited by the recent discovery of a Nixon audio in which he asks crony H.R. Haldeman if there isn't a way they can "screw" Cavett. Imagine; I'd be fuming still, too.

Anyway, I loved this book, and I will be reading Cavett's blog from now on.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Q: Where are the new comedians going to come from?

A: When they get here, we'll ask them.

The archive

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This audiobook is Cavett reading his blog/column that he does a few times a month for the New York Times. He made me feel alternately smart, and not smart enough; old and not old enough. He has a great sense of humor and is often self-deprecating, even when he KNOWS he's the smartest guy in the room. Because these pieces were originally published from 2008 on, some of them feel very dated (Sarah Palin ad nauseum, for example.) But it's still as enjoyable as reading an old magazine, something that I often find enjoyable. Finally his take on depression is so spot on I just wanted to listen to it repeatedly.

[Juliana Maximiano Torres Carneiro · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s going to take me some time to get over this ove. I’m Cavett-pilled.

[Andie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dick Cavett hosted some of the most intelligent talk shows ever aired on TV and from 2007 through 2013 he ruminated about his experiences in a weekly on-line column in the New York Times. Thia book is a collection of his columns that ran from February, 2007 to April, 2010.

The columns on show business are wonderful, especially his infamous show in 1971 that pitted Gore Vidal against Norman Mailer with poor erudite Janet Flanner trying to referee. I'm happy that I saw tht show live & Cavett's writing brings it all back (with links to the video for those who missed it). Additionally there are wonderful stories about Paul Newman Groucho Marx, John Wayne and many, many more.

If this book had stuck to show business I would have given it five stars. Unfortunately, however, a large portion deals with politics and those essays are no fun at all (although his apocryphal quote from George W Bush that" the French have no word for entreptreneur" and his compariaon of Rod Blagolevich to a bowling ball cozy made me laugh out loud). Perhaps it's because, even when you would have agreed with his views six years ago, today with the passage of time, his political essays come across mostly as angry screeds. I ended up quickly skimming these to get back to the good stuff.

[Troy Blackford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't had a huge amount of experience with Dick Cavett, but I knew from his John and Yoko interviews that he was a worthy human being. I figured this had to be worth the time. It definitely was, but it was also not what I expected--this time, in a very good way. I had no idea of his long comedy writing past, or of his absorption in issues of grammar (okay, more like 'pleasantly-curmudgeonly pedantry,' but that's seriously something I can enjoy reading) and the like. These are essays culled from his long-running New York Times articles, and they were genuinely enjoyable. A few of the articles were, shall we say, shocking in their tone (an attack on showing 'the obese' on television whatsoever, at any time, comes to mind) many were incredibly fascinating and all of them reveal his love of language and skill with presenting thoughts.

[William · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this man. He is an American treasure, so treasure him America!

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dick Cavett's Talk Show is a treasure for a boomer, anyone interested in American cultural history from Cavett's childhood years to the present, and students of personality, this latter due to the fact that Cavett's psyche is on full display here. The final two pieces on John Wayne, whom I have despised since the Vietnam years and probably before, stunned me.
Cavett's erudition is evident, as are his flaws and ideosyncracies. I did not watch Cavett's show during the '60's and early '70's (I did watch Rowen & Martin's Laugh In sometimes and The Smothers Brothers as often as I could). I now wish I had watched Cavett, with Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, John Cheever, John Updike, and countless literary and entertainment icons. Cavett's show was famout for its conversations.
If you are interested, you can find three DVDs of his show on Netflix: Hollywood Greats, with the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Marlon Brando, and many more; Comic Legends, with Groucho Marx (!), an (obviously) young Woody Allen, and, again more; and, finally, Rock Icons, with my long-ago idol, Janis Joplin, David Bowie, and others.
You won't believe this: Judy Garland's final appearance before her overdose was on the Cavett show. Where is it now, you wonder, the great, great Garland's final public appearance? Taped over for for a Let's Make a Deal show. Can it be believed?

[William Hamman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, but whatever it was, this wasn't it. It really is a compilation of Cavett's newspaper columns. Some are good, like the recollections of John Wayne and Richard Burton, or the whole Norman Mailer flap. Others are quite bad, such as the ones where he admits that he's backed himself up to the deadline and is writing crap out of contractual obligation, with a kind of "Gosh, isn't it swell to be Dick Cavett" conceit. I'm sure it is - but a little of that sort of thing lasts me a while.

Cavett's writing is always smart and clever, even when he's floundering against a deadline, but much of it has a curiously pointless quality, as though Cavett doesn't care what I think of what he is writing, and I don't care about what he is writing. Like two people in an elevator killing ninety seconds by talking past each other.

"Looks like rain, huh?"

"Yeah. Hey, did you see the show with Norman Mailer and Gore Vidal."

"Yeah. That was something, huh?"

"Sure was. This is my floor."

[Myna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished this and I admit, I savoured it. Cavett is witty, erudite, and writes with a dry humour about numerous topics: politicians, famous actors and writers he befriended over the years, and so on. Each chapter was originally an opinion piece in the New Yorker, and the collected articles written between 2007 and 2009 form the book. I laughed frequently while reading it. Not tears-streaming-down-my-face like David Sedaris can invoke, but certainly many wry chuckles over his clever turns of phrase. I totally recommend it! His guest list was a who's-who of the most famous men and women in the arts, during the 70s and early 80s, so if you remember Marlon Brando and Paul Newman, Gore Vidal and one of his arch enemies, Norman Mailer, and want to know more about them behind the scenes, this book's for you!

[Samantha Glasser · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some things Cavett says that make me second guess myself. Am I using words incorrectly? I know I've said "mischievious" rather than "mischievous." But he is right. There are rules for a reason, and sometimes things are black and white.

Cavett covers a wide-range of topics that often leave the reader (or listener, in my case) wanting more. I enjoyed his musings on meeting John Wayne and how they bonded over a mutual affection for Noel Coward.

[Glenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dick Cavett was my favourite talk show host when I was young. Hands down. I read his first book, Cavett, years ago. He slipped out of my sight when I moved into rural mid-western Ontario without the benefit of cable and, therefore, PBS. Then I heard an interview on CBC radio with Mr. Cavett a couple of years ago. The same voice that had amused and charmed me in my youth worked its magic again. It took a while, but I eventually obtained this book, which is a compilation of his New York Times blog: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/...

I was not disappointed. He's not lost any of the intelligent wit that entertained me years ago. I was regaled with stories of John and Yoko, surprising friendships with Bill Buckley (after all Nixon had inquired of his henchmen, Haldeman and Ehrlichman, how he could "screw" Dick Cavett), and one-time employer, then late-night rival, Johnny Carson, and chess champion Bobby Fischer. There were perceptive quotes about “the vinyl Mitt Romney” during the 2008 campaign. He also quoted John McCain, “Referring to Mitt’s so readily adjustable convictions, McCain said, ‘We agree – you are the candidate of change.’” Oh yes, and Dick Cavett doesn’t spare himself in an account of a very uncomfortable encounter with Richard Nixon and daughter Julie.

Dick Cavett devotes a couple of chapters to Richard Burton and there is a very surprising story about John Wayne (you’ll have to read the book to find out, but I promise you’ll never view John Wayne the same again!). Both men were interviewed by Cavett at a time when they were in the midst of the illnesses that would lead to their death.

In a book entitled, Talk Show, he doesn’t leave out his account of the Gore Vidal and Norman Mailer showdown on The Dick Cavett Show on ABC and he also talks about the death of Rodale Press founder, J.I. Rodale, while he was taping the show.

Not all the pieces are about the famous. He writes about Buck, a typical beach bum youth from the early seventies whom he regularly encountered on a remote Long Island beach. He pegged him as a "dropout with a middling IQ." Buck surprised him one day when he referred to F. Scott Fitzgerald's appellation of fame as the "Bitch Goddess." Cavett wonders how often our snap judgements of people are so far off the mark. To his great disappointment, he never saw Buck again. Cavett struggles with the thought that Buck may have OD'd on one of the substances of choice of the seventies and his own moral obligations to warn him.

Cavett also writes about his battle with depression. With gun control brought into the spotlight again after recent tragic events, it is worth reading Dick Cavett’s 2008 comments on gun control and depression in the chapter, “Smiling Through.” In “Smiling Through, Part 2” he writes, “Whatever wicked gods invented this torture should come down with it.”

The short chapters are packed with wonderful stories, observations and wit. Whether or not you remember Dick Cavett and that time, you will enjoy this book.

[Bob Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a fan of the Cavett show when it aired on PBS. Simply two talking heads, much different than the "talk shows" we have today which are more unashamed promotional vehicles for the guests and the hosts than talk. When Cavett was good, it was the best thing on TV in its time. Cavett wasn't afraid to ask a prodding question or make slight fun of a guest that put them at ease in front of a live audience.

This CD brings back memories of some of those shows, with lots of stories about the guests. Cavett seemingly knew everybody in show business, from Groucho to John Wayne and the greatest literary figures of that period. Halfway through the book Cavett switches gears to recount from his New Yorker columns and personal history. His comments regarding his relationship with Johnny Carson are interesting.

Included are also several videos from the show, two of interviews with Richard Burton which add an extra dimension to this production.

Cavett has written a number of books, and presumably has covered some of this ground in other. I haven't read any of the others, after this one I may.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years ago while in high school I had a schoolgirl crush on Dick Cavett and loved his autobiography, Cavett. Now years later, listening to this book based on his columns from the NY Times from 2006-9 (which I had missed) with that old familiar voice, I realized I don't really "like" old Dick anymore. Yes, I enjoyed his stories of what it was like meeting this person or that person (quite the name dropper, Brando, W.F. Buckley, Groucho ad nauseum, Woody Allen, among others), but so much of this book was snarky. It really ruined it for me. If he had just kept to the actual "Talk Show" part of the book and left out all the political snide remarks (it does date the book terribly, though it was interesting to contrast it with the upcoming presidential election in 2016) it would have been a great listen. Instead, I decided not to read the most recent book he wrote as a follow up to this one for I just don't think I can stomach it. Sorry Dick, now that I'm grown up, the rose colored glasses have come off.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a real treat. In this collection of columns that were published in the New York Times Dick Cavett's voice and wry humor come through loud and clear. His trenchant and lucid comments about nearly everything show a curious and probing mind, and a wicked wit. I laughed out loud frequently. Here's a sample: "Do freshman philosophy classes nowadays debate updated versions of the age-old questions? Like, how could a merciful God allow AIDS, childhood cancers, tsunamis, and Dick Cheney?"

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dick Cavett was before my time but I've enjoyed watching old interviews so when I saw this book I thought it would provide interesting and behind-the-scenes stories of those interviews. How wrong I was. Not only does he go on and on about Bush and his cohorts, his ego about himself is too much to take along with how he despises people with poor grammer and anyone else below his intellect. I had to stop reading, just began to really dislike this man and his few stories between all that was not worth it. I'm ashamed to have this book on my shelf.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this collection of columns by Cavett, mostly anecdotal, and for the most part I enjoyed them. I was turned off by the repeated references and catch phrases (Strasbourg goose, for instance), but I guess that is not unexpected. A few columns were heartfelt. At times I felt his true views of women and society seemed negative and unacceptable, and he patted himself on the back a little too much. Still, I am interested in getting his earlier collection.

[Stephen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps they worked as opinion columns but this collection grew wearisome pretty quickly, rather to my surprise as Dick Cavett may well have his picture next to the the word "erudite" in Webster's. I know from my occasional forays into the Youtube archives of his old shows I expected to enjoy this book more but such was not the case. Think I'll stick to the watching him talk rather than reading him going forward.

[Don Dugan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Mr. Cavett for most of my life. I only wish we had some kind of talk show that came close to the footprint he left. However, alas all we have now are, for the most part, PR parties where the discussions and topics are limited to self-promotion.

Having gotten that off my chest on to his book. I'm afraid this was a rather lazy book that never dipped a toe in current self-examination of a remarkable career.What a missed opportunity. It is rather a compendium of past newspaper columns written many years ago. While amusing and upon occasion witty they are mired in the past. I found, unfortunately, without having done better exploration my fandom had let me down as I'd previously read many of them before. If you're new to these you'll have more luck than I. That and you're old enough to enjoy the references to authors, celebrities, personalities worth your time.

Finally, nothing in this book has changed the conclusion I drew lo those many years ago about Mr. Cavett. Namely, "He'd be twice as funny with half the ego." His writing never fails at every turn to flatter himself and draw attention to his undeniable intellect. He'll always beat you to any and every laugh written, him being his own biggest fan. I'm sure if that sentence isn't properly grammatical he'll reveal the fault at my expense and his self praise. Still I wander the cable channels in search of Cavett's replacement. I fear none will rise to the occasion.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

The other night watching TV, we caught a clip of Cavett exhibiting his sparkling wit and cris enunciation. Neither of us could place his name, so impressed with his performance and seeking to make amends, I took in this audiobook expertly narrated (with impressions), a collection of his New York Times postings. Really an early blog, Cavett comes across as amused by "comments" and "emails" coming in reaction to his observations on the 2008 McCain - Obama election race, depression, and more being mostly recollections of interviews on his show. This includes the semi-apocryphal Jerome Rodale episode and the onscreen death more remembered than seen. In these recollection, Cavette reveals himself to be very well read, very broad in interest and in awe of such varied contacts as Bobby Fischer and John Wayne. The poignant recollections of the troubled chess Grandmaster make nice commentary to Endgame: Bobby Fischer's Remarkable Rise and Fall - from America's Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness.

To anyone else that has read this: Is it just me, or does is seem Cavett has an easy, casual distaste for Detroit?

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Cavett's interviewing. Here he collects columns, mostly dealing with his encounters with famous people down through the years (I think he's at his best here), but also his reactions to political matters, and remembrances of his youth in Nebraska (this part is also quite good.)

Some people here seem to dislike his bashing of President Bush. For me that was mostly deserved, but the intervening years, particularly the last four, have made it hard to get quite so exercised about some of the same issues. Now we know how much worse it can get.

In small doses, I've always been mostly in synch with Cavett's politics and opinions, but in this format, there were things that jumped out at me that really turned me off and made the rest of the read less enjoyable. In small doses I think this would work, but taken all together he can be pedantic and smug and unaware of his own biases. In this format, he comes off as a bit of a name dropper. His views on women and race need a little more examination. In particular, one ugly essay about overweight people pretty much spoiled a large portion of the book for me, and his views on Don Imus and John Wayne are problematic too.

Track down some of the DVD collections of his better show interviews instead.

[Philip Howells · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most appropriate word for Cavett is contemporary - in the correct sense of the words 'of the moment' NOT modern. I got to know him 1969-72 when I lived in Chicago with my wife and watched his ABC nightly show. Funny, relevant - especially to 'you in the balcony' - and with an extraordinarily quick wit when he asked questions on the cards.

Because he's contemporary some of the content of the book - particularly the political stuff means a Briton living in the UK sometimes needs to google the names but it's always worthwhile. Our political persuasions differ greatly today, mainly in the respect that I am amazed the US population and system can end up with a choice between a crook and a blackguard. We Brits may not make superb choices - after all we foisted Tony Bliar on the world - but only France and the US manage to give their voters such indifferent choices.

Ignore your own idiosyncrasies the language, grammar and syntax alone make Cavett worth the read. My regret is that we can't read the NY Times here on the Internet.

[Writemoves · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am going to combine this review with Brief Encounters: Conversations. Magic Moments and Assorted Hijinks also written by Dick Cavett. I read these books at the same time. I admire Cavett's wit, intelligence, humor, and storytelling. I enjoyed his talk show when it was on in the 1970s. Both books were series of short essays and articles that he wrote for the New York Times. Here are some of the people and topics that he covered, and with which I enjoyed: Groucho, Marx, George W. Bush, Johnny Carson, Muhammad Ali, John Lennon, James Gandolfini, William F Buckley, Elizabeth Taylor, the Vidal – Mailer incident, Richard Nixon, David Letterman etc.

Cavett’s writing is crisp and humorous and as elegant and entertaining as the many interviews that he did on his ABC talkshow.

I doubt that very many readers under 60 years old may know of Cavett, but he was a bit of a cultural icon and hero in my day. His books represent a nostalgic trip for me into the celebrity world of the 1960s and 70s.

Good fun!

[J.J. Lair · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have vague memories of Cavett when I was a child. He was talk show host, voiced documentaries and appeared on other shows to give opinions. Later I found out that he was friends with Groucho Marx and Janis Joplin. I got the book to learn about this guy.
The book is a series of essays from 2007 to 2010. A lot of this is outdated. I wish I read this back then because he calls out a lot of BS this country perpetuated. The Bushes were draft dodgers, he calls it out, he calls out the fake anger industry, he calls out the blowhards who complain but have skeletons outside their closet.
Fake anger over Don Imus from Al Sharpton.
He calls out lies about the Iraq War.
We needed Cavett at those times.
The stories about Groucho Marx and John Wayne are timeless because those are about the people not the celebrity.
Cavett was a joke writer for years. Who knew someone so buttoned up was a joke writer. The joke essay was funny and sarcastic.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cavett was a tremendously successful U.S. writer & broadcaster & I was well aware of his status (although I'm not sure we got much of his late night show here in Oz). This book's title is a little misleading, however. Not many of the essays contained within deal explicitly with his on-air activities. Even the sub-title fails to indicate that this book is a collection of his magazine articles. But no worries. It's well worth reading in & of itself. The man has opinions & can string his words together. Some essays deal with celebrities he met through his work (eg/ Richard Burton) but subject matters cover a pretty broad spectrum. Most enjoyable.

[Steve Feustel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of some of Cavett's columns for the New York Times. Some topical references send you trying to figure out exactly when the columns were written. Many are reminiscences about experiences doing his television program, the PBS version of which in the 70s (and 80s?) I watched fairly religiously. All are in his distinctive voice: a mix of name-dropping, wit, and insight I find sort of endearing -- though some of it might be nostalgia for when there was thoughtful talk-television. A quick and easy read.

[Clint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evidently the first of two of the former talk-show hosts books compiling some of the columns he wrote for the New York Times. The second, “Brief Encounters,” was a little better, perhaps because it was Cavett reading his own audio book. This one, too, has some good stories of his encounters with authors, actors, etc., but falls flat when opining on politics. His thoughts seem nothing more than the rote, non-nuanced ramblings of every northeastern liberal at the time on the George W. Bush administration, but a decade-plus later they look hasty given the three lesser lights who followed him.

[SusanA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent series of columns Cavett wrote in the early 2000’s, with topics ranging from Groucho to William Buckley and from growing up in Nebraska to the election season when Sarah Palin was ubiquitous. His essays on depression are especially moving and right on the mark; I hope people who need to, can read them.

Most of these are pretty funny (the Paul Newman column made me chuckle), and if Cavett’s humor often edges into snark, it is enjoyable, erudite, well-written snark.