Maryland Conservatarian

I will not dwell on just how long ago it was that I first discovered Art Buchwald but shortly thereafter was reading every collection of his columns I could find. I enjoyed the little things he would ping on. For example, one time he criticized TV for the warped view of the world that it gave children – he wasn’t upset with the violence but he didn’t think people should grow up with the notion that you could always drive up to the front of a building and find a parking spot. People would sometimes not realize he was a humor columnists and discuss his ideas seriously – he once wrote a column noting that since the entire world criticizes our presidents, maybe they should be involved in the voting.

Some personal memories: One year my father got me a personalized, autographed copy of one of his books for Christmas which I still have on the bookshelf. Every so often I'll pull it out to read the inscription and think how cool it is to have it. Right before I showed up at Holy Cross, he was the commencement speaker there and gave such an enjoyable talk that the school invited him back again as the commencement speaker a few years later. (He was a very good friend of prominent HC grads Edward Bennett Williams and Joe Califano.) Unfortunately, that was my not my graduation day (and I’d be too embarrassed to put into print who we had for mine). In the 80’s, I furiously bid up the opportunity to have my name used in one of his columns at a charity function for my high school. Unfortunately, then – as now – my checkbook had limits.

After awhile I got out of the habit of reading Mr. Buchwald and never picked it up again. But I liked his writing style and I know it has had an influence on me. And I’m stuill grateful for the time he was a must-read for me.

Art Buchwald

Goodbye, My Friends - (a farewell column)