From the “I’m a week behind in everything” department:
I was disappointed that 60 Minutes failed to mention the death of pioneering journalist Shana Alexander last Sunday. Alexander, who had died the previous Thursday, was a Life magazine reporter and a Newsweek journalist before her most famous gig: being the “liberal ” voice on the regular 60 Minutes segment, “Point/Counterpoint” with James J. Kilpatrick, the “conservative”. This is the segment that inspired the Saturday Night Live spoof debate between Jane Curtin and Dan “Jane, you ignorant slut” Ackroyd, a piece which Alexander enjoyed, according to her niece. At least CBS Sunday Morning did a short report on her last week.
When Luther Vandross died, the line from the Paul Simon song “The Late Great Johnny Ace” came to mind. Paraphrased: “I wasn’t a really big Vandross fan, but I felt bad just the same.” The talented artist had over a dozen hit albums and two dozen hit singles, none of which I ever owned. I DID relate to his song “Dance with My Father,” which he recorded just before the stroke which he suffered a couple years ago. And that he died at 54, only a couple years older than I am, does bring one…pause.