On Monday night I was honored to return to Minneapolis and the Center of the American Experiment for a night at the Guthrie Theatre, which is a lovely space beautifully configured so that almost all one thousand attendees have good seats. The faintly wacky element this time round was that I was appearing on the set of the Guthrie's current production - Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. So Juliet could cry "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?" all night long, but the only guy below the balcony was me.
A more somber backdrop to the event was Sunday's bloodbath in Las Vegas (on which I have more to say here). John Hinderaker, the Center's new head, began the night with a moment of silence for the 58 dead and more than 500 injured. Following that, Howard Root (whose book is an inspiration to anyone ensnared in this country's sclerotic and dysfunctional "justice" system) gave me a delightful introduction. John's Powerline colleague Scott Johnson reports:
This was a triumphant return... Mark commented most powerfully on the lack of humanity demonstrated by now former CBS vice president and senior counsel Haylee Geftman-Gold in response to the massacre. (Paul Mirengoff provides the details in the adjacent post.) By contrast, Mark spoke of his own sympathy for the victims of the 2016 massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando even though he is not a practicing homosexual. "Or a non-practicing one," he helpfully added, despite the familiarity he acknowledged with the theatrical milieu (gesturing behind him toward the set of Romeo and Juliet).
Commenting on his own disclaimer of homosexuality, Mark paraphrased Hamlet's judgment on his mother: "Methinks he doth protest too much." I'm laughing even as I type it out...
Mark's remarks on the Las Vegas massacre said something original and true. Thinking them through would afford the benefit of a liberal education in politics. Providing such commentary on news only hours old is a task performed with a high degree of difficulty. Mark, however, made it look easy..
Last time around, I observed that what John Coltrane was to the saxophone, what Art Tatum was to the piano, Mark Steyn is to the English language applied to politics. He is an artist and improviser in a class of his own. But then you knew that.
Do read Scott's post in full. He's very kind. As for "last time around", here's what Scott said in 2014:
Mark came with a prepared text, but for the first 15-20 minutes or so his remarks came directly out of yesterday's news. Mark improvised at length off the New York Post story on Obama's Tuesday fundraising appearance at the mansion of gazillionaire Rich Richman. Mark played with the theme of "Rich Richman" like a jazz soloist taking the song to previously unexplored heights and depths... I trust the "Rich Richman" remarks will turn up on Mark's site one way or another before too long. Mark, all I can say is that I want to hear that number again. Consider this a request!
Well, those remarks were improvised, just as yesterday's far more sober observations on events in Las Vegas were improvised. I had entirely forgotten Rich Richman, which is the real, real name of a rich, rich man who got to host a fundraiser for President Obama. Because they were improvised, I don't have a script, but, just for Scott Johnson and three years late, I made an effort to reconstruct what I said from my scribbled notes. Here we go:
This is from today's New York Post:
'President Obama blasted Republicans as the party of "billionaires" on Tuesday while mingling with high-rollers at the $26 million estate of Rich Richman — yes, that's his real name — in Greenwich, Connecticut.'
So the President blasted Republicans as the party of billionaires at a fundraiser hosted by a rich, rich man called Rich Richman. He made his money in rental housing. Is this Richie Rich all grown up? If you remember Ricky Nelson from the Ozzie & Harriet Show, when he grew up and decided he was a serious artist he changed his name from Ricky Nelson to Rick Nelson. So maybe Richie Rich grew up and became Rich Richman. Boy, I'd love to have been a fly on the wall when Obama and Valerie Jarrett were booking that fundraiser:
'Who's on first?'
'Rich Richman.'
'Yeah, that goes without saying. But which rich rich man?'
That's all the President does these days. He goes to fundraisers hosted by [Insert Name of Rich Richman Here] and he does so many of them that he actually winds up at a party hosted by a rich rich man called Rich Richman. He's like the Boutros Boutros Ghali of Obama supporters. The President must be so confused, because that's how he categorizes the American people:
Category A: Rich rich man.
Category B: Impressively rich man.
Category C: Moderately rich man.
Category D: Rich man.
Category E: Borderline rich man.
Category F: All you losers.
I used to love all those Mitteleuropean operettas where the prince falls in love with a humble serving wench, or the countess loses her heart to a lusty stable lad, and I would love to see a big Broadway show in which wealthy, connected Obama backer Rich Richman falls in love with a humble Tea Party supporter who's being audited by Lois Lerner, Penny Pennilessgirl. And Rich Richman invites Penny Pennilessgirl to his $26 million estate for dinner with the President, and the following day he sends her a dozen roses with a romantic invoice for $34,000 – which is apparently what each of those donors paid up for Obama. Billy Joel's doing the songs:
'Rich Richman
You've been going with a poor poor girl...'The President was ferried to the Rich Richman fundraiser in Greenwich, Connecticut by a fleet of helicopters from Manhattan, where he'd been attending a fundraiser hosted by George Soros. And this is why this absurd, parodic vignette that no novelist or playwright would attempt to get away with because it's too crude, too obvious, this is why this absurd, parodic vignette is emblematic of where we're headed – the Latin-Americanization of US society, where you'll have a super-wealthy elite of rich rich men and a vast dysfunctional morass of poor poor men and an ever shriveling middle class in between, and, as the rich rich men helicopter their way from Manhattan to Greenwich to the Hamptons to Martha's Vineyard, there won't be a lot of ways for those poor poor men to better themselves and join the helicopter set. Oh, to be sure, those rich rich men will toss 'em a bone from the choppers – more food stamps, better social security disability payments, longer unemployment insurance, free contraceptives. But there'll be no middle class to get you on the moving walkway between poor poor man and Rich Richman.
That's more or less what I said in 2014. And two years later that malign alliance between the political class and rich rich men like Rich Richman is one reason why last November the decisive vote in key swing states went to Trump.
If you couldn't get to Minnesota, I'll be making an even rarer appearance in the national capital next month, when I'll be honored with Kellyanne Conway and Diane Hendricks at the Independent Women's Forum annual awards gala. If you're in the vicinity of the DC Swamp and would like to attend, please click here and enjoy a special discount on the ticket price by entering the promo code STEYN at the bottom of the ticket information box.
We have fun in The Mark Steyn Club, with monthly radio serials, a brand new video poem this weekend, a quarterly newsletter, live planet-wide Q&As, and much more. I appreciate the Club is not to everyone's taste, but, if you're minded to give it a go, either for a full year or a three-month experimental period, you'll find more details here - and, if you've a loved one who'd like something a little different for a birthday or anniversary, don't forget our new gift membership.
See you on't telly with Tucker Carlson tomorrow night, Wednesday, coast to coast on Fox News at 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific.
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21 Member Comments
A ticket price for $50 to see Mark Steyn? I would jump at the chance!
When was the last time you went to a show in a major metropolitan area?
May I suggest Fuerza Bruta in NYC in December.
The tickets are $35 on Groupon. One caveat, you get wet...
A shout out to our fellow clubbers: we are new here and wonder if there is any way to access Mark's Minneapolis speech? Is there an audio/video section here which we have not been clever enough to find? Much thanks!
Don't forget that Mark is fighting in court almost single-handedly against the deep pockets of the climate mob. That ain't cheap.
They used to call James Brown "the hardest working man in show business". That was before Steyn. He always seems to be doing several things at once, so give him a break. He works hard for the money, so you'd better treat him right.
"Mark's remarks on the Las Vegas massacre said something original and true. Thinking them through would afford the benefit of a liberal education in politics."
Could that massacre be a turning point, on account of the celebs, would-be celebs, media faces, profs, etc., who made clear that they hoped these Trump supporters would die. They said this even though it simply isn't known how many of the targets were Trump supporters. The event was not a Trump rally executive committee meeting, after all; it was a pop music fest. And a disquieting number of progressive opinion leaders are willing to stereotype anyone who might go to such an event as a Trump supporter. Their attitudes "intersect" nicely with the attempts to shut down varying kinds of culture other than their own and restrict contact between cultures.
What we have learned: Progressives foaming at the mouth about "hate" are mainly projecting their own attitudes onto others. And they do mean it. We can never let them have serious power again.
Is there a trip to Florida in the works Mark? I recall you almost made it here several years ago, but had to cancel due to scheduling conflicts.
Quite a tour de force at a time when people needed a laugh. I am somehow reminded of Richard Rich in "The Man for All Seasons" (Scofield's More). And Billy Joel's "I am an innocent . . ." could be worked into the plea bargain for so many Democrats.
If we all were rich girls . . . the Independent Women would be joined by more independent women!
Me too, I was like, Mark is coming to DC and there are still tickets available? Sweet! Then I click on the link Mark provided and my jaw drops. I guess they only want the 1 percenters to be there or maybe Mark is now approaching Hillary's speaking fee level. LOL. I am just a deplorable 5 percenter. Where can I catch a Mark Steyn live in person speech for less then $50? I guess I will have to wait until he becomes a washed up has-been working stand-up comedy routines about civilizational decline at the local comedy club. Sigh....
It's all about supply and demand. Anyway, if tickets were affordable you might have to deal with the hoi polloi like me.
There is no club I wanted to join but this one. Now that I did, I'm questioning my sanity.
This is the one club that doesn't make me show up. In fact, this is the one that's hoping I don't.
Achaa! Well done!
"The great achievement of the real sons of liberty... does not go down well with our corruptionists." William Colbert, England
I was so excited to read of your upcoming visit to my neck of the swamp until I clicked on the price of admission. Unfortunately, I have champagne tastes (all things Mark Steyn) on a diet coke budget...will C-Span broadcast the event?
I feel your pain, WSACABMSC! Do you have a regular name?
Hi Fran (and fellow swamper?), I do have a regular name, but may as well go by chicken-poop (trying to adhere to the no profanity rule). I do not possess the courage to go public with my enthusiastic support of all things Steyn. Mark speaks when & where cowards like me cower: all I did was join the MSC so that his message is heard beyond the conservative cathedrals.
I get it. I thought I was under the radar here myself, frankly, until I typed in an unfamiliar phrase one of the more erudite Canadian commenters mentioned. When I did a search the commenter's comment popped up. That's when I realized this was not an internal comment section. It was also confirmed when one of my distant high school pal's husband saw one of my earlier embarrassing comments and then I knew. He asked his wife, "is this the same fran lavery we had some Guinness and whiskeys with last summer at that Irish tavern in West Chester"?
No, about your name just was thinking a shorter way to write out your club name when I answer you in future. How about this? Can I use LMDP next time I address you? (LMDP for La Merde de Poulet, as it sounds better than Chicken shhh, and as I'm trying to relearn my French?) or Mr. Walk with Club, is also nice. Has a "real" man sound to it.
I'm no longer a swampette, but back in '76-'77 and again in '82-'84 and one last time in '07 was. Now have a swampette youth there but she's trying very hard to escape. Now, just plain desert rat. Would have flown in though if logistics were right. Will someday catch one of the live appearances, of that there is no doubt.
I too looked at ticket prices and with the discount I could afford it but in Mark's defense aren't the prices set by the promoters?
@Michael Burke, I don't think anyone is attacking MS for the ticket prices, which surely are set by the event planners. Naive of me to think anything with the word "gala" in it would be affordable--they are fundraisers after all. It's just disappointing to be "so close, yet so far away". I am hoping it will be broadcast on C-Span, as they have broadcast IWF events in the past. The fact that MS is headlining probably increases that likelihood.
Probably, but I only joke and jest as I already get more value for the dollar here than anywhere on earth. What's not to love about this entire club?
Ah, La Merde de Poulet sounds so much more elegant, yes! LMDP is fine ;-) Lucky you escaping the swamp and I hope your daughter is as fortunate.
Oui, d'accord! Everything sounds so much better in French! C'est un petit cafe au fond du swamp: "La Merde du Poulet." La nourriture est mortelle mais la prix est juste!
Mark commented in one of his posts just a couple weeks ago about using pseudonyms in comments sections.
The gist of his remarks, If I remember correctly, were something of the following:
For conservatives (and everyone, on both sides) to not go by a moniker on message boards is important. It keeps people polite, honest and brings the level of discussion and debate up, rather than down into the toilet bowl that Twitter and most comments sections on most web sites have become.
If we cannot speak the truth here and stand behind it with our names, then the liberal thought police have won.
Stand behind your posts! There is nothing to be ashamed of or worried about if you are speaking what is right, true, good and just.
Live free or die!
@Quinn Watson, I hope I can be polite and honest without revealing my name. The point of avoiding psuedonyms is well-taken and I much admire those with the courage to do so. I am sorry to admit in my case yes, the liberal thought police have won.
In my line of work, most associates perceive themselves to be sensitive and tolerant, but experience has taught me otherwise. My preference is to avoid confrontation from people who might discover I am a member of this club, but I applaud your determination to go public with your convictions.
Mr Watson wrote: Stand behind your posts! There is nothing to be ashamed of or worried about if you are speaking what is right, true, good and just.
I wish this were true.
I work for a state government entity where the overwhelming number of my fellow co-workers are Leftists -- be they Masterminds, Apparatchiks, Dupes, or Fellow Travellers. Further: my superiors are all Bolshes.
And, as a Senior Manager, I am an 'employee-at-will' with no protection against firing. If my views were known, I would be hounded-out and/or fired.
So, here I am: wanting to be involved in the effort to Restore our Freedoms and Liberties, yet unable to speak-out in my own name. What to do?
My solution...
1) Speak-out under a nom de plume;
2) For Moral reasons, never comment on the branch of government I work for because it would be Unfair to do so anonymously; and
3) For Moral reasons, again, abiding by the rules of the site I am commenting at -- whereas at my own site [Shameless Blogwhoring Alert], thecampofthesaints.org, I permit such things as Vulgarity if the author, IMO, is witty or justifiably angry when doing it.
I look forward to the day when I can use my real name, which should, Good Lord willing, happen within a few years when I retire.