Posted on 03/08/2013 9:51:36 AM PST by Psalm 73
Last year National Review magazine started running a piece by James Lileks in every issue. I am ashamed to say I had never heard of him, although his humor is quite good (better than P J O'Rourke even). And he is, of course, a conservative.
Anybody familiar with his work?
James is from my home town, Fargo, ND. His sister was a good friend of my daughter. He currently lives in Mpls. and writes for different newspapers, including the Mpls Star and Sickle.
He is very humorous, has written a couple of books and has published on his website pictures of Fargo as he was growing up with comments. Nice guy, quick witted, sarcastic humor also.
Yes.
Lost track of his site and writings a few years ago, but he’s got quite the wit and really knows his stuff.
He’s exceptionally good on his “vintage comic book cover” commentary.
Lileks is easily one of the most talented voices on the right. He is arguably our premier cultural humorist, i.e. kind of a Garrison Keilor that doesn’t hate America. A huge difference is that Lileks is much more pop culture focused, especially on the period from the 30’s to the 70’s. He’s really a fine pop culture historian, including the whole gamut from music to movies to cars to fashion. I’d argue he’s an authority on American advertising in that same time period. If you’re willing to pay the fee... under four bucks a month... to join Ricochet (the website founded by National Review alums Peter Robinson and Rob Long), you get access to the podcasts. Lileks runs and is one of the hosts of the main Ricochet podcast every week. You can also go to his own website at Lileks.com.
He appears often on the Hugh Hewitt radio show.
By the way, Lileks was such a presence on art and culture in the 90’s... when he really broke big on the web... that he had a huge following among liberals. He really kept his politics to himself before 9/11, but after that day, he made it clear that he was pro-American and politically right leaning, and he paid a big price for it. Ask him about his loads of liberal hate mail post- 9/11. I really think this guy would have had his own TV show by now if he had hid his political ideas.
:)
He had a radio show for a short while here in the Twin Cities on am1500. Pretty entertaining.
This still cracks me up, and I’ve read the whole thing about five times. One of the funniest things on the internet, IMO.
http://www.lileks.com/institute/motel/index.html
It’s about the Gobbler — the grooviest motel in Wisconsin.
Imagine the pitch to the investors:
“It’s going to be a futuristic, state-of-the-art motel with every modern convenience from water beds to 8-tracks. The entire dining area will be covered in deep-pile pink and purple carpet. But wait - here’s the best part. It will look like an abstract sculpture of a giant turkey. We’ll bill it as a romantic getaway - and call it The Gobbler!”
Lileks even managed to dig up a recipe - I almost want to say "THE" recipe - that my grandmother would inflict on us during the holidays. Brr-r-r-r!
Mr. niteowl77
I suggest everyone check out Richocet.com too
Have some great free podcasts and thoughtful discussions.
I’ve read him for years. His blog is called “The Bleat.” Very intelligent guy, quirky, quite funny.
Hey, thanks for introducing me to this guy’s site.
He is quite funny and I collect old advertisements and printed images so the web site is pretty interesting.
“Lileks even managed to dig up a recipe - I almost want to say “THE” recipe - that my grandmother would inflict on us during the holidays. “
Do tell! What was it?
You could get lost on his website, Lileks.com, for DAYS. Virtually endless amounts of cool stuff on there.
Yeah, it brings back good memories. :)
To be sure, the "Jell-o thing" was actually quite benign compared to the other stuff seen in "The Gallery of Regrettable Food," but since I had to suffer through it at least once a year from toddlerhood through high school, it loomed large. Most of the other foods he scared up for the gallery would have been even more repellent to me, and a great many of them would likely gag a goat.
(If the goat had any self-respect.)
Mr. niteowl77
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