Arthur Buchwald (October 20, 1925 – January 17, 2007) was an American
humorist
A humorist (American) or humourist (British spelling) is an intellectual who uses humor, or wit, in writing or public speaking, but is not an artist who seeks only to elicit laughs. Humorists are distinct from comedians, who are show business e ...
best known for his
column in ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''. At the height of his popularity, it was published nationwide as a syndicated column in more than 500 newspapers. His column focused on
political satire
Political satire is satire that specializes in gaining entertainment from politics; it has also been used with subversive intent where political speech and dissent are forbidden by a regime, as a method of advancing political arguments where s ...
and commentary.
Buchwald had first started writing as a paid journalist in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
after
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, where he wrote a column on restaurants and nightclubs, "Paris After Dark", for the ''
Paris Herald Tribune
The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the '' New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and compete ...
''. He was part of a large American expatriate community in those years. After his return to the United States in 1962, he continued to publish his columns and books for the rest of his life. He received the
Pulitzer Prize in 1982 for Outstanding Commentary, and in 1991 was elected to the
American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headq ...
, in addition to other awards.
Early life
Buchwald was born in New York City in 1925, to an
Austrian
Austrian may refer to:
* Austrians, someone from Austria or of Austrian descent
** Someone who is considered an Austrian citizen, see Austrian nationality law
* Austrian German dialect
* Something associated with the country Austria, for example: ...
-
Hungarian Jewish
Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
immigrant family. He was the son of Joseph Buchwald, a
curtain
A curtain is a piece of cloth
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fa ...
manufacturer, and Helen (Klineberger). His mother suffered from depression and was later committed to a
mental hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...
, where she lived for 35 years. Buchwald was the youngest of four children, with three older sisters: Alice, Edith, and Doris. When the family business failed at the start of the Great Depression, Buchwald's father put the boy in the
Hebrew Orphan Asylum in New York City, as he could not care for him. Buchwald was soon placed in foster homes, and lived in several, including a
Queens
Queens is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located on Long Island, it is the largest New York City borough by area. It is bordered by the borough of Brooklyn at the western tip of Long ...
boarding house for sick children (he had
rickets
Rickets is a condition that results in weak or soft bones in children, and is caused by either dietary deficiency or genetic causes. Symptoms include bowed legs, stunted growth, bone pain, large forehead, and trouble sleeping. Complications ma ...
because of poor nutrition). It was operated by
Seventh-day Adventists
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sabbath, and i ...
. He stayed in the foster home until he was 5.
Buchwald was eventually reunited with his father and sisters; the family settled in
Hollis, a residential community in Queens. Buchwald did not graduate from
Forest Hills High School, and ran away from home at age 17.
He wanted to join the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
but was too young to join without parental or legal guardian consent. He
bribed
Bribery is the offering, giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With regard to governmental operations, essentially, bribery is "Corr ...
a drunk with half a pint of whiskey to sign as his legal guardian. From October 1942 to October 1945, Buchwald served with the Marines as part of the
4th Marine Aircraft Wing
The 4th Marine Aircraft Wing is the reserve airwing of the United States Marine Corps. It is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana but its subordinate units are scattered throughout the United States.
Mission
Conduct air operations in support ...
. He spent two years in the
Pacific Theater and was discharged from the service as a
sergeant. He said of his time in the Marines, "In the Marines, they don't have much use for humorists, they beat my brains in."
Journalism
![Art-Buchwald-1953](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Art-Buchwald-1953.jpg)
On his return, Buchwald enrolled at the
University of Southern California
, mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it"
, religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist
, established =
, accreditation = WSCUC
, type = Private research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $8.1 ...
in Los Angeles on the
G.I. Bill
The Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the G.I. Bill, was a law that provided a range of benefits for some of the returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as G.I.s). The original G.I. Bill expired in 1956, bu ...
, despite not having graduated from high school. At USC he became managing editor of the campus magazine ''Wampus''; he also wrote a column for the college newspaper, the ''
Daily Trojan
The ''Daily Trojan'', or "DT," is the student newspaper of the University of Southern California. The newspaper is a forum for student expression and is written, edited, and managed by university students. The paper is intended to inform USC st ...
''. The university permitted him to continue his studies after learning he had not graduated from high school, but deemed him ineligible for a degree. After establishing his national reputation and winning the Pulitzer Prize, he was invited as a commencement speaker in 1993 and received an
honorary doctorate
An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
from the university.
[Severo, Richard; Brozan, Nadine (January 19, 2007)]
"Art Buchwald, Whose Humor Poked the Powerful, Dies at 81"
''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
''.
In 1949 Buchwald left USC and bought a one-way ticket to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
. He got a job as a correspondent for ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' in Paris. In January 1950, he took a sample column to the offices of the
European edition of the ''New York Herald Tribune''. Titled "Paris After Dark", it was filled with scraps of offbeat information about Parisian
nightlife
Nightlife is a collective term for entertainment that is available and generally more popular from the late evening into the early hours of the morning. It includes pubs, bars, nightclubs, parties, live music, concerts, cabarets, theatre, ...
. Buchwald was hired and joined the editorial staff as a restaurant and nightclub reviewer. His column caught on quickly, and in 1951 Buchwald started another column, "Mostly About People". They were fused into one under the title "Europe's Lighter Side". Buchwald's columns soon began to attract readers on both sides of the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
.
In postwar Paris, Buchwald met many American expatriate writers, going about with
Janet Flanner
Janet Flanner (March 13, 1892 – November 7, 1978) was an American writer and pioneering narrative journalist who served as the Paris correspondent of ''The New Yorker'' magazine from 1925 until she retired in 1975.Yagoda, Ben ''About T ...
,
E.B. White
Elwyn Brooks White (July 11, 1899 – October 1, 1985) was an American writer. He was the author of several highly popular books for children, including ''Stuart Little'' (1945), '' Charlotte's Web'' (1952), and ''The Trumpet of the Swan'' ...
,
Allen Ginsberg
Irwin Allen Ginsberg (; June 3, 1926 – April 5, 1997) was an American poet and writer. As a student at Columbia University in the 1940s, he began friendships with William S. Burroughs and Jack Kerouac, forming the core of the Beat Gener ...
,
Gregory Corso
Gregory Nunzio Corso (March 26, 1930 – January 17, 2001) was an American poet and a key member of the Beat movement. He was the youngest of the inner circle of Beat Generation writers (with Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, and William S. Burrou ...
, and
Thornton Wilder
Thornton Niven Wilder (April 17, 1897 – December 7, 1975) was an American playwright and novelist. He won three Pulitzer Prizes — for the novel '' The Bridge of San Luis Rey'' and for the plays ''Our Town'' and '' The Skin of Our Teeth'' — ...
. He also had brief encounters with the artist
Pablo Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
, writer
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway (July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. His economical and understated style—which he termed the iceberg theory—had a strong influence on 20th-century f ...
, directors
Orson Welles
George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...
and
Mike Todd
Michael Todd (born Avrom Hirsch Goldbogen; June 22, 1909 – March 22, 1958) was an American theater and film producer, best known for his 1956 production of '' Around the World in 80 Days'', which won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Act ...
, actress
Audrey Hepburn, and attorney
Roy Cohn.
In November 1952, Buchwald wrote a column in which he attempted to explain the
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...
holiday to the French, using garbled French translations such as "Kilometres Deboutish" for
Myles Standish; Buchwald considered it his favorite column.
He published it every Thanksgiving during his lifetime.
Buchwald enjoyed the notoriety he received when U.S. President
Dwight Eisenhower's press secretary,
James Hagerty, took seriously a
spoof
Spoof, spoofs, spoofer, or spoofing may refer to:
* Forgery of goods or documents
* Semen, in Australian slang
* Spoof (game), a guessing game
* Spoofing (finance), a disruptive algorithmic-trading tactic designed to manipulate markets
__NOTOC__ ...
press conference report claiming that reporters asked questions about the president's breakfast habits. After Hagerty called his own conference to denounce the article as "unadulterated rot", Buchwald famously retorted, "Hagerty is wrong. I write ''adulterated'' rot."
["Art Buchwald"](_blank)
(obituary), ''The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was f ...
'', January 19, 2007. On August 24, 1959, ''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, ...
'' magazine, in reviewing the history of the European edition of ''The Herald Tribune'', reported that Buchwald's column had achieved an "institutional quality".
While in Paris, Buchwald became the only correspondent to substantively interview famous American singer
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...
, who had entered the US Army. They met at the Prince de Galles Hotel, where the soon-to-be Sergeant Presley was staying during a week-end off from his army stint in Germany. Presley's impromptu performances at the piano at
Le Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque show located on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France. It opened in 1946 at 78 Avenue des Champs-Élysées and moved to its current location in 1977. It is known for its exotic shows including dancers, singers ...
nightclub, as well as his singing for the showgirls after most of the customers had left, became legendary after Buchwald included it in his memoir, ''I'll Always Have Paris'' (1995).
Buchwald returned to the United States in 1962. He wrote as a columnist for ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', frequently commenting on the political scene. When once asked where he got his ideas, he said simply that he read the newspaper every day. He could not make up the absurd situations that were reported. His column was
syndicated by
Tribune Media Services
Tribune Content Agency (TCA) is a syndication company owned by Tribune Publishing. TCA had previously been known as the Chicago Tribune Syndicate, the Chicago Tribune New York News Syndicate (CTNYNS), Tribune Company Syndicate, and Tribune Media S ...
. His column appeared in more than 550 newspapers at its height. He also wrote memoirs and other books, a total of more than 30 in his lifetime. He also contributed
fumetti to
Marvel Comics
Marvel Comics is an American comic book publishing, publisher and the flagship property of Marvel Entertainment, a divsion of The Walt Disney Company since September 1, 2009. Evolving from Timely Comics in 1939, ''Magazine Management/Atlas Co ...
' ''
Crazy Magazine
''Crazy Magazine'' is an illustrated satire and humor magazine that was published by Marvel Comics from 1973 to 1983 for a total of 94 regular issues (and two ''Super Special''s (Summer 1975, 1980)). It was preceded by two standard-format comic b ...
'', which tore apart statistics regarding 1970s campus life.
Marriage and family
During his time in Paris, Buchwald met Ann McGarry, and they married. She was an Irish-American apprentice
couturier
''Haute couture'' (; ; French for 'high sewing', 'high dressmaking') is the creation of exclusive custom-fitted high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start-to-finish. Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century, Paris became the ...
from Pennsylvania. After returning to the United States, they later adopted three children. They lived in Washington, D.C., where he wrote for ''The Washington Post''. They spent most summers at their house in
Vineyard Haven
Vineyard Haven is a community within the town of Tisbury, Massachusetts on the island of Martha's Vineyard. It is listed as a census-designated place (CDP) by the U.S. Census Bureau with a population of 2,114 as of the 2010 census.
The area was ...
on
Martha's Vineyard. After 40 years of marriage, the couple separated, and then decided to get a divorce. However before the divorce proceedings could start, Ann was diagnosed with lung cancer, and passed away in 1994.
Film
Buchwald had a cameo in
Alfred Hitchcock's ''
To Catch a Thief
'' To Catch a Thief'' is a 1955 American romantic thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, from a screenplay by John Michael Hayes based on the 1952 novel of the same name by David Dodge. The film stars Cary Grant as a retired cat burgl ...
'' (1955). Near the beginning of the movie, an issue of the ''
Paris Herald Tribune
The ''New York Herald Tribune'' was a newspaper published between 1924 and 1966. It was created in 1924 when Ogden Mills Reid of the ''New-York Tribune'' acquired the '' New York Herald''. It was regarded as a "writer's newspaper" and compete ...
'' is shown in close-up to highlight a column, bylined by Buchwald, about jewel thefts on the French Riviera, which sets up the plot.
He contributed to the English dialogue of
Jacques Tati
Jacques Tati (; born Jacques Tatischeff, ; 9 October 1907 – 5 November 1982) was a French mime, film-maker, actor and screenwriter. In an ''Entertainment Weekly'' poll of the Greatest Movie Directors, he was voted the 46th greatest of all time ...
's ''
Playtime''. Buchwald also had a cameo role in a 1972 episode, "Moving Target", of the TV series ''
Mannix''. He is shown in
Frederick Wiseman
Frederick Wiseman (born January 1, 1930) is an American filmmaker, documentarian, and theater director. His work is "devoted primarily to exploring American institutions". He has been called "one of the most important and original filmmakers wor ...
's 1983 film ''The Store'' delivering a tribute to
Stanley Marcus, the store's owner.
In 1988 Buchwald and partner
Alain Bernheim
Alain Bernheim (23 May 1931 – 26 December 2022) was a French classical pianist who performed internationally. In 1980, he turned to research of the history of Freemasonry in France, Switzerland and Germany and published books and encyclopedic ...
filed suit against
Paramount Pictures in a controversy over the
Eddie Murphy film ''
Coming to America
''Coming to America'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed by John Landis and based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, who also stars in the lead role. The film also co-stars Arsenio Hall, James Earl Jones, Shari Hea ...
''. In the ''
Buchwald v. Paramount'' lawsuit, Buchwald claimed Paramount had stolen his script treatment. He won, was awarded damages, and accepted a settlement from Paramount. The case was the subject of a 1992 book, ''Fatal Subtraction: The Inside Story of Buchwald v. Paramount''.
Criticism
![Art Buchwald 1994](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Art_Buchwald_1994.jpg)
In Buchwald's later years, his detractors characterized the column as hackneyed, tiresome and not funny. Political analyst
Norman Ornstein
Norman Jay Ornstein (; born October 14, 1948) is an American political scientist and an Emeritus scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), a Washington, D.C. conservative think tank. He is the co-author (along with Thomas E. Mann) o ...
in 1991 said he thought Buchwald's column was more popular "outside the
Beltway
A ring road (also known as circular road, beltline, beltway, circumferential (high)way, loop, bypass or orbital) is a road or a series of connected roads encircling a town, city, or country. The most common purpose of a ring road is to assist i ...
"; others disagreed.
Roy Bode, editor of the ''
Dallas Times Herald'', said that when his paper canceled Buchwald's column in 1989, the editors did not receive a single letter of protest. By contrast, when the paper cancelled the
comic strip ''
Zippy the Pinhead
Zippy the Pinhead is a fictional character who is the protagonist of ''Zippy'', an American comic strip created by Bill Griffith. Zippy's most famous quotation, "Are we having fun yet?", appears in ''Bartlett's Familiar Quotations'' and became a ...
'', so many readers complained that the editors were compelled to bring it back.
In September 2005,
Timothy Noah
Timothy Robert Noah (born 1958), an American journalist and author, is a staff writer at ''The New Republic.'' Previously he was labor policy editor for ''Politico'', a contributing writer at MSNBC.com, a senior editor of ''The New Republic'' ass ...
wrote in ''
Slate'', "Yes, Buchwald still writes his column. No, it hasn't been funny for some time."
Illness and death
Buchwald underwent hospitalization twice for mental disorders: once in 1963 for severe depression. In 1987 he was hospitalized for what was then diagnosed as an extreme episode of
bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with ...
, which he had probably had for years. He publicly recounted these experiences in 1999.
In 2000, at age 74, Buchwald suffered a stroke. He was hospitalized for more than two months. On February 16, 2006, the
Associated Press
The Associated Press (AP) is an American non-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association. It produces news reports that are distributed to its members, U.S. ne ...
reported that Buchwald had had a leg
amputated
Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indiv ...
below the knee and was staying at Washington Home and Hospice. The amputation was reportedly necessary because of poor circulation in the leg, resulting from diabetes.
Buchwald invited radio talk show presenter
Diane Rehm
Diane Rehm (; born Diane Aed; September 21, 1936) is an American journalist and the host of ''Diane Rehm: On My Mind'' podcast, produced at WAMU, which is licensed to American University in Washington, D.C.. She also hosts a monthly book club ser ...
to interview him. During the show, which aired on February 24, 2006, he revealed his decision to discontinue
hemodialysis
Hemodialysis, also spelled haemodialysis, or simply dialysis, is a process of purifying the blood of a person whose kidneys are not working normally. This type of dialysis achieves the extracorporeal removal of waste products such as creatinin ...
, which had previously been initiated to treat
renal failure
Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure is classified as eit ...
, another result of his having
diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic disorders characterized by a high blood sugar level ( hyperglycemia) over a prolonged period of time. Symptoms often include frequent urination, increased thirst and increased ...
. He described his decision as his "last hurrah", stating that, "If you have to go, the way you go is a big deal." He reported that he was "very happy with his choices" and was eating at
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
on a regular basis.
Buchwald was later interviewed by
Miles O'Brien of
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
, in a segment aired on March 31, 2006. Buchwald discussed his
living will
''Living Will'' is an American comedy film starring Ryan Dunn, Gerard Haitz and April Scott.
Cast
*Ryan Dunn - Belcher
*Gerard Haitz - Will
*April Scott - Krista
Production
In 2011, the domestic distribution rights to the film were purchased ...
, which documented his wishes not to be revived if he fell into a coma. As of the date of that interview, Buchwald was still writing a periodic column. In the interview, he described a dream in which he was waiting to take his "final plane ride".
Buchwald was interviewed by
Fox News
The Fox News Channel, abbreviated FNC, commonly known as Fox News, and stylized in all caps, is an American multinational conservative cable news television channel based in New York City. It is owned by Fox News Media, which itself is owne ...
'
Chris Wallace
Christopher Wallace (born October 12, 1947) is an American broadcast journalist. He is known for his tough and wide-ranging interviews, for which he is often compared to his father, ''60 Minutes'' journalist Mike Wallace. Over his 50-year care ...
for a segment on May 14, 2006's edition of ''
Fox News Sunday
''Fox News Sunday'' is a Sunday morning talk show that has aired on the broadcast Fox network since 1996, as a presentation of Fox News Channel. It is the only regularly scheduled Fox News program carried on the main Fox broadcast network. Ho ...
''.
In June 2006, Buchwald left the hospice. He was again interviewed by Rehm and reported that his kidney was working. He said that he "blesses him every morning. Some people bless their hearts, I bless my kidney." He reported that he was looking forward to getting a new leg and visiting
Martha's Vineyard.
In July 2006, Buchwald returned to his summer home in
Tisbury on Martha's Vineyard. While there, he completed a book titled ''Too Soon to Say Goodbye'', about the five months he spent in the hospice.
Eulogies that were prepared by his friends, colleagues, and family members and were never delivered (or not delivered until later) are included in the book.
On November 3, 2006, television news reporter
Kyra Phillips interviewed Buchwald for
CNN
CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...
. Phillips had known Buchwald since 1989, when she had first interviewed him. On November 22, 2006, Buchwald was again featured on Rehm's show. He described himself as a "poster boy for hospices – because I lived."
In December 2006, in his final interview, he told nurse/writer Terry Ratner that he was also a poster boy for nurses. The article
"The 'Art' of Saying Goodbye" appeared in the January 2007 issues of ''
Nursing Spectrum'' and ''
NurseWeek'', national nursing publications.
Buchwald died of kidney failure on January 17, 2007, at his son Joel's home in Washington, D.C. The next day the website of ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' posted a video
obituary in which Buchwald said: "Hi. I'm Art Buchwald, and I just died."
Awards
*In 1977, he received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by
Jefferson Awards.
*In 1982, Buchwald was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding Commentary.
*In 1991, he was elected to the
American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters
The American Academy of Arts and Letters is a 300-member honor society whose goal is to "foster, assist, and sustain excellence" in American literature, music, and art. Its fixed number membership is elected for lifetime appointments. Its headq ...
.
[Patricia Sullivan, "Art Buchwald, 1925-2007"](_blank)
''The Washington Post'', January 18, 2007
*In 1991, he received the World Humour Award, from the Workshop Library on World Humour.
*In 1994, he received the Golden Plate Award of the
American Academy of Achievement
The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet ...
.
Books
Buchwald published numerous anthologies and collections of his columns, as well as memoirs.
* ''Paris After Dark'' (Imprimerie du Centre 1950. Also published by ''Herald Tribune'', European Ed., S. A., 1953)
* ''Art Buchwald's Paris'' (Lion Library, 1956)
* ''I Chose Caviar'' (Victor Gollancz, 1957)
* ''The Brave Coward'' (Harper, 1957)
* ''More Caviar'' (Victor Gollancz, 1958)
* ''A Gift from the Boys'' (Harper, 1958)
* ''Don't Forget to Write'' (World Pub. Co., 1960)
* ''How Much is that in Dollars?'' (World Pub. Co., 1961)
* ''Is it Safe to Drink the Water?'' (PBK Crest Books, 1963)
* ''I Chose Capitol Punishment'' (World Pub. Co., 1963)
* ''... and Then I Told the President: The Secret Papers of Art Buchwald'' (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1965)
* ''Son of the Great Society'' (Putnam, 1966)
*
* ''The Establishment is Alive and Well in Washington'' (Putnam, 1969)
* ''Counting Sheep; The Log and the Complete Play: Sheep on the Runway'' (Putnam, 1970)
* ''Oh, to be a Swinger'' (Vintage, 1970)
* ''Getting High in Government Circles'' (Putnam, 1971)
* ''I Never Danced at the White House'' (Putnam, 1973)
* ''"I Am Not a Crook"'' (Putnam, 1974)
* ''The Bollo Caper: A Fable for Children of All Ages'' (Doubleday, 1974)
* ''Irving's Delight: At Last! a Cat Story for the Whole Family!'' (McKay, 1975)
* ''Washington Is Leaking'' (Putnam, 1976)
*
* ''Best Cartoons of the World'' Miller Collection (Brown University) (Atlas World Press Review, 1978)
* ''Art Buchwald by Leonard Probst'', transcript of an interview conducted by Leonard Probst, March 31 and April 1, 1978. (American Jewish Committee, Oral History Library, 1978)
* ''The Buchwald Stops Here'' (Putnam, 1979)
* ''Seems Like Yesterday'' Ann Buchwald interrupted by Art Buchwald (Putnam, 1980)
* ''Laid Back in Washington'' (Putnam, 1981)
* ''While Reagan Slept'' (Putnam, 1983)
* ''You Ask, Buchwald Answers'' (Listen & Learn U.S.A.!, 1983)
* ''The Official Bank-Haters' Handbook'' also by Joel D. Joseph (Natl Pr Books, 1984)
* ''"You
Can Fool All of the People All the Time"'' (Putnam, 1985)
* ''I Think I Don't Remember'' (Putnam, 1987)
* ''Whose Rose Garden Is It Anyway?'' (Putnam, 1989)
* ''Lighten Up, George'' (Putnam, 1991)
* ''Leaving Home: A Memoir'' (Putnam, 1994)
* ''I'll Always Have Paris: A Memoir'' (Putnam, 1995)
* ''Stella in Heaven: Almost a Novel'' (Putnam, 2000)
*
* ''Beating Around the Bush'' (Seven Stories, 2005)
Autobiography
* ''Too Soon to Say Goodbye'' (Bantam Books 2006)
See also
*
Sally Pierone
Sarah Nettleton "Sally" Pierone (10 February 1921 – 22 June 2018) was an American art director of the Marshall Plan who in 1952 worked at the American Embassy in Paris creating posters, booklets and displays to help rebuild Europe after World War ...
References
Further reading
*''The Official Bank-Haters' Handbook'' Also By Joel D. Joseph (Natl Pr Books, 1984)
*''You Ask, Buchwald Answers'' (Listen & Learn U.S.A.)
*''While Reagan Slept'' (Fawcett 1983)
*''Laid Back in Washington With Art Buchwald'' (Putnam, 1981)
*''Seems Like Yesterday'' (Berkley Pub Group, 1981)
*''100 Years of the Paris Trib: From the Archives of the
International Herald Tribune'' Author: Bruce Singer; introduction By Art Buchwald. Harry N. Abrams: New York 1987.
External links
Art Buchwald, Barry Crimmins, Paul Krassner, Kurt Vonnegut – Beating Around the Bush: An Evening of Satirerecorded on October 6, 2005, at The New York Society for Ethical Culture, 63 min., mp3 format
Diane Rehm interviews Art Buchwald in his hospice room (February 24, 2006) RealAudio, Windows MediaThe Final Days of Art Buchwald: A Visit by Suzette Standring – Editor & Publisher*
Hold the eulogies, he's not ready to sign off yet''
The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' July 16, 2006
"Art Buchwald Dies With Funny Bone Intact"Forbes.com
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He has been forgotten: Why humorist Art Buchwald should be rememberedThe Guardian, retrieved June 7, 2022
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