he finest teachers I've had certainly come from the broad ranks of guests who have sat across the table, sharing a microphone with me. Thousands and thousands of people from all walks of life have made themselves available to speak of their ideas, inventions, writings, achievements, failings, fortunes and misfortunes. Authors, politicians, crooks, athletes, authors, teachers, actors, prime ministers, royalty and presidents; from communist and socialist, to Democrats and Republicans, have been a font of information. Some guests choose to return and eventually become "regulars". Over the past 40 and more years, none more so than that most happy feller, Art Buchwald. I heard that he was dying and it set me to thinking what a fruitful, productive and exciting life his was - particularly considering that the man had spent much of his life in deep depression. I was never aware of that fact until he choose to speak of his predicament and share his struggle against disease; he had a leg amputated because of the cancer that was ravaging him. Eventually he decided to enter himself into a hospice; where he would go to die with dignity. He hasn't died - yet. He has lived long enough, I'm told, that he has been able to read many of the obituaries for the time when the reports of his passing are correct. From what I've heard his deathwatch has been half a year of good living. As Dr. Bernadine Healy reported in U.S. News this week, one volunteer had told him that there were two kinds of patients, the ones who are ready to go home, heaven that is, and those who want to go to the office. Buchwald wanted to go to the office. After he planned his funeral, pallbearers and all, he started up writing again; he claims, writing well. I don't doubt that. Around my office I have dozens and dozens of interviews with Art, going back to 1965. He sounded like a funny (always funny) cranky old, cigar -chomping, friend-of-everyone-in-the-know. He never looked like the young marine that once he was, in World War 2.
It was he who told me and the world that "The buffalo isn't as dangerous as everyone makes him out to be. Statistics prove that across this country more Americans are killed in automobile accidents than are ever killed by buffalo."
I found the following on an old reel-to-reel conversation from many years ago..."Michael, they've done it again. Just when you think that there's nothing to write about, along comes Dick Nixon saying 'I am not a crook', and President Jimmy Carter admits to lusting in his heart over another woman." There will always be news and gossip.
I'm going now to unearth some of the conversations we had together. Many were priceless. I'll wager there is yet another book in him, waiting to be written.
Art, God bless you.