tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post1905833124093947901..comments2024-03-28T13:46:08.524-05:00Comments on Every goddamn day: 03/28/24: No stars in Chicago, and a good thing tooNeil Steinberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-43862170303915194372015-01-26T18:40:56.935-06:002015-01-26T18:40:56.935-06:00I think I've told you this story before but:
...I think I've told you this story before but: <br /><br />Scene: me driving a bunch of high school sophomores a few years ago<br /><br />Kid1: whose driving the Volleyball carpool tomorrow. <br /><br />Kid 2: Stella's dad<br /><br />Kid1: didn't her dad used to play for the Bulls or something. <br /><br />Kid2: Ya. <br /><br />Kid1: was he a good player?<br /><br />Kid2: Um I don't think so. <br /><br />I didn't pass that little story along to Mr Kukoc. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-14029382579947682242015-01-26T16:28:40.559-06:002015-01-26T16:28:40.559-06:00Sic Transit Gloria. And Mike. And Michael. And eve...Sic Transit Gloria. And Mike. And Michael. And eventually Neil. When I lived in London some years ago I saw many famous faces in supermarkets, Underground stations and theatre lobbies. But approaching them was "not the done thing."<br /><br />Glad you enjoyed Tosca. I did too, but, perhaps because I'm too familiar with the opera, found the ugly and anachronistic sets and costumes a distraction. I know most people don't know or care that the battle of Marengo was fought in 1800, but I thought nothing was gained from moving the action up a century. And the staging did a particular disservice to Scarpia I thought. One remembers Tito Gobbi in sleek black Napoleonic-era finery, the very image of aristocratic arrogance (he is after all a Baron, in addition to being a thug), advancing to the footlights to proclaim "Go Tosca. You make me forget God." But the opera was well cast and performed: The' "Te Deum might just turn you Catholic; the Tosca and Cavaradossi were a more plausible set of doomed young lovers than one is used to seeing on the operatic stage; and yes, the "Vissi d'Arte was very moving.<br /><br />Tom EvansAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-91148134147302002162015-01-26T16:02:13.998-06:002015-01-26T16:02:13.998-06:00You write that Chicago is better without a galaxy ...You write that Chicago is better without a galaxy of celebs and then write graf after graf about your own tribulations on approaching a professional athlete at the Opera...Me thinks u protest too much.<br /><br />Isn't there an accent in that opera star's name? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-24013755687112183712015-01-26T13:21:46.615-06:002015-01-26T13:21:46.615-06:00Thanks. I've been saying that for years, but i...Thanks. I've been saying that for years, but it sounds far better coming from someone else, ; )Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-26715501496962551352015-01-26T12:25:50.019-06:002015-01-26T12:25:50.019-06:00Noted, in case I run into you in a concrete plant ...Noted, in case I run into you in a concrete plant or at Tannhäuser. ; ) But I believe that you sell yourself short. You may be a smaller fish in the Great Lake than you'd prefer, but you're a Chicago treasure in what's long been considered a great newspaper town, with a not-insignificant chunk of discerning readers who consider you the best wordsmith currently plugging away in either of the local papers, notwithstanding some curious Pulitzer choices. Ahem. The fact that your sons, unsurprisingly, may take that for granted does nothing to diminish the accomplishment. : )Jakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-34405193011642665422015-01-26T11:12:25.017-06:002015-01-26T11:12:25.017-06:00That only holds for celebrities. For utterly obscu...That only holds for celebrities. For utterly obscure journalists, particularly accompanied by their sons, who view their father's career as a slough of failure punctuated by occasional disappointment, feel free to come up and say something like, "You know, your column saved my life..." Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-18104935835218749522015-01-26T10:54:32.002-06:002015-01-26T10:54:32.002-06:00My wife and I noticed Neil once in the wild, where...My wife and I noticed Neil once in the wild, where he was strolling through the Book Fair with one of his sons. We went with "The greatest favor you can do celebrities is to not molest them in public." and just gawked at them from afar. Before stalking them for the next 3 hours. (Joking!) Of course, we've seen our esteemed blogmeister and redoubtable celebrity on several occasions in captivity, speaking at either bookstores or the, what's it called now? -- Lit Fest.Jakashnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-27938052302120088582015-01-26T10:10:39.272-06:002015-01-26T10:10:39.272-06:00It can be tempting. Saturday my kid wanted to go t...It can be tempting. Saturday my kid wanted to go to The Kitchen, so I called. No reservations left. I was tempted to say, "But I'm a media bigshot! I know Kimball Musk, the owner!" But that felt vile, so we just showed up, anonymously. The place was empty at 6 p.m. They ushered us immediately to a table. I find that humility also has its rewards. Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-13439727546951569782015-01-26T09:38:33.002-06:002015-01-26T09:38:33.002-06:00Of course there are many levels of celebrity, the ...Of course there are many levels of celebrity, the most annoying being local nitwits who think they are big wheels: one of my favorite things to do when tending bar is to toss people who refuse to be carded, ask "Don't you know who I am?" I don't know and I don't care, I reply. But I know what you aren't: you aren't going to be served here. Carded the Alderman once, he had the good graces to show his i.d.<br />And think about Chicago's past celebrity culture: so much of it was movie stars getting off trains and heading to Booth 1 with Kup. Then getting the heck outta town first thing in the a.m.Bill Savagehttp://chicagobydayandnight.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-91230552244060371082015-01-26T09:04:37.245-06:002015-01-26T09:04:37.245-06:00thank youthank youAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-73657406441128638902015-01-26T09:01:31.856-06:002015-01-26T09:01:31.856-06:00I was sort of ignoring that; off the cuff, it does...I was sort of ignoring that; off the cuff, it doesn't seem the treason people are claiming it to be. He invited Netanyahu to speak, they aren't forging a treaty. It's an insult, of course, but that's nothing new. I think we -- and the Israelis -- have bigger problems.Neil Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11468057838260476480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-51226463908513345432015-01-26T08:44:26.309-06:002015-01-26T08:44:26.309-06:00Sir, Since you can write what you wish on here, I&...Sir, Since you can write what you wish on here, I'd love to read your thoughts on Boehner inviting the Israeli PM without consulting the White House. (By the way, I'm a Dem.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-15323291511317765402015-01-26T07:52:51.410-06:002015-01-26T07:52:51.410-06:00My friend and I nearly ran over "Frasier'...My friend and I nearly ran over "Frasier's" John Mahoney heading to the old Barbara's Bookstore on Lake St. here in Oak Park a few years ago, not sure if he's still around, and Vince Vaughn once bummed a ride on our co.'s river water taxi's, having earlier commandeered a Chicago Police Boat. But I whole-heartedly agree that we're better off as a city w/o the Big Shots. Celebrity columnists and TV news anchors seem to suffice.J.J. Tindallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13381555158949851490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-45306034846975209952015-01-26T07:05:57.813-06:002015-01-26T07:05:57.813-06:00When my daughter lived in New York, I used to walk...When my daughter lived in New York, I used to walk through Soho past dozens of celebrities without recognizing a single one. Here, my only brush with fame was when David Orr held a door open for me in the County Building. Though I keep looking to spot you, Neil, near that sculpture you hate so much in front of the Thompson Center.<br /><br />Johntatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10088632798195131329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-73806520123668935742015-01-26T06:43:31.680-06:002015-01-26T06:43:31.680-06:00At one time Billy Corgan would fit "celebrity...At one time Billy Corgan would fit "celebrity" and still might, but the word after his comma would be "faded." Which reminds us that there are worse things than having no celebrities in town. Imagine if Chief Keef had made it big.Anon-not-Anonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3972382144120426476.post-79293206727818302442015-01-26T00:47:40.987-06:002015-01-26T00:47:40.987-06:00"Celebrity: a famous or well-known person.&q..."Celebrity: a famous or well-known person." -- dictionary . com <br /><br />Doesn't seem to me that regular folks caring about them needs to enter into the equation. Rahm is certainly well-known. I don't know how many folks actually "care about" the Kardashians or Donald Trump, but, Lord help us, they're celebrities. <br /><br />The fact that only one out of 21 in a journalism class in Chicago were familiar with Royko, however, aptly demonstrates your point about fame being fleeting. And is about Exhibit 2,345 on the "I must be old" chart.Jakashnoreply@blogger.com