Welcome Richard Rushfield
Richard Rushfield is a friend of mine, and (at least until a couple of weeks from now) a neighbor, too.
Richard writes funny, biting pieces about popular culture for lots of places -- The Daily Beast, the LATimes, Vanity Fair -- but the best place to find him is at his own site, RushfieldBabylon.com.
Strike that. That's the second best place. The best place, at least for the next week, is right here.
Richard started life as a Democrat. In a serious way. He worked for Michael Dukakis and Bill Clinton, and now insists that he's fled politics. I think that's code for: moved to the center. And maybe even a little right of center. Right now, he's pretty much the sharpest observer and chronicler of American popular culture, in all of its glory and filth.
In other words, he's an interesting guy. He's written a couple of excellent books, including a college memoir and the definitive story of the "American Idol" phenomenon, but this week, he's here at Ricochet.
Let's give him a Ricochet welcome!
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Comments:
Oct '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome to Ricochet, Richard! I'm looking forward to your continued X-Factor commentary as the season progresses. It's a very nice break from all things political.
May '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome!
Oct '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome. Come for a visit and stay as a friend.
Oct '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Never come across him before, and based on your recommendation, I am looking forward to his posts and will try to read someting of his other writing soon.
I love the intelligent and thoughtful - yes...let me say The Word! - diversity of Ricochet.
Eagerly awaiting Richard's first post - let the mental exercise of robust debate step up to an additional level!
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Thank you Rob. It's been a pleasure being your neighbor and it's been a pleasure lurking here for the past year or so. I've been a big fan of the conversational format here and the truly impressive people who contribute to it. Thanks for bringing me out of the shadows, and I hope I won't drag the conversation down too far this week as I take it to the fluffiest realms of our culture - to the farthest point away from Mitt Romney's entitlement reform plan and the Greek debt crisis. I hope we'll find even in X Factor, there are important matters to concern us all. But if not, I hope I won't be able to do too much damage to the erudite tone in just a week.
My first post, on what American Idol has to say to our Presidential candidates, will be up in an hour or so.
Great to be here!
Sep '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome Richard and, may I ask, are you a dog or cat person?
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
The most important question of them all. Technically I am a cat person but our cat Monty refuses to follow Michelle Obamas anti-obesity guidelines and is now bigger than many dogs which i suppose in my devotion to him puts me in some kind of dog/cat purgatory.
Edited on November 6, 2011 at 7:41pmRe: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome Richard! I look forward to your posts as one who is totally baffled by popular culture. From the cattle call nature of the Bachelor and Bachelorette shows to otherwise intelligent young people who have enough pins and needles stuck in their face to qualify as French Quarter voodoo dolls, ...I just don't get it anymore.
Sep '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
As one who has never watched American Idol or X Factor (what is that, anyway?) I look forward to your posts, Richard. Welcome!
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
We've been enamoured with the "Political Poseur" piece you wrote for Slate, ever since it came out in 2004. Your experience still rings too true for conservatives living in leftist enclaves. Welcome!
Apr '11
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Hi Richard! Nice to have you here!
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Most terrifying day of my life! Every election year I think about repeating it but in the end can't put myself through it. Here's a link to the piece for those interested.
Jul '11
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Welcome aboard! Great first post!
Sep '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Richard Rushfield, Guest Contributor: The most important question of them all. Technically I am a cat person but our cat Monty refuses to follow Michelle Obamas anti-obesity guidelines and is now bigger than many dogs which i suppose in my devotion to him puts me in some kind of dog/cat purgatory. · Nov 6 at 10:40am
Edited on Nov 06 at 10:41 am
Cat purgatory I consider a vocation as well as a calling.
Nov '10
Re: Welcome Richard Rushfield
Delighted to have you join us. Post away!
Our Brother Long says that you can reveal
I am interested in the "glory" part. Except for college football, I see little but filth.