Ricochet Podcast #38: The Heavy Hitters

 

By popular demand, it’s our heavy hitter edition of the podcast with guests Mark Steyn and Jonah Goldberg. We cover the surprising Noble Prize selection, one last look at the view from France, the sorry states of New York and California, our panel’s view on the “legalize it” debate, and a whole lot more. Listen, then discuss it here.

A fistful of links:

  • Oui, Rob Long is still in Paris. In fact, Ricochet member EJHill spotted him near the Eiffel Tower.
  • The trailer for Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. If you’ve never seen the movie, you’re in for a treat.
  • Here’s an interview with Mario Vargas Llosa conducted just after he won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Whether or not Llosa actually punched Gabriel Garcia Marquez appears to be open to debate.
  • The WSJ concurs: the Barbara Boxer (and Jerry Brown) campaigns are both helped by Prop. 19 being on the ballot.
  • The comedian arrested in Guam for marijuana possession that James Lileks refers to is Ralphie May. Mr. May correctly describes himself as an “idiot.”
  • Fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger’s 20 year old son Richard was arrested for a similar offense.
  • Rob is not exaggerating: there are a lot of places to legally buy pot in Venice, CA.
  • Ricochet contributor Adam Freeman’s recent post concerning several countries that have joined the lawsuit against Arizona’s pending immigration law.
  • France is facing legal action from Europe for its deportation of thousands of unwanted Romas (or gypsies).
  • If you’re going to shorten racy links, don’t use a shortening service with the .ly domain.
  • Despite the name, tête de nègre does look delicious.
  • The regrettably titled report on China is mentioned in this excerpt of the Congressional Record from June, 1999. Apparently, giggles are not transcribed by the CR.
  • Proud To Be Right: Voices Of The Next Generation, edited by Jonah Goldberg, is available here. Ricochet’s James Poulos is a contributor.
  • Richard Nixon liked long walks on the beach — in wing tips.

Music from this week’s episode:

The direct link to this week’s episode is here, but we’d really love it if you’d subscribe. Not an Apple fan boy? Visit our Feedburner page for a number of other subscription options.

The Ricochet Podcast is sponsored by Encounter Books and their Broadside Series. This week’s featured title is President Obama’s Tax Piracy by Peter Ferrara. Available for $5.99 at EncounterBooks.com.

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  1. Profile Photo Member
    @

    To repeat what I wrote on an earlier thread: best podcast ever in the history of podcasts. Y’all might consider having Robinson, Long, Lileks, Goldberg & Steyn on every week.

    • #1
  2. Profile Photo Contributor
    @jameslileks

    While you listen, please spare a minute of sympathy and respect for Peter, who really had to herd cats today. Also for Rob, who has been replaced by a machine.

    • #2
  3. Profile Photo Member
    @

    That’s about half of the fun of the podcast–listening to Robinson, a thoroughly decent sort, trying to control you knuckleheads.

    • #3
  4. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius
    James Lileks: While you listen, please spare a minute of sympathy and respect for Peter, who really had to herd cats today. Also for Rob, who has been replaced by a machine. · Oct 8 at 2:30pm

    You know I was cleaning up my act, and now this wanton act of provocation.. “Everytime I try to get out they pull me back in!”

    • #4
  5. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius

    Today it had a bit of an Animal House vibe going on. I half expected Cialis to show up as sponsor during one of the randier bits.

    (Note to British Editor: randy bits?)

    • #5
  6. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius

    And the author of “Cheese Eating Surrender Monkey” defending France? Q’uelle surprise!

    • #6
  7. Profile Photo Inactive
    @AaronMiller

    Agreed, a great podcast.

    Rob, can you expand on what you were saying about the French? Where do you think they’re headed?

    Mark (yes, I’m going to pretend you’re a forum member), when you point out the difference between “anglophone democracies” and the European mainland, does that difference extend beyond Europe, North America and Australia? Can a similar self-respect and regard for cultural values over comfort and security be found in India and other former British colonies?

    It sounds like y’all are suggesting that the superficiality of mainland Europeans is a cultural vacuum in which a strong ideology (good or bad) could quickly arise. Is that it?

    You think the electorate is angry at Obama now? Wait until the first person is jailed for refusing to pay the fine for not buying health insurance. Wait until Arizona loses its suit.

    As usual, Mark makes the critical point. Republicans must act on an assumption that their power is fleeting… that Democrats will regain power soon and continue to damage this nation. Republicans must also question if America has time enough for gradual repairs.

    • #7
  8. Profile Photo Member
    @

    I just hit the link above of Richard Nixon walking on the beach. And it dawned on me: Richard Nixon is Jack Webb; Jack Webb is Richard Nixon. Duh. I just now got that. How think am I?

    • #8
  9. Profile Photo Member
    @

    Thick, I meant.

    • #9
  10. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius

    And I note the armed insurrection jokes. Again.

    • #10
  11. Profile Photo Inactive
    @TheMugwump
    Craig McLaughlin: I just hit the link above of Richard Nixon walking on the beach. And it dawned on me: Richard Nixon is Jack Webb; Jack Webb is Richard Nixon. Duh. I just now got that. How think am I? · Oct 8 at 3:23pm

    I thought you were trying to be French. Some sort of post-Cartesian statement mixed with a bit of Derrida.

    • #11
  12. Profile Photo Inactive
    @Pseudodionysius

    Some sort of post-Cartesian

    Post Cartesian Olympic joke: I sink, therefore I swim.

    • #12
  13. Profile Photo Member
    @

    With all due respect to Rob Long, I would never want to try to be French. A fool’s errand.

    • #13
  14. Profile Photo Member
    @
    ~Paules

    Craig McLaughlin: I just hit the link above of Richard Nixon walking on the beach. And it dawned on me: Richard Nixon is Jack Webb; Jack Webb is Richard Nixon. Duh. I just now got that. How think am I? · Oct 8 at 3:23pm

    I thought you were trying to be French. Some sort of post-Cartesian statement mixed with a bit of Derrida. · Oct 8 at 3:32pm

    Horace must go before Descartes. Derrida is right out.

    • #14
  15. Profile Photo Contributor
    @jameslileks

    Craig: I beg to differ. Jack Webb was not Richard Nixon. It’s hard to imagine this, but in the 50s Jack Webb was cool. He was the Man. For heaven’s sake, he was married to Julie London. I can’t imagine Nixon insisting Julie London lounge around the house in a respectable Republican cloth negligee.

    Friday turned into a humorless square by the time the TV show came around, but Webb was something else.

    JACKALB.jpg

    • #15
  16. Profile Photo Member
    @GeorgeSavage

    I give Rob Long credit for living up to his principles. Hollywood celebrities are always promising to up sticks and move to France until the political regime changes. Rob has actually gone and done it.

    The good news? I expect to see Rob back in California on November 3rd.

    • #16
  17. Profile Photo Inactive
    @ParisParamus

    Great analysis of the cluelessness of New York (and CA) voters.

    And who laughs like a goat (on the podcast)?

    • #17
  18. Profile Photo Member
    @
    James Lileks: Craig: I beg to differ. Jack Webb was not Richard Nixon. It’s hard to imagine this, but in the 50s Jack Webb was cool. He was the Man. For heaven’s sake, he was married to Julie London. I can’t imagine Nixon insisting Julie London lounge around the house in a respectable Republican cloth negligee.

    Friday turned into a humorless square by the time the TV show came around, but Webb was something else. · Oct 8 at 4:06pm

    I made the classic mistake of conflating the man with the character. Joe Friday was Richard Nixon. And oh. I always thought Jack Webb was cool. The D.I. is a favorite.

    • #18
  19. Profile Photo Podcaster
    @EJHill
    James Lileks: Craig: I beg to differ. Jack Webb was not Richard Nixon. It’s hard to imagine this, but in the 50s Jack Webb was cool.

    Jack was a big fan of jazz. He had a short-lived radio series called Pete Kelly’s Blues that he later turned into a feature film.

    Not only was he married to Julie London, they remained friends after their divorce and he hired her and her new husband, Bobby Troupe (composer of Route 66) for his drama, Emergency.

    • #19
  20. Profile Photo Member
    @
    EJHill

    James Lileks: Craig: I beg to differ. Jack Webb was not Richard Nixon. It’s hard to imagine this, but in the 50s Jack Webb was cool.

    Jack was a big fan of jazz. He had a short-lived radio series called Pete Kelly’s Blues that he later turned into a feature film.

    Not only was he married to Julie London, they remained friends after their divorce and he hired her and her new husband, Bobby Troupe (composer of Route 66) for his drama, Emergency. · Oct 8 at 4:24pm

    You’re not telling anything I didn’t already know.

    • #20
  21. Profile Photo Inactive
    @MichaelTee

    Do you pay royalties on those podcasts to the artists for the musical selections?

    • #21
  22. Profile Photo Member
    @
    James Lileks: Craig: I beg to differ. Jack Webb was not Richard Nixon. It’s hard to imagine this, but in the 50s Jack Webb was cool. He was the Man. For heaven’s sake, he was married to Julie London. I can’t imagine Nixon insisting Julie London lounge around the house in a respectable Republican cloth negligee.

    Friday turned into a humorless square by the time the TV show came around, but Webb was something else. · Oct 8 at 4:06pm

    So okay maybe its not so obvious, let me try to make my case. First, as a kid and as an adult Jack Webb was one of my heroes, liked him then, still do. Same with Nixon. He had his faults, no doubt, but he was not evil. And I read Witness. Joe Friday is Richard Nixon. Both big law and order types both big in the 50’s. Then they went away for awhile, but came back strong in the late 60’s. Both where so square Euclid would have laid awake nights trying to think of an elegant way to describe them mathematically.

    • #22
  23. Profile Photo Podcaster
    @EJHill
    Craig McLaughlin You’re not telling anything I didn’t already know. · Oct 8 at 4:28pm

    Yeah, but we’ve got to educate the kids…

    • #23
  24. Profile Photo Member
    @

    Continued: They dressed alike, they looked alike they talked alike, they believed the same things. If a guy can sell a book claiming that Evelyn Waugh and George Orwell were the same man, surely I can sell this notion.

    • #24
  25. Profile Photo Member
    @

    Telephone rings

    Peter Robinson:

    “Don’t answer! Don’t answer!”

    Mark Steyn::

    “Hello, Ricochet…”

    Caller:

    “Yeah, lemme speak to Rob Long.”

    Steyn:

    “I’m terribly sorry, but Rob is in Paris, clearing gypsies off the Champs-Elysees. Apparently the Roma have become quite a blight; entire arrondissements look like the Capitol Mall after an Obama event…

    Caller:

    “Well, I wanna know where he comes off calling my girlfriend, talking trash about Reinhold Niebuhr and his freaking Japanese toilet and hoses and stuff…”

    Steyn:

    “Niebuhr’s Japanese toilet?”

    Caller:

    “You just tell that Rob Long to keep his disgusting talk about hoses to himself…”

    Steyn:

    “Well, um, thank you for your call…”

    Peter:

    “No, no! Don’t touch that button…”

    Steyn:

    “Well, it seems we have another caller. Hello, Ricochet…”

    Caller:

    “Christine O’Donnell is a Muslim.”

    Steyn:

    “I thought she was a Wiccan.”

    Caller:

    “Total Muslim. I got pictures of her in one them, like trash-bag lookin’ dresses? Covers her head, but you can tell it’s her – those creepy sparkly eyes peekin’ out….”

    Steyn:

    “Well, that certainly would be a game-changer….”

    Caller:

    “Yeah. And you know what else? Michelle Bachmann…”

    Steyn:

    “Yes?”

    Caller:

    She’s a dude…”

    • #25
  26. Profile Photo Inactive
    @AaronMiller

    James, that was a great point you made about state-run crackhouses. But I’d say weaning Mark off “the stuff” he buys in his New Hampshire ghetto in a futile attempt to slur his words like a proper American is small potatoes at this juncture in the American experiment. Y’all have explained perfectly why the illegal marijuana trade will not disappear in California. Why go through all the red tape when your neighbor’s selling it cheaper, simpler and doesn’t check to see if your pipe is FDA approved?

    ParisParamus: Great analysis of the cluelessness of New York (and CA) voters.

    And who laughs like a goat (on the podcast)? · Oct 8 at 4:20pm

    That would be Jonah. I think that’s what’s called snickering.

    • #26
  27. Profile Photo Inactive
    @flownover

    Fargo this weekend. And that’s about

    2 million light years from Julie London

    • #27
  28. Profile Photo Inactive
    @flownover

    and who knows how far from the newest 70 yr old tomorrow ?

    scouser jenius gunkie

    • #28
  29. Profile Photo Inactive
    @flownover

    Elvis never had a son. Probably only John wanted to be ‘im.

    • #29
  30. Profile Photo Member
    @ScottR
    Aaron Miller:

    It sounds like y’all are suggesting that the superficiality of mainland Europeans is a cultural vacuum in which a strong ideology (good or bad) could quickly arise. Is that it?….

    I don’t know about you, Aaron (or anyone), but I detected a big shift in Steyn re Europe and its willingness to confront Islam.

    America Alone was filled with words like “ennui,” “torpor,” and “enervated” in describing the Continent. Not so in the Podcast. In AA Mark does indeed anticipate an eventual backlash, but of the too little too late kind– an embrace of an aging, feckless geezer-on-horseback like Le Pen, for example.

    Months ago on Ricochet James Poulos, as I recall, was making the point that the French are far more assertive culturally than Americans are aware, and that for this reason the inevitability of Eurabia is anything but. I was unconvinced back then, but now, happily–and especially after that podcast–I wonder if he’s exactly right.

    And I wonder if Steyn now suspects Europe is getting back its mojo, and whether he thinks there’s still time to paddle like heck and prevent the canoe from going over the falls.

    • #30
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