Entertainment
Bob Newhart was more than an actor or comedian – he was a literary master
Bob Newhart, initially a stand-up comic, used literary techniques in his routines, earning the Mark Twain Prize. His one-sided conversations engaged and entertained audiences.
Mark Canada, Indiana University Kokomo
If you knew Bob Newhart only as an actor – most notably as the star of the legendary “Bob Newhart Show” but also in a minor though memorable role in the movie “Elf” – you may not have thought of him as a literary figure.
However, Newhart, who died on July 18, 2024, at the age of 94, began his rise to stardom as a stand-up comic, crafting and delivering such brilliant monologues as “Driving Instructor” and “Bus Drivers School.” In those bits, he demonstrated a mastery of diction, dialect, character and dialogue worthy of the title “literary master.”
In my view, there is perhaps no more fitting recipient of the Mark Twain Prize than Newhart, who received it in 2002.
As a literary scholar, I typically study traditional poetry and fiction by canonical authors such as Twain and Edgar Allan Poe. But the mastery of language and character is not the sole possession of poets and novelists. Newhart demonstrated that stand-up comedy could also be an art form. https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KSUSk2-JXc?wmode=transparent&start=0 Bob Newhart accepts the Mark Twain Prize in 2002.
‘The old humble bit’
One of his masterpieces is his “Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue” stand-up routine, built around a quirky but timely premise.
Having witnessed the rise of advertising and public relations in the 1950s and 1960s, Newhart imagined a scenario from an earlier age. What if, he asked, there had been no real man with the mind and stature of Abraham Lincoln during America’s Civil War?
The advertising industry, he goes on to say, “would have had to create a Lincoln.” He then performs a one-sided imaginary telephone conversation between a press agent and someone employed to play the part of this manufactured Lincoln – introducing it with a line that would become iconic for Newhart, saying the conversation would have gone “something like this.”
The “something” that ensues is a tightly crafted, six-minute routine worthy of the term “poem.” Indeed, Newhart deployed some of the same literary devices wielded by previous masters such as Twain and Alexander Pope.
Like Twain, Newhart had a marvelous ear for dialect and seasoned his monologue with little bits of slang and jargon to capture the breezy speech of a stereotypical press agent.
“Hi, Abe, sweetheart, how are you, kid?” he begins. “How’s Gettysburg?”
Delivered quickly and offhandedly, the lines, like so much of Newhart’s stand-up work, are subtle, but effective – dead on without being too on the nose. Throughout the bit, he deploys similar little touches of diction – as when the agent refers to “Four score and seven,” the famous first words of the Gettysburg Address, as a “grabber.”
Herein lies another, even more effective, source of humor. Lincoln’s opening is famously lyrical and formal, the epitome of elocutionary eloquence, and the agent has reduced it to a “grabber.” This kind of deflation echoes an old satirical genre known as the “mock-epic.” As practiced by the Enlightment-era English poet, translator and satirist Alexander Pope and others, it draws its humor from the contrast between the sublime and the mundane or even ridiculous.
Newhart returns to the device when he has the agent try to explain to the made-up Abe the logic behind the line “The world will little note, nor long remember.”
Lincoln’s original line is graceful, alliterative and nearly perfectly iambic – an oratory gem if there ever was one – but, for the agent, it’s simply “the old humble bit.” https://www.youtube.com/embed/HTG3glnwoKE?wmode=transparent&start=0 Bob Newhart performs ‘Abe Lincoln vs. Madison Avenue.’
Character is key
Master writers of humor or, for that matter, fiction in general, will tell you that character is key. Get the characters right, and humor – or drama – will follow.
With more of his delightfully subtle touches, Newhart paints a hilarious picture of the naive bumbler the agency has to craft into a Lincoln. Again, as is often the case with humor, irony helps to achieve the desired effect – in this case, humor.
Lincoln was an eloquent, noble figure. He was larger than life – and certainly larger than this dimwit, who doesn’t even get the joke when one of the agency’s “gag writers” supposedly dashes off a line on Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.
The agent shares it with the fake Abe, saying, “They got a beautiful squelch on Grant. The next time they bug ya about Grant’s drinkin’ … you tell ’em you’re gonna find out what brand he drinks and send a case of it to all your other generals.”
After a short pause, the agent says, with Newhart’s famous stammer, “Uh, no, no, it’s, it’s like, like the brand, uh, was the reason he won.” Finally, after another short pause, the exasperated agent snaps, “… use it, it’s funny.” https://www.youtube.com/embed/XaUYQZR-y7I?wmode=transparent&start=0 Bob Newhart performs ‘Driving Instructor.’
Give the audience credit
This last “exchange” demonstrates the most ingenious aspect of Newhart’s humor: his signature one-sided conversation, which he also used to hilarious effect in “Driving Instructor” and other routines.
Now you know why the opening sequence of “The Bob Newhart Show” has Newhart answering a phone – an homage to his then-famous stand-up gag.
We never hear the voice of “Abe” but rather hear only the agent’s side of the conversation. It might seem like a minor detail, but this artifice means that we as the audience have to play an active role in the comedy. We hear the agent’s side and have to imagine what he is hearing. Sometimes the agent repeats what he supposedly hears, but, in this instance, when the agent is trying to explain the punchline of the Grant joke, the burden is on us.
Here again Newhart was employing an old device. In a dramatic monologue such as Robert Browning’s serious poem “My Last Duchess,” the poet leaves out key details, forcing us to detect them and complete the only partially told story.
The device is especially effective in comedy because, as Newhart knew on some level, we all like to feel smart. By putting us in the position of filling in the blanks in the conversation, Newhart gives us the opportunity to feel a little extra satisfaction and to create some of the humor ourselves by crafting our own sense of the rube on the other side of the conversation.
It was the master stroke for a master craftsman. With this brilliant touch, Newhart turned us all into comedians.
Mark Canada, Chancellor and Professor of English, Indiana University Kokomo, Indiana University Kokomo
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Remembering Anne Burrell: Celebrity Chef Found Dead at 55 in Brooklyn Home
Celebrity chef Anne Burrell was found dead in her Brooklyn home at age 55. Cause of death is pending autopsy, police confirm.
Image Credit: Rebecca Jo Washington
The culinary world is reeling from the sudden and tragic loss of beloved chef and television personality Anne Burrell, who was found dead in her Brooklyn, New York, home on the morning of Tuesday, June 17. She was 55 years old.
According to a statement from the New York City Police Department, officers from the 76th Precinct responded around 7:50 a.m. to a report of “an unconscious and unresponsive 55-year-old female.” Emergency medical services arrived shortly after and pronounced her dead at the scene. While police did not formally release her name pending family notification, public records and the address provided in the police statement confirm that the residence belongs to Burrell.
A cause of death has not yet been determined. The city’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to clarify the circumstances surrounding her passing.
Burrell’s representatives confirmed the heartbreaking news in a release obtained by People magazine, marking a devastating moment for fans, friends, and fellow chefs who admired her bold personality, bright red hair, and fierce culinary skills.
Best known for her work on Food Network shows like Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Worst Cooks in America, and Iron Chef America, Burrell was a standout in the food television landscape. A classically trained chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, she blended expertise with an infectious enthusiasm that made her a favorite among viewers and a mentor to many aspiring cooks.
Tributes from across the food and entertainment communities have begun pouring in as the industry mourns the loss of one of its brightest and most unique stars. More details are expected in the coming days as the investigation continues and the autopsy results are released.
Anne Burrell’s legacy will live on through the meals she inspired, the careers she helped shape, and the joy she brought to countless kitchens around the world.
Related Links:
People: Anne Burrell Found ‘Unconscious and Unresponsive,’ Pronounced Dead at Scene: Police
USA Today: Anne Burrell, chef and Food Network star, dies at 55
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comic con
The Best of Phoenix Fan Fusion 2025
Phoenix Fan Fusion 2025 brought epic panels, record crowds, and a few hiccups—here are the best and worst moments from this year’s event.
Phoenix Fan Fusion
👥 Record-Breaking Attendance
This year saw a staggering 130,145 attendees—a new high for the event . That massive turnout speaks volumes about the guest lineup, community spirit, and post-pandemic resurgence.
Legendary Panels & Guest Moments
- The Lord of the Rings crew—Sean Astin, Elijah Wood, Dominic Monaghan, and Billy Boyd—dazzled with hilarious anecdotes and audience games .
- Simon Pegg delivered a masterclass in storytelling, offering behind‑the‑scenes glimpses into franchises like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible.
- Anthony Daniels (C‑3PO) meandered through the crowd answering fan questions, bringing warmth and surprise to his panel .
Community-Led Panels Shine
Fan-run sessions like the raucous Jar-Jarpardy (a Stars Wars–themed trivia panel) won praise for creativity and laughs .
The Not-So-Great
⏰ Panel Time Chaos
Hayden Christensen’s much-anticipated Q&A started an hour late. While some panels remained on schedule, this one left attendees waiting negatively .
🚶♂️ Overcrowded Vendor Hall
The surge in attendance made vendor aisles nearly impassable at peak times—great for sales, tough on foot traffic .
👮♀️ Security Tightening & Restrictions
Enhanced security measures limited cosplay props and banned food/drink items. The 18+ late-night parties, now with stricter checks, were less freewheeling and more controlled .
Mixed Bag Moments
Hayden Christensen Mania
Christensen’s debut appearance in Phoenix was a huge draw. But the set-up—separate ticketing, line-clearing between panels, and delays—created a mixed fan experience .
Heavy Panels Hit a Somber Note
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, present only on Friday, steered his panel toward serious topics like AI’s impact on film and personal reflections—a shift in tone after more light-hearted sessions .
Final Thoughts
Phoenix Fan Fusion 2025 soared to new heights with record attendance, crowd-pleasing celebrity panels, and electrifying fan energy. But with that growth came growing pains—long waits, tight crowds, and tighter rules.
Final Grade:
Experience & guests: A+ Operations & logistics: B‑ Overall vibe: A
If history holds, 2026 will bring refinements—better crowd control, smoother scheduling, and more fan-focused fun. Until then, here’s to the highs, the quirks, and the memories made under the Phoenix convention center lights!
Related Links:
The GEEKiary: https://thegeekiary.com/phoenix-fan-fusion-2025-the-mostly-good-but-sometimes-bad/
Phoenix New Times: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/phoenix-fan-fusion-2025-best-and-worst-moments-21916657?
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🚤 Smooth Sailing: The Rise, Fall, and Revival of Yacht Rock
Once a satirical nickname, Yacht Rock has become a beloved music genre—smooth, soulful, and the ultimate sonic escape of the late ’70s and early ’80s.
🕶️ What Is Yacht Rock?
Yacht Rock is the name retroactively given to a style of soft rock music that flourished in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Think laid-back melodies, studio-perfected harmonies, jazzy chord progressions, and lyrics that floated between romance, heartbreak, and seaside escapism.
Artists like Christopher Cross, Michael McDonald, Kenny Loggins, Toto, and Steely Dan became the genre’s unofficial captains. Their hits—“Sailing,” “What a Fool Believes,” “Africa,” and others—embodied a certain Southern California polish: adult contemporary music for the convertible set, preferably with a sea breeze and a chilled glass of Chardonnay.
But make no mistake: Yacht Rock wasn’t really a thing people talked about back then. It wasn’t even a genre anyone had a name for.
🎬 Where Did the Name Come From?
The term “Yacht Rock” was coined in 2005 by a group of comedians—JD Ryznar, David Lyons, Hunter Stair, and Steve Huey—who created a satirical web series called Yacht Rock on the comedy site Channel 101. The series hilariously dramatized the imagined rivalries, collaborations, and personalities behind the music. Picture Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins brooding over chord changes like they’re crafting Shakespearean drama.
The creators gave this ultra-smooth genre its cheeky nautical name to match the music’s glossy, seafaring vibes. Though it started as a joke, the name stuck. Soon, music fans, critics, and streaming services began to adopt “Yacht Rock” as a legitimate genre tag.
🌴 Why Yacht Rock Still Floats
What started as satire has turned into a full-blown revival. In the last decade, Yacht Rock has enjoyed an unexpected renaissance. There’s now a dedicated SiriusXM channel (Yacht Rock Radio), countless curated playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, and even cover bands like Yächtley Crëw and The Docksiders who tour across the country in full captain’s regalia.
Part of the genre’s appeal is its sincerity. Yacht Rock isn’t ironic at heart—it’s smooth, soulful, and meticulously crafted. At a time when everything feels fast and disposable, these songs are timeless in their warmth and musical precision. You don’t have to own a yacht to enjoy it. You just have to feel like you do.
🛥️ Who’s On the Yacht? (Starter Playlist)
If you’re just climbing aboard, here are a few essential tracks to get your sea legs:
- Christopher Cross – “Sailing”
- Toto – “Africa”
- Michael McDonald – “I Keep Forgettin’”
- Kenny Loggins – “This Is It”
- Steely Dan – “Peg”
- Boz Scaggs – “Lowdown”
- Ambrosia – “Biggest Part of Me”
- Player – “Baby Come Back”
- Little River Band – “Reminiscing”
- Rupert Holmes – “Escape (The Piña Colada Song)”
🧭 Final Thoughts
Yacht Rock may have been born from parody, but it endures because of how good it feels to listen to. It’s smooth. It’s nostalgic. It’s a little glamorous and a little goofy—and that’s part of the charm. Whether you’re behind the wheel or daydreaming of open water from your living room, Yacht Rock is the ultimate sonic escape.
So go ahead—pour a drink, put on some shades, and let the smooth tunes carry you away. No actual yacht required.
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