Jonathan writes:
I don’t know who should win. I just know that whomever does win will be formidable, and that I never know when to use “whomever.”
If pressed, I think it’ll be Dahl: Rosenberg will be like a lamb to the slaughter (for the second time, no less).
John follows up:
I’m applying the superposition principle. Dahl could give a great lecture on Rosenberg but not vice versa. So I’m with Buzzsaw Dahl.
And not a single argument in favor of Ethel. Kinda makes me wonder if Roald is casting a spell on all of us. If so, we’ll see how it works next round when he faces off against that nice guy, Henry Winkler.
Today’s matchup
The Thin White Duke vs. the proprietor of Southfork Ranch. Major Tom vs. Major Nelson. The Man Who Fell to Earth vs. an astronaut who hung out with Bob Newhart’s neighbor. Funny suit vs. cowboy hat. All these comparisons want me to invite both these guys to speak, but we only get to choose one. Who should it be?
Bowie.
Set aside the nigh-unparalleled musical genius, or the fact that he flitted from style to style, dispensing jewels like All The Young Dudes to others just for the sake of their own success and his own fandom (listening to him talk about others music, and the enthusiasm he has for it, would be a talk in and of itself).
Focus instead on his other artistic pursuits: actor on stage and screen, accomplished painter, art collector. I’d pay just to hear him talk about his pioneering of celebrity bonds (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celebrity_bond), or his development of his own ISP in the nineties!
He’s also just *interesting* in interviews, always either gently taking the piss (in the most amusing of manners) or fully engaged (think his going on MTV in 1983 and calling out the channel for not featuring enough Black artists, and not accepting the horseshit response). His seminar would most definitely not traffic in pablum.
Perhaps the best reason is: there is no doubt the man would *bring it*. His elaborate attention to sets, lighting, and stage presence sets him apart from almost every single other person in the bracket. How many of the others would have been able to keep their illness a complete secret, let alone time their final work to drop two days before they died?!
I vote Larry. Maybe he could finally tell us who *really* shot JR. Of course, some people claim that Kristin did it, and then the whole affair was hushed up due to an affair, but some of us see more clearly. David Bowie has no secrets to tell me.
Hagman is number for people known for their initials, but I don’t know him at all! Maybe he’s better known in the US…
Regardless, that makes me want to get to know him, so a seminar would be great way to do so. Specially if we can get lunch afterwards, the norm in econ seminars (I’m assuming this argument qualifies me to take part).
In addition to their better-known contributions to popular culture, Bowie was an actor and Hagman recorded music. Here is Hagman’s 1980 single (the first verse should be enough, be easy on yourself):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PppbDkDQM2U
I wouldn’t mind listening to Bowie talk about acting…
This raises my assessment of Hagman. But: Does it sound good in Portuguese?
Larry Hagman’s mother was a much better performer than Bowie’s mother. Much better.
Other than that, I got nothing. And that really doesn’t seem like quite enough.
Bowie – he never spilled the tea on him and Mick, could be our last chance. Many tasteful photographs of him smoking a cigarette.
Not Larry Hagman – his excessive zealotry over not smoking is deeply un-American, possibly communist-inspired, and frankly it comes off as a bit homophobic.
I feel a professional obligation to support the anti-tobacco guy. The fact that he never asked Barbara Eden the obvious question does require further explanation.
Berlin vs. Dallas… I take Berlin.
But only if you take Manhattan first. And that is a big problem here.
Bowie had many more interesting personalities than Hagman, who is principal known for JR (ironically the title of William Gaddis’s major work on the US financial system and well worth reading today). I already know who shot JR so I’m not much interested in hearing Hagman speak (though he might provide some interesting tidbits about Jeannie. Bowie all the way.