If it were not for you, Rick, I would never have seen Ferrell and his
landlord.

I blame you for fact that I've now seen it!

Yours sincerely,
Arianne Laidlaw


On Tue, Oct 22, 2013 at 5:15 PM, Rick Talbot <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Our friend Kent has asked, " Why is it that the prize has never been
> awarded
> to anyone known primarily for writing?"
>
> The "impact" of the awardees on our society is significantly affected by
> whether they're in town or not. (sigh) Read on.
>
> The event is a significant fundraiser to benefit the Kennedy Center. It was
> the brainchild of wonderful people. Peter Kaminsky and all of his excellent
> work aside, the prize is just that. It's a prize. I saw an A&E (?)
> presentation on the MARK TWAIN PRIZE where the "awarders" sat at a round
> table discussing the potential "awardees." And what was discussed?
> Literature, society, culture, values? Naw, that wasn't discussed much.
> Turns
> out that a lot of this "selection process" is clap trap. Very
> disappointing.
> Who is MOST popular? Who is MOST recognized? Who is NOT in drug rehab this
> week? Who is busy making his next blockbuster file and CAN'T make it to the
> award Ceremony this year?
>
> It has nothing to do with Mark Twain or the preservation and propagation of
> what his work still means. It's a prize given out to funny people. And
> maybe
> that's a good thing.
>
> As an elected official I tell you with all sad sincerity that the old maxim
> is unfortunately true: "Sausage and Politics. You really don't want to know
> what goes into either one of them." And so it is for THE MARK TWAIN
> "PRIZE."
>
> Haven't we all wondered how Yasser Arafat could receive the Nobel Peace
> Prize?
>
> And since you asked what is Will Ferrell's impact on American society? I
> ask
> you, Didn't you see that hilarious 5-minute video he made where his
> landlady
> was a drunken five-year-old toddler? Must you REALLY ask how he and Mark
> Twain should not stand as equals or at least one in the other's shadow?
>
> And who is this Vonnegut guy you mentioned? Has he been in anything I might
> have seen? The Big Bang Theory maybe?
>
> Signed, A well-Informed American
>
> Richard Talbot
> 1531 West Idaho Avenue
> Falcon Heights, MN 55108-2118
> (651) 646-6624
> (651) 280 8734
> [log in to unmask]
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kent
> Rasmussen
> Sent: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 4:03 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: This year's Mark Twain Prize for Humor
>
> According to the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize web page, the "Prize
> recognizes people who have had an impact on American society in ways simi=
> lar
> to the distinguished 19th century novelist and essayist best known as Mar=
> k
> Twain." If that is the case, why is it that the prize has never been awar=
> ded
> to anyone known primarily for writing?=20
>
> So long as the prize helps keep Mark Twain's name before the public, I
> suppose it is for the good However, I'd feel a lot better about it if it =
> had
> at least been offered to Kurt Vonnegut. (Does anyone know if it was?)
>
> Kent Rasmussen
>
> P.S. While Googling to see if I could find an answer to my question about=
>
> Vonnegut, I found a page hypothesizing that he is the reincarnation of Ma=
> rk
> Twain! I don't believe in reincarnation, but if it really happens, that
> hypothesis is certainly intriguing.
>
> http://www.iisis.net/index.php?page=3Dmark-twain-kurt-vonnegut-reincarnat=
> ion-past-life-lives-kevin-ryerson-walter-semkiw&hl=3Den_US
>
> P.P.S. Can someone explain to me in what ways Will Ferrell's impact on
> American society has been similar to that of Mark Twain?
>



-- 
Arianne Laidlaw A '58