Morning … no, afternoon. And the phone kept ringing loudly. It was July now, and I was sleeping on my stomach, dressed in boxer shorts and nothing more. The window fan kept rattling, streaming heat onto loose sheets that had … Read More
Author Archives: Bob Hill
Houdini the Calypsonian on War Songs (1939)
“That night, in a tent, I had a war with some old Calypsonians. A tent is a bamboo shack with a palm roof. The Calypsonians sing in them during carnival and charge admission. A war is where three Calypsonians stand … Read More
An Alphabetical List of the 63 Most Embarrassing Things I’ve Done as a Result of My Drinking
Accused my father of saying something hurtful that he’d never said Agreed to a foursome that led to a couple’s divorce Agreed to meet a girl’s parents for the first time while on a 30-hr. bender Allowed a prostitute to … Read More
Moving On: The Tadpole & The Scorpion
“I’m pregnant,” Laurie told me. We were standing along the east wall of the Fairview. It was a Thursday after 2 AM. There were people brushing past on either side. “I was going to have it aborted, but it’s already … Read More
Pablo Picasso on Painting (1949)
“Painting is freedom. If you jump, you might fall on the wrong side of the rope. But if you’re not willing to take the risk of breaking your neck, what good is it? You don’t jump at all.You have to … Read More
The Curious Case of Jacob B. Gyllenhaal
“For me when I read the script there was a lot about Los Angeles, particularly the topography of Los Angeles was fascinating, even in the screenplay. And the idea that at night these creatures come out, specifically, the creatures of … Read More
Upon the 10th Anniversary of ‘Batman Begins’
I went to see Batman Begins alone in an empty theater that had a max cap of fewer than 300 seats. I knew nothing about movies and even less about directors. I made no connection between Christopher Nolan and the … Read More
Jiro Ono on Developing a Palate (2011)
“In order to make delicious food, you must eat delicious food. The quality of ingredients is important, but you need to develop a palate capable of discerning good and bad. Without good taste you cannot make good food. If your … Read More
Galleria: ‘Sinatra: An American Icon’ @ The New York Public Library for The Performing Arts
How hot is Frank Sinatra? White hot, assuming America’s zeitgeist is to be believed. In addition to rumors that Martin Scorsese will direct a feature-length biopic about Sinatra, Alex Gibney recently assembled a two-part, four-hour HBO documentary about the singer. … Read More
Black Lives, Gray Matters (New York Stands With Baltimore)
Click through for full-image gallery. … Read More