Norman Mailer Talks With Charlie Rose

[millerlois23]

mailer is a worthless hack

see Amis in The Moronic Inferno tear him a new one. it's hilarious. the guy's writing is worthless simply on the basis that he's completely deranged.

[millerlois23]

worthless flaked out hack

held a theory for almost 30 years that the CIA killed JFK

then when he was up for a felony attempted murder charge for stabbing his wife, he gets a movie done about his crime, and mysteriously avoids prison

and naturally does a 180 on his theory on JFK and comes out as an "expert" to say Oswald committed the crime.

geez, it's so hard to figure out what's going on!.

[chikanwan]

Can an American viewer / listener please tell me whether Mailer's accent is particular to or representative of a specific part of America?

[orange9016]

@chikanwan You might say that Mailer has a New York accent, however this term is very overused, and there is really no such thing as a singular New York accent. Two people growing up next to each other in NY may have totally different accents based on their ethnicity, people they associate with, education and even their personality. If I had to label this accent, I would say it is a well-to-do Jewish New Yorker but it is his attitude and arrogance that distinguishes his accent,

[xtrmsprts]

Mailer's a funny guy , cute one

[dovestones]

Which book are they discussing?

[mikedd56]

Norman Mailer got convicted murderer Jack Abbot released from prison b/c he thought Abbott was such a 'talented writer.' 6 weeks later Abbot stabbed some1 to death. Mailer was hardly sorry & yrs later tried to get another killer released. What is wrong with liberals. As a judge I seriously would charge Mailer as accomplice to murder b/c he deserves it & to set an example to other liberals b/c similar incidents have happened numerous times. Peace loving liberals, they're just morons

[Ahabite]

@mikedd56 So every liberal is slandered with Mailer because of a mistake that he made? Even those liberals who would've disagreed with Mailer and agreed with you? I think we can all safely say that you will never be a judge anywhere, except perhaps a wet t-shirt contest in some beer-swilling burg where cozying up to your sister on cool autumn nights is the norm. I will not however trash other conservatives because of your obvious lack of education & intellect.

[mikedd56]

@Ahabite

Drunken redneck idiot, how original & I suppose its ok for u to make broad generalizations but not me. Besides all I really meant was only a liberal would behave this way. Just like only a liberal would scream Bush is a Nazi but have nice things to say about Fidel Castro, yea I'm a moron for laughing at liberals who defend so many murderers. How bout if u were decider of Mailer's fate, would u punish him esp. if u knew he would go on to try & get a cop killer released.

[MrJoshuaGrierson]

well said stephentyler1

[KenoisRob]

Mailer is right here. This was one of his major novels. He was able to flesh out his religious and philosophical ideas that kind of came out in "Gospel According to the Son" and "Ancient Evenings" and finally make them flourish. While I can not say I am a fan of a lot that Mailer wrote in his last 30 years, he was right--this was a home run of a novel.

[MrJmantegna]

Norman Mailer was a true American Icon, It is time that this generation know.... who is norman mailer the american ...was

there is a great new movie ! with amazing interviews of family and friends and of course norman.

[janelasdedeus]

I was a great fan once... and read countless of his works... but many decades later all I can recall is "Armies of the Night," "Miami and Siege of Chicago," and "The Prisoner of Sex." I therefore conclude that he was an extremely entertaining and clever commentator on the times he lived in... but entirely forgetable as a novelist.

[ILukeLarkin]

@janelasdedeus Yeah i'm digging that comment. i love how its told thru the music BK Love

[iggypopbowie77]

@janelasdedeus

Many decades?What,10,12, or 15?

[mjborbely]

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[mjborbely]

@mjborbely  Add to Facebook Jim Borbely

[onnion63]

What an ugly dude. Sounds like he was ugly on the inside too.

[NidisListenstoShit]

@onnion63 Fuck you too.

[M3town3]

@NidisListenstoShit fuckllicfwhat? Brian Wilson is the most intresting interview that ever was on charlie rose!

[7beers]

*NOBODY* comes close to Charlie Rose in terms of asking the right questions and eliciting a good interview.

*NOBODY* comes close to Norman Mailer in terms of sheer pomposity.

No, I take that back. Ayn Rand and Barack Obama immediately come to mind. And there are probably countless others, actually.

[Conail23]

some ppl say this man is brilliant, but i always note how his arrogance comes across so clearly that he reminds me of a young child....

[NESherv]

Remember when Dick Cavett kicked his ass... intellectually?

[lenal1l]

when did that happen? sounds interesting.

[NESherv]

Look up "dick cavett norman mailer" on YouTube.

[7beers]

Yes -- it's on youtube.

[Eladas334]

Norman Mailer wrote some quite short books, some of his best, in fact. An American Dream and The Fight are two of my four favourite Mailer works (the other two being The Naked and the Dead and The Executioner's Song).

[myshinywagon]

I remember back in the 50's when Mailer and Leonard Cohen were beatniks who read Alan Ginsberg poetry. Wonder if Norman is still proficient on the bongos?? hahaha....

[NinjaSperm]

After taking units in stylistics and discourse analysis, I can now appreciate and understand what Michiko Kakutani stands for.

[117matrix]

la berdad zto0 apezta

[runeguldberg]

Quite innocent writing fault. I express my self in Norwegian style sentences. I seldom correct when i have the letters wrong. Wast of time. Math is my thing. This is the true language of nature. Many god math people is lost for science because they dont have top grade in language. No one should learn me how to express my self. Speaking and writing is for me like walking. Stupid for anyone to tell me how to walk. In some circles this is more important. How many language do you practice then?

[machinesbreathe]

My apologies. I was rude, and entirely out of line to say what I had; Not to mention, disrespectful.

My actions were petty and crass, and I hope that you may be able to look past this indiscretion.

[runeguldberg]

Mailer narrowly escaped jail after stabbing his second wife Adele Morales at a party in New York in 1960. She refused to press charges and he was given a suspended sentence after doctors said he was suffering "from acute paranoid breakdown with delusional thinking.

[runeguldberg]

1939 studying for a aeronautical engineer. First attemt to be something he is not.

[runeguldberg]

Homosexual womenhater and womenstabber. Surounded himself with women because they were a part of his projection. Al that macho talk. He wasnt able to kiill a chicken. Hated women because he envied their vaginas. Used his mouth as a vagina compensation. He got no spine. All the cartilage ended in those monkey ears.

[Luka1990Croat]

But he's a good writer.

[daleroes]

Michiko Kakutani is awesome. People don't like her because she's the kid who points out that the emperor has no clothes. That is a wonderful attribute for a critic to have in an era of overblown literary reputations -- an era that we may be thankfully now leaving.

[Hapworth1924]

fuck Michiko Kakutani!!! Mailer rules...

[glen1ster]

If Rip had really wanted to win the fight with the hammer, Norman wouldn't have been around to chew anything. P.S.: Maidstone got 5 1/2 stars at IMDB.

[zigzagbigbag]

I wish he'd talked about that jerk off Rip Torn. I feel Mailer won that fight. He got hit in the head 3 times with a hammer and still got the better of that dick head Torn.

[DAreturner]

I recommend his book the spooky art; thought's on writing. Brilliant man/writer, RIP! A very sensitive man.(as many good writers are)

[EdgarDirby]

You know, if Charlie thought the interview should go another way he coulda always whacked Norman in the head with a hammer.

[myassishaunted]

it may-be because i'm super tired, but i giggled my ass off when i read that.

[tefisher1984]

Remembering Norman Mailer 1 year after his death.

[tuskilan]

I am reading his long time ago book named advertisement of myself.

his bookes are just fine.

[stephentyler1]

Mailer died the proverbial prophet unhonoured in his own country, but there is consolation in that with every week the contrast between Mailer's greatness and his various detractors' smallness becomes increasingly apparent. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his opinions, he was undoubtedly a courageous, forthright and independent thinker, and his books -the best of which are among the best in American literature- will continue to enrich our understanding of the last 50 years.

[kramerbozco]

@stephentyler1

Please take your pretentiousness elsewhere.

[rickvaughn]

@stephentyler1 "The modernist thirst for originality makes the mediocre artist believe that the secret of originality consists simply in being different." - Nicolas Gomez Davila...sums up Mailer to perfection

[JMotnger]

That is the best interview I have seen of this author. I believe I tried to even read it, instead of books about him.

[LeonidasIII300]

I love how all these youtube no-body's trash Mailer..., alright, o.k., you vented your little voices on the only insipid platform your little voices will ever be heard...now shut the fuck up OR create something equal to Mailer or better. No? That's right. Because your mediocre idiots!

[cynicallytested]

correction, (*you're) mediocre idiots. other than that valid point all around.

[kajakjohan]

No matter if Mailer was a doubtable person or not he still was an amazing writer. His associations and language were very colorful and original

[PorkenStuff]

Can't say I agree with everything he says, and yes, he had a few lose screws. But at least he stood up for his opinions.

[normaseattle]

Question: who will be reading this guy's work in one hundred years? Answer: the same people who think Jim Morrison was a great philosopher and Jack Kerouac a great novelist (ie no educated person).

[humpalot0180]

thats true, and for my lit class, i had to read his book, why are we in vietnam? it was the worst book i have ever read, but the way he makes his characters seem real through the dialogue. his narratives may not be super spectacular, his characterization is phenomenal.

[exobeat]

I thought "The Quick and the Dead" was excellent. I guess I'm not educated... sob sob ...

[cvjucla3]

Question: is norma an idiot?

Answer: an emphatic yes!

[normaseattle]

He was an egotistical pervert. He stabbed his wife and later was instrumental in freeing a psychopath who murdered a waiter and ended up back in prison. If you want to read the work of a great novelist, read "Great Expectations" or "The Great Gatsby" and forget this perv.

[ussmontpelier]

Cloptea is an idiot, to come on here and talk shit right after someone dies...and sympathetics who say he was a pain in the ass--in this day and age of conformist culture, corporate control and in worsening conditions, we need more colorful, free spirited, smart and f'n cool shit talkers! People like this don't come around too often...r.i.p. Norman Mailer!

[hartart56]

Yeah, I'm not going to miss Gore a bit.

[cloptea]

Susan Sontag,Noeman Mailer,Gore Vidal

two down,one to go

[blatspanner]

charming

[hartart56]

Too bad he's dead. He was a pain a some times but he came up with some strange and beautiful ideas once in a while. For instance: have kids joust in the projects. It's nice and violent but they must care for their horses to compete. That would have been interesting to play out.

[karsten19]

Mailer is a lightning rod. The best part about him is how he pisses people off, but he felt strongly about his beliefs, even if they were skewed at times, but at least he stood up for himself.

[Alfrunk]

Yeah a typo - that's a real good one. Idiot.

[kolst8406]

I agree. The scariest thing in the world is mindless obedience.

[joebstewart]

Too bad there is nothing on YouTube of Mailer on the Dick Cavett back in the 1960s. He said to Cavett, "Do you have your questions written down on that little card?" Cavett replied with something like,"How would you like if I took this little card and stuck in you where the sun don't shine?" Also remember Bob Dylan wrote somewhere that he thought Hank Williams is more important that Norman Mailer. I liked Mailer. R.I.P. Norman

[rigarick]

Feminists are dancing in the streets!!

[Alfrunk]

Another poop-obsessed jew gone. Anerica is that much better off w/o him.

[NormanMailersGhost]

Thats nice...NOT!

[blatspanner]

poop-obssessed jew?are jews traditionally poop-obssessed?

[whitey5600]

lol

[GwionBach]

Good riddance. America loses another crazy moonbat from the 1960s. Can't wait til they're all gone.

[brabon]

when you die....no one will give a flying fuck

but i will

cuz i will find your grave, dig up your corpse and shit down your dead skull

wingnuts have destroyed my country

[Alfrunk]

stfu you liberal idiot - libs are the ones obsessed with tearing down western civilization - have fun running on the al qaida bill of rights and socialized medicine.

[NormanMailersGhost]

You can't fool us you are really Sean Hanity.

[NormanMailersGhost]

Thats so sweet you must be a Christian.

Mailer first and most famous book was

written in 1948.

[castingtherunes]

"Coulda been a sailor, coulda been a whaler. He turned out to be Norman Mailer." - Gwar

[NormanMailersGhost]

You should be in show biz...NOT!

[carrowcannon]

I am a feminist but still loved Mailer.He wrote such wonderful prose, was so wise, so willing to put himself on the line. Fame, insecurity, alcohol and perhaps over indulgence by the New York intelligentia caused him to fall apart in the late fifties.But behind it all was a brave man trying to make sense of America and his place in it at the mid century. A true American chronicler, a kind of seer.Goodnight Norman, tip a wink to Marilyn if you see her. She's sure to adore you, fatherless child.

[rigarick]

No more Norman!!...I admired Mailer's bravado in the face of critics and logic. "Damn the Torpedoes" He'd take on any subject. I found that refreshing, living in times with mountainous piles PC bullshit everywhere.

With his insecurities and heavy drinking; it's surprising he died of natural causes.

He was dead on with his opinion of feminists, the essence of which is....thier attitudes suck the love,life,romance and pure lust out of relationships. RIP Norman.

[anonysquirrel]

Norman Mailer was a literary influence in my life as a writer. God rest your soul, Norman.

[oldsteinar]

God rest your soul. You were very creative and very talented. God loves you and has taken you home. I respect your work, Norman.  Grandpa Clarence Jones

[squidaudio]

Thanks for your military service Norman. He was a cook. Did he ever write a cookbook?

[TreydarLove]

RIP

[IngoForrest]

Norman Mailer - The literary Frank Sinatra.

[ottoskidoo]

nice.

[ElFrankus]

Hey, rigarick, try to guess who is this:

Outside of being daddy`s boy, W´s life has been a continuous series of drunken arguments/brawls and all sorts of fuckups. --´Till he got elected! Get real!

see? hehehe

"I´m basically a media creation"  -George w. Bush-

[GFY1954]

Mailer rocks!!

[rix66]

mailer is a complete piece of shit. always has been, always will be. a big windbag. transparent. worthless.

[craigenputtock]

His most notable achievement in the end is the advocation of setting free a sociopath and killer. Good writing? Yes, in parts, by spurts. But there is still something shifty about him to my mind. He reminds me of the fox in The Polity of Beasts. A little too smooth when he's in front of an audience!

[clerihew85]

Mailer didn't set Abbott free. He supported his attempts to get parole, yes, but so did a number of other literary and cultural figures. Mailer has since expressed regret over his involvement in and behavior during the affair.

[clerihew85]

It's highly unfair to lay the senseless and unpredictable actions of Abbott at Mailer's feet. Abbott had only killed once - another inmate, in self defense - before his run-in with Adan. He was originally jailed for mere forgery. There was no indication that he was psychopathic when Mailer advocated for his release.

[rigarick]

You are wrong!

Mailer was the driving force in Abbotts release from prison. Mailers egocenticity in thinking that just because Abbott showed a flair for writing, somehow trumped all else in this persons behavioral background, led to a senseless death by a sociopath.

[clerihew85]

I don't think "egocentricity" is the correct word. "Naivete" would be more apropos.

Again, it is unfair to blame Mailer for Adan's death. Blame Abbott.

[hartart5646382]

What about stabbing his wife? Who's to blame for that? I liked his writing years ago but he can be such a nag about a lot of old ideas that don't work. His finger is off the pulse of America and his navel gazing is pretty boring.

[clerihew85]

What does stabbing his wife have to do with this discussion? Of course Mailer's solely to blame there, but we were talking about the Abbott affair. Totally different incidents.

I agree with you that his recent work has been uneven, to put it kindly.

[hartart5646382]

The original question was whether Mailer should be president or not. I pointed out two reasons why he was less than qualified-- The Abbott incident and the wife stabbing. Everyone addressed the Abbott issue but no one wanted to touch the stabbing—perhaps because there isn't much wiggle room there for the defense.

[rigarick]

For you to better understand, let me rephrase it.

"Mailers illusions of grandeur, as a writer, created an egocentric state of mind in which he incorrectly rationalized

that since Abbott had the makings of a great writer, he must therefore be good and noble....and FREE!!

Check into the relation of Abbott/Mailer again. I think you'll see that my point is valid.

Have a nice day!

[rigarick]

clerihew85: See comment below.

[rix66]

you're dead-on, bro. if you want a good laugh, read TOM WOLFE's essay, MY THREE STOOGES in his book HOOKING UP. it is hysterical.

[natc83]

just a writer?

[hartart5646382]

I don't know if you want ol' Norm in the white house--he did stab his wife and is responsible for setting a murder loose to kill again.

[ramstation]

an amazing writer

its a shame that a person like norman is just a writer and a person like george is president

[DangerousBastard]

Ha, well said! Funny old world we live in...

[rigarick]

WTF is wrong with you? Outside of being a good writer. Mailers life has been a continuous series of drunken arguments/brawls and all sorts of fuckups. Get real!

[runemartinguldberg]

So he should be a presidential writer. ???