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…
Tag: Obituary
Chef Bill Granger dies and leaves behind an inadvertent legacy – the avocado toast meme
On Christmas Day 2023, world-renowned Australian chef and restaurateur Bill Granger died at 54. Granger owned and operated 19 restaurants across Australia, the U.K., Japan and South Korea. He authored 14 cookbooks,…
How the Unabomber’s unique linguistic fingerprints led to his capture
Can the language someone uses be as unique as their fingerprints? As I describe in my forthcoming book, “Linguistic Fingerprints: How Language Creates and Reveals Identity,” that was true in the case…
Chef Bill Granger’s inadvertent legacy – the avocado toast meme
On Christmas Day 2023, world-renowned Australian chef and restaurateur Bill Granger died at 54. Granger owned and operated 19 restaurants across Australia, the U.K., Japan and South Korea. He authored 14 cookbooks,…
Astrud Gilberto spread bossa nova to a welcoming world – but got little love back in Brazil
Astrud Gilberto didn’t set out to be an ambassador of bossa nova, the laid-back Brazilian musical genre with rhythms recognizable to music lovers around the world. According to Gilberto, who died on…
Norman Lear’s ’70s TV comedies brought people together to confront issues in a way Gen Z would appreciate
Even Americans who strongly disagree with each other may find common ground when they watch the same TV shows and movies, especially those that make us laugh or cry. Norman Lear, who…
Harry Belafonte leveraged stardom for social change, his powerful voice always singing a song for justice
In May 1963, as civil rights demonstrations rocked the city of Birmingham, Alabama, Harry Belafonte was at a cocktail party in Manhattan, scolding the then-attorney general of the United States. “You may…
the timeless visionary who, with a nod to America’s musical heritage, embraced the future
In the history of American popular music, there have been few luminaries as enduring and innovative as Tony Bennett. With a career that spanned almost 80 years, Bennett’s smooth tones, unique phrasing…
The beautiful pessimism at the heart of Jimmy Buffett’s music
With the death of Jimmy Buffett, the feathers of his loyal network of fans – affectionately known as Parrot Heads – collectively drooped. Over the course of his career, Buffett earned their…
Louise Glück honed her poetic voice across a lifetime to speak to us from beyond the grave
When asked what her response was to being awarded the Nobel Prize in literature in 2020, Louise Glück replied that she was “completely flabbergasted.” She said she had thought it “extremely unlikely…