The Gimlet Eye

A WEEK after she delivered her lecture “The Artist as Citizen” to Harvard’s Kennedy School, the headline in People was unapologetic: “Lampoon her if you like, feisty Barbra Streisand draws rave reviews and a full house at Harvard.”

I know all about lampooning leftist movie stars. You can’t cover politics in Washington without bumping up against them, and I’ve so enjoyed the experience I’ve made it a hobby. The result is a satchel of memories with which I hope someday to dazzle my grandchildren, assuming my grandchildren will be dazzled that grandpa once got hugged by Jon Voigt. But that’s not all. Cher asked me my name during a press conference. Glenn Close once squeezed my hand. And, unforgettably, I spent 45 minutes—I mean, 45 minutes—listening to Susan Dey excoriate the Bush Administration for cutbacks in the HUD budget. I could have drowned in her eyes.

About the Author

Andrew Ferguson

Andrew Ferguson, a former columnist for NR, is a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.

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A WEEK after she delivered her lecture “The Artist as Citizen” to Harvard’s Kennedy School, the headline in People was unapologetic: “Lampoon her if you like, feisty Barbra Streisand draws rave reviews and a full house at Harvard.”

I know all about lampooning leftist movie stars. You can’t cover politics in Washington without bumping up against them, and I’ve so enjoyed the experience I’ve made it a hobby. The result is a satchel of memories with which I hope someday to dazzle my grandchildren, assuming my grandchildren will be dazzled that grandpa once got hugged by Jon Voigt. But that’s not all. Cher asked me my name during a press conference. Glenn Close once squeezed my hand. And, unforgettably, I spent 45 minutes—I mean, 45 minutes—listening to Susan Dey excoriate the Bush Administration for cutbacks in the HUD budget. I could have drowned in her eyes.