RIP Army Archerd
I've taken great hubris in being annoyed with the RIP fellatio this year. If people honored this individuals half as much in life as they have in death...
But recently, thanks to The AV Club, I've heard about a man I wish I knew of sooner, and that I wish Perez Hilton (another "gossip columnist") could've gone in his place instead.
From The AV Club:
RIP Army Archerd
Hard to believe now that any schmuck with a Powerbook, a few sarcastic quips in his arsenal, and a handiness with Google Image search can call himself a “gossip columnist,” but once upon a time the showbiz industry was prowled not by bottom-feeding blogs but genial, genuinely awed folks like Army Archerd. An entertainment reporter who got his start with the Associated Press before becoming a staple at Variety, where he penned the “Just For Variety” column, a breezy rundown of industry news, amusing celebrity anecdotes, and exclusive reports from film sets and awards shows that ran for more than 50 years before ending its run in 2005. Unlike most entertainment writers (yours truly included), Archerd prided himself on being a gentleman, avoiding negativity, and rarely weighing in on hot-button issues. And when he did, it was a big deal, such as when he stood up for Rock Hudson while sensitively revealing that he was being treated for AIDS, or when he chastised Charlton Heston (repeatedly) for his NRA grandstanding, or when he-a staunch opponent of McCarthyism at a time when every other Hollywood reporter was running splashy “Red Menace” exposés-stuck to his guns and wrote about his distaste for Elia Kazan receiving an honorary Oscar in 1999. And when Army Archerd was mad at you, even the biggest stars listened-such as when Archerd, a longtime advocate for Jewish causes, called out Michael Jackson for his infamous “Jew me / Sue me” lyric, and the singer called him a few days later to tell him personally that he would change the song.
More than just a writer, Archerd was a star himself, an institution of red carpet premières outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theater (where his name can be found on the Walk Of Fame), and a friendly face to some of Hollywood’s biggest names from the respective eras of Judy Garland to Elizabeth Taylor to Tom Cruise. But Archerd always remained a humble, egalitarian sort, epitomized by his co-creation of the People’s Choice Awards, his general aw-shucks demeanor, and his diligent reporting-which was always strenuously fact-checked and accurate, despite Archerd relying almost solely on a system of memorization and an ancient, swelling Rolodex. Only a few years into his retirement, Archerd died this week at the age of 87. Obviously, Variety has the best take on Archerd’s life and career, a fascinating read full of way more details than we can possibly convey here.
But recently, thanks to The AV Club, I've heard about a man I wish I knew of sooner, and that I wish Perez Hilton (another "gossip columnist") could've gone in his place instead.
From The AV Club:
RIP Army Archerd
Hard to believe now that any schmuck with a Powerbook, a few sarcastic quips in his arsenal, and a handiness with Google Image search can call himself a “gossip columnist,” but once upon a time the showbiz industry was prowled not by bottom-feeding blogs but genial, genuinely awed folks like Army Archerd. An entertainment reporter who got his start with the Associated Press before becoming a staple at Variety, where he penned the “Just For Variety” column, a breezy rundown of industry news, amusing celebrity anecdotes, and exclusive reports from film sets and awards shows that ran for more than 50 years before ending its run in 2005. Unlike most entertainment writers (yours truly included), Archerd prided himself on being a gentleman, avoiding negativity, and rarely weighing in on hot-button issues. And when he did, it was a big deal, such as when he stood up for Rock Hudson while sensitively revealing that he was being treated for AIDS, or when he chastised Charlton Heston (repeatedly) for his NRA grandstanding, or when he-a staunch opponent of McCarthyism at a time when every other Hollywood reporter was running splashy “Red Menace” exposés-stuck to his guns and wrote about his distaste for Elia Kazan receiving an honorary Oscar in 1999. And when Army Archerd was mad at you, even the biggest stars listened-such as when Archerd, a longtime advocate for Jewish causes, called out Michael Jackson for his infamous “Jew me / Sue me” lyric, and the singer called him a few days later to tell him personally that he would change the song.
More than just a writer, Archerd was a star himself, an institution of red carpet premières outside of Grauman’s Chinese Theater (where his name can be found on the Walk Of Fame), and a friendly face to some of Hollywood’s biggest names from the respective eras of Judy Garland to Elizabeth Taylor to Tom Cruise. But Archerd always remained a humble, egalitarian sort, epitomized by his co-creation of the People’s Choice Awards, his general aw-shucks demeanor, and his diligent reporting-which was always strenuously fact-checked and accurate, despite Archerd relying almost solely on a system of memorization and an ancient, swelling Rolodex. Only a few years into his retirement, Archerd died this week at the age of 87. Obviously, Variety has the best take on Archerd’s life and career, a fascinating read full of way more details than we can possibly convey here.