New Haven may be the best place in the country to make a life while you make a living. There is , thankfully, no end to the plethora of social and educational stimuli. Some of it, of course, is expensive; so much of it is free and unobtainable anywhere else, thanks to the generosity of our “communiversity” friends! It is a pleasure to share the experiences of just this week to provoke those of similar persuasions and even the most limited discretionary time to avail themselves of our treasures.
On Tuesday, the Slifka Center hosted Dr. David Davis and Dr. David Blight (pictured above), two renowned scholars on the study of slavery, in an open dialogue. Dr. Davis latest book, Inhuman Bondage: The Rise and Fall of Slavery in the New World. He is a prolific scholar and called this work “an interlude” in the midst of completing a trilogy that may become the most complete body of knowledge in his field. He spent time discussing the relevance of values and morals as contributors to the demise of legalized slavery . His arguments were compelling. The audience was visibly integrated with community and academics in equal numbers.
From Food for Thought to Skin and Grin (what else is a Dish to do?), we traveled on to the Rusty Scupper, where Business After Hours had summoned about 150 folks. Acquaintances, both new and old, ate, drank and generally took advantage of the ambiance and congeniality provided by the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce.
If there were any professional or business groups that were unrepresented, I cannot think of them. The introductions and strengthened relationships that are afforded at those events are, as they say, “Priceless”!
Wednesday was off to work early enough to justify attendance at an informal offering, at Yale, primarily intended for students. It is not, however, restricted. Again, there was no charge (unless you count parking tickets!) Bob Harris was worth it!
Bob Harris is an L.A.-based writer who has worked successfully in a variety of media. He is the first college graduate in his Ohio working class family.
His current project is the just-released Prisoner of Trebekistan (Crown Publishing), a humorous tale of his 13 appearances on the quiz show Jeopardy!, during which he has blown opportunities to win over $3.1 million in various high-level tournaments.
Entertainment Weekly calls the book “a surprisingly touching memoir,” the New York Daily News calls it “entertaining even for non-Jeopardy! fans, and The Wall Street Journal calls the book “a rollicking ride of intellectual discovery and emotional growth,” adding that “unlike his buzzer skills, his comic timing never fails — it’s a pleasure to tag along.” Bob is currently promoting the book via radio, TV, and newspaper interviews nationwide, but took the time to have a “public conversation” with Harvey Goldblatt, the beloved master of Pierson College at Yale, for students and interested townies.
Bob has co-written several episodes of the hit TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and is currently providing original stories for Los Simuladores, a popular Mission: Impossible-style series in Spain, and a British documentary series called Mem>The Perfect Disasters. He has also appeared on camera as a frequently as a debunker of urban legends in the TLC cable series Mostly True Stories, worked as a technical adviser on strategy for the Travel Channel’s Million-Dollar Blackjack, and provided voiceover work for an episode of Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Bob’s numerous quiz show appearances (Jeopardy!, Greed, and Smush, plus a notable phone-a-friend assist on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire) have led not only to over $350,000 in total cash and prizes for Bob (plus another $250,000 for his Millionaire friend) but also expert commentator status for a series of upcoming Game Show Network documentaries produced by Asylum Entertainment.
Bob was a nationally-syndicated radio humorist from 1999 – 2002, launching one-minute tirades about each day’s news. Both the Los Angeles Press Club and the Associated Press honored Bob with various awards. He was a frequent contributor to National Lampoon during the tail end of its heyday in the late 1980s.
His anecdotes were charming. We learned that good stand-up comedy demands a bare minimum of words and elicits a laugh every six seconds. Although he attributes much of his success to the good fortune of serendipitous contacts with influential people, he is certain that their desire to assist him came from their reaction to his being a
really nice person. Sometimes, even the erudite have to be retaught the basics; Bob was convinced that his fortunes on quiz shows would have been amplified if he had a Yale education.
Thursday, the interested public was welcomed , by Yale, to a lecture by Dr. Irwin Cotler,
former minister of justice and attorney general of Canada; an internationally known human rights lawyer, he was counsel to Andrei Sakkharov and Nelson Mandela. He was in New Haven to gather with other alumni of the Yale Law School class of 1966, where he learned the skills necessary to pursue the passion instilled by his father from
the Torah: “Justice, justice shall you pursue”. Today, his main focus is on the preventions, prosecutions and partnerships essential to preventing genocide; he discussed his work with the International World Conference of Human Rights and the United Nations Human Rights International Laws and the resultant International Treaty that newly criminalizes incitement of genocidal racism and indifference to that crime. He used Rawanda and Darfur as examples of the global problem and pointed to differential and discriminatory treatment of Jews from the diaspora anti-semitism in host societies to collective racism, particularly against Israel. The government of Iran, the Hamas Covenant and Fatwahs were examples of institutionalized incitement to genocide.
Dr. Cotler was brilliant and passionate; he would have been willing to dialogue with the audience for hours, but for the fact that he had agreed to address a community group that evening. His hosts insisted that he take some nourishment en route. We left with the sincere prayers for his well being (and, thus, ours) and continued energy on
behalf of humanity and, of course, good wishes for some lighter moments for him at his reunion.
It was then time to escape harsh reality and travel one short block to the Yale Repertory Theatre for the monthly ArtSpot gathering. ArtSpot changes venues, but always provides a great setting, really good music, wonderful munchies from local restaurants and caterers, with beverages for a mere $10. That soiree now attracts people from Fairfield County and the greater New Haven area; co-sponsored by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and Yale University, it is meant to familiarize folks with the quality and variety that are offered in the “Cultural Capital of Connecticut”. They also had the opportunity to stay and see the highly acclaimed production of em>Eurydice. The audience was no less enthusiastic than The New York Times and local critics.
What a great place to Dish — ¬¶ — ¬¶and, of course, ALL FOR THE GREATER GOOD!