Live Q&As

Oh, I watch a bit of TV, I do. . . Missed that, I'm afraid, though I'll catch up with them at the Olympics. (Googling informs me that that cute Australian from '04, Ian "the Thorpedo" Thorpe, will not be back this year, alas. Best nickname ever.)

Thanks. Yesterday, I asked a colleague how many books he thinks she will sell: not many, he guessed, but we could be wrong. We'll check back in a few weeks and let you know.

Oh, glad you appreciated. I didn't actually see him, but a couple readers emailed to say he was looking messed up. He's looking better now, I take it?

NBC-4 weatherman Doug Kammerer's busted face explained, 6/18/12

That is a tremendous compliment -- though let it be noted, Ephron's great gift including taking some pretty sad stuff and making it more fun. My favorite quote was upon her divorce from Carl Bernstein:  “Although it was the most awful thing I’ve ever been through . . . it was by far the most interesting.”

Oh, is that why they broke up? Too bad, because otherwise, such a healthy relationship.

I really appreciate that. Especially since this turned out not to be the 45-minute skim but a four or five-hour read. Rielle has a LOT to say. Could have used an editor.

You can (and should!) say it all you want. But don't try to put it on a t-shirt and sell it -- he's reserving that privilege for himself.

You've raised some interesting points -- although, in Jenny's defense, she was spurred on by less-famous advocates who shared her views. One thing we really try to do when writing the Celebvocates feature is remind people that celebrities have no special expertise -- they just get attention because they are famous. Every once in a while, one of their reps will call and get huffy because we focused on the star instead of their cause. I always answer that if we were writing about the cause, I'd be interviewing professionals who spend 24-7 researching the subject, not someone from Hollywood who takes up the issue.

Holds up well, doesn't it? The only problem with the movie is that it created its own cliche: It created the new template for romantic comedies, imitated by so many other filmmakers (including Ephron herself) that the feeling has become a little stale, through no fault of its own.

I have a feeling women all over America are taping their favorite Ephron quote on their computers today.

"50 Shades" has---from all reports---lots of fringe/interesting sex. Hunter's book has none. So I don't think the two are connected, unless there's a chapter on not messing up your hair during sex.

If you read a lot of obituaries, you'll notice that it's not uncommon to have someone other than a family member handle the announcement. You don't always see that attribution placed in stories -- but I think writers might be more inclined to provide that extra bit of information in cases where there is murkiness about what's happened. (And, in fact, yesterday afternoon, there was much confusion as to whether Ephron was dead or alive, after her friend Liz Smith prematurely published a tribute, before she had actually passed away.)

No, but did you see there's Broadway musical in the works based on their songs? The "Mama Mia" people are involved, so if it even gets a fraction of that crowd, they'll have enough money without ever stepping on a stage themselves.

Keep working at it! Very proud of that neologism of mine, and glad to see that the Chronicle of Philanthropy acknowledges it. It's a start.

They typically give out copies of author's book appearing on the show. Yesterday's audience just got the short straw. 

Nothing wrong with a call from a flack letting you know that a celeb's coming to town for a cause. Someone's got to get the word out. It's not like we've got a tracking device on Michael Bolton.

Hmmm. That's a hard one. They might be even, now.

You're on your own for the middle three weeks of August.

Probably, but---I beg you---wait a year. If you still think it's a good idea, wait another year. Rinse, repeat.

Well, since "Say Yes to the Dress" is the infomercial wing of the wedding industrial complex, you'll be waiting forever.

It's been a remarkable two and a half weeks, hasn't it?

I believe she really, really wanted to get HER side of the story out, and that it was timed for after the trial, regardless of outcome.

You think she was the one who broke things off?

Hahahaha.

I can sing exactly one line of a Spice Girls song. But what do I know? I though I would hate "Mama Mia," but was surprised to discover I knew a lot more of ABBA's songs than I realized.

Georgetown was always smart, but not always witty. She might have found it a tad boring.

Sigh. And then other readers complain when we don't have *enough* news about D.C. socialites. Basically, it's a big column, with lots of different kinds of news for lots of different kinds of people -- if you're not interested in one thing, skip and move to the next. . . Ashley has been a recurring character in our column over the years. Granted, there was a lot more interest in her when she was engaged to the late Joe Robert (yes, the multi-millionaire three decades her senior), but because of that, a lot of readers are going to be interested in how it worked out for her in the long run.  (Ashley Taylor weds, 6/24/12)

He's been filming a movie in small-town North Carolina, maybe just wanted to get away for the weekend. I think he's no longer with Jade Duell, his high-security-clearance Beltway babymama, but you know, he never tells me anything. . .

My impression, based on previous news reports, is that Rielle pretty much does what she wants and is not entirely motivated by money---although I'm sure that has played into what she says and when. So I believe that Edwards could throw millions at her and she'd still talk because she wants the world to know that she's not the bad guy here. And -- even if there are some restrictions on what she can disclose as part of a child support agreement -- I doubt the court can effectively put a permanent gag order on her talking about her own life.

Proud to say we wrote about her early on, when she first came to D.C. as CourtTV's Washington bureau chief. (It really tells you something when CourtTV opens a bureau in your town.) She's one of the really nice people, too.

Savannah Guthrie reportedly set as Ann Curry’s replacement on NBC’s ‘Today’ show

On the flip side, there are celebrities who draw much-needed attention to important issues and causes. This is why you should never make a decision based on what celebrities say, but do your own research. 

Newly married, running the foundation named for her mother. They officially live here, but she was clearly spending a lot of time in North Carolina during her dad's trial.

Who's next? That's what we want to know.

Mary Cheney and Heather Poe stay quiet on marriage; What GOP gay weddings to look for next?, 6/25/12

I think that's an overly-sympathetic way to present straight-up philandering.

Let's stipulate that no one in this story is a saint. But I do think that trashing Elizabeth is in bad form -- not because she's dead, but because Quinn has a relationship with John's other children and trashing their mother in public is unnecessary and hurtful.

YES! I think I need to write my next doctoral dissertation on this topic.

It HAS to be campy. That's the only way it can work.

Good thing they're not Democrats.

Because that would require a sense of humor.

I think the reporter didn't know that -- and, you know, even if Bryce Harper weren't Mormon, there'd be no PR upside for this underage athlete to boast about what kind of booze he's going to drink once he's outside his home country. HAVING SAID THAT, there's no such thing as a dumb question, especially one that triggers an answer that gets 678,000 page views.

Not a clue. One-day pass makes sense, but he can afford a year-long membership.

It is a tragedy.

I think I'll call him tomorrow and demand an answer, like, right when the health-care opinion is coming out.

Overwhelming can't-fight-it love + plus John's mean wife = not her fault  that they had an affair.

I hear you. That is tough. I really felt for the guy when Rielle was begging him to go into couples counseling and he was all feet-dragging with the old "maybe, if I don't get indicted" line.

Okay, my other other favorite part of Rielle Hunter's book? This quote:

“The problem with our relationship is pretty obvious: someone who is living a life devoted to spiritual truth is probably not going to be the best mistress. ... I never read any mistress handbooks, and therefore didn’t realize how important it is ... to keep your mouth shut!”

Right? See, they just never let Teddy win.

Time for a sequel?

You're welcome.

I assumed the same about Larry Hagman, and still do, in fact. No original parts left, that's for sure.

News you can use.

Ugh.

I see why you're upset. But I don't think she's going to stop talking, so the only way to counter her exposure is to ask respected experts to respond to her. 

There is a high-camp element to all of this, isn't there?

But I've warned you people already: There's basically no sex in it. I think you're going to want some sexy sex for your $24.95 beach hardback, right?

Is that a zoom lens, or are you just happen to see me?

Rielle writes in her book that, during her stint as the Edwards campaign videographer, she briefly met Cate, and Cate told her dad that she thought Rielle was "cool." Or so Rielle says, or so John Edwards told Rielle. 

Ah, families. Especially political families. So much attention, so much presenting the "perfect" version. All families have secrets, but most don't live them out in public.

She's timely this week: On the cover of Playboy, her first "nude pictorial" in a decade.

Funny, I was watching the same thing last night. "17th and Vermont," were it to exist, would put you somewhere in the middle of the White House's West Wing.

I suspect part of this was due to her wise, saintlike reputation before all this came out, and Elizabeth's own role in covering up the affair while John was running for president. She wasn't perfect AND that lack of perfection does not justify anything John and Rielle did. Two separate issues.

Yeah, honestly, I thought it was a fairly meaningless bit of intel for her to include in the book, frankly.

"William Henry Harrison, Zombie President." Why don't you go draw up a graphic novel on that concept -- my gift to you -- and then sell it as a movie.

Face it, not a lot of book deals for members of the The Misunderstood Mistress Club. Rielle got lucky, so to speak.  

I wish this software allowed the two of you to discuss this without me mediating. Interesting debate, I just got nothing to add.

Fair point.

Yeah, and guys NEVER take their shirts off in the summer. Prudes.

Oh, I thought that was pretty well played, actually. What would be better? Dating yet another young actor/model is so cliched, and the Olsen Twins are always on to the next next thing.

Oh, yeah. One of the funniest divorce movies ever. 

He can absolutely dance---the movie is based on his past life as a male stripper.

Listen, I've got my hands full trying to develop both "William Henry Harrison, Zombie President," and that reality show where Joe Biden and Jim Vance surprise unsuspecting homeowners by laying sod in their back yards -- you want to take this one?

Word. I move that if July 4 falls on a Wednesday, then the entire week has to be a federal holiday.

Don't spill you popcorn.

I watched about 10 minutes of it last night and found it fairly tedious, so . . . . yes?

Is this your way of kicking me out? You should have said something.

Well, she had the vice-rector on her side, too, remember.  And just enough board members. . .

As a seeker of truth, she owes us the full story.

I saw that term for the first time that week.

Yes.

Ooops---you're right, if we're not counting any political movies.

That's got to be an Onion headline, yes?

One person's tacky is another's guilty pleasure. Cie la vie.

Oh, I think it was just a provocative question, one that she wasn't whole-heartedly championing herself but knew readers would want to debate and discuss and disagree with, which is all a columnist can hope for. . . . . What struck me about it is the premise of "why is this such a big story?" -- a surprising question I've heard from other people. In any other part of the country, there'd be no confusion about why the firing of the president of the flagship university is a big deal; of course it's a compelling story. But in a place as transient as Washington, where you have a lot of people Not From Here, there is a bit of a disconnect.

History is full of typos.

I only saw the second half of the interview but it was epic television, completely electric, and I plan to go back and watch it online.

It lingered on the best seller list for a number of weeks, actually.

Luke, sigh. He got a little jowly, didn't he?

No, no, no, that's what we're here for. It's on the list. Just not very high up.

Oh, go to The Palm and Cafe Milano. Straight-up D.C. cliche. I can't guarantee you'll see anyone, but it's your best shot. You'll at least see people who look famous.

You mean, the "I'll show them" response? That's kind of pitiful in its own way. I'm sure Sullivan must have heard just the right words from the board members proving that the really regretted their decision and really wanted her back. Honestly, why wouldn't she go back? The way things unfolded, she'll have the upper hand for a long time.

Yes! I took it upon myself to highlight my favorite quotes from the Ephron obituary this morning, and one of them was about how she figures JFK didn't hit on her because, among other reasons, he "somehow sensed that discretion was not my middle name.”

That's the question, isn't it? I wonder if she even wants a second term at this point.

Hard to say. Apples and oranges, probably. Social media, etc., really caught fire with the Sullivan matter, but I don't know that it made a huge difference. Maybe. I don't know.

That's a tough one, and something I agonize over quite a bit. Mobile technology, of course, has made it possible to pull up someone's IMDB page and remind yourself of the projects of theirs you have seen. I suppose one could always just say, "Oh, you're the actor Bryan Cranston," and then segue immediately into fellow-commuter small talk. Or, I guess, recognize the fact that you don't actually have anything to say to Bryan Cranston, and leave it be.

I'm going to delegate you to get some kind of social-media petition going on that, okay? I'm sort of tied up. Thanks in advance!

"Tawdry yet classy" is a phrase that's going to stay with me.

Good ideas. Currently, though, a "long wait" on "Heartburn" via Netflix.

Ah, good question. I bought it.

Oh, you're terrible.

Yes, by law.

I was wondering if that professor will come back. . .

Well, it definitely will be interesting to see how this all works out in coming months. . .

Lots of chatter about this! I should get Petula to write a column on it.

He's been spending a fair amount of time in a wheelchair the past couple years.

De gustibus non est disputandum.

On that note, we'll wrap it up for today. Behave yourself, chatters, or you might end up in a book about your not-so-perfect life. Send your tips and sightings to reliablesource@washpost.com. Stay cool---we'll miss the chat next week butbe back in two.