Groucho & Cavett

 “I’m not analytical,” Cavett says. “When people called me that awful name—the worst thing you can be called in television—an ‘intellectual,’ I cowered.”Photographs by Gillian Laub for The New Yorker

Two nights ago, my wife and I had the pleasure of watching Groucho & Cavett, a lesson in civility, humor and style as Grouchp's a gem for the ages and Cavett's connect to Groucho is priceless. The superb New Yorker interview titled Dick Cavett Takes a Few Questions adds to the magic without question.

People who misquote Groucho should— [Pauses.]

Should what?

Take a long walk on a short pier! I don’t know exactly what hearing he was at in the McCarthy days, but he ended by saying, “Those are my principles, and if you don’t like ’em . . . well, I have others.”