With the fore-mentioned humor post about disliking humor, let me bring up Mr. James Lileks.
He had a little web page once apon a time called “the gallery of regrettable food.” It was kinda funny. He basically made fun of old pictures from 60’s – 70’s cookbooks. It was cute. He had a nice retro-design style, and I chuckled at his turn of phrase. He’s a decent writer.
Then he had to start adding content and started getting mean. He started showing serious perspective problems with his critique of the culinary and matters of taste. It was no longer fun spirited humor. It turned into mean-spirited, mock-an-aesthetic humor. His turn of phrase and humor could not hide his sadness or depression. He ceased to be funny (for me).
I just started to dislike the guy after really digging him. I stopped reading him sometime in 2000 I think, or maybe earlier. This was when the gallery of regrettable food had just started to reach into making fun of 60’s design because… um… because it was 60’s design, I guess. His aesthetics became concrete.
When the book came out,
So what do I find out today looking on a blog type aggregator? (yes I was perusing right-wing aggregator sites swimming the forbidden warm waters of schadenfreude.) lileks.com blog. Surely, not the same James Lileks? Yes. Surely.
He’s a wacko right-wing crazy loon. INSANE single-minded cannot-face-reality loon. I’m talking Orson Scott Card nuts.
Trust yet gut. I can’t stand James Lileks AND he’s a worthless fool. The concrete aesthetics just falls into place. He’s an authoritarian. No wonder.
We actually own his book, but I’m thinking we should sell it. Now that I am a connoisseur (and have a staggering collection) of those cookbooks, I hardly need it.
Plus having made a few recipes from them (mmmmm Peanut Butter Muffins) and watching Iron Chef made me think about the 60’s palette as not gross but foreign. Just like I’m not keen on squid intestines but those Japanese judges are MAD for it, I’m not keep in aspic but they seemed to like it then. It’s taken a turn for the xenophobic.
They do need to lay off the lettuce in jello, though.
he’s a worthless ree-publickkin asswipe with a very good eye for kitsch. he always tears me because i do not like his writing or thinking or just being. but i do love his photos of ancient fargo and minneapolis (my stomping grounds) and his great old newspaper ads.
yerk.
I’m with ya. Though I do occasionaly like his turn-of-phrase. What he needs is a Dominatrix Democrat Editor wife to beat him into submission. You just know he’s a Sub. They all are.
Lileks writes hideous drivel. i want someone to toss him off Mount Doom into the fires of Mordor !