I loved this Joel Stein piece for the L.A. Times. Since it’s Joel Stein, much of it is obviously purposeful outrageousness, but I think there’s a core of truth: why must everything be interactive today? What great works of art or literature would have been improved by a link to reader/viewer comments at the bottom? “Why not just save a step and have them set up a folding table at a senior citizen center with a sign asking for complaints?” asks Joel.
Even more fun than the essay: the outrage from his disenfranchised readers here. A few seem miffed not by Joel’s manners, but at the rank injustice of it all: why should he have a column when I don’t? Surely in a democracy, I deserve the same forum he’s lucky enough to get! Short answer: no, Joel Stein didn’t get a newspaper column out of sheer luck. He got it because he’s funnier, more talented, and more popular than you. Any other questions?