Not only are most of our citizens fathomlessly ignorant of the glories of American literature, a fast-growing percentage of our students are no longer taught much about any works of American art, be they novels, paintings, symphonies or ballets.

If you're looking for light entertainment, you can't get much lighter than 'Bye Bye Birdie,' a flyweight farce about the coming of rock n' roll to small-town America.

I feel quite confident that audiences on both sides of the Atlantic are growing 'dumber,' if what you really mean to say is 'less culturally literate.'

I became a professional musician and played all kinds of music. I played bluegrass, I played classical music, and for many years, I played jazz.

I love the Internet, and I love wasting time on the Internet - even though it sometimes ends up being not being a waste of time.

Technology, outsourcing, a growing temp staffing industry, productivity efficiencies, have all replaced the middle class.

My whole career is just terror, from beginning to end. That's kind of my thing. A lot of happy accidents happened.

I've been in government and politics my entire career, and while I try to keep a level head and a reasonable tone in my commentary, even I can lose my head sometimes and let anger bubble over and burst out. It feels gross, looks ugly, and leaves a lasting mark.