NOW | A Tribute To Kurt Vonnegut | PBS


As a tribute to Kurt Vonnegut, the literary icon who passed away April 11, 2007, NOW proudly shares one of his last broadcast television interviews. On our October 7, 2005 program, NOW Host David Brancaccio interviews Vonnegut about his life and the current state of American democracy. With his classic wit, the legendary author of CAT'S CRADLE and SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE delivers some choice words for our parties, our system, and our president.For more information about this episode of NOW, and to see the *entire* interview visit http://... . To find out when NOW airs on PBS in your area, check local listings or http://... http:..www.pbs.org/now







Channel: News
Uploaded: April 14, 2007 at 1:30 am
Author: PBS

Length: 00:09:16
Rating: 4.96
Views: 78153

Tags: NOW Books Literature Kurt Brancaccio PBS Vonnegut

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Video Comments:
BRIANisBALLIN (November 28, 2008 at 8:24 am)
i hope i'm competent at 80
wayward4now (November 26, 2008 at 4:37 am)
His genius was that he never pretended to be one. I've read almost all of his books, and he made the point that being genius left you open to being blindsided by the everyday parts of life. He celebrated life while acknowledging that living could be like being the bearing in a pinball machine. From pillar to post to the flipper again. That is true, according to how I see things. He merely acknowledged that we are not always in control and there are times all you can do is to try to survive.
EnnuiKen (November 20, 2008 at 7:35 am)
I also find it hilarious to see all of these "free thinkers" hero worshiping Vonnegut as though he were intellectually flawless. He was bright, sure, but can't we appreciate intelligence without constantly referring to someone who possesses his fair share of it as a genius? On the other hand, expecting wisdom on YouTube is like jumping off the Chrysler Building and hoping to live.
EnnuiKen (November 20, 2008 at 7:19 am)
I'd also like to say that I don't judge him as being a bad person for being miserable. I'm not trying to make light of his personal problems, I'm merely saying that trying to substantiate Vonnegut as someone who was ultimately life affirming is ridiculous. His outlook as far as I understand it was that the human condition is a series of bizarre and tragic collisions in space and time. This appealed to me as a 17 year old who also favored Camus, but no longer.

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