Chapter 03 of 5
The Dick Cavett Incident
The televised insult that turned a private grudge into a public spectacle.
- Cultural Shift
Literary Prime Time
In 1979, authors were celebrities. The Dick Cavett Show was the premier stage for intellectuals to spar before a national audience.
- The Guest
McCarthy Takes the Stage
Mary McCarthy, known as the 'Dark Lady of American Letters,' appeared to promote her new book, 'Cannibals and Missionaries.'
- The Prompt
Cavett's Casual Query
Host Dick Cavett asked McCarthy to name some contemporary writers she considered 'overrated' or dishonest.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
Which specific parts of speech did McCarthy include in her famous insult to emphasize Hellman's total dishonesty?
✒️ The Ink-Stained Feud of the Century
- 01Partisans and ProseThe mid-century literary scene where aesthetic and political lines were drawn.
- 02The Art of the MemoirHow Hellman’s 'Pentimento' sparked a debate over truth versus creative license.
- 03The Dick Cavett IncidentThe televised insult that turned a private grudge into a public spectacle.
- 04Libel and the LexiconThe $2.5 million lawsuit that put the definition of 'truth' on trial.
- 05The Unfinished ChapterHow the feud ended in a stalemate and reshaped the ethics of life writing.