Impromptus

Good times, bad times, &c.

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Taylor Swift poses on the red carpet as she attends the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, Calif., February 4, 2024. (Mario Anzuoni / Reuters)
On Taylor Swift, Bush the Elder, the GOP, China, India, Japan, Ohio, and more

I am writing a few hours before the Super Bowl. Who won? The Chiefs or the 49ers? I don’t have a great rooting interest — though I do admire the Chiefs’ coach, Andy Reid, muchly.

He won my heart in 2019, when, after a rough and ugly win, he told his team, “Hey, not all of Mozart’s paintings were perfect. The end result, though: That sucker’s gonna sell for a million dollars!”

As I commented, that line was worthy of Dan Jenkins — something he could have cooked up for one of his delectable sports novels.

But back to the Super Bowl (sort of). All of a sudden, Taylor Swift is a hate-figure for the American Right, or some of it. She is the new Emmanuel Goldstein on the block — along with her boyfriend, Travis Kelce. They seem to have replaced Barbie & Ken. And Harry & Meghan. And Bud Light?


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For anyone who may be shielded from our culture, Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in America — the current Elvis — and Travis Kelce is a player on the Chiefs. They seem happy together. They seem to have a lot of fun.

What is the rap against them? As I understand it, one or both of them advocated vaccination during a pandemic, and one or both of them voted for Biden. Also, they are a CIA plot or something.

In a tweet, I took note of Taylor’s status as a bogeyman. Dominic Green, the historian and journalist, had an interesting response: “She’s talented, successful, and happy.” Yes, that is unforgivable, for some.

I thought of something that George Bush said — George Bush the Elder. On the right today, few would consider him a conservative. But he was considered a conservative in his time, certainly by the Left, which painted him as a right-wing monster.

Someone asked Bush, “Why are you a conservative?” He answered as follows (and I paraphrase): “Well, for one thing, I don’t lie awake at night, tossing and turning, worrying that someone, somewhere, is having a good time.”

I loved that answer. And it said something about our politics — the Left–Right division — in those days.

• Online, some people have said, “The Left may have Taylor Swift, but we [the Right] have Kid Rock!” I adapt a classic line from a movie: You’re gonna need a bigger boat.

• Congressman Mike Gallagher (R., Wis.) has announced that he will not seek reelection. (He is in his late thirties.) He was one of the few non-Trump Republicans on the Hill. You would not need more than a hand and a half to count them. I thought that Ben Smith had an interesting comment. He is the editor-in-chief of Semafor, a news site. He said, “Interacting with Gallagher’s committee was like dealing with the government of a different, more functional, country.”

• When I listened to James Lankford, I thought I was listening to someone from a different planet. I could not for the life of me figure out how he got into the U.S. Senate. I wonder whether he can remain there for long. I know that his fellow Republicans in his home state of Oklahoma are already gunning for him.

Listen to this exotic creature — an actual legislator:

Do you know where power lies on the right today? Lankford will give you a clue:

• Far more typical of politicians today — more typical than Lankford — is Nancy Mace, a congresswoman (Republican) from South Carolina. Beautiful woman, outwardly. But listen to her.

Politics does not have to be dishonorable. I wish young people could know that. I wouldn’t blame them if they didn’t.

• A name to know is that of Yang Hengjun. An article from the Sydney Morning Herald begins,

Australia and China’s push to stabilise relations after years of turmoil has been shattered by the shock suspended death sentence handed to Australian academic Yang Hengjun after five years of being held on vague espionage charges.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has vowed to pursue every possible avenue to secure a more lenient sentence for the father of two after the pro-democracy writer was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a Chinese court.

The severity of the decision stunned Australian diplomats and Yang’s relatives, who say they fear he will die in prison as his health is declining.

Bill Browder — the leader of the campaign for Magnitsky acts — had an apt comment: “These are barbarians.” Yes, the Chinese authorities are barbaric, and murderous, and inhuman.

• Another name to know is that of the Reverend Patrick Mahoney. I so appreciated his stand — a literal stand:

• A long time ago, I learned the phrase “ethnocentrism.” It was a sin — a sin to be ethnocentric. Well, I am a sinner. Actually, I am more a universalist, on a great many things. You can call me culturally insensitive. And I will plead guilty — and innocent at the same time.

The headline reads, “Crowds in India’s northeast cheer bird and buffalo fights, back after 9-year ban.” The article makes for interesting reading. I think the ban was right and the lifting of it wrong.

And if that makes me guilty of cultural insensitivity — well . . .

(The writing of Clifford Geertz on Javanese cockfighting is marvelous, yes — I grant you. Even canonical, in anthropology.)

(You will remember General Sir Charles James Napier. In India, he was told that the burning of widows was customary. He replied that, in his country, Britain, the hanging of burners of widows was customary.)

• Another interesting news story is headed “Ukrainian-born Miss Japan rekindles an old question: What does it mean to be Japanese?” I would like to quote from the article at length. My reaction to it may surprise some readers (given what I have said, and long said, about universalism, etc.).

Crowned Miss Japan this week, Ukrainian-born Carolina Shiino cried with joy, thankful for the recognition of her identity as Japanese. But her Caucasian look rekindled an old question in a country where many people value homogeneity and conformity: What does it mean to be Japanese?

Shiino has lived in Japan since moving here at age 5 and became a naturalized citizen in 2022. Now 26, she works as a model and says she has as strong a sense of Japanese identity as anyone else, despite her non-Japanese look.

“It really is like a dream,” Shiino said in fluent Japanese in her tearful acceptance speech Monday. “I’ve faced a racial barrier. Even though I’m Japanese, there have been times when I was not accepted. I’m full of gratitude today that I have been accepted as Japanese.”

“I hope to contribute to building a society that respects diversity and is not judgmental about how people look,” Shiino said.

But her crowning triggered a debate over whether she should represent Japan.

I am delighted for this young woman, and I found her words quite touching. I admire her. I admire her sentiments. Also, I understand the critics, I must say. A European knockout has been crowned Miss Japan. Is that a slight against Japanese looks?

I understand the critics, I really do. And, again, I say hooray for Carolina Shiino, Miss Japan. (I’d like to meet her one day!)

• Oh, my gosh — German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Senator Chris Coons (D., Dela.). That German word “Doppelgänger” is exactly right!

• Let’s have a little language. At Carnegie Hall the other night, there were program notes about Mahler’s Symphony No. 10. They said,

In the decade following Gustav Mahler’s death in 1911, many considered the hushed, ethereal beauty that closes his Ninth Symphony to be the composer’s farewell to the world. Infused with many elements of personal history, he appeared to go gently into that good night. Yet Mahler’s life carried on.

Well and good. But that word “gently.” You remember what Dylan Thomas wrote in his poem, don’t you? “Do not go gentle into that good night.” Big difference. The adjective is so much better than the adverb there.

Another time, we might explore why . . .

• In a column last month, I mentioned Fritz Crisler, the legendary football coach at the University of Michigan. His given name was “Herbert O. Crisler.” He studied and played at the University of Chicago — where the coach, Amos Alonzo Stagg, gave him the nickname “Fritz.” “Crisler” is pronounced like “Kreisler.” And Fritz Kreisler was one of the most famous violinists, and musicians, in the world. So it was natural for Coach Stagg to call the young man “Fritz.”

Why am I bringing this up again? Because I saw that the new defensive coordinator at Michigan was to be Wink Martindale. I think of “Wink Martindale” as a game-show host. And, indeed, Coach Don “Wink” Martindale was nicknamed after him.

(The original Wink, by the way, is still with us, age 90.)

• Some music, i.e., some reviews? For a review of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, under Andris Nelsons, go here. For a review of the New York Philharmonic, under Gianandrea Noseda, go here. For a review of the Munich Philharmonic, under Zubin Mehta, go here.

• Speaking of conductors: Seiji Ozawa passed away last week, at 88. I would like to share two videos — late and early. Here is Seiji — Maestro Ozawa — last year, conducting for a Japanese astronaut in space. Moving. And here he is as a youngster, in 1963, appearing on What’s My Line? He has been with us all of our lives, Seiji Ozawa has. Treasurable.

• Before we leave the subject of music: Would you like to see the opera house in Cedarville, Ohio? Here ’tis:

A very clever sign, in advance of Valentine’s Day:

A language question: Should that be “Elderly Housing”? Or “Housing for the Elderly”? When you say “elderly housing,” do you mean housing that is old and crumbling? (The English language is flexible.) (Sometimes all too.)

A scene in Yellow Springs, not far from Cedarville:

Behold the glory — and I do mean glory — of Young’s Dairy. If you ever get a chance to go there, run, don’t walk. Speed. Whatever. And go again.

Thanks for joining me, dear friends. Catch you soon.

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