Net Notables

Fast forward to 29:00 to see the clip of Mailer, Vidal, Janet Flanner, and Cavett.

“A 1971 interview with Norman Mailer was not going well. Mailer moved his chair away from the other guests (Gore Vidal and Janet Flanner), and Cavett joked that “perhaps you’d like two more chairs to contain your giant intellect?”[1] Mailer replied “I’ll take the two chairs if you’ll all accept finger-bowls.” Mailer later said to Cavett “Why don’t you look at your question sheet and ask your question?”, to which Cavett replied, “Why don’t you fold it five ways and put it where the moon don’t shine?” A long laugh ensued, after which Mailer asked Cavett if he had come up with that line and Cavett replied, “Surely I don’t have to tell you a quote from Tolstoy.”–Wikipedia