Alex Massie Alex Massie

Lessons on Taking a Compliment

Yeah, even by writers’ standards, John O’Hara could be touchy. Here’s Alan Jacobs:

Anyway, when Pal Joey was a big hit on Broadway in 1940 a couple of friends ran into O’Hara at a restaurant and told him, “John, we just saw Pal Joey again and it was even better than the first time!” O’Hara replied, “What the hell was wrong with it the first time?”

Splendid stuff, you’ll agree.


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