“Don't judge it. Just write it. Don't judge it. It's not for you to judge it.”

—Philip Roth, recalling the mantra he had pinned above his desk in his younger days. From a very good interview with Scott Raab in Esquire magazine, October 2010. I got lost in it. Then I got lost in IM-ing with my friend Larry Rosen, who co-hosts a podcast, “Is it Good for the Jews?” Then I got lost on this website. Then I reread this Q&A I did with entertainment attorney Eric Weissmann, who fled the Nazis, worked for MCA, was threatened by Burt Lancaster, repped Gene Wilder and greenlit “All the President's Men.” A beautiful man. (I should‘ve titled the piece, “A Bolt of Lightning Comes in.”) Now it’s 1:30 and I need to get outside for a bit.

Roth, circa 1969.